SANTA   CRUZ 


34th  CONGRESS,  )     HOUSE  OF  EEPBESENTATIVES.     (  KEPORT 
1st  Session.      $  J  No.  200. 


REPORT 


THE  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 


APPOINTED    TO 


INVESTIGATE   THE   TROUBLES   IN  KANSAS; 


WITH 


f HE  VIEWS  OF  THE  MINORITY 


SAID   COMMITTEE. 


WASHINGTON: 

CORNELIUS    WENDELL,     PRINTER. 
1856. 


IN  THE  HotrsE  OP  REPRESENTATIVES,  July  2,  1856. 

Ordered,  That  it  be  referred  to  the  Committee  of  Elections,  and  printed ;  and  that  leave 
be  given  to  the  minority  of  said  committee  to  submit  a  report  at  any  time  within  ten  days, 
and  to  take  additional  testimony  ;  and  when  submitted,  that  the  same  be  referred  to  the 
Committee  of  Elections,  and  printed. 

IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  July  23,  1856. 

Retched,  That  twenty  thousand  copies  extra  of  the  reports  of  the  majority  and  minority 
of  the  Kansas  Investigating  Committee,  together  with  the  journal  of  said  committee,  and 
evidence  taken  by  them,  be  printed  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  House. 

Resolved,  That  one  hundred  thousand  copies  extra,  each,  of  the  majority  and  minority 
reports  of  said  committee  (without  the  journal  and  evidence)  be  printed  for  the  use  of  the 
members  of  the  House. 

Attest:  WM.  CULLOM,  Clerk. 


MS  /L  /fifC 


U5 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Majority  report 

Page. 

FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT 

Page. 

Minority  report          _    

68 

Minutes  of  committee  

110 

Foreman,  John  W  

17 

Harding,  Benj  

15 

TESTIMONY. 

Jamieson,  A.  A.  

16 

Landis  John. 

347 

Ekdion  of  November  29    1854  for  Dele- 

Larzelere    Alfred 

13 

Scott  John 

931 

Watterson    T  W 

1ft 

FIRST  DISTRICT. 
FA~OII  "William                   .           - 

3 

FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

Gale  H  B 

21 

SECOND  DISTRICT 

Green   J  B 

17 

House,  J.  W  

19 

Uursou    Harrison 

2 

Locran   Campbell 

22 

Dunn    James  M 

4 

Logan,  James  W  

1131 

Wakefield  John  A 

1 

Potter,  F.  M  

1£ 

Wattle?   Augustus 

3 

Potter  Joseph 

1132 

Williams  Wiley 

376 

THIRD  DISTRICT. 
Kitchel,  M.  J     

4 

SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

Eastin,  Lucian  J  __...  

30 

FOURTH  DISTRICT. 

Few  Samuel  F  

25 

Keller   George  H               . 

27 

Bassinger   Peter 

6 

Lindsey  John  A 

23 

Fuller   Perry. 

8 

Matthias   W   G 

38 

EEackett,  Reuben  

7 

Moore,  H.  Miles  

36 

Elopklns    Thomas 

5 

Noble  Dr  James 

24 

Tavens,  John  F.  

8 

Pattie,  Adam  T  

.    32 

Moore,  William 

9 

Rively   M.  P.     .           

1133 

Wt*tfall,  Dr.  B.  C 

10 

Poll-lists  of  election  of  November, 

1854 

39 

FIFTH  DISTRICT. 

Table   of  inhabitants  and   qualified 
voters 

72 

RTillson,  James  W  

10 

Governor's  precept  to  takers  of  census 

72 

SIXTH  DISTRICT 

Names  of  qualified  voters  according 
to  census  returns 

74 

*rmce,  John  C  

11 

Election  of  March  30,  1855. 

SEVENTH  DISTRICT 

Proclamation  of  governor 

101 

Boundaries  of  districts 

101 

ohnstone,  W.  F 

12 

Precincts  places  for  polls,  and  names 

Bad,  Matthias  A 

11 

of  the  judges  of  election  

104: 

Instructions  to  judges         - 

107 

NINTH  DISTRICT 

108 

109 

•we,  H.  A 

35 

Apportionment  of  members,  council 

lobley    C   R 

35 

109 

|sborn,'w  J 

1131 

110 

Reynolds,  Thomas.  . 

33 

Table  of  election  returns  

111 

IV 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 
Proclamation  of  governor  creating 

new  election  district  ......  ------       1  13 

Proclamation  of  governor  concerning 

judicial  districts  ................       112 

TESTIMONY. 


FIBST  DISTRICT. 


154 


Abbott,  J.  B  .....  -  .....  - 

Ackley,  Ira  W  ................... 

Allen,  Lyman  ....................  «» 

Allen,  Norman  ..................  -  "J 

Babcock,  C.  W  ..................  123'1^ 

Banks,  John  M  ...................  161 

Blanton,N.  B  ....................  148 

Buckley,  H.  W       ................  167 

Chapman,  Edward  ................ 

Churchill,  George.  ................  145 

Cummins,  R.  A.  ..................  145 

Davidson,  John  C.  ................  158 

Davidson,  Jordan  ------  .......  ----  157 

Deitzler,  Geo.  W  .................  132 

Doy,  Dr.  John 

Elliott,  R.  G 

Hopkins,  Thomas  .................  150 

Hornsby,  Wm.  B  .................  128 

Jenkins,  Gains  ......  -  .......  -----  131 

Ladd,  E.  D  ......................  114 

Lyon,  William  ...................  154 

Owens,  Horatio.  ..................  167 

Pratt,  CalebS  .................  ..123,149 

Robinson,  Dr.  Charles  .............  830 

Vaughan,  F.  P  .....  '.  .............  130 

Wade,  A.  B  ......................  159 

Whitlock,  James  .................  165 

Wood,  Samuel  N  .................  140 

Yates,  William  ...................  12 

SECOND  DISTRICT. 

Burson,  Harrison  _________  ........  16: 

Dunn,  James  M  ------------------  17: 

Dunn,  J.  C  ......................  17 

Jessee,  William  ...................  18 

Jones,  Samuel  ...........  _________  18 

Lahy,  F.  E  ......................  18 

Mace,  J.  N  ......................  17 

Macey,  Dr.  E.  G  ..................  17 

Muzzy,  H.  C  .....................  18 

Ramsay,  Nathaniel  .....  _  .....  ____  17 

Umberger,  G.  W  .................  18 

Wakeficld,  John  A  ................  18 

Ward,  George  W  .................  19 

White,  Andrew  ..................  17 

THIRD  DISTRICT. 

Berry,  Geo.  H  ....................  21 

Boggs,  Wm.  R  ...................  20 

Burgess,  Rev.  H.  B  ______  ........  __  19 

Hickcy,  James  ........  .  ..........  20 

Holmes,  George  ..................  21 

Home,  D.  H  ................  20 


Page, 

ordan,  Charles 199 

xmg,  John -  202 

lerriam,  J.  F 208 

litchell,  M.  J. 201 

ublette,  W.  A 212 

faughan,  W.  A.  M 210 

Wilmarth,  L.  C 205 

FOURTH  DISTRICT. 

Bassinger,  Peter 218 

uller,  Perry 217 

Hackett,  R 1133 

avens,  JohnF 220 

ohnson,  Andrew  S 222 

Kezer,  B.  S 224 

Mockbee,  Thomas 221 

Moore,  William .-  219 

FIFTH  DISTRICT. 

Arthur,  James  M 232 

Bouton,  S.  W - 233 

hesnut,  William 229 

Gearhart,  Joseph  M .-  228 

Westfall,  Dr.  B.  C 225 

Wilson,  J.  W 227 

SIXTH  DISTRICT. 

Anderson,  Jos.  C 241 

Arnett,  T.  B 245 

Barbee,  William 243 

Cook,  Emery  B 238 

Hamilton,  John ._; 234,241 

Williams,  Samuel  A.. 247 

SEVENTH  DISTFJCT. 

Hoover,  Absalom... -  261 

Johnson,  Andrew.. -  259 

Johnson,  Wm.  F.. 256 

Linkenanger,  C.  A,-- 257 

Rice,  Hallom 255 

Rose,  Marcus  H 249,254 

Stewart,  James  R 250,255 

Titus,  J.  B „ --  248 

NINTH  DISTRICT. 

Lowe,  H.  A 278 

McConnell,  Andrew. -  263 

Mobley,  C.  R 274 

Reynolds,  Thomas 272 

Wilson,  Robert. 264 

TENTH  DISTRICT. 

Cantrell,  John  A 271  \ 

Garrett,  M.  A 266 

Hascall,  Isaac  S 268 

Osborne,  W.  J. 267 

Stewart,  Jose  :>h 267 


CONTENTS. 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT. 
Baker,  Augustus  

Page. 
269 

Holliday,  D  

Page. 
1135 
1138 
383 
1137 
369 
384 
424 
1139 
377 
376 
375 
363 

409 
386 
406 
402 
405 
408 
389 
407 
403 
411 
424 
392 
419 
401 
415 
927 
396 
400 
39-5 

429 
430 

427 

432 
433 
357 
435 
437 

507 

526 
525 
531 
528 
524 
1140 
527 
563 
530 
532 

King,  Austin  A  

Martin,  John  W 

D'Avis,  John  E.  

269 

Potter,  F.  M     . 

THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. 
Chandler,  Richard  

286 

Potter,  Joseph  ._ 

Rively,  M.  P  

Rixey,  Samuel  

Shotwell,  J.  W 

Dyer,  G.  M  

291 

Thompson,  T.  J 

Godwin,  W.  H  

282 

Turnell,  S.  W 

Hardh,  Charles  

289 

Williams  Wiley 

287 

Zimmerman,  E.  R  . 

Noble   Dr  James 

283 

SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 
Adams  H  J 

Ross,  J.  B  

279 

Sharp,  A.  B  

293 

Tebbs   0.  B  

292 

Tebbs   Wm.  H     

.     .       295 

Brown   David 

Thorp  Thomas  -     .     _  .  . 

1134 

Day,  J.  H  

FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

OC  P 

Eastin,  L.  J  

Fisher,  Adam  

France,  Matt  

qqo 

Hart,  F.  A  

Brock,  Benj.  H  

.   ..       325 

Johnson,  D.  J_     _   .       

Kyle  A.  T  .. 

Carter,  John  R  

.     .       314 

McAuley  A 

Creal,  Henry  S  

330 

Matthias  Wm  G     .                 _ 

Cutler,  Dr.  G.  A.     .. 

357 

Minard  T  A 

Dickerson    Luther 

349 

Moore   H  Miles 

Dillon   Luther 

307 

Orr  Patrick  R 

Duncan    Benj 

326 

Pattie  A  T 

Fizer    David 

351 

Rees   Amos 

Forman,  James  F  

...286,348 

Forman,  John  W  _ 

360 

Gillespie,  G.  W.  

331 

Russell,  Alex.  

Hall,  Willard  P     .    . 

321 

Hamilton   Eli 

346 

Hard  in0*  Beni 

308 

Heed    Albert 

337 

Hulan  Osborn 

317 

Jamieson  A  A 

299 

Kirk,  R.  L  

353 

Johnson,  Thomas  -  — 

Landis,  John  

361 

EIGHTEENTH  DISTRICT. 
Baker  DH                           

Larzelere,  A 

318 

Lynch,  James 

351 

Miller   A    M 

329 

Mitchell   A   M 

329 

Pattee   J.  W 

350 

Cutter  Dr  G.  A        _-.  

Richardson   W   P 

303 

Scott    John 

894 

Poll-  lists  of  March  election  

Smith,  John  W. 

317 

Extracts  from  executive  minutes  con- 
cerning March  election,  &c  

Stewart  C  W 

328 

Stringfellow,  Dr.  J  H 

353 

Election  of  May  22,  1855. 

Tuck,  Richard 

343 

Watterson,  T.  W 

335 

Whit^head  C   B 

332 

Whitehead  J   H 

311   340 

Dav  J  H                                   

FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. 
Bailey  M   T 

373 

Bourne   Edward 

379 

Keller   Geo  H         

Brewster   0   H 

382 

Crane    J  B 

366 

Hodges,  Thomas.., 

372 

Poll-lists  of  May  election  

VI 


CONTENTS. 


Election  of  October  1,  1855,  for  Delegate 
to  Congress. 

Cook,  Emery  B 

Cox,  Lewis  M 

Creal,  H  S 

Field,  D.  W 

Hamilton,  John -- - 

Holladay,  D 

Jenkins,  Gaius 

Landis,  John 

Lynch,  James - 

Moore,  H.  Miles 

Morrow,  Robert 

Prather,  L.  A 

Reed,  James - 

Richardson,  W.  P.. - 

Stephens,  John  W 

Warren,  Geo.  F 

Weibling.H.  G 

Westfall,  Dr.  B.  C 

White,  Andrew 

Wol verton,  T 

Poll-lists  of  election  of  Oct.  1,  1855. 

State  movement,  including  election  of  A.  H. 
Seeder,  delegates  to  constitutional  conven- 
tion, adoption  of  constitution,  state  offi- 
cers, Sfc. 

Blakely,  Charles 

Davis,  James _ 

Deitzler,  Geo.  W 

Green,  J.  C 

Laughlin,  Pat 

Lowrey,  G.  P 

Parrott,  M.  J 

Roberts,  W.  Y 

Wood,  Dr.  J.  N.  0.  P 

Call  for  constitutional  convention 

Proceedings  of  Topeka  convention  _. 
Proclamation  for  delegates  to  consti- 
tutional convention 

Constitution  of  State  of  Kansas 

Proclamation  for  election  to  adopt 

constitution 

Proclamation  for  election  of  State 

officers,  &c 

Memorial  to  the  Congress  of  the 

United  States 

Poll-lists  of  election  of  October  9, 

1855 

Poll-lists  of  election  of  December  15 

1855 .' 

Poll-lists  of  election  of  January  16 

1856 ...._' 

Emigrant  Aid  Society. 

Charter  of  the  New  England  Emigrant 
Aid  ^Company 

Address  of  the  executive  committee. 
List  of  officers  of  the  corporation... 
Names  of  parties  in  spring  of  1855.. 


Page. 


559 
549 
561 
561 
562 

1142 
549 
559 
562 
563 
547 
550 
556 
558 
553 
558 

1143 
557 
547 
548 
564 


604 
605 
606 
990 
603 
657 
603 
606 
658 
607 
608 

612 
617 

641 
645 
652 
661 
713 
757 


874 
875 

882 
887 


TESTIMONY. 


Page. 


Adams,  Nathan  ..  ................  840 

Blossom,  Henry  M  ____  .....  _  .....  838 

Bottom,  T.  E  ....................  865 

Chick,  W.  H  .................  ____  835 

Donaldson,  E.  W_-  ........  _  ......  854 

Donaldson,  W.  T  .-  ...............  851 

Evans,  J.  B  .................  _____  846 

Gilham,  Alex  .................  ---  848 

Hunt,  F.  A    ..................  .  834,872 

Ingalls,  J.  E  ..............  _______  841 

Kearney,  C.  E  _____  ..........  _____  852 

Kerr,  Leander  _  ...................  859 

Lawrence,  Amos  A_  .......  .  .  _  .....  873 

Mace,  Daniel.  .......  _______  ......  829 

Mahan,  F.  M  _________  .....  .  .....  .  867 

McCartney,  E.  C  ...........  _  .....  _  855 

Miller,  Wm.  H  ..................  .  862 

Nicholson,  B.  F  ................  ..  1144 

Payne,  M.  J  _______  ............  837,  847 

Redmon,  J.  B  ................  ____  864 

Reed,  J.  T  .............  .  .........  863 

Riddlesberger,  J  ................  _.  844 

Ridge,  Isaac  M  .....  _  .............  863 

Robinson,  Dr.  Charles.  ..........  830,  899 

Smith,  Samuel  C  _  ......  .  ........  .  831 

Slater,  Benj  ...............  _____  832,871 

Spalding,C.  C__  .................  .  856 

Stone,  Anson  J  ____________  ......  886 

Summers,  W.  H.  .......  __________  860 

Thayer,  Eli  .....  _  ...............  .  883 

Walker,  M.  R  ....................  897 

Webb,  Thos.  W.,  (letter)  ___________  1143 

Whitlock,  James  ..  ...............  857 


Secret  Societies. 


Conway,  M.  F  ........ 

Davidson,  Jordan 
Francis,  A  J.  ____ 

Laughlin,  Pat 
Lowrey,  G.  P 
Prince,  J.  C 
Reeder,  A,  H  ____  __ 

Richardson,  W.  P 
Scott,  John  .....  _ 

Stringfellow,  Dr.  J.  H 
Tebbs,  Wm.  H 


Squatter  associations. 

Constitution  of  Delaware  Association. 
Salt  Creek  resolutions  _____________ 

Stock  bridge  resolutions  ........  ____ 

Leavenworth  resolutions  .........  _ 

Proceedings  of   meeting  at  White- 
head,  K.T  ..................... 

TESTIMpNY. 


923 
902 
910 
905 
921 
902 
947 
901 
894 
925 
930 


951 
953 
954 
955 

95« 


Mitchell,  A.  M 
Wakefield,  J.  A 


956 
950 


I 


CONTENTS. 


VII 


Lynching  of  Wm.  Phillips. 


Page. 


Johnson.  D.  J 1026 

Payne,  A ;-•% 965 

'Rees,  R.  RJ -- 970 

Warren,  Geo.  F r 963 

Miscellaneous. 

Abell,  Peter  T 1024.1037 

Breeze,  Thomas -- 1048 

Brock,  B.  H 1021 

Butler,  Rev.  P.. 960 

Harding,  Benj... 1021 

Harris,  James .-  1146 

Hascall,  Isaac  S  - - 1035 

Lynch,  John. __ 974 

Lyon,  A.B_ 975 

Matthias,  W.  G_- - 1147 

McKinney,  Wm 1049 

Oakley,  Edward. _ 960 

Smith.  Samuel 958 

Zimmerman,  E.  R 1023 


Taking  of  ballot-box  at  Leavenworth  City, 
December  15,  1855. 

Burgess,  Wm 

Hollis,  G  W 

Hook,  H.  W 

Johnston,  H.  H 

Keller,  G.  W 

Wetherell,  Geo_  _ _ 


Murder  of  R.  P.  Brown. 


Adams,  Henry  J 

Bird,  Joseph  H. 

Brown,  David 

Davis,  Dr.  James 

Elliott,  Josiah 

Few,  Dr.  Saml.  F 

Green,  J.  C 

Kookogey,  S.  J 

Martin,  Captain  J.  W 

Motter,  E.  S 

Park,  Dr.  J.  G 

Eively,  M.  P 

Smith,  Nick. 

Sparks,  Mrs.  E 

Sparks,  Stephen 

Taylor,  Geo.  A 


978 
980 
980 
973 
980 
979 


985 

981 

996 

1004 

1147 

1005 

990 

1016 

1026 

1007 

1004 

999 

1006 

1019 

1011 

1002 


Wilfley,  John  .......  1015 

Williams,  Wiley.  .................  1030 

Murder  of  C.  W.  Dow. 

Banks,  John  M  .........  _  .........  1056 

Branson,  Jacob  ...........  _  .......  1060 

Breeze,  Thomas  _  .........  '.  .......  1044 

Coleman,  F.  M._  .................  1052 

Davidson,  J.  C  .........  _  .........  1047 

Gleason,  Salem  .........  __________  1042 

Jones,  Mrs.  A  ....................  1050 

Jones,  Daniel  T  .....  _____  ........  1050 

McKinney,  N  _________  .........  __  1045 

McKinney,  Wilday  _____  ......  _____  1049 

McKinney,  Wm.  .................  1040 

Owens,  Samuel.  .....  ____  ........  .  1051 

Murder  of  Thomas  Barber. 

Barber,  Robt.  F  ..................  1121 

Colburn,  Mrs.  J.  W  .......  _  .......  1125 

Nichols,  Harrison  ________________  1126 

Pierson,  T.  M  ...........  _________  1124 

Phillips,  Wm  ....................  1127 

Prentiss,  Dr.  S.  P  .....  ____________  1128 

Simpson,  Henry  M  ...............  1128 

Simpson,  S.  N  ........  .  ...........  1127 

Siaje  of  Lavrrence. 

Allen,  Asaph  _________  ...........  1114 

Brewster,  James  ........  .  .........  1129 

Brewster,  0.  H  ...................  382 

Branson,  A.  B  ____  ............  ----  1094 

Connelly,  Thomas.  .........  -  -----  1101 

Cutler,  Dr.  G.  A  ...............  ---  1110 

Heyes,  Homme  _________  .......  --  1093 

Jessee,  William  ............  -  .....  1117 

Legate,  James  F.  -  -  ...............  1094 

Leonard,  Captain  L  ...............  1129 

Lowrey,  G.  P  ............  -  .......  1074 

Phillips,  Wm  ....................  1112 

Prather,  L.  A..  ......  -  ...........  1065 

Robinson,  Dr.  Charles  .............  1069 

Shannon,  Gov.  Wilson  ............  1  102 

Warren,  Geo.  F  ..................  1097 

Winchell,  J.  M  .........  -  .........  1086 

Woodson,  Daniel  ................  - 


Ex  Part*  Testimony. 
Appendix  to  minority  report 


34th  CONGRESS,  )   HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES.    C  REPORT 
1st  Session.      $  )  No.  200. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS, 

Mr.  HOWARD,  from  the  Select  Committee,  made  the  following 
REPORT. 

[Mr.  MORDECAI  OLIVER  submitted  the  views  of  the  minority,  herewith 

printed.] 

The  Special  Committee  appointed  to  investigate  the  troubles  in  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas,  having  performed  the  duties  required  by  the  House, 
beg  leave  to  submit  the  following  report: 

A  journal  of  proceedings,  including  sundry  communications  made 
to  and  by  the  committee,  was  kept ;  a  copy  of  which  is  herewith 
submitted. 

A  copy  of  the  testimony  has  been  made  and  arranged  ;  not  accord- 
ing to  the  order  in  which  it  was  taken,  but  so  as  to  present  as  clearly 
as  possible  a  consecutive  history  of  events  in  the  Territory  from  its 
organization  to  tbe  19th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1856. 

This  copy  and  the  original,  with  copies  of  the  census  rolls  and  the 
poll-books  of  all  the  elections,  are  herewith  submitted. 

Your  committee  deem  it  their  duty  to  state,  as  briefly  as  possible, 
the  principal  facts  proven  before  them.  When  the  act  to  organize  the 
Territory  of  Kansas  was  passed  on  the  30th  of  May,  1854,  the  greater 
portion  of  its  eastern  border  was  included  in  Indian  reservations  not 
open  for  settlements,  and  there  were  but  few  white  settlers  in  any 
portion  of  the  Territory.  Its  Indian  population  was  rapidly  decreas- 
ing, while  many  emigrants  from  different  parts  of  our  country  were 
•anxiously  waiting  the  extinction  of  the  Indian  title,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Territorial  government,  to  seek  new  homes  on  its  fertile 
prairies.  It  cannot  be  doubted  that  if  its  condition  as  a  free  Terri- 
tory had  been  left  undisturbed  by  Congress,  its  settlement  ^would 
have  been  rapid,  peaceful,  and  prosperous.  Its  climate,  its  soil,  and 
its  easy  access  to  the  older  settlements,  would  have  made  it  the 
favored  course  for  the  tide  of  emigration  constantly  flowing  to  the 
'West,  and  by  this  time  it  would  have  been  admitted  into  the  Union 
as  a  free  otate,  without  the  least  sectional  excitement.  If  so  organ- 
ized, none  but  the  kindest  feelings  could  have  existed  ^  between  its 
citizens  and  those  of  the  adjoining  State.  Their  mutual  interests  and 


4  m  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

intercourse,  instead  of,  as  now,  endangering  the  harmony  of  the 
Union,  would  have  strengthened  the  ties  of  national  brotherhood. 
The  testimony  clearly  shows  that  before  the  proposition  to  repeal  the 
Missouri  compromise  was  introduced  into  Congress,  the  people  of 
western  Missouri  appeared  indifferent  to  the  prohibition  of  slavery  in 
the  Territory,  and  neither  asked  nor  desired  its  repeal. 

When,  however,  the  prohibition  was  removed  by  the  action  of  Con- 
gress, the  aspect  of  affairs  entirely  changed.  The  whole  country  was 
agitated  by  the  reopening  of  a  controversy  which  conservative  men  in 
different  sections  believed  had  been  settled  in  every  State  and  Terri- 
tory by  some  -law  beyond  the  danger  of  repeal.  The  excitement 
which  has  always  accompanied  the  discussion  of  the  slavery  question 
was  greatly  increased  by  the  hope,  on  the  one  hand,  of  extending 
slavery  into  a  region  from  which  it  had  been  excluded  by  law ;  and, 
on  the  other,  by  a  sense  of  wrong  done  by  what  was  regarded  as  a 
dishonor  of  a  national  compact.  This  excitement  was  naturally  trans- 
ferred into  the  border  counties  of  Missouri  and  the  Territory,  as  set- 
tlers favoring  free  or  slave  institutions  moved  into  it.  A  new  diffi- 
culty soon  occurred.  Different  constructions  were  put  upon  the 
organic  law.  It  was  contended  by  the  one  party  that  the  right  to  hold 
slaves  in  the  Territory  existed,  and  that  neither  the  people  nor  the 
Territorial  legislature  could  prohibit  slavery ;  that  that  power  was 
alone  possessed  by  the  people  when  they  were  authorized  to  form  a 
State  government.  It  was  contended  that  the  removal  of  the  restric- 
tion virtually  established  slavery  in  the  Territory.  This  claim  was 
urged  by  many  prominent  men  in  western  Missouri,  who  actively  en- 
gaged in  the  affairs  of  the  Territory.  Every  movement,  of  whatever 
character,  which  tended  to  establish  free  institutions,  was  regarded  as 
an  interference  with  their  rights. 

Within  a  few  days  after  the  organic  law  passed,  and  as  soon  as  its 
passage  could  be  known  on  the  border,  leading  citizens  of  Missouri 
crossed  into  the  Territory,  held  squatter  meetings,  and  then  returned 
to  their  homes.  Among  their  resolutions  are  tiie  following  : 

"  That  we  will  afford  protection  to  no  abolitionist  as  a  settler  of 
this  Territory." 

"  That  we  recognise  the  institution  of  slavery  as  already  existing 
in  this  Territory,  and  advise  slaveholders  to  introduce  their  property 
as  early  as  possible." 

Similar  resolutions  were  passed  in  various  parts  of  the  Territory, 
and  by  meetings  in  several  counties  of  Missouri.  Thus  the  first 
effect  of  the  repeal  of  the  restriction  against  slavery  was  to  substi- 
tute the  resolves  of  squatter  meetings,  composed  almost  exclusively 
of  citizens  of  a  single  State,  for  the  deliberate  action  of  Congress  ac- 
quiesced in  for  thirty-five  years. 

This  unlawful  interference  has  been  continued  in  every  important 
event  in  the  history  of  the  Territory ;  every  election  has  been  controlled, 
not  by  the  actual  settlers,  but  by  citizens  of  Missouri ;  and,  as  a  conse- 
quence, every  officer  in  the  Territory,  from  constable  to  legislators, 
except  those  appointed  by  the  President,  owe  their  positions  to  non-i 
resident  voters.  None  have  been  elected  by  the  settlers  ;  and  youri 
committee  have  been  unable  to  find  that  any  political  power  what- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  3 

ever,  however  unimportant,  has  "been  exercised  by  the  people  of  the 
Territory. 

In  October,  A.  D.  1854,  Gov.  A.  H.  Keeder,  and  the  other  officers 
appointed  by  the  President,  arrived  in  the  Territory.  Settlers  from 
all  parts  of  the  country  were  moving  in  in  great  numbers,  making 
their  claims  and  building  their  cabins.  About  the  same  time,  and 
before  any  election  was  or  could  be  held  in  the  Territory,  a  secret  po- 
litical society  was  formed  in  the  State  of  Missouri. (I)  It  was  known  by 
different  names,  such  as  "  Social  Band,"  "  Friends'  Society/'  "  Blue 
Lodge,"  "  The  Sons  of  the  South."  Its  members  were  bound  together 
by  secret  oaths,  and  they  had  pass-words,  signs,  and  grips,  by  which 
they  were  known  to  each  other ;  penalties  were  imposed  for  violating  the 
rules  and  secrets  of  the  order ;  written  minutes  were  kept  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  lodges  ;  and  the  different  lodges  were  connected  together  by 
an  effective  organization.  It  embraced  great  numbers  of  the  citizens  of 
Missouri,  and  was  extended  into  other  slave  States  and  into  the  Terri- 
tory. Its  avowed  purpose  was  not  only  to  extend  slavery  into  Kansas, 
but  also  into  other  territories  of  the  United  States,  and  to  form  a  union 
of  all  the  friends  of  that  institution.  Its  plan  of  operating  was  to  or- 
ganize and  send  men  to  vote  at  the  elections  in  the  Territory,  to  col- 
lect money  to  pay  their  expenses,  and,  if  necessary,  to  protect  them 
in  voting.  It  also  proposed  to  induce  pro-slavery  men  to  emigrate 
into  the  Territory,  to  aid  and  sustain  them  while  there,  and  to  elect 
none  to  office  but  those  friendly  to  their  views.  This  dangerous  society 
was  controlled  by  men  who  avowed  their  purpose  to  extend  slavery 
into  the  Territory  at  all  hazards,  and  was  altogether  the  most  effect- 
ive instrument  in  organizing  the  subsequent  armed  invasions  and  fo- 
rays. In  its  lodges  in  Missouri  the  affairs  of  Kansas  were  discussed. 
The  force  necessary  to  control  the  election  was  divided  into  bands  and 
leaders  selected.  Means  were  collected,  and  signs  and  badges  were 
agreed  upon.  While  the  great  body  of  the  actual  settlers  of  the  Ter- 
ritory were  relying  upon  the  rights  secured  to  them  by  the  organic 
law,  and  had  formed  no  organization  or  combination  whatever,  even 
of  a  party  character,  this  conspiracy  against  their  rights  was  gather- 
ing strength  in  a  neighboring  State,  and  would  have  been  sufficient 
at  their  first  election  to  have  overpowered  them,  even  if  they  had  been 
united  to  a  man. 

Your  committee  had  great  difficulty  in  eliciting  the  proof  of  the  de- 
tails in  regard  to  this  secret  society.  One  witness,  a  member  of  the 
legislative  council,  refused  to  answer  questions  in  reference  to  it. (2) 
Another  declined  to  answer  fully,  because  to  do  so  would  result  to  his 
injury. (3)  Others  could  or  would  only  answer  as  to  the  general  pur- 
poses of  the  society  ;  but  sufficient  is  disclosed  in  the  testimony  to  show 
the  influence  it  had  in  controlling  the  elections  in  the  Territory ,, 

The  first  election  was  for  a  delegate  to  Congress.  It  was  appointed 
for  the  29th  of  JNovember,  1854.  The  governor  divided  the  Territory 
into  seventeen  election  districts,  appointed  judges,  and  prescribed  pro- 
per rules  for  the  election.  In  the  first,  third,  eighth,  ninth,  tenth, 

(1)  Jourdan  Davidson,  J.  C.  Prince,  John  Scott,  J.  H.  Stringfellow. 

(2)  W.  P.  Richardson.  (3)  J.  C.  Prince 


4:  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

twelfth,  thirteenth,  and  seventeenth  districts  there  appears  to  have 
been  but  little  if  any  fraudulent  voting. 

The  election  in  the  2d  district  was  held  at  the  village  of  Douglas? 
near  fifty  miles  from  the  Missouri  line.  On  the  day  before  the  elec- 
tion large  companies  of  men  came  into  the  district  in  wagons  and  on 
horseback,  and  declared  that  they  were  from  the  State  of  Missouri, 
and  were  going  to  Douglas  to  vote.  On  the  morning  of  the  election 
they  gathered  around  the  house  where  the  election  was  to  be  held. 
Two  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  did  not  appear,  and 
other  judges  were  selected  by  the  crowd  ;  all  then  voted.  In  order  to 
make  a  pretence  of  right  to  vote,  some  persons  of  the  company  kept  a 
pretended  register  of  squatter  claims,  on  which  any  one  could  enter 
his  name,  and  then  assert  he  had  a  claim  in  the  Territory.  A  citizen 
of  the  district,  who  was  himself  a  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress, 
was  told  by  one  of  the  strangers  that  he  would  be  abused,  and  proba- 
bly killed,  if  he  challenged  a  vote.  (4)  He  was  seized  by  the  collar, 
called  a  damned  abolitionist,  and  was  compelled  to  seek  protection  in 
the  room  with  the  judges.  About  the  time  the  polls  were  closed  these 
strangers  mounted  their  horses  and  got  into  their  wagons  and  cried 
out,  "  All  aboard  for  Westport  and  Kansas  City."  A  number  were 
recognised  as  residents  of  Missouri,  and  among  them  was  Samuel  H. 
Woodson,  a  leading  lawyer  of  Independence.  Of  those  whose  names 
are  on  the  poll-books,  35  were  resident  settlers  and  226  were  non- 
residents. 

The  election  in  the  fourth  district  was  held  at  Dr.  Chapman's,  over 
forty  miles  from  the  Missouri  State  line.  It  was  a  thinly  settled  re- 
gion, containing  but  forty-seven  voters  in  February,  1855,  when  the 
census  was  taken.  On  the  day  before  the  election,  from  one  hundred 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty  citizens  of  Cass  and  Jackson  counties,  Mis- 
souri, came  into  this  district,  declaring  their  purpose  to  vote,  and  that 
they  were  bound  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  if  they  did  it  at  the 
point  of  the  sword.  (5)  Persons  of  the  party  on  the  way  drove  each  a 
stake  in  the  ground,  and  called  it  a  claim;  and  in  one  case  several 
names  were  put  on  one  stake.  The  party  of  strangers  camped  all 
night  near  where  the  election  was  to  be  held,  and  in  the  morning  were 
at  the  election  polls  and  voted.  One  of  their  party  got  drunk,  and  to 
get  rivl  of  Dr.  Chapman,  a  judge  of  the  election,  they  sent  for  him  to 
come  and  see  a  sick  man,  and,  in  his  absence,  filled  his  place  with 
another  judge,  who  was  not  sworn.  They  did  not  deny  or  conceal  that 
they  were  residents  of  Missouri,  and  many  of  them  were  recognised  as 
such  by  others.  They  declared  that  they  were  bound  to  make  Kansas 
a  slave  State.  They  insisted  upon  their  right  to  vote  in  the  Territory 
if  they  were  in  it  one  hour.  After  the  election  they  again  returned  to 
their  homes  in  Missouri,  camping  over  night  on  the  way. 

We  find  upon  the  poll-books  161  names  ;  of  these  not  over  30  resided 
in  the  Territory,  and  131  were  non-residents.  (6) 

But  few  settlers  attended  the  election  in  the  fifth  district,  the  district 

(4)  John  A.  Wakefield. 

(5)  Peter  Bassinger. 

(6)  Thomas  Hopkins,  Keuben  Hackett,  Perry  Fuller,  John  F.  Lucas. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  5 

being  large  and  the  settlements  scattered.  Eighty-two  votes  were  cast; 
of  these  between  20  and  30  were  settlers, (7)  and  the  residue  were 
citizens  of  Missouri.  They  passed  into  the  Territory  by  way  of  the 
Santa  Fe  road,  and  by  the  residence  of  Dr.  Westfall,  who  then  lived  on 
the  western  line  of  Missouri.  (8)  Some  little  excitement  arose  at  the 
polls  as  to  the  legality  of  their  voting  ;  but  they  did  vote  for  Gen. 
Whitfield,  and  said  they  intended  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and 
that  they  had  claims  in  the  Territory.  Judge  Teagle,  judge  of  the 
court  in  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  was  present,  but  did  not  vote. (9) 
He  said  he  did  not  intend  voting,  but  came  to  see  that  others  voted. 
After  the  election,  the  Missourians  returned  the  way  they  came. 

The  election  in  the  sixth  district  was  held  at  Fort  Scott,  in  the  south- 
east part  of  the  Territory,  and  near  the  Missouri  line.  A  party  of 
about  one  hundred  men  from  Cass  county,  and  the  counties  in  Missouri 
south  of  it,  went  into  the  Territory,  travelling  about  45  miles,  most  of 
them  with  their  wagons  and  tents,  and  camping  out.  They  appeared  at 
the  place  of  election.  Some  attempts  were  made  to  swear  them,  but  two 
of  the  judges  were  prevailed  upon  not  to  do  so,  and  none  were  sworn, 
and  as  many  as  chose  voted.  There  were  but  few  resident  voters  at 
the  polls.  The  settlement  was  sparse  ;  about  25  actual  settlers  voted 
out  of  105  votes  cast,  leaving  80  illegal  votes. (10)  After  the  voting 
was  over,  the  Missourians  went  to  their  wagons  and  commenced  leaving 
for  home. 

The  most  shameless  fraud  practised  upon  the  rights  of  the  settlers 
at  this  election  was  in  the  seventh  district.  It  is  a  remote  settlement, 
about  seventy-five  miles  from  the  Missouri  line,  and  contained,  in 
February,  A.  D.  1855,  three  months  afterwards,  when  the  census  was 
taken,  but  53  voters  ;  and  yet  the  poll-books  show  that  604  votes  were 
cast.  The  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  Frey  McGee,  at  a  place 
called  "110."  But  few  of  the  actual  settlers  were  present  at  the 
polls. (11)  A  witness,  who  formerly  resided  in  Jackson  county,  Mis- 
souri, and  was  well  acquainted  with  the  citizens  of  that  county,  (12) 
says  that  he  saw  a  great  many  wagons  and  tents  at  the  place  of  election, 
and  many  individuals  he  knew  from  Jackson  county.  He  was  in  their 
tents,  and  conversed  with  some  of  them,  and  they  told  him  they  had 
come  with  the  intention  of  voting.  He  went  to  the  polls,  intending 
to  vote  for  Flennigan;  but  his  ticket  being  of  a  different  color  from 
the  rest,  his  vote  was  challenged  by  Frey  McGee,  who  had  been 
appointed  one  of  the  judges,  but  did  not  serve.  Lernuel  Kalston,  a 
citizen  of  Missouri,  was  acting  in  his  place.  The  witness  then  chal- 
lenged the  vote  of  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Nolan,  whom  he  knew 
to  reside  in  Jackson  county.  Finally,  the  thing  was  hushed  up,  as 
the  witness  had  a  good  many  friends  there  from  that  county,  and  it 
might  have  led  to  a  fight  if  he  challenged  any  more  votes.  Both 
voted;  and  he  then  went  down  to  their  camp.  He  there  saw  many  oj 

(7)  James  W.  Wilson. 

(8)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall. 

(9)  J.  W.  Wilson. 

(10)  J.  C.  Prince. 

(11)  Matthias  A.  Iteed. 

(12)  William  F.  Johnstone. 


8 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


who  did  not  know  him  said,  "  There's  a  good  pro-slavery  man/'  and 
lifted  him  up  over  their  heads,  so  that  he  crawled  on  their  heads  and 
put  in  his  vote.  A  person  who  saw,  from  the  color  of  his  ticket,  that 
it  was  not  for  Gen.  Whitfield,  cried  out,  "  He  is  a  damned  abolition- 
ist— let  him  down  ;"  and  they  dropped  him.  (20)  Others  were  passed 
to  the  polls  in  the  same  way,  and  others  crowded  up  in  the  best  way 
they  could.  After  this  mockery  of  an  election  was  over  the  non-resi- 
dents returned  to  their  homes  in  Missouri.  .  Of  the  312  votes  cast,  not 
over  150  were  by  legal  voters. 

The  following  abstract  exhibits  the  whole  number  of  votes  at  this 
election  for  each  candidate,  the  number  of  legal  and  illegal  votes  cast 
in  each  district,  and  the  number  of  legal  voters  in  each  district  in 
February  following. 

Abstract  of  census  and  election  of  November  29,  1854. 


Districts. 

'Place  of  voting. 

Whitfield. 

Wakefield. 

Flenniken. 

Scattering. 

1 

J* 

E  m. 

>  £3 

tk.  w 
0  a 

i 

Legal  votes. 

Illegal  votes. 

First.          

46 
235 
40 
140 
63 
105 
597 
16 
9 
2 
237 
31 
69 
130 
267 
232 
49 

188 
20 

51 
6 
7 
21 
15 

15 

300 
261 
47 
161 
82 
105 
604 
16 
40 
37 
245 
41 
71 
153 
306 
312 
62 

369 
199 
101 

47 
442 
253 
53 
39 
36 
63 
24 
78 
96 
334 
308 
385 
50 
28 

300 
35 

47 
30 
30 
25 
20 
16 
40 
37 
7 
41 
71 
103 
100 
150 
62 

Douglas    

226 

Third 

Stinson's             

Fourth  

21 
4 

131 
52 
80 

584 

'238 

'"56 
206 
162 

Fifth 

H.  Sherman's  

Sixth 

Fort  Scott           '      ... 

"  110" 

7 

Eighth 

Council  Grove  

Ninth    ' 

31 
29 
3 

• 

Tenth    

6 

JEleventh  
Twelfth 

Marysville  

9 
1 

Thirteenth  
Fourteenth  

Fifteenth 

1 
23 
39 
80 
13 

Harding's  

Seventeenth  

Shawnee  Agency  

Total  

2,258 

248 

305 

22 

2,833 

2,905 

1,114 

1,729 

Thus  your  committee  find  that  in  this,  the  first  election  in  the 
Territory,  a  very  large  majority  of  the  votes  were  cast  by  citizens  of 
the  State  of  Missouri,  in  violation  of  the  organic  law  of  the  Territory. 
Of  the  legal  votes  cast,  General  Whitfield  received  a  plurality.  The 
settlers  took  but  little  interest  in  the  election,  not  one-half  of  them 
voting.  This  may  be  accounted  for  from  the  fact  that  the  settlements 
were  scattered  over  a  great  extent,  that  the  term  of  the  delegate  to  be 
elected  was  short,  and  that  the  question  of  free  or  slave  institutions 
was  not  generally  regarded  by  them  as  distinctly  at  issue.  Under 
these  circumstances,  a  systematic  invasion  from  an  adjoining  State, 
by  which  large  numbers  of  illegal  votes  were  cast  in  remote  and 
sparse  settlements,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  extending  slavery  into 
the  Territory,  even  though  it  did  not  change  the  result  of  the  election, 


(20)  John  A.  Landis. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


9 


was  a  crime  of  great  magnitude.  Its  immediate  effect  was  to  further 
excite  the  people  of  the  northern  States,  and  exasperate  the  actual 
settlers  against  their  neighbors  in  Missouri. 

In  January  and  February,  A.  D.  1855,,  the  governor  caused  an 
enumeration  to  be  taken  of  the  inhabitants  and  qualified  voters  in  the 
Territory,  an  abstract  of  which  is  here  given. 


j 

BQ 

. 

By  whom  taken. 

Districts. 

« 

* 

JD 

I 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

f 

1 

i 

| 

s 

£ 

> 

i 

1 

h 

to 

I 

H 

C.  W.  Babcock  

1st  district  

623 

339 

369 

459 

887 

75 

962 

O.  H.  Brown  

2d...    do  

316 

203 

199 

237 

506 

19 

i 

7 

519 

T.  W.  Hayes  

3d  ....  do  

161 

91 

101 

112 

215 

12 

g 

25J 

O.  B.  Donaldson  

4th....  do  

106 

71 

47 

97 

169 

2 

i 

1 

177 

Wm.  Barbee  
Do  

5th.  ...do  
6th  do 

824 
492 

583 
318 

442 
253 

724 

418 

1,385 
791 

22 

12 

27 
11 

26 
H 

!,«/ 
fJlfo 

J.  B.  McClure  

7th.  ...do  

82 

36 

53 

50 

117 

1 

1 

I 

118 

Do  

8th  ....  do    

56 

27 

39 

28 

76 

7 

13 

10 

83 

M.  F.  Conway 

9th...  do 

61 

25 

36 

31 

66 

12 

14 

3 

8S 

Do  

10th.     do  

97 

54 

63 

61 

108 

23 

151 

B.  H.  Twombly.  ... 

llth.     do 

33 

3 

1      24 

5 

30 

6 

38 

Do  

12th.  !!do  

104 

40 

78 

35 

109 

37 

1 

7 

144 

H.  B.  Jolly  

13th.  ..do  

168 

116 

96 

145 

273 

9 

14 

14 

284 

Albert  Weed.  .. 

14th.     do 

655 

512 

334 

301 

46 

1 

35 

•1,167 

H.  B.  Jolly  

15th.  ..do  

492 

381 

308 

448 

846 

16 

15 

15 

873 

Chas.  Leib  

16th.  ..do    

708 

475 

385 

514 

1,042 

104 

48 

33 

1,183 

Alex.  O.  Johnson  .  .  . 

17th.  ..do  

91 

59 

50 

54 

143 

5 

4 

S3 

15) 

B.  H.  Twombly 

18th      do 

59 

40 

28 

51 

97 

1 

99 

Total  

5,128 

3,383 

2,905 

3,469 

7,161 

408 

151 

192 

8,601 

ELECTION  OF  MARCH  30,  1855. 

On  the  same  day  that  the  census  was  completed,  the  governor  issued 
his  proclamation  for  an  election  to  be  held  on  the  30th  of  March,  A. 
D.  1855,  for  members  of  the  legislative  assembly  of  the  Territory.  It 
prescribed  the  boundaries  of  districts,  the  places  for  polls,  the  names 
of  judges,  the  apportionment  of  members,  and  recited  the  qualification 
of  voters.  If  it  had  been  observed,  a  just  and  fair  election  would  have 
reflected  the  will  of  the  people  of  the  Territory.  Before  the  election, 
false  and  inflammatory  rumors  were  busily  circulated  among  the  people 
of  western  Missouri.  The  number  and  character  of  the  emigration 
then  passing  into  the  Territory  were  grossly  exaggerated  and  mis- 
represented. Through  the  active  exertions  of  many  of  its  leading 
citizens,  aided  by  the  secret  society  before  referred  to,  the  passions 
and  prejudices  of  the  people  of  that  State  were  greatly  excited.  ^Sev- 
eral  residents  there  have  testified  to  the  character  of  the  reports  circu- 
lated among  and  credited  by  the  people.  These  efforts  were  successful. 
By  an  organized  movement,  which  extended  from  Andrew  county  in 
the  north,  to  Jasper  county  in  the  south,  and  as  far  eastward  as 
Boone  and  Cole  counties,  Missouri,  companies  of  men^were  arrange 
in  irregular  parties  and  sent  into  every  council  district  in  the  Territory, 
and  into  every  representative  district  but  one.  The  numbers  were  so 
distributed  as  to  control  the  election  in  each  district.  They  went  to 
vote,  and  with  the  avowed  design  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  (State, 
They  were  generally  armed  and  equipped,  carried  with  them  tneir 


10  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

own  provisions  and  tents,  and  so  marched  into  the  Territory.  The 
details  of  this  invasion  form  the  mass  of  the  testimony  taken  by  your 
committee,  and  is  so  voluminous  that  we  can  here  state  but  the  leading 
facts  elicited. 

FIRST  DISTRICT. — Lawrence. 

The  company  of  persons  who  marched  into  this  district  was  collected 
in  Ray,  Howard,  Carroll,  Boone,  Lafayette,  Randolph,  Macon,  Clay, 
Jackson,  Saline,  and  Cass  counties,  in  the  State  of  Missouri.  Their 
expenses  were  paid ;  those  who  could  not  come,  contributing  provi- 
sions, wagons,  &c.(l)  Provisions  were  deposited  for  those  who 
were  expected  to  come  to  Lawrence,  in  the  house  of  William  Lykins, 
and  were  distributed  among  the  Missourians  after  they  arrived  there.  (2) 
The  evening  before,  and  the  morning  of  the  day  of  election,  about 
1,000  men  from  the  above  counties  arrived  at  Lawrence,  and  camped 
in  a  ravine  a  short  distance  from  town,  near  the  place  of  voting. 
They  came  in  wagons  (of  which  there  were  over  100)  and  on  horse- 
back, under  the  command  of  Col.  Samuel  Young,  of  Boone  county, 
Missouri,  and  Claiborne  F.  Jackson,  of  Missouri.  They  were  armed 
with  guns,  rifles,  pistols,  and  bowie-knives  ;  and  had  tents,  music, 
and  flags  with  them.  (3)  They  brought  with  them  two  pieces  of 
artillery, (4)  loaded  with  musket-balls. (5)  On  their  way  to  Law- 
rence some  of  them  met  Mr.  N.  B.  Blanton,  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  judges  of  election  by  Gov.  Reeder,  and,  after 
learning  from  him  that  he  considered  it  his  duty  to  demand  an  oath 
from  them  as  to  their  place  of  residence,  first  attempted  to  bribe  him, 
and  then  threatened  him  with  hanging,  in  order  to  induce  him  to  dis- 
pense with  that  oath.  In  consequence  of  these  threats  he  did  not 
appear  at  the  polls  the  next  morning  to  act  as  judge.  (6) 

The  evening  before  the  election,  while  in  camp,  the  Missourians 
were  called  together  at  the  tent  of  Captain  Claiborne  F.  Jackson,  and 
speeches  were  made  to  them  by  Col.  Young  and  others,  calling  for 
volunteers  to  go  to  other  districts  where  there  were  not  Missourians 
enough  to  control  the  election,  as  there  were  more  at  Lawrence  than 
were  needed  there.  (7)  Many  volunteered  to  go,  and  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  election  several  companies,  from  150  to  200  each,  went  off 
to  Tecumseh,  Hickory  Point,  Bloomington,  and  other  places. (8)  On 
the  morning  of  the  election  the  Missourians  came  over  to  the  place  of 
voting  from  their  camp,  in  bodies  of  100  at  a  time.  (9)  Mr.  Blanton 

(1)  F.  P.  Vaughan,  Jourdan  Davidson. 

(2)  Wm.  Yates,  C.  W.  Babcock,  Dr.  John  Doy. 

(3)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  William  Yates,  Wm.  B.  Hornsby,  G.  W.  Deitzler,  C. 
W.   Babcock,   Lyman  Allen,  S.    N.  Wood,  E.   Chapman,  Robert  Elliot,    N.  B.  Blanton, 
Jourdan  Davidson,  Wm.  Lyon,  J.  B.  Abbot,  J.  W.  Ackley,  Dr.  John  Doy,  A.  B.  Wade, 
John  M.  Banks,  H.  W.  Buckley. 

(4)  E.  Chapman,  Jourdan  Davidson. 

(5)  E.  Chapman. 

(6)  N.  B.  Blanton. 

(7.)  Norman  Allen,  J.  Davidson. 

(8)  N.  Allen,  Wm.  Gates,  W.  B.  Homsby,  C.  W.  Babcock,  S.  N.  Wood,  J.  Davidson, 
A-  B.  Wade, 
(ft)  E.  D.  Ladd. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  J] 

not  appearing,  another  judge  was  appointed  in  his  place  ;  Col  Young 
claiming  that,  as  the  people  of  the  Territory  had  two  judges  it 
was  nothing  more  than  right  that  the  Missourians  should  have 'the 
other  one  to  look  after  their  interests  ;(10)  and  Robert  A.  Cummins  was 
elected  in  Blanton's  stead,  because  he  considered  that  every  man  had 
a  right  to  vote  if  he  had  been  in  the  Territory  but  an  hour.  (11) 

The  Missourians  brought  their  tickets  with  them ; (12)  but  not 
having  enough,  they  had  300  more  printed  in  Lawrence  on  the  even- 
ing before  and  on  the  day  of  election. (13)  They  had  white  ribbons 
in  their  button-holes  to  distinguish  themselves  from  the  settlers. 

When  the  voting  commenced,  the  question  of  the  legality  of  the 
vote  of  a  Mr.  Page  was  raised.  Before  it  was  decided,  Col.  Samuel 
Young  stepped  up  to  the  window  where  the  votes  were  received,  and 
said  he  would  settle  the  matter.  The  vote  of  Mr.  Page  was  with- 
drawn, and  Col.  Young  offered  to  vote.  He  refused  to  take  the  oath 
prescribed  by  the  governor,  but  swore  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Terri- 
tory;  upon  which  his  vote  was  received. (15)  He  told  Mr.  Abbot, 
one  of  the  judges,  when  asked  if  he  intended  to  make  Kansas  his 
future  home,  that  it  was  none  of  his  business  ;  that  if  he  were  a  resi- 
dent then,  he  should  ask  no  more. (16)  After  his  vote  was  received, 
Col.  Young  got  up  on  the  window-sill,  and  announced  to  the  crowd 
that  he  had  been  permitted  to  vote,  and  they  could  all  come  up  and 
vote.  (17)  He  told  the  judges  that  there  was  no  use  in  swearing  the 
others,  as  they  would  all  swear  as  he  had  done. (18)  After  the  other 
judges  had  concluded  to  receive  Col.  Young's  vote,  Mr.  Abbot  re- 
signed as  judge  of  election,  and  Mr.  Benjamin  was  elected  in  his 
place. (19) 

The  polls  were  so  much  crowded  until  late  in  the  evening,  that  for 
a  time  when  the  men  had  voted  they  were  obliged  to  get  out  by  being 
hoisted  up  on  the  roof  of  the  building  where  the  election  was  being 
held,  and  pass  out  over  the  house. (20)  Afterwards,  a  passage-way 
through  the  crowd  was  made  by  two  lines  of  men  being  formed,  through 
which  the  voters  could  get  up  to  the  polls.  (21)  Col.  Young  asked 
that  the  old  men  be  allowed  to  go  up  first  and  vote,  as  they  were  tired 
with  the  travelling,  and  wanted  to  get  back  to  camp. (22) 

The  Missourians  sometimes  came  up  to  the  polls  in  procession,  two 
by  two,  and  voted.  (23) 

During  the  day  the  Missourians  drove  off  the  ground  some  of  the 

(10)  S.  N.  Wood. 

(11)  R.  A.  Cummins,  Norman  Allen,  S.  N.  Wood,  C.  S.  Pratt,  J.  B.  Abbot. 

(12)  C.  W.  Babcock,  Eobert  Elliot. 

(13)  Eobert  Elliot. 

(14)  G.  W.  Deitzler. 

(15)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  S.  W.  Ward,  C.  S.  Pratt,  J.  B.  Abbot. 

(16)  Norman  Allen,  J.  B.  Abbot. 

(17)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  S.  N.  Wood,  C   S.  Pratt,  J.  B.  Abbot. 

(18)  C.  W.  Babcock,  J.  B.  Abbot. 

(19)  C.  W.  Babcock,  S.  N.  Wood,  C.  S.  Pratt,  J.  B.  Abbot. 

(20)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  C.  W.  Babcock,  Lyman  Allen,  J.  M.  Banks. 

(21)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  Lyman  Alien,. 

(22)  Lyman  Allen,  E.  D.  Ladd. 

(23)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Ira  W.  Ackley. 


12  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

citizens — Mr.  Stearns,  Mr.  Bond,  and  Mr.  Willis. (24)  They  threat- 
ened to  shoot  Mr.  Bond,  and  a  crowd  rushed  after  him,  threatening 
him ;  and,  as  he  ran  from  them,  some  shots  were  fired  at  him  as  he 
jumped  off  the  hank  of  the  river  and  made  his  escape. (25)  The  citi- 
zens of  the  town  went  over  in  a  body  late  in  the  afternoon,  when  the 
polls  had  become  comparatively  clear,  and  voted.  (26) 

Before  the  voting  had  commenced,  the  Missourians  said  if  the  judges 
appointed  by  the  governor  did  not  receive  their  votes  they  would  choose 
other  judges. (27)  Some  of  them  voted  several  times,  changing  their 
hats  or  coats  and  coming  up  to  the  window  again. (28)  They  said  they 
intended  to  vote  first,  and  after  they  had  got  through  1he  others  could 
vote.  (29)  Some  of  them  claimed  a  right  to  vote  under  the  organic  act, 
from  the  fact  that  their  mere  presence  in  the  Territory  constituted  them 
residents,  though  they  were  from  Missouri,  and  had  homes  in  Mis- 
souri. (30)  Others  said  they  had  a  right  to  vote  because  Kansas  be- 
longed to  Missouri,,  and  people  from  the  East  had  no  right  to  settle  in 
the  Territory  and  vote  there.  (31) 

They  said  they  came  to  the  Territory  to  elect  a  legislature  to  suit 
themselves,  as  the  people  of  the  Territory  and  persons  from  the  East 
and  the  North  wanted  to  elect  a  legislature  that  would  not  suit 
them. (32)  They  said  they  had  a  right  to  make  Kansas  a  slave 
State,  because  the  people  of  the  North  had  sent  persons  out  to  make 
it  a  free  State.  (33)  Some  claimed  that  they  had  heard  that  the  Emi- 
grant Aid  Society  had  sent  men  out  to  be  at  the  election,  and  they 
came  to  offset  their  votes  ;  but  the  most  of -them  made  no  such  claim. 
Col.  Young  said  he  wanted  the  citizens  to  vote,  in  order  to  give  the 
election  some  show  of  fairness.  (34) 

The  Missourians  said  there  would  be  no  difficulty  if  the  citizens  did 
not  interfere  with  their  voting  ;  but  they  were  determined  to  vote 
peaceably,  if  they  could,  but  vote  any  how. (35)  They  said  each  one 
of  them  was  prepared  for  eight  rounds  without  loading,  and  would 
go  to  the  ninth  round  with  the  butcher-knife. (36)  Some  of  them  said 
that  by  voting  in  the  Territory  they  would  deprive  themselves  of  the 
right  to  vote  in  Missouri  for  twelve  months  afterwards. (37) 

The  Missourians  began  to  leave  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  election, 
though  some  did  not  go  home  until  the  next  morning.  (38)  In  many 

(24)  E.  D.  Ladd,  C.  W.  Babcock,  Lyman  Allen,  S.  N.  Wood,  N.  B.  Blanton,  John  Doy, 
J.  Davidson,  Charles  Robinson. 

(25)  E.  D.  Ladd,  C.  W.  Babcock,  Lyman  Allen,  S.  N.  Wood,  N.  B.  Blanton,  J.  David- 
son, Dr   John  Doy. 

(26)  E.  D.  Ladd,  C.  Robinson,  A.  B.  Wade,  J.  Whitlock,  J.  M.  Banks,  H.  W.  Buckley. 

(27)  G.  W.  Deitzler. 

(28)  S.  N.  Wood,  Ira  W.  Ackley. 

(29)  J.  Davidson. 

(30)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  Lyman  Allen. 

(31)  W.  B.  Hornsby,  C.  W.  Babcock,  C.  Robinson. 

(32)  William  Yates,  Thomas  Hopkins,  Ira  W.  Ackley. 
»  (33)  Lyman  Allen,  J.  Davidson. 

(34)  Norman  Allen. 

(35)  Norman  Allen,  Lyman  Allen,  C.  W.  Babcock,  S.  N.  Wood,  E.  Chapman,  Thomas 
Hopkins. 

(36)  Jourdan  Davidson. 

(37)  J.  B.  Abbot. 

(38)  E.  D.  Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  William  Yates,  W.  B.  Hornsby,  G.  W.  Deitzler,  C.  W. 
Babcock,  C.  Robinson,  E.  Chapman,  Lyman  Allen,  Jourdan  Davidson. 


KANSAS  AFFAIES.  13 

cases,  when  a  wagon-load  voted  they  immediately  started  for  home.  (39) 
On  their  way  home  they  said  that  if  Governor  Keeder  did  not  sanc- 
tion the  election  they  would  hang  him. (40) 

The  citizens  of  the  town  of  Lawrence,  as  a  general  thing,,  were  not 
armed  on  the  day  of  election,  though  some  had  revolvers,  but  not  ex- 
posed as  were  the  arms  of  the  Missourians.  (41)  They  kept  a  guard 
about  the  town  the  night  after  the  election,  in  consequence  of  the 
threats  of  the  Missourians,  in  order  to  protect  it.  (42) 

The  pro-slavery  men  of  the  district  attended  the  nominating  con 
ventions  of  the  free-State  men,  and  voted  for,  and  secured  the  nomina- 
tions of,  the  men  they  considered  the  most  obnoxious  to  the  free-State 
party,  in  order  to  cause  dissension  in  that  party.  (43) 

Quite  a  number  of  settlers  came  into  the  district  before  the  day  of 
election,  and  after  the  census  was  taken. (44)  According  to  the  cen- 
sus returns,  there  were  then  in  the  district  369  legal  voters.  Of 
those  whose  names  are  on  the  census  returns,  1*77  are  to  be  found  on 
the  poll-books  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  Messrs.  Ladd,  Babcock, 
and  Pratt  testify  to  fifty-five  names  on  the  poll-books  of  persons  they 
knew  to  have  settled  in  the  district  after  the  census  was  taken,  and 
before  the  election.  A  number  of  persons  came  into  the  Territory  in 
March  before  the  election,  from  the  northern  and  eastern  States,  in- 
tending to  settle,  who  were  in  Lawrence  on  the  day  of  election.  At 
that  time  many  of  them  had  selected  no  claims,  and  had  no  fixed 
place  of  residence.  Such  were  not  entitled  to  vote.  Many  of  them 
became  dissatisfied  with  the  country.  Others  were  disappointed  at  its 
political  condition,  and  in  the  price  and  demand  for  labor,  and  re- 
turned. Whether  any  such  voted  at  the  election,  is  not  clearly 
shown  ;  but  from  the  proof,  it  is  probable  that  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
day,  after  the  great  body  of  Missourians  had  voted,  some  did  go  to  the 
polls.  The  number  was  not  over  fifty.  These  voted  the  free-State 
ticket.  The  whole  number  of  names  appearing  upon  the  poll-lists  is 
1,034.  After  full  examination,  we  are  satisfied  that  not  over  232  of 
these  were  legal  voters,  and  802  were  non-residents  and  illegal  voters. 
This  district  is  strongly  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  the  free-State  candidates  for  the  legislature 
would  have  been  elected  by  large  majorities  if  none  but  the  actual 
settlers  had  voted.  At  the  preceding  election,  in  November,  1854, 
where  none  but  legal  votes  were  polled,  General  Whitfield,  who  re- 
ceived the  full  strength  of  the  pro-slavery  party,  (45)  got  but  forty- 
six  votes. 

SECOND  DISTRICT. — Bloomington. 

On  the  morning  of  election  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governoi 
appeared  and  opened  the  polls.     Their  names  were  Harrison  Burson, 

(39)  S.  N.  Wood. 

(40)  Ganis  Jenkins. 

(41)  E.  D.  Ladd. 

(42)  E.  D.  Ladd. 

(43)  A.  B.  Wade.  ...        , 

(44)  E.  D.   Ladd,  Norman  Allen,  C.  W.  Babcock,  Charles  Robinson,  Lyman  Alien,  J. 
M.  Brooks. 

(45)  James  Whitlock. 


14  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Nathaniel  Kamsay,  and  Mr.  Ellison.  The  Missourians  began  to 
come  in  early  in  the  morning,  some  500  or  600  of  them  in  wagons 
and  carriages,  and  on  horseback,  under  the  lead  of  Samuel  J.  Jones, 
then  postmaster  of  Westport,  Missouri ;  Claiborne  F.  Jackson  and 
Mr.  Steeley,  of  Independence,  Missouri.  They  were  armed  with  double- 
barreled  guns,  rifles,  bowie-knives,  and  pistols,  and  had  flags  hoist- 
ed. (1)  They  held  a  sort  of  an  informal  election  off  at  one  side,  at 
first  for  governor  of  Kansas  Territory,  and  shortly  afterwards  an- 
nounced Thomas  Johnson,  of  Shawnee  Mission,  elected  governor. (2) 
The  polls  had  been  opened  but  a  short  time,  when  Mr.  Jones  march- 
ed with  the  crowd  up  to  the  window  and  demanded  that  they  should 
be  allowed  to  vote,  without  swearing  as  to  their  residence. (3)  After 
some  noisy  and  threatening  talk,  Claiborne  F.  Jackson  addressed  the 
crowd,  saying  they  had  come  there  to  vote;  that  they  had  a  right  to 
vote  if  they  had  been  there  but  five  minutes,  and  he  was  not  willing  to 
go  home  without  voting ;  which  was  received  with  cheers.  (4)  Jackson 
then  called  upon  them  to  form  into  little  bands  of  15  or  20,  which  they 
did, (5)  and  went  to  an  ox  wagon  filled  with  guns,  which  were  distributed 
among  them  (6)  and  proceeded  to  load  some  of  them  on  the  ground.  (7) 
In  pursuance  of  Jackson's  request,  they  tied  white  tape  or  ribbons 
in  their  button-holes,  so  as  to  distinguish  them  from  the  "  abolition- 
ists. "(8)  They  again  demanded  that  the  judges  should  resign  ;  and 
upon  their  refusing  to  do  so,  smashed  in  the  window,  sash  and  all, 
and  presented  their  pistols  and  guns  to  them,  threatening  to  shoot 
them.  (9)  Some  one  on  the  outside  cried  out  to  them  not  to  shoot,  as 
there  were  pro-slavery  men  in  the  house  with  the  judges. (10)  They 
then  put  a  pry  under  the  corner  of  the  house,  which  was  a  log-house, 
and  lifted  it  up  a  few  inches  and  let  it  fall  again, (11)  but  desisted 
upon  being  told  there  were  pro-slavery  men  in  the  house.  During 
this  time  the  crowd  repeatedly  demanded  to  be  allowed  to  vote  with- 
out being  sworn,  and  Mr.  Ellison,  one  of  the  judges,  expressed  him- 
self willing,  but  the  other  two  judges  refused  ;(12)  thereupon  a  body 
of  men,  headed  by  sheriff  Jones,  rushed  into  the  judge's  room  with 
cocked  pistols  and  drawn  bowie-knives  in  their  hands,  and  approach- 
ed Burson  and  Kamsay.  (13)  Jones  pulled  out  his  watch  and  said  he 
would  give  them  five  minntes  to  resign  in,  or  die.  (14)  When  the 
five  minutes  had  expired  and  the  judges  did  not  resign,  Jones  said  he 

(1)  II.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  James  M.  Dunn,  Andrew  White,  Dr.  E.  G.  Macey,  H.  Muzzy, 
Wm.  Jessee,  John  A.  Wakefield. 

(2)  E.  G.  Macey. 

(3)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  J.  M.  Dunn,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  H.  Muzzy,  Wm.  Jessee, 
John  A.  Wakefield. 

(4)  J.  M.  Dunn,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  J.  A.  Wakefi  eld. 

(5)  E.  G.  Macey,  J.  A.  Wakefield. 

(6)  J.  M.  Dunn,  J.  C.  Dunn,  A.  White. 

(7)  E.  G.  Macey. 

(8)  J.  M.  Dunn,  J.  N.  Mace,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  J.  A.  Wakefield. 

(9)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay. 

(10)  J.  C.  Dunn. 

(11)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  J.  N.  Mace,  J,  C.  Dunn,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  H.  Muzzy, 
S.  Jones,  J  A.  Wakefield. 

(12)  J.  C.  Dunn. 

(13)  Harrison  Burson,  N.  Ramsay. 

(14)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  J.  C.  Dunn,  H.  Muzzy,  Wm.  Jessee. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  15 

would  give  them  another  minute  and  no  more. (15)  Ellison  told  his 
associates  that  if  they  did  not  resign  there  would  he  one  hundred  shots 
fired  in  the  room  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes, (16)  and  then  snatching 
up  the  hallot-hox  ran  out  into  the  crowd,  holding  up  the  ballot-hox 
and  hurrahing  for  Missouri.  (17)  Ahout  that  time  Burson  and  Ramsay 
were  called  out  hy  their  friends,  and  not  suffered  to  return. (18)  As 
Mr.  Burson  went  out  he  put  the  hallot  poll-books  in  his  pocket  and 
took  them  with  him, (19)  and  as  he  was  going  out  Jones  snatched 
some  papers  away  from  him, (20)  and  shortly  afterwards  came  out 
himself,  holding  them  up,  crying,  "  Hurrah  for  Missouri !  "(21)  After 
he  discovered  they  were  not  the  poll-hooks,  he  took  a  party  of  men 
with  him  and  started  off  to  take  the  poll-pooks  from  Burson. (22) 
When  Mr.  Burson  saw  them  coming,  he  gave  the  hooks  to  Mr.  Um- 
berger  and  told  him  to  start  off  in  another  direction,  so  as  to  mislead 
Jones  and  his  party.  (23)  Jones  and  his  party  caught  Mr.  Umberger, 
took  the  poll-books  away  from  him,  and  Jones  took  him  up  behind 
him  on  a  horse  and  carried  him  back  a  prisoner.  (24)  After  Jones  and 
kis  party  had  taken  Umberger  back,  they  went  to  the  house  of  Mr. 
Eamsay  and  took  Judge  John  A.  Wakefield  prisoner,  and  carried 
him  to  the  place  of  election, (25)  and  made  him  get  up  on  a  wagon 
and  there  make  a  speech  ;  after  which  they  put  a  white  ribbon  in  his 
button-hole  and  let  him  go. (26)  They  then  chose  two  new  judges 
and  proceeded  with  the  election.  (2 7)  They  also  threatened  to  kill  the 
judges  if  they  did  not  receive  their  votes  without  swearing  them,  or 
else  resign.  (28)  They  said  no  man  should  vote  who  would  submit  to 
be  sworn ;  that  they  would  kill  any  man  who  would  offer  to  do  so. 
" Shoot  him;"  "Cut  his  guts  out,"  &c.(29)  They  said  no  man 
should  vote  this  day  unless  he  voted  an  open  ticket,  and  was  all  right 
on  the  goose ;  (30)  and  that  if  they  could  not  vote  by  fair  means, 
they  would  by  foul  means.  (31)  They  said  they  had  as  much  right  to 
vote  if  they  had  been  in  the  Territory  two  minutes  as  if  they  had  been 
there  two  years,  and  they  would  vote. (32)  Some  of  the  citizens  who 
were  about  the  window,  but  had  not  voted  when  the  crowd  of  Missou- 
rians  marched  up  there,  upon  attempting  to  vote  were  driven  back 

(15)  H.  Burson,  N.  Kamsay,  H.  Muzzy. 

(16)  H.  Burson,  N.  Kamsay,  J.  W.  Mace,  H.  Muzzy,  W.  Jessee,  S.  Jones,  J.  A.  Wahe- 
field. 

(17)  H.  Burson,  J.  C.  Dunn. 

(18)  H.  Burson,  N.  Eamsay,  J.  C.  Dunn,  A.  White,  H.  Muzzy,  Win.  Jessee. 

(19)  H.  Burson,  J.  C.  Dunn. 

(20)  H.  Burson. 

(21)  H.  Burson,  J.  M.  Dunn,  E.  G.  Macey,  Wm.  Jessee. 

(22)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay. 

(23)  II.  Burson,  A.  White,  G.  W.  Umherger,  Wm.  Jessee. 

(24)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  G.  W.  Umherger,  Wm.  Jessee,  J. 
A.  Wakefield. 

(25)  N.  Ramsay,  J.  M.  Dunn,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  G.  W.  Umberger,  Wm.  Jessee, 
J.  A.  Wakefield. 

(26)  E.  G.  Macey,  G.  W.  Umherger,  J.  A.  Wakefield. 

(27)  T.  Lahy. 

(28)  J.  C.  Dunn,  Wm.  Jessee,  S.  Jones. 

(29)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  J.  M.  Dunn,  J.  N.  Mace,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  W.  Jea 

(30)  N.  Ramsay. 

(31)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  J.  M.  Dunn. 

(32)  J.  M.  Dunn. 


16  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

by  the  mob,,  or  driven  off. (33)  One  of  them,  Mr.  I.  M.  Mace  "r:*t 
asked  if  he  would  take  the  oath;  and  upon  his  replying  that  he  would 
if  the  judges  required  it,  he  was  dragged  through  the  crowd  away 
from  the  polls,  amid  cries  of  "  kill  the  damned  nigger-thief,"  "cut  his 
throat,"  "tear  his  heart  out,"  &c.  After  they  got  him  to  the  out- 
side of  the  crowd,  they  stood  around  him  with  cocked  revolvers  and 
drawn  bowie-knives ;  one  man  putting  a  knife  to  his  breast  so  that  it 
touched  him  ;  another  holding  a  cocked  pistol  to  his  ear,  while  another 
struck  at  him  with  a  club.  (34) 

The  Missourians  said  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  if  they  had  been  in 
the  Territory  but  five  minutes. (85)  Some  said  they  had  been  hired 
to  come  there  and  vote,  and  got  a  dollar  a  day,  and  by  God  they  would 
vote  or  die  there.  (36.) 

They  said  the  30th  day  of  March  was  an  important  day,  as  Kansas 
would  be  made  a  slave  State  on  that  day.  (37)  They  began  to  leave  in 
the  direction  of  Missouri  in  the  afternoon,  after  they  had  voted, (38) 
leaving  some  thirty  or  forty  around  the  house  where  the  election  was 
held,  to  guard  the  polls  till  after  the  election  was  over.  (39)  The 
citizens  of  the  Territory  were  not  armed,  except  those  who  took  part 
in  the  mob,  (40)  and  a  large  portion  of  them  did  not  vote.  (41)  Three 
hundred  and  forty-one  votes  were  polled  there  that  day,  of  which  but 
some  thirty  were  citizens.  (42)  A  protest  against  the  election  was  got 
up  and  sent  to  the  governor.  (43)  The  returns  of  the  election  made  to 
the  governor  were  lost  by  the  committee  of  elections  of  the  legislature 
at  Pawnee.  (44) 

The  duplicate  returns  left  in  the  ballot-box  were  taken  by  F.  E. 
Lahy,  one  of  the  judges  elected  by  the  Missourians,  and  were  either 
lost  or  destroyed  in  his  house, (45)  so  that  your  committee  have  been 
unable  to  institute  a  comparison  between  the  poll-lists  and  census 
returns  of  this  district.  The  testimony  is  uniform,  that  not  over 
thirty  of  those  who  voted  there  that  day  were  entitled  to  vote,  leaving 
311  illegal  votes.  -  We  are  satisfied,  from  the  testimony,  that  had  the 
actual  settlers  alone  voted,  the  free-State  candidates  would  have  been 
elected  by  a  handsome  majority. 

THIRD  DISTRICT. — Tecumseh. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  persons  from  Clay,  Jackson  and  Howard 
counties,  Missouri,  began  to  come  into  Tecumseh  in  wagons,  carriages, 
and  on  horseback,  armed  with  guns,  bowie-knives  and  revolvers,  and 
with  tents,  and  camped  close  by  the  town,  and  continued  coming  in 

(33)  H.  Burson,  N.  Ramsay,  Wm.  Jessee,  I.  N.  Mace. 

(34)  I.  N.  Mace,  H.  Muzzy. 

(35)  J.  M.  Dunn,  A.  White,  E.  G.  Macey,  J.  A.  Wakefield. 

(36)  J.  M.  Dunn,  J.  C.  Dunn,  A.  White. 

(37)  N.  Ramsay. 

(38)  J.  C.  Dunn,  A.  White. 

(39)  A.  White. 

(40)  H.  Burson. 

(41)  II.  Burson,  I.  N.  Mace,  H.  Muzzy,  Wm.  Jessee,  J.  A.  Wakefield. 

(42)  H.  Burson. 

(43)  S.  Jones,  J.  A.  Wakefield. 

(44)  Daniel  Woodson. 

(45)  F.  E..Lahy. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  17 

and  camping  until  the  day  of  election. (1)  The  night  hefore  the 
election,  200  men  were  sent  for  from  the  camp  of  the  Missourians  at 
Lawrence. (2)  On  the  morning  of  the  election,  hefore  the  polls  were 
opened,  some  300  or  400  Missourians  and  others  collected  in  the  yard 
ahout  the  house  of  Thomas  Stinson,  where  the  election  was  to  he  held, 
armed  with  howie-knives,  revolvers,  and  clubs. (3)  They  said  they 
came  to  vote  and  whip  the  damned  Yankees,  and  would  vote  without 
being  sworn.  (4)  Some  said  they  came  to  have  a  fight,  and  wanted 
one.  (5) 

Colonel  Samuel  H.  Woodson,  of  Independence,  Missouri,  was  in  the 
room  of  the  judges  when  they  arrived,  preparing  poll-books  and  tally - 
lists,  and  remained  there  during  the  attempts  to  organize.  (6)  The  room 
of  the  judges  was  also  rilled  by  many  of  these  strangers. (7)  The 
judges  could  not  agree  concerning  the  oath  to  be  taken  by  themselves, 
and  the  oath  to  be  administered  by  the  voters  ;  Mr.  Burgess  desiring 
to  administer  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor,  and  the  other  two 
judges  opposing  it. (8)  During  the  discussion  between  the  judges, 
which  lasted  for  some  time,  the  crowd  outside  became  excited  and 
noisy,  threatening  and  cursing  Mr.  Burgess,  the  free-State  judge. (9) 
Persons  were  sent  at  different  times  by  the  crowd  outside  into  the 
room  where  the  judges  were  with  threatening  messages,  especially 
against  Mr.  Burgess,  and  at  last  ten  minutes  were  given  them  to  or- 
ganize in  or  1'eave ;  and,  as  the  time  passed,  persons  outside  would 
call  out  the  number  of  minutes  left,  with  threats  against  Burgess  if 
he  did  not  agree  to  organize.  (10)  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  judges, 
not  being  able  to  organize,  left  the  room,  and  the  crowd  proceeded  to 
elect  new  judges  and  carry  on  the  election.  (11) 

The  free-State  men  generally  left  the  ground  without  voting, 
stating  that  there  was  no  use  in  their  voting  there. (12)  The  polls 
were  so  crowded  during  the  first  part  of  the  day  that  the  citizens 
could  not  get  up  to  the  window  to  vote  (13)  Threats  were  made 
against  the  free-State  men. (14)  In  the  afternoon  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gril- 
patrick  was  attacked  and  driven  off  by  the  mob.  (15)  A  man,  by  some 
called  "Texas,"  made  a  speech  to  the  crowd,  urging  them  to  vote, 
and  to  remain  on  the  ground  until  the  polls  were  closed,  for  fear  the 
"abolitionists"  would  come  there  in  the  afternoon  and  overpower 
them,  and  thus  they  would  lose  all  their  trouble. (16) 

(1)  W.  A.  M.  Vaughan,  M.  J.  Mitchell,  John  Long. 

(2)  H.  B.  Burgess. 

(3)  Rev.  H.  B.   Burgess,  Charles  Jourdan,  James  Hickey,  Lewis  0.  Wilmarth,  D.  H* 
Home,  J.  M.  Merriam,  W.  R.  Boggs,  W.  A.  M.  Vaughan. 

(4)  John  Long,  L.  0.  Wilmarth,  George  Holmes. 

(5)  L.  0.  Wilmarth. 

(G)  Rev.  H.  B.  Burgess,  John  Long,  George  Holmes.  * 

(7)  H.  B.  Burgess. 

(8)  H.  B.  Burgess,  George  Holmes. 

(9)  H.  B.  Burgess,  John  Long,  D.  H.  Home. 

(10)  H.  B.  Burgees,  Charles  Jourdan,  D.  H.  Home. 

(11)  H.  B.  Burgess,  Charles  Jourdan,  J.  M.  Merriam,  George  Holmes. 

(12)  H.  B.  Burgess,  C.  Jourdan,  J.  M.  Merrian. 

(13)  L.  0.  Wilmarth. 
fl4)  C.  Jourdan. 

(15)  John  Long. 

(16)  Charles  Jourdan,  James  Hickey,  D.  H.  Home. 

H.  Bep.  200 2 


18  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

For  making  an  affidavit  in  a  protest  against  this  election,  setting 
forth  the  facts,  Mr.  Burgess  was  indicted  by  the  grand  jury  for  per- 
jury ;  which  indictment  was  found  more  than  fifteen  months  ago,  and 
is  still  pending,  Mr.  Burgess  never  having  been  informed  who  his 
accuser  was,  or  what  was  the  testimony  against  him.  (17) 

A  large  majority,  four  to  one,  of  the  actual  settlers  of  that  district 
were  free-State  men, (18)  and  there  cannot  be  the  least  doubt  that  if 
none  but  the  actual  settlers  of  the  district  had  voted  at  that  election 
the  free-State  candidates  would  have  been  elected.  The  number  of 
legal  voters  in  the  district,  according  to  the  census  returns,  were  101. 
The  total  number  of  votes  cast  were  372,  and  of  these  but  32  are  on 
the  census  returns  ;  and,  from  the  testimony  and  records,  we  are 
satisfied  that  not  over  forty  legal  votes  were  cast  at  that  election. 

FOURTH  DISTRICT. 

A  body  of  armed  Missourians  came  into  the  district  previous  to  the 
election,  and  camped  there.  (1)  Before  the  time  arrived  for  opening 
the  polls,  the  Missourians  went  to  another  than  the  house  appointed 
for  the  election,  and  one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  and 
two  chosen  by  the  Missourians  proceeded  to  open  the  polls  and  carry 
on  the  election.  (2)  The  Missourians  said  that  none  but  pro-slavery 
men  should  vote,  and  threatened  to  shoot  any  free-State  men  who 
would  come  up  to  vote.  (3)  Mr.  Mockbee,  one  of  the  judges  elected  by 
the  Missourians,  had  a  store  near  tte  boundary  fixed  by  the  proclama- 
tion of  the  governor,  while  he  cultivated  a  farm  in  Missouri,  where  his 
family  lived,  (4)  and  while  his  legal  residence  is  there,  and  is  now. 

The  Missourians  also  held  a  side  election  for  governor  of  the  Terri- 
tory, voting  for  Thomas  Johnson,  of  Shawnee  Mission. (5)  The  free- 
State  men  finding  the  polls  under  the  control  of  non-residents,  refused 
to  vote  and  did  ndt  vote.  (6)  They  constituted  a  decided  majority  of 
the  actual  settlers. (7)  A  protest,  signed  by  a  majority  of  the  residents 
>©f  the  district,  was  sent  to  the  governor.  (8)  The  whole  number  of  voters 
{im  this  district,  according  to  the  census  returns,  were  47  ;  the  number  of 
'vates  cast  were  80,  of  whom  but  15  were  residents.  The  number  of  resi- 
...  den£s  whose  names  are  on  the  census  rolls,  who  did  not  vote,  were  32. 

FIFTH  DISTRICT. 

/ 

Forborne  days  prior  to  the  election,  companies  of  men  were  organ- 
ized in  Jackson,  Cass,  and  Clay  counties,  Missouri,  for  the  purpose  of 


*       (17)  H.  B.  Burgess. 
(18)  H.  B.  Burgess. 

(1)  Perry  Fuller,  Peter  Bassinger. 

(2)  Perry  Fuller,  Win.  Moore,  J.  F.  Javens. 

(3)  J.  F.  Javens. 

(4)  William  Moore,  J.  F.  •  Javens,  Thomas  Mockbee. 

(5)  Perry  Fuller,  William  Moore. 

(6)  J.  F.  Javens,  Thomas  Mockhee. 

(7)  Perry  Fuller,  W.  Moore,  J.  F.  Javens. 

(8)  Perrj  Fuller,  J  F.  Javens^ 


i 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  19 

coming  to  the  Territory  and  voting  in  the  fifth  district. (1)  The  day 
previous  to  the  election,  some  400  or  500  Missourians,  armed  with 
guns,  pistols,  and  knives,  came  into  the  Territory  and  camped  at  Bull 
creek,  and  on  the  Pottawatomie  creek. (2) 

On  the  evening  before  the  election,  Judge  Hamilton,  of  the  Cass 
county  court,  Missouri,  came  from  i  the  Pottawatomie  Creek  camp  to 
Bull  Creek  camp  for  60  more  Missourians,  as  they  had  not  enough 
there  to  render  the  election  certain,  and  they  went  down  there  with 
him.  (3) 

On  the  evening  hefore  the  election,  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall  was  selected 
to  act  as  one  of  the  judges  of  election  in  the  Bull  Creek  precinct,  in  place 
of  one  of  the  judges  appointed  hy  the  governor,  who,  it  was  said, 
would  not  be  there  the  next  day.  (4)  Dr.  Westfall  was  at  that  time  a 
citizen  of  Jackson  county,  Missouri.  (5)  On  the  morning  of  the  elec- 
tion the  polls  for  Bull  Creek  precinct  were  opened,  and,  without  swear- 
ing the  judges,  they  proceeded  to  receive  the  votes  of  all  who  offered 
to  vote.  For  the  sake  of  appearances,  the  judges  would  get  some  one 
to  come  to  the  window  and  offer  to  vote,  and  when  asked  to  he  sworn 
he  would  pretend  to  get  angry  at  the  judges,  and  would  go  away,  and 
his  name  would  be  put  down  as  having  offered  to  vote,  but  "  rejected, 
refusing  to  be  sworn/'  This  arrangement  was  made  previously,  and 
was  perfectly  understood  by  the  judges. (6)  But  few  of  the  residents  of 
the  district  were  present  at  the  election,  and  only  13  voted.  ("7)  The 
number  of  votes  cast  in  the  precinct  was  393.  One  Missourian  voted  for 
himself,  and  then  voted  for  his  little  son  but  10  or  11  years  old.  (8) 
Colonel  Coffee,  Henry  Younger,  and  Mr.  Lykins,  who  were  voted  for 
and  elected  to  the  legislature,  were  residents  of  Missouri  at  that 
time.  (9) 

After  the  polls  were  closed  the  returns  were  made  out,  and  a  man 
claiming  to  be  a  magistrate  certified  on  them  that  he  had  sworn  the 
judges  of  election  before  opening  the  polls. (10) 

In  the  Pottawatomie  precinct  the  Missourians  attended  the  election, 
and  after  threatening  Mr.  Chestnut,  the  only  judge  present  appointed 
by  the  governor,  to  induce  him  to  resign,  they  proceeded  to  eJect  two 
other  judges,  one  a  Missourian  and  the  other  a  resident  of  another  pre- 
cinct of  that  district.  The  polls  were  then  opened,  and  all  the  Mis- 
sourians were  allowed  to  vote  without  being  sworn.  After  the  polls 
were  closed,  and  the  returns  made  out  for  the  signatures  of  the  judges, 
Mr.  Chestnut  refused  to  sign  them,  as  he  did  not  consider  them  cor- 
rect returns  of  legal  voters.  Colonel  Coffee,  a  resident  of  Missouri,  but 
elected  to  the  Kansas  legislature  from  that  district  at  that  election, 
endeavored,  with  others,  to  induce  Mr.  Chestnut  by  threats  to  sign  the 
. — £ . — 

(1)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall,  Joseph  M.  Gearhart. 

(2)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall,  Jesse  W.  Wilson,  J.  M.  Gearhart. 

(3)  Dr.  B  C.  Westfall. 

(4)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall. 

(5)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall,  J.  W.  Wilson. 
(6)Di.  B.  C.  Westfall. 

(7)  J.  W.  Wilson. 

(8)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall. 

(9)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall,  J.  M  Gearhart. 

(10)  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall. 


20  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

return,  which  he  refused  to  do,  and  left  the  house.  On  his  way 
home  he  was  fired  at  by  some  Missourians,  though  not  injured. (11) 
There  were  three  illegal  to  one  legal  vote  given  there  that  day.  (12) 

At  the  Big  Sugar  precinct,  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor 
met  at  the  time  appointed,  and  proceeded  to  open  the  polls,  after  being 
duly  sworn.  After  a  few  votes  had  »  een  received,  a  party  of  Missouri- 
ans came  into  the  yard  of  the  house  where  the  election  was  held,  and 
unloading  a  wagon  filled  with  arms,  stacked  their  guns  in  the  yard, 
and  came  up  to  the  window  and  demanded  to  be  allowed  to  vote.  Two 
of  the  judges  decided  to  receive  their  votes;  whereupon  the  third  judge, 
Mr.  J.  M.  Arthur,  resigned,  and  another  was  chosen  in  his  place. 
Col.  "Xoung,  a  citizen  of  Missouri,  but  a  candidate  for  and  elected  to 
the  Territorial  council,  was  present,  and  voted  in  this  precinct.  He 
claimed  that  all  Missourians  who  were  present  on  the  day  of  election 
were  entitled  to  vote.  But  30  or  40  of  the  citizens  of  the  precinct 
were  present,  and  many  of  them  did  not  vote.  (13) 

At  the  Little  Sugar  precinct  the  election  seemed  to  have  been  con- 
ducted fairly,  and  there  a  free-State  majority  was  polled. (14)  From 
the  testimony  the  whole  district  appears  to  have  been  largely  free- 
State  ;  and  had  none  but  actual  settlers  voted,  the  free-State  candi- 
dates would  have  been  elected  by  a  large  majority. 

From  a  careful  examination  of  the  testimony  and  the  records,  we 
find  that  from  200  to  225  legal  votes  were  polled  out  of  885— the  total 
number  given  in  the  four  precincts  of  that  district.  Of  the  legal 
votes  cast  the  free-State  candidates  received  152. 

SIXTH  DISTRICT.— Fort  Scott. 

A  company  of  citizens  of  Missouri,  mostly  of  Bates  county,  came 
into  this  district  the  day  before  the  election,  some  camping,  and  others 
putting  up  at  the  public  house.  (1)  They  numbered  from  100  to  200, (2) 
and  came  in  wagons  and  on  horseback,  carrying  their  provisions  and 
tents  with  them,  and  were  generally,  armed  with  pistols.  They  de- 
clared their  purpose  to  vote,  and  claimed  the  right  to  do  so.  They 
went  to  the  polls,  generally,  in  small  bodies,  with  tickets  in  their 
hands,  and  many,  if  not  all,  voted.  In  some  places  they  declared 
they  had  voted,  and  gave  their  reasons  for  so  doing.  Mr.  Anderson, 
a  pro-slavery  candidate  for  the  legislature,  endeavored  to  dissuade  the 
non-residents  from  voting,  because  he  did  not  wish  the  election  con- 
tested. (3)  This  person,  however,  insisted  upon  voting,  a-nd  upon  his 
right  to  vote,  and  did  so.  No  one  was  challenged  or  sworn,  and  all 
voted  who  desired  to.  Out  of  350  votes  cast  not  over  100  were  legal, 
and  but  64  of  these  are  found  in  the  census  taken  one  month  before 
by  Mr.  Barber,  the  candidate  for  council.  Many  of  the  free-State 
men  did  not  vote  ;  but  your  committee  are  satisfied  that  of  the 

(11)  Wm.  Chestnut. 
(12)Wm.  Chestnut. 

(13)  James  McArthur. 

(14)  S.  W.  Bouton. 
(1)  John  Hamilton. 

f3)  John  Hamilton,  E.  B.  Cook,  F.  B.  Araatt. 
($)  Joseph  C.  Anderson. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  21 

legal  votes  cast  the  pro-slavery  candidates  received  a  majority.  Mr. 
Anderson,  one  of  these  candidates,  was  an  unmarried  man,  who  came 
into  the  district  from  Missouri  a  few  days  "before  the  election,  and 
boarded  at  the  puhlic  house  until  the  day  after  the  election.  He'then 
took  with  him  the  poll-lists,  and  did  not  return  to  Fort  Scott  until 
the  occasion  of  a  barhacue,  the  week  before  the  election  of  October  1, 
1855.  He  voted  at  that  election,  and  after  it  left,  and  has  not  since 
been  in  the  district.  S.  A.  Williams,  the  other  pro-slavery  candidate, 
at  the  time  of  the  election  had  a  claim  in  the  Territory,  but  his  le^al 
residence  was  not  there  until  after  the  election. 

SEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

From  200  to  300  men  from  the  State  of  Missouri  came,  in  wagons 
or  on  horseback,  to  the  election  ground  at  Switzer's  creek,  in  the 
second  district,,  and  encamped  near  the  polls,  on  the  day  preceding  the 
election.  They  were  amed  with  pistols  and  other  weapons,  and  de- 
clared their  purpose  to  vote,  in  order  to  secure  the  election  of  pro- 
slavery  members.  They  said  they  were  disappointed  in  not  finding 
more  Yankees  there,  and  that  they  had  brought  more  men  than  were 
necessary  to  counterbalance  their  vote.  A  number  of  them  wore 
badges  of  blu«  ribbon,  with  a  motto,  and  the  compaiiy  were  under  the 
direction  of  leaders.  They  declared  their  intention  to  conduct  them- 
selves peacefully,  unless  the  residents  of  the  Territory  attempted  to 
stop  them  from  voting.  Two  of  the  judges  of  election  appointed  by 
Governor  Eeeder  refused  to  serve,  whereupon  two  others  were  ap- 
pointed in  their  stead  by  the  crowd  of  Missourians  who  surrounded 
the  polls.  The  newly  appointed  judges  refused  to  take  the  oath  pre- 
scribed by  Governor  Reeder,  but  made  one  to  suit  themselves.  An- 
drew Johnson  requested  the  voters  to  swear  if  he  had  a  claim  in  the 
Territory,  and  if  he  had  voted  in  another  district.  The  judges  did  not 
take  the  oath  prescribed,  but  were  sworn  to  receive  all  legal  votes. 
The  Missourians  voted  without  being  sworn ;  they  supported  H.  J. 
Stickler  for  council  and  M.  W.  McGee  for  representative ;  they  left 
the  evening  of  election  ;  some  of  them  started  on  horseback  for  Law- 
rence, as  they  said  they  could  be  there  before  night,  and  all  returned  the 
way  they  came.  The  census  list  shows  53  legal  voters  in  the  district. 
253  votes  were  cast ;  of  these  25  were  residents,  17  of  whom  were  in 
the  district  when  the  census  was  taken. (1)  Some  of  the  ^ residents 
present  at  the  polls  did  not  vote,  declaring  it  useless.  Candidates  de- 
clined to  run  on  the  free-State  ticket,  because  they  were  unwilling  to 
run  the  risk  of  so  unequal  a  contest,  it  being  known  that  a  great 
many  are  coming  up  from  Missouri  to  vote.  (2)  Nearly  all  the  settlers 
were  free-State  men,  and  23  of  the  25  legal  votes  given  were  cast  for 
the  only  free-State  candidate  running.  Mobillon  McGee,  who  was  de- 
clared elected  representative,  had  a  claim — a  saw-mill  and  a  house—- 
in  the  Territory,  and  he  was  there  part  of  the  time.  But  his  legal 
residence  is  now'  and  was  then  near  Westport,  in  Missouri,  where  he 
owns  and  conducts  a  valuable  farm,  and  where  his  family  resides. 

(1)  James  A.  Stewart,  M.  S.  Rose. 

(2)  W.  F.  Johnson..  f 


22  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT. 

This  was  attached  to  the  seventh  district  for  a  member  of  the  coun- 
cil and  a  representative,  and  its  vote  was  controlled  by  the  illegal  votes 
cast  there.  The  census  shows  3y  votes  in  it ;  37  votes  were  cast,  of 
whom  a  majority  voted  the  free-State  ticket. 

NINTH  DISTRICT. 

Fort  Kiley  and  Pawnee  are  in  this  district.  The  latter  place  was 
selected  by  the  governor  as  the  temporary  capital,  and  he  designed 
there  to  expend  the  sums  appropriated  by  Congress  in  the  construc- 
tion of  suitable  houses  for  the  legislature.  A  good  deal  of  building 
was  then  being  done  at  the  fort  near  by.  For  these  reasons  a  number 
of  mechanics,  mostly  from  Pennsylvania,  came  into  the  district  in 
March,  1855,  to  seek  employment.  Some  of  these  voted  at  the  election. 
The  construction  of  the  capital  was  first  postponed,  then  abandoned, 
and  finally  the  site  of  the  town  was  declared  by  the  Secretary  of  War 
to  be  within  the  military  reservation  of  Fort  Riley.  Some  of  the 
inhabitants  returned  to  the  States,  and  some  went  to  other  points  of 
the  Territory.  Your  committee  find  that  they  came  as  settlers,  intend- 
ing to  remain  as  such,  and  were  entitled  to  vote.(l.) 

TENTH  DISTRICT. 

In  this  district  ten  persons  belonging  to  the  Wyandott  tribe  of 
Indians  voted.  They  were  of  that  class  who  under  the  law  were 
entitled  to  vote,  but  their  residence  was  in  Wyandott  village,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Kansas  river,  and  they  had  no  right  to  vote  in  this 
district.  They  voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket.  (2.)  Eleven  men,  recently 
from  Pennsylvania,  voted  the  free-State  ticket.  From  the  testimony, 
they  had  not,  at  the  time  of  the  election,  so  established  their  residence 
as  to  have  entitled  them  to  vote. (3.)  In  both  these  classes  of  cases 
the  judges  examined  the  voters  under  oath,  and  allowed  them  to  vote, 
and  in  all  respects  the  election  seems  to  have  been  conducted  friendly. 
The  rejection  of  both  would  not  have  changed  the  result.  This  and 
the  eighth  election  district  formed  one  representative  district,  and 
was  the  only  one  to  which  the  invasion  from  Missouri  did  not  extend. 

ELEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  9th,  10th,  llth,  and  12th  election  districts  being  all  separately 
settled,  were  attached  together  in  a  council  district,  and  the  llth  and 
12th  as  representative  districts.  This  election  district  is  sixty  miles 
north  from  Pawnee,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Kansas 
City.  It  is  the  northwest  settlement  in  the  Territory,  and  contained, 
when  the  census  was  taken,  but  thirty-six  inhabitants,  of  whom  twen- 
ty-four were  voters.  There  was  on  the  day  of  election  no  white  set- 

(1)  Andrew  McConnell,  R.  W.  Wilson,  A.  H.  Reeder, 

(2)  M.  A.  Garrett.  Joseph  Stewart. 
(&  M.  J.  Osborne,  Isaac  S.  Hascall. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  23 

tlement  about  Marysville,  the  place  of  voting,  for  forty  miles,  except 
that  Marshall  &  Bishop  kept  a  store  and  ferry  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Big  Blue  and  the  California  road.  (4)  Your  committee  were  unable 
to  procure  witnesses  from  this  district.  Persons  who  were  present  at 
the  election  were  duly  summoned  by  an  officer,  and  among  them  was 
F.  J.  Marshall,  the  member  of  the  House  from  that  district.  On  his 
return,  the  officer  was  arrested  and  detained,  and  persons  bearing  the 
names  of  some  of  the  witnesses  summoned  were  stopped  near  Lecomp- 
ton,  and  did  not  appear  before  the  committee.  The  returns  show 
that,  in  defiance  of  the  governor's  proclamation,  the  voting  was 
"  viva  voce"  instead  of  by  ballot.  Three  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
names  appear  upon  the  poll-books  as  voting,  and,  by  comparing  these 
names  with  those  on  the  census-rolls,  we  find  that  but  seven  of  the 
latter  voted.  The  person  voted  for  as  representative  (F.  J.  Marshall) 
was  chief  owner  of  the  store  at  Marysville,  and  was  there  sometimes, (5) 
but  his  family  lived  in  Weston,  Mo.  John  Donaldson,  the  can- 
didate voted  for  the  council,  then  lived  in  Jackson  county,  Mo. (6) 

On  the  day  after  the  election  Mr.  Marshall,  with  twenty-five  or 
thirty  men  from  Weston,  Mo.,  was  on  the  way  from  Marysville  to 
the  State.  Some  of  the  party  told  a  witness  who  had  formerly  re- 
sided at  Weston,  that  they  were  up  at  Marysville,  and  carried  the 
day  for  Missouri,  and  that  they  had  voted  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
vdtes.  Mr.  Marshall  paid  the  bill  at  that  point  for  the  party. 

There  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  emigration  into  that  dis- 
trict in  March,  1855,  after  the  census  was  taken  ;  and,  judging  from 
the  best  test  in  the  power  of  your  committee,  there  were  but  seven 
legal  votes  cast  in  the  district,  and  three  hundred  and  twenty-one 
illegal. 

.-  TWELFTH  DISTRICT. 

The  election  in  this  district  was  conducted  fairly.  No  complaint 
was  made  that  illegal  votes  were  cast. 

THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

Previous  to  the  day  of  election  several  hundred  Missourians  from 
Platte,  Clay,  Boone,  Clinton,  and  Howard  counties,  came  into  the 
district  in  wagons  and  on  horseback,  and  camped  there. (1)  They 
were  armed  with  guns,  revolvers,  and  bowie-knives,  and  had  badges 
of  hemp  in  their  button-holes  and  elsewhere  about  their  persons. (2) 
They  claimed  to  have  a  right  to  vote  from  the  fact  that  they  were 
there  on  the  ground,  and  had,  or  intended  to  make  claims  in  the  Ter- 
ritory, although  their  families  were  in  Missouri.  (3) 

The  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  opened  the  polls,  and  sonn* 

(4.)  Augustus  Baker. 

(5.)  Augustus  Baker. 

(6.)  T.  E.  D'Avis. 

(1.)  T.  B.  Ross,  W.  H.  Godwin,  Dr.  James  Noble,  T.  A.  Minard,  Charles  Hardn. 

(2.)  T.  B.  Ross,  W.  H.  Godwin. 

(3.)  T  B.  Ross,  Dr.  J.  Noble. 


24  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

persons  offered  to  vote ;  and  when  their  votes  were  rejected  on  the 
ground  that  they  were  not  residents  of  the  district,  the  crowd  threat- 
ened to  tear  the  house  down  if  the  judges  did  not  leave. (4) 

The  judges  then  withdrew,  taking  the  poll-books  with  them. (5) 
The  crowd  then  proceeded  to  select  other  persons  to  act  as  judges, 
and  the  election  went  on.  (6)  Those  persons  voting  who  were  sworn 
were  adked  if  they  considered  themselves  residents  of  the  district,  and 
if  they  said  they  did  they  were  allowed  to  vote.  (7)  But  few  of  the 
residents  were  present  and  voted, (8)  and  the  free-State  men,  as  a 
general  thing,  did  not  vote.  (9)  After  the  Missourians  got  through 
voting,  they  returned  home. (10) 

A  foi  rnal  return  was  made  by  the  judges  of  election,  setting  out 
the  fact,  but  it  was  not  verified.  The  number  of  legal  voters  in  this 
district  was  ninety-six,  of  whom  a  majority  were*  free-State  men ;  of 
the  leg<*l  voters  12  voted.  The  total  number  of  votes  cast  was  239. 

FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

It  was  generally  rumored  in  the  district  for  some  days  before  the 
election  that  the  Missourians  were  coming  over  to  vote.  (1)  Previous 
to  the  election,  men  from  Missouri  came  into  the  district  and  elec- 
tioneered for  the  pro-slavery  candidates,, (2)  General  David  R.  Atchi- 
son  and  a  party  controlling  the  nominations  in  one  of  the  primary 
elections.  (3) 

Burr  Oak  precinct. — Several  hundred  Missourians  from  Buchanan, 
Platte,  and  Andrew  counties,  Missouri,  including  a  great  many  of 
the  prominent  citizens  of  St.  Joseph's,  came  into  this  precinct  the 
day  before  and  on  the  day  of  election  in  wagons  and  on  horses,,  and 
camped  there.  (4)  Arrangements  were  made  for  them  to  cross  the 
ferry  at  St.  Joseph's  free  of  expense  to  themselves. (5)  They  were 
armed  with  bowie-knives  and  pistols,  guns  and  rifles. (6)  On  the 
morning  of  the  election  the  free-State  candidates  resigned  in  a  body 
on  account  of  the  presence  of  the  large  number  of  armed  Missourians, 
at  which  the  crowd  cheered  and  hurrahed. (7)  General  B.  F.  String- 
fellow  was  present  and  was  prominent  in  promoting  the  election  of 
the  pro-slavery  ticket,  as  was  also  the  Hon.  Willard  P.  Hall  and 

(4.)  T  B.  Ross,  Charles  Hardh,  N.  B.  Sharp. 
(5.)  T.  B.  Ross,  C.  Hardh. 

(6.)  T.   B.  Ross,  W.  H.  Godwin.  Dr.  J.  Noble,  R.  Chandler,  T.  A.  Minard,  C.  Hardh, 
G.  M.  Dyer,  0.  B.  Tebbs. 
(7.)  R.  Chandler. 
(8.)  T  B.  Ross,  Dr.  J.  Noble. 

(9)  T.  B.  Ross,  Dr.  J.  Noble,  R.  Chandler,  C.  Hardh,  O.  B.  Tebbs. 

(10)  T.  B.  Ross,  Dr.  J.  Noble. 

(1)  Benj.  Harding,  John  H.  Whitehead,  Alfred  Larzelier. 

(2)  Benj.  Harding.  Willard  P.  Hall,  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler. 

(3)  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler. 

(4)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  W.  P.  Richardson,  Benj.  Harding,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  J.  R.  Carter, 
A.  Larzelier,  Willard  P.  Hall.  B.  H.  Brock,  C.  W.  Stewart,  A.  M.  Mitchell,  H.  S.  Creel. 
G.  W.  Gillespie. 

(5)  L.  Dillon,  G.  W.  Gillespie. 

(6)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  Willard  P.  Hall,  C.  W.  Stewart. 

(7)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  W.  P.  Richardson,  Benj.  Harding,' J.  H.  Whitehead,  A.  Larzelier, 
W.  P.  Hall,  T.  P.  Blair. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  25 

others  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri. (8) 
But  one  of  the  judges  of  election  appointed  by  the  governor  served  on 
rthat  day,  and  the  crowd  chose  two  others  to  supply  the  vacancies. (9) 
The  Missourians  said  they  came  there  to  vote  for  and  carry  the 
election  for  Major  W.  P.  Richardson. (10)  Major  Richardson,  elected 
to  the  council,  had  had  a  farm  in  Missouri,  where  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter lived  with  his  son-in-law,  Willard  P.  Hall,  he  himself  generally 
going  home  to  Missouri  every  Saturday  night.  The  farm  was  gen- 
erally known  as  the  Richardson  farm.  He  had  a  claim  in  the  Terri- 
tory upon  which  was  a  saw-mill,  and  where  he  generally  remained 
during  the  week. (11.)  Some  of  the  Missourians  gave  as  their  reason 
for  voting  that  they  had  heard  that  eastern  emigrants  were  to  he  at 
.that  election, (12)  though  no  eastern  emigrants  were  there. (13)  Oth- 
ers said  they  were  going  to  vote  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a 
filave  State.  (14)  Some  claimed  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote  under 
the  provisions  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  from  the  fact  that  they 
rwere  present  on  the  ground  on  the  day  of  election. (15)  The  free- 
State  men  generally  did  not  vote, (16)  and  those  who  did  vote,  voted 
generally  for  John  H.  Whitehead,  pro-slavery,  for  council,  against 
Major  W.  P.  Richardson,  and  did  not  vote  at  all  for  members  of  the 
..border  town. (17)  The  parties  were  pretty  nearly  equally  divided  in 
the  district,  some  being  of  opinion  that  the  free-State  party  had  a 
small  majority, (18)  and  others  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a*  small 
majority. (18)  After  the  election  was  over  and  the  polls  were  closed, 
the  Missourians  returned  home.  During  the  day  they  had  provisions 
and  liquor  served  out  free  of  expense  to  all. (19) 

Doniphan  precinct. — The  evening  before  the  election  some  200 
or  more  Missourians  from  Platte,  Buchanan,  Saline,  and  Clay 
.counties,  Missouri,  came  into  this  precinct,  with  tents,  music,  wagons, 
and  provisions,  and  armed  with  guns,  rifles,  pistols,  and  bowie-knives, 
and  camped  about  two  miles  from  the  place  of  voting.  (20)  They 
said  they  came  to  vote,  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  intended  to 
return  to  Missouri  after  they  had  voted. (21)  On  the  morning  of  the 
.election  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  would  not  serve,  and 
others  were  chosen  by  the  crowd. (22) 

The  Missourians  were  allowed  to  vote  without  being  sworn, (23) 

(8)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  W.  P.  Richardson,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  W.  P.  Hall. 

(9)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  Benj.  Harding,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  A.  Larzelier,  0.  Hulan. 
!     (10)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  W.  P.  Hall. 

?    (11)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  W.  P.  Richardson,  W.  P.  Hall. 

(12)  W.  P.  Richardson,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  J.  R.  Carter,  W.  P.  Hall,  A.  M.  Mitchell,  H. 
S.  Creel. 

(13)  B.  Harding,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  J.  R.  Carter,  W.  P.  Hall. 
1    (14)  W.  P.  Hall,  H.  S.  Creel. 

(15)  B.  H.  Brock,  C.  W.  Stewart,  H.  S.  Creel. 

(16)  A.  A.  Jameison,  W.  P.  Richardson,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  A.  Larzelier,  C,  W.  S.  Creel, 

(17)  W.  P.  Richardson,  C.  B.  Whitehead. 

(18)  A.  A.  Jamieson,  B.  Harding,  A.  Larzelier,  C.  W.  Stewart. 

(18)  W.  P.  Richardson,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  W.  P.  Hall,  Thomas  W.  Waterston,  J.  P  Blair. 

(19)  W.  P.  Richardson,  G.  W.  Gillespie.  ,  . , 

(20)  Richard  Tuck,  Eli  Hamilton,  John  Landis,  Luther  Dickerson,  J.  W.  Beattie,  l>avia 
Fizer. 

(21)  R.  Tuck,  L.  Dickerson,  J.  W.  Beattie. 

(22)  R.  Tuck,  E.  Hamilton,  J.  Landis. 

(23)  B.  Tuck,  E.  Hamilton,  David  Fizer. 


26  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

some  of  them  voting  as  many  as  eight  or  nine  times  ;  changing  their 
hats  and  coats,  and  giving  in  different  names  each  time.  (24)  After 
they  had  voted,  they  returned  to  Missouri. (25)  The  free-State  men 
generally  did  not  vote, (26)  though  constituting  a  majority  in  the  pre- 
cinct. (27)  Upon  counting  the  ballots  in  the  "box.  and  the  names  on 
the  poll-lists,  it  was  found  that  there  were  too  many  hallots, (27)  and 
one  of  the  judges  of  election  took  out  hallots  enough  to  make  the  two 
members  correspond.  (28) 

Wolf  River  precinct. — But  few  Missourians  were  present  in  this  pre- 
cinct, though  some  of  them  threatened  one- of  the  judges  because  he 
refused  to  receive  their  votes  ;  and  when  he  resigned  another  was 
chosen  in  his  place,  who  consented  to  receive  their  votes.  (29) 

Protests  were  drawn  up  against  the  elections  in  the  various  precincts 
in  the  14th  district,  but  on  account  of  threats  that  greater  numbers  of 
Missourians  would  be  at  a  new  election,  should  it  be  called,  and  of 
personal  violence  to  those  who  should  take  part  in  the  protest,  it  was 
not  presented  to  the  governor  ;  (30)  Major  Richardson ,  the  pro-slavery 
candidate  for  council,  threatening  Dr.  Cutler,  the  free-State  candidate, 
that  if  he  contested  the  election  he  and  his  office  should  be  put  in  the 
Missouri  river.  (31)  The  number  of  voters  in  this  district  by  the 
census  was  334  ;  of  these  124  voted.  The  testimony  shows  that  quite 
a  number  of  persons  whose  legal  residence  was  in  the  popular  county 
of  Buchanan,  Missouri,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  had  claims 
in  the  Territory.  Some  ranged  cattle,  and  others  marked  out  their 
claim  and  built  a  cabin,  and  sold  this  incipient  title  when  they  could. 
They  were  not  residents  of  the  Territory  in  any  just  or  legal  sense. 
A  number  of  settlers  removed  into  the  district  in  the  month  of  March. 
Your  committee  are  satisfied,  after  a  careful  analysis  of  the  records 
and  testimony,  that  the  number  of  legal  votes  cast  did  not  exced  200 
out  of  727. 

FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  election  in  this  district  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Hayes. 
On  the  day  of  election  a  crowd  of  from  400  to  500  men(l)  collected 
around  the  polls,  of  which  the  great  body  were  citizens  of  Missouri. 

One  of  the  judges  of  election  in  his  testimony(2)  states  that  the 
strangers  commenced  crowding  around  the  polls,  and  that  then  the 
residents  left.  Threats  were  made  before  and  during  the  election 
day  that  there  should  be  no  free-State  candidates,  although  there  were 
nearly  or  quite  as  many  free-State  as  pro-slavery  men  resident  in  the 
district ;  most  of  the  crowd  were  drinking  and  carousing,  cursing  the 
abolitionists,  and  threatening  the  only  free-State  judge  of  election.  A 

(24)  B.  Tuck. 

(25)  E.  Tuck,  E.  Hamilton,  J.  Landis,  L.  Dickerson, 
^(26)  John  Landis. 

(27)  R.  Tuck,  John  Landis,  E.  Hamilton,  J.  F.  Foreman. 

(28)  E.  Hamilton. 

(29)  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler. 

(30)  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler,  John  Landis,  A.  A.  Jamieson. 

(31)  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler. 

(1)  T.  B.  Crane,  Joseph  Potter. 

(2)  E.  B.  Zimmerman. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  27 

majority  of  those  who  voted  wore  hemp  in  their  button-holes  (3}  and 
their  password  was,  «  All  right  on  the  hemp.-  Many  of  the  MiL 
nans  were  known  and  are  named  hy  the  witnesses.  Several  speech* 
were  made  hy  them  at  the  polls  ;  and  among  those  who  spoke  we* 
Major  Oliver,  one  of  your  committee,  Col.  Burns,  and  Laban  William? 
of  Platte  county.  Major  Oliver  urged  upon  all  present  to  use  no  harsh 
words,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  nothing  would  be  said  or  done  fc 
wound  the  feelings  of  the  most  sensitive  on  the  other  side.  He  gave 
some  grounds,  based  on  the  Missouri  compromise,  in  regard  to  the 
right  of  voting,  and  was  understood  to  excuse  the  Missourians  for 
voting.  Your  committee  are  satisfied  that  he  did  not  vote.  Colonel 
Burns  recommended  all  to  vote.  They  came  to  vote,  and  he  hoped 
that  none  would  go  home  without  voting.  Some  of  the  pro-slavery 
residents  were  much  dissatisfied  at  the  interference  with  their  rights 
by  the  Missourians,  and  for  that  reason,  and  because  reflection  con- 
vinced them  that  it  would  be  better  to  have  Kansas  a  free  State  ther 
that  day  "  fell  over  the  fence.  "(4) 

The  judges  required  the  voters  to  take  an  oath  that  they  were  actual 
residents.  They  objected  at  first,  some  saying  they  had  a  claim, 
or  held  a  claim,  or  owned  a  claim,  or  "  I  am  here  ;"  but  the  free-State 
judge  insisted  upon  the  oath,  and  his  associates,  who  at  first  were  dis- 
posed to  waive  it,  coincided  with  him,  and  the  voters  all  took  it  after 
some  grumbling.  One  said  he  cut  him  some  poles  and  laid  them  in 
the  shape  of  a  square,  and  that  made  him  a  claim  ;  and  another  said 
that  he  had  cut  a  few  sticks  of  wood,  and  that  made  him  a  claim. 
The  free-State  men  did  not  vote,  although  they  believed  their  number 
to  be  equal  to  the  pro-slavery  settlers,  and  some  claimed  that  they  had 
the  majority.  They  were  deterred  by  threats  thrown  out  by  the  Mis- 
sourians. before  and  on  the  day  of  election,  from  putting  up  candidates; 
and  none  were  run,  for  the  reason  that  there  was  a  credited  rumor 
prevailing  that  the  Missourians  would  control  the  election.  The  free- 
State  judge  was  threatened  with  expulsion  from  the  polls,  and  a  young 
man  thrust  a  pistol  into  the  window  through  which  the  votes  were 
received.  The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  was  417  ;  of  the  names  on 
the  poll-book  but  62  are  on  the  census  rolls,  and  the  testimony  shows 
that  but  a  small  portion,  estimated  by  a  witness  at  one-fourth  of  the 
legal  voters,  voted.  Your  committee  estimate  the  number  of  legal 
votes  at  80.  One  of  the  judges  refused  to  certify  to  the  governor  that 
the  election  was  fairly  conducted.  It  was  not  contested  because  no 
one  would  take  the  responsibility  of  doing  it,  as  it  was  not  considered 
safe,  and  that  if  another  election  was  had  the  residents  would  tare  no 
better. 

SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

-;   For  some  time  previous  to  the  election,  meetings  were  held  and 
arrangements  made  in  Missouri  to  get  up  companies  to  come  over 
the  Territory  and  vote  ;(1)   and  the  day  before  and  the  da}M 

(3)  E.  R.  Zimmerman,  Joseph  Potter. 

(4)  E.  R.  Zimmerman. 

(1)  H.  Miles  Moore,  A.  McAuley,  L.  Kerr. 


28  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

tion  large  bodies  of  Missourians  from  Platte,  Clay,  Bay,  Chariton, 
Carrol,  Clinton,  and  Saline  counties,  Missouri,  came  into  this  district 
and  camped  there.  (2)  They  were  armed  with  pistols,  howie-knives, 
and  some  with  guns  and  rifles, (3)  and  had  hadges  of  hemp  in  their 
button-holes  and  elsewhere  about  their  persons.  (4) 

On  the  morning  of  the  election  there  were  from  1,000  to  1,400  per- 
sons present  on  the  ground. (5) 

Previous  to  the  election  Missourians  endeavored  to  persuade  the  two 
free-State  judges  to  resign  by  making  threats  of  personal  violence  to 
them  ;(6)  one  of  whom  resigned  on  the  morning  of  the  election,  and 
the  crowd  chose  another  to  nil  his  place.  (7)  But  one  of  the  judges — 
the  free-State  judge — would  take  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor, 
the  other  two  deciding  that  they  had  no  right  to  swear  any  one  who 
oifered  to  vote,  but  that  all  on  the  ground  were  entitled  to  vote.  (8) 
The  only  votes  refused  were  some  Delaware  Indians,  some  thirty 
Wyandott  Indians  being  allowed  to  vote. (9)  One  of  the  free-State 
candidates  withdrew  in  consequence  of  the  presence  of  the  Missouri- 
ans, amid  cheering  and  acclamation  by  the  mob.  (10)  During  the 
day  the  steamboat  New  Lucy  came  down  from  Weston,  Missouri, 
with  a  large  number  of  Missourians  on  board,  who  voted,  and  then 
returned  on  the  boat.  (11) 

The  Missourians  gave  as  a  reason  for  their  coming  over  to  vote,  that 
the  North  had  tried  to  force  emigration  into  the  Territory,  and  they 
wanted  to  counteract  that  movement.  (12)  Some  of  the  candidates, 
and  many  of  the  Missourians,  took  the  ground  that,  under  the  Kan- 
sas-Nebraska act,  all  who  were  on  the  ground  on  the  day  of  election 
were  entitled  to  vote;(13)  and  others,  that  laying  out  a  town  and 
taking  a  lot,  or  driving  down  stakes,  even  on  another  man's  claim, 
gave  them  a  right  to  vote; (14)  and  one  of  the  members  of  the  coun- 
cils, B.  B.  Bees,  declared  in  his  testimony  that  he  who  should  put  a 
different  construction  upon  the  law  must  be  either  a  knave  or  a  fool. 
The  free-State  men  generally  did  not  vote  at  that  election,  (15)  and 
no  newly-arrived  eastern  emigrants  were  there. (16) 

The  free-State  judge  of  election  refused  to  sign  the  returns  until  the 
words  "by  lawful  resident"  voters  were  stricken  out,  which  was  done, 

(2)  David  Brown,  F.  A.  Hart,  G.  F.  Warren,  R.  R.  Rees,  A.  Russell,  P.  R.  Orr,  L.  J. 
Eastin,  A.  Fisher,  M.  France,  H.  M.  Moore. 

(3)  D.  Brown,  F.  A.  Hart,  G.  F.  Warren,  A.  Fisher,  H.  M.  Moore,  W.  G.  Matthias. 

(4)  F.  A.  Hart,  L.  J.  Eastin,  M.  France,  W.  H.  Adams,  H.  M.  Moore. 

(5)  F.  A.  Hart,  T.  A.  Minard,  G.  F.  Warren,  R.  R.  Rees,  A.  J.  Pattie,  W.  G.  Matthias. 

(6)  D.  Brown,  M.  France. 

(7)  D.  Brown,  F.  A.  Hart,  M.  France. 

(8)  M.  France. 

(9)  M.  France. 

(10)  F.  A.  Hart,  L.  J.  Eastin,  W.  H.  Adams. 

(11)  D.  Brown,  F.  A.  Hart,  T.  A.  Minard,  G.  F.  Warren,  R.  R.  Rees,  L.  J.  Eastin,  A. 
T.  Kyle,  D.  J.  Johnson,  M.  France,  A.  J.  Pattie,  H.  M.  Moore. 

(12)  R.  R.  Rees,  L.  J.  Eastirf,  W.  H.  Adams,  H.  M.  Moore. 

(13)  D.  Brown,  T.  C.  Minard,  E.  F.  Warren,  R.  R.  Rees,  "H.  M.  Moore. 

(14)  D.  Brown,  F.  A.  Hart. 

(15)  D.  Brown,  T.  G.  Minard,  G.  F.  Warren,  F.  A.  Hart,  M.  France,  H.  M.  Moore. 

(16)  L.  J.  Eastin,  M.  France,  W.  H.  Adams. 


md  the  returns  made  in  that  way. 
md  a  new  election  ordered  by 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  9g 


The  testimony  is  divided  as  to  the  relative  strength  of  D! 
hstnct.     The  whole  number  of  voters  in  the  district  a  cordW  to 
;ensus  returns  was  385,  and  according  to  a  very  carefully  nr 
1st  of  voters,  prepared  by  the  pro-slavery  candidates  and  otLr  r 
ilavery  men  afew  days  previous  to  the  election,  there  were  305  voter's 
n  the  district   including  those  who  had  claims  but  did  not  live  on 
;hem.(18)    The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  was  964  ;  of  those  named 
m  the  census  106  voted.    Your  committee,  upon  careful  examination 
•re  satisfied  that  not  over  150  legal  votes  were  cast  leaving  814  ilia! 
•al  votes. 

SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  election  in  this  district  seems  to  have  been  fairly  conducted 
md  not  contested  at  all.     In  this  district  the  pro-slavery  party  had 
the  majority. 

EIGHTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

Previous  to  the  election  Gen.  David  E.  Atchison,  of  Platte  City, 
Missouri,  ^ot  up  a  company  of  Missourians,  and  passing  through 
Veston,  Missouri, (1)  went  over  into  the  Territory.  He  remained  all 
ight  at  the  house  of  Arnett  Grooms,  and  there  exhibited  his  arms,  of 
rhich  he  had  an  abundance.  He  proceeded  to  the  Nemaha  or  18th 
istrict.(2)  On  his  way  he  and  his  party  attended  a  nominating  con- 
"ention  in  the  14tH  district,  and  proposed  and  caused  to  be  nominated 
.  set  of  candidates  in  opposition  to  the  wishes  of  the  pro-slavery  resi- 
jlents  of  the  district. (3)  At  that  convention  he  said  that  there  were 
L,100  coming  over  from  Platte  county,  and  if  that  wasn't  enough  they 
:ould  bring  5,000  more  ;  that  they  came  to  vote  and  would  vote,  or 
ill  every  G — d  d — d  abolitionist  in  the  Territory. (4) 

On  the  day  of  election  the  Missourians  under  Atchison,  who  were 
ncamped  there,  came  up  to  the  polls  in  the  18th  district  and  voted, 
aking  the  oath  that  they  were  residents  of  the  district.  The  Misson- 
ians  were  all  armed  with  pistols  and  bowie-knives,  and  said  there 
vere  sixty  in  their  company. (5)  But  seventeen  of  the  votes  given 
ihere  were  given  by  citizens  of  the  district.  (6)  The  whole  number  of 
rotes  was  sixty-two.  K.  L.  Kirk,  one  of  the  candidates,  came  into 
.he  district  from  Missouri  about  a  week  before  the  election  and  board- 
id  there.  (7)  He  left  after  the  election,  and  was  not  at  the  time  a  legal 
'esident  of  the  district  in  which  he  was  elected.  No  protest  was  sent 

(17)  L.  J.  Eastin,  M.  France,  W.  H.  Adams. 

(18)  L.  J.  Eastin,  A.  McAuley. 

(1)  H.  Miles  Moore.  * 

(2)  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler,  Arnet  Grooma. 

(3)  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler. 

(4)  Dr.  G  A.  Cutler. 

(5)  D.  H.  Baker,  John  Belew. 

(6)  D.  H.  Baker,  John  Belew. 

(7)  jQhn  Belew. 


30 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


to  the  governor  on  account  of  threats  made  against  any  who  should 
dare  to  contest  the  election. (8) 

The  following  tables  embody  the  result  of  the  examination  of  your 
committee  in  regard  to  this  election.  In  some  of  the  districts  it  was 
impossible  to  ascertain  the  precise  number  of  legal  votes  cast,  and  es- 
pecially in  the  14th,  15th,  and  16th  districts.  In  such  cases  the  num- 
ber of  legal  and  illegal  votes  cast  is  stated  after  a  careful  re-examina- 
tion of  all  the  testimony  and  records  concerning  the  election. 

No.  1. 

Abstract  of  census  and  returns  of  election  of  March  30, 1855,  ~by  election 

districts. 


% 

a_ 

1 

2 
* 

;i 

8 
9 

$ 

2 

;l 

gt 

Place  ef  voting. 

I 
o 

E 

1 

£ 

781 
318 
386 
78 
377 
199 
74 
34 
315 
211 
17 
23 
27 
2 
328 

Free  State  votes. 

Scattering. 

"i 

o 
H 

Total  of  legal  vote?. 

Total  of  illegal  votes. 

CENSUS. 

COUNCIL. 

HOUSE 

No.  of  voters. 

f  persons 
sident. 

O 

9 

1 

B 
f> 

8 

<J 

•e 

1 

1 

i 

W2 
1 

o 

1 

o 
1 

0 

6 

to 

0 

1 

253 
12 
4 
2 
9 
65 
17 
70 
35 
23 
17 
52 
42 
21 

1,034 
341 
372 
80 
386 
264 
98 
104 
350 
234 
37 
75 
69 
23 
328 
11 
33 
239 
346 
78 
306 
417 
964 
59 
62 

232 
30 
32 
15 
13 
75 
32 
104 
100 
25 
37 
75 
48 
23 
7 
11 
33 
12 

802 
316 
338 
65 
380 
191 
59 

369 

199 
101 

47 

962 
519 
282 
177 

1 

2 
3 
1 

2 
1 
1 

2 
3 
4 
1 

3 
2 

1 
1 

Bloornington  

]1 

2 

7 

Stinsoa's  or  Tecumseh 
Dr.  Chapman  3s....  .... 
Bull  Creek 

Big  Sugar  Creek  
Little  Sugar  Creek.... 
Fwrt  Scott  

442 

1,407 

4 

2 

7 

4 

250' 
209 

"21" 

253 
53 
39 
36 
63 

810 
118 
88 
86 
151 

5 
3 
3 
6 
10 
8 

1 

'"i" 

6 

5 
5 
8 
8 
8 

2 
1 
.....   . 

Isaac  B.  Titus'  

Big  Blue  

Rock-Cre'ek        

Mary^ville 

321 

24 

36 

9 
10 



9 
9 

1 

St    Mary's 

4 
12 
233 
313 
57 
256 
412 

7 
19 
6 
30 
15 
2 

"'2' 

"'3' 
6 

48 
5 
5 

Silver  Lake  

"236" 

78 
96 

144 

284 

1 
10 

7 



9 
10 
11 

....  ^ 

Hickory  Point  

Wolf  Creek  
Burr  Oak  

200 

530 

334 

1,167 

7 
8 

1 

11 
12 

13 
14 

o 
2 
2 
3 

80 
150 
59 
17 

337 

814 

'  '  '45' 

208 
385 
50 
28 

873 
I.,  183 
150 
99 

9 
10 
1 

7 

] 
2 

899 
43 

48 

60 
16 
14 

Gurn  Springs  

Moorestovvn  

1 

.... 

,.... 

Total  

5,427 

791 

89 

6,307  |l,410 

4,908 

2,905 

8,601 

105 

13 

155 

25 

(8)  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


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32 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS 


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KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


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H.  Rep.  200 3 


33 


34  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Your  committee  report  the  following  facts  not  shown  by  the  tables 

Of  the  2,905  voters  named  in  the  census  rolls,  831  are  found  on  the 
poll-books.  Some  of  the  settlers  were  prevented  from  attending  the 
election  by  the  distance  of  their  homes  from  the  polls,  but  the  great 
majority  were  deterred  by  the  open  avowal  that  large  bodies  of  armed 
Missourians  would  be  at  the  polls  to  vote,  and  by  the  fact  that  they 
did  so  appear  and  control  the  election.  The  same  causes  deterred  the 
free-State  settlers  from  running  candidates  in  several  districts,  and  in 
others  induced  the  candidates  to  withdraw. 

The  poll-books  of  the  2d  and  8th  districts  were  lost,  but  the  proof  is 
quite  clear  that  in  the  2d  district  there  were  thirtv,  and  in  the  8th 
district  thirty-eight  legal  votes,  making  a  total  of  eight  hundred  and 
ninety-eight  legal  voters  of  the  Territory  whose  names  are  on  the 
census  returns.  And  yet  the  proof,  in  the  state  in  which  we  are 
obliged  to  present  it,  after  excluding  illegal  votes,  leaves  the  total 
Tote  of  1,410,  showing  a  discrepancy  of  512.  The  discrepancy  is  ac- 
counted for  in  two  ways  :  First,  the  coming  in  of  settlers  before  tbe 
March  election,  and  after  the  census  was  taken,  or  settlers  who  were 
omitted  in  the  census  ;  or,  secondly,  the  disturbed  state  of  the  Terri- 
tory while  we  were  investigating  the  elections  in  some  of  the  districts, 
thereby  preventing  us  from  getting  testimony  in  relation  to  the  names 
of  illegal  voters  at  the  time  of  election. 

If  the  election  had  been  confined  to  the  actual  settlers,  undeterred 
by  the  presence  of  non-residents,  or  the  knowledge  that  they  would  be 
present  in  numbers  sufficient  to  outvote  them,  the  testimony  indicates 
jfchat  the  council  would  have  been  composed  of  seven  in  favor  of  making 
[Kansas  a  free  State,  elected  from  the  1st,  2d,  3d,  4th,  and  6th  council 
.districts.  The  result  in  the  8th  and  10th,  electing  three  members, 
would  have  been  doubtful,  and  the  5th,  fab,  and  9th  would  have  elect- 
ed three  pro-slavery  members. 

•Under  like  circumstances  the  House  of  Kepresentatives  would  have 
been  composed  of  fourteen  members  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a 
free  State,  elected  from  the  2d,  3d,  4th,  5th,  Tth,  8th,  9th,  and  10th 
representative  districts. 

The  result  in  the  12th  and  14th  representative  districts,  electing 

*  five  members,  would  have  been  doubtful ;  and  the  1st,  6th,  llth,  and 
15th  districts  would  have  elected  seven  pro-slavery  members. 

By  the  election  as  conducted,  the  pro-slavery  candidates  in  every 
district? but  the  8th  representative  district  received  a  majority  of  the 
votes ;  -and  several  of  them,  in  both  the  council  and  house,  did  not 
f:f  reside  in  "  and  were  not  u  inhabitants  of "  the  district  for  which 
they  were  elected,  as  required  by  the  organic  law. 

By  that  act,  it  was  declared  to  be  "  the  true  intent  and  meaning 

*  of  this  act  to  leave  the  people  thereof  perfectly  free  to  form  and  regu?- 
late  their  domestic  institutions  in  their  own  way,  subject  to  the  consti- 
tution of  the  United  States."     So  careful  was  Congress  of  the  right  of 
popular  sovereignty,  that  to  secure  it  to  the  people,  without  a  single 
petition  from,  any  portion  of  the  country,  they  removed  the  restric- 
tion against  slavery  imposed  by  the  Missouri  compromise.     And  yet 
this  right,  so,  carefully  secured,  was  thus  by  force  and  fraud  over- 
thrown by  a  por.iion  of  the  people  of  an  adjoining  State 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


35 


The  striking  difference  between  this  republic  and  other  republics 
on  this  continent  is  not  in  the  provisions  of  constitutions  and  laws 
but  that  here  changes  in  the  administration  of  those  laws  have  been 
made  peacefully  and  quietly  through  the  ballot-box.  This  invasion 
is  the  first  and  only  one  in  the  history  of  our  government,  by  which 
an  organized  force  from  one  State  has  elected  a  legislature  for  another 
State  or  Territory,  and  as  such  it  should  have  been  resisted  by  the 
whole  executive  power  of  the  national  government. 

Your  committee  are  of  the  opinion,  that  the  constitution  and  laws 
of  the  United  States  have  invested  the  President  and  the  governor  of 
the  Territory  with  ample  power  for  this  purpose.  They  could  only  act 
after  receiving  authentic  information  of  the  facts  ;  but  when  received 
whether  before  or  after  the  certificates  of  election  were  granted,  this 
power  should  have  been  exercised  to  its  fullest  extent. 

It  is  not  to  be  tolerated  that  a  legislative  body  thus  selected 
should  assume  or  exercise  any  legislative  functions  ;  and  their  enact- 
ments should  be  regarded  as  null  and  void.  Nor  should  the  question 
of  its  legal  existence  as  a  legislative  body  be  determined  by  itself,  as 
that  would  be  allowing  the  criminal  to  judge  of  his  own  crime. 

In  section  22d  of  the  organic  act  it  is  provided,  that  "the  persons 
having  the  highest  number  of  legal  votes  in  each  of  said  council  dis- 
tricts for  members  of  the  council,  shall  be  declared  by  the  governor 
to  be  duly  elected  to  the  council,  and" the  persons  having  the  highest 
number  of  legal  votes  for  the  House  of  Kepresentatives  shall  be  declared 
by  the  governor  duly  elected  members  of  said  house."  The  procla,- 
mation  of  the  governor  required  a  verified  notice  of  a  contest,  when 
one  was  made,  to  be  filed  with  him  within  four  days  after  the  elec- 
tion. Within  that  time  he  did  not  obtain  information  as  to  force  or 
fraud  in  any  except  the  following  districts  ;  and  in  these  there  were 
material  defects  in  the  returns  of  election.  Without  deciding  upon 
his  power  to  set  aside  elections  for  force  and  fraud,  they  were  set  aside 
for  the  following  reasons  : 

In  the  1st  district,  because  the  words  "  by  lawful  resident  voters" 
were  stricken  from  the  return. 

In  the  2d  district,  because  the  oath  was  administered  by  G.  W. 
Taylor,  who  was  not  authorized  to  administer  an  oath. 

In  the  3d  district,  because  material  erasures  from  the  printed  form 
of  the  oath  were  purposely  made. 

In  the  4th  district,  for  the  same  reason. 

In  the  7th  district,  because  the  judges  were  not  sworn  at  all. 

In  the  llth  district,  because  the  returns  show  the  election  to  hav-e 
been  held  viva  voce  instead  of  by  ballot. 

In  the  16th  district,  because  the  words  "by  lawful  residents    -wei 
stricken  from  the  returns. 

Although  the  fraud  and  force  in  other  districts  was  equally  great  as 
in  these,  yet,  as  the  governor  had  no  information  in  regard  to  them, 
he  issued  certificates  according  to  the  returns. 


36 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


ELECTION  OF  MAY  22,  1855. 

The  election  to  fill  the  vacancies  caused  "by  the  action  of  the  gov- 
ernor was  held  on  the  22d  of  May,  1855.  There  was  no  illegal  voting 
at  that  election  except  in  the  16th  district,  at  Leavenworth.  For 
that  district  the  pro-slavery  party,  while  publicly  refusing  to  acknowl- 
edge the  legality  of  that  election,  not  only  voted,  but  a  large  number 
of  the  citizens  of  Missouri  came  over  and  voted  as  at  the  previous 
election. (1)  The  majority  of  the  judges  decided  that  all  that  was 
necessary  to  constitute  a  legal  voter,  was  to  have  some  one  say  he  had 
some  interest  in  the  Territory.  (2)  No  one  was  sworn  that  day, 
or  even  challenged. (3)  The  steamboat  Kate  Kassel  came  up,  and 
men  from  her  came  ashore  arid  voted.  (4)  Many  free-State  men  did 
not  vote  that  day.  (5)  One  of  the  free-State  judges  desired  the  words 
"by  lawful  resident  voters"  to  be  striken  out  of  the  return  before  he 
would  sign  it,  (6)  and  only  signed  the  return  with  those  words  in 
under  a  misapprehension. (Y)  It  is  impossible  for  your  committee 
accurately  to  decide  which  party  would  have  had  a  majority  of  the 
legal  votes  of  the  district,  had  no  illegal  votet  been  polled,  on  account 
of  the  difficulty  of  determining  who  were  legal  and  who  were  illegal 
voters  at  that  election. 

Abstract  of  the  returns  of  election  of  May  22,  1855. 


*  . 
°1 

0* 

fc 

Place  of  voting. 

£> 

us 

II 

»  o 

6  > 

£ 

-2 
1  8 

§1 

£ 

Scattering. 

3 
$ 

1 

Lawrencee 

288 

18 

306 

2 

Douglas 

127 

127 

3 

Stinson's 

148 

1 

149 

7 

"  110" 

68 

13 

79 

8 

Council  Grove                 ...                     „ 

33 

33 

16 

Lieavenworth 

500 

140 

15 

715 

Total              

560 

802 

47 

1  409 

Your  committee  have  felt  it  to  be  their  duty,  not  only  to  inquire 
into  and  collect  evidence  in  regard  to  force  and  fraud  attempted  and 
practised  at  the  elections  in  the  Territory,  but  also  into  the  facts  and 
pretexts  by  which  this  force  and  fraud  have  been  excused  or  justified  ; 
and,  for  this  purpose,  your  committee  have  allowed  the  declarations 

(1)  Wm.  H.  Adams,  G.  H.  Keller,  Amos  Eees. 

(2)  M.  France,  Adam  Fisker. 

(3)  Matt.  France,  W.  H.  Adams,  A.  Fisher. 

(4)  Matt.  France,  W.  H.  Adams. 

(5)  M.  France,  A.  Fisher. 

(6)  Matt.  France,  Adam  Fisher. 

(7)  Matt.  France. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


of  non-resident  voters  to  be  given  a  evidence  in  their  own  behalf- 
also,  the  declarations  of  all  who  came  up  the  Missouri  river  as  emi' 
grants,  in  March,  1855,  whether  they  voted  or  not,  and  whether  thev 
came  into  the  Territory  at  all  or  not,  and  also  the  rumors  which  were 
circulated  among  the  people  of  Missouri  previous  to  the  election.  The 
great  body  of  the  testimony  taken  at  the  instance  of  the  sittin^  dele- 
gate is  of  this  character. 

When  the  declarations  of  parties  passing  up  the  river  -were  offered 
in  evidence,  your  committee  received  them  upon  the  distinct  statement 
that  they  would  be  excluded  unless  the  persons  making  the  declara- 
tions were,  by  other  proof,  shown  to  have  been  connected  with  the 
election.  This  proof  was  not  made,  and  therefore  much  of  this  class 
of  testimony  is  jncompetent  by  the  rules  of  law  ;  but,  it  is  allowed  to 
remain  as  tending  to  show  the  cause  of  the  action  of  the  citizens  of 
Missouri.  The  alleged  causes  of  the  invasion  of  March,  1855,  are 
included  in  the  following  charges,  viz : 

1st.  That  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  of  Boston,  was 
then  importing  into  the  Territory  large  numbers  of  men,  merely  for 
the  purpose  of  controlling  the  elections  ;  that  they  came  without 
women,  children,  or  baggage,  went  into  the  Territory,  voted,  and 
returned  again. 

2d.  That  men  were  hired  in  the  eastern  and  northern  States,  or 
induced  to  go  to  the  Territory,  solely  to  vote  and  not  to  settle,  and 
by  so  doing  to  make  it  a  free  State. 

3d.  That  the  governor  of  the  Territory  purposely  postponed  the  day 
of  election  to  allow  this  emigration  to  arrive,  and  notified  the  Emi- 
grant Aid  Society  and  persons  in  the  eastern  States  of  the  day  of 
election  before  he  gave  notice  to  the  people  of  Missouri  and  the  Ter- 
ritory. 

That  these  charges  were  industriously  circulated  ;  that  grossly  ex- 
aggerated statements  were  made  in  regard  to  them  ;  that  the  news- 
paper press  and  leading"  men  in  public  meetings  in  western  Missouri 
(aided  in  one  case  by  a  chaplain  of  the  United  States  army)  gave 
currency  and  credit  to  them,  and  thus  excited  the  people  and  induced 
many  well-meaning  citizens  of  Missouri  to  march  into  the  Territory 
to  meet  and  repel  the  alleged  eastern  paupers  and  abolitionists,  in 
fully  proven  by  many  witnesses. 

But  neither  of  these  charges  is  sustained  by  the  proof. 

Ji  April,  1854,  the  general  assembly  of  Massachusetts  passed  an 
act  entitled   "  An  act  to  incorporate  the  Massachusetts  Emigrant  Aid 
Society/'     The  object  of  the  society,  as  declared  in  the  first  section  ot 
this  act,  was  "  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  emigrants  to  settle  in  the 
West."     The  nominal  capital  of  the  corporation  was  not  to  exceej 
five  millions  of  dollars,  but  no  more  than  four  per  cent,  could 
assessed  during  the  year  1854,  and  no  more  than  ten  per  cent,  in  any 
one  year  thereafter.     No  organization  was  perfected  or  proc«t 
had  under  this  law.  -., 

On  the  24th  day  of  July,  1854,  certain  persons  in  Boston.  Massa- 
chusetts, concluded  articles  of  agreement  and  association  for  an  ^mi- 
grant Aid  Society.  The  purpose  of  this  association  was  declared  to 
Be,  «  assisting  emigrants  to  settle  in  the  West."  Under  these  articks 


38  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

of  association  each  stockholder  was  individually  liable.  To  avoid 
this  difficulty  an  application  was  made  to  the  general  assembly  ot 
Massachusetts  for  an  act  of  incorporation,  which  was  granted.  On 
the  21st  day  of  February,  1855,  an  act  was  passed  to  incorporate  the 
New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Company.  The  purpose  of  this  act  was 
declared  to  be,  "  directing  emigration  westward,  and  aiding  and  provi- 
ding accommodation  after  arriving  at  their  place  of  destination." 
The  capital  stock  of  the  corporation  was  not  to  exceed  one  million  of 
dollars.  Under  this  charter  a  company  was  organized. 

Your  committee  have  examined  some  of  its  officers,  and  a  portion  of 
its  circulars  and  records,  to  ascertain  what  has  been  done  by  it.  The 
public  attention  at  the  time  of  its  formation  was  directed  to  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas,  and  emigration  naturally  tended  in  that  direction. 
To  ascertain  its  character  and  resources,  this  company  sent  its  agents 
into  it,  and  the  information  thus  obtained  was  published.  The  com- 
pany made  arrangements  with  various  lines  of  transportation  to  lessen 
the  expense  of  emigration  into  the  Territory,  and  procured  tickets  at 
reduced  rates.  Applications  were  made  to  the  company  by  persons 
desiring  to  emigrate  ;  and  when  they  were  numerous  enough  to  form  a 
party  of  convenient  size,  tickets  were  sold  to  them  at  the  reduced 
rates.  An  agent  acquainted  with  the  route  was  selected  to  accompany 
them.  Their  baggage  was  checked,  and  all  trouble  and  danger  of  loss 
to  the  emigrant  in  this  way  avoided.  Under  these  arrangements 
several  companies  went  into  the  Territory  in  the  fall  of  1854,  under 
the  articles  of  association  referred  to.  The  company  did  not  pay  any 
portion  of  the  fare,  or  furnish  any  personal  or  real  property  to  the  emi- 
grant. The  company,  during  1855,  sent  into  the  Territory  from 
eight  to  ten  saw-mills  ;  purchased  one  hotel  in  Kansas  City,  which  they 
subsequently  sold  ;  built  one  hotel  at  Lawrence,  and  owned  one  other 
building  in  that  place.  They  held  no  property  of  any  other  kind  or 
description.  They  imposed  no  condition  upon  their  emigrants,  and 
did  not  inquire  into  their  political,  religious,  or  social  opinions.  The 
total  amount  expended  by  them,  including  the  salaries  of  their  agents 
and  officers,  and  other  expenses  incident  to  all  organizations,  was  less 
than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Their  purposes,  as  far  as  your  committee  can  ascertain,  were  lawful, 
and  contributed  to  supply  those  wants  most  experienced  in  the  settle- 
ment of  a  new  country. 

The  only  persons  who  emigrated  into  the  Territory  under  the  au- 
spices of  this  company  in  1855,  prior  to  the  election  in  March,  was  a 
party  of  169  persons,  who  came  under  the  charge  of  Charles  Eobin- 
son.(l) 

In  this  party  there  were  sixty-seven  women  and  children.  (2) 
They  came  as  actual  settlers,  intending  to  make  their  homes  in  the 
Territory,  and  for  no  other  purpose.  (3)  They  had  about  their  pei>- 
sons  but  little  baggage,  usually  sufficient  clothing  in  a  carpet-sack  for 
a  short  time.  Their  personal  effects,  such  as  clothing,  furniture,  &c., 
were  put  into  trunks  and  boxes,  and,  for  convenience  in  selecting  arid 

(1)  Benjamin  Slater,  Charles  Robinson. 

(2)  Charles  Robinson. 

(3)  Samuel  C.  Smith. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  39 


care 
in 


cheapness  in  transporting,  was  marked  "  Kansas  party  baggage  •  ei 
of  B.  Slater,  St.  Louis."  Generally  this  was  consigned  as  freight  . 
the  ordinary  way,  to  the  care  of  a  commission  merchant.  This  partv 
had,  in  addition  to  the  usual  allowance  of  one  hundred  pounds  to  each 
passenger,  a  large  quantity  of  haggage,  on  which  the  respective 
owners  paid  the  usual  extra  freight.  (4)  Each  passenger  or  party 
paid  his  or  their  own  expenses,  and  the  only  henefit  they  derived  from 
this  society,  not  shared  by  all  the  people  of  the  Territory,  was  the  re- 
duction of  about  seven  dollars  in  the  price  of  the  fare,  the  convenience 
of  travelling  in  a  company  instead  of  alone,  and  the  cheapness  and  fa- 
cility of  transporting  their  freight  through  regular  agents.  Subse- 
quently many  emigrants,  being  either  disappointed  with  the  country 
or  its  political  condition,  or  deceived  by  the  statements  made  by  the 
newspapers,  and  by  the  agents  of  the  society,  became  dissatisfied  and 
returned,  both  before  and  after  the  election,  to  their  old  homes.  Most 
of  them  are  now  settlers  in  the  Territory.  (5)  Some  few  voted  at  the 
election  in  Lawrence, (5)  but  the  number  was  small.  The  names  of 
these  emigrants  have  been  ascertained,  and  thirty-seven  of  them  are 
found  upon  the  poll-books.  (5  J.)  This  company  of  peaceful  emigrants, 
moving  with  their  household  goods,  was  distorted  into  an  invading 
horde  of  pauper  abolitionists,  who  were,  with  others  of  a  similar 
character,  to  control  the  domestic  institutions  of  the  Territory,  and 
then  overturn  those  of  a  neighboring  State. 

In  regard  to  the  second  charge,  there  is  no  proof  that  any  man  was 
either  hired,  or  induced  to  come  into  the  Territory  from  any  free  State, 
merely  to  vote.  The  entire  emigration  in  March,  1855,  is  estimated 
art  500  persons,  including  men,  women,  and  children, (6)  They  came 
on  steamboats  up  the  Missouri  river  in  the  ordinary  course  of  emi- 
gration. Many  returned  for  causes  similar  to  those  before  stated,  but 
the  body  of  them  are  now  residents.  The  only  persons,  of  those  who 
were  connected  by  proof  with  the  election,  were  some  who  voted  at 
the  Big  Blue  precinct  in  the  10th  district,  and  at  Pawnee,  in  the  9th 
district.  Their  purpose  and  character  are  stated  in  a  former  part  of 
this  report. 

The  third  charge  is  entirely  groundless.  The  organic  law  requires 
the  governor  to  cause  an  enumeration  of  the  inhabitants  and  legal 
voters  to  be  made,  and  that  he  apportion  the  members  of  the  council 
and  house  according  to  this  enumeration.  For  reasons  stated  by  per- 
sons engaged  in  taking  the  census,  it  was  not  completed  until  the 
early  part  of  March,  1855. (7)  At  that  time  the  day  of  holding  the 
election  had  not  been  and  could  not  have  been  named  by  the  governor 
As  soon  as  practicable  after  the  returns  were  brought  in,  he  issued 
his  proclamation  for  an  election,  and  named  the  earliest  day  consistent 
with  due  notice  as  the  day  of  election.  The  day  on  which  the  elec- 
tion was  to  be  held  was  a  matter  of  conjecture  all  over  Ue  country 
but  it  was  generally  known  that  it  would  be  in  the  latter  part 

(4)  B.  Slater. 

(5)  Charles  Robinson,  Samuel  C.  Smith. 
(5*)  Anson  J.  Stone. 

(6}  W.  H.  Chick  and    J.  Eiddlesbarger. 
rt.)  William  Barbee. 


40  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

March.  The  precise  day  was  not  known  by  any  one  until  the  procla- 
mation issued.  It  was  not  known  to  the  agents  of  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society  in  Boston  on  the  13th  day  of  March,  1855,  when  the  party  of 
emigrants  "before  referred  to  left.  (8) 

Your  committee  are  satisfied  that  these  charges  were  made  the  mere 
pretexts  to  induce  an  armed  invasion  into  ,the  Territory  as  a  means  to 
control  the  election  and  establish  slavery  there. 

The  real  purpose  is  avowed  and  illustrated  "by  the  testimony  and 
conduct  of  Colonel  John  Scott,  of  St.  Joseph's,  Mo.,  who  acted  as  an 
attorney  for  the  sitting  delegate  before  your  committee.  The  follow- 
ing are  extracts  from  his  deposition  : 

"  Prior  to  the  election  in  Burr  Oak  precinct,  in  the  14th  district^ 
on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  I  had  been  a  resident  of  Missouri, 
and  I  then  determined,  if  I  found  it  necessary,  to  become  a  resident 
of  Kansas  Territory.  On  the  day  previous  to  that  election  I  settled 
up  my  board  at  my  boarding-house  in  St.  Joseph's,  Mo.,  and  went 
over  to  the  Territory  and  took  boarding  with  Mr.  Bryant,  near  whose 
house  the  polls  were  held  the  next  day,  for  one  month,  so  that  I  might 
have  it  in  my  power,  by  merely  determining  to  do  so,  to  become  a 
resident  of  the  Territory  on  the  day  of  election. 

"  When  my  name  was  proposed  as  a  judge  of  election,  objections 
were  made  by  two  persons  only.  *  *  *  I  then  publicly  in- 
formed those  present  that  I  had  a  claim  in  the  Territory  ;  that  I  had 
taken  board  in  the  Territory  for  a  month,  and  that  I  could  at  any 
moment  become  an  actual  resident  and  legal  voter  in  the  Territory  ; 
and  that  I  would  do  so  if  I  concluded  at  any  time  during  the  day  that 
my  vote  would  be  necessary  to  carry  that  precinct  in  favor  of  the  pro- 
slavery  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress.  *  *  *  I  did  not 
during  the  day  consider  it  necessary  to  become  a  resident  of  the  Ter- 
ritory for  the  purpose  mentioned,  and  did  not  vote  or  offer  to  vote  at 
that  election. 

"  I  held  the  office  of  city  attorney  for  St.  Joseph's  at  that  time,  and 
had  held  it  for  two  or  three  years  previously,  and  continued  to  hold  it 
until  this  spring.  *  *  *  I  voted  at  an  election  in  St.  Joseph's  in 
the  spring  of  1855,  and  was  re-appointed  city  attorney.  The  question 
of  slavery  was  put  in  issue  at  the  election  of  November,  1854,  to  the 
same  extent  as  in  every  election  in  this  Territory.  General  Whit- 
field  was  regarded  as  the  pro-slavery  candidate  by  the  pro-slavery 
party.  I  regarded  the  question  of  slavery  as  the  primarily  prominent 
issue  at  that  election,  and,  so  far  as  I  know,  all  parties  agreed  in 
making  that  question  the  issue  of  that  election. 

"  It  is  my  intention,  and  the  intention  of  a  great  many  other  Mis- 
sourians  now  resident  in  Missouri,  ivhenever  the  slovtry  issue  is  to  be 
determined  upon  by  the  people  of  this  Territory  in  the  adoption  of  the 
State  constitution ,  to  remove  to  this  Territory  in  time  to  acquire  the 
right  to  become  legal  voters  upon  that  question.  The  leading  purpose  of 
our  intended  removal  to  the  Territory,  is  to  determine  the  domestic  in- 
stitutions of  this  Territory  when  it  comes  to  bt  a  State,  and  we  would 
not  come  but  for  that  purpose,  and  would  never  think  of  coming  here 

(8)  Charles  Robinson,  Anson  J.  Stone,  and  Eli  Thaycr. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


41 


tut  for  that  purpose.     1  lelieve  there  are  a  great  many  in  Missouri 
who  are  so  situated.' 

The  invasion  of  March  30th  left  both  parties  in  a  state  of  excite- 
ment, tending  directly  to  produce  violence.  The  successful  party  was 
lawless  and  reckless,  while  assuming  the  name  of  the  "Law  and 
Order"  party.  The  other  party,  at  first  surprised  and  confoun  ded 
was  greatly  irritated,  and  some  resolved  to  prevent  the  success  of  the 
invasion.  In  some  districts,  as  before  stated,  protests  were  sent  to 
the  governor  ;  in  others  this  was  prevented  by  threats,  i'n  others  by 
the  want  of  time,  and  in  others  by  the  belief  that  a  new  election  would 
bring  a  new  invasion.  About  the  same  time,  all  classe-s  of  men  com- 
menced bearing  deadly  weapons  about  their  persons — a  practice  which 
has  continued  to  this  time.  Under  these  circumstances,  a  slight  or 
accidental  quarrel  produced  unusual  violence,  and  lawless  acts  became 
frequent.  This  unhappy  condition  of  the  public  mind  was  further 
increased  by  acts  of  violence  in  western  Missouri,  where,  in  April,  a 
newspaper  press  called  the  Parkville  Luminary  was  destroyed  by  a 
mob. 

About  the  same  time  Malcolm  Clark  assaulted  Cole  McCrea  at  a 
squatter  meeting  in  Leavenworth,  and  was  shot  bf  McCrea  in  alleged 
self-defence. 

On  the  17th  day  of  May,  William  Phillips,  a  lawyer  of  Leaven- 
worth,  was  first  notified  to  leave,  and  upon  his  refusal  was  forcibly 
seized,  taken  across  the  river  and  carried  Several  miles  into  Missouri, 
and  then  tarred  and  feathered,  and  one  side  of  his  head  shaved,  and 
other  gross  indignities  put  upon  his  person. 

Previous  to  this  outrage,  a  public  meeting  was  held(10)  at  which 
resolutions  were  unanimously  passed,  looking  to  unlawful  violence, 
and  grossly  intolerant  in  their  character.  The  right  of  free  speech 
upon  the  subject  of  slavery  was  characterized  as  a  disturbance  of  _  the 
peace  and  quiet  of  the  community,  and  as  "  circulating  incendiary 
sentiments."  They  say  "  to  the  peculiar  friends  of  northern  fanatics, 
go  home  and  vent  your  treason  where  you  may  find  sympathy." 
Among  other  resolves  is  the  following  : 

"Resolved,  That  the  institution  of  slavery  is  known  and  recog- 
nised in  this  Territory  ;  that  we  repel  the  doctrine  that  it  is  a  moral 
and  political  evil,  and  we  hurl  back  with  scorn  upon  its  slanderous 
authors  the  charge  of  inhumanity  ;  and  we  warn  all  persons  not  to 
come  to  our  peaceful  firesides  to  slander  us  and  sow  the  seeds  of  dis- 
cord between  the  master  and  the  servant ;  for,  much  as  we  deprecate 
the  necessity  to  which  we  may  be  driven,  we  cannot  be  responsibl 
the  consequences."  , 

A  committee  of  vigilance  of  thirty  men  was  appointed  to  observe 
and  report  all  such  persons  as  shall,  *  *  *  by  the  expression  of 
abolition  sentiments,  produce  disturbance  to  the  quiet  of  the  citizens, 
or  danger  to  their  domestic  relations  ;  and  all  such  persons  so  offend- 
ing shall  be  notified  and  made  to  leave  the  Territory. 

The  meeting  was   "ably  and  eloquently  addressed  by  Judge  Le- 
compte,  Col.  L.  N.  Burns,  of  Weston,  Missouri,  and  others, 
the  head  of  the  judiciary  in  the  Territory  not  only  assisted  at 

(10)  A.  Payna. 


42  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  bitterly  partizan  meeting,  whose  direct  tendency  was  to  produce 
violence  and  disorder,  but,  before  any  law  is  passed  in  the  Territory, 
he  prejudges  the  character  of  the  domestic  institutions  which  the 
people  of  the  Territory  were,  by  their  organic  law,  ' i  left  perfectly 
free  to  form  and  regulate  in  their  own  way." 

On  this  committee  were  several  of  those  who  held  certificates  of  elec- 
tion as  members  of  the  legislature.  Some  of  the  others  were  then, 
and  still  are,  residents  of  Missouri,  and  many  of  the  committee  have 
since  been  appointed  to  the  leading  offices  in  the  Territory,  one  of 
which  is  the  sheriffalty  of  the  county.  Their  first  act  was  that  of 
mobbing  Phillips. 

Subsequently,  on  the  25th  of  May,  A.  D.  1855,  a  public  meeting 
was  held,  at  which  K.  B.  Kees,  a  member  elect  of  the  council,  pre- 
sided. (11)  The  following  resolutions,  offered  by  Judge  Payne,  a 
member  elect  of  the  House,  were  unanimously  adopted  : 

"  Resolved ,  1st.  That  we  heartily  endorse  the  action  of  the  commit- 
tee of  citizens  that  shaved,  tarred  and  feathered,  rode  on  a  rail,  and 
had  sold  by  a  negro,  William  Phillips,  the  moral  perjurer. 

f(  2d.  That  we  return  our  thanks  to  the  committee  for  faithfully 
performing  the  trust  enjoined  upon  them  by  the  pro-slavery  party. 

"  3d.  That  the  committee  be  now  discharged. 

l<  4th.  That  we  severely  condemn  those  pro-slavery  men  who,  from 
mercenary  motives,  are  calling  upon  the  pro-slavery  party  to  submit 
without  further  action. 

"  5th.  That,  in  order  to  secure  peace  and  harmony  to  the  commu- 
nity, we  now  solemnly  declare  that  the  pro-slavery  party  will  stand 
firmly  by  and  carry  out  the  resolutions  reported  by  the  committee 
appointed  for  that  purpose  on  the  '  memorable  30th/  ' 

The  act  of  moral  perjury  here  referred  to  is  the  swearing  by  Phil- 
lips to  a  truthful  protest  in  regard  to  the  election  of  March  30th  in 
the  16th  district. 

LEGISLATIVE  ASSEMBLY. 

The  members  receiving  their  certificates  of  the  governor  as  mem- 
bers of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Territory  met  at  Pawnee,  the 
place  appointed  by  the  governor,  on  the  2d  of  July,  A.  D.  1855. 
Their  proceedings  are  stated  in  three  printed  books,  herewith  sub- 
mitted, entitled,  respectively,  "  The  Statutes  of  the  Territory  of  Kan- 
sas ;"  "  The  Journal  of  the  Council  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas ;"  and 
1  The  Journal  of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  of  the  Territory  of 
Kansas/' 

Your  committee  do  not  regard  their  enactments  as  valid  laws.  A 
legislature  thus  imposed  upon  a  people  cannot  affect  their  political 
rights.  Such  an  attempt,  if  successful,  is  virtually  an  overthrow  of 
the  organic  law,  and  reduces  the  people  of  the  Territory  to  the  condi- 
tion of  vassals  to  a  neighboring  State.  To  avoid  the  evils  of  anarchy, 
no  armed  or  organized  resistance  to  them  would  have  been  made,  but 
the  citizens  would  have  appealed  to  the  ballot-box  at  future  elections, 
to  the  federal  judiciary,  and  to  Congress,  for  relief.  Such,  from  the 
proof,  would  have  been  the  course  of  the  people  but  for  the  nature  of 

(11)  K.  K.  Bees. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  43 

these  enactments  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  enforced.  Their 
character  and  their  execution  have  heen  so  intimately  connected  with 
one  branch  of  this  investigation — that  relating  to  "violent  and  tumul- 
tuous proceedings  in  the  Territory" — that  we  were  compelled  to  ex- 
amine them. 

The  "laws"  in  the  statute-hooks  are  general  and  special ;  the  latter 
are  strictly  of  a  local  character,  relating  to  bridges,  roads,  and  the 
like.  The  great  body  of  the  general  laws  are  exact  transcripts  from 
the  Missouri  code.  To  make  them_,  in  some  cases,  conform  to  the 
organic  act,  separate  acts  were  passed  defining  the  meaning  of  words. 
Thus,  the  word  "State"  is  to  be  understood  as  meaning  " Terri- 
tory ;"(!)  the  words  "  county  court"  "shall  be  construed  to  mean 
the  board  of  commissioners  transacting  county  business,  or  the  probate 
courts,  according  to  the  intent  thereof."  The  words  "  circuit  court" 
to  mean  "  district  court. "(2) 

The  material  differences  in  the  Missouri  and  Kansas  statutes  are 
upon  the  following  subjects  : 

The  qualifications  of  voters  and  of  members  of  the  Legislative  As- 
sembly ;  the  official  oath  of  all  officers,  attorneys,  and  voters ;  the 
mode  of  selecting  efficers,  and  their  qualifications  ;  the  slave  code, 
and  the  qualifications  of  jurors. 

Upon  these  subjects  the  provisions  of  the  Missouri  code  are  such  as 
are  usual  in  many  of  the  States.  But,  by  the  "  IJansas  Statutes" 
every  officer  in  the  Territory,  executive  and  judicial,  was  to  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  legislature,  or  by  some  officer  appointed  by  it.  These 
appointments  were  not  merely  to  meet  a  temporary  exigency,  but  were 
to  hold  over  two  regular  elections,  and  until  after  the  general  election 
in  October,  1857. (3)  Thus,  by  the  terms  of  these  "laws"  the  people 
have  no  control  whatever  over  either  the  legislative,  the  executive,  or  the 
judicial  departments  of  the  Territorial  government,  until  a  time,  before 
which,  by  the  natural  progress  of  population,  the  Territorial  govern- 
ment will  be  superseded  by  a  State  government. 

No  session  of  the  legislature  is  to  be  held  during  1856,  but  the  mem- 
bers of  the  house  are  to  be  elected  in  October  of  that  year.  (6)  A  can- 
didate to  be  eligible  at  this  election  must  swear  to  support  the  Fugitive 
Slave  law.CO  and  each  judge  of  election,  and  each  voter,  if  challenged, 
must  take  the  same  oath.  (8)  The  same  oath  is  required  of  every  offi- 
cer elected  or  appointed  in  the  Territory,  and  of  every  attorney  a 
mitted  to  practice  in  the  courts. (9) 

A  portion  of  the  militia  is  required  to  muster  on  the  day  < 
tion.flO)     "  Every  free  white  male  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and 
every  free  male  Indian  who  is  made  a  citizen  by  treaty  or  ( 

(1)  Statutes,  p.  718. 

(2)  Statutes,  p.  766. 

(3)  Statutes,  pp.  1G8,  227,  712. 

(4)  Statutes,  p.  330. 

(5)  Statutes,  p.  4-75. 

(6)  Statutes,  p.  330. 

(7)  Statutes,  p.  333. 

(8)  Statutes,  p.  332. 

(9)  Statutes,  pp.  132,  339,  516 

(10)  Statutes,  p.  469. 


44  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  over  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  who  shall  be  an  inhabitant 
of  the  Territory,  and  of  the  county  and  district  in  which  he  'offers  to 
vote,  and  shall  have  paid  a  Territorial  tax,  shall  be  a  qualified  elector 
for  all  elective  officers/ '(11)  Two  classes  of  persons  were  thus  ex- 
cluded, who,  by  the  organic  act,  were  allowed  to  vote,  viz  :  those  who 
would  not  swear  to  the  oath  required,  and  those  of  foreign  birth  who 
had  declared  on  oath  their  intention  to  become  citizens. (12)  Any  man 
of  proper  age  who  was  in  the  Territory  on  the  day  of  election,  and  who 
had  paid  one  dollar  as  a  tax  to  the  sheriff,  who  was  required  to  be  at 
the  polls  to  receive  it, (13)  could  vote  as  an  "  inhabitant,"  although 
he  had  breakfasted  in  Missiouri,  and  intended  to  return  there  for  sup- 
per. There  can  be  no  doubt  that  these  unusual  and  unconstitutional 
provisions  were  inserted  to  prevent  a  full  and  fair  expression  of  the 
popular  will  in  the  election  of  members  of  the  house,  or  to  control  it 
by  non-residents. 

All  jurors  are  required  to  be  selected  by  the  sheriff,  and  "no  person 
who  is  conscientiously  opposed  to  the  holding  of  slaves,  or  who  does 
not  admit  the  right  to  hold  slaves  in  the  Territory,  shall  be  a  juror  in 
any  cause  affecting  the  right  to  hold  slaves,  or  relating  to  slave  pro- 
perty." 

The  slave  code,  and  every  provision  relating  to  slaves,  are  of  a  char- 
acter intolerant  and  unusual,  even  for  that  class  of  legislation. 

The  character  and  conduct  of  the  men  appointed  to  hold  office  in  the 
Territory,  contributed  very  much  to  produce  the  events  which  fol- 
lowed. Thus,  Samuel  J.  Jones  was  appointed  sheriff  of  the  county  of 
Douglas,  which  included  within  it  the  first  and  second  election  dis- 
tricts. He  had  made  himself  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  the  settlers  by 
his  conduct  on  the  30th  of  March,  in  the  second  district,  and  by  his 
burning  the  cabins  of  Joseph  Oakley  and  Samuel  Smith. (14) 

THE  ELECTION  OF  OCTOBER  1,  1855. 

An  election  for  delegate  to  Congress,  to  be  held  on  the  1st  day  of 
October,  1855,  was  provided  for  under  the  same  rules  and  regulations 
as  were  applied  to  other  elections.  The  free-State  men  took  no  part 
in  this  election,  having  made  arrangements  for  holding  an  election  on 
the  9th  of  the  same  month.  The  citizens  of  Missouri  attended  at  the 
election  of  the  1  st  of  October,  some  paying  the  dollar  tax,  others  not 
being  required  to  pay  it.  They  were  present  and  voted  at  the  voting 
places  of  Atchison(l)  and  Doniphan,(2)  in  Atchison  county ;  at  Green 
Springs,  Johnson  county  ;(3)  at  Willow  Springs, (4)  Franklin, (5)  and 
Lecompton,(6)  in  Douglas  county;  at  Fort  Scott,  Bourbon  county ;(7) 

(11)  Statutes,  p.  332. 

(12)  Statutes,  p.  34. 

(13)  Statutes,  p.  333. 

(14)  Samuel  Smith  and  Edward  Oakley. 

(1)  D.  W.  Field. 

(2)  John  Landis. 

(3)  Kobert  Morrow,  G.  Jenkins,  B.  C.  "WestfalL 

(4)  A.  White,  T.  Wolverton,  J.  Reid. 

(5)  L.  M.  Cox,  L.  A,  Prather. 

(6)  B.  C.  Westfall. 

(7)  E.  B.  Cook,  J.  Hamilton. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  45 

at  Baptiste  Paola,  Lykins  county,  where  some  Indians  voted,  some 
whites  paying  the  ^  dollar  tax  for  them  ;  (8)  at  Leaven  worth  City  (9) 
and  at  Kickapoo  City,  Leavenworth  county ;  at  the  latter  place  under 
the  lead  of  General  B.  F.  Stringfellow  and  Colonel  Lewis  Burns,  of 
Missouri.  (10)  From  two  of  the  election  precincts  at  which  it  was 
alleged  there  was  illegal  voting,  viz:  Delaware  and  Wyandott,  your 
committee  failed  to  obtain  the  attendance  of  witnesses. 

You  committee  did  not  deem  it  necessary,  in  regard  to  this  election, 
to  enter  into  details,  as  it  was  manifest  that  from  there  heing  hut  one 
candidate,  General  Whitfield,  he  must  have  received  a  majority  of  the 
votes  cast.  This  election,  therefore,  depends  not  upon  the  numher  or 
character  of  the  votes  received,  hut  upon  the  validity  of  the  laws  under 
which  it  was  held.  Sufficient  testimony  was  taken  to  show  that  the 
voting  of  citizens  of  Missouri  was  practised  at  this  election,  as  at  all 
former  elections  in  the  Territory.  The  following  tahle  will  exhibit 
the  result  of  the  testimony  as  regards  the  number  of  legal  and  illegal 
votes  at  this  election. 

The  county  of  Marshall  embraces  the  same  territory  as  was  in- 
cluded in  the  llth  district,  and  the  reasons  before  stated  indicate 
that  the  great  majority  of  the  votes  there  cast  were  either  illegal 
or  fictitious.  In  the  counties  to  which  our  examination  extended, 
there  were  857  illegal  votes  cast,  as  near  as  the  proof  will  enable  us 
to  determine. 

Abstract  of  poll-books  of  October  1,  1855. 


Counties. 

Townships. 

&  . 

+3    T3 

u  V5 

8J3 

1* 

•9* 

d"-s 
£ 

Scattering. 

Total  votes  cast. 

J 
1 

! 

«M 
0 

z 

J 
g 

1 

•S 
I 

Grasshopper  

7 

Bourbon  ''  >  

Shannon  

131 
242 
4 

4 

219 
242 
4 

50 

4 

192 

Calhoun  
Davis  .  

29 
8 
42 

4 

29 
14 

29 
12 
41 

1 

Iowa  _  
Wayne  

31 
66 
59 

31 
62 
59 

4 

Douglas  

Washington  —  
Wolf  River  
Franklin  _  

53 
86 
42 

251 

53 
23 
42 

63 

Lawrence  
Lecompton  

101 
103 

332 

• 
53 

60 

Franklin,. 

Willow  Springs  -- 

15 

15 

15    ' 

.----• 

(8)  B.  C.  Westfall. 

(9)  GK  F.  Warren,  H.  Miles  Moore. 

(10)  J.  W.  Stephens. 


46 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS 
ABSTKACT— Continued 


Counties. 

Townships. 

(H 

?2 

8<S 

|| 
9$ 

^ 

6  >-3 

jzi 

Scattering. 

+» 

as 

o 

o 

f> 

1 

J" 

0 

'S 

bo 
^ 

* 

6 
Jzi 

J 
o 

I 

|M 
0 

£ 

Jefferson  .  

42 

3 

45 

Johnson  

190 

190 

90 

100 

JjCftven  worth 

42 

Delaware 

239 

150 

1 

50 

Leavenworth 

212 

100 

"Wyandott 

246 

5 

895 

Lykens 

220 

220 

70 

150 

I/ynn 

67 

67 

Madison  

(See  Wise  county.) 

Marshall 

171 

171 

24 

»      147 

Neinaha 

6 

6 

6 

Riley 

28 

28 

28 

Shawnee 

One  Hundred,  and  Ten 

23 

23 

Tecumseh 

52 

75 

52 

Wise    

Council  Grove 

14 

14 

'14 

THE  STATE  MOVEMENTS. 

While  the  alleged  legislative  assembly  was  in  session,,  a  movement 
was  instituted  to  form  a  State  government,  and  apply  for  admission 
into  the  Union  as  a  State.  The  first  step  taken  by  the  people  of  the 
Territory,  in  consequence  of  the  invasion  of  March  30,  1855,  was  the 
circulation,  for  signature,  of  a  graphic  and  truthful  memorial  to  Con- 
gress. Your  committee  find  that  every  allegation  in  this  memorial 
has  been  sustained  by  the  testimony.  No  further  step  was  taken,  as 
it  was  hoped  that  some  action  by  the  general  government  would  pro- 
tect them  in  their  rights.  When  the  alleged  legislative  assembly 
proceeded  to  construct  the  series  of  enactments  referred  to,  the  settlers 
were  of  opinion  that  submission  to  them  would  result  in  entirely  de- 
priving them  of  the  rights  secured  to  them  by  the  organic  law.  Their 
political  condition  was  freely  discussed  in  the  Territory  during  the 
summer  of  1855.  Several  meetings  were  held  in  reference  to  holding 
a  convention  to  form  a  State  government,  and  to  apply  for  admission 
into  the  Union  as  a  State.  Public  opinion  gradually  settled  in  favor 
of  such  an  application  to  the  Congress  to  meet  in  December,  1855. 
The  first  general  meeting  was  held  in  Lawrence,  on  the  15th  of 
August*  1855.  The  following  preamble  and  resolution  were  there 
passed : 

"  Whereas  the  people  of  Kansas  have  been  since  its  settlement,  and 
now  are,  without  any  law-making  power,  therefore  be  it 

"Besolved,  That  we,  the  people  of  Kansas  Territory,  in  mass  meet- 
ing assembled,  irrespective  of  party  distinctions,  influenced  by  com- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS  47 

mon  necessity,  and  greatly  desirous  of  promoting  the  common  good 
do  hereby  call  upon  and  request  all  bonafide  citizens  of  Kansas  Terri- 
tory, of  whatever  political  views  or  predilections,  to  consult  together 
in  their  respective  election  districts,  and  in  mass  convention  or ' other- 
wise elect  three  delegates  for  each  representative  to  which  said  election 
district  is  entitled  in  the  house  of  representatives  of  the  legislative 
assembly,  by  proclamation  of  Governor  Reeder  of  date  10th  of  March 
1855  ;  said  delegates  to  assemble  in  convention  at  the  town  of  Topeka' 
on  the  19th  day  of  September,  1855,  then  and  there  to  consider  and 
determine  upon  all  subjects  of  public  interest,  and  particularly  upon 
that  having  reference  to  the  speedy  formation  of  a  State  constitution, 
with  an  intention  of  an  immediate  application  to  be  admitted  as  a  State 
into  the  Union  of  the  United  States  of  America." 

Other  meetings  were  held  in  various  parts  of  the  Territory,  which 
endorsed  the  action  of  the  Lawrence  meetings,  and  delegates  were  se- 
lected in  compliance  with  its  recommendations. 

They  met  at  Topeka  on  the  19th  day  of  September,  1855.  By  their 
resolutions  they  provided  for  the  appointment  of  an  executive  com- 
mittee, to  consist  of  seven  persons,  who  were  required  to  "keep  a 
record  of  their  proceedings,  and  shall  have  a  general  superintendence 
of  the  affairs  of  the  Territory,  so  far  as  regards  the  organization  of  a 
State  government/'  They  were  required  to  take  steps  for  an  election 
to  be  held  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  the  October  following,  under 
regulations  imposed  by  that  convention  "  for  members  of  a  convention 
to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas, 
and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State  government  pre- 
paratory to  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union  as  a  State."  The 
rules  prescribed  were  such  as  usually  govern  elections  in  most  of  the 
States  of  the  Union,  and  in  most  respects  were  similar  to  those  con- 
tained in  the  proclamation  of  Governor  Reeder  for  the  election  of 
March  30,  1855. 

The  executive  committee  appointed  by  that  convention  accepted 
their  appointment,  and  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  their  duties  by 
issuing  a  proclamation,  addressed  to  the  legal  voters  of  Kansas,  re- 
questing them  to  meet  at  their  several  precincts  at  the  time  and  places 
named  in  the  proclamation,  then  and  there  to  cast  their  ballots  for 
members  of  a  constitutional  convention,  to  meet  at  Topeka  on  the  4th 
Tuesday  of  October  then  next.  . 

The  proclamation  designated  the  places  of  elections,  appointed 
judges,  recited  the  qualifications  of  voters,  and  the  appointment 
members  of  the  convention.  ,   .,  . 

After  this  proclamation  was  issued  public  meetings  were  held  m 
every  district  in  the  Territory,  and  in  nearly  every  precinct      in< 
State  movement  was  a  general  topic  of  discussion  throughout  the 
ritory,  and  there  was  but  little  opposition  exhibited  to  it. 
were  held  at  the  time  and  places  designated,  and  the  return 
sent  to  the  executive  committee. 


48 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Table  showing  the  number  of  voter  H,  and  the  number  of  votes  cast  for 
<!•<•  Legates  to  the  constitutional  convention,  October  9,  1855. 


FIRST  DISTRICT. 


Candidates. 

I'M-'  inctg. 

Total. 

Blanton. 

Palmyra. 

Lawrence. 

'  'li.ulofl  ftobJufton  

If 

1C 

J.  H,  Lane  «.*«...*...„.»  

70 

inilli 

70 

16 

J.  K,  Ooodln  

61 

16 

Edward  Jones  

30 

16 

MorrU  Hunt  

72 

16 

Abraham  Still                

40 

Total  

74 

16 

6580 

643 

•  The  poll-books  of  Lawrence  precinct  were  not  among  the  others,  and  are  either  mis- 
laid or  lost.    The  number  of  votes  cast  wan  568. « 

SECOND  DISTRICT. 


Candidates. 

Precincts. 

Total. 

Bcnicia. 

Blooming- 
ton. 

A.  Curtis  

27 
27 
24 
27 

llfi 
116 
116 
116 

143 
143 
140 
143 

H.  Button..-..-  

J.  A.  Wftkefleld  

Total  

27 

116 

143 

T1IIKI)  DISTRICT. 


3 

I'ri'dm-ts. 

Candidates. 

Tcciun- 
sch. 

(•amp 
Crock. 

Topcka. 

\Vasl.  in:T- 

ton. 

Browns- 
ville. 

Total. 

W.  Y,  Roberts..         .       ..... 

31 

7 

94 

33 

19 

1841 

0    K    11,-llul.ir          

31 

7 

104 

33 

19 

104 

J,  Oowles  

14 

14 

H  U    Wontworth 

12 

j«> 

2 

3 

Scattering 

3 

3 

P  0  Sohuylw                 

5 

5 

Ibtal  

31 

7 

119 

33 

24 

214 

•  Q.  P.  Lowrey,  M.  F.  Con  way. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 
FOURTH  DISTRICT. 


40 


Candidates. 


S.  Mewhinney. 
Wm.  Graham. 


Total 


Precinct. 


Wilson 
Springs. 


Total. 


55 

55 


55 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. 


Candidates. 

Precincts. 

o 

H 

I 

& 
bo 

S 

<u 

1 

o 

c3 

E 

o3 
1 

6 

rE| 
& 

<y 
1 

a 

<u 

1 

o 

1 

1 

O 

i 

m 

W 

o 

5 

1 
1 

cc 

00 

"fl 

<u 
13 

^ 

i 
S 

w 

William  Turner 

24 
24 
23 
24 
24 
23 
17 

49 
49 
49 
49 
49 
48 

8 
8 
8 

16 
16 
16 
16 
16 
16 

67 
67 
66 
66 
67 
66 

32 
32 
32 
32 
32 
32 

35 
35 
35 
35 
35 
35 

8 
9 
9 

33 
33 
33 
33 
33 

272 
273 
272 
255 
257 
220 
43 
16 
3 
76 
29 
251 

Jas.  M.  Arthur 

M.  T.  Morris 

Orville  C.  Brown  _  

Richard  Knight  

Hamilton  Smith...  

Hiram  Hoover  

13 

13 

David  C.  Forbes  

16 

N.  S.  Nichols  _  

3 

64 

1 

Wm.  S.  Nichols  



7 
29 
35 

1  

Isaac  Woollard  . 

Fred.  Brown  

24 

47 



16 

64 

32 

| 

33 

Total  

24 

49 

13 

16 

67 

32 

35 

13 

33 

282 

H.  Kep.  200 4 


50 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


SIXTH  DISTRICT. 


Precincts. 

• 

Candidates. 

House  of  R. 
J.  Fargird. 

Scott  Town. 

Columbia. 

Total. 

W   R   Gnffin 

12  3 

12 

John  Hamilton 

12 

27 

39 

A   W   J   Brown 

12 

12 

"Wm    Saunders 

12 

12 

W  J  Griffith 

27 

27 

T  H  Burgess 

24 

24 

A  H    Brown 

26 

26 

Jas  H  Pheris 

20 

20 

Total 

12 

27 

20 

59 

SEVENTH  DISTRICT. 


Precinct. 

Candidate. 

J.  B.  Titus', 
Council  City. 

Total. 

Ph.  C.  Schuvler  .  ^  

60 

60 

Total          

62 

62 

EIGHTH  DISTRICT. 

Candidates. 

Precinct. 

Total. 

"Waubaunassa. 

J  H    Pillsbury 

27 

27 

P  C  Schuvler 

27 

27 

Total 

27 

27 

KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
NINTH  DISTRICT. 


51 


Candidates 

Precinct. 

Total. 

Pawnee. 

BobertKlotz  

fr  0 

A.  Hunting  

f\A. 

53 

54 

Total  

Tfi 

10 

TENTH  DISTRICT. 



_„  ^  __..,... 

Candidates. 

Precincts. 

Total. 

Rock  Creek. 

Big  Blue. 

Dr.  A. 
Robert 

Hunting 

30 
30 

64 
73 

94 
103 

Klotz 

Total 

30 

89 

110 

ELEVENTH  DISTRICT. 
No  return  except  Black  Vermillion  precinct — total,  14. 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT. 


Candidates. 

Precincts. 

Total. 

St.  Mary's. 

Silver  lake. 

— 
M. 
Jos 
J.  I 

19 

12 
18 
21 

31 
18 
21 

5.  Thompson  -  

19 

21 

40 

52 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


Candidates. 

Precincts.  ' 

Total. 

Falls. 

Pleasant  Hill. 

G-eo  S  Hillyer 

43 

41 

43 
41 
43 
43 

Wm.  Grigsbee  __ 

Wrn.  Hicks  

43 
43 

J.  Whiting           ..                             

Total                           

43 

43 

86 

FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


Candidates. 

Precincts. 

Total. 

Palermo. 

Burr  Oak. 

Doniphan. 

WolfKiver. 

G-.  A.  Cutler  

40 
40 
40 
39 

33 
33 
33 
33 

42 
42 
42 
42 

18 
18 
18 

18 

133 
133 
133 

132 

Jno.  Landes  .  _ 

D.  M.  Field  

0.  M.  Stewart  

Total  

40 

33 

42 

18 

133 

FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


Candidate*. 

Precincts. 

Total. 

Crosby's  Store. 

Precinct. 

CalebMay            .           

29 
29 

29 
29 
30 
30 

28 

2 

** 

E   H  Crosby                           -  

30 

30 
28 
2 

Jag  g  Sayle     .         -  

H  B  Gale    

Oh  S  Foster  ,  

Total.. 

29 

30 

^ 

KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 
SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


53 


Precincts. 

Candidates. 

j 

Leaven- 
worth. 

Wyan- 
dott. 

Ridge. 

Easton. 

Delaware. 

Total. 

M  J   Parrott 

492 

38 

47 

fil 

99 

M   W   Delahay 

495 

38 

47 

fel 

99 

060 

Matt  France 

493 

38 

47 

61 

99 

boo 

S  W  Lattie 

493 

38 

47 

61 

00 

ool 
rfii 

Robert  Riddle 

493 

38 

47 

61 

00 

fifii 

D   Dodge 

493 

38 

47 

61 

OO 

fifil 

Total 

514 

38 

47 

63 

22 

fiRA 

SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


Candidates. 

Precincts. 

Total. 

Mission. 

Wakarusa. 

Willian 
Samuel 

i  Graham        _   _               .  

13 
13 

5 
5 

18 
18 

Mewhinney                         ___.._  _  _  .  

Total                                      

13 

5 

18 

RECAPIPULATION. 


Votes  cast  in  eleventh  district 

twelfth  district 

thirteenth  3/strict 

fourteenth  district 

fifteenth  district 

sixteenth  district 

seventeenth  district  .. 


14 

40 

86 
133 

59 
684 

18 


Total. 


2,710 


Votes  cast  in  first  district 648 

second  district 143 

third  district 214 

fourth  district 55 

fifth  district 282 

sixth  district 59 

seventh  district 62 

eighth  district 27 

ninth  district 76 

tenth  district 110 

The  result  of  the  election  was  proclaimed  by  the  executive  commit- 
tee, and  the  members  elect  were  required  to  meet  on  the  23d  day  ( 
October,  1855,  at  Topeka.     In  pursuance  of  this  proclamati< 
direction  the  constitutional  convention  met  at  the  time  and  pi* 
pointed,  and  framed  a  State  constitution      A  memorial  to  Congr* 
was  also  prepared,  praying  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union i  as 
a  State  under  that  constitution.     The  convention  also  provided  that 
the  question  of  the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  and  other  qu 
be  submitted  to  the  people,  and  required  the  executive  commit! 
take  the  necessary  steps  for  that  purpose.  - 

Accordingly  an  election  was  held  for  that 
of  December/1855,  in  compliance  with  the  proclamation  i 


54 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


executive  committee.     The  returns  of  this  election  were  made  by  the 
executive  committee,  and  an  abstract  of  them  is  contained  in  the  fol- 


lowing table : 


Abstract  of  the  election  on  the  adoption  of  the  State  Constitution,  Decem- 
ber 15,  1855. 


'  Districts. 

; 

Precincts. 

Constitution. 

No  Constitution. 

General  bank- 
ing law. 

Exclusion  of  ne- 
groes and  mu- 
lattoes. 

No.  of  votes  cast. 

Yes. 

No. 

Yes. 

No. 

1< 

2^ 

3< 
4 

5- 

'1 

i 

9I 

J 

11 

„{ 
"I 

15 
16 
17 

Lawrence 

348 
72 
11 
48 
137 
18 
135 
42 
24 
35 
72 
21 
18 
12 
39 
42 
32 
56 
39 
30 
21 
20 
14 
19 
45 
54 
22 
23 
12 
28 

1 
2 

225 
59 
9 
31 
122 
13 
125 
41 
22 
23 
39 
16 
5 
G 
21 
33 
4 
33 
32 
23 
16 

83 
14 
3 
15 
11 
4 
9 
1 
o 

M 

11 
33 
12 
16 
6 
19 
13 
33 
20 
7 
6 
5 
20 
14 
1 
29 
34 
14 
16 
11 
20 
13 
6 
18 
4 
12 
9 
1 
19 

133 
48 
12 
48 
113 
14 
69 
42 
22 
35 
69 
23 
20 
12 
25 
42 
33 
38 
25 
10 
20 
20 
14 
7 
40 
50 
21 
22 
12 
28 
16 
45 
19 
6 
18 
14 
30 
71 
1 

223 

20 

356 
76 
12 
53 
137 
18 
136 
42 
24 
35 
72 
31 
21 
12 
43 
60 
37 
59 
44 
31 
21 
20 
14 
19 
45 
54 
22 
23 
12 
28 
20 
47 
19 
7 

Ulan  ton 

Palmyra 

Franklin 

2 

15 
4 
64 

Bloomington 

East  Douglas 

Topeka            -  -       

Washington         --  -  -  -  -  - 

Brownsville             -  -,  - 

2 

Tecumseh 

Prairie  City 

3 

7 

Little  Osage 

7 
2 

El0"  Sugar 

Neosho 

Pottawatomie 

3 

18 

18 
2 
5 
17 
15 
19 
1 

Little  Sugar 

Stttnton 

Osawatomie 

1 

5 

Titus 

Juniata 

Ohio  City 

Mill  Creek         

St.  Mary's  

Waubousa  .  

17 
15 
19 
5 

7 
1 
8 
7 
37 

11 
5 
3 

Pawnee  

Grasshopper  Falls  

Doniphan  .  

2 

Burr  Oak  

1 

Jesse  Padons'  

Oceana  

Kickapoo 

20 
47 
19 
7 
24 
15 
32 
71 

|        ? 

4 
1 

Pleasant  Hill 

Indianola 

Whitfield 

3 
11 
4 
32 
53 
3 

Wolf  River 

6 
1 
2 

St.  Joseph's  Bottom  
Mount  Pleasant 

15 
33 
73 

7 

Easton 

2 

Mission                       - 

2 

Total  

|l,731 

i 

46 

1,120  i     564 

1,287 

453 

1,778 

NOTE. — The  poll-book  at  Leaven  worth  was  destroyed. 
1855.  was  514. 


The  vote  cast  there  October  9, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


ELECTION  OF  JANUARY  15,  1856. 

The  executive  committee  then  issued  a  proclamation  reciting  the 
results  of  the  election  of  the  15th  of  December,  and  at  the  same  time 
provided  for  an  election  to  he  held  on.  the  15th  day  of  January,  185G, 
for  State  officers  and  members  of  the  general  assembly  of  the  State  of 
Kansas.  The  election  was  accordingly  held  in  the  several  election 
precincts,  the  returns  of  which  were  sent  to  the  executive  committee. 
An  abstract  of  them  is  contained  in  the  following  table. 


56 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


Si* 


'AY  ' 


-.loads  uqof 


-3  -g 


•uojsinqj,  'j\i  - 


-a  'S 


•PP9HPM  'V  T 


•uosuqof  -Ai  'S 


'A\  'O 


-N  -g 


K 


'H 


C'J>coioco-^'aiioi 

{-  TJ<  ,-H  01  co  P3  rt       ?3 


I 


'o  -3 


.   .Tj<t-oo<N    .    -ao    .   -oo 


coo»OQa'^'ajoiooca 

•<*«  r-t  (N       CO  I-H  CO       <?J 


-y  •» 


:  :S  :  :g£S£ 


r-i  i»  (M  <c  c*  co  CT  m  m  CM 


•«OJJBJ  -r  - 


'A  'M 


•nosmqon 


l=o 

Jl*sf  :! 

•^B  :  :  Jal 

"S  -"c  2  fe  S 

fi  t; 

KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  ey 

The  result  of  this  election  was  announced  by  a  proclamation  bv  fl* 
executive  committee.  *  l 

In  accordance  with  the  constitution  thus  adopted,  tbe  members  of 
the  State  legislature,  and  most  of  the  State  officers,  were  on  the  dav 
and  at  the  place  designated  by  the  State  constitution,  and  took  the  oath   ' 
therein  prescribed      After  electing   United  States  senators,  passing  ' 
some  preliminary  laws,  and  appointing  a  codifying  committee   and 
preparing  a  memorial  to  Congress,  the  general  assembly  adjourned  to  v 
meet  on  the  4th  day  of  July,  1856.     The  laws  passed  were  all  condi- 
tional upon  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State  into  the  Union.  These 
proceedings  were  regular,  and,  in  the  opinion  of  your  committee  the 
constitution  thus  adopted  fairly  expresses  the  will  of  the  majority  of 
the  settlers.     They  now  await  the  action  of  Congress  upon  their  me- 
morial. 

These  elections  were  not  illegal.  Whether  the  result  of  them  is 
sanctioned  by  the  action  of  Congress,  or  they  are  regarded  as  the  mere 
expression  of  popular  will,  and  Congress  should  refuse  to  grant  the 
prayer  of  the  memorial,  that  cannot  affect  their  legality.  The  right 
of  the  people  to  assemble  and  express  their  political  opinion  in  any 
form,,  whether  by  means  of  an  election  or  a  convention,  is  secured  to 
them  by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States.  Even  if  the  elections 
are  to  be  regarded  as  the  act  of  a  party,  whether  political  or  other- 
wise, they  were  proper,  and  in  accordance  with  examples  in  both 
States  and  Territories. 

The  elections,  however,  were  preceded  and  followed  by  acts  of  vio- 
lence on  the  part  of  those  who  opposed  them,  and  those  persons  who 
approved  and  sustained  the  invasion  from  Missouri  were  peculiarly 
hostile  to  these  peaceful  movements  preliminary  to  the  organization 
of  a  State  government.  Instances  of  this  violence  will  be  referred  to 
hereafter. 

To  provide  for  the  election  of  delegates  to  Congress,  and  at  the  same 
time  do  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  obtain  the  judgment  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  upon  the  validity  of  the  alleged  legislative  assem- 
bly, sitting  at  Shawnee  Mission,  a  convention  was  held  at  Big  Springs 
on  the  5th  and  6th  days  of  September,  1855.  This  was  a  party  con- 
vention, and  a  party  calling  itself  the  free-State  party  was  then  organ- 
ized. It  was  in  no  way  connected  with  the  State  movement,  except 
that  the  election  of  delegate  to  Congress  was  fixed  by  it  on  the  same 
day  as  the  election  of  members  of  a  constitutional  convention.,  instead 
of  the  day  prescribed  by  the  alleged  legislative  assembly.  Andrew  H. 
Eeeder  was  put  in  nomination  as  Territorial  delegate  to  Congress,  and 
«n  election  was  provided  for  under  the  regulations  prescribed  for  the 
election  of  March  30,  1855,  excepting  as  to  the  appointment  of  officers 
and  the  persons  to  whom  returns  of  the  elections  should  be  made. 
The  election  was  held  in  accordance  with  these  regulations,  an  ab- 
stract of  the  returns  of  which  is  contained  in  the  following  table. 


68 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Abstract  of  the  election  of  A.  H.  Beeder. 


Name  of  district. 

Name  of  voting  place. 

Number  o 
votes. 

First  district 

557 

77 

16 

116 

Benicia                               

27 

Third  district 

24 

131 

31 

35 

7 

Fourth  district 

54 

Fifth  district 

33 

16 

Stanton                                     _._-_-  -  - 

44 

74 

56 

28 

Little  Su^ar  Creek                   _     

41 

Sixth  district 

Scott-town                            -         ____._-___ 

27 

Columbia                                                -  -   -  -  - 

20 

Fuqua's                                         •               --- 

12 

Council  City                                                

62 

Ei<rlitli  district 

TVaubousa 

26 

A    J    Baker's 

16 

Pawnee 

76 

Tenth  district 

Bio-  Blue 

77 

Bock  Creek               * 

30 

Eleventh  district 

Black  Vermillion 

U 

Twelfth  district 

St   Mary's 

19 

Silver  Lake 

28 

Thirteenth  district            

Pleasant  Hill  

43 

Falls  Precinct  _.  _ 

45 

Hickory  Point  

11 

Fourteenth  district  

Burr  Oak  

33 

Doniphan  

43 

Palermo  

32 

Wolf  Elver 

17 

Fifteenth  district       

Ocena  

32 

Crosby's  Store 

39 

Jackson  Crane's 

30 

Sixteenth  district 

Leaven  worth 

503 

Wyandott  ,. 

3d 

Delaware 

22 

Easton 

63 

Ridge  Point 

48 

Seventeenth  district 

\Vakarusa 

7 

Mission 

13 

Eighteenth  district 

Iowa  Point 

40 

Moorstown 

16 

Total.. 

2,849 

The  resolutions  passed  by  the  convention  which  nominated  Gov 
ernor  Keeder,  indicate  the  state  of  feeling  which  existed  in  the  Terri 
tory  in  consequence  of  the  invasion  from  Missouri  and  the  enactment 
of  the  alleged  legislative  assembly.  The  language  of  some  of  tjn 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


resolutions  is  violent,  and  can  onlv  be  in^'fl^  • 

attempt  to  enforce  the  grossest  act's  of  SS  anWT*  °f  *» 

of  guarding  against  a  similar  invasion  in  future  '  PUrpOSO 

In  the  fall  of  1855,  there  sprang  out  of  the  PYI'QK™  A-  j 
excitement  in  the  Territory  Lo  secret  S^^^^ 
were  defensive  in  their  character,  and  were  designed  to  form  a  pro  eZ 
tion  to  their  members  against  unlawful  acts  of%iolence  Sid  insult 
One  of  those  societies  was  purely  of  a  local  character,  and  was  con! 
fined  to  the  town  of  Lawrence.  Very  shortly  after  its  organization 
it  produced  its  desired  effect,  and  then  went  out  of  use  and  ceasec  to 
exist.  (2)  Both  societies  were  cumbersome,  and  were  of  no  utility 
except  to  give  confidence  to  free-State  men,  and  enable  them  to  know 
and  aid  each  other  in  contemplated  danger.  So  far  as  the  evidence 
shows,  they  led  to  no  act  of  violence  or  resistance  to  either  real  or 
alleged  laws.  (3) 

On  the  21st  day  of  November,  1855,  F.  M.  Coleman,  a  pro-slavery 
man,  and  Charles  W.  Dow,  a  free-State  man.,  had  a  dispute  about  the 
division  line  between  their  respective  claims.     Several  hours  after- 
wards, as  Dow  was  passing  from  a  blacksmith's  shop  towards  his 
.claim,  and  by  the  cabin  of  Coleman,  the  latter  shot  Dow  with  a 
double-barreled   shot-gun   loaded  with  slugs.     Dow  was  unarmed. 
He  fell  across  the  road,  and  died  immediately.     This  was  about  one 
o'clock  p.   m.     His  dead  body  was  allowed  to  lie  where  it  fell  until 
after  sundown,  when  it  was  conveyed  by  Jacob  Branson  to  his  house, 
at  which  Dow  had  boarded.     The  testimony  in  regard  to  this  homi- 
cide  is  voluminous,  (4)  and  shows  clearly  that  it  was  a  deliberate 
murder  by  Coleman,  and  that  Harrison  Buckley  and  a  Mr.  Hargous 
were  accessories  to  it.     The  excitement  caused  by  it  was  very  great 
among  all  classes  of  the  settlers.     On  the  26th  a  large  meeting  of 
citizens  was  held  at  the  place  where  the  murder  was  committed,  and 
resolutions  passed  that  Coleman  should  be  brought  to  justice.  (5)    In 
the  mean  time  Coleman  had  gone  to  Missouri,  and  then  to  Governor 
Shannon  at  Shawnee  Mission,  in  Johnston  county.     He  was  there 
taken  into  custody  by  S.  J.  Jones,  then  acting  as  sheriff.     No  war- 
rant was  issued  or  examination  had.     On  the  day  of  the  meeting  at 
Hickory  Point,  Harrison  Buckley  procured  a  peace  warrant  against 
Jacob  Branson,  which  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  Jones.     That  same 
evening,  after  Branson  had  gone  to  bed,  Jones  came  to  his  cabin  with 
a  party  of  about  25  persons,  among  whom  were  Hargous  and  Buckley^ 
burst  open  the  door,  and  found  Branson  in  bed.     He  drew  his  pistol, 
cocked  it,  and  presented  it  to  Branson's  breast,  and  said  :   "  You  are 
my  prisoner,  and  if  you  move  I  will  blow  you  through."     The^others 
cocked  their  guns  and  gathered  round  him,  and  took  him  prisoner. 
They  all  mounted  and  went  to  Buckley's  house.     After  a  time,  they 
went  on  by  a  circuitous  route  towards  Blanton's  bridge,  stopping  to 

(1)  Pat  Laughlin,  Dr.  Francis,  A.  H.  fteeder,  and  M.  F.  Conway. 

(2)  G.  P.  Lowrey  and  A.  H.  Keeder. 

(3)  G.  P.  Lowrey. 

(4)  Win'.    J.  Nichols,   W.  McKinaey,  D.  T.  Jones  and  wife,  Thomas  Brown,  F.  BL 
Caiman,  and  others. 

(5)  W.  McKinney. 


60  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

"  drink"  on  the  way.  As  they  approached  the  bridge  there  were  ] 
in  the  party,  several  having  stopped.  Jones  rode  up  to  the  prisone 
and  among  other  things  told  him  that  he  "  had  heard  there  we] 
100  men  at  your  house  to-day,"  and  "that  he  regretted  they  we: 
not  there,  and  that  they  were  cheated  out  of  their  sport. "(6)  In  tl 
mean  time  the  alarm  had  been  given  in  the  neighborhood  of  Branson 
arrest,  and  several  of  the  settlers,  among  whom  were  some  who  ha 
attended  the  meeting  at  Hickory  Point  that  day,  gathered  togethe 
They  were  greatly  excited.  The  alleged  injustice  of  such  an  arrei 
of  a  quiet  settler,  under  a  peace  warrant,  by  "sheriff  Jones,"  aide 
by  two  men  believed  to  be  accessory  to  a  murder,  and  who  we] 
allowed  to  be  at  large,  exasperated  them,  and  they  proceeded  i 
rapidly  as  possible  by  a  nearer  route  than  that  taken  by  Jones,  an 
stopped  at  the  house  of  J.  S.  Abbott,  one  of  them.  They  were  o 
foot.  As  Jones's  party  approached  on  a  canter,  the  rescuers  sudden] 
formed  across  the  road  in  front  of  Jones  and  his  party.  Jones  halte 
and  asked  :  "  What's  up?"  The  reply  was  :  "  That's  what  we  war 
to  know  ;  what's  up  ?"  Branson  said  :  u  They  have  got  me  a  prisoi 
er."  Some  one  in  the  rescuing  party  told  him  to  come  over  to  the: 
side.  He  did  so,  and  dismounted,  and  the  mule  he  rode  was  drive 
over  to  Jones's  party.  Jones  then  left. (7)  Of  the  persons  engage 
in  this  rescue,  three  were  from  Lawrence,  and  had  attended  the  mee' 
ing.  Your  committee  have  deemed  it  proper  to  detail  the  particulai 
of  this  rescue,  as  it  was  made  the  ground-work  of  what  is  known  a 
the  "  Wakarusa  war."  On  the  same  night  of  the  rescue  the  cabin 
of  Coleman  and  Buckley  were  burned,  but  by  whom  is  left  in  dout 
by  the  testimony. 

On  the  morning  after  the  rescue  of  Branson,  Jones  was  at  the  vi 
lage  of  Franklin,  near  Lawrence.  The  rescue  was  spoken  of  in  th 
presence  of  Jones,  and  some  conversation  passed  between  two  other 
in  his  presence,  as  to  whether  it  was  most  proper  to  send  for  assistanc 
to  Col.  Boone,  in  Missouri,  or  to  Gen.  Shannon.  Jones  wrote  a  de* 
patch  and  handed  it  to  a  messenger.  As  soon  as  he  started,  Jon€ 
said  :  "  That  man  is  taking  my  despatch  to  Missouri,  -and,  by  God, 
will  have  revenge  before  I  see  Missouri."  A  person  present,  who  wa 
examined  as  a  witness, (8)  complained  publicly  that  the  despatch  wa 
not  sent  to  the  governor,  and  within  half  an  hour  one  was  sent  to  th 
governor  by  Jones  through  Horgous. 

Within  a  few  days  large  numbers  of  men  from  the  State  of  Missoui 
gathered  and  encamped  on  the  Wakarusa.  They  brought  with  then 
all  the  equipments  of  war.  To  obtain  them,  a  party  of  men,  unde 
the  direction  of  Judge  J.  T.  V.  Thompson,  broke  into  the  United  State 
arsenal  and  armory- at  Liberty ,  Missouri,  and  after  a  forcible  deten 
tion  of  Captain  Leonard,  then  in  charge, (9)  they  took  the  cannon 
muskets^  rifles,  powder,  hammers,  and,  indeed,  all  the  materials  an« 
munitions  of  war  they  desired,  some  of  which  have  never  been  re 
turned  or  accounted  for. 

(6)  Jacob  Branson. 

(7)  Jacob  Branson. 

(8)  L.  A.  Pratb.er. 

(9)  Luther  Leonard. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


61 


The  chief  hostility  of  this  military  foray  was  against  the  town  of 
Lawrence  ;  and  this  was  especially  the  case  with  the  officers  of  the 
law. 

Your  committee  can  see  in  the  testimony  no  reason,  excuse  or  pal- 
liation for  this  feeling. 

Up  to  this  time  no  icarrant  or  process  of  any  kind  had  been  in  the 
hands  of  any  officer  against  any  citizen  of  Laivrence.(lQ)  No  arrest 
had  been  attempted,  and  no  writ  resisted  in  that  town.  The  rescue 
of  Branson^  sprang  out  of  a  murder  committed  thirteen  miles  from 
Lawrence,  in  a  detached  settlement,  and  neither  the  town  nor  its  citi- 
zens extended  any  protection  to  Branson's  rescuers. (11)  On  the  con- 
trary, two  or  three  days  after  the  rescue,  S.  N.  Wood,  who  claimed 
publicly  to  be  one  of  the  rescuing  party,  wished  to  be  arrested  for  the 
purpose  of  testing  the  Territorial  laws,  and  walked  up  to  sheriff 
Jones  and  shook  hands  with  him,  and  exchanged  other  courtesies. 
He  could  have  been  arrested  without  any  difficulty  ;  and  it  was  his  de- 
sign, when  he  went  to  Mr.  Jones,  to  be  arrested,  but  no  offer  or  at- 
tempt was  made  to  do  so. (12) 

It  is  obvious  that  the  only  cause  of  this  hostility  is  the  known  desire 
of  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  their  re- 
pugnance to  laws  imposed  upon  them  by  non-residents. 

Your  committee  do  not  propose  to  detail  the  incidents  connected 
with  this  foray.  Fortunately  for  the  peace  of  the  county,  a  direct  con- 
flict between  the  opposing  forces  was  avoided  by  an  amicable  arrange- 
ment. The  losses  sustained  by  the  settlers  in  property  taken,  and 
time  and  money  expended  in  their  own  defence,  added  much  to  the 
trials  incident  to  a  new  settlement.  Many  persons  were  unlawfully 
taken  and  detained,  in  some  cases  under  circumstances  of  gross  cruel- 
ty. This  was  especially  so  in  the  arrest  and  treatment  of  Dr.  Gr.  A. 
Cutler  and  G.  F.  Warren.  They  were  taken  without  cause  or  war- 
rant, sixty  miles  from  Lawrence,  and  when  Dr.  Cutler  was  quite  sick. 
They  were  compelled  to  go  to  the  camp  at  Lecompton,  and  were  put 
into  the  custody  of  sheriff  Jones,  who  had  no  process  to  arrest 
them.  They  were  taken  into  a  small  room,  kept  as  a  liquor  shop, 
which  was  open  and  very  cold.  That  night  Jones  came  in  with  others 
and  went  to  "  playing  poker  at  twenty-five  cents  ante."  The  priflon- 
ers  were  obliged  to  sit  up  all  night,  as  there  was  no  room  to  lie  down 
when  the  men  were  playing.  Jones  insulted  them  frequently,  and 
told  one  of  them  he  must  either  "tell  or  swing."  The  guard  then 
objected  to  this  treatment  of  prisoners,  and  Jones  desisted. 
Warren  thus  describes  their  subsequent  conduct: 

"  They  then  carried  us  down  to  their  camp.     Kelly,  of  the  squatter 
sovereign,  who  lives  in  Atchison,  came  round  and  said  he  thirsted  1 
blood,  and  said  he  should  like  to  hang  us  on  the  first  tree.     Cutli 
was  very  weak,  arid  that  excited  him  so  that  he  became  delirious 
They  sent  lor  three  doctors,  who  came.     Dr.  Stringfellow  was  one  c 
them.     They  remained  there  with  Cutler  till  after  midnight,  and  then 

took  him  up  to  the  office,  as  it  was  very  cold  m  camp.  

— ^ — ~ 

(1Q)  Wilson  Shannon,  Charles  Kobinson. 
(H)  G.  P.  Lowrey,  Charles  Kobinson. 
(12)  Charles  Eobinson. 


62  KANSAS   AFFAIRS 

During  the  foray  either  George  W.  Clark  or  Mr.  Burns  murdered 
Thomas  Barber,  while  the  latter  was  in  the  highway,  on  his  road  from 
Lawrence  to  his  claim.  Both  fired  at  him,  and  it  is  impossible,  from 
the  proof,  to  tell  whose  shot  was  fatal.  The  details  of  this  homicide 
are  stated  by  eye-witnesses. (13) 

Among  the  many  acts  of  lawless  violence  which  it  has  been  the  duty 
of  your  committee  to  investigate,  this  invasion  of  Lawrence  is  the  most 
defenceless.  A  comparison  of  the  facts  proven  with  the  official  state- 
ments of  the  officers  of  the  government  will  show  how  groundless  were 
the  pretexts  which  gave  rise  to  it.  A  community  in  which  no  crime 
had  been  committed  by  any  of  its  members,  against  none  of  whom  had 
a  warrant  been  issued  or  a  complaint  made,  who  had  resisted  no  pro- 
cess in  the  hands  of  a  real  or  pretended  officer,  was  threatened  with 
destruction  in  the  name  of  "law  and  order,"  and  that,  too,  by  men 
who  marched  from  a  neighboring  State  with  arms  obtained  by  force, 
and  who  at  every  stage  of  their  progress  violated  many  laws,  and 
among  others  the  constitution  of  the  United  States. (14) 

The  chief  guilt  must  rest  on  Samuel  J.  Jones.  His  character  is  il- 
lustrated by  his  language  at  Lecompton,  where  peace  was*  made.  He 
said  Major  Clark  and  Burns  both  claimed  the  credit  of  killing  that 
damned  abolitionist,  and  he  didn't  know  which  ought  to  have  it.  If 
Shannon  hadn't  been  a  damned  old  fool,  peace  would  never  have 
been  declared.  He  would  have  wiped  Lawrence  out.  He  had  men 
and  means  enough  to  do  it.  (15) 

Shortly  after  the  retreat  of  the  forces  from  before  Lawrence,  the 
election  upon  the  adoption*  of  the  State  constitution  was  held  at  Leaven- 
worth  city,  on  the  15th  of  December,  1855.  While  it  was  proceeding 
quietly,  about  noon,  Charles  Dunn,  with  a  party  of  others,  smashed  in 
the  window  of  the  building  in  which  the  election  was  being  held,  and 
they  jumped  into  the  room  where  the  judges  of  election  were  sitting 
and  drove  them  oif.(16) 

One  of  the  clerks  of  election  snatched  up  the  ballot-box  and  fol- 
lowed the  judges,  throwing  the  box  behind  the  counter  of  an  adjoin- 
ing room,  through  which  he  passed  on  his  way  out.  As  he  got  to 
the  street-door,  Dunn  caught  him  by  the  throat  and  pushed  him  up 
against  the  outside  of  the  building,  and  demanded  the  ballot-box.  (IT) 
Then  Dunn  and  another  person  struck  him  in  the  face,  and  he  fell 
into  the  mud  ;  the  crowd  rushed  on  him,  and  kicked  him  on  the  head 
and  in  his  side.  (18)  In  this  manner  the  election  was  broken  up,  Dunn 
and  his  party  obtaining  the  ballot-box  and  carrying  it  off. 

To  avoid  a  similar  outrage  at  the  election  for  State  officers,  &c.,  to 
be  held  on  the  15th  of  January,  1856,  the  election  for  Leavenworth 
district  was  appointed  to  be  held  at  Easton,  and  the  time  postponed 
until  the  17th  day  of  February,  1856. (19)  On  the  way  to  the  elec- 

(13)  Robert  T.  Barber,  TTiomas  W.  Parson,  Jane  W.  Colborn,  and  others. 

(14)  Article  four  of  the  amendments. 

(15)  Harrison  Nichols. 

(16)  George  Wetherell,  George  H.  Keller. 

(17)  George  Wetherell. 

(18)  George  Wetherell,  George  W.  Hollis. 

(19)  J.  @.  Green,  Henry  G.  Adams,  Joseph  H.  Reed. 


KANSAS   AFFAIES.  /,« 

DO 

ion  persons  were  stopped  by  a  party  of  men  at  a  grocery,  and  their 
nms  taken  from  them      During  the  afternoon  parties  came  up  to  the 
)lace  of  election  and  threatened  to  destroy  the  ballot-box,  and  were 
Kilty  of  other  insolent  and  abusive  conduct.  (20)  After  the  polls  were 
losed,  many  of  the  settlers  being  apprehensive  of  an  attack    re 
pined  m  the  house  where  the  election  had  been  held,  until  the  next 
lormng.     Late  that  night  Stephen  Sparks,  with  his  son  and  nephew 
started  lor  home,  his  route  running  by  the  store  of  a  Mr   Dawson' 
inhere  a  large  party  of  armed  men  had  collected.     As  he  approached' 
hese  men  demanded  that  he  should  surrender,  and  gathered  around 
dm  to  enforce  the  demand. (21)  Information  was  carried  by  a  man  in 
[he  company  of  Mr.  Sparks  to  the  house  where  the  election  had  been 
leld.     B.  P.  Brown  and  a  company  of  men  immediately  went  down 
o  relieve  Mr.  Sparks,  and  did  relieve  him,  when  he  was  in  imminent 
langer.(22)     Mr.  Sparks  then  started  back  with  Mr.  Brown  .and  his 
barty,  and  while  on  their  way  they  were  fired  upon  by  the  other  party. 
[They  returned  the  fire,  and  an  irregular  fight  then  ensued,  in  which 
ji  man  by  the  name  of  Cook,  of  the  pro-slavery  party,  received  a  mor- 
tal wound,  and  two  of  the  free-State  party  were  slightly  wounded. 

Mr.  Brown,  with  seven  others  who  had  accompanied  him  from 
Leavenworth,  started  on  their  return  home.  When  they  had  pro- 
peded  a  part  of  their  way,  they  were  stopped  and  taken  prisoners  by 
L  party  of  men  called  the  "  Kickapoo  Kangers,"  under  the  command 
bf  Captain  John  W.  Martin.  They  were  disarmed  and  taken  back 
lo  Easton,  and  put  in  Dawson's  store. (23)  Brown  was  separated  from 
Ihe  rest  of  his  party  and  taken  into  the  office  of  Dr.  E.  S.  Motter.(24) 
py  this  time  several  of  Martin's  party,  and  some  of  the  citizens  of 
|he  place,  had  become  intoxicated,  and  expressed  a  determination  to 
till  Brown. (25)  Captain  Martin  was  desirous  to,  and  did  do  all  in 
pis  power  to  save  him.  Several  hours  were  spent  in  discussing  what 
ihould  be  done  with  Brown  and  his  party.  In  the  mean  time,  with- 
Bt  the  knowledge  of  his  party,  Captain  Martin  liberated  all  of 
Brown's  party  but* himself,  and  aided  them  in  their  escape. (26)  The 
|rowd  repeatedly  tried  to  get  in  the  room  where  Brown  was,  and  at 
Ire  time  succeeded,  but  were  put  out  by  Martin  and  others.  Martin, 
fending  that  further  effort  on  his  part  to  save  Brown  was  useless,, 
left  and  went  home.  The  crowd  then  got  possession  of  Brown,  and 
anally  butchered  him  in  cold  blood.  The  wound  of  which  he  died 
Jvas  inflicted  with  a  hatchet  by  a  man  of  the  name  of  Gibson.  After 
he  had  been  mortally  wounded,  Brown  was  sent  home  with  Charles 
Dunn,  and  died  that  night.  No  attempt  was  made  to  arrest  or  pun- 
ish the  murderers  of  Brown.  Many  of  them  were  well  known  citi- 
lens,  arid  some  of  them  were  officers  of  the  law.  On  the  next  grand 
jury,  which  sat  in  Leavenworth  county,  the  sheriff  summoned  several 

(20  and  21)  Stephen  Sparks. 

(22)  George  A.  Taylor,  Stephen  Sparks,  J.  H.  Bird. 

(23)  Henry  J.  Adams,  George  A.  Taylor,  M.  P.  Bively,  John  W.  Martin,  Wiley  >V  illiams. 

(24)  Henry  J.  Adams,  J.  W.  Martin. 

(25)  Wiiey  Williams,  J.  W.  Martin,  H.  J.  Adams 

(26)  H.  J.  Adams,  G.  A.  Taylor,  J.  H.  Bird,  W.  Williams. 


64  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

of  the  persons  implicated  in  this  murder.  (27)  One  of  them  was  M. 
P.  Rively,  at  that  time '  treasurer  of  the  county.  He  has  'been  exam- 
ined as  a  witness  before  us.  The  reason  he  gives  why  no  indictments 
were  found  is,  ct  they  killed  one  of  the  pro-slavery  men,  and  the  pro- 
slavery  men  killed  one  of  the  others,  and  I  thought  it  was  about 
mutual."  The  same  grand  jury,  however,  found  bills  of  indictment 
against  those  who  acted  as  judges  of  the  free-State  election.  Eively 
says  :  "  I  know  our  utmost  endeavors  were  made  to  find  out  wl*b 
acted  as  judges  and  clerks  of  the  election  of  the  17th  of  January  last, 
and  at  all  the  bogus  elections  held  by  the  abolitionists  here.  We 
were  very  anxious  to  find  them  out,  as  we  thought  they  acted  ilk)- 
gaily." 

Your  committee  in  their  examinations  have  found  that  in  no  case  of 
crime  or  homicide  mentioned  in  this  report,  or  in  the  testimony,  has 
any  indictment  been  found  against  the  guilty  party,  except  in  the 
homicide  *of  Clark  by  McCrea ;  McCrea  being  a  free-State  man. 

Your  committee  did  not  deem  it  within  their  power  or  duty  to  take 
testimony  as  to  events  which  have  transpired  since  the  date  of  their 
appointment ;  but  as  some  of  these  events  tended  ^seriously  to  embar- 
rass, hinder,  and  delay  their  investigations,  they  deem  it  proper  he?e 
to  refer  to  them.  On  their  arrival  in  the  Territory,  the  people  were 
arrayed  in  two  hostile  parties.  Their  hostility  continually  increased 
during  our  stay  in  the  Territory,  by  the  arrival  of  Brined  bodies  of 
men,  who  from  their  equipments  came  not  to  follow  the  peaceful  pur- 
suits of  life,  but  armed  and  organized  into  companies  apparently  fbr 
war,  by  the  unlawful  detention  of  persons  and  property  while  passing 
through  the  State  of  "Missouri,  and  by  frequent  forcible  seizures  of 
persons  and  property  in  the  Territory  without  legal  warrant.  Your 
committee  regret  that  they  were  compelled  to  witness  instances  of 
each  of  those  classes  of  outrages.  While  holding  their  session  at 
Westport  they  saw  several  bodies  of  armed  men,  confessedly  citizens 
of  Missouri,  march  into  the  Territory  on  forays  against  its  citizens, 
but  under  the  pretence  of  enforcing  the  enactments  bafore  referred. to. 
The  wagons  of  emigrants  were  stopped  in  the  highways,  searched 
without  claim  of  legal  process,  and  in  some  instances  all  their  prop- 
erty taken  from  them.  In  Leavenworth  city,  leading  citizens  were 
arrested  at  noon-day  in  presence  of  members  of  your  committee,  by  an 
armed  force,  without  any  claim  of  authority,  except  that  derived  from 
a  self-constituted  committee  of  vigilance,  many  of  whom  were  legisla- 
tive and  executive  officers.  Some  were  released  on  promising  to  leave 
the  Territory;  and  others,  after  being  detained  for  a  time,  were  formally 
notified  to  leave,  under  the  severest  penalties. 

The  only  offence  charged  against  them  was  their  political  opinions, 
and  no  one  was  thus  arrested  for  alleged  crime  of  any  grade. 

Eesistance  to  these  lawless  acts  was  not  made  by  the  settlers, 
because,  in  their  opinion,  the  persons  engaged  in  them  would  have  been 
sustained  and  reinforced  by  the  citizens  of  the  populous  border 
counties  of  Missouri,  from  whence  they  were  only  separated  by  the 


(27)  M.RKively. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


65 


river    In  one  case  witnessed  by  one  of  your  committee,  an  application 
for  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  prevented  by  the  urgent  solicitatio 
of  pro-slavery  men,  who  insisted  that  it  would  endanger  the  life  of 
the  prisoner  to  be  discharged  under  legal  process. 

While  we  remained  in  the  Territory,  repeated  acts  of  outrage  were 
committed  upon  quiet,  unoffending  citizens,  of  which  we  received  au- 
thentic intelligence.  Men  were  attacked  in  the  highway,  robbed 
and  subsequently  imprisoned  ;  others  were  seized  and  searched  and 
their  weapons  of  defence  taken  from  them  without  compensation 
Horses  were  frequently  taken  and  appropriated.  Oxen  were  taken 
from  the  yoke  while  ploughing,  and  butchered  in  the  presence  of 
their^owners.  A  minister  was  seized  in  the  streets  of  the  town  of 
Atchison,  and,  under  circumstances  of  gross  barbarity,  was  tarred  and 
cottoned,  and  in  that  condition  was  sent  to  his  family.  All  the  pro- 
visions of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  securing  persons  and 
property  were  utterly  disregarded.  The  officers  of  the  law,  instead  of 
protecting  the  people,  in  some  instances  were  engaged  in  these  out- 
rages, and  in  no  ^  instance  did  we  learn  that  any  man  was  arrested, 
indicted,  or  punished  for  any  of  these  crimes.  While  such  offences 
were  committed  with  impunity,  the  laws  were  used  as  a  means  of  in- 
dicting men  for  holding  elections  preliminary  to  framing  a  constitu- 
tion, and  applying  for  admission  into  the  Union  as  the  State  of 
Kansas.  Charges  of  high  treason  were  made  against  prominent  citizens 
upon  grounds  which  seem  to  your  committee  absurd  and  ridiculous  ; 
and  under  these  charges  they  are  now  held  in  custody,  and  are  refused 
the  privilege  of  bail.  In  several  cases  men  were  arrested  in  the 
State  of  Missouri  while  passing  on  their  lawful  business  through  that 
State,  and  detained  until  indictments  could  be  found  in  the  Territory. 
These  proceedings  were  followed  by  an  offence  of  still  greater  mag- 
nitude. Under  color  of  legal  process,  a  company  of  about  700  armed 
men,  the  great  body  of  whom  your  committee  are  satisfied  were  not 
citizens  of  the  Territory,  were  marched  into  the  town  of  Lawrence, 
under  marshal  Donaldson  and  sheriff  Jones,  officers  claiming  to  act 
I  under  the  law,  and  then  bombarded  and  burned  to  the  ground  a  valuable 
I  hotel  and  one  private  house,  destroyed  two  printing-presses  and  mate- 
jrial,  and  then,  being  released  by  the  officers  whose  posse  they  claimed 
to  be,  proceeded  to  sack,  pillage,  and  rob  houses,  stores,  trunks,  &c., 
even  to  the  clothing  of  women  and  children.  Some  letters  thus  un- 
lawfully taken  were  private  ones,  written  by  the  contesting  delegate, 
and  they  were  offered  in  evidence.  Your  committee  did  not  deem 
that  the  persons  holding  them  had  any  right  thus  to  use  them,  and 
(refused  to  be  made  the  instruments  to  report  private  letters  thus 

>btained. 

This  force  was  not  resisted  because  it  was  collected  and  marshal 
lundcr  the  forms  of  law.     But  this  act  of  barbarity,  unexampled  in  tl 

listory  of  our  government,  was  followed  by  its  natural  consequent 

'.11  the  restraints  which  American  citizens  are  accustomed  to  pay,  ev< 
the  appearance  of  law,  were  thrown  off.     One  act  of  violence  Jed  i 

mother;  homicides  became  frequent,     A  party,  under  H.  ( 
>mposed  chiefly  of  citizens  of  Missouri,  were  taken  prisoners 
irty  of  settlers,  and  while  your  committee  were  at  Westport,  a 
H.  Rep.  200 5 


64  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

of  the  persons  implicated  in  this  murder.  (27)  One  of  them  was  M. 
P.  Kively,  at  that  time 'treasurer  of  the  county.  He  has  been  exam- 
ined as  a  witness  before  us.  The  reason  he  gives  why  no  indictments 
were  found  is,  "  they  killed  one  of  the  pro-slavery  men,  and  the  pro- 
slavery  men  killed  one  of  the  others,  and  I  thought  it  was  about 
mutual."  The  same  grand  jury,  however,  found  bills  of  indictment 
against  those  who  acted  as  judges  of  the  free-State  election.  Kively 
says  :  C£  I  know  our  utmost  endeavors  were  made  to  find  out  who 
acted  as  judges  and  clerks  of  the  election  of  the  1  fall  of  January  last, 
and  at  all  the  bogus  elections  held  by  the  abolitionists  here.  We 
were  very  anxious  to  find  them  out,  as  we  thought  they  acted  ille- 
gally." 

Your  committee  in  their  examinations  have  found  that  in  no  case  of 
crime  or  homicide  mentioned  in  this  report,  or  in  the  testimony,  has 
any  indictment  been  found  against  the  guilty  party,  except  in  the 
homicide  "of  Clark  by  McCrea ;  McCrea  being  a  free-State  man. 

Your  committee  did  not  deem  it  within  their  power  or  duty  to  take 
testimony  as  to  events  which  have  transpired  since  the  date  of  their 
appointment ;  but  as  some  of  these  events  tended  seriously  to  embar- 
rass, hinder,  and  delay  their  investigations,  they  deem  it  proper  hepe 
to  refer  to  them.  On  their  arrival  in  the  Territory,  the  people  were 
arrayed  in  two  hostile  parties.  Their  hostility  continually  increased 
during  our  stay  in  the  Territory,  by  the  arrival  of  ,^rmed  bodies  of 
men,  who  from  their  equipments  came  not  to  follow  the  peaceful  pur- 
suits of  life,  but  armed  and  organized  into  companies  apparently  ibr 
war,  by  the  unlawful  detention  of  persons  and  property  while  passing 
through  the  State  of  Missouri,  and  by  frequent  forcible  seizures  of 
persons  and  property  in  the  Territory  without  legal  warrant.  Your 
committee  regret  that  they  were  compelled  to  witness  instances  of 
each  of  those  classes  of  outrages.  While  holding  their  session  at 
Westport  they  saw  several  bodies  of  armed  men,  coafessedly  citizens 
of  Missouri,  march  into  the  Territory  on  forays  against  its  citizens, 
but  under  the  pretence  of  enforcing  the  enactments  bafore  referred  to. 
The  wagons  of  emigrants  were  stopped  in  the  highways,  searched 
without  claim  of  legal  process,  and  in  some  instances  all  their  prop- 
erty taken  from  them.  In  Leavenworth  city,  leading  citizens  wepe 
arrested  at  noon-day  in  presence  of  members  of  your  committee,  by  an 
armed  force,  without  any  claim  of  authority,  except  that  derived  from 
a  self-constituted  committee  of  vigilance,  many  of  whom  were  legisla- 
tive and  executive  officers.  Some  were  released  on  promising  to  leave 
the  Territory;  and  others,  after  being  detained  for  a  time,  were  formally 
notified  to  leave,  under  the  severest  penalties. 

The  only  offence  charged  against  them  was  their  political  opinions, 
and  no  one  was  thus  arrested  for  alleged  crime  of  any  grade. 

Kesistance  to  these  lawless  acts  was  not  made  by  the  settlers, 
because,  in  their  opinion,  the  persons  engaged  in  them  would  have  been 
sustained  and  reinforced  by  the  citizens  of  the  populous  border 
counties  of  Missouri,  from  whence  they  were  only  separated  by  the 


(27)  M.  P.  Eively. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


65 


river.  In  one  case  witnessed  by  one  of  your  committee,  an  application 
for  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  prevented  by  the  urgent  solicitat 
of  pro-slavery  men,  jho  insisted  that  it  would  endanger  the  life  of 
the  prisoner  to  be  discharged  under  legal  process. 

While  we  remained  in  the  Territory,  repeated  acts  of  outrage  were 
committed  upon  quiet,  unoffending  citizens,  of  which  we  received  au- 
thentic intelligence.  Men  were  attacked  in  the  highway,  robbed 
and  subsequently  imprisoned  ;  others  were  seized  and  searched,  and 
their  weapons  of  defence  taken  from  them  without  compensation. 
Horses  were  frequently  taken  and  appropriated.  Oxen  were  taken 
from  the  yoke  while  ploughing,  and  butchered  in  the  presence  of 
their  ^owners.  A  minister  was  seized  in  the  streets  of  the  town  of 
Atchison,  and,  under  circumstances  of  gross  barbarity,  was  tarred  and 
cottoned,  and  in  that  condition  was  sent  to  his  family.  All  the  pro- 
visions of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  securing  persons  and 
property  were  utterly  disregarded.  The  officers  of  the  law,  instead  of 
protecting  the  people,  in  some  instances  were  engaged  in  these  out- 
rages, and  in  no  instance  did  we  learn  that  any  man  was  arrested, 
indicted,  or  punished  for  any  of  these  crimes.  While  such  offences 
were  committed  with  impunity,  the  laws  were  used  as  a  means  of  in- 
dicting men  for  holding  elections  preliminary  to  framing  a  constitu- 
tion, and  applying  for  admission  into  the  Union  as  the  State  of 
Kansas.  Charges  of  high  treason  were  made  against  prominent  citizens 
upon  grounds  which  seem  to  your  committee  absurd  and  ridiculous  ; 
and  under  these  charges  they  are  now  held  in  custody,  and  are  refused 
the  privilege  of  bail.  In  several  cases  men  were  arrested  in  the 
State  of  Missouri  while  passing  on  their  lawful  business  through  that 
State,  and  detained  until  indictments  could  be  found  in  the  Territory. 
These  proceedings  were  followed  by  an  offence  of  still  greater  mag- 
nitude. Under  color  of  legal  process,  a  company  of  about  TOO  armed 
men,  the  great  body  of  whom  your  committee  are  satisfied  were  not 
citizens  of  the  Territory,  were  marched  into  the  town  of  Lawrence, 
under  marshal  Donaldson  and  sheriff  Jones,  officers  claiming  to  act 
under  the  law,  and  then  bombarded  and  burned  to  the  ground  a  valuable 
hotel  and  one  private  house,  destroyed  two  printing-presses  and  mate- 
irial,  and  then,  being  released  by  the  officers  whose  posse  they  claimed 
|  to  be,  proceeded  to  sack,  pillage,  and  rob  houses,  stores,  trunks,  &c., 
even  to  the  clothing  of  women  and  children.  Some  letters  thus  un- 
lawfully taken  were  private  ones,  written  by  the  contesting  delegate, 
and  they  were  offered  in  evidence.  Your  committee  did  not  deem 
that  the  persons  holding  them  had  any  right  thus  to  use  them,  and 
refused  to  be  made  the  instruments  to  report  private  letters  thus 
obtained.  , 

This  force  was  not  resisted  because  it  was  collected  and  marshal 
hinder  the  forms  of  law.     But  this  act  of  barbarity,  unexampled  m  tJ 
tistory  of  our  government,  was  followed  by  its  natural  consequence 
'.11  the  restraints  which  American  citizens  are  accustomed  to  pay,  ei 
,o  the  appearance  of  law,  were  thrown  off.     One  act  of  violence  Jed  i 
mother;  homicides  became  frequent.     A  party,  under  H.  ( 
composed  chiefly  of  citizens  of  Missouri,  were  taken  prisoners 
irty  of  settlers,  and  while  your  committee  were  at  Westport,  a  c< 
H.  Kep.  200 5 


66  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

pany,  chiefly  of  Missourians,  accompanied  by  the  sitting  delegate, 
went  to  relieve  Pate  and  his  party.  A  collision  was  prevented  by 
the  United  States  troops.  Civil  war  seemed  impending  in  the  Terri- 
tory. Nothing  can  prevent  so  great  a  calamity  but  the  presence  of  a 
large  force  of  United  States  troops,  under  a  commander  who  will, 
with  prudence  and  discretion,  quiet  the  excited  passions  of  both 
parties,  and  expel  with  force  the  lawless  band  of  men  coming  from 
Missouri  and  elsewhere,  who,  with  criminal  pertinacity,  infest  the 
Territory.  In  some  cases,  and  as  to  one  entire  election  district,  the 
condition  of  the  country  prevented  the  attendance  of  witnesses,  who 
were  either  arrested  and  detained  while,  or  deterred  from,  obeying 
our  process.  The  sergeant-at-arms  who  served  the  process  upon  them 
was  himself  arrested  and  detained' for  a  short  time,  by  an  armed  force 
claiming  to  be  a  part  of  the  posse  of  the  marshal,  but  was  allowed  to 
proceed  upon  an  examination  of  his  papers,  and  was  furnished  with  a 
pass  signed  by  "Warren  D.  Wilkes,  of  South  Carolina."  John  Upton, 
another  officer  of  the  committee,  was  subsequently  stopped  by  a  law- 
less force  on  the  borders  of  the  Territory,  and  after  being  detained 
and  treated  with  great  indignity,  was  released.  He,  also,  was  fur- 
nished with  a  pass,  signed  by  two  citizens  of  Missouri,  and  addressed 
to  "pro-slavery  men."  By  reason  of  these  disturbances  we  were 
delayed  in  Westport,  so  that  while  in  session  there  our  time  was  but 
partially  occupied. 

But  the  obstruction  which  created  the  most  serious  embarrassment 
to  your  committee  was  the  attempted  arrest  of  Gov.  Keeder,  the 
contesting  delegate,  upon  a  writ  of  attachment  issued  against  him  by 
Judge  Lecompte,  to  compel  his  attendance  as  a  witness  before  the 

frand  jury  of  Douglas  county.  William  Fane,  recently  from  the 
tate  of  Georgia,  and  claiming  to  be  the  deputy  marshal,  came  into 
the  room  of  the  committee  while  Gov.  Keeder  was  examining  a 
witness  before  us,  and  producing  the  writ,  required  Gov.  Reeder  to 
attend  him.  Subsequent  events  have  only  strengthened  the  con- 
viction of  your  committee,  that  this  was  a  wanton  and  unlawful  in- 
terference by  the  judge  who  issued  the  writ,  tending  greatly  to 
obstruct  a  full  and  fair  investigation.  Gov.  Reeder  and  Gen.  Whit- 
field  alone  were  fully  possessed  of  that  local  information  which  would 
enable  us  to  elicit  the  whole  truth,  and  it  was  obvious  to  every  one 
that  any  event  which  would  separate  either  of  them  from  the  com- 
mittee would  necessarily  hinder,  delay,  and  embarrass  it.  Gov. 
Beeder  claimed,  that  under  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed, 
he  was  privileged  irom  arrest,  except  for  treason,  felony,  or  breach 
of  the  peace.  As  this  was  a  question  of  privilege, -proper  for  the 
courts,  or  for  the  privileged  person  alone  to  determine,  on  his  peril,  we 
declined  to  give  him  any  protection,  or  take  any  action  in  the  matter. 
He  refused  to  obey  the  writ,  believing  it  to  be  a  mere  pretence  to  get 
the  custody  of  his  person  :  and  fearing,  as  he  .alleged,  that  he  would 
be  assassinated  by  lawless  bands  of  men  then  gathering  in  and  near 
Lecompte,  he  then  left  the  Territory. 

Subsequently  H.  Miles  Moore,  an  attorney  in  Leavenworth  city, 
but  for  several  years  a  citizen  of  western  Missouri,  kindly  furnished 
the  committee  information  as  to  the  residence  of  persons  voting  akthe 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  67 

elections  ;  and  in  some  cases  examined  witnesses  before  us.  He  was 
arrested  on  the  streets  of  that  town  by  an  armed  band  of  about  30 
men,  headed  by  W.  D.  Wilkes,  without  any  color  of  authority,  con- 
fined with  other  citizens  under  a  military  guard  for  24  hours,  and  then 
notified  to  leave  the  Territory.  His  testimony  was  regarded  as  im- 
portant, and  upon  his  sworn  statement  that  it  would  endanger  his 
person  to  give  ^it  openly,  the  majority  of  your  committee  deemed  it 
proper  to  examine  him  ex  parte,  and  did  so. 

By  reason  of  these  occurrences  the  contestant,  and  the  party  with 
and  for  whom  he  acted,  were  unrepresented  before  us  during  a  greater 
portion  of  the  time ;  and  your  committee  were  required  to  ascertain 
the  truth  in  the  best  manner  they  could. 

Your  committee  report  the  following  facts  and  conclusions  as  estab- 
lished by  the  testimony : 

First.  That  each  election  in  the  Territory,  held  under  the  organic 
or  alleged  Territorial  law,  has  been  carried  by  organized  invasion  from 
the  State  of  Missouri,  by  which  the  people  of  the  Territory  have  been 
prevented  from  exercising  the  rights  secured  to  them  by  the  organic 
law. 

Second.  That  the  alleged  Territorial  legislature  was  an  illegally 
constituted  body,  and  had  no  power  to  pass  valid  laws,  and  their 
enactments  are  therefore  null  and  void. 

Third.  That  these  alleged  laws  have  not,  as  a  general  thing,  been 
used  to  protect  persons  and  property,  and  to  punish  wrong,  but  for 
unlawful  purposes. 

Fourth.  That  the  election  under  which  the  sitting  delegate,  John 
W.  Whitfield,  holds  his  seat,  was  not  held  in  pursuance  of  any  valid 
law,  and  that  it  should  be  regarded  only  as  the  expression  of  the 
choice  of  those  resident  citizens  who  voted  for  him. 

Fifth.  That  the  election,  under  which  the  contesting  delegate, 
Andrew  H.  Keeder,  claims  his  seat,  was  not  held  in  pursuance  of  law, 
and  that  it  should  be  regarded  only  as  the  expression  of  the  resident 
citizens  who  voted  for  him. 

Sixth.  That  Andrew  H.  Reeder  received  a  greater  number  of  votes 
of  resident  citizens  than  John  W.  Whitfield,  for  delegate. 

Seventh.  That  in  the  present  condition  of  the  Territory  a  fair  elec- 
tion cannot  be  held  without  a  new  census,  a  stringent  and  well- 
guarded  election  law,  the  selection  of  impartial  judges,  and  the  pres- 
ence of  United  States  troops  at  every  place  of  election. 

Eighth.  That  the  various  elections  held  by  the  people  of  the  Ter- 
ritory preliminary  to  the  formation  of  the  State  government,  have 
been  as  regular  as  the  disturbed  condition  of  the  Territory  would  al- 
low ;  and  that  the  constitution  passed  by  the  convention,  held  in  pur- 
suance of  said  elections,  embodies  the  will  of  a  majority  of  the  people 

As  it  is  not  the  province  of  your  committee  to  suggest  remedu 
the  existing  troubles  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  they  content 
'selves  with  the  foregoing  statement  of  facts. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted.       ^    ^    HOWAED. 

JOHN  SHEBMAN 


70  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

were  appointed  by  him,  with  instructions  as  to  how  their  places  were 
to  be  filled  if  they  or  any  of  them  refused  or  failed  to  act ;  that  he 
reserved  the  power  to  himself  to  judge,  in  the  first  instance,  of  the 
election  returns,  and  that  he  did  so  act ;  that  the  returns  were  made 
to  him,  and  he  did  set  aside  the  election  of  but  nine  members  of  the 
twenty-six  elected  to  the  house  of  representatives,  and  three  of  the 
thirteen  elected  to  the  council,  and  gave  his  certificate  of  election  to 
the  other  seventeen  members  of  the  house,  and  ten  members  of  the 
council,  being  a  majority  of  both  branches  of  the  legislature  ;  that  he 
ordered  new  elections  in  thos«  districts  where  he  had  set  aside  the  re- 
turns ;  that  the  governor  convened  the  legislature,  thus  constituted,  ac- 
cording to  law,  on  the  1st  of  July,  1855,  and  communicated  with  them 
officially  after  they  were  organized,  and  recognised  them  as  a  legally 
and  properly  constituted  law-making  body  ;  and  never,  until  August, 
1855,  after  he  was  removed  from  the  office  of  governor,  did  he  objecl 
to  the  election  of  a  majority  of  the  legislature,  both  in  the  council 
and  in  the  house  of  representatives,  to  whom  he  had  previously  given 
certificates. 

These  great  leading  and  essential  facts,  upon  which  the  validity  or 
invalidity  of  laws,  or  "pretended  laws,"  of  Kansas  must  rest,  are  not 
denied,  or  even  assailed,  by  a  particle  of  testimony  taken  by  the  com- 
mittee ;  and,  with  these  facts  unassailed  and  unimpeached,  it  is  be- 
yond the  comprehension  of  the  undersigned  how  the  majority  couh 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  laws  passed  by  the  Territorial  legisla- 
ture were  null  and  void  in  consequence  of  any  illegality,  even  if  such 
had  been  proved,  in  the  election  of  its  members.  All  questions  re- 
lating to  that  election  were  closed  by  their  waiver  at  the  proper  time 
and  without  an  investigation  by  the  proper  authority.  This  is  a  well- 
fixed  principle  in  all  our  representative  institutions  ;  upon  it  they  al' 
rest,  and  with  the  correctness  of  it  Governor  Eeecler  himself  seems  to 
be  duly  impressed.  This  the  testimony  clearly  discloses.  In  a  letter 
found  in  the  streets  of  Lawrence,  and  proven  before  the  committee  to 
be  in  the  hand-writing  of  Governor  Reeder,  and  bearing  his  genuin< 
signature,  dated  in  this  city  on  the  12th  of  February,  1856,  and  ad- 
dressed to  a  friend  of  his  in  Kansas  Territory,  he  says  : 

"  As  to  putting  a  set  of  laws  in  operation  in  opposition  to  the  Terri- 
torial government,  my  opinion  is  confirmed  instead  of  being  shaken 
my  predictions  have  all  been  verified  so  far,  and  will  be  in  the  future 

We  will  be,  so  far  as  legality  is  concerned,  in  the  wrong  ;  and  that  is  no 
trifling  matter,  in  so  critical  a  state  of  things,  and  in  view  of  such  bloody 
consequences.  *  I  may  speak  my  plain  and  private 

opinion  to  our  friends  in  Kansas,  for  it  is  my  duty.     But  to  the  pub 
lie,  as  you  will  see  by  my  published  letter,  I  show  no  divided  front.' 

This  letter,  and  another  also  found,  were  addressed,  as  it  is  understood 
to  Grosvenor  P.  Lowrey,  his  friend,  and  formerly  his  private  secretary 
while  he  was  governor  of  Kansas  ;  and  so  important  a  bearing  had  the;; 
upon  the  main  facts  of  the  case,  which  are  the  legality  of  the  'JTerrit&rfa 
legislature  and  their  enactments,  that   the   majority  of  the  committee 
after  they  had  admitted  them  as  evidence,,  as  it  was  clearly  understood 
by  all   parties,    attempted  to   reject  them.     The   following  is  their 
action  in  regard  to  them  : 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  7J 

-The  counsel  for  J.  W.  Whitfield,  having  at  Leavenworth  citv 
offered  m  evidence  before  the  committee  two  letters  written  by  A  H 
Boeder— the  one  dated  Washington,  January  20, 1856,  the  other  dated 
Washington,  February  12,  1856— and,  before  offering  the  said  letters 
their  authenticity,  both  as  to  the  signature  and  hand-writino-  in  the 
body  of  said  letters,  was  proved  to  be  the  proper  hand-writing  and 
signature  of  A.  H.  Reeder,  and  of  which  facts  the  committee  were 
satisfied  ;  but  a  majority  of  the  committee — Messrs.  Howard  and  Sher- 
man— not^being  satisfied,  at  the  time,  of  the  propriety  of  the  admission 
of  such  evidence,  took  the  matter  under  consideration  ;  and  now,  at 
this  day,  at  the  sitting  of  the  committee  at  Westport,  the  question  of 
the  admission  of  said  letters  as  evidence  came  up  for  consideration  and 
decision,  and  a  majority  of  the  committee,  Messrs.  Howard  and 
Sherman — Mr.  Oliver  dissenting — decline  to  receive  said  letters  in 
evidence,  and  to  be  engrafted  into  and  to  constitute  a  portion  of  the 
evidence  taken  by  the  committee  in  their  investigations,  upon  the 
ground  that  they,  the  committee,  have  not  the  rightful  possession  of 
them  ;  they  having  been  found  in  the  street,  and  being  clearly  private 
letters,  or  so  declared  to  be  by  the  majority  of  the  committee.  The 
said  majority  of  the  committee  take  no  objection  to  the  relevancy  or 
competency  of  said  letters  as  evidence  ;  but  place  their  objection  solely 
upon  the  grounds  above  stated,  not  denying  that  said  letters  might  be 
evidence  against  said  A.  H.  Reeder  in  a  criminal  prosecution.  The 
committee  admit  that  the  copies  of  said  letters,  furnished  to  the  com- 
mittee for  the  purpose  of  having  them  transcribed  into  the  evidence, 
are  true  and  genuine  copies  of  the  originals  offered  in  evidence,  and 
which  said  copies  are  hereto  appended,  marked  (A)  and  (B),  and  made 
part  of  this  pretest. 

"  The  counsel  for  J.  W.  Whitfield,  and  on  behalf  of  the  law  and 
order  party  in  Kansas  Territory,  offer  said  letters  in  evidence  for  the 
double  purpose  of  showing  the  opinions  arid  admissions  of  A.  H. 
Keeder,  in  reference  to  the  matters  and  subjects  connected  with  the 
elections  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the  Territory,  and  the  con- 
test now  pending  between  Whitfield  and  Reeder  in  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, as  well  as  to  show  the  complicity  of  A.  H.  Reeder  in  all 
the  troubles  which  have  led  to  bloodshed  and  civil  war  in  the  Terri- 
tory. 

"To  the  refusal  of  the  majority  of  said  committee  to  receive  said 
tleters  in  evidence  Mr.  Oliver  enters  his  protest ;  and  also  the  said 
John  W.  Whitfield,  by  his  attorneys,  protests  against  the  action  of  a 
majority  of  the  committee  in  refusing  the  admission  of  said  letters  m 
evidence,  as  depriving  him  of  his  just  rights  in  the  investigatu 
before  the  committee,  and  in  showing  to  the  country  the  true  ground 
and  source  of  all  the  difficulties  in  Kansas  Territory. 

By  Us  Attorneys, 
"  AUSTIN  A.  KING, 
«  JOHN  SCOTT. 

"  WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  7,  1856. 

"  The  above  protest  was  this  day  presented,  and  the  accompanying 


iA  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

copies  of  letters,  marked  by  rue  (  Exhibit  A,  accompanying  protest/ 
and  'Exhibit  B,  with  protest/ 

"WM.  A.  HOWARD, 

"  Chairman  K.  O. 
"  WESTPORT,  June  7,  1856." 

But  the  undersigned  insists  that  they  were  not  only  competent,  but 
pertinent  to  the  main  issue  which  the  committee  were  sent  out  to  in- 
vestigate. He  therefore  incorporates  copies  of  them  in  this  report ; 
he  appends  them  to  it,  and  makes  them  part  of  the  same  as  fully  as 
if  here  entered  at  large. 

These  remarks,  touching  the  general  character  of  the  majority's 
report,  and  what  has  not  been  proved,  are  preliminary  to  such  com- 
ments as  the  undersigned  intends  to  submit  on  the  matters  which 
were  elicited  by  the  investigation.  And  another  fact  on  the  same 
line  of  preliminary  observations,  deserving,  in  his  opinion,  to  be  no- 
ticed, is,  that  witnesses  were  examined  by  the  committee  in  but  three 
places  in  the  Territory,  to  wit :  Lawrence,  Tecumseh,  and  Leaven- 
worth  city  ;  except  that  the  testimony  of  Daniel  Woodson,  secretary 
of  the  Territory,  was  taken  informally  at  Lecompton,  in  regard  to  the 
loss  of  poll-books  in  certain  districts,  and  also  a  certain  letter  said  to 
have  been  written  by  him.  All  the  places  in  which  witnesses  were 
examined  touching  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  were  in 
districts  where  the  elections  had  been  set  aside  by  Governor  Reeder 
himself,  as  before  stated.  All  the  testimony  they  took  touching  the 
elections  at  other  places,  was  given  by  witnesses  sent  for  and  exam- 
ined out  of  the  vicinage  ;  and  much  the  larger  portion  of  the  testimony 
taken  at  the  instance  of  the  contestant  was  taken  at  Lawrence,  the 
great  rendezvous  of  the  malcontents  in  the  Territory.  The  object  of 
the  testimony  of  the  witnesses  produced  by  Governor  Reeder,  was  to 
show  that  the  election  of  the  legislature  on  the  30th  of  March  was 
carried  by  illegal  votes  from  Missouri,  notwithstanding  he  had  offi- 
cially adjudicated  that  question  as  governor  of  the  Territory. 

And  before  proceeding  to  notice  in  detail  the  testimony,  such  as  it 
is,  adduced  for  that  purpose,  it  may  be  proper  here  to  advert  to  some 
strange  inconsistencies  in  the  report  of  the  majority,  and  which  are 
apparent  upon  its  face.  They  say,  for  instance,  "this  unlawful  in- 
terference has  been  continued  in  every  important  event  in  the  history 
of  the  Territory.  Every  election  has  been  controlled,  not  by  the  actual 
settlers,  but  by  citizens  of  Missouri ;  arid,  as  a  consequence,  every 
officer  in  the  Territory,  from  constables  to  legislators,  except  those 
appointed  by  the  President,  owe  their  positions  to  non-resident  voters. 
None  havo  been  elected  by  the  settlers,  and  your  committee  have  been 
unable  to  find  that  any  political  power  whatever,  however  unimport- 
ant, has  been  exercised  by  the  people  of  the  Territory." 

This  is  certainly  very  broad  and  sweeping  language  ;  and  who,  after 
having  heard  it  read,  was  not  surprised  to  hear  the  same  gentlemen 
admit,  in  an  after  part  of  their  report,  in  speaking  of  the  first  elec- 
tion for  a  delegate  to  Congress,  November  29,  1854,  and  after  giving 
all  the  facts  in  relation  to  that  election,  that  General  Whitfield  was 
duly  elected  a  delegate  to  Congress?  They  say,  "  of  the  legal  votes 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  ^3 

cast,  General  Whitjield  received  a  plurality,"  and  was  consequently  ,lulv 
elected.  And  if  he  was  duly  elected  by  legal  votes,  as  they  were-  Yorci-d 
to  admit  from  the  evidence,  then  the  result  could  not  have  heen  af- 
fected by  non-resident  voters. 

The  undersigned  does  not  deem  it  necessary  for  him  to  say  more 
upon  the  subject  of  that  election,  which  was  the  first  object  of  their 
inquiry. 

The  majority  admit  that  General  Whitfield  was  duly  elected  by  the 
actual  settlers  of  the  Territory,  and  those  who  were  entitled  to  vote. 
This  admission  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  their  previous  statement,  that 
no  person  had  been  elected  by  the  settlers,  and  that  they  had  been 
unable  to  find  that  any  political  power  whatever,  however  unimport- 
ant, had  been  exercised  by  the  people  of  the  Territory.  Like  incon- 
sistencies appear  in  their  statements  concerning  the  election  of  mem- 
bers of  the  legislature  on  the  30th  of  March,  185'5. 

They  say  in  the  first  place,  in  relation  to  this  election,  that  compa- 
nies of  m^n  from  Missouri  ic  were  arranged  in  regular  parties,  and 
sent  into  every  council  district  in  the  Territory,  and  into  every  repre- 
sentative district  but  one.  The  numbers  were  so  distributed  as  to  con- 
trol the  elections  in  each  district. " 

And  then,  under  the  head  of  "  tenth  district,"  they  say,  "  this  and 
the  c  eighth  election  district '  formed  one  representative  district,  and 
was  the  only  one  in  which  the  invasion  from  Missouri  did  not  extend.0 
But  under  the  head  of  "  twelfth  district/'  they  say,  "  the  election  in 
this  district  was  conducted  fairly  ;  no  complaint  was  made  that  illegal 
votes  were  cast." 

And  again,  under  the  head  of  "seventeenth  district,"  they  say, 
"  the  election  in  this  district  seems  to  have  been  fairly  conducted,  and 
not  contested  at  all.  In  this  district  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  ma- 
jority." 

These  contradictory  statements,  to  the  undersigned,  seem  wholly 
inexplicable,  and  he  leaves  them  for  the  majority  to  reconcile  or^  ex- 
plain as  best  they  may.  But  the  undersigned  affirms,  that  the  weight 
of  testimony  shows  that  the  majority  of  the  legal  voters  in  fourteen 
out  of  the  eighteen  election  districts  in  the  Territory  were  in  favor  of 
the  party  electing  a  majority  of  the  legislature,  as  returned  and  cer- 
tified to  by  the  governor.  And  the  testimony  as  to  the  other  districts, 
while  it  is  contradictory  on  some  points,  is  far  from  being  conclusive 
that  a  like  majority  did  not  exist  in  them.  This,  moreover,  appears 
from  the  report  of  the  majority  itself,  without  referring  to  the  test 
mony. 

The  Territory  was  divided  into  ten  council  election  districts 
fourteen  representative  districts.     The  first  council  district  embraced 
the  city  of  Lawrence— the  stronghold  of  the  abolition   or  free- 
partv,  as  it  is  called.     In  this  council  district,  the  whole  entire  i  >te 
cast 'for  the  free-State  ticket   was  but  255.     The  whole  numbe 
legal  voters  in  that  district,  by  the  census  in  February  before,  was 
446.     These  figures  are  taken  from  the  tabular  exhibit  given 
majority  themselves.     And  it  is  also  in  proof  by  Mr.  Ladd,  o 
Gov.  Keeder's  main  witnesses,  that  at  least  fifty  illegal  vote 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


given  for  the  free-State  ticket  in  Lawrence  by  eastern  emigrants  just 
arrived,  and  not  entitled  to  vote. 

These  figures  and  this  fact  show  that  the  free-State  ticket  did  not 
receive  a  majority  of  the  legal  voters  in  this  district;  for  if  fifty  be 
taken  from  the  255  cast  for  their  ticket,  it  would  leave  only  205,  being 
61  short  of  a  majority  of  the  466  legal  voters  in  the  district.  That 
Missourians  may  have  voted  there  illegally,  does  not,  and  cannot,  vary 
this  result.  But  the  election  at  Lawrence  was  set  aside  by  Gov.  Keeder 
for  informality  in  the  return. 

The  undersigned  has  compiled  tables,  comparing  the  votes  cast  for 
the  free-State  ticket  in  the  several  council  districts  and  representative 
districts  in  the  Territory.  This  is  taken  from  the  tables  exhibited  by 
the  majority.  It  is  part  of  their  own  showing.  In  it  will  be  seen 
the  number  of  votes  cast  in  each  district  for  the  free-State  tickets, 
compared  with  the  number  of  voters  at  the  time  the  census  was  taken 
in  each  respectively;  and  from  this  it  will  appear  that  the  free-State 
votes  fell  far  short  of  being  sufficient  to  elect  a  majority  in  either 
branch  of  the  legislature,  even  if  there  had  been  no  increase  of  voters, 
by  bona  fide  settlers,  between  the  time  the  census  was  taken  and  the 
election. 

But  the  concurrent  testimony  of  a  number  of  witnesses  establishes 
the  fact  conclusively,  in  the  opinion  of  the  undersigned,  that  the  emi- 
gration of  lona  fide,  settlers  from  the  southern  States  was  greater  in 
the  month  of  March,  after  the  census  was  taken,  than  in  any  equal 
time  previous. 

Here  are  the  tables  : 


REPRESENTATIVE  DISTRICTS. 

COUNCIL  DISTRICTS. 

1.1 

jjj 

*H     k' 

J!£3 

1 

d 

CD 

|| 

^ 

O)  £ 

-2  § 

2 

S-l     EC 

8.1 

fH 

•2^ 

§d 

o  ^O 

O    OQ 

>  ^ 

§"_> 

O    M 

>  3 

«  § 

«t-i   ® 

v-i  3 

<M  ^ 

**-<  "S 

^8 

o 

<*-!    ^ 

«4-l     g 

°  .^ 

o  « 

o  i 

O  -*J 

°jg 

o  ° 

o  o 

6  "S 

d 

d  <~j  "o 

d 

d 

d 

d  CJ  "S 

o% 

fc^ 

to 

Jz5' 

* 

1 

97 

19 

1 

1 

466 

255 

2 

2 

369 

253 

3 

2 

212 

12 

1 

3 

212 

12 

2 

3 

193 

44 

1 

4 

101 

4 

1 

4 

442 

156 

2 

5 

92 

49 

1 

5 

253 

1 

6 

253 

35 

2 

6 

201 

140 

1 

7 

242 

152 

4 

7 

247 

1 

8 

99 

120 

1 

8 

215 

60 

1 

9 

102 

26 

1 

9 

208 

1 

10 

83 

1 

10 

468 

66 

2 

11 

47 

54 

2 

12 

215 

2 

| 

13 

203 

2 

j 

14 

335 

59 

a 

1 

1 

This  shows  that  the  aggregate  of  the  votes  cast  in  the  Territory  for 
the  free-State  ticket  fell  short  of  800,  while  the  census  shows  that  there 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS  n-r 

were  2,905  legal  voters  in  the  Territory  in  the  Febma 
The  free-State picket,  therefore   did  noKi^nJ&f  CKi 
voters  of  the  Territory   even  if  all  be  excluded  from  the  account  who 
emigrated  to  the  Territory  after  the  census  was  taken 

This  fact  was  apparent  to  the  majority  of  the  committee      But  tW 
attempted  to  break  its  force  in  two  ways  :     First,  by  comparing  the 
names  on  the  poll-books  with  those  on  the  census  returns,  from  whie 
comparison  they  argue  that  only  a  fraction  over  1,300  of  the  le<ral 
voters  upon  the  census  returns  voted  at  that  election      And  secondlv 
)y  arguing  that  the  abolitionists  were  prevented  from  votino-  by  vio- 
ence,  threats,  and  intimidation. 

On  the  first  point,  the  undersigned  deems  it  unnecessary  to  say 
more  than  that  no  comparison  between  the  poll-books  and  the  census 
returns  was  made  except  by  districts.  Between  the  time  of  takino-  the 
census  and  the  election,  settlers  had  changed  their  residence  from  one 
part  of  the  Territory  to  another,,  and  doubtless  voted  in  a  place  differ- 
ent from  that  in  which  they  were  registered  when  the  census  was  taken. 
The  committee  did  not  compare  the  names  on  the  poll-books  with  the 
names  on  the  census  returns  throughout  the  Territory,  and  the  com- 
Darison  alluded  to  by  the  majority,  therefore,  by  no  means  proves  what 
;hey  claim  for  it. 

On  the  second  point  the  undersigned  will  barely  state  that  there  is 
no  evidence  that  any  violence  was  resorted  to,  or  force  employed,  by 
which  men  were  prevented  from  voting  at  a  single  election  precinct  in 
;he  Territory,  or  that  there  was  any  greater  disturbance  at  any  elec- 
tion precinct  than  frequently  occurs  in  all  our  State  elections  in  ex- 
citing times.  A  number  of  witnesses  on  both  sides  swear  that  men  on 
Doth  sides  had  arms,  guns,  pistols,  bowie-knives,  &c.,  and  made 
threats,  &c.  But  no  one  of  them  swears  that  any  one  was  prevented 
?rom  voting  by  the  use  of  these  weapons  in  a  single  instance,  to  the 
Dest  of  the  undersigned's  recollection.  The  testimony  from  beginning 
;o  end  does  not  disclose  the  fact  of  a  single  assault  and  battery  at  or 
about  the  polls,  or  on  account  of  the  side  on  which  any  one  wished  to 
vote  or  had  voted,  in  the  whole  Territory,  on  the  day  of  election. 
Some  quarrels  and  fights  occurred  at  two  or  three  places,  but  not  about 
voting,  and  not  as  many  in  the  whole  Territory  as  the  undersigned  is 
informed  occurred  at  one  precinct  in  this  city  at  the  late  municipal 
election. 

The  undersigned  will  now  take  up  and  proceed  with  the  districts  in 
their  order.  He  now  refers  to  the  election  districts.  There  were 
eighteen  of  these. 

FIRST  ELECTION  DISTRICT. 

The  testimony  in  this  district  shows  that  a  great  many  strangers 
were  present,  some  with  wagons  and  tents  ;  that  considerable  excite- 
ment prevailed.     But  there  "is  no  positive  evidence  of  but  a  very  lew 
persons,  known,  at  that  time  to  be  citizens  of  Missouri,  being  present. 
All  else  is  hearsay,  vague  and  uncertain.     While  this  is  so,  Mr.  fc 
ster,  in  his  deposition  hereunto  appended  and  made  part  < 
testifies  as  follows : 


76  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

"  I  emigrated  into  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  June,  1854,  and  set- 
tled in  the  neighborhood  of  Lawrence,  and  have  resided  there  ever 
since." 

{l  My  acquaintance  was  reasonably  extensive  in  that  district,  I 
knew  about  400  voters  who  resided  in  the  district,  but  I  did  not  know 
near  all  of  the  resident  voters  of  that  district.  So  far  as  I  know,  all 
the  resident  voters  of  that  district  were  present  and  voted." 

uAt  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  March,  1855,  there  was  a 
majority  of  pro-slavery  residents  in  the  Lawrence  district.  I  was  well 
acquainted  in  the  district.  There  were  about  200  free-State  resident 
voters  in  that  district,  and  there  were  from  300  to  400  pro-slavery 
voters  at  the  polls  that  day,  whom  I  knew  to  be  residents  of  that  dis- 
trict, and  a  great  many  of  them  voted  in  my  presence,  and  the  others 
told  me  they  had  voted." 

Besides  this,  the  testimony  of  other  witnesses  shows  that  a  large  im- 
migration of  bona  fide  settlers  from  Missouri  came  into  the  district 
after  the  census  was  taken,  and  before  the  election.  (1)  The  parties, 
says  one  witness,  were  pretty  nearly  divided — perhaps  more  of  the 
free-State  than  pro-slavery  party  ;  but  the  free-State  party  were  di- 
vided, and  many  voted  for  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  (2)  There  was 
no  intimidation  or  force  used  to  prevent  any  of  the  free-State  party 
from  voting,  and  all  could  have  voted  who  wished  to  vote.  (3)  In  the 
afternoon  gome  one  hundred  men,  who  had  come  in  with  Dr.  Charles 
Robinson  from  the  east,  marched  over  to  the  polls  and  voted  the  free- 
State  ticket.  (4)  They  were  said  to  have  come  into  the  Territory  that 
very  day.  (5) 

From  this  testimony,  it  is  difficult  for  the  undersigned  to  see  how 
the  majority  of  the  committee  could  come  to  the  conclusion  to  which 
they  arrived,  that  even  in  the  Lawrence  district  there  was  a  majority 
of  the  legal  voters  for  the  free-State  ticket. 

SECOND  DISTRICT. 

In  regard  to  this  district,  the  testimony  is  conflicting  and  contra- 
dictory ;  but  the  weight  of  the  evidence,  in  the  opinion  of  the  under- 
signed, shows  that  there  were  many  settlers  came  into  this  district 
after  the  census  was  taken,  and  before  the  March  election.  On  the 
morning  of  election  the  free-State  judges  took  arms  with  them  into 
the  judges'  room.  The  free-State  men,  under  the  lead  of  Judge 
Wakefield,  took  possession  of  the  polls,  and  required  all  the  pro- 
slavery  men  to  be  sworn  without  discrimination,  and  did  not  swear  any 
free-State  men.  The  pro-slavery  residents  objected  to  this,  and  de- 
clared that  both  parties  ought  to  be  sworn  alike.  After  some  time 
the  free-State  judges  resigned,  and  other  judges  were  selected  by  the 
crowd.  No  intimidation  was  used  to  prevent  the  free-State  men  from 
vefting,  but  all  were  asked  to  come  up  and  vote.  The  pro-slavery 

(1.)  Horatio  Owens,  James  Whitlock,  A.  B.  Wade. 
(?.)  James  Whitlock,  A.  B.  Wade. 
(3.)  Horatio  Owens,  J.  Whitlock,  A.  B.  Wade. 
(4.(  J.  Whitlock,  A.  B.  Wade,  J.  M.  Banks. 
(5.)  James  Whitlock,  John  M.  Banks. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  ** 

ticket  had  a  majority  in  the  district,  as  the  free-State  party  were  i 
united  on  their  ticket.  6      In  addition  to  the  general  testi me 
feting  to  th»  district   the  undersigned  begs  to"  call  th  ^  ftCtioVof 
the  House  especially  to  the  testimony  of  Parris  Ellison,  one  of  the 
judges  to  hold  said  election,  appointed  hy  Governor  Reeder  himself 
which  deposition,  with  others  in  relation  to  the  election  in  that  dW 
trict,  is  hereunto  appended  and  made  part  of  this  report.     Mr  Ell 
son,  in  his  deposition,  among  other  things,  says  : 

"The   undersigned,  Parris  Ellison,  states   on  oath-  That  I  em 
igrated    from    Missouri    to    Kansas,   and    settled    at   Douglas    the 
second  district,  in  Octoher,  1854,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since 
I  was  present  at  the  election  held  at  Mr.  Burson's,  in  the  second  dis- 
trict, on  the  oOth  March,  1855.     I  was  appointed  hy  Governor  Reeder 
as  one  of  the  judges,  and  Mr.  Bin-son  and  Mr.  Ramsay,  I  think,  were 
the  other  two.     "We  met  at  Mr.  Burson's  house  in  the  morning  be- 
fore the  hour  to  open  the  polls.     Mr.  Burson  was  a  magistrate,  ap- 
pointed  hy    Governor   Reeder,  and   he   qualified  me  and  qualified 
Ramsay.     Ramsay  qualified  Burson.     We  appointed  the  clerks,  and 
qualified  them.     George  W.  Taylor  was  one  of  the  clerks.     My  son 
Parris  was  very  sick  at  the  time,  and  I  wanted  to  resign.     I  proposed 
to  resign  if  the  other  judges  would  permit  me  to  name  a  man  to  serve 
in  my  place.     Judge  Wakefield,  one  of  the  candidates  on  the  free- 
State  ticket,  was  in  the  room,  and  interfered,  telling  the  judges  that 
they  had  power  to  name  the  man.     They  refused  to  let  me  appoint  a 
man  in  my  place,  and  I  determined  to  serve,  and  did  serve.     I  re- 
marked to  the  other  judges  that  we  were  sworn  to  act  impartially 
during  the  whole  day.     They  said,  Yes  ;  we  are  sworn  to  act  impar- 
tially.    We  agreed  that,  inasmuch  as  they  knew  a  great  many  voters 
that  I  did  not  know,  and  I  knew  a  great  many  that  they  did  not 
know,  that  those  whom  I  knew  should  vote  without  swearing,  and 
those  whom  they  knew  I  would  not  require  of  them  to  he  sworn,    tinder 
this  agreement  we  commenced  the  election.     After  some  twenty-nine 
or  thirty  votes  were  taken,  the  pro-slavery  party  had  some  two  to 
one  against  the  free-State  party.    The  other  two  judges  hegan  to  grum- 
Ue.     Dr.  Brooks  came  up  to  vote.     I  knew  Dr.  Brooks  had  a  claim 
in  that  district,  and  had  heen  on  it,  and  had  put  a  house  on  it. 

u  Dr.  Brooks  was  a  single  man,  and  afterwards  "brought  his  mother 
there,  and  has  resided  there  ever  since.    At  the  time  of  the  election  Dr. 
Brooks  claimed  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  district.     I  knew  him  to^  be  a 
resident,  and  under  our  agreement  I  wanted  to  take  his  vote  without 
swearing,  but  the  other  two  judges  refused  to  take  his  vote  unless  lie 
would  swear;    this  he  refused  to  do,  because  he  said  that  he  had 
understood  that,  under  the  agreement,  if  Mr.  Ellison  took  his  vote 
without  requiring  him  to  swear,  that  was  all  that  was  necessary. 
The  other  two  judges  still  refused  to  take   his  vote.      The  doctc 
stood  at  the  window  a  long  time,  and  said,  that  unless  they  would 
him  vote,  as  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  district,  and  had  been  * 
time  previous,  no  other  man  should  vote  there  that  day.     I  told 
that  if  they  refused  his  vote  it  would  create  a  fuss  and  confu 

(6.)  George  W.  Ward. 


78  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

that  it  would  be  violating  the  agreement  made  before  the  election  be- 
gan ;  but  still  refused.  Sherman  Woffal  then  came  up  to  vote  ;  but 
they  refused  to  take  his  vote  without  swearing.  Sherman  said  that 
he  could  prove  by  me  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  district,  and  had 
been  a  citizen  of  the  district  from  the  fall  before.  I  knew  that  Mr. 
Woffal  was  a  resident  of  the  district,  for  he  was  living  there  when  I 
went  to  the  district  to  live.  I  bought  hay  of  Mr.  Woffal  before  the 
election,  which  he  had  made  and  cured  the  summer  before.  They 
still  refused  to  let  him  vote,  unless  he  would  swear.  He  refused  to 
swear  because  they,  the  judges,  would  not  let  him  prove  his  residence. 
He  said  he  would  not  swear.  I  had  not,  up  to  this  time,  objected  to 
any  of  the  persons  that  came  up  to  vote  which  the  other  two  judges 
said  they  knew.  I  had  kept  the  agreement  made  between  us  to  the 
word  and  letter.  On  account  of  this  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  other 
two  judges,  a  fuss  and  confusion  arose  in  the  crowd  outside  of  the  house. 
While  the  fuss  was  going  on,  I  proposed  to  adjourn,  as  I  told  them  I 
thought  it  would  be  over  in  half  an  hour  or  so.  Mr.  Burson,  there- 
upon, adjourned  for  half  an  hour.  He  proclaimed  the  adjournment 
aloud.  I  told  each  one  of  the  judges  to  pick  up  a  poll-book.  I  took 
the  ballot-box,  which  one  of  the  judges  tried  to  take  from  me.  I 
think  it  was  Ramsay,  but  am  not  certain.  Sharp  words  passed  be- 
tween us,  but  I  kept  the  ballot-box,  and  they  took  the  poll-books  and 
went  off.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Jones  asked  me  where  the  poll- 
books  were?  I  told  him  that  Burson  and  Ramsay  had  taken  them 
off.  He  followed  them,  and  brought  the  poll-books  back.  I  waited 
until  the  half  hour  had  expired,  and  the  other  two  judges  did  not 
come  back.  I  waited  ten  minutes  longer.  I  called  them  ;  but  they 
did  not  come.  I  called  them  again,  and  they  did  not  appear.  I  told 
the  people  that  I  would  wait  five  or  ten  minutes  longer,  and  if  the 
other  two  judges  did  not  come  they  would  have  a  right  to  select  tvro 
men  to  act  in  their  places.  I  waited  ten  minutes  and  they  did  not 
come,  and  the  people  elected  two  men  to  act  in  their  places,  namely, 
Sherman  Woffal  and  Frank  Labay.  They  were  qualified.  I  asked 
Mr.  Taylor  to  repeat  the  oath  to  them,  which  he  did  ;  but,  by  mis- 
take, Mr.  Taylor  signed  the  oath  instead  of  myself.  Mr.  Taylor  had 
been  sworn  in  as  a  clerk  by  Mr.  Burson  and  Mr.  Ramsay.  Messrs. 
Woffal  and  Labay  and  I  then  opened  the  polls,  and  the  election 
went  off  quietly  during  the  remainder  of  the  day.  We  kept  the 
polls  open  until  6  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Andrew  McDonald  was 
the  pro-slavery  candidate  for  couucil,  and  Judge  Wakefield  was  the 
free-State  candidate  for  council.  0.  H.  Brown  and  Mr.  Ward  were 
the  pro-slavery  candidates  for  the  house  of  representatives,  and  Jesse 
was  one  of  the  free-State  candidates  for  the  house,  and  the  other 
I  do  not  remember.  All  the  votes  received  after  we  began  the 
second  time  were  for  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  The  ballot-box 
which  I  took  possession  of  at  the  time  of  the  adjournment  I  care- 
fully preserved,  and  did  not  open  it  until  6  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
It  was  then  opened  in  presence  of  the  other  two  judges,  who  had 
been  selected  by  the  people,  and  the  clerks.  The  ballots  were  count- 
ed, and  there  were  twenty-one  votes  for  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  and 


1 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  79 

twelve  votes  for  the  free-State  ticket.      When  we  commenced  tne 
election  the  second  time,  we  got  another  ballot-box. 

"When  I  got  there  in  the  morning,  there  were  some  thirty  or  forty 
men  present  about  the  house,  and  when  I  went  into  the  house  I  saw 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  guns  standing  in  one  corner  of  the  house, 
which  had  been  brought  there  by  the  free-State  men.  When  the 
adjournment  took  place,  the  guns  were  taken  away  by  the  free-State 
men.  These  guns  were  all  the  guns  that  I  saw  on  the  ground.  I 
did  not  see  a  gun  in  the  hands  of  a  pro-slavery  man  that  day.  There 
was  no  charge  made  with  either  guns  or  pistols  or  other  weapons  at 
the  window,  nor  were  there  any  threats  of  violence  made  by  the  pro- 
slavery  men.  There  was  no  violence  committed  by  the  pro- slavery 
me  1*1  there  that  day  to  the  judges,  nor  were  there  any  threats  of 
violence  offered,  as  I  saw.  I  did  not  see  Mr.  Samuel  Jones  pull  out 
his  watch  and  say  to  the  judges,  Eamsay  and  Burson,  that  he  would 
give  them  five  minutes  to  resign,  nor  did  I  hear  him  afterwards  say 
to  them  that  he  would  give  them  one  minute  to  resign.  If  this  had 
occurred,  I  should  have  seen  and  heard  it,  for  I  was  in  the  house  all 
the  time,  and  was  at  the  door  when  these  two  judges  came  out.  I 
did  not  see  Samuel  Jones  in  the  house  at  any  time  while  Ramsay  and 
Burson  were  there.  In  my  neighborhood  I  was  well  acquainted  with 
the  settlers  there,  and  at  the  time  of  the  election  and  before.  The 
residents  were  almost  all  pro-slavery.  From  what  I  knew  myself, 
and  the  information  received  from  the  census  taker  and  others,  I  am 
eatisfied  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  decided  majority  in  the 
second  district." 

This  is  the  district  in  which  it  is  represented  that  sheriff  Jones 
figured  so  conspicuously.  The  testimony  of  Mr.  Ellison  clearly  dis- 
proves all  such  allegations.  Other  depositions,  ^herewith  filed  and 
made  part  of  this  report,  fully  confirm  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Ellison. 

THIRD  DISTRICT. 

The  testimony  in  relation  to  this  district  is,  that  the  pro-slavery 
party  had  a  majority  among  the  actual  settlers  of  the  district.  (7) 

FOURTH  DISTRICT. 

The  testimony  in  relation  to  this  district  shows  that  the  pro-slavery 
party  had  a  majority  among  the  actual  settlers.  (8) 

FIFTH  DISTRICT. 

In  this  district  the  testimony  goes  to  shoTv  that  there  was  a  major- 
ity for  the  free-State  party. 

SIXTH  DISTRICT. 
The  testimony  goes  to  show  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  major- 


(7.)  Gee.  Holmes. 

(8)  A.  S.  Johnson,  T.  Mockbee. 


80  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

ity  of  the  actual  settlers  in  this  district,  and  also  that  most  of  the  free- 
State  men  voted  for  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  (9) 

SEVENTH  DISTRCT. 

The  testimony  shows  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority 
among  the  actual  settlers  in  this  district. (10) 

EIGHTH  DISTRICT. 

As  to  this  district,  no  testimony  was  taken  on  either  side,  so  far 
as  the  undersigned  now  remembers. 

NINTH  DISTRICT. 

The  testimony  shows  that  in  this  district  the  pro-slavery  party 
were  in  the  majority  among  the  actual  settlers.  (11) 

TENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  testimony  shows  that  the  election  was  conducted  fairly  in  this 
district,  and  the  result  would  not  have  heen  changed  "by  the  rejection 
of  all  me  illegal  votes  on  both  sides. 

ELEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

In  this  district  there  is  no  evidence  to  impeach  the  correctness  of  the 
election  returns  as  made  to  and  sanctioned  by  the  governor. 

TWELFTH  DISTRICT. 

There  is  no  evidence  to  impeach  the  correctness  of  the  returns  of 
election  for  this  district. 

THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  evidence  shows  that  there  was  a  pro-slavery  majority  of  the 
actual  residents  in  this  district,  and  that  there  was  no  force  or  intimi- 
dation used  to  prevent  free-State  men  from  voting.  (12) 

FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  evidence  shows  that  the  pro-slavery  party  was  largely  in  the 
majority  among  the  actual  residents  in  this  district ;  that  the  election 
was  peaceable  and  quiet,  and  that  no  intimidation  was  used  to  pre- 
vent any  one  from  voting.  (13) 


(9)  Win.  Barbee,  Joseph  C.  Anderson,  S.  A.  Williams,  T.  B.  Arnett. 

(10)  C.  A.  Linkenaugcr,  Andrew  Johnson. 

(11)  C.  R.  Mobley,  Thomas  Reynolds. 

(12)  Wm.  Tebbs,  0.  H.  Tebbs,  and  others. 

(13)  W.  P.  Richardson,  Willard  P.  Hall,  J.  H.  Whitehead,  J.  P.  Blair,  and  others. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRE  81 

FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  evidence  in  regard  to  this  district  shows  that  the  pro-slaver 
party  were  largely  in  the  majority  among  the  actual  residents — prob- 
ably  ten  to  one — and  that  there  was  no  force  or  intimidation  used  to 
prevent  any  man  from  voting.  (14) 

SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  evidence  shows  that  the  election  in  this  district  was  conducted 
peaceahly  and  quietly,  and  no  intimidation  or  force  used  to  prevent 
any  one  from  voting.  There  was  a  decided  pro-slavery  majority 
among  the  actual  settlers  in  this  district.  (15) 

SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


The  evidence  shows  that  in  this  district  the  election  was  conducted 
peaceahly  and  quietly,  and  that  the  pro-slavery  party  were  in  the 
majority  among  the  actual  settlers.  (16) 

EIGHTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

The  evidence  shows  that  the  election  was  conducted  peaceahly  and 
quietly,  and  that  there  was  a  decided  pro-slavery  majority  among  the 
actual  settlers  in  this  district.  (1*7) 

Upon  an  examination  of  the  testimony  taken  "before  the  committee,' 
what  the  undersigned  has  affirmed  in  relation  to  these  several  district* 
will  he  found  to  be  sustained  by  the  proof.  And  from  all  the  testi- 
mony collected,  when  compared  and  weighed  properly,  the  under- 
signed feels  confident  that  it  will  appear  to  every  unprejudiced  mind, 
not  only  that  General  Whitfield  was  duly  elected,  by  the  actual 
and  bonajide  residents,  a  delegate  to  Congress  at  the  first  election, 
in  November,  1854,  but  that  the  free-State  party  was  in  the  minority 
in  the  Territory  at  the  March  election  in  1855,  for  members  of  the 
legislature;  and  that  that  election  was  not  carried  either  by  force, 
violence,  or  non-residents,  but  that  a  majority  of  the  legislature  was 
duly  elected  as  certified  to  by  the  governor,  and  was  properly  consti- 
tuted as  a  law-making  body ;  and,  as  a  consequence,  that  the  laws 
passed  by  them,  as  far  as  they  are  consistent  with  the  constitution 
of  the  United  States  and  the  organic  act  of  the  Territory,,  are  valid  ; 
and,  as  a  further  consequence,  that  the  sitting  delegate,  having  been 
duly  elected  a  delegate  to  Congress  under  a  Territorial  law  thus 
passed,  is  entitled  to  a  seat  on  this  floor  as  such. 

And  having  gone  through  this  branch  of  the  subject,  the  under- 
signed now  beg  leave  to  refer  to  other  matters  alluded  to  by  the  ma- 
jority of  the  committee  in  their  report.  They  speak  of  a  certain  secret 
political  society  formed  in  the  State  of  Missouri,  known  by  different 

(14)  John  W.  Marfm,  N.  Williams. 

(15)  W.  G.  Matthias,  L.  J.  Eastin,  K.  B,  Bees,  Amos  Bees,  A.  T.  Pattie,  J.  H.  Day,  A. 
McAulej^  and  others. 

(16)  Cyprian  Chouteau,  Rev.  T.  Johnson. 

(17)  R.  L.  Kirk,  J.  W.  Foreman. 

H.  Rep.  200 6 


82  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

names,  such  as  " Social  Band/'  "Friends'  Society,"  "Blue  Lodge/' 
"Sons  of  the  South" — the  object  of  which  was  to  send  emigrants  into 
Kansas  for  the  purpose  of  making  it  a  slave  State. 

In  reply  to  this  part  of  their  report  it  is  only  necessary  to  state 
that  the  evidence  shows  that  these  organizations  were  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  counteracting  similar  and  other  organizations,  first  started 
at  the  east  and  elsewhere,  for  the  purpose  of  colonizing  the  Territory 
with  persons  for  the  avowed  object  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State, 
and  in  this  way  ultimately  affecting  injuriously  the  institutions  of 
Missouri. 

The  first  society  of  this  kind  was  formed  in  the  city  of  Washington, 
immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill.  It  was 
composed  of  members  of  Congress  of  both  branches,  and  others. 

T&e  undersigned  refers,  in  this  connexion,  to  the  testimony  of  the 
Hon.  Daniel  Mace,  a  member  from  Indiana,  which  is  appended  to 
this  report  and  made  part  thereof.  In  his  deposition  he  states  that 
such  an  association  was  formed  in  Washington  immediately  after  the 
passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act.  It  was  called  the  Kansas  Aid 
Society,  the  members  of  which  subscribed  various  sums  of  money,  he 
himself  subscribing  $50  or  $100,  he  is  not  certain  which  amount.  The 
object  of  the  movement  was  to  induce  persons  to  go  to  Kansas  who 
would  make  that  their  home,  and  who  would  at  all  elections  vote 
against  the  institution  of  slavery.  Mr.  Goodrich,  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Kepresentatives  from  Massachusetts,  was  the  president  of  the 
society. 

Soon  after  this  society  was  formed,  other  societies  were  formed  in 
the  eastern  States  for  the  same  object ;  that  is,  for  the  purpose  of  send- 
ing persons  to  Kansas  to  control  the  elections  there.  A  society  of  this 
kind  formed  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  commenced  sending  emigrants 
to  Kansas  for  this  avowed  object.  To  show  the  object  of  this  last-' 
named  Emigrant  Aid  Company,  the  undersigned  begs  leave  to  refer  to; 
a  letter  written  by  Thomas  H.  Webb,  corresponding  secretary  of  the; 
company,  and  which  is  among  the  testimony  taken  by  the  committee. . 
It  is  as  follows  : 

BOSTON,  August  14,  1854. 

DEAR  SIR  :  By  the  pamphlet  mailed  you,  much  of  the  information 
which  you  desire  can  be  obtained. 

The  next  party  will  leave  here  on  the  29th  inst.,  at  quarter  past 
2  p.  m.  ;  they  will  go  via  Buffalo,  Detroit,  Chicago,  Alton,  and  St. 
Louis,  and  will  disembark  at  Kansas  City,  near  the  mouth  of  Kansas: 
river.  The  fare  through  will  be  about  $25  for  first-class  accommoda- 
tions; meals  extra,  which  need  not  cost,  on  an  average,  more  than; 
twenty  cents.  Each  person  is  allowed  100  pounds  of  baggage,  and  fon 
all  excess  will  be  liable  to  pay  about  $3  per  100.  Children  underi 
thnee  years  will  be  taken  free ;  between  three  and  twelve,  pay  half- 
price.  No  pledges  are  required  from  those  who  go  ;  but  as  our  prin-j 
ciples  are  known,  we  trust  those  who  differ  from  us  will  be  honest 
enough  to  take  some  other  route. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  83 

The  agent  who  located  our  pioneer  party  will  accompany  the  next 
one,  and  furnish  all  requisite  information. 
Yours,  respectfully, 

THOMAS  H.  WEBB, 

Sec.  Em.  Aid  a<* 
A.  JENNINGS,  Provincetoivn,  Mass. 

The  undersigned  also  refers  to  a  pamphlet  admitted  in  evidence  be- 
fore the  committee,  from  which  he  submits  the  following  extracts  : 

"  THE  PIONEER  PARTY. — Charles  H.  Branscomb,  esq. ,  one  of  the  com- 
pany's agents,  went  up  with  the  pioneer  party,  and  located  them  on  a 
beautiful  tract  of  land  previously  selected  by  him  as  an  advantageous 
position  for  a  town-site.  This  spot  is  situated  six  miles  above  the 
Wakarusa,  a  tributary  of  the  Kansas  river,  and  about  thirty-five  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  latter  stream,  on  its  south  side.  For  a  brief 
description,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  paragraph  commencing  on 
page  eleven,  and  continued  on  page  twelve,  of  this  pamphlet. 

"  Mr.  B.  travelled  in  various  sections  of  the  Territory,  and  says  it  is 
impossible  for  one  who  has  not  been  in  that  region  to  conceive  of  its 
beauty  and  fertility  ;  he  confirms  all  the  statements  that  have  been 
made  respecting  it  in  our  pamphlet. 

"  The  second  party  left  this  city  on  Tuesday,  the  29th  of  August. 
They  reached  Kansas  City  September  6th,  and  entered  the  Territory 
under  the  guidance  of  Charles  Robinson  and  S.  L.  Pomeroy,  agents  of 
the  company.  They  were  cordially  received  by  the  pioneer  party, 
and  have  made  a  joint  settlement  at  the  beautiful  site  selected  by  Mr. 
Branscomb. 

"  The  third  party,  under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Branscomb,  (who  has 
returned  twice  from  Kansas  since  July,)  left  Boston  September  26th. 
It  numbered  eighty-six  persons,  to  which  accessions  were  made  at 
Worcester,  Rochester,  and  elsewhere  westward.  Messrs.  Pomeroy 
and  Robinson  are  making  great  exertions  to  accommodate  the  parties 
for  the  winter,  and  to  provide  the  materials  for  the  erection  of  houses 
in  the  spring.  This  pressure  of  business  involves  a  large  expenditure, 
which  their  experience  will  enable  them  to  make  with  prudence  and 
discretion.  But  their  drafts  cannot  be  met  with  the  funds  in  the 
hands  of  the  trustees,  unless  '  material  aid'  furnished  by  those  who 
wish  for  success  to  the  enterprise  shall  be  very  much  greater  than  it 
has  been  thus  far. 

"  The  fourth  party  left  this  city  the  17th  of  October.  It  numbered 
123  individuals,  to  which  sixty  were  added  at  Worcester,  a  number  at 
Springfield,  Albany,  Rochester,  and  Buffalo.  At  Chicago  a  large  ac- 
cession was  anticipated,  and  ere  leaving  St.  Louis  the  number  will 
exceed  250." 

This  was  all  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1854,  and  prior  to  the  first 
election  for  a  delegate  to  Congress,  in  November  of  that  year. 
Whatever  organizations,  therefore,  were  formed  in  Missouri,  of  the 
character  alluded  to  by  the  majority  of  the  committee,  were  formed 
solely  and  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  counteracting  those  organiza- 
tions previously  formed  elsewhere.  This  the  testimony  abundantly 
proves. 


84  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

The  testimony  also  shows  that  emigrants  going  out  under  those 
and  similar  organizations  were  supplied  with  arms  and  munitions  of 
war.  Great  numbers  of  Sharpens  rifles  and  several  pieces  of  artillery- 
were  sent  to  the  Territory.  And  if  arms  were  taken  by  emigrants 
from  Missouri,  it  was  only  for  the  purpose  of  defence  against  arms 
in  the  hands  of  emigrants  from  other  quarters. 

The  testimony  shows  that  large  numbers  of  persons  sent  out  by 
these  eastern  societies  went  into  the  Territory  during  the  month  of 
March,  just  before  the  election,  declaring  it  to  be  their  intention  to 
vote  ;  that  they  came  there  for  that  purpose ;  and  in  a  few  days  after 
the  election,  great  numbers  of  these  persons  were  seen  returning  to 
the  north  and  east,  saying,  many  of  them,  that  they  had  voted.*  Tbe 
testimony  also  shows  that  a  large  number  of  Missouri  ans  went  over 
to  the  Territory  on  the  clay  of  election,  merely  to  prevent  illegal 
voting  on  the  part  of  these  eastern  emigrants,  and  few  of  these 
Missourians,  and  only  a  few,  are  proven  to  have  voted,  and  their 
names  given,  by  the  testimony  ;  not  as  many  in  all  as  those  of  the 
eastern  emigrants,  who  it  is  proven  voted  illegally  at  Lawrence. 

The  majority  of  your  committee  in  their  report  say,  that  the  only 
cause  of  the  hostilities  in  the  Territory  was  the  known  desire  of  the 
citizens  of  Lawrence  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  their  repug- 
nance to  laws  imposed  upon  them  by  non-residents. 

The  undersigned,  however,  is  unable  to  concur  with  them  in  that 
allegation.  On  the  contrary ^  he  affirms,  what  he  believes  to  be  the 
truth  of  the  matter,  that  the  cause  of  all  the  difficulties  in  the  Terri- 
tory of  Kansas,  from  its  organization  down  to  the  present  time,  is  to 
to  be  found,  first,  as  before  stated,  in  the  various  organizations  of 
members  of  Congress,  and  in  the  northern  and  eastern  States,  with 
the  avowed  purpose  of  colonizing  the  Territory  with  persons  of  anti- 
slavery  sentiments,  to  the  end  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State ; 
secondly,  that  finding  themselves  defeated  and  thwarted  in  their  pur- 
pose of  electing  a  legislature  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State, 
as  shown  in  a  former  part  of  this  report,  being  chagrined  and  morti- 
fied, they,  the  anti-slavery  party  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  in  a  fit! 
of  desperation,  determined  to  set  themselves  up  in  opposition  to,  and 
in  resistance  of,  the  laws  passed  by  the  Kansas  legislature,  and  to 
resist  them  to  a  ''bloody  issue,"  if  necessary  to  their  defeat  and  utterj 
subversion.  Indeed,  the  undersigned  affirms,  that  even  before  thej 
legislature  convened,  there  were  propositions  made  to  form  an  organP 
zation  of  a  military  character,  to  resist  any  and  all  laws  which  might 
be  enacted  by  that  legislature,  by  force  of  arms,  even  should  sucW 
resistance  result  in  the  subversion  of  the  government  of  the  Terri 
tory,  and  to  the  peril  of  the  Union  itself. 

In  proof  of  this  allegation,  the  undersigned  begs  leave  to  refer 
the  testimony  of  Dr.  J.  N.  0.  P.  Wood,  which  is  as  follows : 

"  I  came  into  the  Territory  first  about  the  1st  of  April,  1854 ;  } 
located  permanently  in  Lawrence  about  the  fah  of  October,  1854  ;  I 
resided  there  until  some  time  the  last  of  March,  or  the  1st  of  AprL 
last,  and  then  I  went  to  Lecompton.  About  the  time  1  came  there 

CIT.  M.  Mahan,  H.  M.  Blossom,  and  others. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  85 

there  was  considerable  difficulty  between  what  was  called  the  Law- 
rence Association,  of  which  Dr.  Robinson  was  president,  and  the  set- 
tlfirs  that  were  not  members  of  this  association.  The  members  of  the 
association  held  a  meeting  two  or  three  evenings  after  I  got  there,  and 
elected  a  judge,  and  a  Mr.  Grover  marshal,  and  organized  a  compa- 
ny, which  I  think  they  called  the  '  shot-gun  battalion,'  for  the  pur- 
pose of  preventing  persons  that  did  not  belong  to  their  association 
from  settling  about  the  place,  and  taking  timber  and  stone  from  the 
claims  of  those  who  did  live  there.  They  said  there  was  no  law  in 
the  Territory  ;  that  the  organic  act  was  unconstitutional — made  so  by 
the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  compromise  ;  and  that*  they  intended  to  form 
an  association,  and  make  and  enforce  their  own  laws,,  irrespective  of 
the  laws  of  Congress,  until  there  could  be  a  change  in  Congress,  by 
which  the  Missouri  compromise  could  be  restored,  and  the  organic  act 
set  aside. 

"  There  was  no  open  opposition  to  the  execution  of  the  laws  until 
Governor  Reeder  appointed  justices  of  the  peace^  and  one  or  two  mem- 
bers of  this  association  were  arrested.  They  refused  to  recognise  the 
power  ol  the  justice  of  the  peace,  and  refused  to  attend  as  witnesses, 
and  would  only  attend  their  own  provisional  court,  as  they  termed  it. 

"  When  the  legislature  was  about  to  be  elected,  they  held  a  meet- 
ing, and  brought  out  their  candidates.  After  the  legislature  was 
elected,  and  before  they  met,  there  were  several  meetings  held  in 
Lawrence,  arid  at  those  meetings  they  passed  resolutions  declaring 
they  would  submit  to  no  laws  passed  by  that  legislature.  This  was  what 
was  called  the  Lawrence  association,  different  from  the  town  associa- 
tion. It  was  composed  of  men  sent  out  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  society,  and  Dr.  Robinson  was  at  the  head  of  the  asso- 
ciation. Many  belonging  to  this  association  lived  in  different  parts 
of  the  Territory.  They  were  allowed  to  vote  at  the  meetings  of  the 
association,  which  I  sometimes  attended,  and  those  who  were  not 
enrolled  as  members  of  the  association  were  not  allowed  to  vote  or 
debate  at  their  meetings.  Some  of  them  lived  at  Ossawatomie,  To- 
peka,  Manhattan,  and  other  places  in  the  Territory.  They  resolved 
not  to  obey  the  laws  that  would  be  passed  by  the  legislature,  and  only 
obey  their  own  provisional  laws  until  they  could  form  a  provisional 
government  for  the  Territory. 

11  The  first  general  meeting,  while  the  legislature  was  in  session, 
was  held  in  Lawrence  in  July  or  August,  1855.  Before  that  time 
their  meetings  had  been  of  the  association  ;  but  this  was  the  first  gea- 
eral  meeting.  That  was  the  first  meeting  at  which  I  recollect  hear- 
ing Colonel  Lane  take  ground  in  opposition  to  the  laws  that  the  legis- 
lature, then  in  session,  should  pass.  All  the  public  speakers  that  I 
heard  there,  said  they  did  not  intend  to  obey  the  laws  that  should  be 
passed,  but  intended  to  form  a  provisional  government  for  themselves. 
After  the  legislature  adjourned,  the  first  meeting  at  which  I  heard 
any  declarations  with  regard  to  the  resistance  of  the  laws  was  held 
at  Blanton's  bridge.  Col.  Lane,  Mr.  Emery,  and  Mr.  John  Hutchin- 
Bon  addressed  the  meeting,  urging  the  people  to  resist  the  laws,  let 
the  consequences  be  what  they  might. 

"  In  private  conversation  with  those  men,  they  always  expressed 


86  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

their  determination  to  resist  the  laws,  and  said  the  officers  and  posse 
should  not  enforce  the  laws.  They  said  they  had  a  new  code  of  laws 
called  Sharpe's  Revised  Statutes,  and  they  were  going  to  use  them  in 
preference  to  any  others.  It  was  a  common  remark,  that  they  would 
use  Sharpe's  revised  statutes  in  preference  to  any  others. 

"  I  think  the  first  hox  of  rifles  carne  there  marked  Revised  Statutes. 
I  think  after  Mr.  Dietzler  came  hack  he  said  he  brought  the  rifles 
with  him.  When  they  were  brought  to  Lawrence  they  wanted  to  put 
them  in  my  warehouse.  They  were  lying  at  my  door,  and  I  inquired 
what  they  were,  and  -Mr.  Salter,  who  was  keeping  the  warehouse  for 
me,  said  they  were  emigrant  aid  guns.  I  objected  to  their  being  put 
in -my  warehouse,  and  they  were  taken  and  put  in  Mr.  Simpson's 
office.  I  told  them  I  would  not  be  the  first  to  harbor  guns  brought 
there  for  revolution. 

"I  often  expostulated  with  Lane,  Robinson,  and  others,  both  pub- 
licly and  privately,  as  to  their  course,  and  addressed  the  meeting  at 
Blanton's  bridge  in  opposition  to  their  course.  They  said  they  would 
resist  the  laws  regardless  of  consequences, 

"  The  next  public  meeting  I  recollect  of  was  the  Big  Springs  con- 
vention. At  that  convention  I  had  but  little  conversation,  except 
with  Governor  Reeder  and  Judge  Johnson.  Prior  to  the  meeting 
several  days,  Governor  Reeder  came  up  to  our  place.  I  heard  that 
he  was  urging  the  people  to  resist  the  laws,  and  do  so  by  setting  a 
different  day  for  the  election  of  delegate  to  Congress,  on  which  he 
should  be  voted  for.  I  called  on  him  at  his  room,  and  asked  him  if 
he  had  recommended  that  course,  and  he  said  that  he  had  intended 
to  have  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  but  upon  reflection  he  had  con- 
cluded that  if  they  would  take  that  course  at  the  convention,  he 
would  be  a  candidate  for  Congress,  and  had  returned  from  Kansas 
City,  where  he  had  taken  his  trunks  and  baggage.  He  said  he  had 
understood  since  he  came  there  that  Lane,  Roberts,  and  others,  would 
be  candidates  before  the  convention  ;  but  if  they  would  witladraw, 
and  the  course  he  had  indicated  was  taken,  he  would  be  a  candidate 
for  Congress.  He  said  it  would  give  him  an  opportunity  to  bring 
the  matter  before  Congress,  and  with  the  majority  they  had  then  in 
Congress  against  the  democratic  party  he  thought  he  could  succeed 
in  ousting  General  Whitfield  if  elected. 

"  A  meeting  was  held  in  Lawrence,  and  it  was  agreed  upon  that 
a  different  day  should  be  fixed  upon  for  the  election  ;  and  the  candi- 
dates who  were  there — Robinson,  Lane,  and  some  others — agreed  to 
withdraw  in  favor  of  Governor  Reeder.  This  was  four  or  five  days 
before  the  Big  Springs  convention. 

"  I  rode  up  to  that  convention  in  company  with  General  Pomeroy, 
who  invited  me  to  go  up  with  him.  At  the  convention  I  had  another 
conversation  with  Governor  Reeder.  We  had  always  been  on  the 
most  intimate  terms,  and  I  talked  with  him  as  I  would  with  any 
friend.  I  talked  with  him,  and  said  that  I  thought  that  by  taking 
that  course,  and  thereby  repudiating  the  laws,  it  would  bring  a  state 
of  anarchy  upon  the  Territory  that  he  nor  I  would  probably  live  to 
see  the  end  of.  I  said  it  would  be  opening  the  door  and  giving  an 
invitation  to  outlaws  outside  of  the  Territorv  to  come  and  make  that 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  87 

the  field  of  operations  ;  that  it  would  bring  about  a  state  of  things 
that  would  be  injurious  to  the  country,  by  preventing  capitalists  from 
risking  their  means  in  such  a  country. 

"  He  replied  that  he  thought  differently  ;  that  they  had  determined 
to  adopt  the  platform  of  the  Topeka  convention,  held  before  that  time, 
recommending  the  formation  of  a  provisional  government.  I  think 
he  took  a  pencil  and  draughted  a  resolution  recommending  the  calling 
of  a  convention  to  form  a  State  constitution.  He  said  he  would  offer 
that  resolution  ;  they  could  go  on  and  form  their  State  constitution, 
appoint  an  executive  committee  to  issue  a  proclamation  calling  for 
the  election  of  delegates  to  form  a  free-State  constitution,  and  they 
would  elect  their  members  to  the  legislature,  pass  their  laws  ;  and  if 
Congress  did  not  admit  them,  they  would  pass  their  own  laws,  and 
go  on  independently  of  Congress,  until  such  time  as  they  could  be 
admitted. 

"I  remarked,  that  would  bring  them  immediately  in  conflict  with  the 
acts  of  the  Territorial  legislature,  one  or  the  other  of  which  must 
become  supreme  ;  and  I  thought  it  would  necessarily  bring  on  a  colli- 
sion between  the  two  opposing  parties^  and  involve  the  country  in  an 
armed  difficulty. 

"  He  replied,  that  they  had  made  up  their  minds  to  resist  the  laws, 
and  by  forming  a  free-State  constitution  they  could  get  the  aid  and 
sympathy  of  the  Noi'th  to  help  them  enforce  their  provisional  laws  ; 
that  they  were  determined  to  resist  the  Territorial  laws.  That  was 
about  the  substance  of  the  conversation. 

"  In  his  speech  before  the  convention,  he  urged  them  to  resist 
the  Territorial  laws  at  all  hazards.  I  have  read  the  speech  of  Gov. 
Reeder  as  reported  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Big  Springs  convention, 
in  a  printed  copy  now  before  me.  I  cannot  say  that  it  contains  all 
his  speech.  He  spoke  for  an  hour,  or  a  little  over  an  hour.  I  under- 
stood him  distinctly  to  say  this :  that  he  wanted  them,  if  they  had 
any  regard  for  their  rights,  not  to  appeal  to  the  laws  for  redress,  nor 
answer  others  if  appealed  to.  He  called  them  '  bogus'  laws,  meaning 
thereby  the  Territorial  laws.  That,  I  think,  is  about  the  substance  of 
what  he  said. 

"I  came  down  home,  I  believe,  in  company  with  Judge  Johnson, 
who  disapproved  of  the  course  adopted.  I  had  conversations  with 
Governor  Reeder  afterwards,  but  we  held  our  respective  positions. 

"  A  proclamation  was  issued  by  what  was  called  the  Executive 
Committee,  calling  an  election  for  State  officers  and  legislature,  a  con- 
vention to  form  a  State  constitution  having  met  and  formed  a  State 
constitution.  I  talked  with  Lane  and  Robinson  often  about  this  matter. 
There  were  free-State  men  in  Lawrence  who  opposed  this  course^  and 
oppose  it  yet.  I  myself  co-operated  with  the  free-State  party,  until 
they  took  these  revolutionary  steps,  and  then  I  left  them. 

"  I  lived  in  Illinois  twelve  years  before  I  came  to  this  Territory." 

Indeed  the  undersigned  affirmed,  upon  the  testimony,  that  either 
before  the  meeting  of  the  legislature,  or  during  its  session,  or  after  its 
adjournment,  there  were  other  organizations  formed,  to  resist  by  force 
of  arms  the  execution  of  any  laws  the  legislature  might  pass,  or  any 
which  they  had  passed,  at  all  hazards,  even  to  the  destruction  of  the 


88  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Territorial  government,  and  the  dismemberment  of  the  confederacy 
itself.  In  proof  of  this  assertion  the  undersigned  begs  leave  to  refer 
to  the  testimony  of  Pat.  Laughlin,  and  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Andrew 
J.  Francis. 

Pat.  Laughlin  testifies,  in  substance,  that  he  came  to  Kansas  from 
the  State  of  Kentucky,  in  May,  1855.  He  settled  in  Doniphan,  and 
favored  the  free-soil  sentiment.  He  became  a  free-soiler  about  the 
middle  of  August,  1855,  and  had  a  meeting  of  that  party  on  the  25tk 
of  the  same  month;  at  which  meeting  S.  Collins  presided. 

The  meeting — although  it  was  one  intended  for  all  of  the  four- 
teenth election  district,  as  designated  by  Gov.  Eeeder,  in  his  official 
proclamation  governing  the  spring  election  of  1855 — had  but  about 
forty  members  in  it,  and  that,  too,  in  a  district  far  more  thickly  pop- 
ulated than  any  other  district  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas. 

This  meeting  was  addressed  by  A.  Lazelere,  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler,  C. 
W.  Stewart,  B.  Harding,  and  others,  all  of  whom  urged  very  strongly 
on  the  meeting  the  necessity  of  forming  a  society  something  on  the 
order  of  ihe  "Know-nothings,"  by  which  they  could  unite  their  small 
party,  and  labor  more  effectually  against  the  pro-slavery  party.  This 
idea  was  received  with  general  acclamation  by  every  member  of  the 
meeting  but  himself.  He  thought  this  a  good  sign  of  their  "  Know- 
nothing"  origin.  He  therefore  opposed  the  manoeuvres  they  were 
making;  "told  them  if  they  went  into  such  measures,  they  would  find 
in  him  an  unrelenting  enemy.  They,  sooner  than  cause  any  disturb- 
ance in  their  yet  feeble  ranks,  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  such  organiza- 
tions. The  meeting  then  went  on;  and,  after  disposing  of  all  busi- 
ness before  it,  we  had  speeches  from  several  of  the  leading  men — S. 
Collins,  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler,  C.'W.  Stewart,  John  Fee,  A.  Lazelere, 
B.  Harding,  B.  G.  Cady,  and  others — many  of  whom  strongly  urged 
that  the  people  ought  to  rise  in  arms,  and  with  their  might  resist  the 
authorities;  and  sooner  than  permit  slavery  in  Kansas,  or  even  to 
submit  to  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise,  to  go  with  al] 
their  might  for  a  disunion  ef  the  States  ;  and,  in  order  to  effect  their 
purpose,  shed,  if  necessary,  the  last  drop  of  their  blood.  Those 
speeches  were  received  with  acclamation  by  the  poor  deluded  listeners. 
He  was  appointed  at  this  meeting,  together  with  several  others,  to 
represent  the  people  of  this  (14th)  district  at  the  Big  Springs  conven- 
tion, to  be  held  on  the  5th  of  September.  Next  day  several  of  the 
delegates  met,  and  solicited  him  to  go  before  the  rest  several  days, 
that  he  might  find  out  what  our  party  was  doing  in  other  parts  of  the 
Territory.  He  started  for  Lawrence  on  the  27th  of  August,  and  after 
riding  as  far  as  Ocena,  in  Atchison  county,  he  stopped  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Crosby,  and  made  himself  known  to  him.  He  then  made  him 
acquainted  with  the  secret  military  organization,  which  organization 
had  been  on  foot  from -the  4th  of  April,  1855.  (There  was  another 
society  previous  to  this.)  Mr.  Crosby  then  gave  him  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction to  G.  W.  Brown,  of  the  Herald  of  Freedom. 

He  went  to  Lawrence,  and  after  acquainting  Brown  with  his  busi- 
ness, and  giving  him  the  letter  of  Mr.  Crosby,  he  showed  him  a  great 
number  of  Sharpe's  rifles — he  supposed  about  75  or  100 — and  told  him 
they  were  sent  to  them  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  of  Boston;  that 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  89 

tis  society  had  also  sent,  and  would  continue  to  send,  men  and  means 
make  Kansas  a  free  State  by  force,  if  necessary.  He  told  him  that 
the  arms  and  munitions  of  war  were  sent  generally  as  dry  goods  or 
>ks  to  the  agent  of  the  society;  and  were  sent  concealed  in  this 

tanner,  that  they  might  not  he  detected  by  the  United  States  offi- 
cers. He  told  him  that  when  our  regiment  would  number  thirty 
men,  we  could  send  a  delegate  to  Boston  ;  but  that  he  must  first  visit 
Lawrence,  where  he  would  get  letters  of  introduction  to  the  society  in 
Boston,  who  would  furnish  us  with  as  many  rifles  as  we  had  men  to 
bear  them  "in  the  neighborhood;  and,  furthermore,  that  he  would  get 
them  gratis. 

While  in  Lawrence,  a  box  of  goods  came,  directed  to  C.  Kobinson; 
it  was  taken  into  the  room  where  they  hold  their  secret  meetings.  A 
friend  of  his  invited  him  to  go  up  with  him  to  see  the  kind  of  goods 
they  received  from  the  East.  He  went  up,  and,  to  his  surprise,  saw 
in  the  box  a  lot  of  blue  jackets  and  white  pants  for  military  uniform; 
also  a  drum  and  drum-sticks. 

The  lookers-on  winked  with  their  eyes,  as  though  they  meant  some- 
thing. There  was  a  large  house,  which  answered  the  double  purpose 
of  a  hotel  and  fort,  and  with  which  the  public  is  very  familiar;  it  was 
then  in  the  course  of  erection  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  of  Boston ; 
it  had  port-holes  in  it  for  guns.  He  was  told  by  Mr.  Brown,  Mr. 
Conway,  Hutchison,  and  Lowry,  and  many  other  leading  men  among 
the  abolitionists,  that  this  hotel  was  intended  principally  for  a  fortifi- 
cation for  their  town,  for  they  expected  their  conduct  would  bring 
them,  before  long,  into  a  collision  with  the  authorities. 

A.  H.  Reeder  seemed  very  well  acquainted  with  the  secret  military 
order.  Immediately  after  he  told  his  business  to  Mr.  Brown,  and  let 
him  know  he  was  a  member  of  the  secret  order,  he  had  an  introduc- 
tion to  A.  H.  Reeder.  They  both  then  got  up  and  went  into  the 
back  room,  where  the  rifles  were,  about  twenty -five  feet  from  him, 
and  stood  in  a  position  on  the  floor  where  he  had  a  full  view  of  them. 
He  could  see  from  their  actions,  and  from  part  of  their  conversation, 
which  he  overheard,  that  he  and  the  society  were  the  principal  topics 
of  their  conversation.  When  they  finished  their  interview  a  preacher 
came  in,  and  he  was  introduced  as  late  of  Boston.  The  three  then 
began  a  conversation,  in  which  the  topic  was,  what  men  and  means 
they  could  get  by  the  next  election,  which  was  to  come  off  in  the  fall, 
for  delegate  to  Congress.  They  spoke  of  a  preacher  who  had  gone  to 
Boston  for  the  express  purpose  of  getting  voters  and  other  means  to 
insure  success  at  the  coming  election. 

Pursuant  to  public  notice,  the  convention  of  the  abolitionists  met 
at  Big  Springs,  on  tne  5th  of  September,  1855  ;  also  the  executive 
committee.  This  committee  claimed  the  sole  right  to  govern  the 
Territory.  He  was  introduced  to  this  convention  by  A.  H.  Reeder. 
His  manner  of  introducing  him  was  very  strange,  and  he  was  made  a 
member  without  being  proposed  in  his  hearing.  Shortly  after  he  was 
introduced  to  the  committee  a  man  whose  name,  he  thought,  was 
McCullough,  and  whose  accent  and  outward  demeanor  bespoke  him  to 
be  from  the  eastern  States,  offered  the  following  resolution : 

"  .Resolved,  That  every  reliable  free-State  man  in  the  Territory  be 


90  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

furnished  with  a  rifle,  a  brace  of  pistols,  and  a  sabre,  gratis  ;  and  that 
he  be  required  to  take  an  oath  to  come  when  called  upon,  and  muster 
into   service  under   his  superior  officer,  and  to  sacrifice  his  life,  if 
necessary,  to  rescue  the  person  and  property  of  any  person  who  would! 
be  brought  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  present  laws  of  the  Territory." 

The  above  resolution  was  seconded,  and  received  by  loud  stampings 
in  every  part  of  the  house,  except  the  chairman,  (C.  Robinson,)  who 
remained  silent  a  few  moments,  as  though  lost  in  deep  thought.  He 
at  last  spoke  up,  and  asked  the  gentleman  to  withdraw  his  motion, 
and  they  would  act  upon  it  in  a  more  private  manner.  All  seemed 
silent  and  seemed  to  wonder  at  the  chairman's  course.  Another  spoke 
up,  and  said  he  thought  the  resolution  interfered  with  provisions  al- 
ready made. 

The  chairman  said  he  thought  not ;  but,  for  reasons  he  cared  not 
to  give  at  present,  he  wished  the  gentleman  to  withdraw  his  re- 
solution, arid  let  them  act  upon  it  in  a  more  private  manner.  It 
was  then  withdrawn.  This  committee,  in  assuming  the  government 
of  the  Territory,  appointed  two  governing  committees  of  three  men 
each  side  of  the  Kansas  river,  whose  duty  it  was  to  establish  pest 
offices,  mail  routes,  and  mail  carriers,  to  carry  and  take  care  of  all 
free-soil  and  abolition  mails,  which  was  confined  to  the  Territory. 
These  two  governing  committees  had  the  power  to  appoint  persons 
who  would  arbitrate  all  difficulties  arising  in  their  respective  districts. 
Persons  so  appointed  were  subject  to  removal,  and  responsible  to  the 
governing  committee  for  any  neglect  of  duty  or  abuse  of  power.  In 
like  manner,  the  governing  committees  were  responsible  to  the  execu- 
tive committee. 

All  expenses  of  the  above-named  officials  were  to  be  borne  by  the 
executive  committee,  who  would  derive  the  necessary  aid  from  the 
eastern  States  and  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  of  Boston.  The  execu- 
tive committee  issued  orders  for  all  free-State  men  to  give  into  the 
governing  committees  all  the  statements  they  could  which  would  effect 
anything  in  weakening  the  pro-slavery  party.  He  being  further 
north  than  any  of  the  other  two  who  were  on  the  committee  with  him, 
he  had  all  the  statements  to  take  of  those  north  of  him,  and  any  other 
direction  that  was  convenient. 

There  were  many  who  gave  him  their  statements  against  the  legis- 
lature and  private  individuals.  All  those  who  gave  him  any  state- 
ments, had  it  in  such  language  as  was  capable  of  being  construed  into 
a  more  dangerous  meaning  for  the  pro-slavery  party,  than  what  the 
real  definition  should  be.  Many  of  them  told  him  they  were  making 
use  of  language  that  would  make  the  pro-slavery  party  appear  to  the 
world  more  guilty  than  they  in  reality  were  ;  and  no  matter  how  false 
a  meaning  was  put  on  their  statements,  they  would  be  easy  in  con- 
science if  they  could  realize  their  object.  Many  told  him,  when  called 
upon,  they  were  willing  to  swear  that  thousands  of  Missourians  came 
over  and  voted,  although  he  saw  none;  but  admitted  to  him  that  they 
saw  no  Missourians  vote,  nor  did  they  know  of  any  who  did.  He  had 
heard  A.  H.  Reeder  urge  the  people  to  rebellion  and  bloodshed,  while 
they  listened  to  him  as  though  he  were  one  of  the  prophets  and  patri- 
archs of  old.  He  had  heard  men  say,  who  appeared  to  take  and  hold 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  91 

a  high  position  among  the  abolitionists,  openly  boast  that  they  had 
helped  to  run  off  negroes  from  the  south  into  Canada,  and  hoped  the 
day  was  near  at  hand  when  they  would  succeed  in  all  their  designs, 
and  settle  those  gentlemen  of  color  along  the  shores  of  Kansas,  where 
they  could  make  war  on  the  institutions  of  the  South — particularly  of 
Missouri — till  there  would  not  be  a  slave  left  in  it.  Such  are  the  prin- 
ciples of  those  who  keep  Kansas  in  a  state  of  rebellion,  and  such  are 
the  men  who  are  the  leaders  of  the  abolitionists — leading  them  on  to 
thievery,  treason,  and  death. 

He  has  heard  Judge  Johnson,  of  the  United  States  supreme  court 
for  the  Territory,  often  instruct  the  people  that,  when  called  on  to 
swear  in  the  Territory,  they  might  swear  to  what  suited  them,  and 
they  would  not  be  perjured,  as  there  was  no  law  in  the  Territory. 
Whilst  in  Lawrence  as  delegate  to  the  convention  of  the  free-State 
men  to  be  held  at  Big  Springs,  he  heard  many  of  the  people  say  many 
of  their  people  returned  after  the  spring  election.  There  were  a  great 
many  camps  at  Lawrence  then.  Some  of  those  forming  the  camps 
told  him  that  they  would  return  to  the  States  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  fall.  At  the  fall  and  winter  election  for  a  delegate  to  Congress, 
for  a  State  constitution  and  the  formation  of  a  State  government,  the 
judges  of  the  polls  had  instructions  publicly,  that  in  case  of  Indian  or 
other  troubles  they  might  adjourn  from  day  to  day,  and  finally  to 
any  other  district  in  the  Territory,  to  hold  their  election.  But  the 
private  instructions  were,  if  pro-slavery  men  attempted  to  vote,  and 
were  likely  to  have  a  majority,  they  must  adjourn  from  day  to  day, 
and  finally  to  any  free-soil  district  in  the  Territory.  He  heard 
many  of  the  people  in  Lawrence  curse  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  of 
Boston,  and  say  if  it  did  not  pay  them  soon  they  would  return  to  the 
States,  for  it  had  failed  to  pay  them  for  some  time.  He  was  told  by 
several  of  the  emigrants  in  Lawrence  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
of  Boston  paid  the  expenses  of  all  men  who  would  come  out  to 
Kansas  to  vote  for  it  to  be  a  free  State. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  deposition  of  Andrew  J. 
Francis : 

"  Offers  were  made  to  me  by  various  persons  to  introduce  me  to  a 
secret  political  organization.  The  only  name  I  ever  received  as  a 
member  of  the  lodge  was  '  Kansas  Regulator.'  The  next  morning 
I  was  conversing  with  Governor  Reeder,  Jas.  H.  Lane,  G.  P.  Lowry, 
and  several  others,  one  by  the  name  of  Chapman  and  one  by  the 
name  of  Hornsby ;  but  both  these  gentlemen  had  merely  come  up  to 
us  as  we  were  standing  on  the  corner  of  the  street  talking.  I  had 
noticed  black  ribbons  tied  in  the  shirt-bosoms  of  several  gentlemen ; 
I  noticed  one  or  two  tied  to  Governor  Reeder's  shirt-bosom.  I  made 
the  inquiry  as  to  what  those  black  ribbons  meant.  Colonel  Lane 
asked  me  to  go  with  him,  and  he  would  show  me  something  that 
would  please  me  better  than  what  I  had  seen  the  night  before.  The 
night  before  I  had  attended  a  masonic  lodge.  Colonel  Lane  was  in 
the  lodge  while  I  was  there.  I  made  some  reply  to  Lane,  as  though 
awaiting  to  go  with  him,  saying  that  I  would  have  to  see  something 
that  would  please  me  extraordinarily  well,  if  it  pleased  me  better  than 
what  I  had  seen  the  night  before.  I  went  with  Colonel  Lane  to  the 


92  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

law-office  of  John  Hutchison,  as  I  afterwards  found  out.  Governor 
Reeder  did  not  go  into  the  room  where  I  was  initiated.  Doctor 
Robinson  was  standing  just  before  the  door,  with  a  lady,  I  think. 
Colonel  Lane  asked  him  to  leave  the  lady  and  go  into  the  office  with 
us.  Robinson  rather  objected  at  first,  but  finally  came  in  with  us 
and  said  he  would  explain  the  nature  of  the  organization  he  was 
about  to  initiate  nie  into.  The  substance  of  the  explanation  was 
that  Kansas  was  a  beautiful  country  arid  well  adapted  to  freedom, 
and  the  best  territory  in  the  world  for  the  friends  of  freedom  to 
operate  on,  more  especially  for  those  who  were  engaged  in  the  free- 
white  State  cause.  After  proceeding  in  that  strain  for  awhile,  he 
asked  me  if  I  was  willing  to  pledge  my  word  and  honor  that  I  would 
keep  secret  what  I  saw  there  and  who  I  saw  there,  provided  he  would 
pledge  his  word  and  honor  that  there  was  nothing  that  would  inter- 
fere with  my  duties  as  a  citizen,  or  that  was  disloyal  in  any  respect. 
I  replied  that  I  was  willing.  He  then  gave  me  some  other  instruc- 
tions that  I  do  not  now  recollect,  of  about  the  same  import  as  the 
first.  Colonel  Lane  then  took  me  in  hand  and  told  me  that  he  could 
administer  the  grand  obligation,  which  was  done  by  my  repeating  after 
him,  as  follows : 

e  I,  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty 
God  arid  these  witnesses,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  always  hail,, 
forever  conceal,  and  never  reveal  any  of  the  secrets  of  this  organiza- 
tion to  any  person  in  the  known  world,  except  it  be  to  a  member  of 
the  order,  or  within  the  body  of  a  just  and  legal  council.  I  further- 
more promise  and  swear,  that  1  will  not  write,  print,  stain,  or  inditei 
them  on  anything  movable  or  immovable,  whereby  the  least  figure  or1 
character  may  become  intelligible  to  myself  or  any  other  person.  li 
furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  at  all  times,  and  under  all 
circumstances,  hold  myself  in  readiness  to  obey,  even  to  death,  thei 
orders  of  my  superior  officers.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that 
I  will  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances,  use  my  influence  to 
make  Kansas  a  free-white  State.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear, 
that  all  things  else  being  equal,  I  will  employ  a  free-State  man  in 
preference  to  a  Missouri  man,  or  a  pro-slavery  man.  I  furthermore! 
promise  and  swear,  that  all  business  that  I  may  transact,  so  far  as  in 
my  power,  shall  be  transacted  with  free-State  men.  I  furthermore 
promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circum- 
stances, hold  myself  in  readiness  to  take  up  arms  in  defence  of  free- 
State  principles,  even  though  it  should  subvert  the  government.  I 
furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  at  all  times,  and  under  all 
circumstances,  wear  upon  my  person  the  regalia  of  my  office  and  the 
insignia  of  the  order.  I  furthermore  swear,  that  I  will  at  all  times, 
and  under  all  circumstances,  wear  on  my  person  a  weapon  of  death. 
I  furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  at  all  times,  and  under 
all  circumstances,  keep  in  my  house  at  least  one  gun,  with  a  full 
supply  of  ammunition.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will 
at  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances,  when  I  see  the  sign  of  dis*- 
tress  given,  rush  to  the  assistance  of  the  person  giving  it,  even  when 
there  is  a  greater  probability  of  saving  his  life  than  of  losing  my 
own.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will,  to  the  utmost  of 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  93 

iy  power,  oppose  the  laws  of  the  so-called  Kansas  legislature.  I 
furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that  when  I  hear  the  words  of  danger 
given,  I  will  repair  to  the  place  where  the  danger  is.  I  furthermore 
promise  and  swear,  that  if  any  part  of  my  obligation  is  at  this  time 
omitted,  I  will  consider  the  same  as  "binding  when  legally  informed  of 
it.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that,  at  the  first  convenient 
opportunity,  I  will  commit  this  obligation  to  memory.  To  all  of  this 
I  solemnly  swear,  without  equivocation  or  self-evasion,  binding  my- 
self under  the  penalty  of  being  declared  a  per  juror  before  Heaven  and 
a.  traitor  to  my  country/ 

u  I  then  remarked  to  Col.  Lane,  that  that  was  a  very  serious  obliga- 
tion. He  replied  it  was  ;  and  also  stated  that  it  was  necessary  for  me 
to  become  acquainted  with  the  signs  and  pass-words.  The  sign  of 
recognition  is  given  by  placing  the  right  thumb  under  the  chin,  and 
the  fore-finger  of  the  right  hand  by  the  side  of  the  nose,  quietly 
scratching  or  rubbing  it  two  or  three  times.  The  answer  to  it  was 
given  oy  placing  the  thumb  and  fore-finger  of  the  left  hand  on  the 
lower  lip,  as  if  rubbing  it.  The  grip  was  given  by  locking  the 
two  first  fingers  of  the  right  hand  over  each  other.  The  words  ac- 
companying the  grip  are  these:  The  one  giving  you  the  grip  would 
ask  :  £  Are  you  in  favor  of  Kansas  becoming  a  free  State  ?  '  The 
answer  was:  CI  am,  if  Missouri  is  willing.'  The  means  by  which 
persons  procured  admission  into  the  council  was,  by  going  to  the  door 
the  sentinel  would  then  present  himself.  The  person  applying  would 
say  'Kansas/  accenting  the  last  syllable.  The  person  would  then 
advance  ta  the  centre  of  the  room  and  salute  the  colonel,  by  placing 
his  right  hand  just  above  his  forehead.  The  regalia  was  this:  The 
private  members  wore  a  black  ribbon  tied  upon  their  shirt-bosoms  ;  the 
colonel  wore  a  red  sash  ;  the  lieutenant-colonel  a  green  sash ;  the 
major  a  blue  sash  ;  the  captains  white  sashes  ;  the  lieutenants  yellow 
sashes  ;  the  orderly  sergeant  a  very  broad  black  ribbon  upon  the  shirt- 
bosom.  Col.  Lane  then  remarked  to  me  that  I  had  been  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  principles  of  the  institution,  and  that  it  was  the 
determination  of  the  free-State  party  not  to  submit  to  the  laws  of  the 
legislature,  or  to  any  opposition  that  might  come  from  Missouri  or  any 
other  quarter.  I  remarked  to  the  Colonel  that  I  was  sworn  to  sup- 
port those  laws  in  taking  my  oath  as  a  lawyer,  and  that  I  considered 
that  that  oath  was  administered  by  a  higher  power  than  he  exercised, 
and  hence  I  should  not  keep  the  obligation  he  had  given  to  me  ;  and 
under  no  circumstances  would  I  do  anything  to  subvert  the  institu- 
tions of  the  country,  or  place  myself  in  opposition  to  the  laws  ;  and 
he  might  depend  upon  it,  I  would  expose  it  the  first  convenient  oppor- 
tunity. I  also  told  him  I  could  not  consistently  keep  both  obligations 
that  had  been  imposed  upon  me  ;  that  I  was  also  a  member  and  min- 
ister of  a  religious  denomination,  and  that  it  would  not  be  consistent 
with  my  Christian  duties  to  keep  the  obligation  he  had  imposed  on 
me  ;  that  I  should  most  certainly,  when  the  subject  came  up,  expose 
it.  He  stated  then  to  me,  that  if  that  was  my  determination,  and  I 
did  express  myself  so  publicly,  I  would  hardly  get  away  from  the  city 
with  my  life.  I  replied  to  him  that  I  would  express  myself  so  under 
all  circumstances,  both  in  public  and  private/' 


94  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

It  now  being  most  fully  shown,  as  the  undersigned  believes,  that 
the  anti-slavery  party  formed  secret  political  organizations  of  a  mili- 
tary character  to  resist,  with  force  of  arms,  the  execution  of  the  laws 
of  the  Territory,  and  to  defend  themselves  against  any  effort  which 
might  be  made  by  officers  to  enforce  obedience  to  the  laws  and  au- 
thorities of  the  Territory  ;  after  preparing  the  minds  of  the  people 
to  embark  in  any  measures,  however  reckless  and  desperate  in  their 
nature  and  characters,  the  primary  objects  of  these  seditions,  secret 
associations  were  boldly  developed  at  a  convention  held  by  the  anti- 
slavery  party  at  Big  Springs  on  the  5th  and  6th  days  of  September, 
1855.  But,  before  proceeding  further  in  relation  to  this  convention, 
the  undersigned  deems  it  proper  to  remark,  that  after  the  legis- 
lative election  in  March,  1855,  Governor  Reeder  issued  his  procla- 
mation, convening  the  legislature  at  Pawnee  city,  upon  the  express 
understanding  that  if  there  were  not  sufficient  accommodations 
there  for  the  members  and  officers  of  the  legislature,  they  could, 
strictly  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  organic  act,  adjourn 
to  any  other  point  in  the  Territory,  a^nd  if  they  did  so  he  would  co- 
operate with  them.  In  proof  of  this,  reference  is  made  to  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Johnson,  a  member  of  the  council.  The 
legislature  consequently  met  at  Pawnee  city.  They  remained  there 
but  a  short  time,  as  they  found  no  accommodations  for  the  members 
axul  officers  of  the  legislature,  the  great  majority  of  them  having  to 
camp  out  and  cook  their  own  provisions,  there  .not  being  boarding- 
houses  in  the  place  sufficient  to  receive  and  accommodate  them.  The 
cholera  also  broke  out  there,  and  several  deaths  occurred  in  conse- 
quence. The  legislature  then  adopted  a  resolution  adjourning  to 
Shawnee  Mission.  It  is  evident  that  Pawnee  city  was  not  a  suitable 
place  for  the  convening  of  the  legislature,  because  of  the  absence  of  all 
accommodations  for  members,,  as  well  as  being  145  miles  from  the 
Missouri  river,  whence  they  derived  chiefly  their  supplies  for  subsist- 
ence. The  house  in  which  they  were  convened  had  neither  doors  nor 
windows,  and  but  a  temporary  floor.  * 

While  in  session,  however,  at  Pawnee,  the  governor  recognised  them 
as  a  legally  constituled  legislative  body,  as  will  be  more  fully  shown 
by  reference  to  his  message  to  that  body  ;  but,  after  they  removed  to 
Shawnee  Mission,  he  vetoed  all  the  bills  they  passed,  of  every  de- 
scription, upon  the  ground  that  they  were  sitting  then  at  a  place  not 
authorized  by  law — the  only  ground  alleged. 

Meanwhile,  "  The  governor,  instead  of  exercising  constant  vigilance, 
and  putting  forth  all  his  energies  to  prevent  or  counteract  the  tenden- 
cies to  illegality  which  are  prone  to  exist  in  all  imperfectly  organized 
and  newly  associated  communities,  allowed  his  attention  to  be  divert- 
ed from  his  official  obligations  by  other  interests,  and  himself  set  the 
example  of  a  violation  of  law  in  the  performance  of  acts  which  [as  it 
seems]  rendered  it  the  duty  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  in 
the  sequel,  to  remove  him  from  the  office  of  chief  executive  magistrate 
of  the  Territory/' 

The  undersigned,  in  proof  of  the  want  of  accommodations  at  Pawnee 
city,  refers  to  the  testimony  of  Rev.  Thomas  Johnson,  member  of  the 
council,  A.  8.  Johnson,  Thomas  Barbee,  Wm.  Gr.  Matthias,  and  other 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  95 

members  of  the  legislature,  as  taken  before  a  justice  of  tbe  peace, 
and  properly  certified,  which  the  undersigned  begs  to  have  consid- 
ered a  part  of  this  report. 

After  the  removal  of  Governor  Reeder,  chagrined  as  he  evidently 
was,  he  is  found  an  active  member  of  the  Big  Springs  convention,  held 
on  the  5th  and  6th  days  of  September  ;  at  which  convention,  as  it  is 
proven  by  the  testimony  of  Marcus  J.  Parrott,  a  free-State  man,  and 
a  member  of  the  free-State  legislature,  taken  before  your  com- 
mittee, the  following  resolutions,  drawn  up  in  the  hand-writing  of 
G-ov.  Reeder,  were  adopted.  They  are  taken  by  the  undersigned  from 
a  certified  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  said  convention,  in  evidence  be- 
fore your  committee,  and  are  as  follows : 

"JResolved,  That  we  owe  no  allegiance  or  obedience  to  the  tyran- 
nical enactments  of  this  spurious  legislature  ;  that  their  laws  have  no 
validity  or  binding  force  upon  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  that  every 
freeman  amongst  us  is  at  full  liberty,  consistently  with  all  his  obliga- 
tions as  a  citizen  and  a  man,  to  defy  and  resist  them,  if  he  chooses  to 
do  so. 

"Resolved,  That  we  will  resist  them,  primarily,  by  every  peaceable 
and  legal  means  within  our  power,  until  we  can  elect  our  own  repre- 
sentatives, and  sweep  them  from  the  statute-book  ;  and  that,  as  the 
majority  of  the  supreme  court  have  so  far  forgotten  their  official  duty, 
have  so  far  cast  oft  the  honor  of  the  lawyer  and  the  dignity  of  the 
judge,  as  to  enter,  clothed  with  the  judicial  ermine,  into  a  partisan 
contest,  and  by  an  extrajudicial  decision,  given  opinions  in  violation 
of  all  propriety,  have  prejudged  our  case  before  we  could  be  heard,, 
and  have  pledged  themselves  to  these  outlaws  in  advance  to  decide  in 
their  favor,  we  will,  therefore,  take  measures  to  carry  the  question  of 
the  validity  of  these  laws  to  a  higher  tribunal,  where  judges  are  un- 
pledged and  dispassionate,  where  the  law  will  be  administered  in  its 
purity,  and  where  we  can  at  least  have  the  hearing  before  the  deci- 
sion. 

"Resolved^  That  we  cannot  and  will  not  quietly  submit  to  surrender 
our  great  '  American  birthright ' — the  elective  franchise — which,  first 
by  violence,  and  then  by  chicanery,  artifice,  weak  and  wicked  legisla- 
tion, they  have  so  effectually  accomplished  to  deprive  us  of,  and  that 
we  with  scorn  repudiate  the  '  election  law/  so-called,  and  will  not 
meet  with  them  on  the  day  they  have  appointed  for  the  election,  but 
will  ourselves  fix  upon  a  day  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  delegate  to 
Congress.. 

" Resolved ,  That  we  will  endure  and  submit  to  these  laws  no  longer 
than  the  best  interests  of  the  Territory  require,  as  the  least  of  two 
evils,  and  will  resist  them  to  a  bloody  issue,  as  soon  as  we  ascertain 
that  peaceful  remedies  shall  fail  and  forcible  resistance  shall  furnish 
any  reasonable  prospect  of  success;  and  that,  in  the  mean  time,  we 
recommend  to  our  friends  throughout  the  Territory  the  organization 
and  discipline  of  volunteer  companies,  and  the  procurement  and  pre- 
paration of  arms." 

And,  finally,  as  the  natural  result  of  the  foregoing  proceedings  of 
the  free-soil  party  in  the  Territory,  the  laws  were  violated,  their  ex- 
ecution openly  resisted  by  them,  till  at  length  came  the  difficulties  at 
Lawrence,  in  the  fall  of  1855,  and  after  the  Big  Springs  convention  • 


96  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

in  regard  to  which,  as  the  most  reliable  testimony  taken  by  your 
committee,  the  undersigned  begs  to  refer  to  the^evidence  of  Governor 
Wilson  Shannon,  which  is  as  follows  :  "That,  as  to  the  origin,  pro- 
gress, and  conclusion  of  the  difficulties  at  Lawrence  last  fall,  (1855,) 
he  begs  leave  to  refer  to  his  two  despatches  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  with  the  accompanying  documents — the  first  dated  on 
the  28th  day  of  November,  and  the  second  on  the  llth  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1855 — as  containing  what  deponent  believes  to  be  a  correct  history 
and  account  of  those  transactions." 

The  following  are  the  despatches  and  documents  referred  to  by  the 
witness : 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  SHAWNEE  MISSION, 

Kansas  Territory ,  November  28,  1855. 

SIR  :  Affairs  in  this  Territory  are  daily  assuming  a  shape  of  real 
danger  to  the  peace  and  good  order  of  society.  I  am  well  satisfied 
that  there  exists  in  this  Territory  a  secret  military  organization  which 
has  for  its  object,  among  other  things,  resistance  to  the  laws  by  force. 

Until  within  a  few  days  past  I  have  looked  upon  the  threats  of 
leading  men  and  public  papers  who  have  placed  themselves  in  an  atti- 
tude of  resistance  to  the  laws,  as  not  i-ntended  by  those  who  made  them 
to  be  carried  into  execution.  I  am  now  satisfied  of  the  existence  of  this 
secret  military  organization,  and  that  those  engaged  in  it  have  been 
secretly  supplied  with  arms  and  munitions  of  war,  and  that  it  is  the 
object  and  purpose  of  this  organization  to  resist  the  laws  by  force. 
The  strength  of  this  organization  is  variously  estimated  at  from  one 
to  two  thousand,  but  I  have  no  satisfactory  data  from  which  to  esti- 
mate its  real  strength,  and  I  do  not  believe  they  can  command  for  any 
given  purpose  more  than  one  thousand  men.  They  are  said  to  be  well 
supplied  with  Sharpe's  rifles  and  revolvers,  and  that  they  are  bound 
by  an  oath  to  assist  and  aid  each  other  in  the  resistance  of  the  laws 
when  called  upon  so  to  do.  Independent  of  the  disclosures  made  by  those 
who  formerly  belonged  to  this  association  and  the  hints  thrown  out  in 
some  of  the  public  journals  in  their  interest,  the  most  practical  proof  of 
the  truth  of  these  allegations  consists  in  their  own  acts.  A  few  days 
since  a  difficulty  took  place  in  Douglas  county,,  some  ten  miles  south  of 
Lawrence,  between  one  of  these  men  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Cole- 
inan,  from  Virginia,  in  relation  to  a  claim ;  in  which  the  former  was  shot 
and  died  immediately.  Coleman  was  taken  into  custody  for  trial,  by 
the  sheriff  of  that  county,,  and  to  avoid  all  ground  of  objection  as  to 
legal  authority,  Judge  Lecompte  was  written  to  and  requested  to  at- 
tend at  the  county  seat  (it  being  in  his  judicial  district)  and  sit  as  an 
examining  court.  In  the  mean  time  a  large  body  of  armed  men,  said 
to  be  from  three  to  four  hundred,  collected  at  and  near  Lawrence  for 
the  avowed  purpose  of  rescuing  Ooleman  from  the  sheriff  and  executing 
him  without  a  trial.  Coleman  claims  that  he  shot  the  man  strictly  in 
self-defence,  and  is  willing  to  abide  a  judicial  investigation  and  trial. 
On  Monday  last  a  warrant  was  issued  against  one  of  this  band  of  men 
for  threatening  the  life  of  one  of  his  neighbors,  and  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  sheriff  of  the  county  for  execution,  who,  with  a  posse  of 
gome  ten  men,  arrested  him  on  Tuesday  night,  and  as  he  wasjxmvey- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  97 

ing  the  prisoner  to  Lecompton,  he  was  met  about  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  by  a  band  of  these  men,  consisting  of  between  forty  and  fifty, 
all  armed  with  Sharpens  rifles  and  revolvers,  who  forcibly  rescued  the 
prisoner  out  of  his  hands,  and  openly  proclaimed  that  there  were  no 
officers  or  law  in  this  Territory.  In  the  settlement  in  which  these 
transactions  took  place  there  were  from  sixteen  to  twenty  law  and 
order  families,  and  about  one  hundred  free-soil  families.  At  the  last 
advices  three  of  the  houses  of  the  former  had  been  burnt  down  by  this 
armed  band. 

Cattle  had  been  killed,  and  a  considerable  amount  of  corn  and  other 
personal  property  destroyed,  and  the  whole  law  and  order  population 
of  that  neighborhood,  induced  by  terror,  had  fled,  except  two  families, 
whose  lives  were  threatened.  Helpless  women  and  children  have  been 
forced  by  fear  and  threats  to  flee  from  their  homes,  and  seek  shelter 
and  protection  in  the  State  of  Missouri.  Measures  were  being  taken 
by  the  legal  authorities  to  procure  warrants  against  these  lawless  men, 
and  have  them  arrested  and  legally  tried.  Under  these  circumstances 
the  sheriff  of  the  county  has  called  on  me  for  three  thousand  men  to 
aid  him  in  the  execution  of  the  warrants  in  his  hands,  and  to  protect 
him  and  his  prisoner  from  the  violence  of  this  armed  force.  The  force 
required  by  the  sheriff  is  far  beyond  what  I  believe  to  be  necessary, 
and  indeed  far  beyond  what  could  be  raised  in  this  Territory.  From 
five  to  eight  hundred  men  will  be  amply  sufficient,  I  have  no  doubt, 
to  protect  the  sheriff,  and  enable  him  to  execute  the  legal  process  in 
his  hands.  With  the  view  of  giving  to  the  sheriff  the  requisite  aid, 
I  have  issued  orders  to  Major  General  Richardson,  of  the  northern 
division  of  militia  of  this  Territory — a  prudent  and  discreet  man — a 
copy  of  which  I  send  you  herewith.  1  also  send  you  a  copy  of  a 
request  I  have  made  of  General  Strickler,  who  resides  in  the  adjoin- 
ing county  to  Douglas.  These  are  the  only  orders  I  have  thought  it 
necessary  to  issue,  by  means  of  which  I  believe  a  sufficient  force  will 
be  raised  to  protect  the  sheriff,  and  enable  him  to  execute  the  legal 
process  in  his  hands. 

The  time  has  come  when  this  armed  band  of  men,  who  are  seeking 
to  subvert  and  render  powerless  the  existing  government,  have  to  be 
met  and  the  laws  enforced  against  them,  or  submit  to  their  lawless 
dominion.  If  the  lives  and  property  of  unoffending  citizens  of  this 
Territory  cannot  be  protected  by  law,  there  is  an  end  to  practical  gov- 
ernment, and  it  becomes  a  useless  formality. 

The  excitement  along  the  border  of  Missouri  is  running  wild,  and 
nothing  but  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  against  these  men  will  allay 
it.  Sioca  the  disclosure  of  the  existence  and  purposes  of  this  secret 
military  organization  in  this  Territory,  there  has  been  much  excite- 
ment along  the  borders  of  Missouri,  but  it  has  been  held  in  check, 
heretofore,  by  assurances  that  the  laws  of  the  Territory  would  be  en- 
forced, and  that  protection  would  be  given  to  the  citizens  against  all 
unlawful  acts  of  this  accociation.  This  feeling  and  intense  excite- 
ment can  still  be  held  in  subordination  if  the  laws  are  faithfully  ex- 
ecuted ;  otherwise  there  is  no  power  here  that  can  control  this  border 
excitement,  and  civil  war  is  inevitable.  This  military  organization  is 
looked  upon  as  hostile  to  all  southern  men.  or  rather  to  the  law  and 
H.  Rep.  200 7 


98  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

order  party  of  the  Territory,  many  of  whom  have  relations  and  friends 
and  all  have  sympathizers,  in  Missouri,  and  the  moment  it  is  believec 
that  the  laws  will  not  furnish  adequate  protection  to  this  class  of  citi- 
zens against  the  lawless  acts  of  this  armed  association,  a  force  wili 
be  precipitated  across  the  line  to  redress  real  and  supposed  wrong* 
inflicted  on  friends  that  cannot  be  controlled,  or  for  the  mornenl 
resisted.  It  is  in  vain  to  conceal  the  fact :  we  are  standing  on  i 
volcano,  the  upheavings  and  agitations  beneath  we  feel,  and  no  on< 
can  tell  the  hour  when  an  eruption  may  take  place.  Under  existing 
circumstances  the  importance  of  sustaining  the  sheriff  of  Douglas 
county,  and  enabling  him  to  execute-,his  process,  independent  of  othei 
considerations  connected  with  the  peace  and  good  order  of  society,  wil] 
strike  you  at  once  ;  and  to  do  this  by  the  aid  and  assistance  of  the 
citizens  of  this  Territory  is  the  great  object  to  be  accomplished,  t< 
avoid  the  dreadfial  evils  of  civil  war.  I  believe  this  can  be  done  ;  ir 
this,  however,  I  may  be  mistaken.  No  efforts  shall  be  wanting  or 
my  part  to  preserve  good  order  in  the  Territory,  and  I  will  keep  yoi 
constantly  advised  of  the  progress  and  state  of  things  here. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILSON  SHANNON. 
His  Excellency  FRANKLIN  PIERCE. 


HEADQUARTERS,  SHAWNEE  MISSION, 

Kansas  Territory,  November  27,  1855. 

SIR  :  Eeliable  information  has  reached  me  that  an  armed  militan 
force  is  now  in  Lawrence  and  that  vicinity,  in  open  rebellion  againg 
the  laws  of  this  Territory,  and  that  they  have  determined  that  no  prc 
cess  in  the  hands  of  the  sheriff  of  that  county  shall  be  executed. 
have  received  a  letter  from  S.  J.  Jones,  sheriff  of  Douglas  count) 
informing  me  that  he  had  arrested  a  man  under  a  warrant  placed 
his  hands,  and  while  conveying  him  to  Lecompton  he  was  met  by  a 
armed  force  of  some  forty  men,  and  that  the  prisoner  wag  taken  01 
of  his  custody,  and  open  defiance  bid  to  the  law.  I  am  also  dull 
advised  that  an  armed  band  of  men  have  burnt  a  number  of  houseij 
destroyed  personal  property,  and  turned  whole  families  out  of  dooij 
in  Douglas  county.  Warrants  will  be  issued  against  those  men,  anj 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  sheriff  of  Douglas  county  lor  executioi 
He  has  written  to  me,  demanding  three  thousand  men  to  aid  him  il 
the  execution  of  the  process  of  the  law  and  the  preservation  of  peaoj 

You  are,  therefore,  hereby  ordered  to  collect  together  as  large 
force  as  you  can  in  your  division,  and  repair  without  delay  to  Lecom 
ton,  and  report  yourself  to  S.  el.  Jones,  the  sheriff  of  Douglas  counl 
together  with  the  number  of  your  forces,  and  render  to  him  all 
aid  and  assistance  in  your  power,  if  required  in  the  execution  of  ai 
legal  process  in  his  hands.  The  forces  under  your  command  are  | 
be  used  for  the  sole  purpose  of  aiding  the  sheriff  in  executing 
law,  and  for  no  other  purpose. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILSON  SHANNON 

Major  General  WILLIAM  P.  KICHARDSON 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  99 

HEADQUARTERS,  SHAWNEE  MISSION, 

Kansas  Territory,  November  27,  1855. 

SIR  :  I  am  this  moment  advised,  by  letter  from  S.  J.  Jones,  sheriff 
of  Douglas  county,  that  while  conveying  a  prisoner  to  Lecompton, 
whom  he  has  arrested  by  virtue  of  a  peace  warrant,  he  was  met  by  a 
band  of  armed  men,  who  took  said  prisoner  forcibly  out  of  his  posses- 
sion, and  bid  defiance  to  the  execution  of  all  law  in  this  Territory. 
He  has  demanded  of  me  three  thousand  men  to  aid  him  in  the  execu- 
tion of  the  legal  process  in  his  hands.  As  the  southern  division  of 
the  militia  of  this  Territory  is  net  organized,  I  can  only  request  you 
to  collect  together  as  large  a  force  as  you  can,  and  at  as  early  a  day 
as  practicable  report  yourself,  with  the  forces  you  may  raise,  to  S.  J. 
Jones,  sheriff  of  Douglas  county,  and  to  give  him  every  assistance  in 
your  power,  in  the  execution  of  the  legal  process  in  his  hands. 
Whatever  forces  you  may  bring  to  his  aid  are  to  be  used  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  aiding  the  said  sheriff  in  the  execution  of  the  law,  and  no 
other.  It  is  expected  that  every  good  citizen  will  aid  and  assist  the 
lawful  authorities  in  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  the  Territory  and 
the  preservation  of  good  order. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

WILSON  SHANNON. 

General  II.  J.  STRICKLER. 


EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  SHAWNEE  MISSION, 

Kansas  Territory,  December  11,  1855. 

SIR  :  In  my  despatch  to  yeu'of  the  28th  ultimo,  I  advised  you  of  the 
threatened  difficulties  in  relation  to  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  this 
Territory  in  Douglas  county.  The  excitement  which  then  existed  con- 
tinued to  increase,  owing  to  the  aggravated  reports  from  Lawrence 
and  that  vicinity  in  relation  to  the  military  preparations  that  were 
being  made  to  attack  the  sheriff  and  resist  the  execution  of  the  laws. 
The  excitement  increased  and  spread,  not  only  throughout  this  whole 
Territory,  but  was  worked  up  to  the  utmost  point  of  intensity  in  the 
whole  of  the  upper  portion  of  Missouri.  Armed  men  were  seen  rush- 
ing from  all  quarters  towards  Lawrence,  some  to  defend  the  place, 
and  others  to  demolish  it.  The  orders  I  had  issued  to  Major  Gen- 
eral Eichardson  and  General  Strickler  had  brought  to  the  sheriff  of 
Douglas  county  a  very  inadequate  force  for  his  protection,  when  com- 
pared with  the  forces  in  the  town  of  Lawrence.  Indeed,  the  militia  of 
the  Territory  being  wholly  unorganized,  no  forces  could  be  obtained 
.except  those  who  voluntarily  tendered  their  aid  to  the  sheriff,  or  to 
Generals  Eichardson  and  Strickler.  The  whole  force  in  the  Territory 
thus  obtained  did  not  amount  to  more  than  three  or  four  hundred 
•men,  badly  armed,  and  wholly  unprepared  to  resist  the  forces  in  Law- 
rence, which  amounted,  at  that  time,  to  some  six  hundred  men  ;  all 
remarkably  well  armed  with  Sharpe's  rifles  and  other  weapons.  These 
facts  becoming  known  across  the  line,  in  the  State  of  Missouri,  large 
numbers  of  men  from  that  State,  in  irregular  bodies,  rushed  to  the 


100  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

county  of  Douglas,  and  many  of  them  enrolled  themselves  in  the 
sheriif's  posse.     In  this  state  of  affairs,  I  saw  no  way  of  avoiding  a 
deadly  conflict  hut  to  ohtain  the  use  of  the  United  States  forces  at 
Fort  Leaven  worth,  and  with  that,  view  I  addressed  you  a  telegraphic 
despatch,  and  received  on  the  5th  instant  your  very  prompt  and  satis- 
factory reply  of  the  4th  instant,  a  copy  of  which  I  immediately  trans- 
mitted, "by  special  despatch,  to  Colonel  Sumner,  with  the  request  that 
he  would  accompany  me  with  his  command  to  the  scene  of  difficulty. 
In  reply,  I  was  informed  he  would  immediately  do  so,  having  no 
douht  that  in  due  time  proper  instructions  would  he  received  from  the 
War  Department.     Information,  however,  which  I  received  from  hoth 
parties,  convinced  me  that  my  presence  was  necessary  to  avoid  a  con- 
flict, and  without  waiting  for  Colonel   Sumner,  I  repaired  to  the  seat 
of  threatened  hostilities,  at  the  same  time  advising  Colonel  Sumner, 
"by  special  despatch,  of  this  movement.     On  my  way  to  Lawrence,  I 
met  a  despatch  from  Colonel  Sumner,  informing  me  that,  upon  reflec- 
tion, he  had  changed  his  determination,  and  that  he  would  not  marcin 
with  his  command  until  he  had  received  orders  from  the  proper  de- 
partment, hut  that  he  would  he  ready  to  move  with  his  command  the 
moment  such  orders  came  to  hand.     I  proceeded  as  rapidly  as  possible 
to  the  camp  of  General  Strickler,  on  the  Wakarusa,  six  miles  east  off 
Lawrence,  and  arrived  in  camp  about  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of' 
the  sixth  instant.     I  found  that  General  Strickler,  as  well  as  General 
Kichardson,  had  very  judiciously  adopted  the  policy  of  incorporating 
into  their   respective  commands  all   the   irregular  forces  that   had 
arrived.     This  was  done  with  the  view  of  subjecting  them  to  military 
orders  and  discipline,  and  to  prevent  any  unlawful  acts  or  outbreaks. 
The  great  danger  to  he  apprehended  was  from  an  unauthorized  attack 
on  the  town  of  Lawrence,  which  was  being  strongly  fortified,  and  had 
about  one  thousand  and  fifty  men,  well  armed,  to  defend  it,  with  two 
pieces  of  artillery,  while,  on  the  other  side,  there  was  probably  in  all 
near  two  thousand  men,  many  of  them  indifferently  armed,  but  having, 
a  strong  park  of  artillery.     I  found  in  the  camp  at  Wakarusa  a  deep 
and  settled  feeling  of  hostility  against  the  opposing  forces  in  Lawrence 
and  apparently  a  fixed  determination  to  attack  that  place  and  demolisl 
it  and  the  presses,  and  take  possession  of  their  arms.     It  seemed  to  b 
a  universal  opinion  in  the  camp  that  there  was  no  safety  to  the  law 
and  order  party  in  the  Territory  while  the  other  party  were  permittee 
to  retain  their  Sharpe's  rifles,  an  instrument  used  only  for  war  purposes 
After  mingling  with  all  the  leading  men  in  the  Wakarusa  camp,  anc 
urging  on  them  the  importance  of  avoiding  a  conflict  of  arms,  tha 
such  a  step  would  probably  light  the  torch  of  civil  war  and  endange 
the  very  Union  itself,  I  still  found  that  there  was  a  strong  desire  with! 
all,  and  a  fixed  determination  with  many,  to  compel  the  forces  ir 
Lawrence  to  give  up  their  arms.     Believing  that  such  a  deman 
would  lead  to  a  conflict  which,  if  once  commenced,  no  one  could  tell 
where  it  would  end,  and  seeing  no  way  to  avoid  it  except  by  the  ai 
of  the  United  States  forces,  I  again  wrote  another  communication  tc 
Colonel  Sumner,  and  sent  it  to  him  by  special  despatch  about  three 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  instant,  requesting  his  presence 
a  copy  of  which  I  send  you  herewith,  marked  E.     I  received  no  replj 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  101 

until  my  return  to  this  place,  after  the  difficulty  had  been  arranged. 
I  send  you  a  copy  of  this  reply,  marked  F.  Early  on  the  morning 
of  the  7th  instant  I  repaired  to  the  carnp  at  Lawrence,  and  found 
them  "busily  engaged  in  their  fortifications  and  in  drilling  their 
forces,  and  had  a  full  and  satisfactory  interview  with  the  committee 
appointed  by  the  forces  in  Lawrence,  in  relation  to  the  impending 
difficulties.  So  far  as  the  execution  of  the  laws  w&s  concerned,  we 
had  no  difficulty  in  coming  to  a  satisfactory  understanding.  It  was 
at  once  agreed  that  the  laws  of  the  Territory  should  have  their  regu- 
lar course,  and  that  those  who  disputed  their  validity  should,  if  they 
desired  to  do  so,  test  that  question  in  the  judicial  tribunals  of  the 
country;  that,  in  the  mean  time,  no  resistance  should  be  made  to  their 
due  execution,  and  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  and  vicinity  were,  when 
properly  called  on,  to  aid  in  the  arrest  of  any  one  charged  with  their 
violation,  and  aid  and  assist  in  the  preservation  of  the  peace  and  good 
order  of  society;  while,  on  my  part,  I  gave  them  every  assurance  in  my 
power  that  they  should  be  protected  in  all  their  rights  and  defended 
against  any  unlawful  aggressions.  It  is  proper  I  should  say,  that 
they  claimed  that  a  large  majority  of  them  had  always  held  and  incul- 
cated the  same  views.  The  assurances  I  received  entirely  satisfied  me 
that  no  one  against  whom  a  writ  had  issued  was  then  in  Lawrence ; 
that  they  had  all  fled,  and  that  they  were  harboring,  concealing,  or 
defending  no  one  against  whom  a  writ  had  been  issued,  and  that  here- 
after there  would  be  no  combined  effort  made  to  prevent  the  service  of 
any  process  in  the  county  of  Douglas.  This  was  entirely  satisfactory, 
and  all  that  had  been  desired.  But  to  satisfy  the  forces  that  sur- 
rounded Lawrence,  so  that^  they  could  be  induced  to  retire  in  order,  was 
the  great  difficulty  to  be  overcome.  To  issue  an  order  to  the  sheriff 
to  disband  his  posse,  and  to  Generals  Kichardson  and  Strickler  to  dis- 
band their  forces,  would  have  been  to  let  loose  this  large  body  of  men, 
who  would  have  been  left  without  control  to  follow  the  impulse  of 
their  feelings,  which  evidently  was  to  attack  and  disarm  the  people 
of  Lawrence.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  through  the  influ- 
ence of  some  leading  men,  I  procured  thirteen  of  the  leading  captains 
in  the  Wakarusa  camp  to  be  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  a 
committee  from  the  Lawrence  camp,  to  meet  at  Franklin,  midway 
between  the  two  hostile  forces.  I  proceeded  to  the  Lawrence  camp, 
and  returned  to  Franklin  in  the  evening,  with  the  committee,  where 
.the  proposed  interview  took  place.  This  interview,  which  lasted  for 
some  time,  resulted  in  producing  a  better  state  of  feeling,  and  the 
committee  from  the  Wakarusa  camp  were  satisfied  to  retire  without 
doing  anything  more,  and  so  reported  to  the  army.  This,  wit-h  the 
active  exertions  of  myself  and  others,  produced  a  better  feeling  among 
the  men,  and  by  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  I  felt  I  could 
with  safety  order  the  forces  to  disband,  and  accordingly  did  so. 
They  retired  in  order,  and  refrained  from  any  act  of  violence,  but  it 
was  evident  there  was  a  silent  dissatisfaction  at  the  course  I  had 
taken.  But  I  felt  conscious  I  was  right,  and  that  my  course  would 
be  sanctioned  alike  by  the  dictates  of  humanity  and  sound  policy.  I 
returned  to  Lawrence  on  the  9th,  and  remained  until  the  morning  of 
the  10th,  when,  everything  being  quiet  and  safe,  I  returned  to  this 


102  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

place.  Everything  is  quiet  now;  but  it  is  my  duty  to  say  to  you, 
frankly,  that  I  have  forebodings  as  to  the  future.  The  militia  or 
volunteer  corps  cannot  be  relied  on  to  preserve  the  peace  in  these  civil 
party  contests,  or  where  partisans  are  concerned.  A  call  on  the 
militia  will  generally  only  bring  in  conflict  the  two  parties.  I  am 
satisfied  that  the  only  forces  that  can  be  used  in  this  Territory  in  en- 
forcing the  laws,  or  preserving  the  peace,  are  those  of  the  United 
States,  and  with  this  view  I  would  suggest  that  the  executive  of  this 
Territory  be  authorized  to  call  on  the  forces  of  the  United  States  when, 
in  his  judgment,  the  public  peace  and  tranquillity,  or  the  execution 
of  the  laws,  may  require  their  assistance.  Should  there  be  an  out- 
break, it  will  most  probably  be  sudden,  and  before  orders  can  be  ob- 
tained from  Washington  the  crisis  will  have  passed.  I  send  you 
herewith  the  copies  of  rarious  affidavits,  letters,  &c.,  which  will  give 
you  some  information  in  detail  touching  the  subject-matter  of  this 
despatch. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILSON  SHANNON. 

His  Excellency  FRANKLIN  PIERCE. 


UNITED  STATES  OP  AMERICA, 
Territory  of  Kansas. 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  sixth  day  of  December,  in  the  year 
A.  D.  1855,  personally  appeared  before  me,  J.  M.  Burrell,  one  of  the 
associate  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  said  Territory  of  Kansas, 
Harrison  Buckley,  of  lawful  age,  who  being  by  me  duly  sworn,  saith 
that  he  is  a  citizen  of  the  county  of  Douglas,  and  has  resided  therein 
since  30th  day  of  March  last,  and  has  resided  during  all  that  time  ati 
Hickory  Grove  ;  that  he  was  informed  on  good  authority,  and  which  i 
he  believed  to  be  true,  that  Jacob  Branson  had  threatened  his  life,, 
both  before  and  after  the  difficulty  between  Coleman  and  Dow,,  whichi 
led  to  the  death  of  the  latter.     I  understood  that  Branson  swore  that! 
deponent  should  not  breathe  the  pure  air  three  minutes  after  I  re-- 
turned,  this  deponent  at  this  time  having  gone  down  to  Westport,  in 
Missouri ;  that  it  was  these  threats,  made  in  various  shapes,  that  made 
this  deponent  really  fear  his  life,  and  which  induced  him  to  make 
affidavit  against  the  said  Branson,  and  procure  a  peace  warrant  t< 
issue,  and  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  sheriff  of  Douglas  county 
that  this  deponent  was  with  the  said  sheriff  (S.  J.  Jones)  at  the  tim 
the  said  Branson  was  arrested,  which  took  place  about  two  or  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning ;  that  Branson  was  in  bed  when  he  was  arrestec 
by  said  sheriff ;  that  no  pistol  or  other  weapon  was  presented  at  th< 
said  Branson  by  any  one ;  that  after  the  arrest,  and  after  the  company) 
with  the  sheriff  had  proceeded  about  five  miles  in  the  direction  of) 
Lecompton,  the  county  seat  of  Douglas  county,  the  said  sheriff  and  his 
posse  were  set  upon  by  about  between  thirty  and  forty  men,  who  cam< 
out  from  behind  a  house,  all  armed  with  Sharpens  rifles,  and  present* 
their  guns  cocked,  and  called  out  who  they  were  ;  and  said  Bransoi. 
replied  that  they  had  got  him  a  prisoner  ;  and  these  armed  men  calld 
on  him  to  come  away.     Branson  then  went  over  on  their  side,  am 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  103 

sheriff  Jones  said  they  were  doing  something  they  would  regret  here- 
after in  resisting  the  laws  ;  that  he  was  sheriff  of  Douglas  county,  and, 
as  such,  had  arrested  Branson.  These  armed  men  replied  that  they  had 
nola\vs,no  sheriff,  and  no  governor,  and  that  they  knew  no  laws  but  their 
guns.  The  sheriff,  being  overpowered,,  said  to  these  men,  that  if  they 
took  him  by  force  of  arms  he  had  no  more  to  say,  or  something  to  that 
import,  and  then  we  rode  off.  This  deponent  further  states  that  there 
have  been  three  houses  burned  in  the  Hickory  Point  settlement ;  one 
was  this  deponent's  house,  another  belonged  to  Josiah  Hargis,  and  the 
third  to  said  Coleman.  All  I  had  in  the  world  was  burned  up,  leaving 
my  wife  and  children  without  clothing.  This  deponent's  wife  and 
four  children  fled  to  Missouri,  where  they  still  remain  with  their  rela- 
tives. The  house  of  deponent  was  burned  down,  as  it  is  said,  shortly 
before  daylight  in  the  morning.  The  wives  and  children  of  both  Cole- 
man and  Hargis  also  fled  to  Missouri,  where  they  still  remain.  There 
were  about  fifteen  or  sixteen  law-abiding  families  in  the  settlement 
called  the  Hickory  Grove  settlement  about  the  time  these  difficulties 
sprung  up  ;  they  have  all  been  forced  by  terror  and  threats  of  these 
armed  men  to  flee  with  their  wives  and  children  to  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri for  protection,  and  still  remain  there.  These  armed  men  have 
repeatedly  in  my  presence  said  that  they  would  resist  the  law  by  force, 
and  there  was  no  law  in  this  Territory.  These  threats  have  been  re- 
peatedly made  by  these  men  for  the  last  three  months.  And  further 
this  deponent  saith  not. 

H.  H.  BUCKLEY. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  the  day  and  year  above  stated,  before  me. 

J.  M.  BUKKELL, 
Associate  Justice  /Supreme  Court,  Kansas  Territory. 


FNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  ) 

Territory  of  Kansas.         ] SS'  ° 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  7th  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1855, 
jrsonally  came  before  me,  S.  G.  Cato,  one  of  the  associate  justices  of 
the  supreme  court  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  Josiah  Hargis,  of  law- 
ful age,  who  being  by  me  duly  sworn,  deposeth  and  saith," that  on  or 
about  the  26th  day  of  November,  1855,  in  Douglas  county,  sheriff 
Jones  called  upon  me,  with  nine  others,  to  act  as  a  posse  to  arrest  one 
Jacob  Branson,  under  a  peace  warrant  issued  by  Hugh  Cameron,  a 
justice  of  the  peace  ;  that  he  proceeded  with  said  sheriff  to  Hickory 
Point,  in  said  county,  and  there  arrested  said  Branson,  with  whom 
they  proceeded  in  the  direction  of  Lawrence.  When  near  a  house  on 
the  Wakarusa  an  armed  mob  of  persons,  amounting  to  between  thirty 
and  forty,  rushed  from  behind  said  house,  and  by  force  did  rescue  said 
Branson  out  of  the  hands  of  said  sheriff  and  posse,  and  in  defiance  of 
of  said  sheriff's  command,  take  said  Branson  and  refuse  to  deliver 
him  to  said  sheriff.  That  the  said  sheriff  told  the  said  mob  that  he 
held  said  Branson  under  a  peace  warrant  properly  issued  by  a  legally 
authorized  officer  ;  and  that  he  was  sheriff  of  said  county  of  Douglas, 


104  tNSAS    VVVA 

and  charged  with  the  e\     .    -:i  of  said  writ.    The  leader  of  said  mob 
replied  to  said  officer  that  they  knew  him  as  >ut  not  aa 

sheriff  of  Douglas  county.    He  then  told  them  that  he  would  call  out 
the  militia  to  enforce  the  law.    Their  reply  was  that  he  could  r. 
men  to  enforce  said  law.    He  told  their 

governor  for  assistance ;  to  which  the  a  replied  that  they  had 

no  laws  and  no  officers,  and  to  pitch  i  their 

gnus  cocked  and  presented  at  the  time  of  said  res. 

This  deponent  farther  saith>  one  H.  H.  Buckley,  of  > 
Dousrlas.  was  with  said  sheriff  at  the  time  of  said  .is  one  of 

ieriff*s  posse;  that  during  the  same  night  on  which  said 
was  made,  said  affiant  saw  a  light  in  the  direction  of  said  Buckley's 
house,  and  that  he  fully  believes  said  house  was  at  that  time  by. 
That  he  believes,  from  circumstances  within  his  knowledge,  that  said 
bouse,  together  with  his  own,  was  burned  by  persons  concerned  with 
said  mob ;  and  that  he  has  reason  to  believe  that  some  of  said  houses 
were  fired  by  said  Branson  aforesaid,  assisted  by  a  German,  commonly 
called  Dutch  Charley ;  and  they  were  counselled  and  advised  t 
by  one  Farley.     This  affiant  farther  says,  that  at  the  time  of  tV. 
coe  of  said  prisoner  he  was  at  a  house  near  Hickory  Point,  and  that  he 
there  saw  three  women,  who  told  him  that  there  had  been  an  armed 
force  that  day  who  notified  them  to  leave,  and  all  other  pro-slavery 
families  in  the  neighborhood  ;  and  since,  said  families  have  left  said 
neighborhood  and  fled  to  the  State  of  Missouri.     Said  affiant  says 
that  he  believes  there  were  at  that  time  in  said  neighborhood  about 
fifteen  pro-slavery  families,  nearly  all  of  whom  have  fled.   .-  .•  vresaid, 
to  the  State  of  Missouri,  for  protection.     Said  armed  force  was  repre- 

ited  to  consist  of  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fiftv  armed 


men. 

S.  X.  H  AEG  IS. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me.  ^    G-.  CATO. 

Associate  Justice  of  Kansas  Territory. 

* 

In  relation  to  events  which  have  transpired  since  the  apppointment 
of  your  committee,  the  majority  of  your  committee  use  this  language: 
•  •  Your  committee  did  not  deem  it  within  their  power  or  duty  to  take 
testimony  as  to  events  which  have  transpired  since  the  date*  ~ 

appointment/*     The  undersigned  begs  to  say,  that  the  major  i: 

n  committee  did,  however,  take  testimony  as  to  events  which 
"  transpired  since  the  date  of  their  appointnu  :  ed  to 

record  the  testimony  of  Pardee  Butler,  as  to  his  being  tarred  and 
cottoned  at  Atchison,  and  that  of  o:  ;ching  other  <fve:-rs,  all 

happening  after  the  date  of  their  arrival  in  Kansas  Territory, 
consequently  after  that  of  their  appointment.     Having  admitted  tes- 
timony as  to  some  events  of  the  kind,  it  was  but  justice  to  all  pa 
that  counter  testimony,  relating  to  those  as  well  as  other  events  of  the 
same  kind,  should  be  admitted.     And  thus  the  undersigned,  thoii- 
when  the  counsel  of  General  Whit  field  sought  to  introduce  evid-. 
as  to  the  Pottawatomie  Creek  murders,  and  other  outrages.     Having 
established  a  precedent,  it  was  inconsistent  for  the  majority  of  your 


KANSAS    AI  105 

:rnittee  to  refuse  to  take  such  testimony  upon  the  ground  that  they 

had  no  "  power,"  and  that  it  was  not  their  "  duty"  to  ir.  ;  oc- 

•' transpired  since  the   date  of  their   appointment." 

f  exercised  .such  a  "power,"  and  in  part  fulfil  led  such  a  "duty," 
v/hen  they  took  testimony  prejudicial  to  the  pro-slavery  party  ;  bufc 
when  testimony  unfavorable  to  the  free-State  party  was  sought  to  be 
introduced,  it  was  then,,  and  riot  till  then,  that  the  majority  of  your 
committee  concluded  that  it  was  not  within  "  their  power  or  duty  to 
take .-.••:•-.•  i:;i >>i\y  as  to  events  which  transpired  since  the  date  of  their 
appointment."  But  the  majority  of  your  committee  extricated 
themselves  from  the  dilemma  in  which  they  had,  in  this  regard, 
placed  themselves,  by  expunging  testimony  favorable  to  the  free- 
State  party  side — testimony  already  received  in  relation  to  alleged 
violence  shown  to  Pardee  Butler  and  others,  so  that  they  could 
•itly  refuse  to  admit  testimony  as  to  outrages  committed 
by  the  free-State  people,  which  in  savage  barbarity  and  demoniac 

!tv  have  scarcely  an  equal  in  the  history  of  civilized  man.     But, 
notwithstanding  that  the  majority  deemed  it  without  their  " power 
or  duty"  to  investigate  matters  occurring  since  the  time  of  their  ap- 
p->intment,  they  have  reported,  and  in  their  report  dwelt  with  much 
warmth  of  expression  upon,   events  which  they  admit  "transpired 
since  the  date  of  their  appointment" — events  for  which  they  do  not 
claim  to  have  a  shadow  of  authority  for  their  truth  except  vague 
rumor,  and  for  which  in  fact  there  is  none  as  yet  shown  ;  and  the  tes- 
timony in  regard  to  at  least  one  of  which  events  they  had  expunged 
from  the  record,  to  wit,  the  tarring  and  cottoning  of  Pardee  Butler. 
The  undersigned  is  of  the  opinion,  that  if  the  majority  of  your  com- 
irnttee  are  justified  in  reporting  and  dwelling  upon  occurrences  for 
the  truth  of  which  they  offer  no  proof,  he  is  equally,  if  not  much  more 
strongly  justified,  in  reporting  and  dwelling  upon  occurrences  for  the 
proof  of  which  he  has  sworn  testimony.     The  majority  of  your  com- 
mittee having  presented,  in  their  report,  scarcely  anything  but  what 
is  favorable  to  the  abolition  party  in  Kansas  and  prejudicial  to  the  law 
and  order  party,  the  undersigned  deems  it  a  duty,  no  less  to  the  House 
than  to  the  country  and  the  cause  of  truth,  to  give  some  facts  on  the 
other  side  favorable  to  the  other  party  in  Kansas,  so  that  in  present- 
ly both  sides,  the  world  may  have  a  fair  chance  to  get  at  the  truth, 
and  arrive  at  a  just  conclusion.     The  minority  of  your  committee  (the 
majority  having  alluded,   in  their  report,  to  events  as  to  which  they 
efused  to  take  testimony)  has  fortunately  been  furnished  with  sworn 
estimony  to  which  he  desires  to  refer,  and  which  he  considers  im- 
)ortarit  to  lay  before  the  House  and  the  public.     First  in  order  of 
imo  are  the  murders  committed  on  the  night  of  the  24th  of  May,  1856, 
ri  Pottawatomie  creek.     In  this  massacre,  it  is  known  that  five  per- 
ons  were  killed  in  one  night,  viz  :   Allen  Wilkinson,  William  Sher- 
nan,  William  P.  Doyle,  father,  and  William  and  Drury  Doyle,  sons. 
'he  undersigned  begs  leave  to  refer  to  various  affidavits  which  he  ap- 
>ends  to  and  makes  a  part  of  his  report. 

Allen  Wilkinson  was  a  member  of  the  Kansas  legislature — a  quiet, 
noffensive  man.  His  widow,  Louisa  Jane  Wilkinson,  testifies,  that 
n  the  night  of  the  24th  of  May  last,  between  the  hours  of  midnight 


106  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

and  day-break,  slie  thinks,,  a  party  of  men  came  to  the  house  where 
they  were  residing  and  forcibly  carried  her,  husband  away  ;  that  they 
took  him  in  the  name  of  the  "  Northern  Army/;  and  that  next  morn- 
ing he  was  found  about  150  yards  from  the  house,  dead.  Mrs.  Wilk- 
inson was  very  ill  at  the  time  with  measles.  Here  follows  an  extract 
from  her  affidavit:  "I  begged  them  to  let  Mr.  Wilkinson  stay  with 
me,  saying  that  I  was  sick  and  helpless,  and  could  not  stay  by  myself. 
My  husband  also  asked  them  to  let  him  stay  with  me  until  he  could 
get  some  one  to  wait  on  me  ;  told  them  that  he  would  not  run  off,  but 
would  be  there  the  next  day,  or  whenever  called  for  ;  the  old  rnan  who 
seemed  to  be  in  command  looked  at  me,  and  then  around  at  the  child- 
ren, and  replied,  i  you  have  neighbors.'  I  said,  i  so  I  have,  but, 
they  are  not  here,  and  I  cannot  go  for  them/  The  old  man  replied, 
'it  matters  not,'  and  told  him  to  get  ready.  My  husband  wanted 
to  put  on  his  boots,  and  get  ready,  so  as  to  be  protected  from  the  damp 
and  night  air,  but  they  would  not  let  him.  They  then  took  rny  hus- 
band away.  *  *  *  After  they  were  gone  I  thought  I  heard  my 
husband's  voice  in  complaint.  *  *  Next  morning  Mr.  Wilkinson's 
body  was  found  about  150  yards  from  the  house,  in  some  dead  brush. 
A  lady,  who  saw  my  husband's  body,  said  that  there  was  a  gash  in 
his  head  and  his  side.  Others  said  that  he  was  cut  in  the  throat  twice. ' ' 
Mr.  Wilkinson  was  a  poor  man,  and  of  course  his  widow  was  left  desti- 
tute ;  but,  regardless  of  this  fact,  they  took  away  some  property,  in- 
cluding the  only  horse  they  had.  Mrs.  Wilkinson  was  presented  at 
Westport,  Missouri,  with  the  necessary  means  to  go  to  her  father's  in 
Tennessee.  She  has  two  small  children.  Mrs.  Wilkinson's  descrip- 
tion of  the  leader  of  the  men  who  murdered  her  husband  suits  Cap- 
tain John  Brown,  a  well  known  character  in  the  abolition  party.  She 
says  that  her  husband  was  a  quiet  man,  and  was  not  engaged  in  arrest- 
ing or  disturbing  anybody.  He  took  no  active  part  in  the  pro-slavery 
cause,  so  as  to  aggravate  the  abolitionists;  but  he  was  a  pro-slavery 
man. 

The  circumstaTices  attending  William  Sherman's  assassination  are 
testified  to  by  Mr.  James  Harris,  of  Franklin  county,  Kansas.  Mr. 
Sherman  was  staying  over  night  at  the  house  of  Harris,  when,  on  the 
night  of  the  24th  of  May,  about  two  o'clock,  Captain  John  Brown  and 
party  came  there,  and  after  taking  some  property  and  questioning 
Harris  and  others,  Sherman  was  asked  to  walk  out.  Mr.  Harris,  in  his 
affidavit,  says :  "Old  man  Brown  asked  Mr.  Sherman  to  go  out  with 
him,  and  Sherman  then  went  out  with  Brown.  I  heard  nothing  more 
for  about  fifteen  minutes.  Two  of  the  c  Northern  Army/  as  they  styled 
themselves,  staid  with  us  until  we  heard  a  cap  burst,  and  then  these  two 
men  left.  Next  morning,  about  ten  o'clock,  I  found  William  Sher- 
man dead  in  the  creek  near  my  house.  I  was  looking  for  him;  as  he 
had  not  come  back,  I  thought  he  had  been  murdered.  I  took  Mr. 
William  Sherman  (body)  out  of  the  creek  and  examined  it.  Mrs. 
Whiteman  was  with  me.  Sherman's  skull  was  split  open  in  two 
places,  and  some  of  his  brains  were  washed  out  by  the  water  ;  a  large 
hole  was  cut  in  his  breast,  and  his  left  hand  was  cut  off,  except  a  little 
piece  of  skin  on  one  side." 

In  relation  to  the  assassination  of  James  P.  Doyle  and  sons,  the 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  107 

affidavit  of  Mrs.  Mahala  Doyle,  tlie  widowed  mother,  was  procured. 
William  Doyle,  one  of  the  murdered,  was  twenty-two  years  of  age  ; 
Drury  Doyle,  the  other,  was  twenty  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Doyle  was 
left  very  poor,  with  four  children — one  of  them  only  eight  years  old — 
to  support.  Mrs.  Doyle  testifies  :  '/That  a  party  of  armed  men  came 
to  her  house  ahout  11  o'clock,  she  thinks,  on  the  night  of  the  24th  of 
May;  they  first  inquired  where  Mr.  Wilkinson  lived,  and  then  made 
Mr.  Doyle  open  his  door,  and  went  into  the  house,  saying  they  were 
from  the  'Army  of  the  North/  and  asking  them  to  surrender/7  Says 
Mrs.  Doyle  :  "Tlfey  first  took  my  husband  out  of  the  house,  then  they 
took  two  of  my  sons — the  two  eldest,  William  and  Drury — out,  and 
then  took  my  husband  and  the  two  boys  away.  •  My  son  John  (sixteen 
years  old)  was  spared  because  I  asked  them,  in  tears,  to  spare  him.  In 
a  short  time  afterwards  I  heard  the  report  of  pistols — two  reports  ; 
after  which  I  heard  moaning,  as  if  a  person  was  dying  ;  then  I  heard 
a  wild  whoop.  *  *  *  I  went  out  next  morning  in  search  of  them, 
and  found  my  husband  and  William,  my  son,  lying  dead  in  the  road, 
near  together,  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  house.  They  were 
buried  the  next  day.  On  the  day  of  the  burying  I  saw  the  dead  body 
of  my  son  Drury.  Fear  for  myself  and  the  remaining  children  in- 
duced me  to  leave  the  home  which  we  had  been  living  at,  and  I  went 
to  the  State  of  Missouri/' 

The  testimony  of  John  Doyle  goes  to  corroborate  that  of  his  mother. 
Here  follows  an  extract :  "I  found  my  father  and  one  brother  (Wil- 
liam) lying  dead  in  the  road,  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  house. 
I  saw  my  other  brother  lying  dead  on  the  ground,  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  from  the  house,  in  the  grass;  near  a  ravine.  His  fin- 
gers were  cut  off ;  his  head  was  cut  open  ;  there  was  a  hole  in  his 
breast.  William's  head  was  cut  open,  and  a  hole  was  in  his  jaw,  as 
though  it  was  made  by  a  knife,  and  a  hole  was  also  in  his  side.  My 
father  was  shot  in  the  forehead  and  stabbed  in  the  breast.  I  have 
talked  often  with  northern  men  and  eastern  men  in  the  Territory,  and 
these  men  talked  exactly  like  eastern  men  and  northern  men  talk — 
that  is,  their  language  and  pronunciation  were  similar  to  those  of 
eastern  and  northern  men  with  whom  I  had  talked.  An  old  man 
commanded  the  party  ;  he  was  of  dark  complexion,  arid  his  face  was 
slim.  My  father  and  brothers  were  pro-slavery  men,  and  belonged 
to  the  law  and  order  party /' 

There  seems  to  be  little  or  no  doubt  that  a  certain  notorious  leader 
of  the  free-State  party  (as  they  call  themselves)  in  Kansas,  whose 
name  it  is  not  here  deemed  proper  to  give,  was  at  the  head  of  the 
party  engaged  in  this  fiendish  massacre.  Mr.  Harris  testifies  that 
one  John  Brown,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  free-State  party,  was  en- 
gaged in  the  killing  of  Sherman,  and  it  will  hardly  be  doubted  that 
they  who  murdered  Sherman  also  killed  the  rest — all  being  murdered 
on  the  same  night  and  in  the  same  neighborhood.  Those  who  were 
killed,  it  is  testified,  were  pro-slavery  people;  and  the  undersigned 
has  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  these  ill-fated  men  were  deprived  •!' 
their  lives,  and  their  wives  and  children  made  widows  and  orphans,  in 
consequence  of  the  insurrectionary  movements  instigated  and  set  on 
loot  by  the  reckless  leaders  of  the  Topeka  convention. 


108  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Next  in  order  are  the  outrages  committed  on  the  property  of  Mor- 
ton Bourn  and  that  of  J.  M.  Bernard.  The  affidavit  of  Mr.  Bourn 
shows  that,  on  the  night  of  Wednesday,  the  28th  day  of  May,  1856, 
a  party  of  abolitionists  entered  his  house  forcibly,  threatened  to  take 
his  life  if  he  did  not  leave  the  Territory  immediately  ;  took  all  the 
money  he  had,  which  they  said  they  wanted  to  carry  on  the  war. 
They  also  took  guns,  saddles,  and  horses,  and  then  rohbed  his  store 
of  various  articles.  Mr.  Bourn,  on  oath,  says:  "I  own  slaves,  and 
have  a  crop  of  corn  and  wheat  growing.  Have  never  taken  any  active 
part  with  the  pro-slavery  party,  only  voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  and 
was  for  sustaining  the  la'.vs.  *  *  *  These  men  said  I  must  leave 
in  a  day  or  two  or  they  would  kill  me,  or  hinted  as  much — said  I 
would  not  fare  well,  or  words  to  that  effect.  I  left  for  fear  of  my  life 
and  the  lives  of  my  family.  They  said  that  the  war  was  commenced, 
that  they  were  going  to  fight  it  out,  and  drive  the  pro-slavery  people 
out  of  the  Territory,  or  words  to  that  amount.  The  men  that  robbed 
my  house  and  drove  me  away  from  my  property  were  abolitionists,  or 
free-soilers.  *  *  *  I  believe  they  hated  me  so  because  I  am  a  pro- 
slavery  man,  and  in  favor  of  the  Territorial  laws,  and  because  I  served 
on  the  last  grand  jury  at  Lecompton." 

But  the  most  flagrant  case  of  robbery  that  occurred  while  your  com- 
mittee were  in  Kansas  was  the  plundering  of  Mr.  Joab  Bernard's  store 
and  premises.  Mr.  Bernard  is  quite  a  young  man,  and  of  highly  re- 
spectable family.  While  prosecuting  his  business,  he  was  warned  that 
his  life  was  in  danger,  and  was  compelled  to  leave  his  home  for  safety ; 
and  during  his  absence  his  store  was  robbed  of  nearly  four  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  goods  and  money,  and  his  premises  of  cattle  and 
horses 'of  the  value  of  at  least  one  thousand  more.  The  facts  of  this 
case  are  testified  to  by  Messrs.  John  Miller  and  Thomas  S.  Hamilton. 
Mr.  Bernard  testifies  himself  as  to  his  life  being  threatened,  and  the 
amount  of  goods  in  his  store  and  other  property  on  the  premises. 
Messrs.  Miller  and  Hamilton  corroborate  his  testimony,  and  the  un- 
dersigned makes  their  depositions  a  part  of  his  report.  St.  Bernard, 
J.  M.  Bernard's  place,  is  situated  in  Douglas  county,  on  the  Califor- 
nia and  Fort  Scott  road,  about  thirty  miles  from  Lecompton.  The 
robbery  took  place  on  the  27th  day  of  May,  1856.  In  his  affidavit, 
Mr.  Miller  says  :  "  I  was  in  the  store  with  Mr.  Davis.  Whilst  there 
a  party  of  ^  thirteen  men  came  to  the  store  on  horseback,  armed  with 
Sharpe's  rifles,,  revolvers,  arid  bowie-knives.  They  inquired  for  Mr. 
Bernard.  I  told  them  that  he  had  gone  to  Westport.  One  of  them 
said  to  me,  'You  are  telling  a  God  damned  lie,'  and  drew  up  his 
gun  at  rne.  Some  of  them  came  into  the  store,  and  the  rest  remained 
outside.  They  called  for  such  goods  as  they  wanted,  and  made  Mr. 
Davis  and  myself  hand  them  out,  and  said  if  we  l  didn't  hurry'  they 
would  shoot  us.  They  had  their  guns  ready.  After  they  had  got  the 
goods — they  wanted  principally  blankets  and  clothing — they  packed 
them  upon  their  horses  and  went  away.  Mr.  Joab  Bernard  is  a  pro- 
slavery  man."  Mr.  Miller  recognised  one  of  the  party  as  an  active 
free-State  man.  They  on  the  next  day  came  back  with  a  wagon,  and 
took  the  remainder  of  the  goods  in  the  store,  except  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars'  worth — including  flour,  sugar,  coffee,  bacon, 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  109 


and  all  kinds  of  provisions,  as  well  as  two  fine  hordes,  three  saddles, 
two  bridles,  and  all  the  money  there  was  in  the  store.  In  the  conclu- 
sion of  his  affidavit,  Mr.  Miller  says:  "When  they  first  came,  they 
looked  up  at  the  sign,  and  said  they  would  like  to  shoot  at  the  name." 
The  affidavits  accompanying  this  report  are  full  and  explanatory,  and 
the  undersigned  begs  to  make  them  a  part  of  his  report.  They  are 
sworn  to  before  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Jackson  county,  Missouri, 
and  the  seal  of  the  Jackson  county  court  is  attached  to  the  clerk's  cer- 
tificate, as  to  the  official  character  of  the  justice  of  the  peace.  The 
undersigned  thinks  that,  in  reviewing  these  outrages,  he  did  not  in- 
appropriately characterize  the  Pottawatomie  creek  murders  as  instances 
of  "savage  barbarity  and  demoniac  cruelty,"  while  the  robberies  of 
Bourn  and  Bernard  are  almost  without  parallel  in  the  history  of  crime 
in  this  country.  In  this  connexion,  the  undersigned  deems  it  proper 
to  state  that -the  report  so  currently  circulated  throughout  the  country, 
to  the  effect  that  the  lamented  Wilkinson,  Sherman,  and  the  Doyles 
were  caught  in  the  act  of  hanging  a  free-State  man,  and  were  shot  by 
a  party  of  free-soilers,  is  without  the  least  foundation  in  truth — that  it- 
is  entirely  false. 

In  conclusion,  the  undersigned  begs  to  report  the  following  facts 
and  conclusions,  as  he  believes,  established  by  the  testimony  and  sanc- 

;  tioned  by  the  law:    . 

First.  That  at  the  first  election  held  in  the  Territory  under  the 
organic  act,  for  delegate  to  Congress,,  Gen.  John  W.  Whitfield  re- 

|  cived  a  plurality  of  the  legal  votes  cast,  and  was  duly  elected  such 
delegate,  as  stated  in  the  majority  report. 

Second.  That  the  Territorial  legislature  was  a  legally  constituted 
body,  and  had  power  to  pass  valid  laws,  and  their  enactments  are 

\  therefore  valid. 

Third.  That  these  laws,  when  appealed  to,  have  been  used  for  the 
protection  of  life,  liberty  and  property,  and  for  the  maintenance  of 

;  law  and  order  in  the  Territory. 

Fourth.  That  the  election  under  which  the  sitting  delegate,  John 
W.  Whitfield,  was  held,  was  in  pursuance  of  valid  law,  and  should  be 

I  regarded  as  a  valid  election. 

Fifth.  That  as  said  Whitfield,  at  said  election,  received  a  large 

fj  number  of  legal  votes  without  opposition,  he  was  duly  elected  as  a 

||  delegate  to  this  body,  and  is  entitled  to  a  seat  on  this  floor  as  such. 

Sixth.  That  the  election  under  which  the  contesting  delegate,  An- 
drew H.  Reeder,  claims  his  seat,  was  not  held  under  any  law,  but  in 
contemptuous  disregard  of  all  law  ;  and  that  it  should  only  be  re- 
garded as  the  expression  of  a  band  of  malcontents  and  revolutionists, 
and  consequently  should  be  wholly  disregarded  by  the  House. 

Seventh.  As  to  whether  or  not  Andrew  H.  Reeder  received  a 
greater  number  of  votes  of  resident  citizens  on  the  9th,  than  J.  W. 
Whitfield  did  on  the  1st  of  October,  1855,  no  testimony  was  taken 
by  the  committee,  so  far  as  the  undersigned  knows,  nor  is  it  material 
to  the  issue. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

M.  OLIVER. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS 


MINUTES  OF  THE  COMMITTEE. 


The  Select  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States,  appointed  to  investigate  the  affairs  of  Kansas,  met  at  the  city 
of  Washington  on  the  27th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1856. 

Present,  William  A.  Howard,  chairman,  Mordecai  Oliver,  and  John 
Sherman. 

Ordered,  That  the  resolutions  of  the  House,  providing  for  this  com- 
mittee, be  read  and  entered  on  the  minutes. 

T'hey  are  as  follows  : 

"MAKCH  19,  1856. 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  of  the  members  of  this 
House,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Speaker,  shall  proceed  to  inquire  into 
and  collect  evidence  in  regard  to  the  troubles  in  Kansas  generally,  and 
particularly  in  regard  to  any  fraud  or  force  attempted,  or  practised, 
in  reference  to  any  of  the  elections  which  have  taken  place  in  said 
Territory,  either  under  the  law  organizing  said  Territory,  or  under 
any  pretended  law  which  may  be  alleged  to  have  taken  effect  therein 
since.  That  they  shall  fully  investigate  and  take  proof  of  all  violent 
and  tumultuous  proceedings  in  said  Territory  at  any  time  since  the 
passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act,  whether  engaged  in  by  residents 
of  said  Territory,  or  by  any  person  or  persons  from  elsewhere  going 
into  said  Territory  and  doing,  or  encouraging  others  to  do,  any  act  of 
violence  or  public  disturbance  against  the  laws  of  the  United  States, 
or  the  rights,  peace,  and  safety  of  the  residents  of  said  Territory  ;  and 
for  that  purpose  said  committee  shall  have  full  power  to  send  for  and 
examine  and  take  copies  of  all  such  papers,  public  records,  and  pro- 
ceedings, as  in  their  judgment  will  be  useful  in  the  premises  ;  and 
also,  to  send  for  persons  and  examine  them  on  oath,  or  affirmation,  as 
to  matters  within  their  knowledge  touching  the  matters  of  said  inves- 
tigation ;  and  said  committee,  by  their  chairman,  shall  have  power  to 
administer  all  necessary  oaths  or  affirmations  connected  with  their 
aforesafd  duties. 

"Resolved further,  That  said  committee  may  hold  their  investiga- 
tions at  such  places  and  times  as  to  them  may  seem  advisable,  and 
that  they  have  leave  of  absence  from  the  duties  of  this  House  until 
they  shall  have  completed  such  investigation:  That  they  be  author- 
ized to  employ  one  or  more  clerks,  and  one  or  more  assistant  sergeants- 
at-arrns,  to  aid  them  in  their  investigation ;  and  may  administer  to 
them  an  oath  or  affirmation  faithfully  to  perform  the  duties  assigned 
to  them  respectively,  and  to  keep  secret  all  matters  which  may  come 
to  their  knowledge  touching  such  investigation  as  said  committee  shall 
direct,  until  the  report  of  the  same  shall  be  submitted -to  this  House; 
and  said  committee  may  discharge  any  such  clerk  or  assistant  ser- 
geant-at-arms  for  neglect  of  duty  or  disregard  of  instructions  in  the 
premises,  arid  employ  others  under  like  regulations. 

* '  Resolved  further ,  That  if  any  person  shall  in  any  manner  obstruct 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  Ill 

or  hinder  said  committee,  or  attempt  so  to  do,  in  their  said  investiga- 
tion, or  shall  refuse  to  attend  on  said  committee,  and  to  give  evidenca 
when  summoned  for  that  purpose,  or  shall  refuse  to  produce  any 
papers,  book,  public  record,  or  other  proceeding  in  their  possession  or 
control,  to  said  committee,  when  so  required,  or  shall  make  any  dis- 
turbance where  said  committee  are  holding  their  sittings,  said  com- 
mittee may,  if  they  see  fit,  cause  any  and  every  such  person  to  be 
arrested  by  said  assistant  sergeant-at-arms,  and  brought  before  this 
House,  to  be  dealt  with  as  for  a  contempt. 

"  Resolved  further,  That  for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the  expenses 
of  said  commission,  there  be  and  hereby  is  appropriated  the  sum  of 
ten  thousand  ($10,000)  dollars,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  contingent  fund 
of  this  House. 

1 '  Resolved  further,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  and 
is  hereby  requested  to  furnish  to  said  committee,  should  they  be  met 
with  any  serious  apposition  by  bodies  of  lawless  men  in  the  discharge 
of  their  duties  aforesaid,  such  aid  from  any  military  force  as  may,  at 
the  time,  be  convenient  to  them,  as  may  be  necessary  to  remove  such 
opposition,  and  enable  said  committee,  without  molestation,  to  pro- 
ceed with  their  labors. 

"  Resolved  further,  That  when  said  committee  shall  have  completed 
said  investigation,  they  report  all  the  evidence  so  collected  to  this 
House." 


"  MARCH  24,  1856. 

"The  Speaker  announced  that  he  had  appointed  Mr.  Lewis  D. 
Campbell,  of  Ohio  ;  Mr.  William  A.  Howard,  of  Michigan  ;  and  Mr. 
Mordecai  Oliver,  of  Missouri,  the  select  committee  under  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  House  of  the  19th  instant. 


"  MARCH  25,  1856. 

"  On  motion  of  Mr.  Lewis  D.  Campbell,  by  unanimous  consent, 
tc  Ordered ,  That  he  be  excused  from  serving  ofi  the  select  committee 

Appointed  under  the  resolution  of  the  House  of  the  19th  instant. 
"The  Speaker  thereupon  appointed  Mr.  John  Sherman,  of  Ohio; 

to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  thereby/7 


The  following  officers  of  the  committee  were  appointed : 

Clerks — Gr.  Gr.  Fogg,  John  S.  Bowen,  S.  P.  Hanscom,  and  John  T. 
Hughes. 

Reporter — W.  Blair  Lord. 

Sergeants-at-arms — John  Upton,  Amos  Townsend,  and  H.  J.  Co- 
mer. 

Ordered,  That  each  officer  shall  discharge  such  duties  as  may  be, 


112  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

from  time  to  time,  assigned  to  him  by  the  committee,  and  that  their 
compensation  shall  be  the  same  per  diem. 

Ordered,  That  the  chairman  be  directed  to  draw  the  fund  appro- 
priated by  the  House,  and  out  of  it  to  pay  the  travelling  expenses  of  the 
committee  and  its  officers,  and  to  procure  from  the  postmaster  of  the 
House,  or  otherwise,  the  necessary  stationery,  books,  papers,  and 
supplies. 

The  chairman  was  also  directed  to  send  to  the  sitting  and  contest- 
ing delegates  the  following  notice  : 

"WASHINGTON,  March  29,  1856. 

"SiR:  The  committee  appointed  to  investigate  Kansas  affairs  deem 
it  proper  to  advise  you  that  it  is  their  wish  that  the  two  contestants, 
Hon.  J.  W.  Whitfield  and  Hon.  A.  H.  Eeeder,  should  be  present  at 
examinations  to  be  had  by  the  committee,  on  terms  of  perfect  equality. 
You  can  therefore  attend,  if  you  choose  so  to  do,  at 'your  own  expense, 
to  look  after  your  own  interest  in  connection  with  said  investigation. 
Neither  can;  in  any  sense,  be  in  the  employ  of  the  committee. 
"  Very  respectfully, 

"WM.  A.  HOWARD, 
"  Chairman  of  Kansas  Committee." 

Adjourned  to  meet  on  call. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD, 

Chairman. 


KANSAS  CITY,  Mo.,  April  14,  1856. 

The  committee  met.     Present,  Messrs.  Howard  and  Sherman. 
The  following  letter  was  received  from  Colonel  Sumner,  U.  S.  A. 

"  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  CAVALRY, 

"April.  1,  1856. 

"  GENTLEMEN  :  If  you  would  prefer  to  hold  the  sessions  of  your  board 
at  this  post,  it  will  afford  me  great  pleasure  to  give  you  all  the  facili- 
ties inymy  power.     There  may  be  no  excitement  if  you  assemble 
elsewhere,  but  thereVill  certainly  be  none  here. 
"  I  am,  with  high  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

"E.  V.  SUMNER, 
"  Colonel  First  Cavalry  Commanding. 
"Messrs.  SHERMAN,  HOWARD,  OLIVER, 

1 '  Kansas  Committee . ' ' 

To  which  the  chairman  made  the  following  reply : 

"KANSAS  CITY,  April  14,  1856. 

"  COLONEL  :  Your  note  of  the  1st  instant,  inviting  us  to  hold  the 
sessions  of  the  Kansas  investigating  committee  at  the  post  under 
your  command,  has  just  been  received.  We  expect  to  hold  our 
Sessions  at  various  points  in  the  Territory,  and,  among  others,  in  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  113 

vicinity  of  Fort  Leavenworth  ;  when  it  will  give  us  great  pleasure  to 
be  at  liberty  to  avail  ourselves  of  your  very  courteous  invitation. 
"  With  the  highest  esteem,  your  obedient  servant, 

"W.  A.  HOWARD. 

"E.    Y.    SUMNBR,  t 

"  Colonel  First  Cavalry,  Fort  Leavenworth." 

I 
The  committee  adjourned,  to  meet  on  call. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD, 

Chairman. 


LECOMPTON,  K.  T.,  April  18,  1856. 

The  ^committee  met.  Present,  Messrs.  Howard,  Sherman,  and 
Oliver. 

Ordered,  That  the  following  official  documents  be  copied  : 

The  poll-books  of  the  election  in  the  Territory  on  the  29th  of  No- 
vember, 1854. 

The  census  of  the  voters  taken  in  February,  1855. 

The  proclamation  and  instructions  of  Governor  Reeder  in  regard  to 
the  election  of  the  30th  of  March  ;  the  returns  of  that  election,  and 
the  official  action  of  Governor  Reeder  thereon. 

The  returns  of  the  election  held  on  the  22d  of  May,  1855,  and 
October  1,  1855, 

All  of  which  was  done. 

The  following  rules  were  adopted  : 

The  examination  of  witnesses  before  the  committee  shall  be  open, 
|md  be  governed  by  the  rules  of  the  common  law  ;  and  Greenleaf 's 
j^vidence  is  adopted  as  the  standard. 

The  sitting  and  contesting  delegates  are  each  invited,  with  an 
Attorney  for  each,  to  be  present  at  the  examination  of  witnesses,  and 
i|nay  put  proper  questions  to  witnesses  in  regard  to  all  matters,  per- 
aining  to  their  contest. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Whitfield,  being  present,  was  notified  and  requested  to 
koduce  his  witnesses  for  examination,  and  to  furnish  the  names  of 
ersons  whom  he  desired  to  be  subpoenaed  for  that  purpose.       • 
|    Adjourned,  to  meet  on  call. 

WM.  A,  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LAWRENCE,  April  23,  1856. 
I?  Committee  met  at  3  o'clock  p.  m.     All  the  committee  present. 

llGren.  J»  W.  Whitfield  appears  with  Col.  Wright,  his  counsel ;  also 
K,  A.  H.  Reeder  ;  who  are  requested  to  produce  their  witnesses,  and 
]!»  furnish  names  of  persons  to  be  subpoenaed. 

|  After  much  discussion,  and  a  statement  by  the  committee  of  their 
nans  for  conducting  the  examinations,  adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow 
florning  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 
H.  Rep.  200 8 


114  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

APRIL  24,  1856. 

Committee  met  at  8  o'clock  a.  m.     All  present. 
Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWAKD,  Chairman, 

The  following  communication  was  received  from  Gren.  J.  W.  Whit- 
field  by  the  chairman  in  the  course  of  the  day,  viz : 

FREE-STATE  HOTEL,  LAWRENCE,  April  24,  1856. 
To  Wm.  A.  Howard,  Chairman  of  Committee: 

DEAR  SIR  :  Owing  to  the  assassination  of  sheriff  Jones,  in  this  town, 
last  night,  while  in  the  prosecution  of  the  duties  of  his  office,  and 
that,  too,  while  surrounded  by  a  body  of  United  States  troops,  detailed 
to  aid  him  in  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas, 
and  the  excitement  consequent  upon  the  same,  I  am  and  shall  be 
unable  to  get  my  witnesses  to  attend  the  sitting  of  the  committee  at 
this  place  ;  they  refusing,  and  with  good  reason,  to  expose  themselves 
and  run  the  risk  of  being  assassinated,  whenever  night  shuts  in,  by  a 
lawless  band  of  conspirators.  One  of  my  chief  witnesses  (sheriff 
Jones)  has  already  been  shot ;  on  that  account,  others  who  are  here 
have  determined  to  leave,  and  others  whom  I  expected  and  notified  to 
be  here  have  informed  me  that  they  will  not  attend  while  the  commit- 
tee sit  at  this  place.  I  will  further  state,  that  there  are  others  here 
rendering  me  material  aid  in  this  investigation,  and  without  whom  I 
cannot  safely  proceed,  whom  I  cannot  ask  to  remain  and  imperil  their 
lives  in  so  doing,  or  at  least  subject  themselves  to  insult  and  contumely. 

I  would  most  respectfully  suggest  to  the  committee  to  adjourn  from 
this  to  some  more  safe  and  neutral  point,  where  witnesses  and  others 
will  not, be  subject  to  the  dangers  and  insults  above  alluded  to. 

In  the  event  this  committee  shall  conclude  to  adjourn  to  some  other 
point,  I  pledge  in  advance,  and  assure  this  committee,  that  from  me 
they  shall  have  all  the  aid  I  can  summon  to  a  fair,  full,  and  complete- 
investigation. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

-J.  W.  WHITFIELD, 

Hon.  W.  A.  HOWARD, 

Lawrence,  K.  T. 

The  chairman  made  the  following  reply  : 

LAWRENCE,  April  24,  1856. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
letter  of  this  date.     If,  for  any  reason  satisfactory  to  yourself,  you  do 
not  wish  to  bring  your  witnesses  here  to  be  examined,  it  will  afford 
the  committee  pleasure  to  hold  sessions,  at  their  earliest  convenience,    , 
at  any  suitable  place,  giving  you  ample  notice  and  the  benefit  of  our  ' 
subpoena  to  collect  as  many  witnesses  as  you  may  desire,  at  such  place 
as  you  may  designate.     In  the  mean  time  there  are  some  witnesses, 
we  think,  we  can  examine  here,  and  we  would  be  pleased  to  have  you 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  115 

attend  in  person,  or  by  attorney,  to  cross-examine  witnesses  and  aid 
us  generally  in  eliciting  the  truth. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 

Hon.  J.  W.  WHITFIBLD. 

The  above  are  true  copies. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 

Mr.  Oliver  submitted  the  following  motion  : 

On  account  of  the  excitement  now  prevailing  in  the  city  of  Lawrence 
and  surrounding  country,  growing  out  of  the  assassination  of  sheriff 
Jones  when  engaged  in  the  lawful  discharge  of  his  duty,  which  as- 
sassination and  consequent  excitement  he  believes  will  deter  parties 
and  witnesses  from  coming  and  appearing  before  the  committee,  he 
objects  to  proceeding  with  the  investigation  further  at  this  time  at 
this  point,  and  suggests  that  the  committee  adjourn  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth,  and  there  proceed  with  the  investigation  until  the  excitement 
above  alluded  to  shall  have  subsided  and  order  reigns  supreme. 

Which  was  not  agreed  to  ;  the  committee  declining  to  adjourn  at 
present. 

N.  B. — The  committee  had  met  at  8  o'clock  this  morning,  (24th,) 
ind  immediately  adjourned  out  of  regard  to  Samuel  J.  Jones,  who 
ivas  in  the  same  building,  and  suffering  from  his  wounds  received  the 
light  before.  But  he  was  removed  to  Franklin  that  morning,  and, 
|;he  communications  of  General  Whitfield  and  Mr.  Oliver  requiring 
Immediate  action,  the  committee  met  on  special  call,  were  all  present, 
knd  the  above  action  was  had,  and  also  the  orders  which  follow. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 

Oderedj  That  the  compensation  to  witnesses  shall  be  as  follows  : 

For  each  day  in  attendance ,.     $1  50 

For  each  mile  necessarily  travelled,  (circular) 0     5 

Ordered,  That  the  compensation  of  clerks  and  sergeants-at-arms 
Shall  be  $4  50  per  day. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 

' 


APRIL  25,  1856. 

[et  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  present, 
'he  following  forms  of  oath  and  affirmation  were  adopted : 
You  solemnly  swear  that  the  evidence  you  shall  give  to  this  com- 
jittee,  touching  the  investigation  now  pending  before  them,  shall  be 
I.e  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth  ;  so  help  you 

You  solemnly  and  sincerely  affirm  that  the  evidence  you  shall 
re  to  this  committee,  touching  the  investigation  now  pending  before 


116  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

them,  shall  be  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth; 
and  this  you  do  under  the  pains  and  penalties  of  perjury." 
Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  1.  E.  D.  Ladd.  No.  4.  William  B.  Hornsby. 

2.  Norman  Allen.  5.  F.  P.  Vaughn. 

3.  William  Yates. 

Mr.  Oliver  objects  to  the  admission  of  proof  of  the  statements  made 
by  the  young  man  at  his  father's  residence,  in  Clay  county,  Missouri. 
Objection  overruled. 

No.  6.  Gains  Jenkins .  No.  8.  George  W.  Deitzler. 

7.  Lewis  N.  Cox,  sworn  but 
not  examined. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWAKD,  Chairman. 


APRIL  26,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.    All  the  committee  pres- 
ent. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 
No.    9.  C.  W.  Babcock.  No.  13.  Ira  W.  Ackley. 

10.  Charles  Robinson.  14.  Edward  Chapman. 

11.  Lyman  Allen.  15.  George  Churchill. 

12.  S.  N.  Wood,  affirmed. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  on  Monday  morning  at  8|  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


APRIL  28,  1856. 

Committee  met  at  8|  a.  m.     All  the  committee  present. 
A  letter  was  received  from  Gen.  J.  W.  Whitfield,  as  follows  : 

LAWRENCE,  April  28,  1856. 

The  undersigned,  in  answer  to  your  favor  of  the  24th  instant,  has  I 
the  honor  to  propose  that  the  witnesses  he  intends  to  present  as  original ! 
or  rebutting  evidence  who  reside  on  the  north  side  of  the  Kansas  riven 
be  examined  at  Leavenworth  city,   and  those  residing  an  the  south 
side  of  said  river  be  examined  at  Wea  Missions,  at  such  times  respect- 
ively as  the  committee  may  designate. 

Respectfully, 

J.  W.  WHITFIELD. 
Hon.  W.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman  Committee. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Whitfield  appeared  with  Mr.  S.  H.  Woodson,  his  at-, 
torney. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  117 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  viz  : 
No.  16.  Gains  Jenkins,  recalled. 

Mr.  Oliver  files  written  objections  to  the  mode  of  examination. 
No.  17.  Eobert  A.  Curnmins.         No.  18.  Kobert  (I.  Elliott. 

Colonel  Woodson  objects  to  the  admission  of  declarations  by  Sulli- 
van, of  Lexington,  Missouri,  as  to  his  residence  arid  purpose  in 
making  seven  claims  near  Leavenworth. 

Objection  overruled  ;  Mr.  Oliver  dissenting. 

No.  19.  Harrison  Burson.  No.  23.  John  C.  Dunn. 

20.  Nathaniel  Ramsey.  24.  Andrew  White. 

21.  James  H.  Dunn.  25.  Dr.  E.  G.  Macy,  affirmed. 

22.  J.  N.  Mace. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


APRIL  29,  1856. 
Committee  met.     All  the  members  present. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  viz  : 
No.  26.  Jordan  Davidson.  No.   31.  George  Umberger. 

27.  F.  E.   Lahay.  32.  Marcus  H.  Rose. 

28.  William  Lyon.  33.  James  R.  Stewart. 

29.  Hammond  C.  Muzzy.  34.  Absalom  Hoover. 

30.  Augustus  Wattles. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


APRIL  30,  1856. 

Committee  met  by  appointment.     All  the  members  present. 
Witnesses  called  and  sworn,  as  follows  : 

No.    35.    Marcus   H.    Rose,    re-     No.  37.  Isaac  B.  Titus. 

called. 

36.    James  R.  Stewart,  re- 
called. 

Ordered,  That  objection  to  the  competency  of  testimony  shall  be 
stated  at  the  time,  if  they  involve  any  question  or  principle  not 
already  decided  by  the  committee,  and  shall  be  reduced  to  writing  by 
the  objector  and  attached  to  the  testimony  objected  to,  on  or  before 
the  next  meeting  of  the  committee. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  viz  : 

No.  38.  Hollam  Rice.  41.  Thomas  B.  Wolverton 

39.  Robert  Morrow.  42.  N.  B.  Blanton. 

40.  William  Jesse.  43.  Peter  Bossinger. 


118  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

No.  44.  Thomas  Hopkins.  No.  45.  Lewis  M.  Cox. 

— .  G.    P.    Lowrie,   not   ex-          46.  C.  S.  Pratt. 

amined. 
Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWAKD,  Chairman, 


MAY  1,  1856. 

Committee  met  agreeably  to  adjournment. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  viz  : 

No.  47.  Chas.  Robinson,  recalled.    No.  49.  Wm.  M.  McClure. 
48.  Samuel  C.  Smith. 

The  testimony  of  Wm.  M.  McClure,  on  objection  of  Col.  Woodson, 
was  ruled  out  by  the  committee. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  viz  : 

No.  50.  J.  M.  Minchell.  No.  — .  C.  M.  Babcock,  recalled. 

— .  E.  D.  Ladd,  recalled.  51.  L.  A.  Prather. 

— .  C.  S.  Pratt,  recalled. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  evening. 

WM.  A.  HOWAKD,  Chairman. 


MAY  2,  1856. 

Committee  met    pursuant   to   adjournment.     All  the   committee 
present. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  52.  J.  B.  -Abbott.  No.  54.  William  McKinney  was 

53.  G-.  P.  Lowrie,  recalled.  sworn,  and  examined  in  secret 

session. 
Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

|  WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


MAY  3,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  committee  pres- 
ent. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 
No.  55.  Salem Gleason  was  sworn,  No.  59.  Dr.  John  Doy. 
and  examined  in  secret  60.  Reuben  Hackett. 

session.  61.  Homme  Hayt, 

56.  Thomas  Breeze.  62.  Reuben  Hackett,  recalled. 

57.  Nicholas  McKinney.  63.  Chas.  Robinson,  recalled. 

58.  John  C.  Davidson.  64.  Perry  Fuller. 

At  the  instance  of  Mr.  Whitfield,  one  of  the  sergeants-at-arms 
(Mr.  Townsend)  was  sent  to  Franklin  to  ascertain  whether  sheriff 
Jones  could  now  be  examined  as  a  witness  by  the  committee  in  his 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  119 

room  at  that  place.  The  sergeant-at-arms  reports  that  -he  was  in- 
formed by  Mrs.  Jones  that,  by  the  physician's  orders,  no  person 
could  be  allowed  to  see  him  at  that  time. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  Tecumseh,  K.  T.,  on  Monday  next  at  2 
o'clock  p.  m. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


TECUMSEH,  May  5,  1856. 

Committee  met  at  this  place  pursuant  to  adjournment.  Present, 
all  the  members  of  the  committee. 

Mr.  Whitfield  appears  with  Mr.  R.  R.  Rees,  his  counsel.  Mr. 
Reeder  also  present. 

Mr.  Whitfield  is  notified  and  requested  to  produce  witnesses,  and 
to  furnish  the  names  of  persons  to  be  subpoenaed  to  testify  at  this 
place. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  viz : 

No.  65.  Rev.  H.  B.  Burgess.          No.  66.  J.  M.  Mitchell. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


TECUMSEH,  May  6,  1856. 

Committee  met  by  adjournment.     All  the  members  present. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  6V.  H.  B.  Burgess,  recalled.  No.  73.  Charles  Jordan. 

68.  J.  M.  Mitchell,  recalled.          74.  Lewis  C.  Wilmarth. 

69.  John  Long.  — .  J.  M.  Mitchell,  recalled. 

70.  G.  A.  Cutler.  75.  James  Hickey. 

71.  John  Long,  recalled.  76.  D.  H.  Horn. 

72.  A.  A.  Jamison. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


TECUMSEH,  May  7,  1856. 

Committee  met  by  adjournment.     All  present. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  viz  : 

!  No.  77.  James  Reed.  No,  81.  John  W.  Stephens. 

78.  W.  A.  M.  Yaughan.  82.  Wm.  R.  Boggs. 

79.  Ed.  R.  Zimmerman.  83.  Wm.  F.  Johnson. 
— .  W.  A.  M.Vaughan,  rec'd.         84.  Matthias  A.  Reed. 

80.  James  F.  Merriam. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  Lawrence,  K.  T.,  to-morrow  afternoon  at 
jj  half-past  2  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


120  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  Present,  all  the  com- 
mittee. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  85.  Wm.  Moore.  No.  86.  James  M.  Arthur. 

— .  Dr.  B.  C.  Westfall.  87.  Joseph  Stewart. 

Pending  the  examination  of  this  witness,  (Joseph  Stewart,)  and 
while  the  committee  were  pursuing  their  investigations,  William 
Fane,  claiming  to  be  deputy-marshal,  and  to  have  been  appointed  as 
such  by  J.  B.  Donaldson,  marshal  of  the  Territory,  presented  to  A. 
H.  Reeder,  then  engaged  in  examining  a  witness  in  the  presence  of 
and  before  the  committee,  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  writ  of  attach- 
ment, issued  by  D.  Scott  Boyle,  clerk,  and  attested  by  Hon.  Samuel 
D.  Lecompte,  judge  of  the  first  district  court  for  the  first  judicial 
district  of  Kansas  Territory  ;  and  before  serving  said  writ,  A.  H. 
Reeder  applied  to  the  committee  to  secure  to  him  the  protection  given 
him  by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  as  a  contesting  delegate 
of  said  Territory,  and  now  in  attendance  before  the  committee,  upon 
its  invitation. 

After  consideration,  the  committee  determined  that  the  privilege 
from  arrest  given  by  the  laws  to  the  members  of  this  committee,  and 
the  sitting  and  contesting  delegates,  was  not  a  matter  for  them  to 
enforce,  and  declined  to  make  any  decision  whatever,  or  take  any 
action  upon  the  application  thus  made. 

The  examination  of  Joseph  Stewart  was  resumed,  and 
No.  88,  Samuel  Jones,  was  sworn  and  examined. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  9  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.   A.  HOWARD,  Chairman, 


LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 

Committee  met  according  to  adjournment.  Present,  Messrs.  How- 
ard and  Sherman. 

Messrs.  Reeder  and  W'hitfield  being  absent,  the  following  witnesses 
were  sworn  and  examined  by  the  committee  : 

No.  89.  Joseph  M.  Gearhart.         No.  96.  Wm.  Chestnut. 

90.  Jesse  W.  Wilson.  97.  Rev.  Pardee  Butler. 

91.  Marshall  A.  Garrett.  98.  A.  Allen. 

92.  George  W.  Gillespie.  99.  S.  N.  Simpson. 

93.  Augustus  Baker.  100.  S.  B.  Prentiss. 
94..  John  E.  Davis.  101.  Wm.  Phillips. 
95.  J.  C.  Prince. 


Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Cha 


M  man. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  121 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     Present,  Messrs.  How- 
ard and  Sherman. 

In  the  absence  of  the  contestants  and  their  counsel,  the  following 
witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined  by  the  committee : 
No.  102.  Jacob  Branson,  in  se-     No.   107.  Kobert  F.  Barber. 

cret  session.  108.  Mrs.  Jane  W.  Colburn. 

103.  John  A.  WakefleR  109.  Wilda  McKinney. 

104.  Mrs.    Almina   Jones,  in         110.  Henry  M.  Simpson, 
secret  session.  111.  Thomas  M.  Pierson. 

105.  Daniel  T.  Jones.  112.  George  F.  Warren. 

106.  Win.  Phillips. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  on  Monday  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 

Committee   met  by  adjournment.     Present,   Messrs.  Howard   and 
Sherman. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined  by  the  committee,  as  follows  : 

No.  113.  Geo.  F.   Warren,  re-     No.   120.  James  F.  Liggett. 

called.  121.  George  W.  Deitzler,  re- 

114.  Samuel  Smith.  called. 

115.  Edward  Oakley.  122.  Thomas  Thorp. 

116.  James  J.  Jarvin.  123.  W.  Y.  Roberts. 

117.  Samuel  F.  Tappan.  124.  John  Wise. 

118.  Joseph  Oakley.  125.  Capt.  Samuel  Walker. 

119.  A.  B.  Bronson. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  Leavenworth  city,  on  Wednesday  next,  at 
2  o'clock  p.  m. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  May  14,  1856. 

Met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  committee  present. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

I  No.  126.  D.  A.  Baker.  No.  127.  Wm.  P.  Richardson. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  15, 1856. 
Committee  met  at  8  o'clock.     All  present. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined  as  follows : 

Fo.   128.  Wm.  P.   Richardson,     No.  130.  George  A.  Taylor. 

recalled.  131.  David  Brown. 

129.  Henry  J.  Adams.  132.  M.  P.  Rivqly. 


122  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Nos.  129,  130,  131,  and  132  being  examined  in  secret  session. 
Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  16,  1856. 
Committee  met  by  adjournment.     All  the  members  present. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  133.  Dr.  James  Davis.  No.  137.  Edward   S.    Motler,   re- 

134.  Dr.  G.  J.  Park.  called. 

135.  J.  C.  Green.  138.  J.  C.  Green,  recalled. 

136.  Edward  S.  Motler.  139.  Joseph  H.  Bird. 

140.  Nick  Smith. 

All  of  whom  were  examined  in  secret  session. 
No.  141.  John  Below. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  May  If,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  committee  pres- 
ent. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  142.  Geo.  H.  Keller.  No.  145.  David  Brown,  recalled. 

143.  F.  M.  Mahan.  146.  Francis  A.  Hart. 

144.  Samuel  F.  Few. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  on  Monday  morning  next,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 

Committee  met  as  per  adjournment.     All  the  members  of  the  com- 
mittee present.  ^ 

Witness  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  147.  F.  A.  Hart,  recalled.       No.  150.  J.  B.  Ross. 

148.  Richard  R.  Rees.  151.  H.  B.  Gale. 

149.  Wm.  H.  Godwin.  152.  J.  B.  Crane. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  May  20,  1856. 
Committee  met  as  usual.     All  the  members  present. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


123 


Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  153.  Dundridge  Holliday.  No.  158.  Harmon  G-.  Weibling. 

154.  B.  F.  Nicholson.  159.  Francis  M.  Potter. 

155.  Joseph  Potter.  160.  John  W.  House. 

156.  John  Hamilton.  161.  Emory  B.  Cook. 

157.  Joseph  Potter,  recalled. 

*  Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWOBTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 

Committee  met  at  usual  hour.     All  present. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  162.  E.  B.  Cook,  recalled.      No.  168.  Josiah  Elliott. 

163.  John  Hamilton,  recalled.  169.  Milton  J.  Payne. 

164.  Dr.  James  Nohle.  170.  Wm.  H.  Somers. 

165.  Dr.  Jas.  Nohle,  recalled.  171.  Wm.  H.  Miller. 
167.  Alexander  Grilham.  172.  Matthew  Walker. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWAED,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  22,  1856. 

Committee  met  as  usual.     All  present. 
Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  173.  Charles  Hardt.  No.  177.  Patrick  K.  Orr. 

174.  Willard  P.  Hall.  178.  Edward  Bourne. 

175.  T.  A.  Minard.  179.  Stephen  Sparks. 

176.  T.  A.  Minard,  recalled. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 

Committee  met  at  the  usual  hour.  All  the  members  of  the  com- 
mittee present. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  180.  John  H.  Whitehead. 

General  Wm.  P.  Richardson  states  to  the  committee,  that  a  copy  of 
I  A.  A.  Jennison's  testimony  was  made  by  him  without  the  knowledge 
I  of  any  member  of  the  committee,  or  any  of  their  employees,  and  that 
|  he  was  not  aware  that  he  was  violating  any  rule  of  the  committee! 


124  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

No.  181.  John  R.  Carter.  No.  185.  Benjamin  Duncan. 

182.  Benjamin  H.  Brock,  af-  186.   Col.  A.  M.  Mitchell. 

firmed.  187.  Henry  S.  Creal. 

183.  Benjamin  H.  Brock,  re-          188.  A.  Langdon. 

called.  189.   Osborne  Hulin. 

184.  Charles  W.  Stewart.  190.  A.  Grooms. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members  of  the 
committee  present. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  191.  Benjamin  Harding.          No.  194.  Thomas  W.  Waterson. 

192.  Luther  Dillon.  195.  Albert  Heed. 

193.  Thomas  E.  Bottom. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  on  Monday  morning  next,  at  8  o'clock  a.  m. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  Tv  May  26,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  committee  pres- 
ent. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  196  John  Landis.  No.  205  Joel  P.  Blair. 

197  W.  A.  Sublett.  206  Gary  B  Whitehead. 

198  John  W.  Smith.  207  John  Scott. 

199  Allen  B.  Lyon.  208  Luther  Dickerson. 

200  James  Lynch.  209  D.  W.  Field. 

201  Eli  Hamilton.  210  Joseph  Beattie. 

202  Andrew  McConnell.  211  Joseph  H.  Gilbert. 

203  Richard  Tuck.  212  M.  T.  Bailey. 

204  David  Figer. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.    All  the  members  present. 
Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined  as  follows  : 

No.  213  George  Wetherell.  No.  217  W.  H.  Chick. 

214  John  Scott.  218  J.  Riddlesberger. 

215  Joseph  B.  Evans.  219  Adam  T.  Pattie.  ' 

216  John  W.  Martin.  220  Dr.  J.  H.  Stringfellow. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS,  125 

No.  221  A.  T.  Pattie,  (recalled.)  No.  224  J,  F.  Foreman. 

222  Robert  Wilson.  225  Peter  T.  Abell. 

223  John  W.  Foreman. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
present. 

Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  226  William  J.  Osborn.  No.  232  Campbell  Logan. 

227  Thomas  Reynolds.  233  J.  W.  Logan. 

228  Dr.  J.  M.  Ridge.  234  Wiley  Williams. 

229  H.  A.  Lowe.  235  Marcus  J.  Parrott. 

230  Patrick  Laughlin.  236  G.  B.  Redman. 

231  C.  R.  Mobley.  237  Henry  Adams. 
Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 

/The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  members 
present. 

The  poll-books  and  returns  of  the  three  elections  relating  to  the 
State  organization  were  filed,  and  retained  to  be  copied. 

Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  238  W.  Williams,  (recalled.)  No.  245  Thomas  J.  Thompson. 

239  John  Wilfley.  246  S.  W.  Tannell. 

240  Charles  Blakely.  247  Alexander  Russell. 

241  John  A.  Linsley.  248  J.  D.  Clarkson. 

242  S.  J.  Kookogy.  249  H.  H.  Johnston. 

243  L.  J.  Eastin.  250  A.  Payne. 

244  J.  T.  Read. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning  at  the  usual  hour. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


LEAVENWORTH  CITY,,  K  T.,  May  30,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
were  present. 

Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined  as  follows  : 

No.  251.  W.  H.  Tebbs.  No.  254.  Andrew  T.  Kyle, 

252.  Adam  Fisher.  255.  Amos  Rees. 

253.  A.  Macauley.  256.  A.  B.  Sharp. 


126  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

No.  257.  0.  B.  Tibbs.  No.  260.  D.  J.  Johnson. 

258.  G.  M.  Dyer.  261.  William  Burgess. 

259.  Kichard  Chandler. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning  at  the  usual  hour. 

WM.  A.  HOWAED,  Chairman, 


LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
present. 

Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined  as  follows  : 

No.  262.  Nathan  Adams.  No.  269.  K.  L.  Kirk. 

263.  John  A.  Haldeman.  2I70.  Matt.  France 

264.  E.  C.  McCarty.  271.  Samuel  Kixoy. 

265.  James  Davis.  272.  H.  M.  Hook. 

266.  W.  H.  Adams  273.  Kev.  Leander  Kerr. 

267.  George  H.  Keller.  274.  Dr.  J.  H.  Day. 

268.  G.  W.  Hollis.  275.  M.  P.  Kively. 
Adjourned,  to  meet  at  Westport,  Mo.,  on  Monday,  June  2,  1856. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  2,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
present. 

Seven  blank  subpoenas  were  given  to  General  Whitfield. 

Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 
No.  276.  Thomas  B.  Arnett.  No.  279.  E.  W.  Donaldson. 

277.  Charles  E.  Kearney.  280.  Andrew  Johnson. 

278.  Cyprian  Chouteau.  281.  Eev.  Thomas  Johnson. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  3,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
present. 

Witnesses  were  called,  sworn,  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  282.  George  Holmes.  No.  285.  William  Barbee. 

283.  Thos.  Johnson,  recalled.         286. '  S.  W.  Bouton. 

284.  B.  T.  Keger. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  8  o'clock. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


(KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  127 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  4,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
present. 

Witnesses  were  called,  sworn,  and  examined  as  follows  : 

No.  287.  John  M.  Banks.  No.  289.  William  A.  Tebbs. 

288.  A.  J.  Francis. 
Adjourned^  to  meet  at  the  usual  hour  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  5,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
present. 

Witnesses  were  sworn  anc  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  290.  W.  Barbee,  recalled.  No.  294.  Chas.  A.  Linkenangher. 

291.  F.  M.  Coleman.  295.  Charles  C.  Spaulding. 

292.  Thomas  Mockabee.  296.  Andrew  J.  Johnson. 

293.  Isaac  Hascall. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  7  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


WESTPORT,  Mo.,,  June  6,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     All  the  members 
>resent. 
Witnesses  were  called,  sworn,  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  ,297.  John  E.  Ingalls.  No.  298.  James  Haines. 

Mr.  Scott  offered  in  evidence  certain  letters  of  A.  H.  Reeder,  referred 
o  in  the  testimony  of  (No.  225)  Peter  T.  Abell. 

The  committee  declined  to  receive  and  transmit  these  letters,  on  the 
ground  that  they  have  not  the  rightful  possession  of  them,  they  hav- 
ng  been  found  in  the  street,  and  being  clearly  private  letters,  and 
mproperly  obtained. 

Mr.  Oliver  dissented. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows : 

No.  299.  Horatio  Owens.  No.  301.  Win.  G.  Mathias. 

300.  Joseph  C.  Anderson. 

On  motion,  the  copies  of  the  executive  minutes,  of  the  census  returns, 
ind  copies  of  all  Territorial  records  in  possession  <©f  the  committee, 
ire  considered  in  evidence. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  morning  at  the  usual  hour. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


128  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  T,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  members 
present. 

Witnesses  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  302.  William  Donaldson. 

G-ov.  King  and  Mr.  Scott,  in  behalf  of  J.  W.  Whitfield,  presented 
a  protest,  which,  with  copies  of  Reeder's  letters,  were  marked  as  ex- 
hibits by  me. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 

No.  303.  George  W.  Berry.  No.  304.  John  A.  Contrell. 

The  committee  adjourned  to  Monday  morning,  June  9,  1856. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman, 


WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  9,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  members 
present. 

The  proceedings  of  the  convention  at  Big  Springs,  held  on  the  5th 
and  6th  of  September,  1855,  were  offered  in  evidence  by  Grov.  King, 
and  received. 

Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 

No.  306.  Samuel  A.  Williams.       No.  309.  J,  N.  0.  P.  Wood,  af~ 
SOT.  A.  B.  Wade.  firmed. 

308.  Thomas  Connelly, 

Pending  the  examination  of  Dr.  Wood,  a  communication  in  writing, 
from  a  committee  of  citizens  of  Westport,  was  received,  as  follows  : 

"  We,  the  undersigned  committee,  appointed  by  citizens  of  West- 
port  and  vicinity,  appear  before  the  Congressional  Investigating  Com- 
mittee, for  the  purpose  of  assuriDg  them  that  there  need  be  no  appre- 
hension on  their  part  that  any  interruption  will  be  offered  to  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  committee,  and  that  they  will  pledge  themselves,  and 
fellow -citizens  generally,  to  allow  no  interruption  of  their  business, 
or  any  indignity  to  be  offered  them  personally,  notwithstanding  the 
excited  state  of  the  public  mind  in  regard  to  Kansas  affairs  ;  and  they 
make  this  pledge  with  the  full  knowledge  that  they  can  fulfil  it,  which 
they  will  do  at  any  and  every  hazard. 

"  We  have  been  told  that  the  committee  propose  to  adjourn  imme- 
diately, without  completing  their  labors,  on  the  ground  of  an  appre- 
hension on  their  part  that  personal  indignity  might  be  offered  them. 

"  We  would  add,*that,  in  our  opinion,  the  apprehension  is  entirely 
without  foundation  ;  but  deeming  it  necessary  to  allay  any  misappre- 
hension on  your  minds,  we  take  this  means  to  assure  you  that  no  in- 
terruption shall  be  offered  to  your  proceedings ;  and  nothing  of  the 


KANSAS   VFFAIRS.  129 

kind  has  been  intended  or  attempted  by  the  citizens  of  this  town  or 
vicinity  or  the  county  of  Jackson ;  any  report  to  the  contrary  is  false. 
"  WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  9,  1856. 

"CHARLES  E.  KEARNEY, 

"  Chairman  Committee. 

4  c  To  the  MEMBERS  of  the  Committee  of  Investigation,  now  in  session  in 
Westport,  Mo." 

Mr.  Howard,  the  chairman,  being  absent  on  account  of  illness,  Mr. 
Sherman  replied  to  the  communication  verbally — the  committee  of 
citizens  being  present — as  follows  : 

"  GENTLEMEN  :  I  regret  that  Mr.  Howard,  the  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee, is  not  present,  on  account  of  illness.  We  are  very  happy  to 
receive  this  communication  from  you,  and  shall  enter  it  upon  our 
journal,  and  make  it  a  part  ot  our  proceedings,  with  great  pleasure. 
But  it  is  our  duty  to  say  to  you  that  we  never  have  supposed  that  we 
were  in  the  least  danger  of  any  kind  here,  and  have  never  felt  in  fear 
of any. 

"  We  came  here,  at  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Whitfield,  to  take  testimony 
in  his  behalf  alone.  We  did  not  anticipate  personal  danger,  nor  is 
our  action  based  in  any  degree  upon  the  rumor  you  mention.  We  were 
idle  the  most  of  last  week  because  witnesses  were  not  here.  We  were 
told  this  was  on  account  of  the  public  disturbances  in  the  Territory, 
and  we  concluded  to  wait  until  this  evening.  To-day  we  have  had 
but  little  to  do,  and  deem  it  our  duty  to  adjourn,  and  for  that  reason 
alone  will  do  so.  Since  we  have  been  here  we  have  personally  re- 
ceived nothing  but  kind  treatment  from  the  citizens  of  this  place,  and 
have  no  cause  to  complain  of  them. 

"  We  deeply  regret  the  unfortunate  condition  of  affairs  in  this  border, 
and  the  excited  state  of  the  public  mind  here  in  regard  to  Kansas 
affairs." 

The  committee  having  announced  their  determination  to  adjourn 
forthwith,  Gov.  King,  in  behalf  of  J.  W.  Whitfield,  filed  the  follow- 
ing protest : 

"  WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  9,  1856. 

"  The  undersigned,  John  W.  Whitfield,  represents  that  he  is  not 
yet  through  with  the  evidence  which  he  proposes  to  introduce  before 
[the  committee,  and  is  in  hourly  expectation  of  witnesses  to  be  in  at- 
I' tendance  for  the  purpose  of  giving  such  evidence.  That  for  the  last 
[eight  days  the  disturbances  have  been  of  such  a  character,  and  the  ex- 
citement so  great  in  the  Territory,  that  it  has  been  impossible  to  pro- 
[jcure  attendance  of  witnesses,  and,  in  several  instances,  to  have  them 
J  3ven  summoned.  That  he  has  witnesses  summoned  whose  evidence 
I  s  most  important  in  reference  to  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
111855,  in  the  Territory,  in  the  first,  second,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  and 
ikeventh  representative  election  districts.  That  owing  to  the  recent  dis- 
1  urbances  in  the  Territory  he  has  been  wholly  deprived  of  rebutting 
'the  evidence  of  witnesses  examined  by  the  contestant,  A.  H.  Reeder, 
in  those  districts.  That 'if  the  committee  will  continue  its  sessions  for 
•wo  days  to  come,  he  believes  he  will  be  able  to  procure  the  witnesses, 
H.  Rep.  200 9 


130  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  avail  himself  of  the  benefit  of  their  testimony,  by  which  he  will 
be  able  fully  and  certainly  to  vindicate  the  legality  of  those  elections, 
and  to  rebut  and  repel  much  of  the  evidence  taken  by  the  contestani 
in  reference  to  those  districts.  That  the  witnesses  expected  are  resi- 
dents of  the  Territory,  and  of  that  portion  of  it  where,  for  the  last  ten 
days,  there  has  been  the  most  intense  excitement,  imposing  an  abso- 
ute  necessity  on  them  to  seek  protection  and  safety  for  their  families  : 
and  that,  although  subpoenaed,  for  these  reasons  he  has  been  unable  as 
yet  to  procure  their  attendance. 

"  The  said  John  W.  Whitfield  therefore  protests  against  the  ad- 
journment of  the  committee  until  a  seasonable  time  be  allowed  him  tr 
get  such  testimony  as  these  witnesses  will  afford  before  the  committee, 
and  here  files  this'  his  protest  in  the  matter. 

."JOHN  W.  WHITFIELD. 
"  By  liis  attorney, 

"  AUSTIN  A.  KING. 

"  To  the  honorable  the  CONGRESSIONAL  COMMITTEE,  now  in  session  a< 
Westport." 

After  receiving  the" foregoing  protest,  the  committee,  for  the  reasor 
that  General  Whitfield  had  already  had  opportunity  to  examine  these 
same  witnesses,  and  inasmuch  as  he  had  left  the  committee  for  three 
days  to  take  part  in  the  war  during  the  time  we  had  been  in  West- 
port,  adjourned. 

WM.  A.  HOWAED,  Chairman. 


STEAMBOAT  c c  POLAR  STAR," 

On  Missouri  river,  June  10,  1856. 

The  committee  met  at  2  o'clock.     All  the  members  present. 
Witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined,  as  follows  : 
No.  310.  Capt.  Luther.  Leonard.     No.  311.  Henry  M.  Blossom. 
Adjourned. 
Mr.  Oliver  left  at  Camden  for  Eichmond. 

WM.  A.  HOWAED,  Chairman, 


STEAMBOAT  "  POLAR  STAR,'' 

At  Lexington,  Mo.,  June  10,  185ft, 

The  committee  met.     Present,,  Messrs.  Howard  and  Sherman. 
The  following  witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined : 
No.  312.  James  Brewster.  No.  313.  0.  H.  Brewster. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  St.  Louis  on  the  12th  instant. 

WM.  A.  UOWAED,  Chairman. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  131 

ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  June  12^  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment,     Messrs.  Howard 
and  Sherman  present. 

The  following  witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined : 
No.  314.  Benjamin  Slater.  No.  315.  F.  A.  Hunt. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  at  Detroit,  Michigan,  on  Tuesday,  June  17, 
1856. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


DETROIT,  MICH.,  June  17,  1856. 

The /  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     Present,  Messrs. 
Howard  and  Sherman. 

On  the  21st  of  June  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  in  New 
York  city. 

WM.  A.  HOWAKD,  Chairman. 


NEW  YORK,  June  26,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     Present,  Messrs. 
Howard  and  Sherman. 

The  following  witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined : 

No.  316.  Amos  A  Lawrence.  No.  317.  Eli  Thayer. 

Adjourned,  to  meet  to-morrow  at  9  o'clock  a.  m. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


NEW  YORK,  June  27,  1856. 

Committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     Present,  Messrs. 'How- 
ard and  Sherman. 

The  following  witnesses  were  sworn  anc^exarnined  : 

No.  318.  Gr.  P.  Lowry,  recalled.  No.  320.  Anson  J.  Stone. 
319.  A.  H.  Reeder. 

Adjourned  to  meet  at  Washington  city,  D.  C. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  28,  1856. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     Present,  Messrs, 
Howard  and  Sherman. 

Report  of  the  committee  was  read  and  adopted.     Adjourned. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman, 


132  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  July  1,  1856. 

Committee  met.     Present,  Messrs.  Oliver  and  Sherman. 
The  following  witness  was  sworn  and  examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 
No.  321.  Daniel  Mace. 
Adjourned. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman 


WASHINGTON,  July  4,  1856. 

Committee  met.     Present,  Messrs.  Oliver  and  Sherman. 
No.  322.  Mr.  H.  C.  Pate  was  called  and  sworn  by  Mr.  Oliver. 
Adjourned. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


WASHINGTON,  July  11,  1856, 

Committee  met.     Present,  Messrs,  Howard  and  Sherman. 
No.  323.  G.  P.  Lowry,  recalled. 
Adjourned. 

WM.  A.  HOWARD,  Chairman. 


THE  TESTIMONY. 


ELECTION  OF  NOVEMBER  29,  1854. 


JOHN  A.  WAKEFIELD  testifies  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  July,  1854,  from  Iowa,  settled  in  the 
second  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.     I  was  present 
at  the   election  of  the   second   district   on   the    29th  of  November, 
1854,  and  was  a  candidate  at  that  time  for  delegate  to  Congress.     On 
the  evening  of  the  28th  of  November  I  started  to  Lawrence  with 
Colonel  Safford,  of  Ohio,  then  a  citizen  here.     I  had  made  an  engage- 
ment to  address  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  that  night.     We  came  down 
in  a  carriage,  and  on  the  road  met  a  number  of  persons  in  com- 
panies— at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  in  all — on  horseback  and  in 
wagons.     Colonel  SafFord  asked  some  of  them,  in  my  hearing,  where 
they  were  from  ;  and  they  said  i  (  from  the  State  of  Missouri,  and  are 
going  up  to  Douglass  to  vote  to-morrow/'     We  passed  Judge  Mil- 
ler's, and  came  on  here.     On  the  morning  of  the  29th,  in  company 
with  perhaps  three  others,  I  wen^  to  Douglass;  found  a  crowd  of 
wagons,  and  a  large  gathering  of  men  around  the  house  where  the 
polls  were  being  held.     When  I  got  out  of  my  buggy,  a  man  came  to 
me  and  said,  "  is  there  many  more  of  the  boys  behind?"     Supposing 
e  took  me  to  be  a  Missourian,  I  said  I  thought  there  were  a  great 
any.'     Says  he,  "by  God,  half  of  Clay  county  will  be  here  to-day, 
ow,"  says  he,  "  old  man,  I  will  tell  you  how  to  do,  if  you  want 
to  vote.     We  have  a  parcel  of  clerks,  and  you  will  see  them  writing 
on  the  heads  of  barrels.     Do  you  go  to  them,  and  tell  one  of  them 
you  want  him  to  register  a  claim  for  you."     I  saw  a  number  of  persons 
riting  on  heads  of  barrels.     When  I  got  up  to  the  polls,  I  heard  it 
ied  out  that  such  a  man  was  nominated  for  judge  of  election,  and 
e  response  was  "  ay,  ay,"  all  around.     I  heard  no  one  vote  in  the 
egative.     Whether  it  was  one  or  two  judges  they  were  voting  for  I 
unot  say.     A  man  by  the  name  of  Gr.  W.  Ward  was  one  of  the 
udges,  and  Paris  Ellison  another ;   both  of  them  residents  of  the 
"erritory.     The  name  of  the  other  judge  I  do  not  recollect,  but  I 
ever  saw  him  before,  and  have  not  seen  him  since,  that  I  know  of. 
on  after  the  polls  opened,  a  stranger  came  to  me,  and  said  he  wanted 
speak  to  me.     He  took  me  on  one  side,  and  said,  "I  understand 
ou  have  come  here  to-day  to  challenge  votes."     I  told  him  I  had 
ot  come  for  any  such  purpose,  and  asked  him  why  he  asked  me  that 
uestion.     Says  he,  "  if  you  challenge  a  vote  here  to-day,  you  will  be 
"ly  abused,  and  probably  killed ;  and  as  you  are  an  old  man,  I  do 
.ot  wish  to  see  you  abused."     I  then  remarked  that  that  kind  of  talk 
ould  not  frighten  me,  but  I  thought  it  was  the  duty  of  the  judges 
H.  Eep.  200 1* 


2  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

to  see  that  all  voters  were  legal  voters.     I  asked  him  his  name,  and 
he  told  me,  but  I  cannot  remember  it. 

That  district  was  newly  settled,  and  there  were  not  exceeding  fifty 
men  in  it — I  think  not  over  forty.  I  think  there  were  two  hundred 
and  sixty-one  or  two  hundred  and  sixty-two  votes  polled,  and  Whit- 
field  got  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  votes,  if  my  memory  serves  me 
right.  I  got  twenty  votes,  I  think,  and  Flanigan  six  votes.  I  do 
not  think  there  were"  actually  more  than  thirty-five  legal  votes  that 
day.  Those  men  were  armed  with  revolvers,  some  with  guns,  and  a 
great  many  with  clubs  ;  and  a  great  many  of  our  settlers,  knowing 
these  facts,  did  not  go  to  the  election.  They  had  barrels  of  liquor 
there  for  all  to  drink  who  wanted  to.  I  knew  the  citizens  in  the  dis- 
trict generally.  I  was  one  of  the  very  first  settlers  in  the  district. 
About  the  time  the  polls  were  closed,  they  mounted  their  horses,  and 
got  into  their  wagons,  and  cried  out  "all  aboard  for  Westport  and 
Kansas  City."  They  then  went  off  towards  Missouri.  A  majority 
of  them  I  should  think  were  very  much  intoxicated,  and  they  were 
very  noisy.  The  language  they  used  against  the  Yankees  was 
something  like  "  damn  the  abolitionists,  kill  them/'  One  of  them 
came  up  to  me  and  seized  me  by  the  collar,  and  said,  "  you  are  a 
damned  abolitionist."  When  I  drew  my  cane  on  him,  his  brother 
came  up,  and  told  me  not  to  mind  him,  that  he  was  drunk.  One  of 
the  judges  then,  it  being  right  before  them,  invited  me  to  come  in 
where  they  were,  or  I  would  be  abused.  I  did  so,  and  remained  there 
until  the  polls  closed.  When  the  polls  were  closed,  I  asked  the  judges 
to  give  me  their  names.  They  hesitated  somewhat,  and  one  of  the 
clerks  wrote  out  their  names,  and  Efsked  me  for  what  purpose  I  wanted 
them.  I  said  that  I  might  know  them  when  I  met  them  again.  He 
asked  if  that  was  all.  I  said  "  No,  it  is  not."  He  then  gave  me  the 
names  of  the  judges  and  clerks.  I  had  a  couple  of  men  swear  to 
these  facts,  in  order  to  contest  the  election.  I  drew  up  a  petition  to 
the  governor,  and  had  the  facts  approved  by  Mr.  Snyder  and  Mr. 
McClellan.  I  took  them  to  the  governor,  and  showed  him  some  other 
affidavits  taken  by  another  person  ;  and  he  requested  me  not  to  show 
him  any  more,  as  it  was  useless  to  contest  the  election  there,  unless  I  had 
done  so  throughout  the  Territory.  I  find  on  the  poll-books  the  name 
of  S.  H.  Woodson.  There  is  a  Mr.  Woodson  of  Independence,  Mis- 
souri, that  I  know,  but  I  did  not  see  him  vote.  There  was  no  one  of 
that  name  a  resident  in  our  district  at  that  time.  I  recognise  upon 
the  poll-list  a  number  of  names  of  persons  I  know  in  Westport  and 
other  places  in  Missouri ;  among  them,  Mr.  Elkins,  Mr.  Huff,  Mr. 
Smart,  Joseph  Dillon,  S.  C.  Coombs,  and  others. 

JOHN  A.  WAKEFIELD. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


HARRISON  BURSON  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr  Eeeder : 

I  was  at  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854.     The  number 
of  people  in  our  district  was  very  slim  at  that  time.     I  should  judge 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  3 

there  were  three  times  as  many  people  at  the  polls  on  that  election  as 
there  ireie  voters  in  the  district.  I  do  not  think  there  were  261  legal 
voters  in  the  distict  at  that  time.  This  election  was  held  at  Doug- 
lass. I  was  at  the  polls  that  day,  and  saw  a  great  number  of  strangers ; 
they  left  in  bodies,  in  wagons,  down  the  river.  I  came  out  in  a  com- 
pany of  ahout  one  hundred  myself,  but  they  overtook  us  and  passed 
us.  There  was  but  one  man  in  this  company  of  strangers  that  I 
knev^;  his  name  was  Barnett,  of  Westport,  Missouri.  I  know  Wm. 
H.  Russell,  and  have  seen  him  frequently.  I  do  not  recollect  seeing 
him  that  day.  I  have  seer-  him  about  Kansas  City,  but  I  do  not  knoV 
where  his  residence  is. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson: 

Mr.  WhitfielcL  Mi.  Wakefield,  and  Mr.  Flanigan  we  e  candidates 
for  delegate  to  Congies^.  I  know  nothing  about  the  residence  of 
Whitfield  and  Flanigan.  Report  said  they  were  not  lesidents,  but 
I  do  not  know.  Mr.  Flanigan  was  not  a  resident,  so  far  as  I  know. 
1  knew  nothing  about  it ;  I  do  not  know  where  he  resides  now,  or 
at  what  time  he  left  after  the  election. 

H.  BURSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


i'^,  AUGUSTUS  WATTLES  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  1st  of  May,  1855,  and  settled 
on  Rock  creek,  in  the  second  district,  nine  or  ten  miles  from  Law- 
rence ;  and  my  family  has  resided  there  ever  since,  though  I  have 
been  away  on  business,  some,  in  other  parts  of  the  Territory.  I  have 
examined  the  poll-list  of  the  second  district,  for  the  29th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1854,  in  connexion  with  the  census  returns.  I  find  25  of  the 
census  list  of  names  in  the  poll-list,  though  some  of  them  I  never 
knew,  and  I  do  not  think  they  ever  lived  in  the  district.  I  do  not 
recognise  in  the  poll-book  any  names  of  residents  that  were  not  in  the 
census,  but  some  I  think  I  was  acquainted  with  in  Missouri. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson : 

I  came  here  in  May,  1855,  and  was  put  up  as  a  candidate  at  the 
second  election,  in  May,  1855,  and  travelled  over  the  district,  and  in. 
that  way  became  acquainted  with  a  great  many  in  that  district. 

I  was  not  a  resident  of  the  district,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  resi- 
dents of  the  district  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
1855.  Mr.  0.  H.  Brown  took  the  census  in  that  district,  and  was 
elected  to  the  legislature. 

AUGUSTUS  WATTLES. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.  AptU  29,  1856. 


WILLIAM  LYON  testifies : 
To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  voted  here  at  the  election  of  delegate  to  Congress  in  1854  in  No- 


4  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

vember.  A  number  passed  my  house  where  I  lived,  on  the  California 
road,  on  the  day  before  the  election ;  they  were  inquiring  the  way  to 
Douglass.  It  was  understood  from  them  that  they  were  going  to 
Douglass  to  vote,  and  that  they  were  from  Missouri.  The  next  day 
(the  day  of  election  here)  I  met  some  as  I  was  coining  here  to  vote. 
I  do  not  know  positively  that  any  Missourians  voted  here  on  that 
day.  All  that  I  inquired  of,  that  passed  my  house,  did  not  seem  to 
hesitate  in  saying  that  they  were  going  to  Douglass  to  vote.  I  should 
think  there  were  100  or  150  who  passed  the  house,  and  some  of  whom 
I  inquired.  After  the  election  was  over,  I  saw  what  I  took  to  be  the 
same  company  coming  down  the  road  they  went  up  to  Douglass,  the 
same  evening,  and  some  the  day  after  the  election.  These  men  were 
strangers  to  me.  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any  women  and  children 
or  furniture  with  them,  or  any  goods  in  their  wagons,  going  either 
way.  I  lived  on  this  side  of  what  I  considered  the  Douglass  line, 
and  I  voted  here.  None  of  the  voters  of  the  Douglass  district  could 
live  down  the  road  below  me.  The  men  seemed  to  be  very  noisy, 
and  hurrahed  for  Whitneld,  and  some  for  hell,  and  some  for  Whit- 
field  and  hell  both. 

WM.  LYON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  29,  1856. 


JAMES  M.  DUNN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Keeder: 

I  was  at  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  and  gave  my 
vote  there.  I  was  late  in  getting  there^-not  till  about  11  o'clock. 
The  election  was  held  in  Douglass,  at  Mr.  Ellison's  house,  I  think. 
I  saw  no  violence  used  there.  I  saw  persons  who  were  from  Missouri, 
and  knew  a  number  of  them,  as  I  had  been  living  in  Missouri  but  a 
few  weeks  previous.  According  to  my  judgment,  I  do  not  think 
there  were  half  the  number  of  voters  residing  in  that  district  that  were 
polled  there — 261.  According  to  the  best  estimation  I  can  make,  I 
should  not  suppose  that  more  than  one  quarter  of  those  present  that 
day  were  actual  residents  of  the  district,  as  it  was  very  sparsely  set- 
tled at  that  time.  I  saw  a  number  of  voters  that  I  thought  were  not 
of  age,  and  one  young  man  whom  I  asked  told  me  he  was  not  of  age. 
I  knew  him  in  Westport,  and  knew  that  he  was  not  a  resident  of  the 
district. 

JAMES  M.  DUNN. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


M.  J.  MITCHELL  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  here  at  the  election  of  November,  1854,  but  was  confined  in 
my  room  with  a  cut  leg.  The  election  was  held  in  the  room  where 
I  was.  They  went  on  voting  in  the  morning  until  up  to  ten  o'clock. 
There  was  some  talk  that  there  was  an  abolitionist  to  vote,  and  it 
was  said  that  the  polls  should  not  be  disgraced  by  an  abolition  vote. 
They  said  thev  called  an  abolitionist  any  one  who  voted  for  Mr.  t Chap 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


man  or  Mr.  Flanigan.  1  then  took  a  ticket  out  of  my  pocket,  and 
requested  it  to  be  put  in  the  ballot-box,  and  my  name  put  down  on 
the  poll-list.  They  refused  to  do  so  at  first ;  but  after  some  consult- 
ing they  consented  to  do  so,  and  said  that  wonld  be  the  only  one  that 
should  go  in.  The  judges  and  clerk  counselled  each  other  about  it, 
and  the°rest  of  the  day  there  was  no  difficulty. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Rees  : 

I  think  it  was  either  42  or  52  votes  given  that  day.  I  think  Mr. 
Chapman  had  1  vote,  and  Mr.  Flanigan  some  6  votes.  It  was  the 
clerk  and  one  of  the  judges — either  Mr.  Watts  or  Mr.  Homer,  I  do  not 
know  which — who  said  that  there  should  be  no  abolition  votes  given. 
Greorge  Holmes,  of  Westport,  was  the  clerk.  I  do  not  know  of  my 
own  knowledge  that  he  did  not  live  here.  If  he  has  ever  lived  within 
one  mile  of  this  town  since  I  have  lived  in  this  Territory,  he  must 
have  kept  himself  very  close,  as  I  do  not  think  any  one  has  lived  that 
near  town  without  my  knowing  it.  I  do  not  know  that  he  did  not 
live  within  two  miles  of  town.  He  had  a  claim  near  Mr.  Stinson's 
claim.  There  was  no  house  on  it,  and  if  there  had  been  a  tent  on  it 
I  think  I  must  have  seen  it,  as  I  used  to  pass  there  nearly  every  day 
before  my  leg  was  cut ;  and  I  saw  nothing  of  the  kind, 

M.  J.  MITCHELL. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


THOMAS  HOPKINS  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Keeder : 

On  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  I  was  at  Doctor 
Chapman's,  in  the  fourth  district.  It  was  my  first  visit  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  country,  and  I  met  a  great  many  there  I  got  acquainted 
with  in  Jackson  county,  where  I  had  made  a  crop  that  year — Mr. 
Leander  Deharney,  Shepherd  West,  and  a  man  named  Lyons — I  think 
his  name  was  William,  but  I  will  not  be  positive — and  Henry  Brack- 
en. I  also  saw  Mr.  Berry,  from  Cass  county.  I  do  not  recollect  the 
names  of  others  at  this  time.  A  short  time  after  the  election  I  was  at 
old  Judge  Bracken's.  He  told  me  he  outfitted  20  men,  furnished 
them  with  mules,  and  ways  of  getting  here  to  vote.  I  saw  these  men 
at  Chapman's,  and  had  conversation  with  some  of  them.  Mr.  Berry 
introduced  me  to  a  great  many  of  his  neighbors,  who  told  me  they 
eame  here  with  the  intention  of  voting  They  told  me  how  many 
there  were  of  them,  but  I  do  not  recollect  their  numbers  now  ;  but  I 
think  there  were  at  that  precinct  between  80  and  150.  Some  of  them 
said  they  supposed  Kansas  was  becoming  a  free  State,  and  they 
wanted  to  use  their  influence  as  much  #s  possible  to  make  it  a  slave 
State.  I  should  suppose  Chapman's  was  some  40  or  45  miles  from 
the  Missouri  State  line.  I  do  not  know  how  far  it  is  from  the  line  of 
the  district ;  but  I  think  it  is  called  some  4  miles  from  the  Santa  Fe 
pad,  which  was  the  line  at  that  time. 

I  do  not  recollect  any  further  about  the  voting. 

THOMAS  HOPKINS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


6 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


PETER  BASSINGER  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  first  of  September,  1854,  from  War- 
ren county,  Iowa,  and  settled  at  what  was  called  Black  Jack  point,  on 
the  Santa  Fe  road,  in  the  4th  district. 

I  was  at  the  first  election  after  I  came  into  the  Territory,  held  at 
Doctor  Chapman's,  in  November,  1854.  I  saw  a  great  many  men 
and  teams  travelling  the  Santa  Fe  road  at  the  time  of  the  election, 
and  I  hardly  knew  what  it  meant  until  some  40  or  50  men  camped  at 
my  house.  They  came  in  the  house  off  and  on,  and  was  talking  and 
was  wishing  to  know  how  I  would  vote;  and  after  their  insisting,  I 
said,  at  last,  I  thought,  if  I  did  vote  at  all,  I  would  vote  the  free-State 
ticket.  One  old  gentleman — Mr.  Ralston,  I  think  they  called  his 
name,  who  lived  between  Westport  and  Independence — hooted  at  me, 
and  said  they  were  bound  to  have  Kansas  a  slave  State,  if  they  did  it 
at  the  point  of  the  sword,  and  that  it  was  not  worth  while  for  me  to 
kick  up  about  it.  A  man  who  had  stuck  up  a  stake  by  my  calf-pen, 
said  he  had  as  much  a  claim  there  as  he  wanted.  A  gentleman  rode 
up  that  I  was  partly  acquainted  with,  and  we  rode  to  the  polls  after 
these  men  had  started.  One  of  their  men  had  driven  down  a  stake 
which  they  said  was  their  claim,  and  I  jumped  down  and  pulled  it  up; 
and  it  had  either  7  or  9  names  on  it,  I  do  not  recollect  which.  There 
was  no  person  sworn,  but  all  voted.  I  voted  The  one  I  knew  came 
back  and  staid  with  me  all  night.  After  we  got  back,  he  said,  as  all 
the  fun  was  over,  he  would  tell  me  the  sport  of  it.  He  said  that 
one  man  got  drunk,  and  they  sent  for  Doctor  Chapman  to  come  and 
see  a  sick  man ;  and  when  they  got  him  off,  they  got  another  man  in 
his  place  a  judge,  who  was  not  sworn  in.  These  men  at  my  house 
told  me,  some  of  them,  that  they  lived  in  Missouri.  One  of  them 
told  me  he  lived  in  Jackson  county.  I  have  passed  his  house  several 
times  since.  There  was  one  who  drove  up  to  my  house  in  his  car- 
riage, who  was  from  Missouri,  and  inquired  the  way  to  the  election. 
He  said  if  he  did  not  get  to  vote,  whether  he  had  been  there  long 
enough  or  not,  he  would  give  his  team.  He  said  that  every  man  had 
a  right  to  vote.  I  did  not  see  arms  about  these  men,  except  that 
almost  every  man  had  revolvers  and  knives  belted  to  them.  I  saw 
arms  in  their  wagons.  I  saw  some  guns  there.  After  the  election 
was  over,  they  went  back  towards  Missouri.  I  started  for  Indepen- 
dence the  next  morning,  and  some  of  them  passed  me  that  day.  I 
left  my  wife  at  home.  I  camped  that  night  at  Cedar  creek,  and  seve- 
ral of  this  party  camped  there.  Some  of  them  hallooed  for  Whitfield, 
and  some  for  Wakefield.  The  road  seemed  to  be  full  of  them.  I 
was  not  very  well  acquainted  in  my  district  at  that  time.  I  saw 
others,, more  than  staid  at  my  house,  on  the  road  going  back  to  Mis- 
souri. 

his 

PETER,  4-  BASSINGES, 

mark 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.   Avril  30.  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

REUBEN  HAOKETT  called  and 

To  Mr.  Keeder: 

Came  into  the  Territory  6th  June,  1854 ;  settled  on  Ottawa  creek. 
Resided  there  since  I  moved  my  family  there  the  2--1  of  September  fol- 
lowing. I  came  from  Indiana  to  Illinois;  and  fr~m  Illinois  here.  I 
live  in  the  fourth  district.  I  was  present  at  the  e'oCfcicn  in  November, 
1854,  at  Doctor  Chapman's.  My  acquaintance  ^as  riot  extensive  in 
the  district,  but  I  think  the  population  was  not  great.  I  got  to  the 
place  of  election  between  ten  and  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning  on  the 
day  of  election.  I  saw  a  considerable  number  of  mex\  I  was  not  ac- 
quainted with.  I  saw  many  of  my  acquaintances  there  a3so.  I  do  not 
remember  that  I  heard  these  strangers  to  me  say  where  they  had  come 
from,  or  what  for.  I  never  saw  these  strangers  before,  and  have 
seen  but  a  few  of  them  since,  that  I  know.  Those  that  I  s&w  coming 
in,  came  from  across  the  prairie  towards  Hickory  point,  and  some 
from  the  direction  of  "Eight-mile"  creek.  I  am  not  well  acquainted 
with  the  district  now,  but  I  am  acquainted  with  the  persons  on  Ot- 
tawa creek  and  above;  but  there  are  persons  on  "  Eight-mile"  creek 
that  I  am  not  acquainted  with.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  tik^  exact 
number  of  families  on  "Eight-mile"  creek. 

I  was  at  the  election  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect about  the  population  in  the  district  between  the  census  ac  d  the 
time  of  election,  except  that  it  was  increasing  slowly.  I  saw  a  num- 
ber of  persons  there  I  did  not  know  to  be  citizens  of  the  district.  I 
did  not  count  them,  and  cannot  judge  correctly,  but  can  estimate 
them.  I  think  there  were  some  80  odd  votes  polled.  I  should  j^dge 
there  were  about  20  or  30  persons  there,  perhaps  more,  I  was 
not  acquainted  with,  that  I  did  not  know  to  be  residents.  There  rare 
persons  in  the  district  I  was  unacquainted  with. 
To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Of  the  80  odd  who  voted  there,  I  probably  knew  some  30  odd  j#*- 
sons.  I  cannot  form  any  correct  opinion  of  what  persons  besides  we  e 
citizens  or  were  not  citizens  of  the  district. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

It  was  peaceable  and  quiet  at  both  elections. 

REUBEN  HACKETT. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


REUBEN  HACKETT  recalled. 

I  have  examined  the  poll-books  of  the  election  of  the  29th  Novem- 
ber, 1854,  in  the  fourth  district,  and  I  find  upon  that  poll-list  30 
names  whom  I  know  to  have  been  residents  of  the  district  at  that 
time,  as  follows: 

B  J.  T.  Keeser,  Charles  White,  B.  C.  Moore,  R.  Hill,  R.  M.  Wil- 
liams, W.  David,  J.  Bradbury,  Gr.  Simmons,  H.  Lowry,  W.  Grace, 
C.  Mayfield,  Judge  Bernard,  T.  Mockaby,  A.  F.  Powell,  J.  Eddy, 
A.  J.  Miller,  A.  B.  Gilland,  P.  Bassinger,  E.  H.  Bassinger,  E.  Hill, 


8 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


J.  M.  Banks,  E.  Hackett,  J.  B.  Davis,  J.  H.  Lockridge,  A.  Hanna, 
J.  Curran,  W.  Ewart,  0.  Hand,  Wm.  Moore,  J.  Chapman . 

REUBEN  HACKETT 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


PERRY  FULLER  called  and  sworn. 
Examined  by  Mr.  Eeeder  : 

I  came  into  this  Territory  about  the  6th  of  September,  1854,  and 
settled  on  what  is  called  "  Eight-mile"  creek,  in  the  4th  district,  and 
have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  first  election,  of  29th  of 
November,  1854. 

I  profess  to  be  well  acquainted  with  my  district.  I  have  examined 
the  poll-list  of  that  election,  and  find  a  good  many  names  there  of 
men  who  do  not  live  in  the  district.  There  were  161  votes  cast.  1 
do  not  find  over  24  or  25  names  of  residents  at  that  time  on  the  poll- 
book.  There  might  have  been  more,  but  I  think  not. 

I  saw  a  great  many  strangers  there  on  the  day  of  the  election — some 
of  them  from  Missouri.  I  understood  they  camped  on  the  ground 
over  night,  They  were  there  early  in  the  morning.  There  was  con- 
siderable confusion  on  that  day  at  the  election  polls.  There  were 
severe  threats  that  they  were  bound  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State.  I 
did  not  know  any  of  the  strangers  there. 

7"  I  have  looked  over  the  list  made  out  by  Mr.  Hackett,  in  connexion 
with  the  poll-books,  and  think  it  is  correct.  I  live  some  eight  miles 
from  Mr.  Hackett,  in  another  settlement. 

PERKY  FULLER. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.?  May  3,  1856. 


JOHN  F.  JAVENS  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  29th  of  February,  1854,  from  West- 
port,  Missouri,  and  settled  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Marais  des  Cygnes, 
and  was  the  first  settler  who  made  a  claim  there.  It  was  in  the  fourth 
election  district.  I  was  at  the  election  of  November  29,  1854,  at  the 
house  of  Dr.  Chapman,  when  General  Whitfield  was  elected,  and  I 
voted  there.  There  were  citizens  of  Missouri  who  came  there  and 
voted  at  that  election,  some  of  whom  I  had  been  personally  acquainted 
with  for  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years.  Among  those  I  recognised,  and 
whose  names  I  find  on  the  poll-list  of  that  election,  are  James  Price, 
G.  W.  Allen,  H.  T.  Childs,  A.  B.  Smith,  Thomas  Hall,  John  Price, 
M.  Simmons,  J.  Campbell,  and  others.  I  conversed  with  some  .of 
them,  and  they  told  me  they  came  there  to  vote.  I  asked  them  if 
they  had  a  right  to  vote  in  Missouri  and  in  the  Territory  too,  and 
they  said  they  were  told  by  citizens  of  the  Territory  they  had  a  right 
to  come  here  and  vote.  They  were  armed,  every  man  of  them  I  saw. 
Many  of  them  were  cursing  the  Free-State  men  of  the  Territory.  Some 
told  me  they  had  never  been  in  the  Territory  before,  and  if  they  had 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  9 


known  I  lived'  in  that  section  of  the  country,  they  would  have  made 
their  arrangements  to  have  stopped  with  me  the  night  of  the  election. 
They  said  they  wanted  to  see  the  Territory  anyhow,  and  that  was  a  good 
*  time  to  do  so.  That  they  could  come  and  vote,  and  see  the  Territory  at 
the  same  time.  When  this  was  told  me,  some  of  the  party  were  ready 
to  start  home,  and  these  persons  told  me  they  would  have  to  go  back 
with  the  others,  as  their  baggage  was  in  the  wagon,  and  but  for  that 
they  would  have  stopped  with  me  that  night.  After  I  saw  how  they 
were  voting,  and  heard  a  number  express  themselves  as  being  deter- 
mined to  outvote  the  Free-State  party,  if  some  of  them,  had  to  stay 
and  vote  again,  I  left  the  polls  and  started  home. 

I  find  but  a  very  few  resident  voters'  names  in  the  list,  and  I  thought 
I  knew  all  of  them.  I  have  not  examined  so  thoroughly  as  to  say 
how  many  there  were.  I  saw  three  or  four  times  as  many  armed  men 
from  Missouri  on  the  ground  as  there  were  resident  voters  in  the  dis- 
trict at  that  time. 

JOHN  F.  JAVENS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


WILLIAM  MOORE  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  16th  of  August,  1854,  from  In- 
diana, and  settled  in  the  4th  district,  on  the  Ottawa  creek,  and  have 
lived  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  on  the  29th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1854,  in  that  district.  My  acquaintance  was  very  limited  at  that 
time.  But  in  that  district  I  do  not  think  there  were  more  than  25 
or  30  resident  voters.  When  I  went  to  the  election  I  saw  a  great 
many  strangers  there,  which  surprised  me  very  much,  as  I  thought  I 
knew  most  in  the  district.  I  do  not  know  that  I  recollect  any  conver- 
sation distinctly  on  that  day  about  that  matter  with  any  of  them. 
They  were  encamped  some  200  or  300  yards  from  Dr.  Chapman's 
house,  where  t?.e  election  was  held.  I  was  not  in  their  camp.  They 
were  armed  with  double-barreled  shot-guns,  bowie-knives,  and  re- 
|  volvers.  I  heard  them  say  they  had  as  good  right  to  come  from  Mis- 
I  souri  and  vote  there,  as  others  who  were  there  and  had  come  from 
1  other  States.  They  did  not  appear  to  claim  any  residence  in  the  Ter- 
ritory. The  principal  portion  of  them  left  an  hour  and  a  half  or  two 
hours  after  I  got  there,  in  carriages,  buggies,  and  wagons,  and  were 
very  noisy  and  profane,  and  appeared  to  be  intoxicated.  I  saw  a 
great  many  of  them  vote  that  day. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  knew  a  Mr.  Thomas  Mockaby,  as  he  said  his  name  was,  who  was 
of  this  party  of  strangers.  I  think  I  heard  as  many  as  a  dozen  of 
these  strangers  say  they  were  from  Missouri.  I  think  I  saw  at  least 
as  many  as  twenty-five  of  them  vote. 

WILLIAM  MOORE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


10  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Dr.  B.  C.  WESTFALL  testifies  : 

I  saw  a  great  many  persons  coming  from  Missouri  to  the  Territory 
at  the  time  of  the  election,  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  and  I  saw 
them  after  they  returned  home.  They  were  residents  of  Missouri,  and 
I  was  personally  acquainted  with  many  in  our  neighborhood,  who 
said  they  were  coming  out  to  the  election  to  vote,  and  elect  men  they 
considered  suitable  for  officers  in  the  Territory.  After  they  returned, 
they  told  me  they  had  been  in  the  Territory  and  voted.  They  told 
me  the  precincts  they  had  been  to.  I  think  some  of  them  came  to 
Dr.  Chapman's,  on  Ottowa  creek,  and  some  to  Pottawatomie  creek. 
There  was  an  uncommonly  large  tree  had  fallen  at  Pottawatomie 
creek  at  that  time,  and  as  I  came  out  with  some  of  them  afterwards, 
they  told  me  they  had  had  a  dance  around  it.  They  also  told  me 
they  came  very  near  mobbing  the  man  Wilkinson  for  being  a  free- 
soiler,  and  who  afterwards  run  on  the  pro-slavery  ticket ;  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  they  were  prevented  from  taking  him  out  and  whipping 
him.  I  lived  near  the  line  of  the  Territory,  in  the  State  of  Missouri, 
at  that  tim'e,  and  had  lived  in  Jackson,  Cass,  and  Johnson  counties 
tor  the  previous  ten  years. 

B.  C.  WESTFALL. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


JAMES  W.  WILSON  testifies : 

I  came  from  Missouri  into  the  fifth  district  in  August,  1854.  I 
was  at  the  election  at  Henry  Sherman's,  in  that  district,  on  the  29th 
of  November,  1854.  There  were  but  few  settlers  at  the  election,  but 
quite  a  number  of  non-residents  there — a  large  number  from  Mis- 
souri. I  do  not  think  there  were  more  than  twenty  residents  at  the 
polls  at  that  time.  There  were  eighty-two  votes  cast,  of  which  I 
think  the  principal  part  were  from  Missouri.  Some  of  the  same  men 
were  there  that  were  afterwards  at  the  election  at  Bull  Creek  precinct 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  saw  some  little  excitement  that  day, 
but  not  much,  about  the  legality  of  their  voting,  but  no  fighting  or 
quarreling.  The  Missourians  voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket  for  Gene- 
ral Whitfield,  and  said  they  intended  to  make  Kansas  a  slave- State  ; 
that  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  as  they  had  claims  in  the  Territory. 
There  was  a  number  of  them  I  have  never  seen  or  heard  tell  of  being 
in,  the  Territory  since.  Judge  Teagle  was  there,  managing  the  af- 
fairs, though  he  did  not  vote.  He  said  he  did  not  intend  voting,  but' 
intended  to  see  others  vote.  He  was  judge  of  the  court  in  Jackson 
county,  Missouri.  He  had  several  hands  out  there  attending  to  cattle, 
who  voted,  and  I  have  never  heard  of  their  being  in  the  Territory 
since.  Mr.  Samuel  Wade,  of  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  near  New 
Santa  Fe,  voted  that  day.  Wade  is  a  farmer,  and  still  lives  where 
he  lived  at  the  time  he  voted  there. 

J.  W.  WILSON 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  11 

J.  C.  PJRINCE  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  at  the  election  at  Fort  Scott  in  November,  1854.  I  lived  at 
that  time  in  Cass  county,  Missouri,  in  a  little  town  on  the  boundary- 
line,  called  West  Point.  I  Went  out  in  company  with  some  one  hun- 
dred men  the  day  before  the  election.  It  was  about  forty-five  miles 
from  where  I  lived  to  Fort  Scott.  A  great  number  of  the  party  had 
their  tents  and  wagons  with  them,  and  camped  out.  I  went  out  to 
Fort  Scott,  and  staid  there  the  night  before  the  election.  The  most, 
perhaps  all,  the  party  were  from  Missouri.  They  went  to  Fort  Scott 
to  vote.  On  the  day  of  election,  Barbee  and  Wilson,  two  of  the  judges, 
made  some  attempts  to  swear  some  of  the  men  ;  but  they  got  them  in 
some  way  not  to  swear  the  voters,  and  I  think  none  were  sworn  that 
day.  They  all  voted,  so  far  as  I  know  ;  at  least  they  told  me  so.  I 
think  I  was  acquainted  with  about  fifty  who  voted  there,  and  who 
lived  in  Missouri  at  that  time.  There  were  but  very  few  resident 
voters  ;  I  should  think  not  probably  over  fifty.  There  were  some 
there  from  Missouri  who  voted,  with  whom  I  was  not  personally  ac- 
quainted. I  should  suppose  there  were  but  about  twenty-five  legal 
voters  that  day  at  Fort  Scott.  The  settlement  was  sparse.  Fort 
Scott  was  a  trading  point,  with  but  one  store  there,  I  think.  The 
voting  was  by  ballot,  and  there  was  no  violence  there.  There  were 
several  men  pointed  out  to  me  as  eastern  emigrants,  who  intended  to 
vote  and  leave,  the  same  as  the  Missourians.  They  were  strangers  to 
me,  and  I  do  not  know  that  they  voted.  I  voted  on  that  day,  and 
upon  examining  the  poll-list  I  find  my  vote  put  down  as  "No.  25, 
J.  H.  Prince."  After  the  voting  was  over,  the  Missourians  went  to 
their  wagons,  and  commenced  leaving  for  Missouri.  I  did  not  leave 
until  the  morning  after  the  election.  Some  of  the  most  influential 
men  of  Missouri  in  the  company  that  went  urged  me  to  go  and  vote. 
And  the  morning  before  the  election  I  started  in  my  buggy  for  Fort 
Scott,  and  staid  all  night  at  Colonel  Arnett's,  in  Fort  Scott.  Whit- 
field  and  Wakefield  were  the  candidates.  I  live  now  in  Osawatomie, 
in  this  Territory,  and  have  lived  there  about  five  months. 

J.  C.  PKINCE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


MATTHIAS  A.  HEED  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  from  Jackson,  Missouri,  in  August,  1854  ; 
took  a  claim  ;  went  back  to  Missouri,  and  came  up  the  next  month, 
•and  settled  on  the  Wakarusa,  in  the  seventh  district,  and  have  lived 
there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  on  the  29th  of  November, 
1854,  held  at  Frey  McGee's.  I  saw  a  good  many  men  there  I  was 
not  acquainted  with,  and  a  good  many  men  I  had  been  acquainted 
with  in  Missouri.  I  was  in  their  camp  there — in  Mr.  Boss's  camp, 
and  John  Flournoy's,  and  Abnet's.  Samuel  Kalston  I  saw  there, 
and  he  showed  me  where  he  had  staked  off  a  claim,  and  said  he 
had  bought  a  large  tree  of  Mr.  McGee  for  timber.  Some  of  them  I  saw 
there  have  claims  in  the  Territory  now,  and  are  living  here  now.  I 


12  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

do  not  know  whether  Mr.  Ealston  ever  lived  on  nis  claim  or  not, 
though  I  understand  he  has  "blacks  working  on  it ;  hut  I  do  not  know 
whether  he  has  any  house  on  it  or  not.  I  judge  I  sa~w  there  about 
one  hundred  men.  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  heard  any  of  those  men 
say  what  they  had  come  for.  I  did  not  stay  there  until  they  left. 

Cross-examined  by  J.  W.  Whitfield  : 

There  were  a  good  many  men  who  came  here  and  made  claims  that 
fall,  and  I  have  not  heard  of  them  since — both  pro-slavery  men  and 
free-soilers.  Some  made  claims,  and  came  back  in  the  spring. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

The  district  was  tolerably  thinly  settled  at  that  time,  but  I  could 
not  tell  how  many  actual  settlers  there  were  in  the  district.  There 
were  not  many  settlers  at  the  polls.  I  think  I  saw  some  twenty  or 
forty  there.  I  was  tolerably  well  acquainted  in  the  district,  though 
I  had  not  been  there  a  long  time. 

his 

MATTHIAS  A.  +  KEED. 

mark. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 

The  witness  could  not  sign  his  name,  having  cut  his  hand. 


WM.  F.  JOHNSTON  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

I  first  came  into  the  Territory  to  locate  a  claim  in  August,  1854, 
and  brought  my  family  here  in  the  fore  part  of  November,  1854.  I 
settled  on  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Wakarusa,  in  this  district.  I 
am  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  29th 
of  November,  1854,  at  "  One  Hundred  and  Ten/'  as  I  was  considered 
in  that  district  then,  being  at  a  place  called  Brownville. 

I  saw  a  great  many  wagons  and  tents  there,  and  many  individuals 
I  knew,  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri.  I  was  among  their  tents, 
and  I  had  a  conversation  with  some  there,  and  they  told  me  they  had 
come  with  the  intention  of  voting.  I  went  up  to  the  polls,  and  it  ap- 
peared to  be  very  quiet.  As  I  had  a  different  colored  ticket  from  the 
rest  of  our  party,  who  had  intended  to  vote  for  Flanigan,  it  was  chal- 
lenged by  Frey  McGree,  who  had  been  appointed  one  of  the  judges, 
but  did  not  serve.  Lemuel  Ralston  was  serving  in  his  place,  and  lives 
on  the  road  between  Independence  and  Westport,  Missouri.  I  had 
been  acquainted  with  him  since  the  year  1847".  I  then  turned  and 
challenged  the  vote  of  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Nolan,  from  Jack- 
son county,  I  knew.  I  first  asked  if  he  had  come  over  here  and  taken 
a  claim,  and  he  said  he  had  not.  Finally  the  thing  was  hushed  up, 
as  I  had  a  great  many  friends  there  from  Jackson  county,  and  it 
might  lead  to  a  fight  if  I  challenged  any  more  votes.  We  both  voted, 
and  I  went  down  to  the  camp.  I  saw  a  great  many  there  I  knew 
who  had  voted  in  Missouri  the  August  before,  at  which  election  I  was 
one  of  the  judges.  Among  those  I  knew  were  Nathan  Eoss  and  three 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


13 

or  four  others  in  and  around  Independence ;  and  from  the  township  of 
Washington,  that  I  lived  in,  there  were  some  three  or  four  Muirs, 
some  Nolans,  and  a  young  man  hy  the  name  of  Case,  but  I  did  not  see 
him  vote;  some  young  Harpers  and  Esquire  Smith,  then  acting  justice 
of  the  peace  for  Missouri  ;  a  man  hy  the  name  of  Abnett,  and  several 
others  I  cannot  now  remember.  I  was  in  their  camp  while  here,  but 
I  did  not  see  them  leave,  and  but  few  came  in,  as  they  had  principally 
come  before  I  had  got  here.  I  was  surprised  to  see  them  here,  as  I 
had  heard  nothing  of  their  being  here.  There  were  several  hundreds 
on  the  ground,  principally  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri.  I  should 
suppose  there  were  300  or  400  at  any  rate — probably  more  than  that, 
though  I  cannot  say  exactly.  I  did  not  see  any  man  vote  more  than 
once  that  day.  I  left  the  polls  immediately  after  the  difficulty  i  had 
started,  and  went  into  the  camp. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Whitfield : 

There  were  a  great  many  persons  coming  into  the  Territory  af  that 
time,  taking  up  claims;  but  a  great  many  of  those  I  saw  there  that 
day  I  knew  to  be  living  in  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  for  I  have  been 
in  Missouri  since,  and  found  them  living  there.  Some  of  them  that 
day  told  me  they  stopped  at  Bull  creek,  and  laid  off  a  town,  and  took 
each  a  lot  there,  and  that  was  all  the  claim  they  had.  There  were 
many  who  came  in  that  fall  and  took  up  claims,  and  never  came  back 
again. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  all  the  residents  whose  names  I  know 
on  the  poll-list:  Greorge  W.  Berry,  William  Daly,  Wm.  Holly,  F. 
M.  McGee,  John  Smith,  Kobert  Turner,  M.  W.  McG-ee,  M.  A.  Keid, 
L.  T.  Cook,  J.  W.  Brown,  Wm.  Handley,  and  Daniel  Turner. 

W.  F.  JOHNSTON. 

TECUMSBH,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 


ALFRED  LARZELERE  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  with  my  family  on  the  first  day  of  March, 
1855,  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and  settled  in  the  Burr  Oak  pre- 
cinct, in  tiie  14th  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was 
at  the  election  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  My  family  was  then 
at  St.  Joseph,  but  I  had  made  a  claim  in  the  Territory.  I  did  not 
come  over  for  the  purpose  of  voting  at  that  election ;  did  not  vote,  and 
did  not  think  I  had  any  right-  to  vote.  Col.  John  Scott,  Benjamin 
Harding,  and  Mr.  Bryant  were  the  judges  of  election.  Those  judges 
were  elected,  I  think,  after  I  arrived  from  St.  Joseph.  In  the  morn- 
ing, when  I  got  on  the  ground,  I  saw  a  great  many  citizens  of  Mis- 
souri there,  principally  citizens  of  St.  Joseph.  There  was  consider- 
able excitement  at  the  time  I  arrived,  which  appeared  to  be  arising^from 
a  dispute  between  the  citizens  of  Missouri  and  the  citizens  of  the  Ter- 
irtory,  as  to  the  right  of  Colonel  Scott  to  act  as  a  judge  of  election, 
took  no  part  in  it.  The  issue  was,  that  Colonel  •  Scott  was  selected 
by  the  bystanders,  the  citizens  of  Missouri  taking  as  active  part  in  it 
as  those  who  were  bona-fide  citizens  of  the  Territorv.  Colonel  Scott 


14  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

resided  in  the  city  of  St.  Joseph,  and  held  the  office  of  city  attorney 
for  the  city  of  St.  Joseph  at  that  time.  I  heard  him  claim  that  he 
was  a  citizen  of  the  Territory,  hut  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  heard 
him  say  what  time  he  came  over.  He  was  selected  and  acted  as 
judge.  On  my  return  to  St.  Joseph  I  inquired  if  he  had  resigned  his 
office  as  c*ity  attorney,  and  was  told  he  had  not.  He  has  exercised 
that  office  since,  I  think,  up  to  the  first  part  of  last  April.  I  forget 
whether  I  left  "before  the  polls  were  closed  or  not,  hut  I  was  there  a 
portion  of  the  day.  When  I  arrived  on  the  ground  I  think  there  was 
a  majority  of  Missourians  there.  I  think  in  the  after  part  of  the  day 
a  good  many  of  the  Missourians  had  left  "before  I  did.  Several  voted 
tlien,  hut  I  could  not  name  any  one  now.  They  contended  with  me 
that  I  had  a  right  to  vote,  as  they  had,  but  I  contended  that  such  was 
not  the  case.  There  was  a  crowd  of  some  30  or  40  when  I  first  went 
there,  and  I  do  not  know  as  at  any  time  there  was  to  exceed  50  men; 
hut  the  crowd  was  changing  all  the  time.  Judge  Leonard,  Wm.  K. 
Kichardson,  and  Reuben  Middleton,  seemed  to  be  the  most  active  per- 
sons there  from  St.  Joseph.  Wm.  P.  Richardson  was  there  also,  and 
I  always  considered  him  a  citizen  of  Missouri  up  to  that  time.  They 
insisted  that  the  citizens  of  Missouri  had  a  right  to  vote  there,  espe- 
cially every  man  who  had  any  pretensions  to  a  claim  in  the  Territory 
at  that  time. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

I  remember  but  one  of  the  judges  of  election  appointed  by  the  gov- 
erned, and  his  name  was  Mr.  Irwin,  of  Iowa  Mission,  and  he  was  not 
on  the  ground  at  the  time  I  came  up.  Mr.  Harding  was  there  ;  but  I 
do  not  recollect  whether  he  was  one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernor. He  acted  as  a  judge.  I  did  not  learn  that  the  dispute  was  in 
consequence  of  Mr.  Harding  claiming  the  right,  as  the  judge  appointed 
by  the  governor,  to  appoint  the  other  two  judges.  The  dispute  then 
was  as  to  the  right  of  Colonel  Scott  to  act  as  a  judge  of  election.  I 
heard  Colonel  Scott  claim  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  Kansas  Territory, 
and  that  he  had  come  over  and  taken  a  claim,  and  I  think  he  said  he 
had  taken  board  for  a  month  with  Mr.  Bryant.  I  do  not  know  as 
those  remarks  were  addressed  to  any  particular  person,  but  I  under- 
stood them  to  be  made  publicly  to  the  bystanders.  There  was  a  dis- 
pute as  to  his  right  to  serve  as  a  judge ;  and  to  establish  his  right,  I 
think  he  made  those  remarks.  I  do  not  recollect  any  argument  that 
a  judge  of  the  election  was  not  necessarily  required  to  be  a  citizen  of 
the  Territory.  I  think  it  was  generally  understood  by  all  parties  that 
a  judge  must  be  a  citizen  of  the  Territory.  I  understood  him.  to  say 
that  he  had  made  a  claim,  and  had  taken  a  month's  board  at  Mr.  Bry- 
ant's. 1  recollect  one  instance  of  a  man  being  asked  to  be  sworn  as  to 
his  residence,  and  he  refused,  and  did  not  vote,  and  went  off  swearing 
because  he  was  not  allowed  to  vote.  Mr.  Harding,  and  I  think  Mr. 
Bryant,  acted  as  judges  of  the  election,  and  were  both  actual  residents 
of  the  Territory  at  that  time,  I  think. 

A.  LARZELERE, 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  15 

BENJAMIN  HARDING  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  1852.  I  resided  in  the  Burr  Oak  pre- 
cinct of  the  14th  district.  I  came  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  where  I 
had  resided  several  years.  I  was  judge  of  the  election  on  the  29th  of 
November,  1854,  appointed  by  Gov.  Keeder.  The  other  two  judges 
appointed  by  the  governor  did  not  appear  at  the  time  of  opening  the 
polls.  When  the  time  arrived,  I  stated  to  the  crowd  that  the  other 
two  judges  were  not  present;  gave  a  statement  of  the  governor's  in- 
structions for  such  a  case,  which  was  for  the  voters  on  the  ground  to 
select  other  judges.  I  then  nominated  Mr.  Waterson,  and  the  crowd 
present  voted  him  down.  Several  came  around  me  then,  and  told  me 
they  thought  there  was  no  hurry,  and  that  probably  the  other  judges 
would  yet  come,  and  advised  that  further  proceedings  be  deferred ; 
which  was  done — deferred  until  nearly  10  o'clock.  During  this  time 
there  was  a  discussion  arose  as  to  the  right  of  those  on  the  ground  to 
vote  for  judges.  My  impression  at  the  time  was,  that  a  large  majority  of 
those  present  were  from  Missouri,  residents  of  Missouri.  Some  one 
nominated  Mr.  Bryant  as  a  judge,  and  he  was  elected  by  the  crowd. 
The  discussion  still  continued  about  the  right  of  those  to  vote,  and 
contended  for  very  strenuously  by  some  of  the  leading  men  from  Mis- 
souri. Some  one  in  the  crowd  had  nominated  Col.  John  Scott.  It 
was  my  impression  that  he  resided  in  St.  Joseph.  Mr.  Bryant  came 
to  me,  and  stated  to  me  that  Mr.  Scott  had  come  to  his  house  the  night 
before  and  engaged  boarding  for  a  month,  and  he  considered  him  a 
resident  of  Kansas  on  that  ground.  I  still  considered  him  a  resident 
of  Missouri,  and  refused  to  put  the  vote  to  the  crowd.  After  some 
discussion  Judge  Leonard,  of  Missouri,  stepped  forward  and  put  the 
vote  himself,  and  Mr.  Scott  was  elected  by  the  crowd,  and  he  served 
as  a  judge  of  election  that  day.  Mr.  Scott  has  never  lived  in  the  dis- 
trict since,  to  my  knowledge.  I  did  not  again  see  him  in  the  Territory 
for  several  months.  I  suppose  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  that  day 
were  cast  by  resident  settlers  of  the  district ;  probably  a  handsome 
majority.  Votes  were  cast  by  some  I  considered  non-residents.  I 
should  give  as  an  approximation  that  two-thirds,  and  perhaps  more, 
were  actual  residents  of  the  Territory.  There  were  votes  received 
there  from  those  I  considered  non-residents,  upon  their  oath  or  affirm- 
ation that  they  considered  themselves  residents  of  the  district.  I 
objected  to  receiving  those  votes,  but  I  was  overruled  by  a  majority 
of  the  judges.  I  considered  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  judges  to  ex- 
amine voters  with  regard  to  facts  only,  and  then  to  decide  whether 
they  were  entitled  to  vote  from  that  expression  of  facts.  Persons  were 
challenged  and  sworn,  and  I  differed  from  the  other  judges  as  to  their 
right  to  vote  from  their  statement  of 'facts.  The  other  judges  thought 
they  were  entitled  to  vote  if  they  swore  that  they  considered  them- 
selves residents ;  and  thus  the  majority  overruled  me. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott: 

But  one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor,  myself,  was  present 
at  the  time  the  polls  were  to  be  opened.  I  did  not  undertake  to  appoint 
other  judges.  I  merely  nominated  one,  and  put  the  vote  to  the  crowd, 
and  they  voted  him  down.  I  claimed  no  right  to  appoint  the  other 


16  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

judges.  I  did  not  call  Squire  Waterson  into  a  reoni,  and  ask  him,  as  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  to  swear  me  as  judge,  that  I  might  thereby  have  a 
right  to  appoint  the  other  two  judges.  I  undertook  to  claim  the  right 
of  judging  whether  those  on  the  ground  had  a  right  to  vote  for  judges. 
I  did  not  ask  Squire  Waterson  to  swear  me  at  all  before  the  other 
judges  were  elected  by  the  crowd.  As  an  appointed  judge  of  the 
election,  I  claimed  the  right,  before  I  was  sworn  in,  to  judge  as  to  the 
qualifications  of  persons  present  to  vote  for  judges,  for  I  considered 
that  a  portion  of  my  duty.  I  had  received  no  private  instructions 
from  Governor  Keeder  to  that  effect.  I  could  not  state  that  Colonel 
Scott,  of  St.  Joseph,  declared,  publicly  or  privately,  that  he  considered 
himself  a  citizen  of  Kansas  Territory.  Every  man  who  voted  that 
day  did  not  swear  that  he  was  an  actual  resident  of  Kansas  Territory, 
for  those  whom,  we  knew  to  be  residents  we  did  not  require  to  swear 
at  all.  I  believe  all  those  who  were  not  known  to  the  judges  to  be 
actual  residents,  took  an  oath  that  they  considered  themselves  actual 
residents,  before  they  voted.  Judge  Leonard,  of  Missouri,  and  other 
persons,  were  refused  permission  to  vote  because  they  would  not  take 
that  oath.  I  asked  Major  Wm.  P.  Kichardson  some  questions  in  re- 
gard to  his  residence,  and  he  refused  to  answer  me ;  stating  that  Col. 
Scott  should  question  him,  and  that  he  would  answer  no  questions  I 
might  ask  him.  Previously  to  his  refusing  to  answer  my  questions, 
I  might  imprudently  have  asked  him  which  he  considered  the  head 
of  his  family — himself  or  his  wife.  I  intended  it  as  a  joke,  and  sup- 
posed it  would  be  taken  as  such.  It  was  after  that  that  he  refused  to 
answer  any  questions  put  by  me.  I  believe  that  the  same  questions 
were  propounded  to  and  answered  by  him,  as  to  and  by  other  persons, 
before  he  was  permitted  to  vote.  The  other  two  judges,  I  think, 
expressed  their  opinion  that  each  man  was  the  best  judge  as  to  his 
own  actual  place  of  residence. 

B.  HAKDING. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856. 


A.  A.  JAMISON  testifies: 
To  Mr.  Eeeder: 

I  have  examined  the  poll-lists  of  the  14th  district  for  the  29th  of 
November,  1854.  I  found  the  names  of  the  following  persons  I 
know  who  then  resided  in  Missouri.  The  following  is  the  list:  Alex- 
ander Davis,  Sidney  Tenent,  George  C.  Collett,  Andrew  Cox,  F.  C. 
Hughes,  William  Turpin,  and  Oliver  H.  P.  Craig. 

A.  A.  JAMISON. 

TBCUMSBH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


THOMAS  W.  WATERSON  testifies : 
To  Mr.  Scott: 
I  was  at  the  election  in  the  14th  district,  at  the  house  of  Benjamin 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  17 

Harding  on  the  29th  of  November ,  1854.  I  was  on  the  ground  before 
the  judges  of  election  were  appointed  that  day.  None  of  the  judges 
appointed  hy  the  governor  were  present  there,  except  Benjamin  Har- 
ding. The  hour  of  opening  the  polls  had  about  arrived  when  I  got 
there.  Directly  afterwards  Mr.  Harding  invited  me  into  his  house. 
I  was  then  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace,  commissioned  a  short  time 
hefore.  We  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation  about  the  election,  and 
he  asked  me  to  swear  him  as  one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernor. This  was  before  any  of  the  other  judges  were  appointed.  I 
told  him  he  had  better  wait  until  the  other  judges  had  been  elected, 
and  I  would  swear  them  all  in  at  the  same  time.  He  stated  that 
there  were  a  great  many  of  them  who  were  not  entitled  to  vote  for 
judges,  and  he  wanted  to  be  sworn  in,  that  he  might  decide  who  were 
legal  voters  to  vote  for  judges.  I  then  told  him  that,  in  my  opinion, 
he  had  not  the  right  to  decide  that,  according  to  the  proclamation  of 
the  governor ;  that  it  was  for  each  man  to  determine  for  himself  as  to 
his  right  to  vote  ;  and,  therefore,  I  declined  swearing  him  in.  He 
then  asked  me  what  he  should  do.  I  told  him  I  thought  the  best 
plan  was  to  take  the  law,  read  it  to  the  crowd,  and  let  every  man 
judge  for  himself;  which  he  did.  He  also  wanted  me  to  serve  a?,  one 
of  the  judges.  I  said  I  did  not  want  to  serve;  but  he  put  me  in  nomi- 
nation, and  I  was  votecf  down  by  the  crowd  by  a  large  majority.  I 
was  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  14th  district  of  Kan- 
sas Territory. 

T.  W.  WATERSON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856. j 


JOHN  W.  FORM  AN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King:        ,-  v 

I  came  into  the  Territory  from  Missouri  about  the  first  of  April, 
1843.  I  removed  to  Doniphan,  where  I  now  live,  in  1853.  I  was 
appointed  by  G-overnor  Reeder  judge  of  the  election  of  November  29 — 
of  the  election  of  delegate  to  Congress,  which  was  held  at  the  house 
of  Benjamin  Harding,  in  the  14th  district.  When  the  election  came 
;on,  I  was  just  recovering  from  a  long  spell  of  the  typhoid  fever,  and, 
much  to  my  regret,  I  could  not  attend  the  election.  The  election  was 
held  about  14  miles  from  my  house.  But  few  of  my  neighbors  at- 
tended. They  were  almost  unanimously  for  Whitfield,  against  any 
bther  candidate  running. 

JOHN  W.  FORMAN. 

LEAVBNWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


J.  B.  CRANE  called  and  sworn. 

I   I  live  on  the  Fort  Riley  road,  about  ten  miles  from  here^     I  moved 
[here  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1854. 
[".  was  at  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  at  Mr.  Pensen- 
H.  Rep.  200 2* 


18  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

au's,  on  Stranger  creek.  I  am  tolerably  well  acquainted  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  district.  One  Mr.  Frasier  was  one  of  the  judges  of 
that  election,  and  I  think  R.  Riddle  another;  but  I  do  not  recollect 
the  name  of  the  other.  There  were  a  good  many  people,  pretty  much 
all  strangers  to  me,  at  that  election.  I  think  there  were  some  three 
hundred  votes  polled  there  that  day.  I  left  the  place  of  election 
about  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  I  saw  one  man  there — a  Mr.  Lewis 
Burnes,  from  Weston,  Missouri,  that  voted.  There  was  some  dispute 
about  the  polls,  about  the  right  of  Missourians  to  vote — some  saying 
that  any  man  having  a  claim  in  the  Territory  had  a  right  to  vote,  no 
matter  where  he  lived.  I  should  think,  from  what  I  saw  and  heard 
about  the  polls,  that  not  more  than  one  hundred  votes  could  be  polled  in 
that  district  at  that  time.  I  think  there  were  at  least  two  hundred 
votes  given  that  day  that  were  given  by  non-residents.  There  were 
some  of  my  neighbors  who  were  not  at  that  election.  From  the  fact 
that  I  know  that  some  of  the  residents  did  not  vote,  and  from  all  I 
can  form  an  idea  of,  I  think  there  were  not  more  than  one  hundred 
resident  votes  given  that  day.  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any  arms 
there,  except  some  few  bowie-knives  and  pistols,  and  perhaps  a  few 
guns.  I  saw  some  of  these  strangers  coming  in  from  towards  the  river — 
some  in  carriages  and  some  on  horseback.  I  remained  there  until 
some  of  them  left,  and  they  came  back  to  wards  the  river.  I  saw  some 
of  them  vote.  I  saw  no  fighting,  and  no  one  was  Drevented  from 
yoting  that  I  know  of. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

Mr.  Whitfield  and  Mr.  Flanigan  were  the  two  candidates  at  that 
election.  I  voted  for  Mr.  Flanigan.  I  d,o  not  know  when  he  moved 
iiito  the  Territory,  and  do  not  know  where  he  lived.  I  never  saw 
him.  [  do  not  know  whether  Mr.  Flanigan  resides  in  the  Territory 
now  or  not ;  but  I  believe  he  does  not.  I  do  not  know  when  he  left  the 
Territory.  I  have  heard  of  his  being  in  the  Territory  since  the  election, 
but  do'not  know  what  became  of  him.  I  was  not  acquainted  in  the  dis- 
trict, as  a  general  thing,  except  in  the  south  and  southwest  portion — 
perhaps  one-third  of  the  district.  I  do  not  know  the  size  of  the  district. 
It  is  a  large  district,  and  included  Kickapoo.  I  do  not  know  about  the 
town  of  Atchison.  I  think  the  boundary  of  the  district  followed  the 
military  road  to  the  Stranger  creek,  and  then  went  up  the  Stranger;  do 
not  know  how  far.  Some  of  the  strangers  I  have  spoken  of  might  have 
lived  in  the  portion  of  the  district  I  did  not  know,  but  I  do  not  think 
so.  They  might  have  lived  there.  There  was.  plenty  of  room  for 
them,  but  I  do  not  think  they  did.  I  recognised  but  one  man  whom 
I  knew  to  be  from  Missouri.  Of  late  it  has  been  a  pretty  general 
practice  to  carry  arms  in  the  Territory,  but  not  at  first;  though  a  man 
moving  in  generally  had  a  rifle,  but  did  not  cariy'it  about  with  him. 
There  were  a  good  many  persons  about  that  time  looking  out  for 
claims  in  the  Territory,  but  not  so  much  as  a  short  time  before;  and 
but  few  did  so  where  I  was  acquainted.  I  heard  no  complaints  at 
that  time  about  a  want  of  an  organized  government  here  in  the  ~ 
ritory. 

j.  B.  CRANE 

LBAVENWOKTH  CITY,  May  19,  1856 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  19 

FRANCIS  M.  POTTER  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  about  twelve  or  fourteen  miles  northwest  of  this,  in  the 
fifteenth  district.  I  came  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  to  the 
district,  on  the  16th  day  of  October,  1854.  I  was  at  the  election  at 
Pensenau's  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  I  think  I  know  Jesse 
Morin — Captain  Morin,  as  we  call  him.  I  am  not  very  well  acquainted 
in  that  district.  There  were  quite  a  crowd  of  men  at  that  election, 
and  I  saw  some  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri.  I  saw  James  Elli- 
son, Samuel  Singleton,  Allen  Pullen,  John  Galbraith,  and  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Kirk,  who  has  moved  into  the  district  since,  but  I  do  not 
know  where  he  lived  then.  I  do  not  recollect  about  an  encampment. 
There  were  a  great  many  people  there,  coming  on  horseback,  and  in 
wagons,  from  towards  the  Missouri  river.  I  should  suppose  there 
were  some  three  or  four  hundred  persons  there.  I  think  not  more 
than  half  of  the  persons  there  were  residents  of  the  district.  I  did 
not  vote  that  day.  I  saw  some  of  these  people  go  away  towards  the 
military  road.  There  were  a  good  many  there  when  I  left.  I  did 
not  see  any  man  vote  that  day. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Grover : 

I  am  not  certain  as  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Pullen.  I  frequently 
saw  him  attending  on  a  ferry  on  the  Missouri,  and  my  understanding 
was  that  he  lived  on  the  other  side.  The  ferry  was  at  la  tan,  Mis- 
souri, across  the  river.  The  way  I  got  my  understanding  that  he 
lived  in  Missouri  was,  that  I  always  saw  him  in  latan  when  he  had 
nothing  else  to  do.  He  may  have  lived  in  the  Territory,  but  I  never 
knew  of  it.  I  think  there  was  no  settlement  on  the  river  opposite 
latan  ;  if  there  was,  I  did  not  know  it.  I  think  Mr.  Pullen  did  live 
a  while  on  this  side  of  the  river  after  that.  I  do  not  know  as  the 
people  of  Atchison  came  to  Pensenau's  to  vote.  Atchison  was  a 
small  place  then.  I  had  been  there.  Men,  in  going  from  Pense- 
nau's to  Atchison,  would  go  out  towards  the  military  road.  I  sup- 
pose those  also  to  Port  William,  Kickapoo,  and  Salt  Creek  valley.  I 
think  probably  these  points  would  embrace  more  than  a  majority  of 
the  votes  in  the  district.  I  cannot  tell  how  many  I  saw  leave  Pense- 
nau's to  go  towards  the  military  road.  I  could  not  state  whether  I 
knew  half  of  the  resident  voters  of  the  district  at  that  time  or  not ; 
I  may  have  ;  it  is  likely  I  did  not.  I  saw  no  one  vote  that  day.  I 
do  not  know  where  Jesse  Morin  was  living  at  that  time.  A  week 
or  two  before  that  election  I  saw  Morin  in  De  Kalb,  Missouri ;  but  I 
did  not  know  where  he  lived  then,  and  I  do  not  know  where  he  lives 
now.  The  citizens  of  Kansas  frequently  went  over  into  Missouri  at 
that  time  ;  I  did  myself. 

F    M.  POTTER. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


JOHN  W.  HOUSE  called  and  sworn. 
I  live  about  six  or  seven  mijes  from  here,  on  the  military  road,  in 


20  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

the  fifteenth  district,  and  have  lived  there  since  the  middle  of  Septem 
her,  1854.     T  was  at  the  election  at  Pensenau's  on  the  29th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1854      1  saw  some  persons  there  from  Missouri,  and  some  two  or 
three  volte.     There  was  quite  a  crowd  around  the  polls.     I  voted  that 
day  for  Mr.  Flanigan.     I  came  into  this  district  from  Platte  county, 
Missouri,  where  I  had  lived  some  ten  or  twelve  years.     I  know  Jesse 
Morin,  who  used  to  live  in  Platte  City,  and  I  understood  he  lived 
above  Platte  City  some  six  or  seven  miles,  at  the  time  of  that  election. 
I  know  IraNorris  lived  in  Platte  City,  and  Hugh  McKowan.    I  know 
several  John  Millers  in  Platte  county,  but  none  in  our  district.     I 
know  S.  Johnson,  Samuel  Dickson,  Isaac  House,  my  brother,  Leonidas 
Oldham.     I  knew  a  J.  B.  Mitchell  in  Missouri,  but  know  of  none  in 
our  district.     I  know  Henry  Debard,  about  Platte  City.     I  knew  a 
Lapp,  who  lives  in  latan  ;  I  know  of  none  in  our  district.     I  know 
John  Groff,  who  lived  in  Platte  county,  but  none  in  the  Territory. 
James  Sweeney  lives  in  Platte  county.     I  know  a  Duncan,  who  lived 
in  the  edge  of  Buchanan  county  ;  he  owns  a  claim  here  now,  but  I 
cannot  say  where  he  lives.     Thomas  Douglass  lived  at  latan.     John 
Bryan  I  know,  as  also  Kobert  Ely.     William  Digman,  who  lives  in 
Platte  county,  and  A.  W.  Hughes,  a  Mr.  Fisher,  a  Dr.  Fisher,  I 
knew  lived  in  Weston.     N.  K.  Green  lived  in  Platte  City.     Colonel 
Lewis  Burns  lives  sometimes  on  one  side  of  the  river  and  sometimes 
the  other.     I  know  James  Brooks.     I  do  not  know  any  Bowman  in 
my  district,  but  I  know  one  in  Weston.     I  know  P.  Yocum,  who 
lived   in   Missouri.      Allen  .Pullen  used  to  live  in  latan.      I  know 
James  Mulky,  and  James  Bolton,  wlio  novr  lives  in  the  district.     D. 
W.  Quimby  used  to  live  in  Platte  City;  he    never  lived  in  our  dis- 
trict.    I  know  Job  Bobbins.     Jonathan  Lucy  lived  in  the  district  at 
that  time,  I  think.     A.  G.  Boyd  did  live  in  Kickapoo.     James  H. 
Kessinger  and  J.  D.  Pepper  lived  in  Platte  county.     S.  H.  Oliphant, 
I  think,  lived  in  Platte  City  at  that  time.     Samuel  Pepper  and  War- 
ren Blanton  lived  in  Platte  county.     Phineas  Skinner  lives  in  Platte 
county,  and  is  a  wealthy  man.     He  never  lived  in  the  Territory  to 
my  knowledge.     Nathan  Newby  lived  in  Platte  county,  as  did  George 
Kitchen.     Asa  Vanaldanham  did  live  at  Weston,  but  lives  in  this 
city  now,  I  think.     I  do  not  know  any  Staggs  in  our  district.     I 
knew  some  in  Platte  county.     I  saw  some  of  these  people  at  this 
election  ;  among  them  my  brother,  and  my  brother-in-law,  Mulky, 
and  John  Bryan.     I  had  some  conversation  with  them  about  voting. 
Bryan  allowed  he  ha-1  a  right  to  vote,  and  so  did  others.     My  brother 
did  not  live  in  the  Territory  at  that  time,  and  has  never  lived  in  the 
Territory  at  all,  unless  he  has  moved  into  it  within  the  last  week.     I 
saw  George  Quimby  here,  and  Jesse  Morin.     There  were  no  persons 
bearing  the  names  I  have  given  living  in  my  district  at  that  time, 
that  I  know  of.     Some  of  these  persons  have  moved  into  the  Territory 
since.     I  do  not  know  when  Groff  moved  over  here.     My  brother 
made  no  particular  claim  to  vote,  except  that  they  had  as  good  a 
right  to  vote  as  those  of  the  Aid  Society  had. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Grover  : 

I  think  I  saw  some  persons  vote  that  day ;  Isaac  House,  James 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  21 

Mulky,  and  I  think  John  Bryan,  and  some  others,  whose  names  I  do 
not  recollect,  who  came  over  from  Missouri.  I  voted  for  Flanigan 
that  day.  I  do  not  know  Mr.  Flanigan,  and  do  not  know  whether 
he  resided  in  the  Territory  or  not.  I  never  saw  him  but  once,  and 
did  not  know  it  was  he  until  after  he  had  gone.  I  heard  of  Flani- 
gan's  coming  to  the  Territory  before  the  election ;  but  whether  before 
Reeder  came  or  not,  I  cannot  tell.  There  was  a  general  rumor  pre- 
vailing that  Flanigan  came  with  Reeder.  I  do  not  know  of  any  Jesse 
Morin  who  lived  in  the  district  at  that  time ;  though  there  might  have 
been,  as  there  were  persons  living  within  two  miles  of  me  I  did  not 
know.  There  might  have  been  a  number  of  persons  bearing  the 
names  I  have  given,  who  lived  in  the  district  at  that  time,  and  I  not 
have  known  it,  though  I  do  not  think  so.  I  do  not  know  that 
Stephen  Johnson  and  Ira  Norris  were  not  at  Atchison,  and  interested 
in  the  town  company  there,  as  I  have  not  been  there.  I  saw  Ira 
Norris  at  the  election.  I  did  not  know  that  L.  Oldham  lived  at 
Port  William  at  that  time,  or  that  John  Gough  lived  above 
Kickapoo.  Some  of  the  names  I  have  given  might  have  been  of 
persons  who  had  moved  over  here,  though  they  used  to  live  in  Mis- 
souri, and  some  of  them  have  lived  there  since.  I  heard  Digman  and 
McKowan  say  that  day  they  lived  in  Missouri.  I  am  not  generally 
acquainted  in  the  western  portion  of  the  district.  I  never  was  at 
Atchison  and  at  Port  William,  and  am  not  acquainted  above  Kicka- 
poo much.  I  tiever  saw  Flanigan  after  the  election,  but  heard  he 
had  gone  back*- Jo  Pennsylvania. 

his 

J.  W.  +  HOUSE. 

mark. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


H.  B.  GALE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  reside  on  the  military  road  to  Fort  Riley,  about  ten  miles  from 
here,  and  moved  there  the  22d  of  October,  1854,  from  Missouri,  and 
have  lived  there  ever  since.  In  the  spring  of  1854  I  came  from  Mer- 
cer county,  Missouri,  and  went  to  Buchanan  county,  and  remainod 
there  through  the  summer.  I  was  at  the  election  held  at  Pensenau's 
house  o.n  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  about  six  miles  from  where  I 
live.  I  am  pretty  well  acquainted  in  the  southern  part  of  the  district, 
where  I  live.  I  voted  at  that  election.  I  do  not  recollect  the  number 
of  votes  polled.  There  were  some  non-residents  there  I  knew  to  be 
such ;  some  I  knew  to  be  from  Missouri,  and  some  came  over  here  who 
said  they  were  from  Platte  county,  about  Ridgley,  who  said  they 
came  to  vote,  and  intended  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  that 
they  had  claims  in  the  Territory.  They  mostly  came  in  wagons,  and 
[  saw  a  great  many  vote — mostly  for  General  Whitfield.  I  think 
Flanigan  got  some  30  or  40  votes,  I  think  Hickory  Point  was  in  that 
district  at  that  time,  but  I  am  not  positive.  I  do  not  recollect  how- 
many  votes  Whitfield  got  that  day,  I  cannot  tell  how  many  of  those 


22  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

who  voted  were  residents,  and  how  many  non-residents.  I  should 
judge  there  were  between  200  and  300  at  the  election  that  day.  I 
cannot  tell  how  many  resident  voters  were  there  that  day,  as  I  was 
not  acquainted  in  the  northern  part  of  the  district.  There  were  quite 
a  number  of  persons  there  from  Missouri;  one  I  knew,  and  lived  near 
me  when  I  was  there.  I  heard  some  around  the  polls  talk  about  com- 
ing from  Missouri.  I  heard  many  say  they  had  the  right  to  vote, 
because  they  had  claims  here.  This  man  who  lived  near  me  while  I 
was  in  Missouri,  has  been  living  there  some  time  since.  I  should 
judge  there  were,  of  those  I  heard  talking  about  it,  40  or  50  from  Mis- 
souri. There  were  some  30  or  40  I  knew  to  be  residents  of  the  dis- 
trict there  at  the  election.  I  saw  no  badge  at  that  election.  I  cannot 
say  that  I  saw  any  I  knew  to  be  MisFOurians  vote  at  that  election.  Some 
of  those  I  saw  there  I  knew,  were  Mr.  Burns,  of  Platte  City,  and  John 
Hamner,  from  Buchanan  county,  who  told  me  he  voted.  I  do  not 
recollect  the  names  of  any  others.  The  town  of  AtCfhison,  I  think,  is 
in  the  district  I  live  in. 

To  H.  Miles  Moore  : 

I  heard  when  I  got  to  the  place  of  election  that  there  had  been  a 
speech,  but  I  do  not  know  who  made  it.  There  was  something  said 
about  there  being  no  question  of  slavery  in  the  election  but  I  do  not 
recollect  much  about  it. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield :  j 

I  saw  Mr.  Flanigan  once,  as  he  called  at  my  nouse,  out  I  never  saw 
him  at  any  other  time.  I  do  not  know  where  he  resided.  I  under- 
stood he  came  from  Pennsylvania,  but  do  not  know  as  he  said  so.  1 
have  never  seen  Flanigan  since  I  think  Flanigan  had  no  circulars 
with  him  then.  I  think  I  have  seen  circulars  put  out  both  by  Flani- 
gan's  and  Whitfield' s  friends,  but  I  do  not  remember  about  the  ques- 
tion of  slavery  being  put  in  issue.  I  do  not  know  whether  Flanigan 
lives  in  the  Territory  or  "not,  but  I  understood  he  left  immediately 
after  the  election.  I  was  not  well  acquainted  in  the  northern  part  of 
that  district.  It  commenced  near  the  Fort  reserve  here,  and  followed 
the  military  road  to  the  crossing  of  Stranger  creek,  and  went  up  the 
Stranger,  but  I  do  not  know  how  far.  I  think  it  included  Atchison. 
I  saw  but  two  Missourians  there  that  I  knew  by  name,  and  did  not 
see  them  vote,  and  do  not  know  for  whom  they  voted.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect of  there  being  any  complaint  when  I  came  into  the  Territory  be- 
cause it  was  not  sooner  organized,  though  I  heard  it  through  the  fol- 
lowing winter.  The  delay  wa*>  charged  on  Reeder.  There  were 
many  persons  coming  into  the  Territory  that  fall,  hunting  up  claims, 

H.  B.  GALE. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


CAMPBELL  LOGAN  called  .and  sworn 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided,  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  in  what  is  now  Atcmson 
countv,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Kickapoo,  in  this  Territory. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  23 

The  candidates  at  the  election  of  that  date,  which  was  held  at  Pense- 
nau's,  were  General  Whitfield,  pro-slavery  ;  and  some  one  on  the 
other  side,  I  do  not  now  recollect.  I  was  not  at  the  election  that  day 
at  all.  I  have  never  been  at  the  place  where  the  election  was  held. 
James  Logan,  my  brother,  was  not  at  the  election  that  day. 

[The   remainder  of  the  deposition  is  stricken    out,  according  to 
ruling  at  Westport,  Missouri.] 

CAMPBELL  LOGAN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


JOHN  A'.  LINDSEY  called  and  sworn. 

1  was  present  at  the  election  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  in 
Leaven  worth  City.  I  was  not  much  acquainted  with  the  people  here, 
but  from  appearances  believed  there  were  a  large  number  of  non-resi- 
dents here.  I  did  not  go  to  the  polls  to  vote  myself  until  the  after- 
noon ;  but  I  took  several  persons  up  to  vote,  and  there  was  quite  a 
crowd  around  the  polls,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that 'they 
could  get  to  the  polls.  I  think  that  they  mostly  voted.  Right  around 
the  window  where  the  voting  was  going  on,  I  think  there  must  have 
been  from  *75  to  100  persons,  and  the  town  was  full  of  persons.  There 
were  then  about  three  or  four  houses  in  the  town.  When  I  went  to 
vote  myself  in  the  afternoon,  there  were  some  persons  who  kept  in 
front  of  me.  I  did  not  know  any  of  them,  except  a  man  known  as 
Dick  Murphy.  When  I  would  try  to  get  in,  they  would  pull  me  by 
the  coat,  crowd  me,  and  I  could  not  succeed  to  get  through  the  crowd. 
I  then  went  round  and  hurrahed  for  General  Whitfield,  and  some  of 
them  who  did  not  know  me  said,  "  There  is  a  good  pro-slavery  man," 
and  lifted  me  up  over  their  heads,  and  I  crawled  along  on  their  heads, 
and  put  in  my  vote.  Then  some  one  who  saw  my  ticket  cried  out,  "  He 
is  a  damned  abolitionist,  let  him  down!"  and  they  dropped  me.  Many 
others  that  I  supposed  to  be  pro-slavery  men  voted  in  the  same  way. 
That  was  the  way  of  voting  by  several  persons  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  day — by  lifting  them  over  the  heads  of  the  crowd  to  the  polls,  to 
enable  them  to  deposit  their  vote.  I  know  of  no  free-State  men,  ex- 
cept myself,  who  voted  that  way.  All  the  free-State  men  on  the 
ground,  whom  I  know,  that  day  voted  by  crowding  up  through  the 
crowd,  as  voters  generally  bad  to  do,  except  those  who  were  passed  over. 

Mr.  Flanigan  ran  as  a  Nebraska  democrat  and  friend  of  the  admin- 
istration. Mr.  Wakeneld  was  called  "  the  abolitionist's  candidate." 
Mr.  Whitfield  was  running  as  a  pro-slavery  democratic  canr.v  p^n/JL 

To  Governor  King : 

I  had  every  reason  in  the  world  to  believe  that  they  werfcot  resi- 
dents There  were  a  great  many  settlers  in  the  Territory  t\t  I  did 
not  know,  and  such  as  these  I  could  not  distinguish  fr«i  other 
strangers  who  may  not  have  been  residents  of  the  Territor,  I  da 
not  recollect  any  strangers  present  that  day,  that  I  knew  tjbe  Mis- 
sourians,  for  I  never  had  been  in  that  State  but  once,  and  tin  only 
to  stav  all  night.  I  have  no  acquaintance  with  people  of  thl  State. 


24  KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  * 

I  saw  no  votes  given  in  that  day  that  I  knew  to  be  illegal.  I  saw  one 
man's  vote  challenged  there,  on  the  ground  that  he  was  a  non-resi- 
dent. This  was  the  only  man  I  saw  challenged  or  objected  to,  and  1 
don't  know  whether  he  voted  or  not.  I  was  about  the  polls  the  fore 
part  of  the  day,  but  did  not  vote  until  the  afternoon.  The  difficulty 
was  not  at  the  polls,  but  in  getting  to  them;  and  I  thought  that  diffi- 
culty grew  out  of  the  political  opinions  entertained  by  voters.  The 
pro-slavery  men  were  handed  over  the  heads  of  the  people,  and  handed 
back  again  without  any  trouble.  I  suppose  that  those  persons  around 
the  polls  were  persons  who  had  voted,  or  were  there  to  vote,  as  far  as 
I  know.  I  can't  say  who  voted,  or  who  did  not,  but  that  they  were 
voting  continually.  All  the  houses  I  recollect  of  then  in  this  city 
were  the  hotel,  the  Kansas  Herald  office,  Stevenson's  grocery  store,  a 
tin  shop,  and  Dr.  France's  office.  Dick  Murphy,  of  whom  I  have 
spoken,  was  a  resident  of  this  town,  I  believe ;  and  his  conduct  that 
day,  although  it  impressed  me  with  the  idea  that  he  did  not  want  me 
to  vote,  yet  it  was  in  a  laughing  way ;  but  he  always  seemed  to  be 
right  in  front  of  me  whenever  I  endeavored  to  get  to  the  polls.  I  tried 
for  an  hour  ©r  an  hour  and  a  half,  and  then  retreated.  The  reason  I 
did  not  get  to  the  polls  was  a  combination  of  the  crowd  and  Dick 
Murphy.  I  don't  know  whether  this  was  a  concerted  combination  or 
not.  J.  A.  LINDSEY 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


Dr.  JAMES  NOBLE  testifies  : 

I  was  at  Leavenworth  City  on  the  day  of  election,  on  the  29th  of 
November,  1854,  and  voted  there,  but  not  for  Gen.  Whitfield.  There 
was  a  large  number  of  people  here.  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any 
one  vote  but  myself.  There  was  a  large  crowd  around  the  polls,  and 
men  pushing  for  the  polls.  Most  of  them  were  Missourians,  and 
hurrahing  for  Whitfield.  I  tried  several  times  to  get  in  before  I 
could  get  to  the  polls.  There  seemed  to  be  no  quarreling,  that  I 
could  see,  but  a  good  deal  of  crowding. 

What  I  mean  by  Missourians  is,  that  they  lived  over  in  Missouri. 
I  think  a  majority -about  the  polls,  when  I  was  about  the  polls, 
were  Missourians.  I  saw  old  man  Hunt,  from  below  Platte  City;  he 
said  he  had  as  good  right  to  vote  here  as  any  man,  and  was  going  to 
vote.  Pleasant  Ellington  lived  up  near  Kidgley,  in  Platte  county. 
I  do  not  suppose  all  the  Missourians  I  saw  there  voted,  for  I  heard 
''•'O) ad  not  voted  and  would  not  vote. 

^ross-exfimined  by  Mr.  Whitfield: 

I  had  be(  jn  living  over  on  Stranger  creek  some  time  before  that  elec- 
[0-B,  but  I  do  not  recollect  how  long.  My  acquaintance  was  limited 
1  the  disti  "let  at  that  time.  I  do  not  know  how  large  the  district  was 
fc  that  tiiD  ,e,  but'  I  understood  it  was  pretty  large.  I  saw  no  on-e  vote 
myself  .  The  canolidates  on  that  day  were  Gen.  Whitfield,  Judge 
n,  and  Judge  Wakefield.  I  do  not  recollect  of  hearing  the 
of  (  Chapman  as  a  candidate.  I  never  saw  Judge  Flanigan. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  25 

The  general  rumor  was,  that  Flanigan  was  from  the  east,  and  did  not 
reside  here;  that  Judge  Wakefield  was  here  with  his  family,  and 
was  a  free-State  man;  that  Gen.  Whitfield  was  a  Missourian,  merely 
an  Indian  agent  here,  and  in  favor  of  "bringing  negroes  in  here.  That 
was  the  reason  I  voted  in  favor  of  Wakefield,  and  against  Whitfield. 
I  understood  Flanigan  left  after  the  election,  but  I  do  not  know  how 
long. 

Two  of  the  judges  of  election  were  Neill  Burgess  and  Mr.  Twom- 
bley,  and  I  do  not  recollect  of  ever  knowing  the  third  one.  I  was  in 
town  several  hours,  and  sometimes  about  the  polls.  I  saw  no  one  at 
the  window,  except  those  I  thought  were  voting.  I  do  not  know  as 
there  were  more  strangers  here  than  usual.  I  think  a  great  many 
around  the  polls  I  knew ;  some  of  them  I  did  not  know.  I  saw  them 
cutting  up  antics ;  and  it  was  pretty  hard  to  get  to  the  window,  but 
I  was  not  frightened  at  all. 

JAMES  NOBLE. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


SAMUEL  F.  FEW  testifies: 

I  came  into  this  Territory  in  1854,  from  Virginia,  and  have  resided 
here  since.  I  was  here  on  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854, 
when  Whitfield  and  Flanigan  were  candidates.  I  think  I  was  the 
first  man  who  voted  that  day.  I  then  left  and  went  home.  I  did 
not  notice  any  persons,  strangers,  camped  here  that  I  now  recollect 
of.  I  know  only  that  I  voted.  f  here  was  a  gentleman  from  Vir- 
ginia, his  family  living  in  Missouri,  who  was  with  me.  He  had  a 
claim  here,  but  had  not  his  family,  and  immediately  after  the  election 
he  went  and  brought  his  family  here,  and  has  been  here  ever  since. 
I  cannot  now  say  that  I  know  of  any  persons  coming  from  Missouri. 
Many  came  from  the  island  opposite  here,  but  that  is  decided  now  to 
be  in  Kansas  Territory.  There  were  many  persons  here,  but  I  knew 
but  few  persons  then.  There  were  settlers  on  that  island  at  that 
time.  I  knew  but  one  man  who  lived  on  the  island.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  there  was  a  majority  at  that  time  in  favor  of  General  Whitfield ; 
I  thought  it  was  a  one-sided  affair. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  have  no  doubt  there  was  a  large  majority  here  pro-slavery ;  that 
there  was  no  need  of  assistance  at  that  time.  I  never  heard  of  Mr. 
"^BHanigan  till  Governor  Keeder  came  out  here.  The  election  came  off 
on  Friday,  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  My  family  was  at  Independ- 
dence,  Missouri,  and  I  went  down  shortly  after  the  election,  and  Phelan 
and  Flanigan  went  down  on  the  same  boat  with  me,  getting  on  board  at 
Kansas  City,  and  I  have  never  seen  them  since.  I  had  not  got  the 
returns  of  the  election  at  this  point,  and  I  heard  the  final  result  at 
Kansas  City.  Judge  Flanigan  told  me  he  was  coming  back  to  this 
city,  proposed  to  buy  my  claim,  and  asked  me  to  be  his  family  phy- 
sician. I  told  him  I  was  not  a  candidate  for  practice  as  a  physician. 
I  do  not  know  that  I  saw  any  others  going  back  to  Pennsylvania  with 


26  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Flanigan,  except  Phelan.  I  think,  if  he  had  ever  come  here  to  this 
city,  I  should  have  seen  him.  I  heard  once  that  he  was  on  his  way 
back,  but  I  never  heard  that  he  had  got  here.  I  -did  not  talk  with 
him  about  the  election.  I  was  tolerably  intimate  with  Major  Ogden 
and  Major  Macklin.  They  wanted  Major  Ogden  to  be  the  candidate 
here  for  Congress.  I  knew  him  to  be  a  shrewd,  calculating  man. 
I  knew  that  Major  Macklin  was  the  owner  of  slaves ;  and  that  they 
were  not  willing  to  have  Major  Ogden  enter  the  field  if  the  slavery 
question  was  to  be  sprung. 

Major  Ogden  was  regarded  as  a  free-State  man.  Major  Ogden  de- 
clined to  run  if  the  question  of  slavery  was  sprung.  Major  Ogden 
was  then  the  quartermaster  at  the  fort.  I  know  that  Major  Macklin 
wanted  Major  Ogden  to  run.  From  all  the  means  of  information  I 
had,  I  am  positive  that  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  there  was  a 
pro-slavery  majority  here  and  I  thought  there  was  no  need  of  assist- 
ance here. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  do  not  recollect  the  number  of  voters  at  that  time.  There  was 
but  a  small  population  on  the  Delaware  lands  at  that  time,  compared 
with  the  present.  There  was  a  pretty  large  settlement  on  Salt  creek. 
I  paid  but  little  attention  to  that  election. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  regarded  this  as  my  residence  from  the  time  I  first  ca"me  he*e. 
My  family  were  at  Independence,  Missouri,  till  I  could  build  a  house 
here.  The  gentleman  from  Virginia  who  was  with  me  on  that  day, 
was  similarly  sibilated.  I  think  there  are  now  upon  the  Delaware 
lands  probably  a  population  of  5,000.  I  recollect  a  circular  put  out 
by  Flanigan's  friends  at  the  time  of  that  election;  but  I  recollect  but 
one  thing  about  it — that  Mr.  Alexander  took  the  stump  as  the  pro- 
slavery  advocate  for  Flanigan.  But  I  do  not  recollect  what  names 
were  on  that  circular.  Mr.  Alexander  still  lives  here  in  the  Terri- 
tory. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  considered  Judge  Flanigan  the  Free-State  candidate,  and  General 
Whitfield  the  Pro-slavery  candidate  at  that  election. 
To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

Mr.  Flanigan  had  no  residence  in  the  Territory  that  I  know  of.  I 
heard  that  Phelan  and  Flanigan  bought  a  share  in  Leavenworth,  but 
they  have  never  lived  here. 

To  Mr.  Rees: 

I  do  not  know  who  circulated  the  circulars  for  Flanigan.  I  only 
know  three  persons  whose  names  are  attached  to  the  copy  of  the. cir- 
cular shown  me — Mr.  J.M.  Alexander,  B.  H.  Twombley,  and  Charles 
iieib.  If  Doctor  Leib  is  now  a  resident  of  the  Territory,  I  do  not  know 
it — certainly  not  about  here.  Alexander,  I  understand,  is  living  at 
Lecompton.  Twombley  is  living  near  here. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  think  Doctor  Leib  left  here  soon  after  he  took  the  census. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  27 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  think  I  recollect  that  a  counter-handbill  was  got  up  by  General 
Whitfield's  friends,  in  reply  to  this  of  Flanigan's;  but  I  do  not  recol- 
lect the  names. 

SAML.  F.  FEW. 

LEA  YEN  WORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  IT,  1856. 


GEORGE  H.  KELLER  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  my  family  into  the  Territory  on  the  Tth  of  October,  1854., 
and  to  this  place.  I  kept  then-Ahe  only  hotel  in  the  place,  up  to  June, 
1855.  I  have  resided  here  ever  since  I  came  here.  I  came  here  from 
Platte  county,  Missouri,  near  Weston ;  had  lived  there  for  16  years, 
except  one  year  that  I  was  absent.  I  was  present  at  the  election  oi 
the  29th  of  November,  1854.  The  settlement  here  was  comparatively 
small.  The  town  of  Leavenworth  was  laid  out  in  August  and  Sep- 
tember, 1854.  Mr.  Neil  Burgess  was  one  of  the  judges  of  that  elec- 
tion, but  I  do  not  remember  the  others.  I  was  very  busy  in  my  hotel, 
in  one  room  of  which  the  election  was  held,  and  was  about  the  polls 
at  various  times  during  the  day.  The  election  was  held  at  my  house, 
from  the  fact  that  there  was  no  other  room  in  town  suitable  for  that 
purpose. 

There  were  a  great  many  strangers  came  into  town  the  day  before, 
and  on  the  day  of  election.  They  were  camped  all  around  here,  like  a 
camp  meeting,  but  I  cannot  tell  how  many  there  were.  I  do  not 
know  that  these  men  were  armed.  I  was  very  busy,  and  could  not 
pay  particular  attention  to  their  appearance.  They  generally  camped 
in  tents,  and  part  of  them  brought  their  own  provisions  with  them, 
and  cooked  them  for  themselves.  I  think  they  were  camped  in  com- 
panies, in  messes  in  wagons,  probably  from  10  to  15,  in  a  wagon. 
There  were  no  women  with  them  generally,  as  I  saw,  and  none  in  the 
camp.  They  had  no  baggage  besides  their  provisions,  that  I  saw.' 
I  knew  some  of  these  men.  It  would  be  hard  for  me  to  recollect  all 
I  knew  ;  but  I  can  name  some  of  them:  Mr.  John  Wells,  Judge  Al- 
mond from  Platte  City,  Mr.  John  Vineyard,  Mr.  Washburn,  Smith 
Calvert,  and  a  great  many  others  I  cannot  now  recollect  without 
hearing  their  names. 

I  heard  some  companies  who  came  in,  say  they  came  from  Clay 
and  Ray  counties.  Those  that  I  have  named  were  from  Platte  county, 
and  were  my  old  neighbors.  They  said  they  came,  here  to  vote. 
\They  said  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  vote  here  as  anybody  that 
.comes  from  the  east.  They  claimed  to  be  residents  of  tl^e  Territory, 
from  the  fact  that  they  were  then  present.  Some  of  them  remained 
here  until  the  next  day,  and  then  left.  Some  left  the  day  of  election. 
I  do  not  know  that  they  said  anything  about  their  intention  of  going 
and  returning.  I  saw  some  of  them  vote.  I  was  not  there  all  the 
time;  but  others,  whom  I  did  not  see  vote,  told  me  they  voted.  There 
was  some  excitement  during  the  election,  but  nothing  very  serious — 
"but  a  little  knock-down — some  of  our  old  Kentucky  election  fights.  -I 


28  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

know  some  of  the  citizens  who  did  not  Vote,  but  only  know  the  reasons 
from  them,  I  voted  that  day  for  Mr.  Whitfield.  The  following  are 
the  names  of  those  on  the  poll-books  who  were  residents  here  at  that 
time:  Samuel  F.  Few,  A.  McAuley,  Jerey  Clark,  James  W.  Rich, 
Asa  Smith,  Francis  A.  Hart,  David  Brassfield,  Nicholas  Lockerman, 
G.  W.  Riley,  Green  D.  Todd,  A.  Russell,  Zachariah  Mills,  Jeremiah 
Howell,  Wm.  Dawson,  Miles  Shannon,  Jas.  Noble,  C.  McCrea,  G-eo. 
D.  Stevenson,  Stephen  Noble,  G.  B.  Panton,  L.  D.  Pitcher,  Adam 
Linhart,  S.  H.  Burgess,  R.  E.  Saunders,  John  Thomas,  John  P. 
Richardson,  H.  C.  Dunn,  H.  D.  McMeekin,  J.  B.  Hyatt,  Eli  Moore, 
John  Reed,  Wm.  G.  Mathias,  J.  Hoyt,  Wm.  Large,  A.  T.  Pattie, 
Win.  M.  Bukum,  D.  Scott  Boyle,  Hiram  Rich,  Wm.  B.  Simmonds, 
R,  H.  Fielding,  Thomas  C.  Bishop,  Wm  Wallace,  John  R.  Mize, 
Stephen  Sparks,  M.  F.  Conway,  R.  R.  Rees,  J.  K.  France,  Thos.  S. 
Sloakum,  Wm.  Sparks,  Zach.  Sparks,  Daniel  Creech,  J.  T.  Hook,  E. 
K.  Adamson,  Wm.  L.  Blair,  Hiram  Kelly,  J.  E.  Grant,  Franklin 
Keyes,  Floyd  Shannon,  A.  Payne,  A.  Cunningham,  Michael  Kelly, 
Daniel  C.  Ames,  Wm.  Tanner,  John  M.  White,  Godfrey  Grase,  F. 
Engleman,  John  A.  Lindsay,  Adam  Deitz,  Robert.  L.  Ream,  B.L. 
Sellers,  John  Owens,  Wm.  Engleman,  M.  France,  H.  M.  Hook, 
John  Wallace,  T.  B.  Silkman,  F.  E.  Bird,  Clement.  Naif,  George 
Keller,  John  J.  Bentz,  John  Keffer,  J.  H.  Day,  L.  F.  Mills,  L.  J. 
Eastin,  Jos.  H.  Edsall,  R.  Coakland,  Charles  Leib,  W.  S.  Yoke, 
Saml.  France,  G.  M.  Fisher,  Lewis  N.  Rees,  Jones  Creach,  James 
Skinner,  N.  Sage,  Adam  Fisher,  Henry  Smith,  John  Smith,  (97  in 
all.) 

The  following  list  are  the  names  of  persons  on  the  poll-books  I  know 
to  have  been  residents  of  Missouri  at  that  time ;  the  rest  I  do  not 
know,  and  cannot  tell  where  they  belonged  :  Malcolm  Clark,  Richard 
Stoddard,  J.  Y.  Chance,  Jarret  Todd,  Thos.  L.  Owens,  Geilin  L. 
Brown,  Pleasant  Ellington,  Win.  T.  Yokum,  John  Moore,  John 
Dunn,  Thos.  Owens,  Wm.  S.  Murphy,  J.  M.  Guthrie,  G.  B.  Red- 
mon,  James  H.  Hull,  Robert  Todd,  Isaac  Spratt,  A.  Dawson,  J.  C. 
Thomson,  C.  D.  Elliott,  A.  H .  JScott,  S.  J.  Johnson,  George  Young, 
H.  H.  C.  Harrison,  John  Drew,  Robert  Maddox,  Dugan  Fouts,  (27 
in  all  ) 

I  do  not  recollect  that  these  strangers  told  me  whom  they  voted  for. 
They  said  they  came  here  to  make  this  a  slave  State.  Mr.  Yineyard 
told  me  that  he  intended  to  vote,  did  vote,  and*  would  come  over  hero 
to  vote  at  every  election,  as  he  thought  it  was  right;  and  he  wished 
to  make  this  a  slave  State,  and  he  had  the  same  object  in  the  delegate 
election.  Flanigan  was  considered  the  Free-State  candidate,  and 
Whitfield  the  Pro-slavery  candidate.  Some  of  these  men  came  on 
boats  the  morning  of  the  election,  and  some  in  wagons  the  day  before. 
I  knew  a^  great  many  citizens  of  the  district  when  I  saw  them,  but  I 
could  not  call  all  their  names.  I  was  generally  acquainted  through' 
the  neighborhood  here  and  at  Salt  creek,  but  not  so  well  in  other 
parts  of  the  district.  I  should  think  there  were  from  100  to  200  who 
were  strangers  and  came  over  from  Missouri.  I  should  not  think 
#e  could  poll  more  than  150  or  200  votes  at  that  time.  My  house 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  29 

and  Captain  Rees's  house  were  the  first  built  here,  and  there  were 
"but  lew  others  here  at  that  time. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

I  could  not  tell  where  all  the  strangers  came  from  ;  some  of  thorn 
told  me  they  had  come  from  Missouri.  Some  of  the  companies  had 
men  who  were  acquainted  with  me,  and  who  called  on  me  and  told 
me  they  had  brought  a  good  company  along.  The  candidates  on  that 
day  were  Mr.  Whitfield  and  Mr.  Flanigan.  I  do  not  know  where 
Mr.  Flanigan  lived  then,  or  lives  now.  He  was  here  at  that  time, 
and  I  understood  he  was  from  Pennsylvania.  He  told  me  he  was 
building  a  house  on  Salt  creek,  but  I  have  never  seen  it.  His  nephew, 
I  think,  occupied  it,  and  occupies  it  now.  He  had  a  son  with  him,  I 
think.  I  cannot  say  how  long  he  remained  here  after  the  election; 
not  more  than  a  week,  I  think.  I  have  never  seen  him  in  the  country 
since.  I  cannot  say  whether  his  son  went  with  him  or  not,  then. 
His  nephew,  Mr.  Phelan,  I  think,  did  not  go  away  with  Flanigan.  I 
cannot  say  who  Mr.  Flanigan  came  with  to  this  Territory,  but  I  saw 
him  here  at  times,  for  some  two  or  three  months  before  the  election.  I 
think  he  was  here  before  October.  I  cannot  say  whether  he  came 
with,  after,  or  before  Governor  Reeder.  I  know  that  he  was  here,  but 
cannot  say  exactly  when  he  came  or  whom  he  came  with.  There 
were  some  circulars  put  out,  but  I  do  not  recollect  the  purport  of  them 
now,  as  I  had  no  reason  to  think  about  them.  I  do  not  know  of  any 
other  free-State  men  who  were  here  and  took  a  prominent  part  in  the 
election  and  left — except,  perhaps,  I  should  hear  the  names.  I  do  not 
recollect  the  name  of  Coates.  I  recollect  a  Dr.  Leib  who  was  here. 
I  cannot  think  of  ©ther  free-State  men  who  were  here  at  the  time  of 
the  election,  who  left  immediately  after  the  election.  I  think  likely 
I  saw  Flanigan' s  circular  that  was  out,  but  I  have  no  idea  what  it 
was.  I  took  it  for  granted  that  most  of  the  officers  of  the  fort  went 
for  you.  I  think  Dr.  Leib  was  appointed  to  carry  out  messages,  but 
I  do  not  (know)  what  he  was  doing  altogether.  I  thought  very  little 
of  the  man,  and  therefore  paid  very  little  attention  to  him. 

There  were  large  crowds  about  my  hotel  all  the  time.  I  was  very 
busy,  and  was  in  my  house  most  of  tu.e  time,  being  but  occasionally 
out.  My  business  called  me  a  gr"H,t  many  times  down  to  the  store 
and  office,  after  provisions  and  goods,  and  that  was  the  most  I  attended 
to.  The  people  were  encamped  just  about  here  in  different  places, 
where  they  could  get  grass  and  water  and  be  handy  to  town.  I  was 
not  in  the  encampment.  I  do  not  know  who  were  there,  except  that 
some  of  my  most  intimate  neighbors  told  me  that  they  were  camped 
there  and  had  their  own  provisions,  and  made  apologies  for  not  pa- 
tronizing me.  I  saw  wagons  there  belonging  to  persons  who  were  my 
neighbors  in  Missouri.  I  heard  some  say  that  one  of  their  reasons 
for  coming  here  to  vote  was,  jthat  a  candidate  had  been  imported  here 
upon  them,  and  great  efforts  were  being  made  to  bring  voters  here 
against  them.  I  do  not  recollect  what  hobby  Mr.  Flanigan  was  run 
on.  I  know  I  did  not  vote  for  him.  There  were  at  that  time  many 
persons  coming  over  into  Kansas  and  moving  about,  and  great  excite- 
ment about  claims,  &c.  Some  of  them  told  me  they  voted,  and  the 


30  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

major  part  of  them  I  talked  with  told  me  they  had  voted  or  intended 
to  vote. 

The  companies  from  Clay  and  Bay  counties  told  me  they  voted.  I 
do  not  know  whether  the  majority  of  those  people  went  back  into  Mis- 
souri or  about  in  the  Territory.  I  know  they  left.  A  great  many 
Missourians  have  settled  in  this  Territory.  There  were,  I  think, 
many  Missourians  who  came  over  that  fall,  made  claims,  did  some 
work  upon  them,  went  back  and  wintered  in  Missouri,  and  then  came 
back  to  the  Territory  in  the  spring.  I  do  not  know  whether  persons 
in  Missouri  along  the  borders  were  waiting  for  the  passing  of  the  Ne- 
braska bill,  and  the  making  of  treaties  with  the  Indians,  to  come  over 
here  and  make  claims.  I  did  not  see  more  fighting  here  and  excite- 
ment at  that  election,  than  I  have  often  seen  at  elections  in  the  west- 
ern country.  It  is  a  common  thing  to  have  fights  at  elections.  I  do 
not  (know)  whether  because  they  are  put  off  till  election  day  or  not. 
I  think  at  that  first  election  General  Whitfield  received  a  majority  of 
the  voters  of  the  district  that  I  knew. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  think  there  were  100  or  200  persons  from  Missouri.  I  conversed 
with  a  great  many  from  Missouri  that  I  was  intimate  with.  Many,  a 

freat  many,  who  knew  me  would  come  in  and  give  me  the  time  of 
ay,  and  we  would  have  a  little  chat,  and  then  they  would  go  away. 
I  conversed  with  a  gentleman  who  lives  in  Kock  House  prairie,  in 
Buchanan  county.  Mr.  Jesse  Vineyard  told  me  their  determination 
to  come  here  and  vote  on  all  occasions.  That  was  prior  to  the  passage 
of  the  Nebraska  bill.  I  do  not  think  they  told  me  about  certain 
associations  from  the  east  who  intended  to  control  the  subject  of  sla- 
very here.  Jesse  Vineyard  told  me  that  if  the  bill  passed,  they  in 
tended  to  come  over  here  and  stay  long  enough  to  vote  at  any  rate, 
and  make  this  a  slave  State  at  all  hazards.  Judge  Almond  told  me, 
observing  to  me,  "  George,  we  intend  to  make  this  a  slave  State,  if 
we  have  to  do  it  at  the  point  of  .the  bayonet." 

G.  H.  KELJ^R. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  17,  1856. 


LUCIAN  J.  EASTIN  called  and  sworn. 
To  Governor  King : 

I  reside  in  Leavenworth  City,  and  came  here  in  October,  1854,  and 
was  present  at  the  November  election  of  that  year.  It  was  conducted 
as  ordinary  elections  in  Missouri  and  Kentucky,  in  which  States  I 
formerly  resided.  I  saw  no  one  prevented  from  voting.  There  was 
a  large  crowd  around  the  polls,  that  made  it  difficult  to  get  to  the 
window  where  the  judges  received  the  votes.  I  heard  persons  calling 
to  others  to  give  way,  to  let  others  get  in.  These  calls  were  made 
by  pro-slavery  men.  I  saw  no  man  vote  whom  I  knew  to  be  a  Mis- 
sourian,  although  I  saw  a  good  many  Missourians  here,  many  of 
whom  told  me  they  did  not  vote.  There  were  others  among  the  Mis- 
sourians whc  had  come  over  a  day  or  two  previous,  and  said  they  had 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  31 


made  claims,  and  intended  to  reside  here,  but  might  not  he  ahle  to 
remain  here  during  the  winter  ;  a  good  many  of  them  are  lesidents 
of  the  Territory,  who  came  in  the  spring  following,  with  their  prop 
erty  and  families.     This  class  of  men  may  have  voted,  hut  I  do  not 
know  that  fact. 

I  had  the  list  of  legal  voters  of  that  election.  The  Pro-slavery 
party  at  that  election,  as  I  "believe,  had  a  majority  of  from  sixty  to 
seventy-five  votes  in  this  district,  as  I  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
voters,  and  made  out  a  list  with  other  persons,  who  knew  men  that  I 
did  not  know  ;  and  this  was  the  result,  after  giving  all  the  doubtful 
/otes  to  the  Free-State  party.  The  last  two  hours  before  the  polls 
were  closed,  there  were  but  few  persons  around  the  polls,  and  no  dif- 
ficulty in  any  one  giving  his  vote. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

Mr.  McAuley,  I  think,  and  Mr.  Alexander,  and  some  others,  as- 
gisted  me  in  making  the  list.  I  took  the  names  of  such  as  I  believed 
to  be  legal  voters,  including  some  who  had  made  claims  in  the  Ter- 
ritory, of  the  class  I  have  above  referred  to,  where  $hey  had  made 
statements  to  come  over,  and  of  having  made  claims ;  we  then  classi- 
fied the  votes  between  the  two  parties.  I  can't  state  how  many  we 
fave  to  each  party,  as  the  list  is  lost.  I  only  remember  the  majority, 
can  only  guess  at  the  aggregate.  I  can't  say  how  the  aggregate 
compared  with  the  poll-books.  This  list  was  made  out  just  before 
this  election.  There  were  three  candidates  in  the  field  at  that  elec- 
tion. Flanigan's  position,  as  he  stated  it  to  me,  and  to  the  public, 
was  that  of  a  national  democrat,  though  he  preferred  Kansas  to  be  a 
free  State.  Whitfield  was  considered  a  pro-slavery  democrat.  I  did 
riot  see  the  Missourians,  who  were  over  here,  vote.  They  came  over 
just  to  see  how  the  election  was  going  on,  as  they  said  to  me.  They 
were  mostly  from  Platte  county — some  from  Weston,  and  some  from 
just  opposite  here,  and  other  parts  of  Platte  county.  I  cannot  state 
the  number  precisely  ;  but  I  think  I  saw  fifty  or  more.  They  rode 
over  ;  but  I  don't  think  they  camped.  They  said  they  came  over  to 
see  what  was  going  on.  I  did  not  want  them  to  come,  as  I  knew  we 
could  beat  the  Free-State  party,  and  especially  as  it  was  divided 
between  Wakefield  and  Flanigan  ;  and  I  think  we  could  have  beat 
them  if  they  had  been  united.  My  opinion  is,  if  it  had  been 
necessary  to  carry  the  election,  they  would  have  tried  to  vote  ;  but 
they  did  not  come  for  that  purpose,  as  far  as  I  know.  The  majority 
of  the  judges  at  that  election  were  free-State  men.  I  did  not  see  any 
of  the  Missourians  vote  ;  but  I  can't  say  whether  they  did  or  did  not. 
Mr.  Twombley,  Mr.  Smith,  and  Mr.  Burgess  were  the  judges  at  that 
election. 

L.  J.  EASTIK 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K,  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


LUCIAK  J.  EASTIN  recalled. 
To  Governor  King: 
Mr.  Flanigun  came  out  here  with  Mr,  Keeder  in  October,  1854, 


32  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  soon  announced  himself  for  Congress  in  the  columns  of  my  paper. 
He  was  considered  as  Keeder's  candidate,  and  made  no  permanent 
residence  in  the  Territory.  He  was  defeated  in  the  election,  and  left 
immediately  for  Pennsylvania.  He  subscribed  for  my  paper,  and  or- 
dered it  sent  to  that  State.  He  said  he  was  satisfied  with  Kansas, 
and  that  it  was  not  the  country  that  he  expected  to  find  it.  I  over- 
heard him  say,  in  a  conversation,  that  he  and  his  friends  had  no  press 
here  to  defend  them,  and  that  their  positions  were  misrepresented. 
Quite  a  number  of  his  friends,  who  acted  with  him  and  voted  for  him, 
went  away  with  him,  or  about  the  same  time.  Mr.  John  Phelan, 
I  think,  his  relative,  of  Pennsylvania,  had  handbills  printed  for 
him,  and  left  witb  Flanigan.  Eeeder  had  proclamations  printed  for 
the  election  at  my  office,  and  the  friends  of  Flanigan  had  handbills 
printed  at  the  same  time.  The  friends  of  the  latter  took  out  for  dis- 
tribution the  proclamations  and  handbills.  Those  who  took  the  pro- 
clamations were  appointed  by  Keeder. 

L.  J.  EASTIN. 
LEAVENWORTH,  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


ADAM  T.  PATTIE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  was  raised  in  Eastern  Virginia.  I  reside  now  in  Kansas  Terri- 
tory. I  first  came  to  Kansas  in  September,  1854,  and  have  been  here 
ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  in 
Leavenworth  City.  I  was  generally  acquainted  with  the  people  in 
this  district.  I  was  frequently  at  the  polls  on  the  day  of  election. 
I  voted  myself,  and  I  saw  how  it  was  conducted.  I  saw  many  per- 
sons vote  that  day.  A  great  many  I  knew  to  be  residents  of  the 
district.  I  saw  nobody  vote  that  clay  who  was  not  a  resident  of  the 
district  at  that  time.  I  saw  some  Missourians  .here  that  day,  and 
heard  some  of  them  say  that  their  object  was,  and  the  general  expres- 
sion of  opinion  was,  that  if  no  non-resident  free-soilers  were  allowed 
to  vote,  they  would  not  vote.  They  stated  that  they  came  over  to  see 
a  fair  election,  and  not  to  interfere.  The  Missourians  were  armed 
merely  with  pistols  and  knives,  but  not  more  than  it  was  usual  to  see 
in  this  country.  I  do  not  think  I  saw  a  gun  on  the  ground.  I  saw 
persons,  residents  of  the  Territory,  of  both  parties,  with  side-arms 
that  day,  as  was  customary  here  for  all  parties  to  have.  I  saw  no 
violence  offered,  or  any  interference  with  the  election ;  and  I  consid- 
ered it  as  quiet  an  election  as  any  I  had  ever  seen  in  Maryland  or 
Virginia.  There  were  frequent  requests  for  persons  to  come  up  and 
vote ;  and  I  saw  no  objection  to  any  one  going  up  to  vote.  The 
prominent  candidates  at  that  election  were  Gen.  Whitfield  and  Judge 
Flanigan,  between  whom  the  contest  seemed  to  be.  I  was  not  ac- 
quainted with  Judge  Flanigan,  though  I  knew  him  by  sight.  I  un- 
derstood he  had  been  in  the  Territory  but  a  week  or  two  before  that 
election,  and  never,  to  my  knowledge,  had  any  family  in  this  Terri- 
tory, though  I  have  heard  him  say  he  had  one  in  Pennsylvania.  He 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  33 

left  in  a  short  time  after  the  election  ;  bnt  I  do  not  think  he  remained 
here  long  enough  to  get  the  result  of  the  election.  I  have  never  heard 
of  him  since  as  heing  in  the  Territory.  Mr.  Flanigan  represented 
himself  to  he  the  Free-State  candidate,  in  opposition  to  Gen.  Whit- 
field,  the  Pro-slavery  candidate.  I  never  knew  of  Governor  Keedei 
having  a  family  in  the  Territory,  hut  I  have  heard  of  his  having  one 
in  Pennsylvania.  I  know  Mr.  T.  Conway,  who  was  in  this  place  at 
that  time,  and  took  an  active  part  in  that  election.  I  do  not  know  of 
his  challenging  any  votes  that  day.  He  was  not  a  candidate  at  that 
election,  that  I  know  of.  I  have  since  become  acquainted  with  Mr, 
Jolly,  who  was  appointed  to  take  the  census  in  the  Kickapoo  region, 
or  the  15th  district.  Mr.  Jolly  said  he  had  a  family;  that  his  family 
was  in  Iowa.  I  cannot  tell  how  long  he  remained  here  after  he  got 
through  taking  the  census.  He  had  an  interest  in  the  town  of  Grass- 
hopper Falls,  and  I  believe  has  now  sold  it ;  and  I  do  not  know  that 
he  eyer  had  any  permanent  abode  in  the  Territory  at  all,  or  ever  had 
his  family  here.  I  am  also  acquainted  with  Charles  Leib,  who  was 
appointed  to  take  the  census  of  the  16th  district.  Ha  said  he  had  a 
family  in  Pennsylvania.  I  never  heard  him  say,  just  before  he  left, 
that  he  never  had  his  family  in  the  Territory.  I  have  not  seen  him 
since  then.  These  census-takers  said  Gov.  Keeder  told  them  to  take 
the  census,  so  as  to  show  where  each  man  came  from;  and  Charles 
Leib  said  it  was  so  that  he  could  tell  their  sentiments  upon  the 
slavery  question.  I  think  that  in  November,  1854,  the  Pro-slavery 
party  had  a  large  majority  in  this  district. 

-       A.  T.  PATTIE. 
LEAVENWOKTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


THOMAS  BEYNOLDS  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  resided  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854, 
on  what  was  called  " Seven-mile"  creek,  near  Fort  Eiley,  and  the 
election  was  held  at  my  house.  There  were  few  resident  voters — not 
more  than  five^or  six  not  connected  with  the  army — in  that  voting 
district.  All  the  candidates  at  that  election,  we  knew  of,  were  Gen- 
eral Whitfield  and  Judge  Flanigan.  I  do  not  think  any  one  in  our 
neighborhood  knew  where  the  election  was  to  be,  until  the  day  before 
the  election.  I  was  at  the  fort  the  day  before  the  election,  and  Mr. 
Wilson  told  me  who  were  judges,  and  that  the  election  was  to  be  held 
at  my  house  the  next  day.  That  is  the  first  I  heard  of  it.  I  had 
been  acquainted  with  Mr.  Whitfield,  and  I  voted  for  Mr.  Whitfield 
as  the  Pro-slavery  candidate ;  and  I  regarded  Judge  Flanigan  as  the 
Free-State  candidate.  I  think  there  were  some  41  or  42  votes  polled 
;that  day,  nearly  all  of  which  were  given  by  persons  who  came  from 
about  the  fort,  and  were  the  employees  of  the  general  government 
about  the  fort,  and  they  came  from  the  fort  in  government  wagons. 
Jjath  flags  flying  with  the  motto  of  " Flanigan  and  Free-State." 
I  There  were  seven  or  eight  of  these  wagons  running  back  and  forth  all 
H.  Rep,  200 3* 


34  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

day.  Tnere  were  many  about.  Captain  Lyon  took  an  active  part. 
He  told  me  lie  was  a  stockholder  in  the  town  of  Pawnee,  and  wanted 
me  to  take  a  part  in  it.  I  do  not  know  of  his  voting  at  that  election. 
Dr.  Hammond  was  aboiit,  and  was  the  surgeon  at  the  fort.  He  was 
a  stockholder  in  the  town  of  Pawnee.  He  voted  that  day  the  Free- 
State  ticket.  Col.  Montgomery  was  in  command  at  that  fort.  He 
was  also  a  stockholder  in  Pawnee — was  president  of  the  Pawnee  Asso- 
ciation. All  the  baggage-wagons  that  took  the  persons  to  the  elec- 
tion from  the  fort  were  under  his  command.  The  men  were  drinking 
and  hallooing ;  and  when  they  got  near  the  house  where  the  election 
was  held,  the  mules  in  one  of  the  wagons  ran  off,  and  broke  the  wagon 
all  to  pieces,  and  hurt  several  of  the  men.  Two  of  the  judges  of 
election  belonged  to  the  army;  Mr.  Lowe,  the  wagon-master,  Mr. 
Mills,  head  carpenter,  and  Wilson,  a  sutler,  were  those  appointed 
by  Governor  Keeder ;  but  Wilson  did  not  serve.  Nearly  all  the  men 
who  came  from  the  fort  voted  the  Free-State  ticket.  Mr.  Lowe,  Mr. 
Mills,  and  Mr.  Twombley  served  as  judges ;  the  two  former  belong- 
ing to  the  army.  I  objected  in  the  morning  to  the  men  from  the  fort 
voting,  or  acting  as  judges  of  election,  and  they  overruled  me.  Cap- 
tain Lyon  said  I  should  not  stay  in  the  country  unless  I  would  go  with 
them.  I  took  it  that  they  meant  I  must  not  oppose  Pawnee,  or  hav- 
ing a  free  State,  if  I  desired  to  stay  in  that  part  of  the  country ;  that 
was  the  general  understanding  there.  -  They  said  Pawnee  would  be 
^the  seat  of  government.  I  spoke  to  Gov.  Eeeder  to  call  a  legislature, 
that  we  might  petition  to  Congress  for  a  seat  of  government ;  and  I 
recommended  that  plan,  and  suppose  it  was  the  first  cause  of  Pawnee 
iDeing  laid  off ;  though  when  it  was  done,  I  had  no  part  in  it.  I  do 
not  recollect  what  Keeder  said  about  a  seat  of  government  at  that 
time..  He  said  he  thought  he  could  do  what  he  wanted  without  the 
legislature.  I  had  told  him  we  wanted  a  seat  of  government,  and 
some  mail-routes  established. 

Cross-<examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

I  voted  in  the  evening  of  that  day,  after  objecting  to  the  election  in 
the  morjiing  as  illegal,  because  the  judges  of  election  were  connected 
with  the  army.  I  had  some  hired  men  there,  and  some  sons  who 
were  not  there,  but  there  were  only  some  five  or  six  legal  votes  on  the 
ground  that  day.  I  did  not  consider  those  who  came  to  the  fort  to 
work  and  not  be  settlers,  as  entitled  to  vote.  The  carpenter  is  at  the 
fort  yet,  but  never  had  any  claim.  I  electioneered  with  some  of  the 
men  frpm  the  fort  to  vote  for  Whitfield,  and  they  generally  said  if 
they  did  they  would  be  turned  out  of  employment ;  but  I  think  some 
of  the  men  voted  for  Whitfield. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

Governor  Keeder  was  at  the  fort  several  days  before  the  judges  of 
election  were  appointed.  I  think  he  staid  at  Mr.  Lowe's  house  while 
there.  THOMAS  REYNOLDS 

LEAVEN\TORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28, 1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  35 

C.  R.  MOBLEY  called  and  sworn. 


To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided,  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  at  Fort  Riley,  I  was 
staying  with  Lieutenant  Folk's  mess. 

I  was  at  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  Mr.  "Wil- 
son, Mr.  Lowe,  and  Mr.  Mills  were  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder 
as  judges  of  election  ;  but  I  was  appointed  by  the  other  judges  in  place 
of  Mr.  Wilson,  who  declined. 

General  Whitfield  was  the  Pro-slavery  candidate,  and  Judge  Flan- 
igan  the  Free-State  candidate  at  that  election.  Dr.  Hammond,  sur- 
geon of  the  army  at  the  fort,  voted  at  that  election  the  Free-State 
ticket.  The  employees  of  the  government  at  the  fort  voted  that  day, 
and  voted  the  Free-State  ticket.  I  handed  in  the  ballots,  and  they 
generally  told  what  ticket  they  voted.  There  must  have  been  three- 
fourths  of  the  votes  polled  that  day  polled  by  the  employees  of  the 
government,  and  not  as  settlers.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  talk  among 
them  about  claims,  but  I  believe  none  of  them  had  any  claims.  There 
were  two  men  who  stated  that  they  were  from  St.  Louis,  but  formerly 
from  Ohio,  who  came  the  day  before  the  election,  voted  there  the  Free- 
State  ticket,  and  left  the  day  after  the  election.  The  employees  of 
the  government  went  to  the  polls  in  government  wagons.  Colonel 
Montgomery  was  in  command  of  the  fort  at  that  time,  and  he  and  Dr. 
Hammond  said  they  were  stockholders  in  the  town  of  Pawnee  at  that 
time,  as  did  Governor  Eeeder. 

C.  R.  MOBLEY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.?  May  28,  1856, 


H.  A.  LOWE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided  at  Fort  Riley  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  I  was  em- 
ployed by  the  government  of  the  United  States  as  wagon-master  at 
the  fort.  Governor  Reeder  appointed  me  one  of  the  judges  of  election 
on  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  I  have  no  doubt  Governor  Reeder 
knew  how  I  was  situated  at  the  fort,  as  he  stopped  at  my  house  while 
he  was  at  Fort  Riley.  Mr.  Mills,  the  boss  carpenter  of  the  fort,  and 
Mr.  Robert  Wilson,  were  the  other  judges  appointed  by  the  governor. 
Mr.  Robert  Wilson  was  sutler  of  the  fort  at  that  time.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  Governor  Reeder  knew  the  positions  occupied  by  all  the 
judges  at  the  time  he  appointed  them.  Mr.  Wilson  was  at  that  time, 
as  I  understood,  a  stockholder  in  the  town  of  Pawnee ;  but  Mr.  Mills 
and  myself  were  not,  and  we  had  no  interest  in  any  claims  near 
Pawnee  at  that  time.  Mr.  Whitfield  and  Mr.  Flanigan  were  the 
candidates  at  that  election — Whitfield  the  Pro-slavery,  and  Flanigan 
the  Free-State  candidate.  There  was  no  other  question  in  issue  at 
i  that  election,  that  I  know  of.  Quite  a  number  of  men  from  the  fort 
and  in  government  employ,  but  not  soldiers,  and  not  settlers  in  the 
I  Territory,  were  allowed  to  vote.  I  should  judge  about  three-fourths 


36  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

perhaps  more,  of  the  votes  given  that  day  were  given  by  governme 
employees,  and  all,  I  think,  voted  for  Flanigan,  the  Free-State  ca 
didate.  They  were  not  given  to flunder stand,  so  far  as  I  know,  th 
if  they  did  not  vote  for  Flanigan  they  .would  be  turned  out  of  emplo 
ment.  They  went  to  the  polls  in-'conveyances  belonging  to  the  go 
eminent.  They  were  principally  teamsters,  some  mechanics,  w" 
had  permission  to  take  the  volarets  and  go  down  in  them  to  the  pol] 
Colonel  Montgomery  told  me  to  let  these  men  have  these  conveyanc 
to  go  down  to  and  return  from  the  polls.  He  was  commandant  ai 
acting  quartermaster  of  the  fort,  and  a  stockholder  in  the  town 
Pawnee.  I  saw  one  flag  on  one  of  these  wagons,  with  the  motto 
<e  Flanigan  and  a  Free-State/'  which  came  down  to  the  polls  abo 
the  middle  of  the  day.  No  officer  of  the  army  except  Dr.  Hamnion 
the  surgeon,  voted  that  day.  He  voted  the  Free-State  ticket,  aft 
having  sworn  that  he  considered  himself  a  citizen  of  the  Territor 
and  that  if  he  was  ordered  to  leave  the  Territory  with  the  army  1 
would  resign  his  commission.  The  judges  thereupon  considered  hi: 
entitled  to  vote.  He  was  a  stockholder  in  the  town  of  Pawnee. 

H.  A.  LOWE. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


H.  MILES  MOORE  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  to  reside  in  September,  1855,  from  wes 
era  Missouri,  where  I  had  resided  for  about  five  years,  practising  { 
an  attorney  at  law.     I  had  resided  in  St.  Louis  a  year  previous  1 
that.     I  came  over  to  Leavenworth  City  on  the  29th  of  Novembe: 
1854,  to  attend  the  election  for  delegate  to  Congress.     Arrangemem 
had  "been  made  throughout  western  Platte  county,  and  western  Mil 
souri  generally,  as  I  have  been  informed,  for  the  purpose  of  goin 
over  there  and  voting  at  that  election.     Messengers  had  been  ser 
from  one  portion  of  western  Missouri  to  another,  to  notify.    Meeting 
had  been  held  to  make  arrangements  to  come  over  here  on  that  da 
to   vote.      For  a  day  or  two*  previous,  large  numbers   had   passe 
through  Weston  to  the  Territory,  on  horseback  and  in  wagons,  wit 
their  forage  and  provisions,   from  the  counties  lower  down  on  til 
north  side  of  the  river — Clinton,  Platte,   and  Clay  counties.     I  sa-i 
parties  from  each  of  these  counties  at  the  hotel ;  among  them,  m 
whom  I  recognised.     The  companies  raised  about  Weston  and  Plai 
county  were  generally  sent   to  the  back  portions  of  the  Territor 
The  lower  counties  sent  men  to  the  precincts  near  the  border, 
came  over  myself  with  a  large  party  from  Weston  and  Platte  coun 
to  Leavenworth ;  a  large  crowd  was  present  then  on  the  ground.    T 
election  was  held  at  the  Leavenworth  hotel,  kept  by  Keller  &  Ky] 
There  was  a  great  crowd  around  the  polls  all  day.     There  was  a  go< 
deal  of  excitement,  and  some  quarreling  and  fighting.     I  remains 
there  all  day  till  nearly  night.     General  Whitfield  was   the 
slavery  candidate;  Judge   Flanigan  was  the  Free-State  candidat 
All  our  party  from  Weston  voted  for  Whitfield,     I  believe  I  v 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  37 


yself  that  day  for  General  Whitfield,  but  I  do  not  see  my  name  on 
the  poll-books.  I  should  think  there  must  have  been  from  150  to 
200  Missourians  who  voted  there  that  day.  The  other  Missourians 
who  came  over  said,  after  they  returned,  that  they  went  to  the  14th 
and  15th  districts,  and  other  districts  farther  back.  I  have  carefully 
examined  the  poll-books  in  the  15th  and  16th  districts,  and  the  two 
lists  hereto  attached,  are  the  names  of  Missourians  whom  I  know,  and 
whose  names  I  find  on  the  poll-books  as  voting  on  the  29th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1854,  at  the  election  held  in  those  districts. 

The  following  is  a  correct  list  of  names  of  persons  who  resided  in 
Missouri,  and  who  voted  at  Leavenwor'th  City,  in  Kansas  Territory, 
at  the  election  held  for  delegate  to  Congress  at  that  place,  in  the  six- 
teenth district,  on  the  29th  day  of  November,  1854,  as  appears  by 
a  copy  of  the  poll-books  of  said  election  herewith  shown  to  me : 

Garrett  Todd,  John  Williams,  John  Donaldson,  James  L.  Thomp- 
son, W.  L.  Murphy,  William  B.  Simons,  J.  M.  Guthrie,  Kobert 
Wear,  Dougan  Fouts,  Pleasant  Elingtoii,  Joseph  C.  Anderson,  John 
Moore,  Thompson  Owens,  James  L.  Hull,  J.  T.  Woodward,  Abner 
Dean,  C.  F.  Bedon,  Joseph  Fouts. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  names  who  voted  as  above,  as  appears 
from  the  poll-books  of  said  election,  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854, 
at  the  house  of  Pascal  Penconson,  in  the  sixteenth  district,  said  per- 
sons being  residents  of  Missouri  at  that  time:  Jesse  Morin,  Ira  Nor- 
ris,  W.  H.  Miller,  Hugh  McKowen,  John  Miller,  G.  H.  Layton,  S. 
Johnson,  Samuel  Dixon,  Isaac  House,  Leonidas  Oldham,  J.  B. 
Michell,  James  Henderson,  Henry  Debaud,  A.  K.  Oldham,  J.  L. 
Jenks,  Samuel  Sapp,  Levi  Beechen,  N.  L.  Towasen,  J.  H.  Thomp- 
son, James  Sweeny,  K.  F.  Duncan,  Oscar  By  waters,  Thomas  L. 
Douglass,  E.  C.  Mason,  John  Bryant,  Kobert  Ely,  C.  B.  Hodges, 
William  Young,  William  Dryman,  John-  A.  <Gr.  Fisher,  N.  K. 
Greene,  Colonel  L.  Burnes,  Craven  Col  vert,  Samuel  M.  Bowman,  N. 
B.  Laman,  Benjamin  Yokam,  Allen  Pullen,  J.  M.  Mulkey,  John 
Cook,  James  Bolton,  Z.  J.  Thompson,  Levi  Bowman,  William  Ful- 
!on,  G.  M.  Quimby,  J.  B.  Crain,  Job  Kobins,  Alfred  Allen,  Jona- 
than Lacey,  James  L.  Reisenger,  J.  D.  Pepper,  S.  H.  Oliphant, 
Samuel  Pepper,  Warner  Blanton,  Jacob  Metice,  Phineas  Skinner, 
'iJames  A.  Burnes,  Nathan  Nuby,  George  Kitchen,  Asa  Vanlanding- 
jbam,  Henry  Adams,  E.  S.  Staggs,  Judge  H.  B.  Almond. 

There  were  a  great  many  names  on  the  poll-books  that  I  do  not 
hink  were  residents  of  the  sixteenth  district ;  but  I  do  not  know 
rhere  they  were  from.  I  do  not  know  the  names  of  those  from 
he  lower  counties,  as  a  general  thing,  and  they  came  mostly  to  the 
forder  precincts.  Since  I  have  moved  into  the  county  of  Leaven- 
rorth,  I  have  become  acquainted  with  a  majority  of  the  residents 
iere.  The  men  who  voted  for  J  udge  Flanigan  had  no  chance  to  get 
o  the  polls  easily,  as  the  mob  about  the  polls  kept  them  away.  If  a 
aan  hurrahed  for  General  Whitfield,  he  would  get  to  the  polls  easily. 
Ir.  Coates,  now  of  Kansas  City,  was  standing  near  the  polls,  and 
xpressed  his  disapprobation  of  the  way  affairs  were  going  on,  and  the 
nob  immediately  drove  him  away,  threatening  him  very  severely. 
Vhile  the  voting  was  going  on,  the  window  where  votes  were  taken 


38  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

was  broken  in  by  stones  "being  thrown  at  it.  After  we  got  through 
voting,  and  the  polls  were  closed,  we  returned  to  Weston,  Missouri. 
as  we  came,  in  wagons  and  on  horseback. 

H.  MILES  MOORE. 
LEAVEWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


WM.  Gr.  MATHIAS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  came  to  Kansas  Territory,  and  landed  at  Leavenworth  City,  on 
the  23d  day  of  November,  1854,  from  Maryland  ;  and  I  was  presenl 
at  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  at  Leavenworth  City, 
Not  having  been  in  the  Territory  a  great  while,  I  did  not  know  manj 
people,  or  where  they  were  from  ;  but  I  saw  a  great  many  faces  thai 
day  that  I  have  since  recognised  as  citizens  of  that  county.  J.  W, 
Whitfield,  pro-slavery,  and  Judge  Flanigan,  free-State,  were  the  can- 
didates that  clay.  The  voting  had  commenced  when  I  got  to  th* 
polls.  There  was  a  considerable  crowd  about  the  window,  which  on 
that  account  was  somewhat  difficult  of  approach.  This  difficulty  was 
experienced  by  persons  of  both  parties.  My  position  was  known  bj 
men  of  both  sides,  and  I  attempted  two  or  three  times  to  get  to  the 
window,  and  was  crowded  back.  Malcolm  Clark,  and  two  others. 
were  appointed  to  assist  persons  to  get  to  the  window  ;  and  even  then 
it  was  difficult.  I  had  made  my  position  known,  in  a  discussion  ic 
the  street  that  morning,  and  I  suppose  almost  every  one  on  the  ground 
knew  that  I  was  a  Whitfield  man.  I  saw  a  few  men,  of  both  parties: 
with  side-arms — not  many,  however  ;  and  went  to  the  election  with 
some  six  or  seven  friends  of  Flanigan,  who  all  had  pistols  and 
bowie-knives  ;  but  I  did  not  hare  any  myself.  At  the  election  I  sa"\v 
no  unusual  disturbance.  I  saw  no  attempt  to  hinder  any  one  from 
voting,  whether  pro-slavery  or  free-State.  The  tickets  were  of  differ- 
ent colors,  so  that  all  the  votes  given  could  be  designated,  and  I  sup- 
pose the  crowd  were  standing  around  the  window  to  count  the  votes 
fiven  in,  and  thus  see  who  was*  ahead.  I  was  introduced  to  Judg* 
lanigan  that  day.  He  was  boarding  at  Parson  Kerr's,  at  the  fort, 
I  do  not  think  I  ever  saw  him  after  the  day  of  election.  Shortly 
after  the  day  of  election  I  went  myself  to  board  at  Parson  Kerr's,  and 
Flanigan  had  left. 

WILLIAM  G.  MATHIAS. 
WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  6   1856 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


39 


December  4,  1854. — The  judges  of  the  several  election  districts  made 
return  of  the  votes  polled  at  the  election  held  on  the  29th  day  of  No- 
vember last  for  delegate  to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  votes  in  the  said  several  dis- 
tricts were  as  follows,  viz  : 


Districts. 

J.  W.  Whitfield 
received 

J.  A.  Wakefield 
received 

K.  P.  Flenniken 
received 

ii 

o£ 

.  8 

M  £ 

9  3 
3* 

Chas.  Robhison 
received 

S.  C.  Pomeroy 
received 

P.  Blood  received 

W.  L.  Garrison 
received 

First 

46 

188 

51 

9 

2 

2 

1 

1 

Second 

235 

20 

6 

Third 

40 

7 

1 

- 

Fourth 

140 

21 

Fifth 

63 

4 

15 

Sixth 

105 

Seventh. 

597 

7 

Eighth      .           

16 

Ninth  

9 

31 

Tenth        

2 

6 

29 

Eleventh        

237 

3 

5 

Twelfth  

31 

9 

1 

Thirteenth    

69 

1 

Fourteenth   

130 

23 

Fifteenth       

2  7 

39 

Sixteenth  

232 

80 

Seventeenth      

49 

13 

Total      . 

2,258 

248 

305 

16 

2 

2 

1 

1 

December  5,  1854. — On  examining  and  collating  the  returns,  J. 
W.  Whitfield  is  declared  by  the  governor  to  be  duly  elected  delegate 
to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States,  and  on  the  same 
day  a  certificate  of  the  governor,  under  the  seal  of  the  Territory,  issued 
to  said  J/  W.  Whitfield  of  his  election. 


FIRST  DISTRICT. 
List  of  voters  at  Lawrence,  November  29,  1854. 


1  Stafford  J.  Pratt 

2  John  N.  Mace 

3  Theodore  J.  Wells 

4  Joseph  Savage 

5  John  Bruce,  jr. 

6  H.  C.  Safford 

7  Luke  P.  Lincoln 

8  John  Levy 


9  Hamsin  Williams 

10  Calvin  H.  Survin 

11  Edward  P.  Fitch 

12  Otis  H.  Lamb 

13  Tilly  Gilbert 

14  Orin  C.  Nichols 

15  De  Witt  C.  Barrett 

16  John  W.  Carlton 


40 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


1*7  Horace  A,  Hancock 

18  David  0.  Buffam 

19  Robert  Buffain 

20  Ferdinand  Fuller 

21  John  F.  Wilson 

22  James  H.  G-leason 

23  Robert  L.  Mitchell 

24  John  C.  Gordon 

25  Joseph  McKnight 

26  Albert  D.  Searl 

27  James  Tegart 

28  Hugh  Cameron 

29  Carnie  W.  Babcock 

30  Joseph  W.  Russell 

31  Ellis  Bond 

32  Samuel  N.  Wood 

33  Ayro  Hazen 

34  George  F.  Earl 

35  William  Evans 

36  George  W.  Partridge 

37  Samuel  Kimball 

38  James  F.  Meriam 

39  William  B.  Lee 

40  Edward  Clark 

41  Oliver  A.  Hanscom 

42  Erastus  D.  Ladd 

43  Lyman  D.  Hubbard 

44  Joseph  Cracklin 

45  John  H.  Dean 

46  Rufus  H.  Waleman 

47  Bryce  W.  Miller 

48  Samuel  N.  Simpson 

49  Brainerd  B.  Track 

50  John  Hubbinson 

51  Ira  W.  Ackly 

52  James  B.  Abbott 

53  Daniel  Lowe 

54  Samuel  E.  Martin 

55  Lewis  L.  Litchfield 

56  John  Frye 

57  Josiah  Miller 

58  Robert  G.  Elliot 

59  Bernard  M.  Partridge 

60  William  Ricker 

61  Jonathan  M.  Burleigh 

62  John  Mack 

63  William  H.  Hovey 

64  Robert  Hooton 

65  Josiah  G.  Fuller 

66  Orville  D.  Smith 

67  Joshua  Thaxter 


68  Joshua  A.  Pike 

69  Sidney  B.  Dudley 

70  Horatio  N.  Bent 

71  William  Woniken 

72  George  W.  Reed 

73  Freeman  R.  Foster 

74  John  Armstrong 

75  David  Purinton 

76  Frederick  KimbaH. 

77  John  H.  Lyon 

78  David  Condit 

79  Leonard  G.  Higgins 

80  George  Tilton 

81  David  B.  Leif  kin 

82  Albert  Alverson 

83  Philip  Cook 

84  Ansin  H.  Mallory 

85  Stillman  Andrews 

86  John  Collins 

87  Hugh  Pettingal 

88  Amos  Finch 

89  George  W.  Chapin 

90  John  Wilson 

91  Charles  Blunt 

92  Samuel  Merrill 

93  James  A.  Corlew 

94  Robert  J.  Wolf 

95  George  Levy 

96  James  Whitlock 

97  Daniel  P.  Hadley 

98  Michael  Albin 

99  Jonathan  F.  Taber 

100  Joseph  Eberhart 

101  William  A.  Gentry 

102  Alfred  V.  Coffin 

103  Henry  S.  Eberhart 

104  Lewis  J.  Eberhardt 

105  Edwin  Bond 

106  Jacob  Etront 

107  Wilder  Knight 

108  Luke  Corlew 

109  Fields  Bledsoe 

110  Josiah  Hutchison 

111  John  Pearson 

112  Washington  Brians 

113  Carless  Day 

114  Enoch  Reed 

115  John  H.  Doty 

116  Daniel  Sayre 

117  John  Pieratt 

118  Frederick  W.  King: 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


41 


119  Lewis  Howe 

120  Thomas  C.  Still 

121  James  M.  Still 

122  Orin  Pettingall 

123  Solomon  Lapham 

124  Henry  W.  Feck 

125  Saphi  H.  Talsom 

126  Jesse  Whitrow 

127  Josiah  M.  Keed 

128  Henry  T.  Root 

129  Jacob  Shidoler 

130  M.  Soiley 

131  A.  Still 

132  T.  Roah 

133  John  Renell 

134  M.  D.  Johnson 

135  Robert  McFarland 

136  John  McFarland 

137  Sylvester  H.  Davis 

138  John  A.  Lowry 

139  John  0.  Davidson 

140  Chester  0.  Grout 

141  Henry  Bronson 

142  N.  Heneck 

143  L.  Kibbey 

144  T.  G.  Muvy 

145  L.  N.  Dailey 

146  N.  B.  Blouton 

147  Henry  Davis 

148  Robert  A.  Gumming 

149  Charles  A.  Gray 

150  Enoch  Houland 

151  James  D.  Pooge 

152  Alexander  Sebastian 

153  Ely  B.  Purdom 

154  Marshall  Miller 

155  Abel  F.  Hutull 

156  Henry  G.  Young 

157  John  C.  Mopmon 

158  Frederick  Roff 

159  Andrew  White 

160  Noah  Cameron 

161  Robert  Hughes 

162  L.  Farly 

163  James  L.  Stephens 

164  David  Eldridge 

165  Clark  Crone 

166  John  Morehead 

167  Isaac  Shoop 

168  Samuel  N.  Shortwell 

169  Benjamin  Johnson 


170  Solomon  Wildis 

171  Robert  Wilkinson 

172  W.  Turner 

173  James  Turner 

174  W.  M.  Davis 

175  Robert  Allen 

176  H.  Clarke 

177  Absalom  W.  White 

178  Clarkson  M.  Wallace 

179  Joel  K.  Godin 

180  James  Williams 

181  Alfred  Payne 

182  S.  J.  Willis 

183  John  C.  Archabl 

184  Forester  Hill 

185  Daniel  H.  Brooks 

186  Charles  Jorden 

187  T.  J.  Stone 

188  Ligon  S.  Bacon 

189  Silas  K.  Holliday 

190  E.  Dizleo 

191  Nathan  F.  Herrick 

192  Henry  D.  Graves 

193  William  C.  Gibbons 

194  Thomas  Henry 

195  Clark  Tefft 

196  Edwin  S.  Dexter 

197  Samuel  Corner 

198  Samuel  S.  Snyder 

199  William  Hale 

200  John  H.  Miller 

201  Solomon  G.  Durkee 

202  Thomas  Overfield,  2d 

203  James  Reed 

204  Joseph  Lovelace 

205  William  Feguson 

206  Jonathan  F.  Morgan 

207  George  W.  Kent 

208  John  Dog 

209  Jared  Carter 

210  James  Blood 

211  Willard  Colbourn 

212  Sidney  J.  Case 

213  John  L.  Crane 

214  Francis  0.  Tollis 

215  Justin  Lewis 

216  Charles  W.  Dow 

217  William  Lyon 

218  Albert  T.  Bercaw 

219  James  S.  Cowan 

220  Jordan  Neil 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


221  Isom  Taylor 

222  Achilles  "Smith 

223  William  Kitchingham 

224  Hiram  C.  Covill 

225  Chalmers  J.  Koberts 

226  Harris  Stratton 

227  Silas  Wayne 

228  John  H.  Turman 

229  Clark  Stearns 

230  Martin  Adams 

231  James  A.  Davidson 

232  Thomas  J.  Ferril 

233  Achilles  B.  Waide 

234  Edward  B.  Johnson 

235  JohVan  Winkle 

236  Granville  0.  Mitchell 

237  Joseph  D.  Barnes 

238  G-eorge  Strobridge 

239  Moses  Taylor 

240  Carles  Hall 

241  John  A.  Shafer 

242  Josiah  H.  Pillsbury 

243  Simon  Hopper 

244  John  H.  Wilder 

245  Charles  W.  Persall 

246  Napoleon  D.  Short 

247  Samuel  Y.  Lune 

248  Charles  P.  Turnsworth 

249  Edward  Jones 

250  Elmore  Allen 

251  Stephen  Ogden 
.252  Norman  Allen 

253  Levi  Ferguson 

254  William  N.  Baldwin 

255  John  N.  Ladd 

256  Calvin  G.  Hoyt 

257  Henry  T.  Saunders 

258  John  Baldwin 

259  Samuel  C.  Harrington 

260  John  Ogden 

261  C.  Howard  Carpenter 


262  Joseph  K.  Tewksbury 

263  Francis  Barker 

264  William  Corel 

265  Levi  Gates 

266  Jackson  Sellers 

267  George  E.  Holt 
2S8  Edward  Winslow 

269  Samuel  Kennedy 

270  Theo.  E.  Benjamin 

271  Harrison  Nichols 

272  Asaph  Allen 

273  James  M.  Steele 

274  George  L.  Osborne 

275  William  Yales 

276  William  Matthews 

277  Jonathan 

278  Charles  Kobinson 

279  Franklin  Haskell 

280  James  S.  Griffin 

281  Samuel  J.  Johnson 

282  John  Hopper 

283  William  Lykins 

284  Franklin  Hopper 

285  Van  Kensselaer  Morse 

286  James  Correll 

287  David  B.  Hopper 

288  John  Anderson 

289  Homer  Hayes 

290  Ransom  Calkin 

291  Caleb  S.  Pratt 

292  Jeremiah  Spencer 

293  Joel  Grover 

294  John  Mailey 
-295  Thomas  R.  Wells 

296  Charles  Stearns 

297  Samuel  F.  Tappan 

298  Ephraim  H.  Dennott 

299  Joshua  Smith 

300  James  S.  Emery 

301  Jerome  B.  Taft 


SECOND  DISTRICT. 
Poll-book,  Douglas  City. 


1  William  H.  Russell 

2  H.  B.  Lacy 

3  W.  H.  Hymer 


4  C.  R.  Barnes 

5  G-.  L.  Potts 

6  R.  C.  Ewing 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


43 


7  J.  J.  Peart 

8  C.  B.  Pearson 

9  J.  M.  Weff 

10  J.  F.  Stoneshut 

11  W.  H.  Trigg 

12  K.  Crump 

13  Job  Phillips 

14  W.  K.  Howard 

15  H.  C.  Koon 

16  Upton  Hays 

17  W.  S.  Wills 

18  Simon  Moon 

19  J.  E.  Durritt 

20  W.  H.  Beddoe 

21  S.  Hays 

22  T.  A.  Smart 

23  D.  J.  Penn 

24  M.  Beagle 

25  J.  Kirby 

26  J.  S.  Warren 

27  P.  D.  Elkins 

28  J.  W.  Brooks 

29  W.  G.  Wickerson 

30  W.  B.  B.  Brown 

31  W.  F.  Griner 

32  J.  Hornbuckle 

33  N.  B.  Thoors 

34  H.  H.  Ratliffe 

35  William  Proctor 

36  J.  F.  Berry 

37  S.  M.  Duncan 

38  William  Rice 

39  F.  J.  Drumond 

40  E.  W.  Holbut 

41  E.  H.  McClunnahan 

42  J.  L.  Hoffman 

43  D.  Anderson 

44  R.  S.  Atkins 

45  B.  B.  Potts 

46  J.  P.  Hardy 

47  W.  Thatcher 

48  J.  A.  Barton 

49  S.  C.  Coombs 

50  W.  F.  Berry 

51  J.  H.  Mosely 

52  R.  White 

53  A.  0.  Bangs 

54  B.  J.  Taylor 

55  R.  S.  Lorian 

56  B.  F.  Biliary 

57  M.  L.  Crustoe 


58  J.  V.  Webb 

59  J.  West 

|60  C.  F.  Dunkin 

61  J.  H.  Pitts 

62  J.  Michalson 

63  L.  C.  Haggard 
;  64  J.  Landis 

65  H.  C.  Foreman 

66  G.  W.  Walker 

67  C.  Smith 

68  H.  L.  Simpson 

69  M.  J.  Codin 

70  T.  M.  Brooks 

71  A.  Hays 

72  J.  A.  Price 

73  J.  Showaltef 

74  C.  J.  Mericks 

75  J.  H.  Gaines 

76  R.  J.  Pongou 

77  J.  T.  Wright 

78  L.  J.  Adkins 

79  F.  J.  Huffiger 

80  J.  F.  Hawkins 

81  J.  D.  Kinkado 

82  J.  Dillard 

83  J.  H.  Wells 

84  J.  S.  Huff  , 

85  W.  P.  Boiler 

86  M.  S.  Winn 

87  L.  J.  Winchester 

88  J.  G.  Adkins 

89  J.  W.  Self 

90  0.  Smith 

91  L.  F.  Robinson 

92  L.  Adams 

93  J.  D.  Lahay 

94  W.  H.  Scroggs 

95  D.  J.  Cunningham 

96  J.  Morgan 

97  F.  Hatton 

98  J.  M.  Ragan 

99  D.  Peters 

100  F.  J.  Staples 

101  H.  J.  Higgins 

102  W.  B.  Mitchell 

103  B.  T.  Brown 

104  E.  Waller 

105  S.  D.  Hogar 

106  E.  Dickerson 

107  B.  F.  Thompson 

108  E.  T.  Crumer 


44 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


109  J.  Hockroday 

110  E.  S.  Cramer 

111  C.  J.  White 

112  A.  J.  McCunnahan. 

113  L.  A.  Talbot 

114  W.  J.  Burnett 

115  W.  Wirn 

116  G.  W.  Hall 

117  H.  E.  Henshaw 

118  A.  Collins 

119  J.  E.  Burnett 

120  J.  Mason 

121  Wm.  Leggett 

122  S.  Tilden 

123  J.  Perley 

124  Wm.  Nichols 

125  J.  F.  Neill 

126  H.  Morton 

127  W.  W.  Johnson 

128  J.  P.  Bird 

129  D.  W.  Mauley 

130  J.  King 

131  J.  W.  Furritt 

132  J.  M.  Dunn 

133  E.  M.  Walbert 

134  L,  L.  Bennett 

135  F.  K.  Long 

136  P.  P.  Lafarm 

137  S.  McGaughey 

138  F.  McMannetry 

139  J.  F.  McLean 

140  J.  A.  Winn 

141  S.  H.  Woodron 

142  J.  Parsons 

143  J.  C.  Coons 

144  J.  Anderson 

145  J.  Breton 

146  N.  L.  Davis 

147  G.  H.  Holbert 

148  A.  B.  H.  McGee 

149  G.  W.  Ellis 

150  K.  H.  Hix 

151  W.  H.  Kerr 

152  F.  E.  Lahey 

153  K.  H.  Holyclaw 

154  J.  C.  Bethicord 

155  D.  Trigg 

156  T.  A.  Ogden 

157  T.  J.  Smith 

158  Wm.  M.  Strait 

159  W.  E.  Boggs 


160  A.  Holyclaw 

161  S.  Crowait 

162  J.  F.  Burton 

163  J.  W.  Carman 

164  J.  F.  Mills 

165  G.  F.  Hughs 

166  F.  Myres 

167  H.  A.  Hunter 

168  G.  W.  Clark 

169  J.  Emmons 

170  J.  Ecton 

171  A.  Crompton 

172  Levi  Owen 

173  D.  Maloney 

174  J.  B.  Nichols 

175  G.  Swalsoner 

176  J.  B.  Crandle 

177  A.  Kinkade 

178  B.  T.  Eisor 

179  W.  B.  Evans 

180  J.  S.  Campbell 

181  J.  C.  Evans 

182  W.  D.  Dickey 

183  C.  Adams 

184  S.  Tyer 

186  Wm.  Campbell 

186  W;  E.  Thompson 

187  Hardy  Willis 

188  V.  Thompkins 

189  T.  Simmon 

190  J.  W.  Chamberlin 

191  Wm.  N.  Simmons 

192  A.  Eickton 

193  J.  B.  Forman 

194  Jas.  M.  Dunn 

195  E.  W.  Custwood 

196  Thos.  Shaw 

197  F.  Bushford 

198  Aug.  Smith 

199  John  Scott 

200  C.  C.  Kummey 

201  John  Snyder 

202  Thos.  Scott 

203  David  Simpson 

204  G.  H.  Snyder 

205  B.  Callahan 

206  J.  T.  Brady 

207  L.  P.  Wills 

208  H.  S.  McClemnar 

209  N.  Lydor 

210  W.  A.  May 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


45 


211  James  C.  Eanson 

212  T.  J.  Lockridge 

213  Wm.  Justin 

214  J.  A.  Smith 

215  J.  A.  Wakefield 

216  H.  C.  Addison 

217  H.  Alderman 

218  J.  H.  Murphy 

219  W.  A.  Hord 

220  C.  W.  Smith 

221  H.  0.  Muzzy 

222  Thos.  H.  Hensley 

223  H.  J.  Noland 

224  Jas.  Shaw 

225  T.  A.  Bailey 
22e  Geo.  Biddle 

227  Jas.  W.  Hix 

228  H.  H.  Connor 

229  H.  D.  Wakefielfl 

230  L.  Barnett 

231  Wm.  Luckett 

232  C.  Shoon 

233  Geo.  Davis 
,234  Wm-  WTarren 

235  Lidbas  Mason 

236  J.  J.  Hiottom 


237  B.  Fendget 

238  W.  C.  Beatie 

239  Nath.  Kamsey 

240  H.  Benson 

241  W.  D.Hall 

242  E.  Bell 

243  0.  Sprodling 

244  A.  Hendricks 

245  Samuel  Jones 

246  E.  Doke 

247  J.  Jones 

248  T.  Lahay 

249  J.  W.  Hendricks 

250  Wm.  Kelley 

251  F.  H.  Hendricks 
452  Thos.  Bond 

253  M.  Grant 

254  Wm.  Limmerick 

255  W.  W.  Withers 

256  Geo.  W.  Ward 

257  P.  Ellison 

258  J.  T.  Cramm 

259  E.  Connor 

260  J.  Cathor 

261  J.  Yance 


THIRD  DISTRICT. 
List  of  voters  in  the  third  district. 


1  George  Holmes 

2  Thomas  C.  Shoemaker 

3  Thos.  N.  Stensen    • 

4  J.  W.  Hays 

5  G.  M.  Hollo  way 

6  Zephaniah  Plummer 

7  David  Copeland 

8  J.  T.  Swatzell 

9  W.  A.  Suhlete 

10  John  Homer 

11  L.  B.  Slateler 

12  H.  N.  Watts 

13  William  E.  Collins 

14  James  M.  Herron 

15  M.  J.  Mitchel 

16  W.  Vaughan 

17  Anthony  Ward 

18  J.  R.  Warren 

19  James  M'Connell 


20  John  Andrew  Jackson 

21  James  Wiseman 

22  Horatio  Cox 

23  John  Salivy 

24  Jeremiah  Preston 

25  D.  L.  Crysdale 

26  Robert  H.  Matthews 

27  Charles  Bougshea 

28  William  Matingley 

29  Noble  Barren 

30  A.  G.  Brown 

31  F.  A.  Wentwortn 

32  Jesse  Michiner 

33  Preston  Huifaker 

34  Will.  D.  Owens 

35  Stephen  Scott 

36  James  M.  Small 

37  Hiram  Dawson 

38  Francis  Grassmuck 


46 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


39  D.  Updegraff 

40  Thomas  Handlin 

41  L.  D.  Chilson 

42  Jeremiah  Miccum, 

43  J.  Tyler 


44  James  N.  Steward 

45  Charles  Jordan 

46  Osborne  Nailor 

47  Alfred  T.  Byler 

48  A.  D.  M.  Hand 


FOURTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  votes  given  at  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Jerrod  Chap- 
man, in  the  fourth  district,  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  2$th  day  of  No- 
vember^. D.  1854. 


1  Dr.  J.  Chapman 

2  J.  T.  Kriser 

3  Charles  White 

4  Wm.  P.  Hubhel 

5  T.  K.  Kule 

6  James  Price' 

7  W.  H.  Liguan 

8  Evan  Hall 

9  G.  W.  Withers 

10  S.  S.  McKinney 

11  G.  W.  Allen 

12  L.  Kerr 

13  B.  C.  Moore 
1*4  G.  H.  McNiely 

15  K.  Hill 

16  James  Morrison 

17  H.  T.  Chils 

18  A.  B.  Smith 

19  Otho  Hall 

20  J.  W.  Mamron 

21  J.  A.  Finley 

22  J.  P.  Withers 

23  John  Price 

24  M.  Simons 

25  B.  P.  Wood 

26  J.  Campbell 

27  S.  P.  S.  Sitroll 

28  Wm.  HuU 

29  John  Scudder 

30  W.  T.Stewart 

31  John  Neil 

32  James  Gray 

33  J.  M.  "Reynolds 

34  Thomas  Chandler 

35  G.  W.  Shoemaker 

36  J.  S.  Dawson 

37  G-.  Harper 


38  W.  H.  Eussell 

39  T.  D.  Cooper 

40  Will.  Grant 

41  John  Garrett 

42  K.  K.  Ball 

43  S.  S.  Bartleson 

44  Charles  Rover 

45  H.  C.  Brooking 

46  W.  Hampton 

47  C.  A.  Moon 

48  L.  S.  Brandon 

49  R.  M.  Williams 

50  G.  D.  Skidmore 

51  G.  W.  Hilton 

52  H.  P.  Muire 

53  J.  T.  Bartleson 

54  Richard  McCamish 

55  W.  B.  Coats 

56  T.  J.  Brown 

57  W.  T.  During 

58  L.  M.  Dehoney 

59  Jesse  Davis 

60  W.  C.  Thruston 

61  A.  D.  Harper 

62  R.  H.  Thominson 

63  W.  A.  David 

64  A.  Grouse 

65  Joseph  Bradbury 

66  G.  Simons 

67  H.  Lowery 

68  C.  R.  Schull 

69  E.  Lamples 

70  D.  G.  Cameron 

71  James  Croker 

72  Thomas  Turmun 

73  0.  H.  Ripators 

74  J.  Lipscomb 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


47 


"75  W.  M.  McKinney 

76  L.  West 

77  J.  Syme 

78  J.  R.  McKinney 

79  F.  McKinney 

80  N.  M.  Breman 

81  Wm.  Grase 

82  F.  C.  Samerland 

83  Champ.  May  field 

84  Judge  Bernard 

85  Thomas  Mockaby 

86  A.  F.  Powell 

87  John  Eidy 

88  H.  Owens 

89  S.  E.  Carpenter 

90  Zach.  Johnson 

91  Thomas  Pemberton 

92  J.  H.  McNutt 

93  H.  Kurtz 

94  J.  S.  Wood 

95  W.  H.  Chase 

96  R.  S.  Nowland 

97  J.  B.  Townsend 

98  J.  B.  West 

99  Joel  Scott 

100  J.  A.  Morill 

101  B.  Saffington 

102  F.  M.  Saffington 

103  S.  A.  H.  Townsend 

104  D.  B.  Wood 

105  0.  Thompson 

106  A.  J.  Miller 

107  J.  J.  Herrin 

108  A.  B.  Gillilkand 

109  J.  W.  Wood 

110  P.  Basinger 

111  E.  H.  Basinger 

112  E.  Hill 

113  J.  M.  Banks 

114  Joseph  Johnston 

115  B.  J.  Bowers 

116  J.  Cummings 

117  Samuel  Bradberry 

118  R.  Hackett 


119  R.  B.  Young 

120  J.  B.  Davis 

121  J.  H.  Lockridge 

122  A.  Banner 

123  Wm.  A.  Durfnee 

124  J.  H.  McMurray 

125  Richard  Benny 

126  Samuel  Garrett 

127  E.  Bolwurr 

128  E.  J.  Curley 

129  Cyrus  C.  Miller 

130  Samuel  E.  Thompson 

131  R.  J.  Scott 

132  J.  Massir 

133  J.  P.  Barnaby 

134  R.  M.  Stish 

135  John  Curin 

136  W.  S.  Ewett 

137  0.  Ranol 

138  Wm.  Moore 

139  E.  Moore 

140  S.  H.  Moore 

141  D.  Hendricks 

142  Perry  Fuller 

143  Charles  Clarke 

144  Thomas  Dotry 

145  Geo.  Panius 

146  Samuel  Nukmon 

147  John  Goreus 

148  F.  Barnes 

149  R.  Watney 

150  Isaac  Watney 

151  D.  P.  Kuzer 

152  Samuel  M.  Whemig 

153  G.  R.  Johnson 

154  John  Scarce 

155  A.  D.  Dale 

156  W.  G.  Lucket 

157  Miller  Essex 

158  Robert  Talley 

159  David  Luttz 

160  Thomas  Teach 

161  Thomas  Mclntirc 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. 

A  list  of  the  names  of  voters  who  voted  at  the  fifth  district  in  Kansas 
Territory,  on  the  2$th  day  of  November,  1854,  for  delegate  to  Con- 
gress. 


1  John  C.  Northcut 

2  W.  P.  Shonke 

3  Jonas  R.  Ketmore 

4  H.  C.  Hamilton 

5  S.  Groff 

6  S.  G.  Shields 

7  B.  B.  Brone 

8  A.  S.  Davenport 

9  W.  King 

10  G.  W.  Smith 

11  E.  Smith 

12  S.  Regen 

13  G.  W.  Kemper 

14  Stephen  Derenport 

15  Joseph  Merrett 

16  S.  0.  Mure 

17  Edward  McPherson 

18  Lot  Coffman 

19  Morgan  Gill 

20  Samuel  Wade 

21  W.  N.  Young 

22  T.  M.  Poundexder 

23  William  Muer 

24  W.  T.  Monro 

25  W.  S.  Gregory 

26  Stephen  Ahstem 

27  Cornelius  Canine' 

28  Henderson  Rice 

29  Allen  Wilkinson 

30  S.  M.  Ramond 

31  N.  W.  Mooney 

32  J.  S.  Weightman 

33  J.  M.  Gearheart 
"34  H.  Steinfort 

35  T.  S.  Cicom 

36  H.  T.  Wiman 

37  Jerome  Cone 

38  R.  Callin 

39  J.  W.  Wilson 

40  Tohias  Heath 

41  H.  G.  Randall 


42  Calvin  Randall 

43  Hiram  Thorps 

44  Animon  Gotee 

45  J.  Armstrong 

46  M.  Marshall 

47  0.  T.  Cleaveland 

48  John  Kenton 

49  Francis  Gokie 

50  John  Vanhorn 

51  R.  N.  Kensey 

52  S.  M.  Hay 

53  Adam  Case 

54  J.  H.  Wisler 

55  R.  Kirhy 

56  T.  R.  Harris 

57  Albert  Woodfin 

58  S.  W.  Frogg 

59  G.  T.  Terris 

60  M.  Crowcute 

61  John  Scuple 

62  W.  Chessnut 

63  John  Rose 

64  Thomas  Joal 

65  J.  D.  Swift 

66  0.  C.  Brown 

67  F.  Jones 

68  W.  C.  Childers 

69  David  Lockens 

70  W.  N.  Haskel 

71  W.  C.  Kink 

72  R.  W.  Sturgeon 

73  D.  West 

74  P.  J.  Potts 

75  W.  H,  Fenley 

76  T.  McCoy 

77  B.  P.  Campbell 

78  T.  Totten  (oath) 

79  W.  W.  Tacket 

80  J.  Polk 

81  R.  Goulding 

82  J.  Buffington 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


SIXTH  DISTFICT. 


1  John  Coyle 

2  P.  D.  Cummings 

S  Robert  M.  Esslinger 

4  Thomas  D.  Page 

5  Isaac  N.  Mills 

6  B.  F.  Wilkerson 
7"  James  W.  Arnott 

8  Jacob  Miller 

9  William  A.  Randolph 

10  Elihu  Fox 

11  Jefferson  Copeland 

12  F.  Hord 

13  G,  A.  Wade 

14  John  F.  Detchemorn 

15  William  Ray 

16  John  R.  Taggert 

17  G.  W.  Wonkay 

18  George  Stern 

19  R.  A.  Brown 

20  W.  H.  Palmer 

21  J.  J.  January 

22  E.  B.  Cook 

23  H.  D.  Palmer 

24  George  W.  Simonds 

25  J.  H.  Prince 

26  John  January,  sr. 

27  F.  Dewint 

28  William  R.  Wilmott 

29  John  C.  Hearne 

30  William  Vermillion 

31  James  Ray 

32  James  T.Ray 

33  Elisha  McKinney 

34  John  January,  jr. 

35  Jesse  Ray 

36  Spencer  H.  Ray 

37  Samuel  Beaver 

38  B.  F.  Coffey 

39  J.  B.  Fleming 

40  William  Robinson 

41  Alexander  Green 

42  John  Thonton 

43  Mathew  Kirk 

44  Andrew  Kirk 

45  David  P.  Fleming 

46  William  Irvin 

47  W.  T.  Poston 

48  W.  Auston 

H.  Rep.  200 4* 


49  John  W.  Denton 

50  C.  F.  Moherlay 

51  Thomas  Cumins 

52  T.  S.  Pearson 

53  Jesse  Copeland. 

54  W.  L.  Hants 

55  G.  H.  McDaniel 

56  William  Painter 

57  William  G.  Ingram 

58  G,  W.  Cluck 

59  Mathew  Sellart 

60  Francis  York 

61  Jacob  Simons 

62  John  A.  McCoy 

63  Thomas  B.  Arnott 

64  James  McHenry 

65  William  Givens 

66  Thomas  McMillan 

67  J.  F.  Brookhart 

68  T,  J.  Goodman 

69  Harrison  Ashley 

70  T.  E.  Owen 

71  J.  W.  Parkinton 

72  J.  H.  Crackett 

73  J.  W.  Sharp 

74  W.  G.  Watkins 

75  Thomas  Jacob 

76  A.  J.  Strumbaugh 

77  B.  F.  Hill 

78  R.  T.  Lindsay 

79  William  Dunlapp 

80  Thomas  Cummings 

81  E.  C.  Haskill 

82  Jacob  Fudge 

83  Alfred  Pyhee 

84  W.  W.  Salmon 

85  G.  D.  Hansbrough 

86  Thomas  Watkins 

87  George  F.  Royston 

88  W.  A.  Thompson 

89  H.  T.  Wilson 

90  William  Barbee 

91  William  Musgrave 
92-  A.  B.  Sloan 

93  William  Cass 

94  William  R.  Morgan 

95  J.  S.  Mitchell 

96  Richard  Beck 


50 


KANSAS 


97  John 

98  George  Mosier 

99  William  W.  8,  Burch 

100  JMIOS  Willson 

101  B.  L.  Y.  Peyton 


m 

uph  Boiiinger 


8iriNTB  DISTRICT. 

List  qf  voters  m  the  seventh  district  at  an  election  for  delegate  to  Oon- 
gress,  held  on  the  29^  day  of  November,  1864. 


1  James  L.  Bali 

2  Gteo.  F,  Asberry 

3  W.  W.  Amos 

4  8.  W.  Asberry 

5  P.  D.  Barker 

6  B.  B.  Smith 

7  J.  B.  Anderson 

8  B.  Fluraoy 

9  J,  8.  Glass 

10  F.  F,  8heperd 

11  Thos,  Cermwell 

12  A,  W.  Ervin 
IS  John  GK  Agfa 

14  John  Passook 

15  0.  Bound 

16  T.  Bogtrs 

IT  J.  0.  WasWrarn 

18  B.  8imson 

19  A  F.  Browa 

20  J.  a.  Webb 

21  GK  W.  8mith 

22  J.  D,  Hiasoa 

23  Ohas.  Whiting 

24  B.  J.  Browa 

25  John  B.  Baiabridge 

26  J.  M.  Boswell 

2T  Ohas  F.  Boada"**»; 

28  A.  L.  Ties 

29  John  J.  Ingram 

30  0.  0.  Chiles 
81  J.  8.  Hamiltoa 

32  1.  T.  Douglas 

33  8.  J.  Fitegerel 

34  M.  Ewiag 

85  J.  B.  Edwards 

86  GK  W.  MoGowaa 

87  a.  A.  Baker 
38  W.  0.  Clarkson 


39  B.  J.  Austin 

40  J.  B.  Warder 

41  J.  Fries 

42  J.%  W.  Lawrence 
48  8.  B.  Buckle 

44  N.  Oolson 

45  P.  T.  Iroine 

46  W.  H.  Fox 

4T  F.  8.  Bobertson 

48  W.  B.  Major 

49  E.  L.  Hord 

50  L,  M.  Major 

51  B.  M.  Hudpeth 

52  James  Martin 
58  M.  King 

54  A.  M.  Duham 

55  J.  0.  McHattea 

56  M.  L.  Clarkson 

57  J.  Willis 

58  B.  E.  McDaniel 

59  J.  8.  Bobersoa 

60  J.  H.  Stevenson 

61  L.  B.  Harwood 

62  W.  Bobertsoa 

68  L.  L.  Washburne 

64  W.  D.  Hufman 

65  B.  J.  Headrick 

66  W.  J.  Peak 

67  J.  F.  Bay 

68  W.  0.  8house 

69  I.  J.  Joaes 

70  8.  GK  Oalroa 

71  Wm.  Lauderdsle 

72  B.  L.  Bell 

73  J.  M.  Carter 

74  E.  B.  Baraett 

75  B.  D.  Harris 

76  W.  F.  Burin 


KANSAS  AiTAIBS. 


61 


?7  J,  Marland 

78  G.  W.  Bake. 

79  J,  H.  Douglas 

80  J.  Boberson 

81  E,  Booton 

82  8,  W,  Hamilton 
88  A,  G,  Steele 

84  T.  0,  Dogging 

85  8,  W,  Banton 

86  J.  M.  Grigsby 

87  J.  H,  Sanders 

88  E,  Bright 

89  J,  B,  Brown 

90  F.  F,  Benich 

91  8,  W,  Wheler 

92  J,  K,  Garnett 

93  J,  H,  Brown 

94  W,  M,  Aiken 

95  J,  Trowside 

96  A,  Street 

97  W,  B,  Btrnard 

98  E,  B.  Elliott 

99  B.  W.  Land 

100  J.  S,  Jones 

101  D,  Vanmettr 

102  G.  B.  Warfleld 
108  W,  H,  Day 

104  J,  E.  Clark 

105  J,  W,  Brown 

106  W,  Jones 

107  W,  Boatright 

108  J,  Sinclair 

109  G,  Gillespie 

110  J,  Ivins 

111  L,  M.  Alexander 

112  B.  M.  Lanford 
118  D,  Oornill 

114  C,  E,  Strou 

115  W,  8.  Booktr 

116  J,  0,  Bill 

117  J.  M,  Brown 

118  L.  0,  Mason 

119  J,  H,  Fish 

120  J,  Marshel 

121  J,  B.  Belts 

122  D,  F.  Greenwood 
128  J,  F,  Parker 

124  J,  F.  Bledsoe 

125  0,  Earris 

126  J.  Blley 

127  G,  W.  Foster 


128  W,  W.  Portsr 

129  M.  Whitaktr 

ISO  John  MoFadin,  Jr. 

131  J.  M  McGirk 

132  I,  James 
188  W,  Buker 
184  J,  B,  Dillard 
135  J,  A,  Elware 
186  A.  0,  Stont 

137  J,  W,  H,  Patton 

138  B,  F,  Earris 

139  J.  Johnson 

140  J,  Dillard 

141  B,  Kin 

142  L,  E,  Merdick 

143  J,  A,  Mahan 

144  D,  J,  Falton 

145  J.  B,  Fagt 

146  J,  Gant 

147  J.  Graves 

148  J,  Mann 

149  L,  N,  Boss 

150  8,  Justice 

151  J.  Dolarson 

152  E,  L,  Trundle 

153  J,  Dowty 

154  A,  Varren 

155  J,  E,  Brown 

156  E,  Price 

157  J,  B.  Warren 

158  E,  Whale? 

159  J,  Eoffttn 

160  J.  A,  Jackson 

161  J,  T,  Einton 

162  C.  Dear 

163  B,  G,  Smart 

164  E,  V,  White 

165  J,  M,  Major 

166  J.  T.  Major 

167  I.  J.  Ihfor 

168  J,  W,  Finley 

169  D,  A,  Muir 

170  W,  Gbens 

171  J,  Pearson 

172  G.  E,  Bellis 

173  J,  Coles 

174  J,  0,  Talbott 
176  T,  Windsor 
176  J,  8,  Percival 
in  A,  B,  Jacobs 
178  A.  B,  Patterson 


52 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


1T9  G.  W.  Muir 

180  W.  M.  Hutchinson 

181  W.  D.  Kelly 

182  R.  E.  Simmons. 

183  J.  Flurnoy 

184  E.  C.  Simpson 

185  D.  J.  Waters 
1.86  G.  H.  Gordon 

187  S.  G.  Campbell 

188  T.  J.  Ford 

189  C.  J.  Kentley 

190  W.  L.  Janny 

191  W.  Noland 

192  D.  Burge 

193  S.  Hill 

194  H.  C.  Belles 

195  J.  H.  Crooks 

196  J.  B.  Shaw 

197  F.  C.  Varrion 

198  G.  Lewis 

199  B.  M.  Noland 

200  J.  Hicklin 

201  W.  M.  Bradford 

202  J.  Hincle 

203  D.  B.  McGirk 

204  W.  Hall 

205  W.  F.  Dowden 

206  S.  Kenich 

207  J.  West 

208  J.  M.  Fleming 

209  H.  Parrish 

210  F.  Abner 

211  J.  Chin 

212  J.  S.  CogwellJ 

213  J.  Munson 

214  J.  M.  Minesinger 

215  R.  A.  Barnett 

216  J.  Smith 

217  W.  M.  Cannan 

218  A.  Johnson 

219  W.  A.  Parrish 

220  R.  D.  Steele 

221  D.  L.  Hunter 

222  B.  Greene 

223  R.  B.  Bradford 

224  W.  C.  Yerby 

225  J.  B.  Rallen 

226  B.  T.  Lankford 

227  D.  Payne 

228  J.  B.  Devenport 

229  G.  L.  Pitcher 


230  A.  M.  Jones 

231  J.  Richerson 

232  N.  Man  gall 

233  J.  Lewis 

234  T.  Crabtree 

235  F.  M.  McGee 

236  C.  B.  Griffin 

237  J.  W.  French 

238  J.  Clatham 

239  W.  L,  Ballard 

240  P.  Woods 

241  W.  Smith 

242  W.  Lenearay 

243  E.  W.  Shumacher 

244  H.  Hanberson 

245  N.  Hinell 

246  G.  W.  Hinell 

247  J.  C.  Anderson 

248  F.  P.  McGee 

249  S.  Ralston 

250  J.  W.  Watts 

251  W.  M.  Bowring 

252  C.  Jinks 

253  P.  Wolf 

254  J.  H.  McGee 

255  C.  A.  Linkenanger 

256  J.  Shotwell 

257  William  Parrish 

258  L.  Steele 

259  G.  W.  Berry 

260  J.  Booker 

261  R.  S.  Price 

262  M.  Green 

263  William  Ish 

264  L.  C.  Cook 

265  J.  W.  Brown 

266  M.  A.  Reed 

267  W.  F.  Johnston 

268  W.  J.  Ellis 

269  William  Hanley 

270  D.  Turner 

271  L.  Z.  Noland 

272  Robert  Turner 

273  William  Daly 

274  J.  D.  Patrick 

275  B.  Hinson 

276  R.  E.  McDail,  jr. 

277  William  Riley 

278  John  Catron 

279  M.  W.  McGee 

280  T.  P.  Shroek 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


281  F.  A.  Counsalor 

282  J.  J.  Flemming 

283  J.  Carnahan 

284  0.  B.  Maddox    , 

285  Preston  Hoge 

286  A.  M.  King 

287  C.  H.  Whitington 

288  T.  Worthington 

289  John  Raulston 

290  J.  H.  Merit 

291  William  B.  Jones 

292  C.  G.  Bans 

293  James  Critser,  (rejected) 

294  J.  T.  Benson 

295  Solomon  Allhores 

296  E.  G-.  Walker,  (rejected) 

297  William  McKinsey 

298  William  L.  Perkins 

299  A.  J.  Smith 

300  James  Harris 

301  Charles  Smith 

302  John  Jette 

303  J.  C.  Calhoun 

304  Peter  Smith 

305  A.  H.  Major 

306  W.  T.  L.  Smith 

307  H.  Clay,  jr. 

308  Joseph  Smith 

309  Thomas  Smith 

310  Henry  Buey 

311  Thomas  Trigg 

312  A.  D.  Bell 

313  Thomas  Bell 

314  Isaac  Rice 

315  John  Rice 

316  Joseph  Hider 

317  John  Lingo 

318  John  Bell 

319  James  McCiz 

320  A.  King 

321  H.  Smouse 

322  John  Banden 

323  H.  Folch 

324  John  Christy 

325  John  Davis 

326  Amos  G-ross 

327  Alpha  Gross 

328  M.  Boswell 

329  Michael  Wagner 

330  John  Wagner 

331  John  Hoffman 


332  Abrarn  Russell 

333  John  Hall 

334  William  Hill 

335  Edmund  Hill 

336  David  Rice 

337  L.  Buey 

338  D.  McBride 

339  Joseph  Hall 

340  Martin  Wade 

341  Joseph  Ail       . 

342  George  Long  • 

343  Isaac  Ruf'ner 

344  John  Swigert 

345  Steven  Russell 

346  C.  Knott 

347  William  Todd 

348  A.  G-.  Hogus 

349  W.  Wintersmith 

350  Robert  Taylor 

351  Jacob  Mitchell 

352  Charles  Julian 

353  Rufus  Searse 

354  John  Watson 

355  Robert  Letcher 

356  John  Powell 

357  J.  Hershberger 

358  J.  M.  McAustin 

359  M.  Barstow 

360  Edward  Zeglor 

361  A.  Dudley 

362  John  Hampton 

363  B.  Luckette 

364  James  Rupe 

365  James  Davidson 

366  George  West 

367  James  Batchlor 

368  John  Temple 

369  Robert  Blackborn 

370  A.  Pearson 

371  Joseph  White 

372  Thomas  Shockley 

373  Gladder  Brown 

374  Hugh  Ferrell 

375  James  Judge 

376  David  Passett 

377  John  Ruyon,  (rejected) 

378  M.  C.  Burgess 

379  C.  Hoard 

380  William  Bassett 

381  John  Balding 

382  William  Morand 


64 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


388  John  Earley 

884  Upton  Burgess 

885  Worder  Earley 

886  Walter  Waddle 

887  J,  W.  Gray 

888  Dan,  Bunion 

889  Ned  Roff 

890  W,  Todhunter 

891  John  Roff 

892  William  Huey 
898  Andrew  Gibson 

894  Adam  Henderson 

895  Edwin  Dobins 

896  0.  Mitchell 

897  L,  X,  Day 

898  D.  Gant 

899  Andrew  Floydt 

400  Ben.  Macky 

401  Abner  Hoard 

402  M.  B.  Logan 
108  0,  Gruck 

404  James  Wilard 

405  D.  G.  Williams 

406  George  Sharp 

407  H,  0,  Shotwell 

408  F,  H.  Oirkpatriok 

409  Eli  Heed 

410  E,  J,  Torpin 

411  B,  Bonard 

412  Eanson  Jones 
418  John  Kirkpatrick 

414  William  Mack 

415  M,  Gruber 

416  J.  V,  Dier 

417  Simpson  Shernor 

418  Zachariah  Sherwood 

419  John  Harris 

420  Samuel  Goons 

421  Peter  Brooks 

422  Henry  Samuels 
428  George  Helm 

424  William  Conrad 

425  F.  Hants 

426  Charles  Williams 

427  Jacob  Gitt 

428  Z,  Corre 

429  Eira  Cline 

480  W,  Moart 

481  Henry  Putts 

482  F.  F,  Danaway 
488  Wm,  Peters 


484  Jaoob  Louok 
435  John  Brand 
486  W,  W,  Dillon 
467  Henry  Charles 
488  G,  H,  Charles 

439  Jaokson  Bluff 

440  Daniel  George 

441  M,  Garver 

442  D,  Steel 
448  Philip  Day 

444  W.  Jacobs 

445  Munroe  Lore 

446  Goodlow  Long 

447  A,  C,  H.  Long 

448  Jefferson  Bledsoe 

449  T,  C,  Ewing 

450  William  Epley 

451  Jacob  Barring 

452  Henry  Bathurst 

453  G,  Bupp 

454  Peter  Stone 

455  P,  M,  Glolin 

456  Franklin  Beeder 

457  B,  Miers 

458  Randolph  King 

459  A,  Warner 

460  Charles  Warren 

461  Z,  Warner 

462  John  Lovejoy 

463  A,  Estill 

464  W.  Dillingham 

465  George  Bause 

466  Samuel  Barny 

467  Obadiah  Hulti 

468  Charles  Hultz 

469  Abraham  Chamber 

470  S.  Metcalf 

471  B,  L,  Graves 

472  N,  A,  Milton 

473  Ben.  Bich 

474  J,  Hodg 

475  J.  T.  Moorehead 

476  Joseph  Gale 

477  Frank  Davis 

478  J.  M.  Davis 

479  P.  T,  Cann 

480  B,  G,  Powell 

481  W.  Brown 

482  William  Mosby 

483  John  Mosby 

484  K.  Moss 


AFFAIRS. 


485  A.  I 

486  - 

487  Char-  «on 

488  William  Williams 

489  J,  P.  Thomas 

490  William  Fort 

491  J.  McGawly 

492  John  Mason 

493  William  Bingham 

494  J,  0.  Young 

495  J,  W,  Wilson 

496  P,  Griffin 

497  John  Bowman 

498  Richard  Hodge 

499  Pen  Mahon 

500  Robert  Goodlow 

501  James  Bennett 

502  John  Gilmore 
508  N.  H,  Marrow 
584  William  Tomson 

505  A,  Rutherford 

506  W,  Green 

507  John  Lyon 

508  E,  McBride 
50.9  A,  Ridge 

510  A,  Noland 

511  A.  Bedford 

512  N,  Logan 

513  J.  Hassell 

514  A,  Crump 

515  H,  Wallace 

516  E.  N.  Higgins 

517  B,  J.  Hause 

518  M.  B,  Stuard 

519  P,  Tyree 

520  John  Black 

521  Oharles  Fox 

522  H.  Willis 

528  W.  A.  Clinton 

524  J.  H.  Vernon 

525  J.  M.  Kelly 

526  M.  J.  Munroe 

527  0.  H.  Chism 

528  J,  McFarlin 

529  D.  B.  Williams 

530  8.  D,  Hunter 

531  G,  W.  Bledsoe 

532  John  Meadow 

533  M.  Bliss 

534  8.  Brockman 

535  W.  8.  Oaselman 


Thomas  Etter 
f>3T  V/IJy  Thomas 
•  folm  Curby 
;r!es  Curby 

640  Joseph  Zeaball 

641  James  Hollo  way 

542  Lewis  Green 

543  John  Gann 

544  Jonas  Marion 

545  James  Marion 

546  George  Ferrell 

547  Phares  Ferrell 

548  J.  W.  Renich 

549  Jabal  Cudiff 

550  F.  B,  Burrell 

551  B.  A.  8nead 

552  D.  H.  Bowring 

553  William  A.  Gordon 

554  G.  0.  Adamson 

555  E,  P.  Lee 

556  J.  0.  Young 

557  D.  Bates 

558  J.  A.  Emerson 

559  J.  H.  Chin 

560  Jona,  Dean 

561  Charies  Triplette 

562  Abner  Houston 
568  Drury  Crews 

564  Benjamin  Emerson 

565  W.  A.  Ohausler 

566  Thomas  Harber 

567  W.  H,  Pollard 

568  B.  8.  Lomax 

569  Kibble  Stonall 

570  Richard  Lee 

571  Allen  Jennings 

572  Alfred  King 

573  J,  A,  HcHatten 

574  E.  W,  Carpenter 

575  8,  Bonham 

576  J,  W.  Jacobs 

577  B,  W,  Sowers 

578  M.  Arnold 

579  J.  E,  Myers 

580  F.  Myers 

581  J,  8.  Brown 

582  J.  T,  Dodd 

583  J.  T.  Worthington 

584  William  Carse 

585  J.  W.  Mathews 

586  F.  J.  Thorp 


56 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


587  W.  M.  Liptwich 

588  J.  F.  Kingcade 

589  A.  T.  Simmons 

590  John  Elmore 

591  Peter  Mahan 

592  Philip  Cobbs 

593  James  Lomax 

594  M.  Pollard 

595  E.  Slade 

596  J.  Arnold 

597  Kobert  Lindney 


598  Charles  Pultz 

599  Henry  Somers 

600  W.  Metier 

601  H.  Snotgrass 

602  L.  Early 

603  Peter  Darby 

604  Godlove  Coon 

605  S.  C.  Wear 

606  J.  D.  Landewald 

607  William  Graves 


EIGHTH  DISTEICT. 

List  of  votes  given  at  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Arthur  J.  Baker, 
in  the  eighth  district  Kansas  Territory)  on  the  22th  day  of  November 
A.  D.  1854. 


1  John  Druratt 

2  Charles  T.  Gilman 

3  Charles  H.  Hamilton 

4  Allen  Crowley 

5  John  A.  Kelly 
£  Eli  M.  Sewell 

7  Torrence  Brooks 

8  F.  M.  Crowley 


9  James  C.  Mothers 

10  John  F.  Godell 

11  Morgan  De  Lacey 

12  Mitchell  W.  Hogtlr 

13  D.  Wright 

14  Thomas  S.  Huffulor 

15  G.  M.  Simork 

16  A.  J.  Baker 


NINTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  the  voters  of  the  ninth  district  at  the  election  held  at  the  house 
of  Thomas  Rennolds,  in  the  ninth  district  of  the  Territory  of 
Kansas ,  on  the  29^  day  of  November,  1854,  for  the  election  of  dele- 
gate to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States. 


1  W.  C.  Smith 

2  Michael  Bag  an 

3  David  Jones 

4  W.  McNelley 

5  W.  A.  Hammond 

6  H.  T.  Karr 

7  T.  Con  way 

8  H.  Westcott 

9  James  Glenmon 

10  James  Marten 

11  George  DeBotts 

12  John  Kodly 

13  Kobert  Willson 

14  J.  W.  C.  Pierce 


15  T.  Sonnameker 

16  John  O'Donnell 

17  N.  T.  Boal 

18  S.  B.  Hoin 

19  S.  H.  Hackett 

20  D.  B.  Perry 

21  James  Seals 

22  Jesse  Spencer 

23  D.  Ferrow 

24  John  Ferrow 

25  T.  Bowe 

26  W.  P.  Widup 

27  W.  P.  Moore 

28  E.  Connelly 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


5'7 


29  A.  J.  Dolph 

30  G.  B.  Von  Ansdale 

31  J.  Westover 

32  H.  A.  Lowe 

33  C.  R.  Mobley 

34  T.  E.  Wells 


35  James  i3ixon 

36  P.  Dixon 

37  T.  Dixon 

38  E.  F.  Mezeck 

39  T.  Bunnells 

40  Wm.  W.  Karr 


TENTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  of  the  tenth  district  at  the  election  held  at  S.  D.  Dyer's, 

November  29,  1854. 


1  Benjamin  0.  Dean 

2  Enoch  G-.  Hinton 

3  Marshal  let  Garntie 

4  John  W.  Dyer 

5  Joseph  Stewart 

6  Henry  Greene,  (oath) 

7  William  C.  Dyer 

8  William  Seymour 

9  George  0.  Willard 

10  Charles  E.  Blood 

11  David  Stevenson,  (oath) 

12  John  Wilbour 

13  Israel  P  Brayton 

14  James  Wilson 

15  Henry  Bird 

16  Alden  Babcock 
1*7  Andrew  Noll 

18  Edwin  M.  Tripp 

19  Wm.  D.  Wicks 


20  Seth  J.  Childs 

21  John  Mclntire 

22  Harleigh  P.  Cutting 

23  S.  D.  Dyer 

24  Francis  Deregon 

25  S.  D.  Houston 

26  Samuel  Whitehorne 

27  Stephen  N.  Frazier 

28  Zebulon  Avy 

29  S.  P.  Allen 

30  Samuel  Knapp 

31  A.  G.  Allen 

32  Abraham  0.  Dyer 

33  Moody  B.  Powers 

34  Hatch  Hall 

35  George  W.  Ewbanks 

36  William  Carroll 

37  J.  E.  Wood 


ELEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

Poll-list  of  the  election  in  the  eleventh  Congressional  district,  town  of 
Marysville,  November  29,  1854. 


1  Jacob  Hahen 

2  William  Hayn 

3  Jesse  Mullen 

4  David  Bois 

5  David  Jems 

6  Samuel  Smith 

7  Marcus  Ladd 

8  Joseph  Laner 

9  Joseph  Hulster 
10  Abraham  Horgus 


11  Levi  Rooker 

12  Peter  Straub 

13  Robert  Beech 

14  Edward  Buckler 

15  John  Harny 

16  Moses  Macgrere 

17  Henry  Van  Pelt 

18  James  Creigh 

19  John  Zenias 

20  F.  D.  Purkins 


63 


£1  Abral         '  'ten 

22  .  na 

23  liol-- 

24  Daniel 

25  David  GJimer 

26  John  Fries 

27  John  Tompkins 

28  N.  B  Tompkins 

29  Y,  0,  Hoy 

80  James  Adams 

81  E,  0.  Bishop 

82  John  Dawson 
88  G.  Butcher 

84  Thomas  Horrp 

85  Joseph  Davidson 

86  John  Jackson 
37  John  Leech 

88  James  Beal  ,' 

89  Samuel  Smith 

40  Thomas  Butcher 

41  John  Boir 

42  A.  W,  Hawkins 

43  J.  Mitchell 

44  S,  Smith 

45  E.  Cheny 

46  Y.  0.  Eron 

47  0.  Butcher 

48  B.  S.  Heart 

49  William  Miller 

50  John  Givan 

51  William  Tucker 

52  John  Manning 
58  G.  W,  Gwin 

54  James  Honx 

55  John  F.  Bigby 

56  Elijah  Bennett 

57  J.  B.  Bitchfleld 

58  John  Hardin 

59  H.  Hunter 

60  Thomas  Goodwin 

61  Jacobe  Bell 

62  John  Spencer 

68  William  Hemingway 

64  James  Gordon 

65  Daniel  Bowler 

66  W.  B.  Huhhard 

67  Smith  Younts 

68  J.  B.  Owens 

69  William  Neal 

70  D.  0.  Allen 

71  Alex.  Sloughtenborro 


•       ",-  ..  .Irifj 


.  .   •  • 
i?r 

77  Harris  brown 

78  William  Hendly 

79  Thomas  P.  Smith 

80  William  Bruner 

81  Eeson  Field 

82  Bicfcard  Yarry 
88  George  W,  Bates 

84  John  Cumins 

85  Bird  Cumins 

86  James  Savage 

87  Hiram  D,  Coalman 

88  B,  G,  Smith 

89  Samuel  Weldon 

90  Michael  Stubbs 

91  James  0,  Sage 

92  James  Demeron 

93  Bichard  Shoates 

94  L,  D.  Dameron 

95  D,  Sampson 

96  Wilson  T.  More 

97  B,  Neely 

98  Jeremiah  Sweat 

99  A,  McClelland 

100  Alexander  S,  Clark 

101  A,  G,  Woodward 

102  Benjamin  Plasters 
108  J,  W.  Jefferson 

104  S,  M.  Noy 

105  L,  M.  More 

106  Jessy  Bicbardson 

107  Jeremiah  Tutman 

108  Nathaniel  Craveni 

109  James  Powers 

110  Marion  Stigall 

111  B.  G.  Pheips 

112  Charles  W.  Wood 
118  John  Praris 

114  James  Bastrop 

115  William  Lock 

116  J&nes  Lucas 

117  Simon  Buckhanan 

118  W.  Bead 

119  David  Weller 

120  Philip  Winberger 

121  Henry  Ferel 

122  William  Booker 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 


123  Jessey  Hoalman 

124  William  Heuston 

125  W,  P.  Roland 

126  J,  S.  Talbot 

127  John  Sanders 

128  Joseph  Brown 

129  J,  B,  Henderson 

130  Samuel  W.  Green 

131  Lewis  Moody 

132  Stephen  Hanoook 

133  James  Beatley 

134  Johnson  Menafee 

135  John  G,  Blue 

186  Peter  Wilson 

187  Sampson  Long 

138  Sampson  Oliver 

139  Levi  Strous 

140  John  Toman 

141  Ezra  Eastern 

142  J,  0.  Owens 
148  James  MoGamy 

144  William  Sutzeler 

145  William  Magar 

146  Jacob  West 

147  Ira  Green 

148  Reuben  Fergerson 

149  William  Holt 

150  John  H,  McDonald 

151  Benjamin  Oassorn 

152  Patrick  Coons 

153  S,  H.  Bronson 

154  Raley  Haydon 

155  Lewis  Ooats 

156  F,  Fowler 

157  James  H.  Gooden 

158  Reason  Sowards 

159  Jefferson  Lyons 

160  Jacob  Butts 

161  Urial  Coy 

162  Marion  Thiekild 

163  B.  P.  Bell 

164  Heram  Brooks 

165  Mack  Robertson 

166  John  T.  Griffith 

167  J.  P.  Strother 

168  Mioager  Brown 

169  Joseph  Towner 

170  William  Longworth 

171  L.  Morton 

172  H.  R.  Willis 

173  Martin  Sexton 


174  Thomas  Lee 

175  J,  F,  Pendleton 

176  John  Stodorc 

177  Sirus  A,  Cunningham 

178  Leander  Basey 

179  Samford  Cox 

180  Richard  M,  Johnson 

181  John  T,  Burch 

182  J,  D,  Bullard 

183  E.  R,  Smith 

184  W,  P.  Davidson 

185  G,  A.  Rowan 

186  Stephen  Funill 

187  S,  Y,  Logan 

188  William  M,  Proctor 

189  Jessey  Yearey 

190  David  Brown 

191  M,  F.  Boffan 

192  James  Johnson 

193  Benjamin  Branin 

194  John  R,  Black 

195  Sanford  Robinson    '• 

196  EHLovington 

197  Jones  White 

198  EanezerRobb 

199  P,  H.  Vaughn 

200  James  More 

201  John  Dulany 

202  James  Gorhan 

203  Rodney  Dungleson 

204  Henry  Long 

205  Joab  Duett 

206  James  Bernhard 

207  Samuel  Gail 

208  John  Morgan 

209  James  Summonds 

210  Mason  Ratliff 

211  Albert  Gibson 

212  J.  McCartney 

213  James  Grason 

214  John  Whitaker 

215  Jacob  Weber 

216  Jones  Fowler 

217  John  S.  Sursey 

218  Ben.  Poe 

219  William  Slow 

220  John  Scott 

221  William  H.  Henley 

222  Henry  Best 

223  John  Mefford 

224  John  Swope 


60 


HANS  A  3    AFFAIRS. 


225  John  Pertell 

226  Joseph  Bane 

227  Archibald  Huder 

228  Isaac  Humphrey 

229  Hieram  Alcom 

230  Dulany  Perkins 

231  Solon  White 

232  John  Hekin 

233  Hieram  Hans 

234  John  Lay 

235  M.  B.  White 


236  John  Craft 

237  John  Medill 

238  John  Grayham 

239  Telford  Todd 

240  George  Baxter 

241  Hugh  Baker 

242  S.  B.  M.  Homer 

243  William  Tullop 

244  George  Poal 

245  John  Stone 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  the  names  of  the  voters  in  the  twelfth  district,  taken  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  R.  C.  Miller,  on  Solder  creek,  Kansas  Territory,  November 
29,  1854,  for  delegate  to  Congress. 


1  K.  C.  Miller 

2  John  Walker 

3  Benj.  Morgan 

4  John  Lennord 

5  F.  Trombley 

6  J.  J.  Miller 

7  Warner  Miller 

8  J.  B.  Hay 

9  J.  Hunk 

10  Louis  Vien  (oath) 

11  Paul  Vien  (oath) 

12  Charles  Vien  (oath) 

13  Jas.  Lorton  (oath) 

14  J.  C.  Vanderpool 

15  Jacob  Mindes 

16  E.  G.  Boothe 

17  H.  McDowell 

18  G.  W.  Baker 

19  E.  M.  Sloon 

20  C.  B.  Randell 

21  Bassel  Grumer 


22  Peter  Nessent 

23  N.  K.  Wingorner 

24  Eron  Kennedy 

25  A.  Melner 

26  W.  H.  Wells 

2*7  Samuel  Cummings 

28  Peter  Prudehour 

29  Louis  Ogee  (oath) 

30  Battese  Oscuni  (oath) 

31  F.  H.  Contramen 

32  L.  M.  Cox 

33  Charles  W.  Bobien 

34  James  A.  Gray 

35  Cass  Alley 

36  W.  K.  Wanton 

37  A.  A.  Crane 

38  Steph.  Hopkins 

39  Charles  Dean 

40  G.  B.  H.  Gftbs 

41  Wash.  Gibbs 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  at  the  election  in  the  thirteenth  district,  November  29, 
1854,  for  delegate  to  Congress. 


1  C.  P.  Buding 

2  John  De  Roche 

3  P.  H.  Collin* 


4  Alexander  Rodd 

5  Charles  Munn 
K  Nathan  Isaac 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


61 


7  J.  S.  Brudfield 

8  J.  B.  Cockrill 

9  Kemp  M.  Woods 

10  J.  B.  Moore 

11  Elijah  W.  Mann 

12  James  Williams 

13  Alexander  K.  Elliott 

14  Hugh  Swaney 

15  Alexander  Milld 

16  John  Swany 

IT  Elbert  0.  Muller 

18  T.  H.  Bradley 

19  J.  C.  Cockrill 

20  W.  G.  Williams 

21  Granville  Adkins 

22  Daniel  F.  Tebbs 

23  James  L.  Taylor 

24  Holman  Banfield 

25  C.  J.  Reager 

26  Albro  Pemberton 

27  William  Haddix 

28  Silas  M.  Gordon 

29  William  E.  Daniel 

30  Samuel  Johnson 

31  Joseph  A.  McDaniel 

32  Archibald  Clark 

33  William  Pemberton 

34  Benjamin  Boydston 

35  Charles  Rodd 

36  G.  M.  Dyer 

37  D.  M.  Rinley 

38  Wm.  H.  Tebbs 


39  Henry  C.  Cukenville 

40  A.  Sidney  Tebbs 

41  Alexander  Lubrick 

42  Mathew  Winston 

43  Johnson  Hughes 

44  Samuel  L.  Winston 

45  William  Hinshaw 

46  John  Pate 

47  Richard  Chandler 

48  Samuel  Hudson 

49  Baruck  Prather 

50  Thomas  P.  Chandler 

51  Henry  C.  Cony 

52  Henry  S.  Bretz 

53  Elijah  Harding 

54  Henry  C.  Scul 

55  John  Cunningham 

56  William  Arthur 

57  Barton  D.  McDowell 

58  John  Millier 

59  John  H.  Myers 

60  Samuel  Hoy 

61  Benjamin  R.  Morton 

62  Joseph  Walker 

63  'Jackson  Miller 

64  Jesse  Miller 

65  0.  B.  Tebbs 

66  John  Plunt 

67  G.  Sprague 

68  L.  Shepard 

69  Preston  Monel 

70  John  D.  York 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


Poll-look. 


1  Hamilton  J.  Johnston 

2  Andrew  J.  Doland 

3  Wm.  Jordan 

4  Wm.  M.  Greer 

5  Fleming  Ridge 

6  Nelson  Abby 

7  Benja.  Dodd 

8  James  H.  Merrill 

9  Sinclair  K.  Miller 

10  James  Cannon 

11  Paul  Merriman 

12  John  Lovelady 


13  John  H.  Whitfield 

14  Uriah  Griffith 

15  Jas.  B.  Baker 

16  Thos.  C.  Hawley 

17  Auguste  Moynes 

18  Peter  O'Roorke 

19  Antoine  Tezian 

20  Wm.  H.  Hinchrnan 

21  Charles  Eggers 

22  Philip  James 

23  Jas.  F.  Forman 

24  Ephraim  D.  McLelland 


C'J 


KAN'  .,1118, 


25  James  Grooms 

26  Absalom  Grouzua 

27  Q-eo,  M,  Waller 

28  Chas,  Richter 

29  Leander  McClelland 
80  Benj,  B,  Hazelwood 

31  Sam'l  Kirkpatrick 

32  Peter  Hoover 

33  Arnott  Grooms 

34  Qolmore  Newman 

35  Biehard  Boulware 

36  Green  McAfferty 

37  Albert  Head 

38  Thomas  Minston 

39  John  Doyle 

40  Joel  Blair 

41  Jesse  Brown 

42  Joel  Ryan 

43  Jeffrey  M,  Palmer 

44  Wra.  P,  Richardson 

45  Mathew  lies 

46  James  Kendall 

47  Peter  Monroe 

48  Tuplejr  Rolph 

49  Eben'r  Blackstone 

50  Sam1!  Montgomery 

51  Wilson  D,  Moore 

52  Henderson  Sraallwood 

53  Andrew  A,  Hayes 

54  Carey  B.  Whitehead 

55  Andrew  J,  Tfcrpin 

56  Jesse  F,  Gaves 

57  Henry  H.  Marsh 

58  Squire  V.  Marsh 

59  John  P.  Marsh 

60  James  P.  Haymore 

61  Wm,  H.  Davis 

62  Frederick  Reed 

63  Benj.  8.  Wharton 

64  Wm.  A.  Mclntosh 

65  Alexander  Davis 

66  Wm.  A.  Hill 

67  Watson  Stewart 

68  John  Fisher 

69  Joseph  Liceliff 

70  Henry  Smith 

71  Robt.  McSperran 

72  James  Campbell 

73  John  Trotman 

74  Walker  G.  Reed 

75  Cobv  C.  Gordon 


.ClLridge'J.  Robinson 

77  Wm,  Oa; 

78  James  W,  Taylor 

79  James  B,  0"*''oole 

80  Fernando  A.  Burgher 

81  Dan'l  Vanderslice 

82  Emerson  V,  B,  Rogers 

83  John  N.  Granville 

84  Nelson  Rogers 

85  Wm.  Vanderslice 

86  James  Vanderslice 

87  Harvey  W.  Forman 

88  Lewis  0.  W.  Forman 

89  Hardin  Oritchflcld 

90  John  S.  Pemberton 

91  Nicholas  White 

92  Thomas  J.  Vanderslice 

93  Frederick  Treat 

94  John  Copeland 

95  James  Carson 

96  Gershom  M.  Gilhiam 

97  Lasiter  Copeland 

98  Alfred  0.  Rice 

99  Henry  Thompson 

100  Jacob  Tounger 

101  Sidney  Tenant 

102  Christine  Donivan 

103  George  C.  Catlett 

104  John  A.  Van  Ansdale 

105  Robt,  M.  Whitsett 
100  John  Smith,  sen. 

107  Josiah  Morris 

108  too,  W.  Stillwell 

109  James  O'Toole,  sen, 

110  Th6mas  W.  Waterson 

111  Francis  Youpy 

112  Hamilton  Osborn 

113  Peter  Oadden 

114  Anderson  Cox 

115  Charles  C.  Carson 

116  Luther  Dillin 

117  Grandison  R.  Wilson 

118  Robert  Ewing 

119  Geo.  W.  Gilfespie 

120  Jacob  Sharp 

121  Ross  Hinchman 

122  Jesse  R.  Sharp 

123  Charles  Buxby 

124  Edward  Seuvey 

125  Jefferson  B.  Baker 

126  Reuben  P,  Briggi 


KANSAS    ' 


127  Fra> 

128  Andre  v. 

129  Oliver 

130  Johnson  Oai^a 
181  Mark  Yogan 

132  George  Jamieson 

133  Claudius  A.  Rowley 

134  Francis  0.  Hughes 

135  Thomas  E.  Baker 

136  John  D.  Armstrong 

137  John  Smith,  jr. 

138  Aaron  Lewis 

139  Aaron  Quick 

140  Edwin  P.  Weaver 


.-]     v  "          •          ; 

142  .;     -  ' 

.  •-     • '  • .. '  u 

• 

145  Guapui  -Uii'sner 

146  William  Arthurs 
14T  Joker  Fee 

148  Milton  Bryan 

149  James  B.  Whitehead 

150  Benjamin  Harding 

151  William  Turpin 

152  John  W.  Stevens 

153  John  0.  How 


F 


DISTRICT. 


Poll-loolcs  and  returns  of  the  election  held  on  the  29M  day  of  November, 
A.  D.  1854,  at  the  house  of  Fasohd  Pensenan,  in  the  fifteenth  dis- 
trict of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  far  delegate  to  Congress. 


1  Jesse  Morin 

2  Ira  Norris, 

3  Dr.  Stringfellow 

4  W.  H.  Miller 

5  Mathias  Yocum 

6  John  Yocum 

7  Edward  O'Beily 

8  Paschal  Pensenan 

9  Hugh  MoKowen 

10  Stanford  McDonald 

11  James  L.  Sale 

12  Cornelius  Sale 

13  John  Miller 

14  George  W.  Layton 

15  N.  J.  Ireland 

16  S.Johnson. (under prot.) 
IT  Wm.  Eliott 

18  Samuel  Dickson 

19  Wm.  L.  Stephens 

20  Thomas  Dermain 

21  Fred.  Freeland 

22  Dan  Grover 

23  J.  M.  Freeland 

24  A.  B.  Elliott 

25  Uriel  Hiekley 

26  Martin  Weimar 

27  B.  B.  Hays 


28  Thomas  B.  Craven 

29  Isaac  House 

30  Leonidas  Oldham 
81  Y.  K.  Bradley 

32  Israel  Swan 

33  J.  E.  Hervey 

34  Samuel  Hays 

35  Van  8.  Graham 

36  J.  B.  Mitchell 

37  J.  Y.  Darnell 

38  J.  H.  Bradley 

39  D.  J.  Thomas 

40  Thomas  Faulkners 

41  George  Percy 

42  Joseph  Henderson 

43  James  Henderson 

44  James  Lewis 

45  John  A.  Beckner 

46  J.  W.  Anderson 

47  James  Browning 

48  James  W.  Bedwell 

49  Henry  Debard 

50  George  Million 

51  Adam  Johnson 

52  J.  T.  Bradley 

53  A.  B.  Oldham 

54  Joseph  McBride 


64 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


55  J.  L.  Jenks,  (aff.) 

56  Samuel  JSapp 

57  0.  F.  Doroty 

58  Levi  Bechien 

59  Wm.  Ducy 

60  Marion  Estes 

61  Isaac  Lincoln 

62  Wm.  H.  Elliott 

63  G.  H.  Mitchell 

64  A.  R.  Davis 

65  J.  H.  Brown 

66  N.  S.  Townsend 

67  Jefferson  Roney 

68  John  Groff 

69  J.  W.  Thompson 

70  James  Sweney 

71  R.  F.  Duncan 

72  J.  B.  Duncan 

73  Wm.  Daugherty 

74  George  H.  Smith 

75  Oscar  Bywaters 

76  G.  Tomlinson 

77  J.  Cutter 

78  J.  Weddle 

79  David  Howard 

80  Thomas  L.  Douglass 

81  M.  F.  Bailey 

82  J.  M.  Harrison 

83  E.  C.  Mason 

84  John  Bryant 

85  James  Gooley 

86  James  Potter 

87  Amos  A.  Gorndyke 

88  H.  B.  Herrington 

89  Robert  Ely 

90  C.  B.  Hodges 

91  C.  C.  Redman 

92  J.  S.  Hammond 

93  Robert  S.  Blacygard 

94  J.  M.  Alexander 
9l5  Wm.  Morton 

96  John  Weiser 

97  H.  C.  Bradley 
'98  John  Waddell 

99  George  B.  Wells 
:100  Wm.  Young 

101  James  W.  Crawford 

102  G.  B.  Gates 

103  George  Carter 

104  Y.  Scanlan 

105  Wm.  Digman 


106  Thomas  Scanlan 

107  Jeremiah  McCune 

108  A.  W.  Hughs 

109  C.  H.  Grover 

110  Van  Buren  Hensley 

111  Madison  H.  Clemens 

112  G.  Y.  Charless 

113  S.  Y.  Walter 

114  Sidney  Walters 

115  John  A.  G.  Fisher 

116  N.  A.  Miller 

117  N.  R.  Green 

118  Col.  Lewis  Barns 

119  George  Wilson 

120  Julius  Newman 

121  Craven  Calvert 

122  John  Amberg 

123  Melzor  Cole 

124  Wm.  Martin 

125  John  Galbreth 

126  A.  Warmack 

127  Thomas  J.  Carson 

128  John  W.  Martin 

129  Charles  S.  Foster 

130  Jesse  Welch 

131  John  L.  Freed 

132  Mason  Hall 

133  John  Parker 

134  John  Welch 

135  Wm.  Welch 

136  Caleb  Wright      • 

137  James  Welch 

138  Martin  Cline 

139  P.  Farrell 

140  Harvey  Welch 

141  Wm.  Baisely 

142  Thomas  Scott 

143  Noah  Antony 

144  G.  R.  Searcy 

145  John  Hamner 

146  James  Brooks 

147  Henry  Plunkett 

148  Lazarus  Yocum 

149  J.  G.  Downey 

150  Jonathan  Congrove 

151  H.  H.  Williams 

152  R.  H.  Dyer       . 

153  R.  L.  Kirk 

154  Jesse  Shephard 

155  Samuel  M.  Bowman 

156  N.  B.  Lamar  » 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


65 


157  B.  Yocum 

158  Allen  Pullen 

159  Thomas  J.  Huggins 

160  J.  B.  Wiley 

161  Wm.  Dyer 

162  Samuel  Ross 

163  W.  D.  Bonnell 

164  J.  M.  Mulky 

165  G.  W.  Thompson 

166  J.  H.  Myers 

167  Wm.  Sharp 

168  J.  W.  Foster 

169  John  Cook 

170  E.  Smith 
1*71  James  Bolton 

172  Y.  J.  Thompson 

173  E.  D.  Bishop 

174  U.  Y.  Gennett 

175  Levi  Bowman 

176  John  Roberts 

177  Wm.  Fulton 

178  R.  W.  Thompson 

179  Silas  Wells 

180  G.  S.  Davis 

181  G.  W.  Sharp 

182  R.  D.  Davis 

183  Martin  Short 

184  Wm.  G.  Mayfield 

185  Joseph  Taylor 

186  George  Mashens 

187  M.  N.  Bland 

188  John  Taylor 

189  S.  M.  Taylor 

190  Heber  Taylor 

191  Wm.  Brown 

192  David  Ross 

193  E.  M.  Hale 

194  Ira  Hale 

195  Ruse  Bowman 

196  J.  S.  Philip 

197  Martin  Berry 

198  James  L.  Carter 

199  James  Hanley 

200  Dr.  J.  S.  Keller 

201  Wm.  Haskell 

202  Benjamin  Ross 

203  J.  Carson 

204  G.  W.  Quinby 

205  R.  N.  Davenport 

206  J.  B.  Crane 

207  J.  S.  Thompson 

H.  Rep.  200 5* 


208  J.  H.  Myres 

209  Wm.  Cody 

210  G.  Clark 

211  A.  Cook 

212  Job  Robins 

213  John  W.  Freeland 

214  John  Site 

215  Charles  G.  Sites 

216  John  Freeland 

217  Alfred  Allen 

218  B.  F.  Young 

219  James  J.  Jones 

220  C.  P.  Allgier 

221  L.  Fist 

222  Jonathan  Lacy 

223  Henry  B.  Gale 

224  R.  S.  Merchant 

225  W.  Hays 

226  John  House 

227  John  S.  Ramsey 

228  Henry  Williams 

229  David  Atkins 

230  P.  L.  Yervell 

231  John  McDonald 

232  Wm.  Oburn 

233  J.  W.  Pate 

234  Dr.  Harris 

235  S.  W.  Tunnell 

236  A.  J.  Walker 

237  Ottoway  Smith 

238  Wm.  H.  Wells 

239  Richard  Warren 

240  Allen  B.  Haggard 

241  A.  G.  Boyd 

242  James  H.  Keisner 

243  J.  D.  Pepper 

244  S.  H.  Oliphant 

245  Wm.  G.  Marsh 

246  G.  W.  Grist 

247  Samuel  Pepper 

248  Wm.  Thompson 

249  Warren  Blanton? 

250  David  Murphy 

251  Y.  D.  Killoe 

252  R.  W.  Fox 

253  Jacob  Mortier 

254  Robert  Yoler 

255  Wm.  H.  Coon 

256  John  Q.  Grayson 

257  Phineas  S.  Skinner 

258  Lewis  Sumpter 


G6 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


259  Nathaniel  Miller 

260  James  N.  Burrus 

261  Nathan  Nuby 

262  Nathan  Shaler 

263  Isaac  Atkins 

264  Michael  Dean 

265  John  J.  Carter 

266  George  Kitchen 
267"  James  Martin 

268  Thomas  Pensenan 

269  John  G.  Graham 

270  Wm.  Blackby 

271  Jefferson  Donohoe 

272  James  Harris 

273  Douglass  Hamilton 

274  Samuel  Morehead 

275  Asa  Van  Aldenham 

276  Mathew  Robinson 

277  Robert  Loon 

278  John  Ramsey 

279  Wiley  P.  Williams 

280  James  M.  Davis 

281  Martin  Jones 

282  Jonathan  Wallace 


283  B.  F.  Thompson 

284  Wm.  Berry 

285  Wm.  Johnson 

286  Wm.  E.  Pitt 

287  Thomas  Doddard 

288  Y.  F.  Golley 

289  Michael  Wilkins 

290  Christoper  Horn 

291  A.  M.  Price 

292  Robert  S.  Kelly 

293  Henry  Adams 

294  Enoch  Evans 

295  A.  0.  Hams 

296  Thomas  Elliott 

297  David  Brown 

298  E.  S.  Staggs 

299  P.  Felix  Brown 

300  James  Frazier 

301  James  Y.  Buson 

302  H.  Y.  Green 
803  S.  F.  Ray 

304  W.  A.  Lovelady 

305  Win.  Allen 

306  H.  B.  Jolly 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

Poll-book  of  an  election  held  on  the  29$  day  of  November,  A.  D.  1854 
at  the  house  of  Keller  &  Kyle,  in  Leaven-worth  City,  in  the  sixteenth 
district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  for  the  election  of  a  delegate  tc 
the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States. 


1  Samuel  F.  Few 

2  A.  Macauley 

3  Jerry  Clark 

4  John  Boyd 

5  James  W.  Rich 

6  Asa  Smith 

7  Wm.  Boyd 

8  Samuel  D.  Preston 

9  James  0.  Toole 

10  Francis  A.  Hart 

11  David  Brasfield 

12  John  0.  Downing 

13  George  Leigan 

14  Thomas  Stearns 

15  J.  T.  Moore 

16  George  Yates 

17  Joseph  Pennock 


18  Nicholas  Lockerman 

19  Malcolm  Clark 

20  F.  M.  Tafts 

21  Jas.  Burgess 

22  G.  W.  Riley 

23  John  A.  Randall 

24  Richard  Stoddard 

25  David  Kennelly 

26  Randolph  Wolfe,  jr. 

27  Greene  D.  Todd 

28  A.  Russell 

29  Albert  Lander 

30  Zachariah  Mills 

31  ChesleyFulks 

32  Charles  Hulb 

33  Jeremiah  Howell 

34  Wmfield  Numhill 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


67 


35  Wm.  Dawson 

36  Miles  Shannon 

37  James  Noble 

38  Wm.  Freebourn 

39  Simon  C.  McElvaine 

40  Eezin  Wilcoxin 

41  John  H.  Brown 

42  George  W.  Warren 

43  0.  McCrea 

44  Wm.  Warner 

45  Henry  Clay  Bishop 

46  Jeremiah  Rice 

47  R.  H.  Hi^gins 

48  Simon  Phillips 

49  J.  C.  Grinter 

50  B.  D.  Casselman 

51  M.  N.  Talbot 

52  H.  S.  Godsey 

53  D.  K.  Chapell 

54  George  D.  Stevenson 

55  Stephen  Noble 

56  A.  J.  Preston 

57  G.  B.  Panton 

58  Wm.  Greene  Woods 

59  John  Kissinger 

60  T.  P.  L.  Taylor 

61  Calvin  Tolson 

62  S.  Y.  Chance 

63  S.  D.  Pitcher 

64  Adam  Linhart 

65  J.  L.  Evans 

66  John  Williams 

67  S.  H.  Burgess 

68  S.  H.  Mays 

69  Jarrett  Todd 

70  James  Scroggs 

71  R.  E.  Saunders 

72  John  Thomas 

73  Samuel  Cummings 

74  John  Atkins 

75  Thomas  S.  Owens 

76  Wesley  S.  Davidson 

77  Jas.  W.  McClintick 

78  John  Donaldson 

79  John  P.  Richardson 

80  Wm.  C.  Webster 

81  R.  C.  Thomson 

82  James  L.  Thomson 

83  Gideon  L.  Brown 

84  T.  S.  Otterbury 

85  N.  A.  Kirk 


86  H.  C.  Dunn 

87  Wm.  Cummings 

88  Riley  Todd 

89  Pleasant  Ellington 

90  Simpson  Parks 

91  Jeffrey  Woodward 

92  Jos.  C.  Anderson 

93  W.  T.  Yokum 

94  John  Moore 

95  John  Dunn 

96  B.  M.  Crust 

97  H.  D.  McMeekin 

98  J.  B.  Hyatt 

99  James  Surritt 

100  T.  H.  Talbert 

101  Howard  Conley 

102  Thomson  Owens 

103  Eli  Moore 

104  John  Reed 

105  James  Faster 

106  George  Brassfield 

107  W.  G.  Carson 

108  Wm.  S.  Murphy 

109  Charles  H.  Pennick 

110  Wm.  G.  Mathias 

111  J.  Hoyt 

112  Thomas  Cuming 

113  Wm.  Large 

114  John  Neely 

115  James  H.  Fowler 

116  Francis  Rasdell 

117  A.  T.  Pattie 

118  J.  M.  Guthrie 

119  J.  M.  Artrold 

120  Wm.  M.  Beckam 

121  H.  T.  Dagley 

122  Wm.  Hoy 

123  G.  B.  Redmon 

124  Wm.  M.  Edmonds 

125  D.  Scott  Boyle 

126  John  H.  McClintock 

127  Barnabas  Gable 

128  J.  T.  Woodward 

129  M.  R.  Grinter 

130  Thomas  Stewart 

131  Hiram  Rich 

132  Wm.  B.  Simmonds 

133  R.  H.  Fielding 

134  Nathaniel  Henderson 

135  James  H.  Hall 

136  Robert  Todd 


68 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


137  Thomas  0.  Bishop 

138  John  Sparks 

139  J.  Parkinson 

140  James  Finley 

141  Isaac  Spratt 

142  Wm.  Wallace 

143  Philip  Zeigler 

144  Jos.  Graham 

145  Kobert  Ware 

146  A.  Dawson 

147"  Benjamin  Foster 

148  John  B.  Mize 

149  J.  B.  Pennock 

150  James  G.  Heck 

151  T.  J.  Goforth 

152  Stephen  Sparks 

153  Lucius  ChafFee 

154  Edward  Garrett 

155  Garrsft-d  Levy 

156  M.  F.  Conway 

157  B.  B.  Beese 

158  Cyrus  Garrett 

159  Samuel  M.  Lyon 

160  Burrell  B.  Mize 

161  J.  K.  France 

162  Thomas  T.  Sloakum"1 

163  Thomas  F.  Gregg 

164  J.  C.  Thomson 

165  Wm.  Sparks 

166  Henry  Stoddard 

167  Zach.  Sparks 

168  T.  F.  Brown 

169  Wm.  T.  Bartz 

F.  Givinner  (vote  rejec'd) 

170  Thos.  A.  Gregg 

171  David  Creech 

172  Isaac  Van  Catup 

173  Thomas  Boherts 

174  Travis  Brown 

175  Lewis  A.  Neil 

176  David  Gragg 

177  J.  T.  Hook 

178  E.  K.  Adamson 

179  Wm.  L.  Blair 

180  H.  Nolan 

181  Abner  Dean 

182  James  H.  Mize 

183  Daniel  A.  Willey 

184  Strother  Hay 

185  John  Ussury 

186  Currin  Nervil 


187  Wm.  Borden 

188  Hiram  Kelly 

189  J.  E.  Grant 

190  Franklin  Keys 

191  Ellis  Henshaw 

192  Frederick  Sprack 

193  Floyd  Shannon 

194  A.  Payne 

195  A.  Cunningham 

196  John  Argabright 

197  Bussell  Garret 

198  C.  D.  Ellott 

199  Houston  Levy 

200  Wm.  H.  Long 

201  Nathan  Boberts 

202  Wm.  H.  T.  Parker 

203  Michael  Kelley 

204  Daniel  C.  Ames 

205  Wm.  Tanner 

206  John  M.  White 

207  Godfrey  Grease 

208  M.  Dobson 

209  S.  Phillips 

210  F.  Engelsman 

211  Levi  Furguson 

212  John  A.  Lindsey 

213  Carrington  Harris 

214  AdamDeitz 

215  Bobt.  L.  Beam 

216  B.  L.  Sellers 

217  A.  H.  Scott 

218  James  McDaniel 

219  John  Owens 

220  H.  Brown 

221  Wm.  Engelsman 

222  Neely  Harrington 

223  M.  France 

224  David  Goble 

225  C.  C.  Harrison 

226  J.  H.  Golden 

227  H.  H.  Hook 

228  Beuben  Snellgo 

229  Israel  Gibson 

230  C.  F.  Bredon 

231  G.  W.  Walker 

232  A.  J.  Bowers 

233  S.  J.  Johnson 

234  John  Wallace 

235  T.  B.  Selkman 

236  George  Young 
Alfred  Young 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


69 


238  P.  J.  Cuming 

239  Simpson  Gobler 

240  T.  B.  Hart 

241  Hugh  L.  Campbell 

242  Henry  Mize 

243  F.  E.  Bodd 

244  S.  R.  Farr 

245  John  Hall 

246  Peter  McGill 
24?  John  C.  Newton 

248  John  Frazer 

249  O.  M.  Thomas 

250  Clement  Naef 

251  J.  F.  Wyatt 

252  Wm.  E.  Roe 

253  Geo.  Keller 

254  Jacob  Rehm 

255  H.  H.  C.  Harrison 

256  Squier  Orton 

257  John  J.  Beng 

258  John  Keffer 

259  J.  H.  Day 

260  L.  F.  Mills 

261  L.  J.  Eastin 

262  Jas.  K.  Edsall 

263  Richard  Conkland 

264  Chas.  Leib 

265  Jas.  0.  Sullivan 

266  W.  S.  Yoke 

267  Geo.  Leonhard 


268  Nathaniel  Higs 

269  Alex.  Reed 

270  Edward  Zell 

271  Samuel  France 

272  W.  J.  Osborn 

273  G.  M.  Fisher 

274  Wm.  Saunders 

275  Joseph  Font 

276  Daniel  Smith 

277  Wm.  English 

278  C.  B.  Roberts 

279  Lewis  N.  Rees 

280  John  Drew 

281  Robert  Maddux 

282  Jones  Creach 

283  Doregon  Fouts 

284  Josiah  McLain 

285  James  Skinner 

286  Henry  Beng 

287  N.  Sage 

288  Adam  Fisher 

289  Adam  Corb 

290  Henry  Smith 

291  Lewis  Schiller 

292  Asa  Stewart 

293  T.  S.  Abner 

294  John  Harris 

295  Andrew  Thos.  Kyle 

296  John  Smith 

297  Wm.  McDowell 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

i 

List  of  voters  at  an  election  held  on  the  29th  day  of  November)  1854, 
in  the  seventeenth  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  for  the  election 
of  a  delegate  to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States. 


1  RushEllmore 

2  0.  H.  Brown 

3  A.  S.  Johnson 

4  F.  M.  Coleman 

5  Andrew  Monroe 

6  M.  C.  McGuish 

7  John  M.  Owen 

8  James  Gillpatrick 

9  Isaac  Parrish 

10  R.  N.  Winslow 

11  Frederick  Chouteau 

12  Joseph  Parks 


13  George  Buchanan 

14  Daniel  Woodson 

15  John  A.  Halderman 

16  William  Chouteau 

17  F.  E.  Baley 

18  A.  H.  Reeder 

19  B.  F.  Robinson 

20  Cyprian  Chouteau 

21  Thomas  Johnson 

22  James  Mathews 

23  Andrew  J.  Isaacs 

24  William  Donaldson 


70 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


25  M.  P,  Randall 

26  Richard  Menenhall 

27  A.  Gregory 

28  Peter  Croco 

29  William  Jones 

30  Charles  N.  White 

31  Jeremiah  Dummer 

32  F.  B.  Sullivan 

33  John  Parks 

34  William  Rutlege 

35  E.  Evans 

36  Charles  Bowls 

37"  William  Honeywill 

38  R.  C.  Meek 

39  Daniel  Doffarnyer 

40  Charles  B.  Garrett 

41  Joel  Walker 

42  Robert  Brown 

43  Calvin  A.  Kirnatser 


44  John  H.  Solomon 

45  John  Boyles 

46  John  Hall 

4T  Matthew  Hall 

48  L.  C.  Mathews 

49  Horace  Hall 

50  Isaac  Long 

51  Philip  Brown 

52  John  Pond 

53  James  Long 

54  Joseph  Boyer 

55  Isaac  W.  Brown 

56  Joseph  White 

57  Miller  Moody 

58  Ethen  A.  Long 

59  Augustus  Charles 

60  Davis  Thayer 


61 
62 


John  Parka 
James  Zanes 


To  his  Excellency  A.  H.  REEDER,  Governor  of  Ko.nsas  Territory : 

Believing  that  a  large  number  of  the  citizens  of  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri voted  at  the  election  of  the  29th  instant  for  delegate  to  Congress 
representing  Kansas  Territory,  we  respectfully  petition  your  honor 
that  the  entire  vote  of  the  district  receiving  the  votes  of  citizens  of 
Missouri  be  set  aside,  or  that  the  entire  election  be  set  aside. 


H.  C.  Sofford 
J.  J.  Emery 
Edmund  Clarke 
Legamus  S.  Bacon 
C.  K.  Holliday 
0.  A.  Hanscom 
J.  T.  Memmon 
R.  G.  Elliott 
John  Macley 
C.  Robinson 
Luke  P.  Lmkon 
J.  M.  Benby 
Otes  W.  Lamb 
J.  C.  Massmon 
James  Crocklen 
W.  A.  Holmes 
J.  L.M.Whilcomb 
Augustus  H.  Gertt 
C.  Thos.  Roberts 
Samuel  L.  Haley 
Naculon  Lobiame 
George  W.  Kent 


C.  W.  Dow 

James  Legart 
W.  B.  Walling 
William  Norriker 
S.  J.  Wells 
John  P.  Hefek 
William  Lee 
G.  W.  Reed 
0.  D.  Smith 
Stephen  W.  Felsom 
L.  G.  Higgins 
G.  M.  Chaffeur 
L.  T.  Tappan,  jr. 
L.  Lechfield 
L.  T.  Lechfield 
A.  V.  Coffin 
E.  Desbro 
G.  W.  Patridge 
John  W.  Waite 

D.  C.  Barrett 
S.  G.  Johnson 
J.  E.  Gorden 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Justin  Lewis 
T.  Z.  Cook 
Samuel  Kenneday 
Heron  C.  Covil 

B.  N.  Cortendge 
J.  S.  Co  wen 

J.  M.  Kukkey 
E.  D.  Ladd 
Fra.  King 

C.  Stevens 

S.  N.  Simpson 
John  Day 
George  Gilbert 
Joel  Grove 
Samuel  Kembel 

D.  S.  Mott 
Calep  S.  Pratt 


H.  N.  Hancock 
J.  W.  Carlton 
Jos.  B.  Abbott 
A.  H.  Mallory 
K.  M.  Pearson 
Frank  Niskell 
J.  L.  Storn 
F.  0.  Tolles 
A.  D.  Surl 
J.  W.  Hutchinson 
J.  M.  Jones 
S.  N.  Reed 
Saml.  T.  Lewis 
S.  S.  Snyder 
Dunma  Furrow 
John  Furrow 


72 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


THE  CENSUS 

OF 

THE  TEERITORY  OF  KANSAS, 

FEBRUARY,   1855; 

THE  RETURNS  OP  THE  ELECTIONS  OP  MARCH  SO  AND  MAY  22,  18§§? 

AND 

THE  ACTION  OF  GOVERNOR  REEDER  THEREON 


The  persons  appointed  l>y  the  governor  to  make  an  enumeration  of  inhabi- 
tants and  qualified  voters  in  the  Territory  having  made  their  returns? 
the  following  table  of  inhabitants  and  qualified  voters  in  the  several 
districts  is  compiled  therefrom.* 


\ 

Districts. 

| 

By  whom  taken. 

1 

Females. 

Voters. 

1 

Natives  U.  S. 

Foreign  birth. 

Negroes.  • 

| 

I 

j 

i 

First 

C  W   Babcock          ...... 

623 

889 

869 

459 

887 

75 

962 

316 

203 

199 

237 

506 

19 

t 

7 

819 

Third  
Fourth           

T.  W.  Hayes  .  
0  B  IXonaldson        

161 

106 

91 
Tl 

101 
47 

112 
97 

215 
169 

12 
2 

...... 

6 
1 

252 
171 

Fifth  

William  Barbee  

824 

583 

442 

724 

1,385 

22 

27 

26 

1,40T 

Sixth    

do     

492 

818 

253 

418 

791 

12 

11 

11 

810 

Seventh  .... 

J  R  McClure  

82 

36 

68 

50 

117 

1 

1 

1 

us- 

Eighth 

do                

56 

27 

89- 

28 

76 

7 

13 

10 

83 

Ninth  
Tenth  

M.  F.  Conway  
do  

61 
97 

25 
54 

86 
68 

81 
61 

66 

108 

12 
23 

14 

8 

86 
151 

Eleventh       .... 

B  H  Twombly     .  .    

83 

8 

24 

5 

80 

6 

36 

Twelfth 

do 

104 

40 

78 

85 

109 

8T 

1 

T 

144 

H  B  Jolly  

168 

116 

96 

145 

273 

9 

14 

14 

284 

Albert  Weed    

655 

512 

334 

301 

46 

1 

85 

1,167- 

Fifteenth      .... 

H  B  Jolly          

492 

381 

808 

448 

846 

16 

15 

15 

873 

Sixt  eenth 

Charles  Leib 

708 

475 

885 

514 

1.042 

104 

48 

83 

1,188 

Sev  enteenth      

91 

591 

50 

54 

143 

5 

4 

23 

150 

B  H  Twombly 

5& 

40 

28 

51 

97 

1 

99 

5,128 

3,888 

2,905 

3,469 

7,161 

408 

151 

192 

8,601 

*  Copied  from  the  executive  minutes,  March  8, 1855. 
PRECEPT 

You  are  hereby  appointed  to  take  the  census  of  the  first  election  dis- 
trict of  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  The  act  of  Congress  requires  not  only 
an  enumeration  of  the  inhabitants,  but  also  of  the  qualified  voters ; 
and  as  the  law  commits  solely  to  my  discretion  the  mode  of  taking 
and  returning,  I  have  caused  books  to  be  prepared  which  will  exhibit 
many  features  of  our  population  interesting  to  the  public  and  useful 
in  the  way  of  statistical  information,  as  well  to  the  legislature  as  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  73 

people.  la  this  book  you  will  find  columns  prepared  accordingly. 
In  noticing  the  age  you  write  on  the  proper  column  for  those  under 
twenty-one  the  word  " minor;"  for  those  between  21  and  30  the 
figures  21 ;  and  for  those  between  30  and  40,  between  40  and  50,  be- 
tween 50  and  60  and  over  60,  write  always  the  lower  number.  In 
noting  males,  females,  natives  of  the  United  States,  naturalized  citi- 
zens, declarants,,  (meaning  those  who  have  declared  before  some  proper 
court  their  intention  to  become  citizens,)  qualified  voters,  negroes, 
and  slaves,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  insert  a  mark  or  figure  on  the 
proper  column.  Those  columns  of  marks  or  figures  you  will  foot  up 
on  each  page,  and  at  the  end  of  the  book  you  will  bring  together  and 
foot  up  the  several  columns  of  each  class,  so  as  to  show  the  aggregate 
of  each.  You  will  also  ascertain  and  state  the  total  of  each  kind  of 
occupation,  and  of  each  class  found  in  the  column  of  age.  The 
columns  for  occupations  will,  of  course,  be  left  blank  for  minors  who 
have  none  and  females.  In  entering  the  place  you  will  enter  the 
State  or  Territory  of  the  United  States,  or  the  foreign  country,  which 
was  the  last  place  of  residence,  and  you  will  ascertain  from  this  column 
and  carry  to  the  end  of  the  book  the  number  from  each  place  named. 

You  will  not  include  army  officers  or  soldiers  of  the  army,  or  persons 
attached  to  troops  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  unless  they  in- 
tend to  remain  and  reside  in  the  Territory  when  not  on  service,  nor 
will  you  include  any  Indians  or  persons  of  Indian  blood.  As  this  is 
an  enumeration  of  inhabitants  and  not  of  property,  you  will  enter  the 
name  of  no  man  by  reason  of  owning  or  claiming  land  here,  or  of  his 
intention  to  remain  here,  but  only  those  who  actually  dwell  here  at 
the  time  of  taking  the  census. 

In  noting  the  qualified  voters  you  must  ascertain  from  your  own 
observation,  and  the  best  information  you  can  procure,  who  are  en- 
titled to  be  thus  considered  and  designated.  A  qualified  voter  must 
be  free,  of  white  blood,  twenty-one  years  of  age,  an  actual  resident  of 
the  Territory,  dwelling  here  with  the  bonafide  intention  of  making  it 
his  home,  and  a  native  or  naturalized  citizen  of  the  United  States,  or 
a  declarant  who  has  sworn  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  and  the  act  organizing  the  Territory. 

As  it  may  become  necessary,  in  the  formation  of  representative  dis- 
tricts, to  divide  your  district,  it  will  be  well  to  preserve,  by  notes  in 
the  blank  pages,  some  information  as  to  the  number  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, with  reference  as  to  known  localities  and  natural  boundaries,vor 
at  least  so  as  to  take  the  enumeration,  that  you  may  communicate  to 
me  such  information  on  this  head  as  that  I  may  be  enabled  myself  to 
make  the  necessary  notes. 

You  will  also  make  a  separate  alphabetical  list  of  the  qualified 
voters  in  the  district  and  return  the  same  personally  to  me,  with  your 
enumeration  and  classification,  on  the  tenth  day  of  February  next, 
when  you  will  be  expected  to  take  the  oath  entered  at  the  end  of  this 
book. 

Issued  this  22d  day  of  January,  1855. 

A.  H.  REEDER, 
Governor  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas. 

W.  C.  BABCOCK,  Esq. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

FIRST  DISTRICT. 


List  of  voters  of  the  first  election  district  of  the  Territory^  of  Kansas, 
according  to  the  census  returns  taken  by  W.  C.  Babcock  in  the  months 
of  January  and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Massachusetts 

William  W   Hall 

do 

William  H   R   Sykins 

do 

Ohio  

John  P   Wood         

.  .  .d0   

...do  

Daniel  H   Brooks      

Massachusetts 

....do     

William  Ricker        .     . 

Samuel  N   Hartwell     ...... 

William  McReady 

do  

Orville  D.  Smith  

Ohio  

Silas  B.  Wayne  

....do  

George  W.Reid  

New  York  .... 

.do       .... 

.do     

Frederick  Kinff           .     ...    . 

New  York 

Otis  H    Lamb                 .... 

Ohio      .... 

do  

Massachusetts 

Clark  Tiffit           

Rhode  Island 

Frederick  Kimball       ... 

New  York... 

Samuel  Kimball     .    .  •     .  .  .  . 

Clark  Stephens     .....  ..... 

Francis  O  Tolles     

William  N  Baldwin     

Mathew  H    Spittle              . 

New  York 

....do  

Gerome  B.  Taft  

Massachusetts 

Stephen  J.  Willis  

....do.  ....... 

Samuel  S   Snyder      .  .  .... 

H4ram  C   Cavil      ....         . 

Ohio             .  .  . 

New  York  ... 

....do  

Hugh  Cammeron  »    .       ... 

Dist   Col 

Forester  Hill                          . 

New  Jersey  .  . 

do  

Wisconsin  .  .  . 

Charles  W.  Perril  

New  Ycrk  .  .  . 

Albert  D.  Searl  

Massachusetts 

Pennsylvania  . 

Hiram  Clark.  .....     ....... 

John  H    Daty 

Ohio             ... 

Eli  W    Bennett 

Charles  W.  Dorr  

Ohio        .  .  . 

Ohio  

William  S.  G   Soule  

Robert  G   Elliot 

D.  C.  Barrett  

Dist  Col 

Josiah  Miller 

William  O.  Wood  

Charles  F    Garrett 

Ohio     

A.  W.  Gleason  

Ohio  

.  do 

do     ...... 

Massachusetts 

Caleb  L   Pratt  

Massachusetts 

Pennsylvania 

New  York  .  .  . 

John  ft.  Miller  

Massach  usetts 

Mass?  chusetts 

Pennsylvania 

...do  

Phelix  P.  Fowler  

Vermont    .  f  .  . 

New  York  .  . 

Erastus  D   Ladd                .  .  .  . 

\Visconsin  ... 

Ellmore  Allen  

....do  

John  L   Mott 

Michigan  .  .  .  * 

do  

New  York  .  . 

...do  

Marshal  R   Miller 

Ohio     

New  York 

Minnesota 

H    D   Graves 

Massachusetts 

New  York.  .  . 

Ohio  

Henry  S    McClelland 

Pennsylvania 

Missouri  .... 

Charles  Stearns 

Massach  usetts 

John  C.  Archibald  

Massachusetts 

Edward  Fitch         

....do  

New  York... 

John  H   Wilder     

....do  

Robert  Buffum  

Massachusetts 

John  A.  Lowrey  .    ......... 

Ohio     

John  W.  Carlton  

do  

I  F.  W.  Kinkle  .  .  

Connecticut  .  • 

David  C.  Buffum  

.  .  .  .do  

Calvin  C  Kettle 

Edward  Clarke  

New  York  .  , 

Kentucky.  ... 

KANSAS    AFFAIRS, 
FIKST  DISTKICT— Continued. 


75 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Pennsylvania. 
New  York.... 
Ohio  

Louis  C   Wilworth  

Rhode  Island. 
Ohio  .  .  . 

John  F.  Taber  

Massachusetts 
Ohio 

Rufus  H.  \Vaterman.  ..... 

Massachusetts 

Missouri  
do.    . 

Ohio  

William  Yates  

New  York.  ..  , 
Massachusetts 
do  

Nathan  F   Herrick  

Alphonzo  Jone^  ............ 

Nathan  Herrick.  .  .  .  .  .  ... 

...do 

James  D  Poao°e  ......     . 

Missouri  ..... 
Massachusetts 
Wisconsin  .  .  . 
.    .  do 

Joseph  H    Pillsbury  

N.  Hampshire. 
Massachusetts 
N.  Hampshire 
Massachusetts 
do  

Leonard  G.  Higgins  
George  W.  Kent  

Sidney  B.  Dudly  .  <  

Increase  W'hitcomb 

Wilder  Bright  

Massachusetts 
Wisconsin.  .... 
Pennsylvania. 
Virginia  
.  .  .  .do  

Edward  F.  Knight  

William  Keller  

Massachusetts 
Vermont  
Connecticut  .  . 
New  York.... 
Massachusetts 
New  York.... 
...do  
....do...  

James  P.  Carol  ......... 

William  Carol  

Joshua  Puckett  ...... 

...  .do     . 

Henry  W.  Feck  

\Villiam  Mathews  ..... 

Illinois  . 

Jonathan  MAthews    » 

...do 

John  N   Powell  .    ... 

"William  Ketehingman  

William  Tipton  

do  

Henry  H   Carol 

Virginia  

Ohio  

William  Hale  

James  B  Abbott.  ........... 

Massachusetts 

Simartin  V   Harnsby 

Missouri  
.  .  .  .do.  .  . 

Ellis  Bond  

Philip  Cook  

Frederick  Spring  ...... 

Pennsylvania. 
...  do 

William  R   Lee  

New  York.... 
do  

John  Anderson  ...... 

...do 

Thomas  Anderson 

.    .  do 

....do  

Hamer  Hayes 

Robert  Banks  

Massachusetts 
Wisconsin  .  .  . 

Samuel  Anderson 

do 

Michael  R.  Albin  

Thomas  S.  Garvin  

....do  

Robert  Garvin  

....do  

Connecticut  .  . 
Massachusetts 
....do  

Flemmon  Bridges  ...... 

...  .do 

Elijah  Purdom    

Missouri  .  .  .  .  • 

Kentucky.  ... 
Iowa 

Stafford  J  Pratt  

Thomas  Murray     .       ...... 

Missouri  ..... 

David  S   Wallner 

Daniel  P.  Hadley  

N.  Hampshire 
Ohio  

....do  

Alfred  J.  Payne  

Samuel  S  Hanan 

do 

Edward  Winslow  

Massachusetts 
do  

^^illiam  Bridges 

Samuel  Johnson  

David  Burton  

Missouri  

Ailulis  B  Wade  

Missouri  
do  

Clarkson  M.  Wallace  

William  H.  Oliver  

Daniel  Sayer  

Pennsylvania. 

John  G   McClelland 

Missouri  
Pennsylvania. 
.  •  do             .  . 

Robert  McFarland 

John  H.  Dean  

Massachusetts 
Pennsylvania  . 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
.  .  .  .do   .  .  •  .    . 

John  McFarland 

Zeno  B.  Page  

Thomas  McFarland 

do           ... 

John  F.  Wilson  

Isom  E   Taylor 

John  S.  Hopper.  

Jurdon  Neil 

do         ... 

Simon  Hopper  

....do  

Benjamin  F.  Hopper  

do  

John  A.  Chaflers  

Iowa  
....do  

David  R.  Hopper  

do  

Napoleon  D.  Stuart  

Missouri  

.  ...do..'  

Kentucky  .... 
Massachusetts 
....do  
Vermont  
Pennsylvania. 
Vermont  
N.  Hampshire 
Missouri  
Minnesota  .. 

Missouri  
New  York  .  .  . 
....do  
Missouri  
....do  

Levy  Gates,  jr  

Ranson  Colkin.  

Anson  H.  Mallory  
Ira  M.  Jones  

Jeremiah  Spencer  

John  H.  Fernan     .... 

George  H   Hutchinson 

do  

Simon  Cook  

do  

James  A.  Davidson  

William  Lyon  
Newman  Garwood  

Ohio  
....do  

C.  W.Babcock.., 

KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
FIRST  DISTRICT— Continued. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Ohio  

Missouri  
Pennsylvania  . 
do 

Pennsylvania 
Illinois  ..... 

T^rprlp-irk  Roff 

Henry  Eberhart 

Thomas  B   Wells  

New  York  .  . 
Massachusetts 
Missouri  
....do  

do  

\Villard  Coulborn        •  •  • 

James  H   Reed     .    .     ..... 

Missouri  
....do  

Benjamin  F    McDonnel  ... 

....do. 

Indiana  
Missouri  
do  

....do. 

Thomas  J   Farrell   •••  .  .  .  «  . 

Alexander  Sebastion  
Robert  \Vilkinson.  ..... 

.  .  .  .do  

Illinois 

A   E   Colman        ....... 

Massachusetts 
....do  

John  Morehead  ........... 

Iowa  ... 

William  Turner  

Illinois  
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Illinois 

Missouri  
....do  

Jackson  Sellers  

do  

David  Mencham  

Ohio 

do  

Edward  B    Johnston    .... 

Illinois 

do  

Job  Vanwinkle  ............ 

....do  . 

William  H  Eao-on.    ....... 

Ohio  , 

Fitzhugh  Collins  

Charles  Link      ........    .. 

Illinois 

Missouri  
..t.do  
Indiana  

Thomas  D.  Waller  

Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Massachusetts 
...  do   .  . 

Napoleon  B.  Blarston  

Thomas  J   Stone  .... 

Missouri  
do  

do  

William  Whitlock  

do  

Indiana      ... 

...  .do 

Joseph  Hutchinson  ...4..... 

Illinois  
.  .  .  .do  

Missouri  
Ohio      .    .. 

do  

John  Hutchinson  
James  Whitlock  

Maine  
...do  

Hugh  Pettingill  

Phillip  T  Hupp 

Thomas  B    Smith 

Connecticut  .  . 

...do  

New  York  ... 
Ohio  

...do  

Ezekiel  Beirus  

N.  Hampshire 
Massachusetts 
Missouri  
Pennsylvania. 
Mississippi  .  .  . 
Virginia  
Ohio  

do  

Robert  J   Wolfe  

Missouri  
do  

Allen  B.  H.  McGee  

New  York  .  .  . 
Pennsylvania. 
Massachusetts 
Ohio  

James  Sullivan  
James  A.  Jackson  

Samuel  G   Johnson  

Albert  F    Breeder  

Sylvester  H    Davis  ...» 

Missouri  ...  .  .  . 
do  

...do  

Rice  Mattingly.  

James  W.  Elserr  

Virginia  

Thomas  McBee  

Kentucky.  .  .  . 

Cuthburt  McBee  

John  O.  Talbot  

...do  

do  

...do  

William  Curry  

do  

Kentucky  .... 
Ohio  

Charles  M.  White  

Indiana  .  ..... 

John  H    Lewis  

Missouri  ..... 

John  S    Perkival  

...do  

Indiana  .  ..... 

Massachusetts 

Joshua  Cummins.  .......... 

Missouri  

Pennsylvania. 

...do  

William  Wallace  

...do  

Missouri  
Ohio  

Ohio  

Missouri  

Vermont  
Massachusetts 
Ohio  .... 

Massachusetts 
Missouri 

Pennsylvania. 
Missouri  
Pennsylvania. 
Wisconsin  .  .  . 
Missouri  
....do  
.  .  .  .do.  ....... 
....do  

Tohn  Fry  
H   A.  Hancock  

James  M    Still  

...do  

Massachusetts 
...do  

Harrison  Budily  
Thomas  Bruze  

...do  

I 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

SECOND  DISTMCT. 


77 


List  of  voters  of  the  second  election  district  of  Kansas  Territory,  ac^ord- 
ing  to  the  census  returns  taken  ~by  0.  H.  Browne  in  the  months  of 
January  and  February,  A.  D.  1855. 


Paris  Ellison. 
Absolom 
Georore  W. 


Levi< 

M.  Somers, 

Henry  White 

B.  Callaghan, 
Edwin  Marc, 
Claude  M. 
Joseph  A. 
George  W 
Rufus  P. 

C.  R.  Hillinan 
William 
Fleming 
Willis  £ 
John  M. 
Augusta 
Beverly 
Richard 


John  Hockler. 
Tipton  Robins^ 
David  Dickey, 
James  H.  Har 
W.  W.  Rand( 
Ephraim  Conn 
William  W.  H 
Henry  Muzzey 
Charles  Smith 
William  Hood 
F.  A.  Bailey, 
Henry  H.  Co: 
Francis  Bark' 
Mathew  Hall 
John  Hall 
James  Turner. 
Samuel  Jones 
Green  Swezer. 
Joseph  Vance. 
Milon  Groub, 
F.  A.  Muzzy. 
F.  C.  Muzzey. 
Owen  Taylor 
John  A.  Wak 
Nicholas  Sny< 
H.  S.  McClei: 
David  Conner. 


F.  E.  Lahav  , 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri    .... 

Ohio              . 

Albert  Yates  

Missouri  ..... 

do  

M 

do 

James  M    Dunn  

IS. 

do        ... 

do 

lite 

George  W    Ward  

New  York  .  .  . 

Michier        ...... 

Virginia  

Carlos  Hall  

Ohio  

Smith         

.  .  .  .do  

Massachusetts 

r   Clarke    

Arkansas  .... 

Missouri  ..... 

[>0ke  

....do  

....do  

Pennsylvania 

Tennessee     .  . 

)aneer       ........ 

Illinois  .  .  .... 

.  .  .  .do  

latton  ........    .. 

Missouri  ..... 

G.  W   Riddle  

.  ..  do...... 

Warder  

....do  

New  York 

....do  

John  W.  Chamberlin    

Smith 

....do  

J    S.  Parker  ....     »  

Kentucky  .  * 

....do  

William  K   Ruddall  

liller 

R.  W.  Custard  

Kentucky  .  .  . 

A.  J.  Custard  

Iowa  

William  M.  Harper  

Missouri  .  .  .  .  . 

&      :  

Missouri.  .... 

....do  

D.  H.  Heindricks  

....do  

kler  

....do  

....do  

....do  

William  Jacket  

....do  

....do  

Nathaniel  S.  Ramsey  ....... 

....do  

andolph   .  .       «  •  •  . 

...do     

....do  

1  llinois       .... 

....do  , 

/   Hall 

Massachusetts 

William  H   Wood  

Iowa     

...  .do     .... 

Henry  C.  Alderman  ........ 

Illinois       .  .  .  . 

nith         ...    » 

...  do     ... 

Massachusetts 

lood  

do  

ev 

Albin       

Massachusetts 

Andrew  White  

Missouri  ..... 

[all  

New  York  .  .  . 

James  S.  White  

....do  

do  

Absolem  White  

....do  

Missouri  ..... 

E.  G.  Macey  

Ohio  

....do  

John  Wilter  

do  

....do  

ince.  

....do  

....do  

>ub  

Massachusetts 

Isaac  Davis  ............... 

^zv 

do  

Jonathan  C   Cosebier        .... 

do  

Missouri  

lor  .  .  .  .  .  •      . 

...  do  

....do  

Vakefield    jr     ... 

....do  

«$nyder  .    .  . 

"lelland 

do  

...do  

Missouri  •  •  •  •  • 

William  M   Davis  

...do  

enry  

Ohio  

George  W.  Brians  
A   B   Collett 

...do  
...do  

Missouri  

John  F.  Russell  *  •  • 

...do.  

,..do.  .. 

William  H.  Russell  

...do  

Fields  Bledsoe  

...do  

78 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

SECOND  DISTBICT— Continued. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

•-..  j 

Where  from. 

Missouri  .  .  .  .  . 

Mrssouri  ..... 

Kentucky  ... 

..  .do  

William  11    May  

New  York.  .  .  . 

Massachusetts 

...do  

do  

Missouri  ..... 

.do         .... 

Moses  McCall     

...do  

Tennessee 

R   W'   Dummer.  ........... 

Illinois       .  •  .  . 

Missouri  

Caleb  Cotrell  

do  

.do     .... 

John  G   McClanaha^i  ...... 

..  do  

....do   

.  do  

Westley  Garrett     

..do     .     ... 

Kentucky.  .  .  . 

William  Shirley  

do  

do  

J  S    Bacon             .......... 

Missouri    .... 

..do       .... 

John  O   Talbot  

do.  

....do  

Tennessee  .  .  . 

....do  

John  O   Talbot                 • 

Ohio       

.do  

Tennessee  .  .  . 

Endiott  

do  

Missouri  ..... 

E   H.Hastings  

Pennsylvaria  . 

L   M  Oliver  

Tennessee  .  .  •  < 

Virginia  ..... 

Ohio  

Georgia  ..... 

....do  

New  Mexico.  . 

Wm   C.  Roberts  

Arkansas  .... 

James  W  Elred  

Kentucky  .  .  .  . 

John  H   Roberts  

....do  

W   H   Blackburn  

....do  

Joel  Montgomery     ......... 

Missouri  ..... 

Emily  Cline   

Thomas  Husley    ........... 

....do  

Missouri  ..... 

Lafayette  Barret     

...do  

....do  

Henry  A    Callue     ...     .  .  .  . 

...do  

....do  

S    J  Wafal  

....do  

A   Roderique  

Pennsylvania  . 

G  W   Garss    

....do  

Virginia  .  .  .  .  • 

Evan  Todhunter  .  .  .  .  .     .  .  .  . 

...do  

L  W    Hendricks  

Arkansas  ...» 

John  Todhunter.  ........... 

...do  

James  R.  Davis  

Missouri  ..... 

Valentine  Todhunter  
Samuel  Hufaker.  .......... 

do  
....do  

A.  J.  Buck  

Peter  Wendell   

....do  
....do  

Martin  Palmer    

....do  

..,.do  

James  Williams  ............ 

....do  

....do  

"William  Douglas  

...  .do.  ...... 

O  H  Browne  

....do  

Thomas  Todhunter  

....do.  

i  -     - 

List  of  settlers  on  the  Kansas  Jialf -breed  lands  opposite  Douglas 
as  enumerated  by  0.  H.  Browne. 


Names. 


Alexander  Bayne  . 

A.  J.  Smith 

William  F.  Bayne. 
S.  H.  Plummer... 
Dudley  Foley 
James  Scairgs 
Thomas  Scaggs.. . 


Names. 


Harvey  Miller. . . , 
George  Gray 
Dudley  Plummer  , 
Jonathan  Smoot. . 
George  Williams. 
Samuel  P.  Jilton.. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

THIBD  DISTRICT. 


79 


List  of  voters  of  the  third  election  district  of  the 
according  to  the  census  returns  made  by  JFhornton 


oj  Kansas , 
W.  Hays,  esq., 
taken  during  the  months  of  January  and  February }  A.  D.  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

W  C  Pickeral     

Ohio      .  . 

Kentucky.  .  .  . 
New  York  .  .  . 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Virginia  
England  
Ohio  

Massachusetts 
do 

C.  O    Nicholas..,  

Pennsylvania. 
Missouri  
Pennsylvania  . 
Tennessee  .  .  . 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Missouri  
New  York  .  .  . 
Germany  .... 
Missouri  ..... 

William  A.  M.  Vaughan.  .  .  . 

William  Godard  

Duke  W   Hunter  

Missouri  
Ohio  

J   R    Warren  

New  York  .  .  . 
Kentucky.  ... 
Virginia  ..... 

Francis  Grassmuck  

William  R   Boggs  

Germany  .... 
Indiana  ...... 

Jerome  TV  Boles  

Massachusetts 
Pennsylvania  . 
Virginia  ..... 

J   P  C    Bouche     ,. 

Missouri  ..... 

....do  

Kentucky.  .  .  . 
.  .  .  .do  

Ohio  

Massachusetts 
Maryland  .... 
Ohio  

Virginia    .... 

W   A    Sublett  

do   ....... 

M   J   Mitchell      

William  D   Owen                 . 

Kentucky  .... 
Ohio      .        .  . 

Virginia  
Illinois  .....  i 

F    A   Wentworth         . 

Virginia  
Georgia  
Alabama  
....do  

R   A.Edwards  

do  

do  

A.  P.  Turner  

William  H  Turner  

Belbord  Gilbert  

William  Matney,  jr  

Virginia  

C   K    Holladay  

Pennsylvania  . 
Connecticut  .  . 
England  .  .  .  .  . 

Peter  N    Main    

Solomon  Coker       .......... 

Missouri  
Michigan  .... 

W   C  Liniker      

William  A.  Simmerville  .  .  .  . 

E  Chase  

Massachusetts 
Maine    .....  i 

Edwin  S  Dereter  

Linsus  T"   Cook      .... 

Missouri  ..... 

H.  B.  Burgess  

New  York  .  .  . 

Tennessee.  .  .  . 
Pennsylvania  . 
Indiana  ...... 

John  All              

Abel  Hatwell          

Massachusetts 
Ohio 

William  Dailey 

J    Tegart         .  .               .... 

Ohio    

H.  L.  Roat  

Massachusetts 

Virginia  
Tennessee  .... 
Missouri  
....do  

Charles  V.  Gray  

Alfred  Byler  

T.  J.  Case  

Pennsylvania. 
N.  Hampshire 
Massachusetts 
Maine  
N.  Hampshire 
....do  
Pennsylvania  . 

John  Taylin  ............... 

Peter  Croco.  ........... 

Ohio  

Thomas  G   Thornton  ....... 

H   N  Watts  

T  J  Wells     

Pennsylvania  . 

Milton  C.  Dickey  

H   J   Strickler 

Virginia  
Illinois  

A.  A.  Ward  

S.  A.  Clark  

N.  Hampshire 
Vermont  

S   W   Hays 

Kentucky.  .  .  . 

Phillip  Briggs.  ............. 

80 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


FOURTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  of  the  fourth  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas, 
according  to  census  returns  made  by  C.  B.  Donaldson,  taken  during 
the  months  of  January  and  February,  1855. 


Names.                      Where  from 

Names. 

Where  from. 

W   S   Ewart  

Ohio       .          . 

A   F   Powell     

Tennessee  .  .  . 

D.  Pultz  
J   B   Davis  

Georgia  

E.  H.  Bagsinger  do  

D.  J.  Keser  
G  Y    Keser  

....do     

Mississippi  .  .  . 
Missouri  

.  .  .do       

J    D    Skidmore  

.  .  .do     

A   B   Gilliland  

W   M   Haris  

.  .  .  .do     

J    F   Javens  

...  .do     

A   J   Miller  

p   Fuller  

Illinois       .... 

j    s   Edie      

....do  

....do  

J  C   Hughes  

Missouri  
....do  
...do       

A   F   L   Bisbee  

New  York  .  .  . 

C.  Clark  

W    Moore  

Indiana  ...... 

Y    Doty     

Illinois     ..... 

H    Moore  

..do   

F  Barnes  ................. 

Missouri      ... 

„    Willson   

New  York  .  .  . 
Illinois  
...do  

M  Carter  

.  .  .do       

"      Mayfield  

A.  Dale  

A   C  Tomberlin    

....do  

Illinois       .... 

C    Mayfield  

p,  Young  ........   

Virginia  
Indiana  ...... 

A.  Dean  
A  Williams   

Pennsylvania. 
Missouri    .... 

J.  Chapman   .  .  .   .  .  . 

A   Hannah  ....   

...do   

Y  Veach  

Ohio  

Missouri  

Arkansas  .  .  .  . 

FIFTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  of  the  fifth  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  according 
to  the  census  returns  taken  by  William  Barbee,  in  tJie  montlis  of  Jan- 
uary and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

;  Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

•   Missouri 

David  Casteel 

Missouri    .... 

"W^m    Landen.  ..4.......    .  . 

•  .  .  •  •  .do.  .  .  .  .  . 

Thos    Heath 

do  

Abram  Medlin  
Wm   Medlin  

.......  .do.  ..... 

Alexander  James  

do  

do 

Wilson  Medlin  

.'  do  

do     .... 

Rob't  Brady  

......  .do.  ..... 

do  

Francis  Marion  
Benj.  Ford  

3  do  

G.  R.  Sands  

do  
Arkansas  

David  C  Finley  

•I  Tennessee     . 

G   B   Donell 

.1  Missouri  ..... 

Thos    Donell 

do 

,  .  .do.  .  , 

do     .  .  .  . 

,|  do  

Hiram  Beckett 

Sam'l  Dillon....  

.j  do  

James  Lucenson  
John  H.  Tate  

do  
J  do  

Wm.  J.  Hensley  
Jas.  Walker   

do.  .  .  .  •  . 
do  

Wm.  Turner  ,  

J  do  

Sam'l  Nichols  

do  

Middleton  Hensley  

,..do  

KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

FIFTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


81 


Names. 


Etnbrey  Nelson  . . . 

Levi  Ward 

Wyley  A  kins...., 

Charles  Polk 

Thos.  Puliv 

Sam'l  Brmvri 

gam'l  Stanton 
John  Bordennast.. 

Jas.  Roberts 

Jas.  W.  Ciirmon. .. 

Andrew  Tyl^r 

Fineas  T.  Glover 

Evan  Evans 

Jos.  Adams 

Solomon  Adams. . . 


Thos.  Sears 


Andrew  Owens 

Wm.  Park 

D.  F.  Park 

Sam  '1  Covey 

John  Esteps 

Isaac  Clunk 

David  Bunch 

Ambers  Reslly 

Benj.  F.  Ford 

Benj.   F.  Thompson 

Carhaven  Taggt-nt 

Josiah   P.  Ford 

Hugh  L.  W.  Reagan 

Jno.  H nd lesion • 

j  Thos.  Reason 

1  Hiram  Hondeshell 

I  Caleb  W.  Hargis 

j  John  W.  Jameso 

I  Henry  Eidson 

j  Garret  J.  W.  Holland 

[Nathan  L    Lamarr 

'John  W.  Elliott 

|  Jas.  Lamarr 

I  Jas.  G.  Ray 

jWm.  Doolin 

jChas   Wagoner 

jHenry  Miller 

jGeo.  T.  ^tein 

|Jos.  Montgomery 

jAdam  Pooro 

(Allen  Strwait, 

John  R.  Driskell  .. 


JTIios.  J.  Duncan 

William  Hobsnn 

J Hardin  Coodall 

[E.  H.  Hntchings 

f  Jackson  Long 

Harrison  Smith 

|Wm.  R.  Perry 

Vm.  Pike 

aa.  Winchester 

iVm.  Roger 

onts  Alexander 

as.  B.  Roach 

liften  Eliis 

ohn   A.  Wj.kefidd 

V.  B.  Wi!!inms 

iicholas  Xisino-er 


Where  from. 


Missouri 

Illinois 

do 

Missouri 

do 

do 

do 

Illinois 

Missouri 

do 

do 

do 

Kentucky. . .. 

do 

Missouri 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Tennessee  .  . . 

do 

do 

do 

Illinois 

do 

do 

Missouii 

do 

do 

Illinois 

Tennessee  .  . . 

Missouri 

Tennessee  .  . . 

Missouri 

do 

do 

Texas 

Missouri 

S.  Carolina. . . 

Iowa 

Missouri 

do 


H.  Rep.  200 8* 


do 

Illinois 

. . . . .  .do 

do 

Missouri 

do 

Illinois 

do 

do 

do 

Iowa  or  Mo  . . 

Missouri 

do 

Illinois 

Missouri 

do 


Names. 


Where  from. 


Aaron  Thompson Kentucky. 

Barry  Richardson Mis  ouri .  , 

Jasper  Dingen do. . . . 

Joseph  Oshen Illinois  . . . 

isiac  Stollon ' do 

William  Murray Missouri  . 

Joseph  Howard |. , .  .do 

Zacharia  Roe 
Benjamin  Bunch, 
Leandtr  Fawts. 
Elisha  Tucker. 
John  E.  Brown 
Robert  Hargrave, 
Reuben  E. 
Henry  Lilt   ., 

Jonah  Daniel .do. 

Reuben  Daniel.... Illinois 

William  Daniel ..'....do.. 


.  .  .  .do     

ts  

do  

do  

do  

...do... 

Missouri  . 
Illinois  . . 
Maryland 
. .  .do. . , 


John  Steel 

John  Broils .... 
John  Robinson.. 
Korgus  (Jraham. 

John   Dnnigan j  Missouri  . 

Moses  Dunigan '. . .  .do. . . . 

Joseph  Gasaway '...  do.... 

fngram  Lusk '. . .  .do. 

William  Moore ' do 

William  Field '. . .  .do 

Mr.  Hill |....do.... 

John  Par j. . .  .do. . . . 

Brisco  Davis .do. .. . , 

David  Dehonev '. . .  .do. . . . , 

Hickmnn  Smith. 
Rerij;irniri  Crabtree 
Joseph  Sandrrs. 
William  Cash. 
James  Fox  ... 

D.  S.  Raffan ' do 

Lewis  I  lliott j. . .  .do... . 

William  Driskell do 

George  Mallox .do. 

Clahron  Burnett I. . .  .do. . . ., 

L.  M.  Love '....do 

Richard   Graves |. . .  .dr.. . ., 

.ToRoph  Eveihart .....!...  .do. 

William  ^parkman '. . .  .do 

William  Goodwin '. . .  .do 

Henry  McKinney j. . .  .do 

James  Dudley .do. . . . 

Lewis  Thomas..,  ...'....do 


ree  

iViiss  uri  .  .  .  . 

Illinois  .... 

do  ----- 

do..  .  ., 
Jo  ..... 


John  Wikle 

u  illiam  Surman 

William  "  tephens  ......  . 

William  Ring  ....  .........  [.  .  .  .do. 

Alfred  Smith!  ..............  ...  -do. 

Josiah  Daniels  ...........  •<!...  -do 

Joseph  E.  Walking  .........  ...  -do 

Robert  M.  Daniels  .........  ----  do 

Jesse  "-pars  ................  ...  do 

Jnmes  Daniel  ..............  ...  .do 

"  Robert  Rose  Braugh"  ----  ----  ^ 

William  Skidwell  ..........  .  •  •  -do 

William  T.  Kirk...'.  .......  ....do 

Robert  Cottle  ..............  j  Kentucky 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
FIFTH  DISTKICT— Continued. 


Names. 


Where  from. 


Names. 


Where  from. 


William  Kiel 

Henderson  Rice 

John  Shoemaker 

Mahlon  Morris 

William  S.  Furguson 

James  Grant 

John  T.  Grant 

James  W .  Greer 

John  G.  Morse 

Peter  Cams 

William  Sherman 

Henry  Sherman 

Jonathan  Wightman 

Peter  fehearman 

Freeman  Auston 

Adam  Carnes 

Joseph  W.  Morey 

Joseph  H.  Morey 

Allen  Wilkerson.  . 

Dennis  VV  est 

Elder  Barnolly.... 
Richard  Golden. . . 
Washington  Jones 
Theodore  Jones. .. 
George  Patridge  . . 

M.  Patridge 

Thomas  Stolen. ... 
Robert  R.  Stergeon 

Robert  Long 

Francis  Myers.  . .. 

Valentine  Ganarva 

Jonathan  S.  Huff. 

John  V1-  itzong 

Peter  Johnston 

Joseph  W.  Grass 

W.  A.Baxter 

John  A.  Eberhart 

Jeremiah  Buffington 

Albert  Woodson 

Chester  G.  Grant 

Samuel  H   Houser 

James  W.  Houser 

Andrew  B.  Jackson 

Curtis  Jackson 

Edwin  Fairbrother 

John  Carr 

Joseph  Stotts 

John  Lerpel 

Thomas  Hitchens 

Robert  A.  Toby 

James  D.  Swift 

Noah  W.  Round 

Lewis  .1.  Wilson 

John  Rose 

William  C  Melvin 

William  Chesnut 

Morgan  Crokhyte 

George  Ferris 

William  Childers 

James  L.  Childers 

George  Bradbury 

William  Gadling 

John  Tro 
William 


Illinois 

....do 

Holland.  ... 

Ohio 

Virginia.  . . . 
New  York  . . 

...do 

Missouri 
...do 


Ohio 

...do 

. .  .do. . , 


Virginia  .... 

...do 

Pennsylvania 

Ohio 

New  York  . . 

...do 

Tennessee  .  . 
, .  .do. . , 


Missouri  . . 

...do 

Iowa 

New  York. 

Wisconsin 

...do 


Missouri 
Virginia  . 
Missouri 


...do 

...do 

...do.. 


. . .do. . 
Illinois 
...do.. 


Indiana  .  . . 
Illinois 
Missouri.  . . 
Vermont. . . 
Ohio  .. 


.do. 


Indiana  .  . . 
. .  .do 

New  York. 
...do.. 


Indiana  . . . 
New  York 
...do.. 


...do 

...do 

Indiana. . . . 

...do 

...do.. 


...do 

Connecticut 
New  York  . , 
...do... 


Missouri  . , . 

...do , 

...do 

...do 

Iowa , 

Indiana. . . . , 


John  Vanhorn <  Missouri.. 

H.  Endricks .!  Jowa  . . 


...do. 
Ohio  . 
Iowa  . 
do. 


Samuel  Glen 
John  Freeburt . . 

Eli  Miller 

Thomas  Hurnon 

M.  Wood I  Illinois  . . . 

O.  C.  Brown New  York 

John  Whirl Illinois  . . . 

James  Goodwin j  Ohio 

David  Hall I  Iowa  . . 


John  Manes 

James  Scott 

John  Bradbury 

James  Bradbury 


Illinois  ... 
Indiana. . . 
Missouri. . , 
....do.. 


Iowa 

...do 

Indiana. . . 

...do 

...do 

Missouri.. 


Porter  Glen 
Jesse  Glen 

Cyrus  Shaw 

Noel  Shaw 
Hiram  Hanes .... 
Josiah  H.  Damson 

Benjamin  C.  Adkins do 

James  Adkins j . . .  .do 

Bloomer  White do 

Thomas  McAboys do 

William^H.  Findley |  Tennessee 

Missouri. . 

-...do 

....do 

vichigan  . 

Texas 

Illinois  .. 


Henry  Gillespie 

Henry  D.  Parsons 

James  Parson 

James  H.  Burkhardt 

Bandan  Cordam 

Asher  P.  Wyckoff. 

Fenton  M.  Bagley 

James  Walker 

Henry  Younger 

John  Hilton 

John  Evans 

M ilton  Hampton 

Thomas  H.  Brown 

C.  S.  Fleming 


John  D.  Fleming 

David  P.  Fleming 

Samuel  Fleming 


Missouri. . 
. . .  .do 


. . .  .do 

....do , 

....do.., 


James  Fleming .do 


James  W.  Cox 

Francis  Lahardie 

James  W.  Fehee 

B.  B.  Taylor 

Joseph  Brian 

William  Brian 

Robert  Brian 

William  H.  Stanford  .. 


Ephraim  Kincaide 

Joseph  Hogans 

Joseph  W.  Gayhart 


.do 

Michigan  . 
. . .  .do 

Ohio 

Kentucky. , 

....do , 

....do , 

Missouri  .. 

....do , 

.  ..do , 

Indiana. . . . 


Barnet  Hall {  Missouri  . . 

Thomas  Wilburn .do. . .  .* 

William  Ferrill Kentucky. 

William  Snider do. . . .. 

George  R.  Yocum do 

G.  Dunn do , 

John  Yocum do , 

Andrew  Gary do 

Madison  Marshal do 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

FIFTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


83 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Kentucky  .... 
New  York... 
Missouri  .... 
Georgia  .... 
Tennessee  .  .  . 
Missouri  

Missouri  
Indiana  

Hiram  T    I'haroe 

William  Mobley  

II   S    Rindall 

Missouri  
Indiana   

Missouri 

O   F    Cleveland                     • 

Peter  J.  Potts  

John  H   Arbuckee.  ........ 

Alfrprl    T  qw 

....do 

do  

William  A.  Haskel  

Virginia  
Missouri  
Michigan  .  .  .  . 

B  H    Ames       • 

Missouri  

Calvin  Randall           .  .          • 

....do  

Benazh.  B.  Campbell  

S   M    Hayes 

William  Clark  

John  H    Whistler  

do  

Missouri  
...  .do 

Robert  A    Ring    

John  A.  Hix  

Pennsylvania. 
Iowa  '. 

..  do 

John  B   Scott           . 

Stephen  White  

do 

John  W  .  Vickery  

....do  

Missouri  

...  .do 

do 

Frederick  Croxcull    ....... 

do 

.  ...do  

Peter  J.  Potts  

do 

J.  M.  Train  

Ohio  

do 

Missouri  
.  ...do  

1  homas  Cummings  

Rii.»      Island, 
do 

William  Jdcob  

...do  

Joseph  E.  Tindall  
Marcus  Gill  

Missouri  
.  .  do 

do  

Philip  ti.nl  

do  

Lott  Coffman  

do 

Massachusetts 
Virginia  ..... 

J.  W.  Parks  

do 

Dudley  G-  Hansbrough..  .. 
William  H.  Findley  

Michigan  .... 
do  

Missouri 

P.C.Poole  
H.  Z.  Turnnel  

Missouri  
Tennessee.  .  .  . 
N.  Carolina  .  . 

Francis  J   Ao°new      •  •  • 

dn 

William  Jackson  •  •  .  . 

..  do 

G.  H.  Gordon  

.  ...do  

M.  B.  Lankford  

...do  

Missouri  
do 

Kentucky.  .  .  . 

..  do 

B.  A   Dysdale  

...do  

do 

.  ...do.... 

Tennessee  .... 
...d.  

...  .do     . 

Henry  France.  ........      .. 

..  do 

New  York.... 
M  n  i  n  e  ....... 

do  

R   A    Barnett  

Joseph  B    GooUw  in 

do 

Tennessee  .... 

.  .  .  .do 

Francis  P.  Levine  

Connecticut  .  . 

John  H.  Cleaton  

do 

Robert  Freaks.  ..... 

do 

John  C.  Clark  

Indiana  ...... 

Perry  Freaks     ..... 

do 

John  W   Walker  

Iowa  .......> 

\Villiam  Hunt 

do 

lohn  W.  Freaks  

..do 

...do  

tVilliam  Shufars  ...... 

do 

Pennsylvania  . 
Illinois  ...... 

Robert  E   Spotwood 

do 

B   G.  Steel  

do 

Massachusetts 
Vermont  
Wisconsin  .  .  . 
Ohio  

William  Wires       .... 

do 

Jacob  Hicklin.  

New  York  ... 
Virginia  ..... 
Missouri  
do  

Cleveland  Scott  
W.  C.  Barns  

"William  Thomas         *  •  • 

Tennessee.  ..  . 
Missouri  
New  York.... 

Marion  P.  Jackson  
^ohn  M.  Keeton  
Samuel  L.  Ring  
Champion  Reesley  
Villiam  S.  Gregory  

...do  
...do  
...do  
...do  
.  •  .do.  ....... 

Eli  Moore  

Richard  D.  Richard  ville  

New  York.... 

84 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
FIFTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


Names.. 

Where  from 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri  

'  Samuel  Wade  

Missouri  

do  

...  do  

do  

do  

.  .  .do  

.  do   

Hdi  u  mid  Li   Tryjjle 

John  R  McDaniel  

do  

do   

SIXTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  of  the  sixth  district  of  1he  Territory  of  Kansas,  according 
to  the  census  returns  taken  by  William  Barbee  in  the  months  of  Janu- 
ary and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from 

Names 

Where  from. 

Michael  McCann  ......... 

Maine          .  .  . 

.  .  .  .do  

do  

.  ..  do   

Noali  W    Bennett  

....do  

Hir   T    Wilson 

do 

do 

Thomas  B    Aniott 

do 

Nathan  Arnctt  ...........    . 

do     . 

William  M:ir<>rave  

.  .  .do       

do 

^Viiliam  Watkins  .......... 

Kentucky    .  .  • 

.  ...do  

F    Deivent  

do  

..  do  

Tennessee  ... 

Ohio  

Philander  S.  Moore  

Missouri  .  .  .  .  . 

William  Griffith  

Pen  n*sy  1  va  n  i  a 

Jefferson  Coapstan.  

David  Gathey  

.  .  do  

Ernory  B.  Cook  

....do  
Missouri  .  .  .  .  * 

G.  J.  Endicott  

Missouri  
do 

A.   Ward  
^Villi'im  E'inin  ............. 

Illinois  
...  do     

John  Hix  

do 

Rir-hard  Beth  

Pennsylvania 

.  ...do  

do  

....do  

Tennessee  .  .  . 

....do  

do  

....do  

.  .  do  

do  

.  .  .do     .... 

do  

Reuben  Fleetwood  

.     do         ... 

New  York  ... 

Missouri  .  .  .  .  . 

do 

do  

do 

do  

John  A.  Bai  bee  .......      . 

do 

Henry  Smirik    

New  York    .  . 

....do  

Charles  Mitchell  

Missouri  

do 

do   

Charles  Heard  

do     ... 

Toel  Catbinor     ...    . 

Lewis  Broils  

Benjamin  F.  Wilkerson  
John  B   Smith    

do  
do  

do 

J.  C.  Anderson  
James  Waldron  
John  R   Wood       

New  York  ... 
Ohio  ........ 
Tennessee 

do 

Geo   ^V   ReHnick  ......... 

do 

Robert  T    Reding  

Iowa        .  .  .  •  • 

do 

George  Rocker  ............. 

do       

Wyle  Patterson 

A   H    Horton 

do 

Ch'i  rles  Mi  la  m      ........    . 

John  A    Mc'^oy  ........... 

Daniel  F.  Uuckhart  

Ohio  

Kentucky  .... 

Missouri  .  .  .  .  • 

Virginia  .  , 

Samuel  S.  Gilmore.  .  ....... 

....do  

KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
SIXTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


85 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Ohio          .... 

John  1  ivas  

Indiana  

Jackson  Fields  

.  ...do  

Missouri  
Illinois  
....do  

David  Ward  

do  

Robert  W.  Getrcal  

do  

James  Smith   .  .              • 

do  

do  

Joseph  Smith  

do 

Francis  Twombly  

Missouri  

Michigan  .  .  .  • 
Missouri  

do 

Charles  Stt  phen     .  •  .  . 

Missouri  

Canada  ...... 

D;uiiel  B   James  *•«• 

do 

Ohio  

Solomon  Spears  .  .  .  •  . 

do 

....do  

....do  

John  Wakefield  

do  .    .     . 

..  do  

Illinois           .  r 

do  

do  

Benjamin   Fawbush 

do 

do  

Charles  Smith  

Missouri  .  .  .  .  , 

Missouri  

....do     

...do  

...  .do     

John  B   Fleming  .......   . 

Indiana  
.  .  .<)0   

(Jeorge  Wiikefield  
William  Morgan     ...        . 

....do  
do 

James  H    F  leming.  ..... 

do  

.  ...do  , 

New  York  .  .  . 
Maryland  .... 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Arkansas  .... 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Missouri 

Thomas  Or-burn  

....do  
Tennessee  ... 
Missouii  
Indiana, 

Thonvis  Dorland  .......... 

Janie**  Andrian   .......    ... 

John  Fleener  

Aram  Shapevveather        . 

lames  Fleener  ........ 

do 

Peter  Welch   

John  \VVston  ...... 

Samuel  Nelson  

Geoigia  
Missouri  
Geo   and  Mo. 
Ind.  Ter  
Georgia  

do  

Tennessee  .  .  . 
Missouri  
do  

Ira  Gii  thered  

John  Williams  

Jermm  Huloway  

William  Williams  

James  AVilli  ims   .  .  . 

..do 

....do.*  

...do  

....do  

Joseph  Kawls  

Ohio  

William  Breess  

...  .do     

A  rkansas  .... 
Missouri  
Massachusetts 
Missouri  

....do  

Robert  Kd  wards  

Alexander  Warfield  

do  

William  Ray  

.  ...do  

Fielder  Lewis  

L.  .lanny  

W  i  1  1  1  a  m  .la  n  ny  

....do  
.  .  .do     

do  

L.  McKiney  ,  .. 

do 

....do  

Hiram  Bledsot1       .  ... 

Ohio                 . 

Arthur  Ward  

....do  
do  

Milton  Eueing  

Tennessee  .  .  . 
N.  Carolina  .  . 
Ohio     

E.  B.  Cook  

Ho  

do  

John  Grant  

Connecticut  .  . 
do  

Massachusetts 
Delaware  .... 
Missouri  

Thomas  Wilson  

Massachusetts 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Missouri  
...do  

John  Graves  

do  

Thomas  Graves  

William  Haskins  

Illinois  

Natban  Vestnll  

...do  

ReuSen  Parker  

....do  
do  

Lemuel  Vestall  

Missouri  .... 
do  

Michael  Dawson  

Georgia  

Jeremiah  McNew 

...do 

Jonathan  Evans 

do 

.  do  

Reuben  *»pratt 

do 

..do  

Jesse  Fowler  

do   .  .      .  . 

Kentucky.... 
Georgia  ..... 

Enoch  Osborne  
B.  Piles  

.  .  .  .do  

do 

Manor  Nichols  

do 

Missouri  
...do  

,..do.. 

KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
SIXTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri    . 

Ohio 

Samuel  Russell  

do  

E.  S.  Fishback  

.  .  do     ...... 

Elisha  Fly  

....do  

Samuel  Demirdly  

do 

do 

William  Underlull  

do 

do  

John  Fly                    

...do  

Holland     .... 

William  footer         

...do  

Italy     

do     

Prussia  ...... 

H    W   Jones         

Indiana    

Ireland     .  .  .  .  . 

do          

Missouri     .  .  .  . 

Stephen  Potter 

Tennessee   .  . 

Belgium  .    .  .  . 

Delaware 

Holland     .    . 

do         ... 

O  '  Donnel  Thorn  

Ohio  

Patrick  Phalin  

do  

do  

.  ...do  

SEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  in  the  seventh  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  accord- 
ing to  the  census  returns  made  by  J.  R.  McClure  in  the  month  of 
February,  1855. 


Names. 

here  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Ohio    

Ohio 

..do     ... 

New  York 

Ohio 

F  McGee 

C    C    Coots  

...do     

John  W.  Freel  

Iowa  

J    H    Ratcliffe    

..do         .    .. 

Ithiel  Streit  

Pennsylvania  . 

Elliott  Cusiwer    

.do          '  .. 

Matthias  A    Reed  .      ... 

do 

...  .do     

William  Hanley 

do 

...  .do     

do 

Johnston  Mclntire  

....do  
do  

John  W.  Webb  
William  Webb  

....do  
....do   

M   H.  Rose  

....do  

...do     

....do  

William  Dailey  ..'  

Illinois  ...... 

....do  

Jeremiah  Preston  

do     

do     

Frank  Oufrene     ....       .... 

.  .  .  .do     

Robert  Turner      ...           . 

....do   

do     

D    W    Harold      .... 

New  York 

..  do   

do 

Iowa  ...... 

Missouri      .  . 

Charles  ^Vatny       •  •  • 

do 

..  .do  

Illinois 

J    B  Titus    

Iowa  

Allen  Pierce  

do 

Devilla  Wright  

do  

M.  W.  McGee  

Missouri  .  .  •  •> 

KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

EIGHTH  DISTRICT. 


87 


List  of  voters  in  the  eighth  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas, 
according  to  census  returns  taken  by  J.  R.  McClure  in  the  month  of 
February ,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Louisiana  .... 

Samuel  Griffith  

Kentucky  ... 

Maryland  .  .  .  . 

Missouri  ..... 

Pennsylvania 

...  do   

Georffp  AV    Butcher 

Charles  T   Gillmore  

...do 

do  

do  

Kentucky  .... 

....do  

.  .  .do.  . 

Indiana  ...... 

Missouri        . 

George  M    Gillour  

Illinois  ...... 

do     ..     . 

Missouri    .  .  .  . 

...do.., 

do  

....do..  

Alfred  Hyden  

do  

...do  

A    J   Baker  

loWil     ........ 

do   .. 

William  H    Hogan  

Missouri  .  .  .  .  . 

Ely  M    Sewell        

W.  D.  Han-is  

Missouri  

....do  

Iowa  

Massachusetts 

Pennsylvania 

"William  Delancy  

....do  

Morgan  Delacy  ............ 

New  IVIexico 

George  Diivis       ...     .       » 

Missouri      .  .  . 

John  Goodie  ......     .     .. 

New  York 

G.  M.  Sincock  

•  •  •  •         •  •  • 

NINTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  in  the  ninth  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  accord- 
ing to  census  returns  made  by  M.  F.  Conway  in  the  months  of  Janu- 
ary and  February ,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from 

Names. 

Where  from. 

New  York  .  .  . 

William  H    Moore  

Indiana.  **••*• 

Robert  W  ilson  

Missouri    .... 

Ohio  

^  illiam  Price     ........... 

Ohio 

Maryland   .  .  . 

Jeremiah  Lnmb  ............ 

Ohio  

do  

G.  B    Pen  Arsdale  

New  York  " 

....do  

Joseph  Peals  •••••••*••    .  • 

Kentucky 

J.  R.  Mills  

,...do  

Robert  Kloutz  

Pennsylvania 

J.  R.  McClure  

John  F   Price  

Kentucky.  .  . 

Edward  M.  Tripp  

Massachusetts 

Edward  Gleason  ...... 

Illinois  

Pennsylvania 

John  Welch    ... 

...do  

William  Cuddy  

New  York 

.  do   

C.  R.  Mobley  

Kentucky 

.do     

g.  A.  Treat  

Ohio 

John  N    Dyer     .... 

do      

Lemuel  Knapp 

New  York 

....do  ... 

do  

88 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

TENTH  DISTRICT. 


List  of  voters  in  the  tenth  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas^ 
according  to  census  taken  by  M.  F.  Conway  in  the  months  of  January 
and  February ,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Georjj"  ^    Ewbanks  ....... 

Missouri    .... 

Ohio      

Illinois  ...... 

Henrv  Sheriff'        

do     .  . 

Hoy  Hall  

do 

.     do     .... 

....do  

do  

do 

Horace  A   Wilcox  

Rhode  Island 

do 

J    W    Ressell     .-  

Iowa  

do  

Asel  G   Allen  

Massachusetts 

M  issouri    .  •  .  . 

Missouri      .  . 

..  do  

Samuel  D  Dyer  
W    CJ    Over        

do  
...do   .    .   . 

Gfxmre  Clopman  
William  D    Wicks  

Kent  ncky  .  ... 

do 

1    W    Leland  

iVl  assachusetts 

Charles  li    Blood          

Illinois            . 

William  Seymour  

Ohio     

do 

William  S    Seymour    

do        

Marshall  A    Garrett             . 

do      .... 

J.  E    Wood  

Ohio     

Vlitchell  Vlathevv 

Samuel  \Vhitehorn   .... 

iVJichiffin       . 

Antony   I  asseer  

Missouri  

Israel  P    Brayton       ....      . 

....do  

1  lenry  Rurnmell  

Missouri  ..... 

do 

Washington  Gibbs   

Kentucky.  ... 

Charles^Wallerts        

do  

A  nd  re  w  Nail  

Louisiana  .  .  .  . 

Pennsylvania 

Jiicob  H    Hard  

i  California.... 

Hmry  Ebert 

'  Ppti'isy  Ivania  > 

Aborn  Martin.  

.  .  do     

Missouri  .  .  .  .  . 

Seth  L.  Child  

Illinois     .... 

....do  

Isaac  S.  Hascall  

New  York  ... 

I 

ELEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  in  the  eleventh  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  accord- 
ing to  census  returns  made  by  B.  H.  Ticombley  in  the  months  of  Jan- 
uary and  February j  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

John  E   D   Avis  

Missouri  

Tohn  Jones  ,  sen  

Missouri  

....do   

.  ...do  

Robert  Berber  

..  do  

...do   

do  

Robert  C    Bishop 

George  K    Hubbard  

Missouri      .  . 

David  Jones  

.  .  .  .do  

Willitrn   Hubbard  

.  .  .  .do   

...do  

Jerry  Sweat  

....do  
do 

<.  N.  B.  Hulmes  

do  

do 

William  P    McCuse 

..  do  

E  S.  Bishop  

do  

..do   ...      . 

do  

Francis  J    Marshall       .. 

.do   

do  

.     do   ...      . 

...do  

John  G  Clarke                   .  . 

.  do     . 

C    D   Stockwell  

...  do  

KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

TWELFTH  DISTRICT. 


89 


lAst  of  voters  in  the  twelfth  election  district  of  the  Tirritory  of  Kansas , 
according  to  the  census  taken  bt/  B.  H.  Ticombley  in  the  montfts  of 
January  and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Perry  Polk  

Missouri  

Michigan  .  .  •  « 

Missouri  
do 

Thos   McCartney  

..  do  

do  

fin.. 

Jo  

Ohio       

...do  

William   Mortell  
D.  K.  Palmer  

Iowa  
Michigan 

do        

Baptist  Dutchame  
Fox  Boothe  

Canad  i  
New  York  ..  . 

Do]  os  Allpn 

"  Wisconsin.  .  .  . 
Virginia  
Fr.uice  
France  
Missouri  

Alfred  Mothers  
Peter  Dessuit  

Baptist  Ogee  

do  

i\ew  York  ..  . 

.  do  !  !  !  \  \ 

John  Blouchard  
R  C    Miller    

....do  
.do    ...      . 

Oscar  B.  Dean  

Louisiana  .... 
Missouri  
do  

.  .  do     ... 

Olie  Oldson  

Missouri  
Ohio 

L   M    Cox                 

Ohio 

do  

Ho 

Frederick  Counteamer  

Canada  ...    . 

Benjamin  Dean      .  .          .    .  . 

New  York  ... 
Missouri  

do  

Joseph  Fox  

Indi'ina  ..... 

E.  M.  Sloan  

Missouri  
Ohio 

do  

Samuel  M    Bartlett 

do 

Missouri  

Benjamin  Poteet     ....        .  . 

Kentucky 
Wisconsin  .  .  . 

Reuben  P    1  1  aas    

Pennsylvania. 
Missouri      .  . 

George  Maulpy       .  . 

Udlem  Alley            

John  O'J,.oughlin      . 

Ohio 

James  O'Laufhlin 

flo 

Wisconsin  .  .  . 
Illinois  

Joseph  Mathews  

Missouri  
<|0  

Samuel  *  'umminffs  ....   ... 

New  York  .  .  . 
Iowa  

John  Belon  

Wesley  Hopkins  

Geo    W     Baker 

^arnuel  J.  Cramer  

Virginia  

Illinois 

Missouri  

John  Fett  

do  

Arkansas  .... 
Jowa  

do  

j  Lewis  M    Kennedy  

Walter  D    Beels  

Missouri  
Ohio  

;  J   B  Ms?i"e     

Missouri 

Richard  Clency    

i  J  B    Dnorinck   

Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Illinois  
Missouri  
Iowa  

W.  W.  Moore  

Geo   H   Baker 

Missouri  

John  Schultz  

New  York  .  .  . 
Indiana  
Illinois  

Andreas  M;i?7(jlli  

Jesse  Adamson  
Geo.  B.  Rey  
Benpmin  Foster  

Daniel  Doneen  
John  Putt  on         

Missouri  
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Ohio 

Ohio  
Missouri  
do  

Sebastinn  Schlino'er 

Peter  Karle^'tind 

Missouri  
do  

Benjamin  Winkle  

Ho  
do  

AtlfllSlns   Brolly 

Pennsylvania  . 
Missouri  .... 
,l«. 

Lewis  Wilson 

John  Winkle 

Ho  

E   G    Booth 

....do  

90 


KINS  AS   AFFAIRS. 

THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


List  of  voters  in  the  thirteenth  election  district,  Territory  of  Kcwsas 
according  to  census  returns  made  ~by  H.  B.  Jolly,  taken  during  th> 
months  of  January  and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

England  

Walker  William    

Indiana   .  .  •  * 

j   D   York    

N    Carolina 

.  ..  .do  

William  Tillotson  

Illinois       .  •  • 

M    D    Wade  

Illinois  .... 

England         . 

JV1  issouri  ..... 

A    J   Whitney  

W   C    Lewis  

Iowa     .     .... 

Michigan  ... 

Robert  Riddle 

William  Arthur  
Henry  Seals  

....do  
....do  
.  ..  .do  

T.  D.  Jolly  
H.  B.  Jolly  
J  B    Ro<=s     

Illinois  
....do  
Missouri  .... 

....do  

Thomas  Mooney      

do   

do...  ..... 

Switzerland  . 

Jos°ph  Rodgers.  ........... 

Enfland  

Kentucky.  .  . 

O   B    Herbert      

Kentucky  .... 

S   J    Scantlino*         •         .  .  .  . 

.  .  .  .do  

Silas  Oilman  

do  

W.  H.  Trap.!  

Missouri..  .  . 
.  ..  .do  

William  Kirkendall  

do  

do  

....do  

do  

M    E   Riddle 

do 

do     .   .    . 

Robert  Sheely 

Joseph  EllioH         ««   »    •«••• 

.  .  .do      . 

Charles  C>sy      

Missouri  ..... 

,..do.. 

\Villiam  Nations        .  «  •   .  .  .  . 

.  do   

.  ...do  

G   M    Dyze            

do   .. 

Shelby  Piles  

do.. 

John  Davis                       .   •  • 

do 

...do.. 

William  Jibbs  
Holman  Bonfield  

F   John 

....do  
....do  
do   

J.  B.  Worit  
J.  H.  Front  

Richard  Chandler  .......... 

Germany  .  .  . 
••••do  
.Missouri  ... 

M    Walker 

do      

Prater  Chandler  ........... 

...do   

Germany  .... 

do  

J.  W.  Pate  

do  

B    Boislv                  

Illinois  ...... 

John  Bradshaw      ....     .  .  .  . 

England 

do  

M  issouri  .... 

.     do   ...     . 

do 

Smith  White          

Robert  Carter 

do 

George  White  

do  

....do  

Hubbard  Holder,  

do  

....do   

H.  C.  C<>ra  

John  Evans   

..do 

Ezra  Cora  

do  

..do 

do  

James  Jont        ...  ......... 

.  do 

Iowa  ....... 

James  Hopewell      .      ...... 

do 

....do  

Napoleon  Hopewell               . 

do 

...do  

William  Hunter                     .  . 

do 

Indiana.  ..... 

KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


91 


List  of  voters  of  the  fourteenth  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas, 
according  to  the  census  returns  made  by  Albert  Weed,  esq.,  taken 
during  the  montlis  of  January  and  February,  A.  D.  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri  

do  

JVJ  ichigun  ,  .  .  . 

Missouri  .... 

Ohio 

Missouri  

Charles  Vinson    

Arkansas  ... 

J   C   Wibley       

Virginia  

Missouri    .  .  . 

do  

Kentucky  .... 

Whitson  G    Tale  

Bonard  Brady   ••• 

iV'l  issouri  .... 

...do  

William  O    Robertson        .  . 

Kentucky 

Elisha  H    Rosill  

Joseph  W    Batie  

Missouri  

....do  

....do  

....do  

James  W.  Holland  

do  

S   K   Miller  

....do  

....do  

John  P   Cordineer       •  •  •  .  • 

....do  

do  

do  

Elys  Hamilton    

do  

Zedock  Martin       ....  ..... 

do,  

William  Smith  

do  

Washington  F.  Martin  
James  M.  Holland  ......... 

do.  
Indiana  

Amos  Rutled^e  ............ 

.  do  

Silvester  Madison     ........ 

Missouri 

....do  

....do  

....do  

'Joshua  Sanders  

..  do  

....do  

Richard  Tuck  

....do  

Ohio  

Jonathan  Alexander  

Illinois  .     ... 

Richard  Rest  

..     do  

....do  

....do  

William  M    Peppers  

.  do  

W.  W.  Huddle  

do 

John  C.  Manuel  

Kentucky  ... 

Missouri  .... 

Michael  McCormac  
Robert  Glory  

....do  
..  do   . 

..  do 

John  Donley  

....do  

Dennis  v'ullen  

....do  

Jameh  O'Connell  

....do  

H.  N.  Beauchamp  

....do  

Illinois  .  . 

Names. 


Eli  Acord 

Jacob  Acord,  jr 

William  K.  Shaw 

J.  W.  Collins 

Anderson  Cox 

Anderson  Cook 

Jacob  Goshon 

Matthew  Fitzpatrick 

John  Grace 

William  Gains 

Edward  Deacon 

Henry  Moore 

Parker  A.  Hooper,, 

James  C.  Ditymore 

Vlelchior  Brown 

Joel  Byron 

Peter  Mintcer 

Isaac  Craig 

Milton  Nett 

Josephus  Nett 

G.  11.  Wilson 

A.  G.  Rice 

George  Gay 

Charles  M illaman 

Harvey  W.  Forman 

Daniel  Vanderslice 

Thomas  J.  Vanderslice 

William  T.  B  Vanderslice  .. 

Harden  Crichfield 

William  Vivis 

William  Sugg 

Francis  Bushnell 

Nelson  Rodgers 

Anthony  Gravil 

Joseph  Better 

John  Hullen 

John  B.  Roy 

Samuel  M.  Irvin 

Cornelius  McClain 

James  D.  Irwin 

Henry  Buch 

E   P.  Richardson 

J.  S   Pemerton 

Oliver  Bealer 

Jackson  Bealer 

Charter  Searles 

Thomas  Davis 

Eli  Galbard 

John  McKauler 

John  Edward 

John  Greenfield 

Daniel  Million 

Nicholas  While 

E.  W.  B.  Rodgers 

Silsas  Stone 

L.  H.  Pendleton 

Uriah  Griffith 

Thomas  W.  Matterson 


Where  from. 


Illinois. 

Missouri, 
...do... 


...do. 
...do. 
...do. 
,..do. 


.do. 
.do. 


.do. 


.do 
.do 
.do 


,...do 

Alabama. . 

Ohio 

1VJ issouri. . 

....do 

,...do 


...do 

...do 

Kentucky, 

...do 

. .  .do. . . .. 
Iowa 
Missouri.  , 


.do. 


.do. 
.do. 


.do. 


.do. 
.do. 


.do. 


...do... 
...do... 
Ohio  ... 

Missouri 
...do.. 


.do. 
.do. 


.do. 


.do. 
.do, 


.do. 


.do. 
.do. 


.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


92 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT— Continued, 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri  
do   

Polete  Levsee  

Missouri  
.  ..dn       , 

R.  W    Witsrtt  

Willi  im  viathew-*  '.  . 

Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Missouri  
do         .    . 

Doctor  Wells  
P.  T.  Transaway  

.  .  .  .do  
....do  

Rilpv  Cl-tnii 

do 

William  IVewman  

Mi.-souri  
do       

....do  

do  

....do  

Ili'-hard  Baber  

do  

....do  

do  

....do  

.  ..  do   

Geoige  Rhodes  
Charles  v|  .  Stewart  
Jaco!)  Driesselmier  
D    B    Weldinu-  

....do  

Henry  Lashiena  

....do  

4.Y1  issouri  
do  

do          .... 

do  

do  

do  

do  

Frederick  Trent  

..  .do  

do         .    .. 

Nelson  Abhy  

....do  
...  do  

John  W.  Smith,  sen  

...  do  
.  .  .do  

Philip  James   .  .  . 

Kentucky.  .  .  , 
Missouri  
.  .  .do    

Willi.  in  U.  Hye  

M  issouri  
...do     

William  Sharper  
Ch  i  rh's  Roilo'er^     ....  .... 

do  

do  

do      . 

Samuel  Kirkpalrick  

Missouri  
do  

do  

do  

John  Cook   

iV.  Carolina.  . 
Missouri  
....do  
....do  
do  

James  Craft  

do  

Laster  Copland  
Q.  Lewis  

Will  am  Chambeiiain  
Patrick  Wii.rht  

Robert  L    Morris   .  .    ...... 

.   do  

Q.  W.  Davis...    
E.  S.  St.jns  m  
V.  E.  Morris  

do  
....do  
.  .  .do  

Jonathan   Hurt  
Cary  B.  Whilehead  

do  
do  

T.  M.  Morris  

do  \ 
...do  

G.  B.  Jones  

do..  

...do  

"William  .Vioigan  ... 

Vermont  
Missouri  
do  

Lias  Roa  rk  
Henry  Moore  

do  
Kentucky  

Ephraim  Vfe01eland  ;. 

M  issoun    .... 

John  G.   vicCleliind  
Stephen  N    Bell  

....do  
....do   

VJorjr  in  Osborn  
James  N    Miller  

....do  
do    

do   

Garnett  Kelley      

do   

Ab    Groities    ....        .     .  . 

do     

A  mot  Tribble                 .  • 

do      ..      .,. 

James  Grotnes  
Joseph   H.  Cisli'ee  
Newton  R.  Carter  

....do  
....do  
do  

'  liomns  Ho\vell.  
Willi  mi  Miller  

...do  

Jackson  Pp  ilils  

Kdward  Gill  in  m.  ........... 

Missouri  
Illinois  
.  .  .do  

Nason  ^'.  Moss  

.  .  .  .do  
do  

John  H.  Gilliam    

do  

Henry  Ada  mi?  
Douland  Marrow  

Missou.i  , 
.  .  .df  

do  

...do  

K]ii  ih  Merril   ... 

..do   

....do   1 

.lames  G;i  briel   .  

.     do  

...do  

Richard  Ward    

.do     

\Villiam  P    Richardson  

...do  ' 

Flus^el   Ha/elhanan    .... 

do   .    . 

...do  

Pleasnnt  Hanan   

do      .....  1 

John  W.  Stevens  
Edward  "r.bmider  
William  Skelton           

...do  ! 
...do  
.  .  .do     ' 

Riclmd  ^hankes  
'  homas  Duvanet   

...do  f 
.  do        } 

Jncob  Iritflehart  .  .  •  .  .  

.        do     4 

...do     ' 

Andrew    I  nibble  ........... 

do        .] 

.  .  .do    ! 

do 

...do     ' 

Robon  Shannon  .....  ..... 

do       

...do  

do  

...do  

Pat.  Tindle  

do  

KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 
FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


93 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Daniel  Tindle  
John   Wallace      

Missouri  
....do  

Ohio  

....do  

do   

...do  

1  Archibald  Willis  

do  

Ohio       

....do  

Evans  Smith.  

Indiana  
Iowa  
Pennsylvania. 

.  ...do  

...do  

Joseph  Randolph  

...do  

William  Brittain  

Ohio 

Daniel  Montgomery  

....do  
.  .  .do  

Benjamin  Sprowl  

....do  
...  do   .. 

do   

do  

do  

....do  

Qnincy  Ball  

,  .  .  .do  

do  

Ohio  

lohn   L)   Noble  

Missouri  
...do 

Missouri  *.  .  . 

Albert  H  ead  

do  

.  ..  .do  

do 

E    Blackslon 

do 

.  .  .do  

Andrew  B.  Armstrong  

.  .  .  .do  

do   .  . 

A    Hall          

New  Jersey  .  . 
Missouri    .    . 

.  ...do  

John  B  McCafferty  

.  ..  do  

William  Arthur 

do 

...do  

J.i  mes  R  i  1  e  y    

do  

John  1    Brady   

..do  

Constance  Posna,  .....  .... 

.  do   .    . 

..do  

do 

....do  

^  illiam  Copeland  

...do  

....do  

.  ...do  

...do  

*  illiam  Rhodes  

.'...do  

Antwise    'ere   ............ 

...do.... 

George  P    Rhodes       

do 

do  

N.   Hampshire 
Missouri  

\V  illiam  Palmer  

.  .  .  .do  

do 

Hamilton  Osbourne  

William   McGrow  
Henry  lihodtjs    

....do  

John  Lovelady  

.  .  .  .do  

.  do 

John  'Wise  

Ohio  

H.  P.  Ruscal  

:::!;:::::::: 

William  Lanforgey  ?  

...do  
...do  

..  do  

FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT.. 

List  of  voters  in  the  fifteenth  election  district,  of  1he  Territory  of  Kansas, 
according  to  census  returns  made  by  H.  B.  Jolly,  in  the  montlis  of 
January  and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri  

Missouri  

.  ...do  

...do.  

Horace  Haley  
Martin  Glo^Kes  ......  ..... 

....do  
Germany  .    . 

J.  M.  Martin  

....do  
Ireland  

do  

D.  A.  N.  Grover... 

,..do  

J.  P.Basket  .,               

Missouri  

KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 
FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


Names. 


S.  W.  Tunnel , 

N.  J.  Shaler 

Edward  Oakley , 

A.  G.  Boyd 

A.  J.  Walker , 

A.  C.  Hayne 

E.  S.  Wilhite 

D.  Suell 

H.  P.  Cady 

J.  H.  Maxwell 

A.  M.  Price - 

W.  S.  Blanton 

E.  H.  Evans 

Isaiah  Austin 

J.  C.  Ellis 

J.  H.  Large 

Kyle  Evans 

J.  W.  Freeland 

John  Freeland 

JB.  F.  Freeland 

Uriah  Higby 

Thomas  llearnier 

William  Novel 

John  Lurnpkins 

H.  M.  >tory 

E.  R.  Zimmerman 

William  Braham 

J.  W .   Atkinson 

E.  M.  McComas  . . , 

James  Knox 

M.  Hall 

J.  R.  Caslle 

Thomas  Corny 

William  Kirkfnan 

Robert  Joler 

Charles  tf  exton 

A.  A.  Haggard 

Washington  Haze 

C.  Bishop 

James  Beagle 

E.  D.  Bishop 

J.  W.  Golden 

W.H.Weils 

R.  H.  Phelon 

J.  A.  Lindsey 

John  Norton 

R.  M.Foster 

R.  W.  Thompson 

John  Cook 

E.  J.Myers 

M.Elliott 

G.  W.  Thompson 

G.  W.  Myers 

M.  B.  Myers 

G.  S.  Davis 

Richard  Davis 

J.  J.  Thompson 

J.  S.  ''hompson 

John  Branscome 

J.  F.  Sapp 

Daniel  Sapp 

Allen  Henson 

John  Jones 

Samnel  Bowman 


Where  from. 


Missouri 

New  York... 
Pennsylvania 
Missouri .... 
....do 


...do 

...do 

...do.... 


Wisconsin  . . 

Illinois 

Missouri  .... 
...do 


.do. 
.do. 


.do. 


Kentucky . . . 
Pennsylvania . 

Missouri 

...do 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


Kentucky. . . . 

Illinois 

Pennsylvania. 

Iowa 

Missouri 

Ohio 

Missouri 

Pennsylvania. 

Ohio 

N.  Hampshire 

Missouri 

...do.., 


Iowa 

Georgia  .... 
Missouri  .... 
. .  .do 


...do 

...do 

Pennsylvania 


.do. 


. .  .do. . . 
. .  .do. . . 
Missouri 
Iowa  . . . 
Missouri. 
. .  .do. . . , 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


Iowa  . . . 
Missouri. 
...do.. 


...do... 
. . .do . . . 
. .  .do . . . 


Names. 


Where  from. 


Jonathan  Smith Missouri 

James  Douglas L . .  .do 

B.  Douglas .do 

Robert  Smith ! do 

H.  C.  Bradley ! do 

George  Speek j  Georgia 

John  Bailey i   Missouri 

Franklin  Goddard do 

I  homas  Goddard do 

Allen  Pullen , .  .do. . . 


David  H  unt do 

John  Cotter Ireland  ...... 

Edward  Cotter do 

Benjamin  Wallace Missouri 

E.  Downing I. . .  .do 

William  Downing | ....  do 

J.  M.  Medel, 
James  Smith, 
J.  H. 

John  Light 
Lovi  Rob  ns. 
Job  Robins. 
Peter  Wade 
James  Crone 
William  Kei 
Francis  Stutz 
Barbery  Dowr 
J.  O.  Hawley.' 
J.  B.  Perry 
George  B.  ^ 
William  W 
William  Te 
James  Frily. 
Stephen  Frily. 
Jesse  Frily. 
Francis  Noyes. 
Jim  Johnson, 
George  Sharp. 

William  Sharp ( . 

Robert  Isaacs j . . .  .do . 

Silas  Snoddy I . . .  .do 

Silas  Willa .'...!...  .do. 

John  Snoddy j. . .  .do, 

R.  M.  Lisby .do 

Jamds  Cunningham .do . 

James  Losten. .  ...do. 


el  

Indiana  ...... 

th  

M  issouri          . 

do  

do  

do  

do  

e  

.  ..   do  

nens  ............ 

..  do  

ence  ...... 

...do  

atz  

do  

do  

....do  

....do  

Wells  

..  do  

fade  

do  

do  

....do  

d  • 

...do  

.  .  do   

do  

larp  

,..do.. 

Thomas  Scantlin Ireland  . . 

J.  McCune do 

George  Hollingsworth !  Missouri  . 

George  Caton. . I  England  . 

L.  Yokem j  Missouri  . 

Grafton  Thomason 1. . .  .do 

William  McCerea Ireland 


George  Sears «. 

S.  Dickens 

David  Pennick 

N.  J.Miyfield 

N.  .1.  Allen 

A.  Newman 

M.  A.  Branfield 

Jesse  Shepard 

H.  H.  Williams 

J.  D.  Durony 

Andrew  Cheny worth 


Kentucky 

Missouri  . . . 
....do...... 

Illinois  .... 

Missouri  . . . 

Germany  . . 
ri  ... 

....do 

....do , 

....do , 

. . .  .do i 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


95 


—  .  
Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri  
....do  

H.  F  Power  

Missouri  
do  

do   

.do     .... 

O   R   Davis  

New  York.  ... 
Missouri  ..... 

J   S   Wiser 

do 

Daniel  Fisk  

A.H.Allen  

J   H    Stringfellow     

....do  
....do  

S.F.Kay...  

do  

James  Donnel  
W.  D.  Adams  
R.  S.  Kelly  

....do  
.  .  .  .do.  
....do  

M.  Coale  
J.  B.  Crane  
H.  B.  Gale  
C  S  Foster     

do  

Missouri  ..... 
New  York.... 

Missouri  .  •  .  .  . 

William  Hen^ler 

do 

William  Dilla 

.  .  .  .do   

Charles  Eckles            

do  

Michael   Wilkin 

do 

do  

Ireland    ..... 
....do  
Missouri  
Kentucky  .... 

J   M  Wallace          

....do  

James  Buzzard  

J.  M.  Sales  
Cor.  Sales  

....do  
....do  

J   T   Sampson    •    ....     .    .  . 

E   J   Narvey      .  .  .  .       .     .  . 

G  W   Laber      

....do  

do 

do  

M   A   Phillips  

Illinois  ...... 

Kentucky.  ..  . 

C  B  Graham  

Missouri  
.  do           *  . 

\Villiam  Morton  

Illinois  ...... 

....do  

Missouri  
....do  

de  

John  Waddle.  .  .  T  

do  

Joseph  Taylor  ....•   4 

...do  

....do  

George  Clofsholder  

Germany  .... 
Missouri  
do 

J   M    McBride  

....do  

Patrick  Hancock        .       .... 

....do  

Eph   Farwell            . 

....do  

John  Snider  
F.  L.  fetutz  

Christ    Harn     

....do  
....do  
do 

Y.  B.  Gates  
M.  T.  Bally  
J   W   Baily        

....do  
....do  
....do  

B.L.  Rich  

....do  

William  Baily  

do  

J.  H.  Gilbert  

....do  

do  

..do     

do  

David  Fiser  

Luther  Dickerson  ...... 

....do  

T.T.Kelly  

....do  
....do  

William  McVay  

....do  

do  

Dudley  McVay  

.do     

J   M    Freeland  

F.  M.  McVay  

..  do  

....do  

do        .    .. 

N  W  Hodges        

....do  

Patrick  Boyd  

England 

K.  J.  Hamilton  

J   B  Passly                            « 

.do     

Weal  Higby  

Missouri  
.  .  .do     

....do  

Bond  Thomas  

j   E   Beckner  

do  

Daniel  Thomas  

do 

J   D   Carban  .              .... 

do  

do 

do     

Harvey  Large  

Kentucky  .... 
Missouri  
..do   .    .. 

Martin  Rickle  

....do  

William  Crawford  

....do  

Gilbert  Mulford  

...do  

Thomas  Picktori  
P   Reed  

....do  

Arkansas  .... 
Ohio 

J.  M.  Dean  

....do  
...do  

.do  

A.  Culver  

Michigan  .... 
Ohio  .    .. 

do  

Ira  Boolman  

Nathaniel  Stephens  

....do  
do  

John  Bootman  

..do 

M.  Moony  

Missouri  
Pennsylvania  . 
....do  

do  

M.  P.  Rively  

do  

B.  E.  Rively  

96 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


List  of  voters  of  the  sixteenth  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas, 
according  to  the  census  returns  made  by  Charles  Leib,  taken  during 
the  montJis  of  January  and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Virginia.  

"•amuel  France..  ........... 

Ceo    11    Keller         

S    R     Mcllvaine  

Ohio 

\    T   Kyle  

.do     .... 

Jas    Kirkpatrick  

Wm    Philips  

Jas.  Grinter  

do  

John  C.  Possy  

AUbarna  

Israel  Haff  

Ohio  

J.  H.  Day  

John  G    Pratt  ,  

Massachusetts 

W    H    Levy  

do..... 

A    T    Patiee  

Augustus  Russell  

do  

J.  T.  Hook  

VerniO'it   .... 

A    Wilson     

Ohio                  . 

John  Rand  ill        

Pennsylvania 

B   L   Sellers       

Benj.  H.  Twomblev  

Missouri  

Michael  Kelley  

Ireland  

Iv^ntiH'ky  .  •  .  * 

Ohio 

do  

do  

J    P    H  icliardson    ......   .  . 

do  

David  Z   Smith  

P.  Riekseckor  

....  do     .    . 

Samuel  ttider     

Ohio     . 

John  Ij'ick      .         ...         ... 

Scotland   .... 

'  Gco   M    Fisher  

do     .... 

Germany  .... 

Wm    I  ierce     

F    S    A  bney    

do 

do  

do       ... 

Henry.  (German)  ......... 

do 

do     .... 

L.  R.  Phirr  

John  Farrnll  
John  Rieffer  

Ireland  

A  1  vah  Gregory  

Missmui  

Wm.   Enjjlem  in  

do  
do  

C.  Naef..  

L).  ''*    Ames        

Germany  .... 
Illinois    

John  M.  White  

Pennsylvani  i 

Knorlsind      •  . 

James  McGinty 

Ireland  ...... 

J.  Howuld  

Missouri        . 

A    Foster 

C.  F.  Bredovv  

Germany 

New  York  ... 

Wm.  H.  Adams  

Missouri 

Augustus  Parker 

Hy.  Smith  

do  

do 

Robert  L.  Ream  

Wisconsin  .  .  . 
Pennsylvania 

L.  N.  Reed  
R.  R.  Reed  
Wm.  Sauhders  

do  
do  
......do.  
Kentuckv  ... 

L.  F.  Mills  
B.  C.  Card  
Charles  Mundee  

G    B   Pa  ri  to  u 

Illinois  

Huro-ary. 
Coi'iH'cticut  .  . 

Pennsylvania 

SSinuel  Phillips 

Marylmd  .... 

Thos.  J.  Slonnm  
D.  S.  Boyle  
H.  M.  Hook  

.....  .do  
Maryland  .... 
Pennsylvania 

C.  L-.icas  !.'.... 
R.  K.  Wade  

Hungary  
Scotland 

N.  Sage  

Michigan 

r'Il'"»podo*"e  M    VI  ix 

T.  E    Bird  

Jos.  Me  A  leer  
P.  H.  Robert-  

Pennsylvania  . 
Wales 

William  M.  Matthias  

Maryland.... 

Ed.  Saunders  

Missouri  

1    1&*U    "  

John  K.  France  

KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


97 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Ohio  

Missouri  

A.  C.  Fulks  

Missouri    .      . 

....do  

P   Dwyer         •         

Scotland  ..... 

Kentucky.  ... 

G   Gladdon         

Missouri  
Ireland  ...... 

Michael  Fallen           

John  Wilson  

Patrick  Woods 

Maine  
|  reland  .    .... 

Washington  Gobel  

do 

Thomas  S   Rolus  

Pennsylvania. 

W.  H    H.  Goble  

.  .  do              .  . 

Denmark  .... 
New  York  ... 

do 

B.B.  Mize  
John  C   Newton  

Missouri  
do 

H    Bradlers 

Louisiana  .... 
Missouri  

Thomas  Bates  
Asa  fc>mith  

Ohio  
Missouri  
...do     

Riley  Todd  

Squire  Overton  .    .......... 

Isaac  Buehler       

Maryland  .... 

Tennessee  .  .  . 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 
Missouri  
...do  

P   McGill        

W    Brown           •  .     .... 

Alexander  Russell   ......... 

J.  Hoyt  

New  York  .  .  . 
do  

William  Williams  

...  .do   

H  B.  Kelley  

..do     . 

S    Rutleo-e  

.  .  do                . 

John  Sperry  

J  O   Sullivan       

Illinois  

Thomas  A    JVIinard  

D.  McMickle    

England  
Ireland    ..... 

William  Sparks     .......... 

Missouri    .... 
do 

William  Gaberts 

Germany  —  . 
Pennsylvania. 
Germany  .... 

Joseph  Waddill  

....do        .      .. 

Edward  Zarl  

Isaac  Just  ................. 

B.  F.  Thompson    

New  York  ... 
Ireland  
Missouri    .... 
do  „ 

Franklin  Gaibor  

....do  
Switzerland  .  . 
do  

S.  A.  Dunn  

Denmark  .... 

William  Rose  

Iowa       .        .  . 

E   H.  Smith  

John  Wilfley  

do 

S.  B.  Vanssyckle  

Pennsylvania. 
Iowa  

Peter  Sillaley         

.  do 

W   T.  Marvin        

Missouri 

do  

Tolbert  Luer  

do  

Missouri      •  •  . 

Virginia  
^cotland  

John  Moore  

...do     . 

A.  Reed  

J.  Kinfrow       

do 

AVilliam  Blevins  .....  ..... 

Pennsylvania. 
Wisconsin  ... 
Germany  .... 
.  .  .  .do  

Find    Soott        

do 

Daniel  Smith  

Germany 
Missouri    .... 
...do     . 

S.  M.  Hickman  

S.  Pankake  

H.  Wells  

W.  Bohart  

..do     . 

do  

John  Haxwell       .......... 

.  do 

Jacob  Peterson     

do  

William  Staley       

Pennsylvania, 
do                • 

J.  White  

Kentucky.  .  .  . 

Samuel  Staley                      •  . 

Clark  Trite      ... 

IVI    HeifHand 

Germany 
Missouri    .... 

Minnesota  .  .  . 

Thomas  Scott  

Cole  Melend  

E   Forsythe     

Charles  Jeromnx  ....... 

F.  G   Bradin      

Missouri    .... 
...do  

Iowa  

Daniel  Wi'ley  

Illinois  ...... 

....do  

C.  P.  Dunn  

Massachusetts 

...do  

Alfred  Young-  

Francis  Browning  

....do  
....do  

George  Young 

do 

John  Tvler  

Missouri  
do     . 

....do  

Joseph  McGee 

do  

\Villiam  Large     . 

do 

....do  

William  Meloy  .  . 

H.  Hep.  200  — 

....do  

-f* 

.  .  .do.  .  , 

98 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT— Continued, 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Missouri    .... 
....do  

Missouri    .... 
.  ...do  

do  

....do  

Iowa  

do  

Missouri    .... 
..  do  

do  

Iowa  

Jno.  SSparks  

....do  
do 

Missouri    .... 

...do  

Jacob  Adamson  

....do  
Germany  .... 
do 

M.Weils  

"W^  p   Drummond  

New  York  ... 

Kentucky.  .  .  . 

A   L   Downey      

Missouri    .... 
do  

-  Iddings       ........... 

do  

Isaac  V    Camp  ............ 

Joseph  Litigan  ,    ....  .  .  .  .  . 

Germany  .... 

do  

James  O   Toole     

Germany  .... 
.  .  .  .do   

H    D   McM>ekin        ...     . 

Kentucky   .  .  . 
Missouri    .... 
Germany  .... 

Philip  Frederick  .......... 

Christ'm  Galsler    

France  

P   Smith  

Prussia      .  .  .  . 

Philip  Zeio-ler  

Pennsylvania  . 

P   A    Hart          

Missouri    .... 

Merrill  Davis              .  . 

John  Hartsell 

do 

D    A   Mitchell  

Missouri    .... 
Kentucky.  .  .  . 

do  

William  Wallace  

...do  

Joel  Hyatt  

George  W.  Thompson  
D   Thompson.  

....do  
do     .     ... 

....do  

Missouri    .... 
...  .do     .... 

\Villiam  Hooper    ...... 

do 

S    D    Pitcher  

T   Shilby  Pyle    

do 

do  

W.  O.  Webster  
James  G.  .Hoick  

Indiana  
....do  
Ohio       

....do.  

....do  

Charles  C    Hood  

Germany  .... 
Missouri    .... 
..  do  

Thomas  C.  Bishop  
F   S    Arterberry  

Missouri  
...do   

James  H    Garritt  

...  do 

Pennsylvania. 
.  .  .  do  

..  do 

J    Pennock  

George  W    Walker  .    . 

do 

....do  

John  Markham  ......     . 

Kentucky  .  .  .  . 
Ho 

Ohio  .... 

Barrett  Markham       .       ... 

^Villiam  Dawson      ...  ..... 

Pennsylvania. 
Ohio 

England  
Wisconsin  .  .  . 

Sol  Snyder       

Thomas  Lockerman  

Missouri    .... 
....do  

Missouri  

B    M.  Crust  

W   Heipple  

Wisconsin  .  .  . 
.  .  .  .do  

....do  

....do  

William  Coomnan     . 

Missouri      .  .  . 

Diivid  Shearin  

....do  

F   Paget      

..do  

Indiana  ...... 

E   F  Stafford       

do     ... 

John  Copple  

do  

Nath   Talbot           . 

Arkansas  .... 

D    H    Chappell  

Ohio  

William  Cummings  

Pennsylvania. 
.  .  .  .do  

William  H   Osborn  

New  York  .  .  . 

Missouri    .... 
Illinois       .  . 

William  H   Goode 

Philip  Good 

do 

..do  

H    f!    Norton  -  - 

Missouri 
Ohio      

J    Willey  

....do  |    AhfilarH  fJiithrin  .  . 

Missouri    .... 
do  

George  B   Northup   

Missouri  
Ohio           .... 

do  

.  do     . 

....do  

A.  P   Leary  

Missouri  

Chaides  H    Allen  

....do  

D    Dofflenger  

J    M   Tyner  

....do  

Ohio               .  . 

J.  G.  Henderson  
John  Kissinger  

....do  
,..do... 

N    Richards    

Indiana.  
Missouri  .  . 

S.  Philips.., 

KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT— Continued. 


99 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

Stephen  Hunt  
Christ   Earle       •••  

Missouri  
....do  

New  York  .  .  . 
Missouri  .  .  .  .  . 

Will  G   Woons      

....do  

do  

Geonre  F   Cokley 

..do      

George  B.  White  

....do  

do       .... 

....do  

do 

VV    W    Jefferson  

..  do   .. 

....do  

W.  A.  McDonell  

do  

W    H    Lawson  

.  ...do  

....do  

C   Baker      

New  York  .  .  . 
Missouri  

Pennsylvania. 

Alfred  Lort  

SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

List  of  voters  in  the  seventeenth  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kan- 
sas, according  to  census  returns  made  by  Alexander  S,  Johnson,  esq., 
in  the  months  of  January  and  February,  1855. 


Names. 

Where  from. 

Names. 

Where  from. 

A   H    Reeder  

Pennsylvania  . 

John  McClacken  

Pennsylvania 

Virginia     .... 

Joseph  Fager  .    ........   .  . 

M  issouri    .... 

Maryland  .... 

.  do 

Kentucky  .... 

C.  B.  Donaldson  

Missouri  

Missouri  

Kansas  Terr'y 

S.  B    Dusser  

....do  

Missouri  

O   H   P   Reppta    

....do  

R   C    Mecks 

...do  

E   F   Buckman      

..  do   ..      .. 

Robert  Brown  

....do  
Louisiana  .... 

Talton  Blass  
William  Rutlido-e  

.  .  .  .do  

Augustus  Charles  ........... 

Missouri  

B    F   Robinson  

do  

^^illiam  Donaldson   .  .  «  •      . 

....do  

Judge  Bouton  

....do   

do  

do  

.N.  Carolina  .  . 

do  

do  

do  

Missouri  

George  Batman    ............ 

....do  

....do  

James  Gladden  .    .......... 

...  do   

Perk.  Randall  f 

do  

New  York  .  .  . 

John  Owens        

....do  

Francis  Berry          . 

Doctor  Buchhauman  ........ 

do  

Ohio  

do  

do  

Miller  Woodey  

.  ...do  

L.  Chouteau  ............... 

.  .  •  .do.  ........ 

Richard  Mendenhall   • 

...do   

Charles  Boles    

....do  

A    Gregory            .          . 

do  

M  apsaoh  u  se  tts 

100  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  >  sg 
Territory  of  Kansas.        3 

On  the  17th  day  of  February,  A.  D.  1855,  before  the  undersigned, 
chief  justice  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  personally  appeared  Alexander 
S.  Johnson,  esq.,  who  being  duly  sworn  deposes  and  says  :  That  the 
foregoing  enumeration  or  census  of  the  seventeenth  district  of  said 
Territory  is  just  and  correct,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief; 
that  he  has  not  intentionally  omitte  1  or  erroneously  classified  any  in- 
habitants or  qualified  voters  ;  that  he  has  inserted  the  name  of  no 
person  except  those  legally  entitled  to  be  inserted,  and  that  he  has 
made  the  said  enumeration  and  classification  of  the  said  inhabitants, 
and  the  designation  of  qualified  voters,  truly  and  correctly,  as  directed 
in  the  foregoing  precept,  to  the  best  of  his  judgment  and  ability. 

A.  S.  JOHNSON. 

Sworn  and  subscribed,  February  IV,  1855,  before  me, 

SAMUEL  D.  LECOMPTE. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  101 

ELECTION  OF  J^ARCH  30,  1855. 


PROCLAMATION. 
UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  TERRITORY  OF  KANSAS. 

To  the  qualified  voters  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas: 

I,  Andrew  H.  Reeder,  governor  of  the  said  Territory,  by  virtue  of 
the  act  of  Congress  passed  the  30th  day  of  May,  1854,  entitled  uan 
act  to  organize  the  Territories  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas,"  do  by  these 
presents  proclaim,  order,  and  direct  that  an  election  be  held  in  the 
said  Territory  on  Friday,  the  thirtieth  day  of  March,  A.  I).  1855,  for 
thirteen  members  of  council  and  twenty-six  members  of  the  house  of 
representatives,  to  constitute  the  legislative  assembly  of  said  Terri- 
tory ;  and  the  qualified  voters  of  the  Territory  are  hereby  requested 
to  meet  on  said  day,  at  the  places  of  holding  elections  in  their  several 
districts  and  precincts,  as  hereinafter  specified,  to  vote  by  ballot  for 
the  number  of  candidates  hereinafter  apportioned  to  the  respective 
districts ;  and  the  said  election  shall  be  conducted  in  the  manner  here- 
inafter prescribed. 

List  of  Election  Districts  as  heretofore  erected. 

First  District. — Commencing  in  the  Kansas  river,  at  the  mouth  of 
Cedar  creek ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the  first  tributary  above  the  town 
of  Lawrence ;  thence  up  said  tributary  to  its  source ;  thence  by  a  direct 
line  to  the  west  side  of  F.  Rolf's  house;  thence  by  a  due  south  line  to 
the  Santa  Fe  road,  and  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  a  point  due 
south  of  the  source  of  Cedar  creek ;  thence  due  north  to  the  source  of 
said  Cedar  creek,  and  down  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Second  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Spring  branch, 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  Kansas  river ;  thence  up  said  branch  to  its 
furthest  source ;  thence  by  a  southerly  line  crossing  the  Wakarusa 
river,  on  the  east  side  of  the  house  of  Charles  Matney,  to  the  middle 
of  the  Santa  Fe  road ;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the 
line  of  the  first  district;  thence  by  the  same,  along  the  west  side  of 
the  house  of  F.  Rolf,  to  the  head  of  the  first  tributary  of  the  Kansas, 
above  the  town  of  Lawrence;  and  thence  by  the  same  tributary  to  the 
Kansas  river,  and  up  the  south  bank  of  said  river  to  the  mouth  of  Big 
Spring  branch,  the  place  of  beginning. 

Third  District.—  Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Spring  branch, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Kansas  river ;  thence  up  the  same  to  its  fur- 
thest source;  thence  by  a  southerly  line  to  the  north  bank  of  the  Wa- 
karusa river,  on  the  east  side  of  the  house  of  Charles  Matney ;  thence 
up  said  river  and  its  main  branch  to  the  line  of  the  Pottawatomie  re- 
servation ;  and  thence  by  the  southern  and  western  line  of  said  reser- 
vation to  the  Kansas  river,  and  down  the  said  river  to  the  place  of 
beginning.  • 

Fourth  District. — Commencing  at  the  Missouri  State  line  in  the 
middle  of  the  Santa  Fe  road ;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to 


102  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Rock  creek,  near  the  65th  mile  of  said  road ;  thence  south  to  the  line 
of  the  late  Shawnee  reservation  ceded  by  the  treaty  of  1854 ;  thence 
due  east  along  the  south  line  of  said  reservation  and  the  north  lines 
of  the  existing  reservations  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  the  existing  reser- 
vations of  the  Chippewas  and  Ottawas,  and  the  late  reservations  of 
the  Piankeshaws,  Weas,  Peorias,  and  Kaskaskias,  to  the  Missouri 
State  line ;  thence  up  the  Missouri  State  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Fifth  District. — Commencing  at  the  Missouri  State  line  at  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  fourth  district ;  thence  east  along  the  same 
to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  reservation ;  thence  due 
south  along  the  western  line  thereof,  and  due  south  to  the  south  branch 
of  the  Neosho  river,  about  seventy  miles  above  the  Catholic  Osage 
Mission ;  thence  down  said  river  to  the  north  line  of  the  reserve  for 
New  York  Indians,  and  east  along  said  line  to  the  headwaters  of  Little 
Osage  river,  or  the  nearest  point  thereto ;  and  thence  down  said  river 
to  the  Missouri  State  line,  and  up  said  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Sixth  District. — Commencing  on  the  Missouri  State  line  in  Little 
Osage  river ;  thence  up  the  same  to  the  line  of  the  reserve  for  the  New 
York  Indians,  or  the  nearest  point  thereto;  thence  to  and  by  the  north 
line  of  said  reserve  to  the  Neosho  river,  and  up  said  river  and  the 
south  branch  thereof  to  the  head ;  and  thence  by  a  due  south  line  to 
the  southern  line  of  the  Territory ;  thence  by  the  southern  and  eastern 
lines  of  said  Territory  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Seventh  District. — Commencing  at  the  east  side  of  the  house  of 
Charles  Matney,  on  the  Wakarusa  river;  thence  due  south  to  the 
middle  of  the  Santa  Fe  road ;  thence  westwardly  along  the  middle  of 
said  road  to  Rock  creek,  near  the  65th  mile  of  said  road ;  thence  due 
south  to  the  north  line  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  reservation ;  thence  along 
the  north  and  west  lines  thereof,  and  due  south  to  the  Neosho  river ; 
thence  up  said  river  to  a  point  due  south  of  the  mouth  of  Elm  creek ; 
thence  due  north  to  the  mouth  of  Elm  creek,  and  up  said  creek  to  the 
Santa  Fe  road,  and  thence  by  a  direct  line  in  a  northerly  direction  to 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  Pottawatomie  reservation ;  thence  along 
the  southern  line  of  said  reservation  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Waka- 
rusa river,  or  the  point  nearest  thereto ;  thence  to  and  down  the  said 
river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Eighth  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Elm  creek,  one  of 
the  branches  of  Osage  river ;  thence  up  the  same  to  the  Santa  Fe  road ; 
thence  by  a  direct  northerly  line  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Potta- 
watomie reservation ;  thence  up  the  western  line  thereof  to  the  Kansas 
river ;  thence  up  said  river  and  the  Smoky  Hill  Fork,  beyond  the  most 
westerly  settlements  ;  thence  due  south  to  the  line  of  the  Territory  ; 
thence  by  the  same  to  the  line  of  the  sixth  district ;  thence  due  north 
to  the  head  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Neosho  river ;  thence  down 
said  river  to  the  line  of  the  seventh  district;  thence  due  north  to  the 
place  of  beginning. 

Ninth  District. — Commencing  on  the  Smoky  Hill  Fork,  beyond  the 
most  westerly  settlements;  thence  down  the  same  and  the  Kansas 
river,  to  the  mouth  of  Wild  Cat  creek ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the 
headwaters  thereof;  thence  due  north  to  the  Independence  emigrant 
road ;  thence  up  said  road  to  the  north  line  of  the  Territory ;  thence 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  103 

west  along  the  same  beyond  the  most  westerly  settlements  ;  arid  thence 
due  south  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Tenth  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Vermillion  river  ; 
thence  up  the  same,  beyond  the  house  of  Josiah  D.  Adams;  thence 
due  west  to  the  Independence  emigrant  road ;  thence  up  the  middle  of 
said  road  to  the  line  of  the  ninth  district ;  thence  by  the  same  to  the 
head  of  Wild  Cat  creek,  and  down  said  creek  to  the  Kansas  river ; 
thence  down  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Eleventh  District. — Commencing  in  the  Vermillion  river,  opposite 
the  north  side  of  the  house  of  Josiah  D.  Adams;  thence  up  said  river 
to  the  head  of  the  main  branch ;  thence  due  north  to  the  military  road 
from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney;  thence  along  the  middle  of 
said  road  to  the  crossing  of  the  Vermillion  branch  of  the  Blue;  thence 
due  north  to  the  northern  line  of  the  Territory;  thence  west  along 
said  line  to  the  Independence  emigrant  road;  thence  down  said  road 
to  a  point  due  west  of  the  north  end  of  the  house  of  Josiah  D.  Adams, 
and  due  east  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Twelfth  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Soldier  creek,  in 
the  Kansas  river ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  head  of  the  main  branch  ; 
thence  due  north  to  the  military  road  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort 
Kearney ;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  line  of  the  ele- 
venth district ;  thence  due  south  to  the  head  of  Vermillion  river,  down 
Vermillion  river  to  the  mouth,  and  down  Kansas  river  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

Thirteenth  District. — Commencing  in  the  Kansas  river,  at  a  point 
three  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Stranger  creek;  thence  in  a  north- 
wardly direction  by  a  line  corresponding  to,  and  three  miles  west  of, 
the  several  courses  of  said  creek,  to  the  line  of  the  late  Kickapoo  re- 
servation ;  thence  by  the  southern  and  western  lines  of  said  reserva- 
tion to  the  military  road  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney ; 
thence  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  line  of  the  twelfth  district; 
thence  due  south  to  the  head  of  Soldier  creek,  down  Soldier  creek  to 
the  mouth,  and  down  Kansas  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Fourteenth  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Independence 
creek;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  head  of  the  main  branch,  and 
thence  due  west  to  the  line  of  the  late  Kickapoo  reservation ;  thence 
north  along  said  line  and  the  line  of  the  late  Sac  and  Fox  reservation, 
to  the  north  line  of  the  Territory;  thence  along  said  line  eastwardly 
to  the  Missouri  river,  and  down  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Fifteenth  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Salt  creek,  on  the 
Missouri  river;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  military  road,  and  along 
the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  lower  crossing  of  Stranger  creek  ;  thence 
up  said  creek  to  the  line  of  the  late  Kickapoo  reservation,  and  thence 
along  the  southern  and  western  line  thereof  to  the  line  of  the  four- 
teenth district ;  thence  by  the  same,  and  down  Independence  creek,  to 
the  mouth  thereof,  and  thence  down  the  Missouri  river  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

Sixteenth  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Salt  creek ;  thence 
up  said  creek  to  the  military  road ;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said 
road  to  the  lower  crossing  of  Stranger  creek;  thence  up  said  creek  to 
the  line  of  the  lato  Kickapoo  ressrvation,  and  thence  along  the  same 


104  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

to  the  line  of  the  thirteenth  district,  and  thence  by  the  same  along  a 
line  corresponding  to  the  courses  of  Stranger  creek,  and  keeping  three 
miles  west  thereof,  to  the  Kansas  river ;  thence  down  the  Kansas  river 
to  the  Missouri,  and  up  the  Missouri  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Seventeenth  District. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas  river, 
thence  up  the  south  bank  thereof  to  the  mouth  of  Cedar  creek;  thence 
up  Cedar  creek  to  its  source,  and  thence  due  south  to  the  Santa  Fe 
road,  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  Missouri  State  line,  and 
along  said  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Eighteenth  District. — Commencing  in  the  military  road  at  the  cross- 
ing of  the  Vermillion  branch  of  Blue  river;  thence  due  north  to  the 
line  of  the  Territory;  thence  east  along  said  line  to  the  line  of  the 
fourteenth  district ;  thence  due  south  along  said  line  to  the  aforesaid 
military  road,  and  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

Precincts,  places  for  polls ,  and  judges  of  election. 

t 

First  District. — The  election  will  be  held  at  the  house  of  W.  H.  R. 
Lykins,  in  the  town  of  Lawrence. 

Judges. — Hugh  Cameron,  James  B.  Abbot,  N.  B.  Blanton. 

Second  District. — House  of  Harrison  Burson,  on  Wakarusa  river. 

Judges. — Harrison  Burson,  Paris  Ellison,  Nath.  S.  Ramsey. 

Third  District. — House  of  Thos.  N.  Stinson,  in  the  town  of  Te- 
cumseh. 

Judges.— Rev.  L.  D.  Stateler,  Rev.  H.  B.  Burgess,  Rev.  H.  N. 
Watts. 

Fourth  District. — House  of  Dr.  I.  Chapman. 

Judges. — Perry  Fuller,  David  Pultz,  E.  W.  Moore. 

Fifth  District. — This  district  is  divided  into  four  voting  precinct* 
as  follows,  viz: 

Bull  Creek  Precinct. — Commencing  in  the  Osage  (or  Marais  dea 
Cygnes)  river,  opposite  the  termination  of  the  dividing  ridge  between 
Pottawatoinie  and  Middle  creek;  thence  by  an  easterly  line,  running 
north  of  all  the  settlements  on  the  waters  of  North  Sugar  creek  to  the 
Missouri  State  line ;  thence  up  said  line  to  the  line  between  the  fourth 
and  fifth  districts  ;  thence  east  along  said  line  to  the  line  between 
the  Peoria  and  Ottawa  reservations  ;  thence  south  along  the  same  to 
the  Osage  river,  and  down  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

The  election  will  be  held  at  the  house  of  Baptiste  Peoria. 

Judges. — John  J.  Parks,  J.  J.  Clark,  Stephen  White. 

Pottaiv atomic  Creek  Precinct. — Commencing  in  the  Osage  river  on 
the  line  of  the  Peoria  and  Ottawa  reserves  ;  thence  down  said  river 
to  a  point  opposite  the  termination  of  the  dividing  ridge  between  Pot- 
tawatoinie creek  and  Middle  creek;  thence  along  said  dividing  ridge 
beyond  the  head  waters  of  said  creeks,  and  thence  by  a  line  due  south- 
west to  the  line  of  the  sixth  district ;  thence  by  the  lines  of  the  sixth, 
seventh,  and  fourth  districts,  to  the  line  of  the  Peoria  and  Ottawa 
reservations,  and  down  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  house  of  Henry  Sherman,  on  Pottawatomie  creek. 

Judges. — William  Chesnut,  Allen  Wilkinson,  0.  F.  Cleveland. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS,  105 

Big  Sugar  Creek  Precinct. — Beginning  in  the  Osage  river  at  the 
Missouri  State  line  ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the  mouth  of  Big  Sugar 
creek  ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  mouth  of  Little  Sugar  creek  ; 
thence  along  the  dividing  ridge  "between  Big  and  Little  Sugar  creeks, 
beyond  the  headwaters  of  "both  ;  thence  by  a  clue  southwest  line  to 
the  line  of  the  fifth  district;  thence  along  the  same  to  the  Pottawato- 
mie  Creek  precinct ;  thence  by  the  line  of  said  precinct  to  the  Osage 
river  ;  thence  by  an  easterly  line,  running  north  of  all  the  settlements 
on  the  waters  of  North  Sugar  creek,  to  the  Missouri  State  line,  and 
down  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  house  of  Elisha  Tucker,  at  the  old  Pottawatomie 
mission. 

Judges. — James  M.  Arthur,  Elisha  Tucker,  John  E.  Brown. 

Little  Sugar  Creek  Precinct. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Little 
Osage  river;  thence  up  the  same,  and  along  the  line  of  sixth  district, 
to  Big  Sugar  Creek  precinct ;  thence  along  the  line  of  said  precinct 
to  Osage  river ;  down  Osage  river  to  State  line,  and  down  State  line 
to  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  house  of  Isaac  Stockton,  at  crossing  of  Little  Sugar 
creek . 

Judges. — William  H.  Finley,  Alfred  Osborne,  Isaac  Stockton. 

Sixth  District. — Election  at  the  Hospital  building  at  Fort  Scott. 

Judges. — James  Ray,  sen.,  William  Painter,  William  Godefroy. 

Seventh  District. — Election  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Titus,  on  the  Santa 
Fe  road. 

Judges. — Eli  Snyder,  John  W.  Freel,  Dr.  Harvey  Foster. 

Eighth  District. — Election  at  the  Council  Grove  mission  house,  near 
the  Santa  Fe  road. 

Judges. — A.  J.  Baker,  Emanuel  Mosier,  T.  S.  Hoffaker. 

Ninth  District. — Election  at  the  house  of  Robert  Klotz,  in  the  town 
of  Pawnee. 

Judges.— A..  D.  Gibson,  S.  B.  White,  Robert  Wilson. 

Tenth  District. — This  district  is  divided  into  two  voting  precincts, 
as  follows,  viz: 

Blue  Piiver  Precinct. — Commencing  at  the  upper  mouth  of  Black 
Jack  creek;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  head  of  the  main  branch; 
thence  clue  north  to  the  Independence  emigrant  road  ;  thence  up  the 
middle  of  said  road  to  the  northern  line  of  the  Territory  ;  thence  by 
the  northern,  western,  and  southern  lines  of  the  district  to  the  place 
of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  house  of  S.  D.  Dyer,  on  Blue  river. 

Judges. — Joseph  W.  Russell,  Marshal  A.  Garrett,  Joseph  Stewart. 

Rock  Creek  Precinct. — Commencing  at  the  upper  mouth  of  Black 
Jack  creek  ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  head  of  the  main  branch  ; 
thence  due  north  to  the  Independence  emigrant  road  ;  thence  down 
said  road,  and  by  the  continuous  easterly  and  southerly  lines  of  the 
district  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  house  of  Robert  Wilson,  on  Rock  creek. 

Judges. — Francis  Bergerow,  Henry  Rammelt,  James  Wilson. 

•Eleventh  District.—  Election  at  the  trading  house  of  Woodward  & 
Marshall. 


106  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Judges.—  Tr.  J.  Marshall,  R.  C.  Bishop,  W.  P.  McClure. 

Iwelfih  District. — This  district  is  divided  into  two  precincts,  as  fol- 
lows, viz: 

Silver  Lake  Precinct. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Cross  creek; 
thence  up  the  same  to  the  head  ;  thence  due  north  to  military  road 
leading  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney ;  thence  by  the  con- 
tinuous northern,  eastern,  and  southern  lines  of  the  district  to  the 
place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  store  of  Sloan  &  Beaubien,  on  Silver  lake. 

Judges. — Nath.  Wingardner,  E.  M.  Sloan,  Evan  Kennedy. 

St.  Mary's  Precinct. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Cross  creek ; 
thence  up  said  creek  to  the  head ;  thence  due  north  to  the  military 
road  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney ;  thence  by  the  northern, 
western,  and  southern  lines  of  the  district  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  store  of  B.  F.  Bertrand,  at  St.  Mary's  mission. 

Judges. — Dr.  L.  R.  Palmer,  Charles  Dean,  Rev.  J.  B.  Duerinck. 

Thirteenth  District. — Election  (except  as  hereinafter  stated)  at  the 
house  of  Samuel  J.  Hard,  at  Hickory  Point. 

Judges. — H.  B.  Cora,  James  Atkinson,  J.  B.  Ross. 

Fourteenth  District. — This  district  is  divided  into  three  precincts, 
as  follows,  viz : 

Wolf  River  Precinct. — Commencing  in  the  Missouri  river  one  mile 
east  of  Mosquito  creek;  thence  by  a  line  corresponding  to,  and  one 
mile  east  of,  the  several  courses  of  said  creek  and  the  main  branch 
thereof;  thence  by  a  line  due  south  to  Cottonwood  spring:  thence 
along  the  Pottawatomie  road  to  the  dividing  ridge,  two  miles  from 
the  crossing  of  said  road  at  Independence  creek;  thence  due  west  to 
the  line  of  the  district,  and  by  the  westerly  and  northerly  lines  of  the 
district  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  house  erected  by  Aaron  Lewis,  on  Wolf  river. 

Judges. — James  M.  Irvin,  Joel  Ryan,  E.  W.  B.  Rogers. 

Doniphan  Precinct. — Commencing  on  the  Missouri  river  at  the  south 
line  of  Cadue's  reserve  ;  thence  by  the  same,  and  along  the  dividing 
ridge  between  Cadue's  creek  and  Lewis'  creek,  to  Cottonwood  spring; 
thence  by  the  line  of  the  Wolf  River  precinct,  and  the  western  and 
southern  lines  of  the  district  to  the  Missouri  river,  and  up  the  Mis- 
souri river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  the  store  of  John  W.  &  James  Foreman,  in  the  town  of 
Doniphan. 

Judges. — M.  K.  Shaw,  Parris  Dunning,  W.  L.  Chudys. 

Burr  Oak  Precinct. — Commencing  on  the  Missouri  river  at  the 
south  line  of  Cadue's  reserve  ;  thence  by  line  of  Doniphan  precinct  to 
Cottonwood  spring  ;  thence  by  line  of  Wolf  River  precinct  to  Missouri 
river,  and  down  said  river  to  place  of  beginning. 

Election  at  house  of  Milton  E.  Bryant,  on  St.  Joseph  and  California 
road. 

Judges. — Ebenezer  Blackstone,  Gary  B.  Whitehead,  Osborne  Hulen. 

Fifteenth  District. — Election  (except  as  hereinafter  stated)  at  the 
house  of  Charles  Hays,  on  the  military  road. 

Judges. — Thomas  J.  Thompson,  E.  R.  Zimmerman,  Daniel  Fisk. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  107 

• 

Sixteenth  District. — Election  at  the  house  of  Keller  &  Kyle,  in  the 
town  of  Leaven  worth. 

Judges. — Matthias  France,  J.  C.  Posey,  David  Brown. 

Seventeenth  District. — Election  at  the  Shawnee  Methodist  Church. 

Judges. — Cyprian  Choteau,  C.  B.  Donaldson,  Charles  Boles. 

Eighteenth  District.—  Election  at  the  house  of  William  W.  Moore, 
on  St.  Joseph  and  California  road,  at  the  crossing  of  the  Nemaha. 

Judges. — Jesse  Adamson,  Thomas  J.  B.  Cramer,  John  Belew.' 

Instructions  to  judges  of  election. 

The  three  judges  will  provide  for  each  poll  ballot  boxes  with  a  slit 
for  the  insertion  of  the  tickets,  and  will  assemble  at  their  respective 
polls  at  or  before  eight  o'clock  a.  m.  of  the  day  of  election,  and  will 
make  and  subscribe  the  duplicate  copies  of  the  printed  oath  which  will 
be  furnished  them.  This  oath  must  be  administered  by  a  judge  or 
justice  of  the  peace,  if  one  be  present ;  and  if  not,  then  the  judges  can 
mutually  administer  the  oath  to  each  other,  which  they  are  hereby 
fully  authorized  to  do.  In  case  of  the  absence  of  any  one  or  two  of 
said  judges  at  nine  o'clock  a.  m.,  the  vacancy  shall  be  filled  by  the 
judge  or  judges  who  shall  attend  ;  and  if  any  vacancy  shall  occur 
after  the  judges  have  been  sworn,  it  shall  be  filled  in  the  same  man- 
ner. In  case  none  of  the  judges  appointed  shall  attend  at  nine  o'clock 
a.  m.,  the  voters  on  the  ground  may,  by  tellers,  select  persons  to  act 
in  their  stead.  The  judges  will  keep  two  corresponding  lists  of  the 
names  of  persons  who  shall  vote,  numbering  each  name.  They  must 
be  satisfied  of  the  qualifications  of  every  person  offering  to  vote,  and 
may  examine  the  voter,  or  any  other  person,  under  oath,  upon  the 
subject. 

The  polls  will  be  kept  open  until  six  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  then  closed 
unless  voters  are  present  offering  to  vote  ;  and  in  that  case  shall  be 
closed  as  soon  thereafter  as  votes  cease  to  be  offered. 

When  the  polls  are  closed,  the  judges  will  proceed  to  open  and 
count  the  votes,  and  will  keep  two  corresponding  tally  lists,  on  which 
I  they  will  simultaneously  tally  each  ticket  as  it  is  called  by  the  judge, 
|  who  will  open  and  call  out  the  tickets,  which  must  be  done  without 
handling  or  interference  by  any  other  person.  When  the  votes  are 
thus  counted  off,  and  the  tally  lists  shall  agree,  the  judges  shall  pub- 
licly proclaim  the  result,  and  shall  fill  up  and  sign  the  duplicate  cer- 
tificates of  return  which  will  be  furnished  them.  They  will  then 
carefully  replace  the  said  tickets  in  one  or  both  of  the  ballot  boxes, 
together  with  one  copy  of  the  oath,  one  of  the  lists  of  voters,  and  one 
of  the  certificates  of  return,  and  will  seal  up  and  preserve  the  same, 
to  be  produced  if  called  for.  The  remaining  copies  of  the  oath,  list 
of  voters,  tally  list,  and  certificate,  will  be  sealed  up,  directed  to  the 
governor  of  the  Territory,  and  delivered  by  one  of  the  judges  in  per- 
son to  the  governor,  at  his  office  at  the  Shawnee  Methodist  mission, 
on  or  before  the  fourth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1855. 

In  the  fifth  district  the  several  return  judges  will  meet  on  the  day 
after  the  election,  at  the  house  of  Henry  Sherman,  on  Pottawatomie 
creek,  and  select  one  of  their  number,  who  shall  take  charge  of  and  de- 


108  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

• 

liver  the  returns  of  all  the  precints.  The  return  judges  of  the  tenth  will 
meet  at  the  house  of  Kobert  Wilson,  on  Bock  creek  ;  and  those  of  the 
fourteenth  at  the  house  of  M.  E.  Bryant,  and  will  make  their  returns 
in  the  same  manner. 

All  persons  are  absolutely  forbidden  to  bring,  sell,  or  deal  out,  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  election  ground,  any  intoxicating  liquors; 
and  the  judges  of  election,  whenever  they  shall  deem  this  regulation 
violated,  so  as  to  interfere  with  the  proper  conducting  of  the  election, 
may  order  the  same  to  be  removed ;  and  if  the  owner  shall  fail  to 
comply  with  such  order,  may  direct  constables,  or  other  proper  per- 
sons, to  take  charge  of  such  liquor  till  the  polls  are  closed  ;  or,  in  case 
of  resistance,  to  destroy  the  same  at  once. 

The  constables  of  the  territory  will  attend  at  their  respective  polls, 
and  will  hold  themselves  subject  to  the  orders  of  the  judges  for  the 
preservation  of  order  at  the  polls,  and  securing  free  access  for  the 
voters ;  and,  for  this  purpose,  may  call  upon  any  citizens  present  tc 
aid  them  in  the  performance  of  their  duty  if  necessary. 

Qualification  of  voters. 

By  the  territorial  bill  it  is  provided  as  follows  : 

"That  every  free  white  male  inhabitant  above  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years,  who  shall  be  an  actual  resident  of  said  Territory,  and  shal. 
possess  the  qualifications  hereinafter  prescribed,  shall  be  entitled  t< 
vote  at  the  first  election  :  Provided,  That  the  right  of  suffrage  and  o 
holding  office  shall  be  exercised  only  by  citizens  of  the  United  States 
and  those  who  shall  have  declared  on  oath  their  intention  to  becomi 
such,  and  shall  have  taken  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  th< 
United  States  and  the  provisions  of  this  act :  And  provided  further 
That  no  officer,  soldier,  seaman,  or  marine,  or  other  person  in  th< 
army  or  navy  of  the  United  States,  or  attached  to  troops  in  the  ser 
vice  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  allowed  to  vote  or  hold  office  in  saic 
Territory,  by  reason  of  being  on  service  therein." 

By  the  term  "  white,"  as  used  in  this  and  other  laws  of  a  simila 
character,  is  meant  pure  unmixed  white  blood.  The  man  who  ha 
any  mixture  from  the  darker  races,  however  small  the  proportion,  i 
not  regarded  as  a  white  man.  This  has  been  repeatedly  decided,  an< 
may  be  regarded  as  settled.  When  a  voter  has  only  declared  his  in 
tention  to  become  a  citizen,  he  must  be  sworn  by  the  judges  of  election 
or  by  a  judge  or  justice  of  the  peace,  to  support  the  Constitution  of  th 
United  States  and  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress,  passed  Ma; 
30,  1854,  to  organize  the  territories  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas 
When  so  sworn,  the  word  "oath"  should  be  marked  opposite  hi 
name  on  the  list  of  voters  ;  and  a  voter  who  has  had  this  oath  one 
administered,  will  not,  of  course,  be  required  to  repeat  it. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  act  of  Congress  is  drawn  with  much  care  t< 
exclude  non-residents  from  the  polls.  It  provides  that  a  voter  shal 
be  an  "  inhabitant"  and  "  an  actual  resident."  A  voter  must  dwel 
here  at  the  time  of  offering  his  vote  ;  he  must  then  have  commence* 
an  actual  inhabitancy,  which  he  actually  intends  to  continue  perma 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  109 

nently,  and  must  have  made  the  Territory  his  dwelling-place  to  the 
exclusion  of  any  other  home. 

The  meaning  of  the  last  proviso,,  relative  to  the  army  and  navy,  is, 
that  the  persons  designated  in  it  shall  not  vote  if  their  inhabitancy  in 
the  Territory  is  referable  only  to  the  performance  of  their  duties.    Lik 
all  other  persons,  it  is  riot  enough  that  they  should  be  in  the  Territory 
but  they  must  dwell  in  it  as  their  permanent  home  ;  and  the  officer  or 
soldier  who  would  vote  must  have  a  residence  here,  irrespective  and 
independent  of  his  presence  here  under  orders. 

Every  voter  must  vote  in  the  election  precinct  where  he  resides,  and 
not  elsewhere.  Experience  has  demonstrated  this  to  be  a  wise  regu- 
lation, and  it  has  been  adopted  in  nearly  all  the  States  as  a  necevssary 
provision  against  error,  confusion,  and  fraud. 

Contested  elections. 

In  case  any  persons  shall  desire  to  contest  the  election  in  any  dis- 
trict of  the  Territory,  they  shall  make  a  written  statement,  directed  to 
the  governor,  setting  forth  the  particular  precinct  or  district  they  in- 
tend to  contest,  the  candidates  whose  election  they  dispute,  and  the 
specific  causes  of  complaint  in  the  conduct  or  return  of  the  said  elec- 
tion ;  which  complaint  shall  be  signed  by  not  less  than  ten  qualified 
voters  of  the  Territory,  and  with  affidavit  of  one  or  more  such  voters 
to  the  truth  of  the  facts  set  forth  therein.  Such  written  statement 
must  be  presented  to  the  governor  at  his  office  on  or  before  the  fourth 
day  of  April,  A.  D.  1855  ;  and  if  it  shall  appear  that  the  result  of 
election  in  any  council  district  might  be  changed  by  said  contest,  a 
day  will  be  fixed  for  hearing  the  same. 

Apportionment  of  members  of  the  legislature,  and  list  of  districts. 

APPORTIONMENT. 

The  entire  number  of  qualified  voters  in  the  territory,  as  appears 
from  the  census  returns,  is  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  five.  The 
ratio  of  representation  in  council  is  two  hundred  and  twenty-three, 
and  in  the  house  of  representatives  one  hundred  and  eleven. 

COUNCIL   DISTRICTS. 

The  first,  fourth,  and  seventeenth  election  districts,  containing  four 
hundred  and  sixty-six  voters,  shall  constitute  the  first  council  district, 
and  elect  two  members  of  the  council. 

The  second  election  district,  arid  so  much  of  the  thirteenth  as  is  em- 
braced in  the  Kansas  half-breed  lands,  containing  two  hundred  and 
twelve  voters,  will  constitute  the  second  council  district,  and  elect  one 
member  of  council ;  and  the  voters  thus  detached  from  the  thir- 
teenth will  vote  at  the  place  of  election  fixed  for  the  second  election 
district. 

The  third,  seventh,  and  eighth  election  districts,  containing  one 
hundred  and  ninety-three  voters,  will  constitute  the  third  council  dis- 
trict, and  elect  one  member  of  council. 

The  fifth  election  district,  containing  four  hundred  and  forty-two 


110  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

voters,  will  constitute  the  fourth  council  district,  and  elect  two  mem- 
bers of  council. 

The  sixth  election  district,  containing  two  hundred  and  fifty-three 
voters,  will  constitute  the  fifth  council  district,  and  elect  one  memher 
of  council. 

The  ninth,  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  election  districts,  contain- 
ing two  hundred  and  one  voters,  will  constitute  the  sixth  council  dis- 
trict, and  elect  one  member  of  council. 

The  Wolf  river  precinct  and  Doniphan  precinct  of  the  fourteenth,  the 
whole  of  the  eighteenth,  and  so  much  of  the  fifteenth  election  district 
as  lies  north  of  Walnut  creek  and  its  main  branch,  and  a  due  west 
line  from  its  source,  containing  two  hundred  and  forty-seven  voters, 
shall  constitute  the  seventh  council  district,  and  elect  one  member  of 
council  ;  and  the  voters  who  are  thus  detached  from  the  fifteenth  will 
vote  at  the  Doniphan  precinct. 

The  Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  fourteenth  district,  containing  two> 
hundred  and  fifteen  voters,  will  constitute  the  eighth  council  district,, 
and  elect  one  member  of  council. 

The  residue  of  the  fifteenth  election  district,  containing  two  hundred! 
and  eight  voters,  will  constitute  the  ninth  council  district,  and  electi 
one  member  of  council. 

The  sixteenth  and  residue  of  the  thirteenth  election  district,  con- 
taining four  hundred  and  sixty-eight  voters,  will  constitute  the  tenth, 
council  district,  and  elect  two  members  of  council. 

REPRESENTATIVE   DISTRICTS. 

The  seventeenth  and  fourth  election  districts,  containing  ninety- 
seven  voters,  shall  constitute  the  first  representative  district,  and  electt 
one  member. 

The  first  election  district,  containing  three  hundred  and  sixty-nine1 
voters,  shall  be  the  second  representative  district,  and  elect  three 
members. 

The  second  council  district  shall  be  the  third  representative  district, 
and  elect  two  members. 

The  third  election  district,  containing  one  hundred  and  one  voters, 
shall  be  the  fourth  representative  district,  and  elect  one  member. 

The  seventh  and  eighth  election  districts,  containing  ninety-two* 
voters,  shall  be  the  fifth  representative  district,  and  elect  one  member;. 

The  sixth  election  district  shall  be  the  sixth  representative  district., 
and  elect  two  members. 

The  fifth  election  district  shall  be  the  seventh  representative  dis-« 
trict,  and  elect  four  members. 

The  ninth  and  tenth  election  districts,  containing  ninety-nine  voters.- 1 
shall  be  the  eighth  representative  district,  and  elect  one  member. 

The  eleventh  and  twelfth  election  districts,  containing  one  hundred'] 
and  two  voters,  shall  be  the  ninth  representative  district,  and  electj 
one  member. 

The  residue  of  the  thirteenth  election  district,  containing  eighty- 
three  voters,  shall  be  the  tenth  representative  district,  and  elect  oneij 
member. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


Ill 


The  seventh  council  district  shall  be  the  eleventh  representative 
district,  and  elect  two  members. 

The  eighth  council  district  shall  be  the  twelfth  representative  dis- 
trict, and  elect  two  members. 

The  ninth  council  district  shall  be  the  thirteenth  representative  dis- 
trict, and  elect  two  members. 

The  sixteenth  election  district,  containing  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
five  voters,  shall  be  the  fourteenth  representative  district,  and  elect 
three  members. 

r       -,       Witness  my  hand  and   seal   of  said  Territory,  this   eighth 
LL-S-J  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855. 

A.  H.  REEDER,  Governor,  &c. 

Attest :  DANIEL  WOODSON,  Secretary. 


Table  of  election  districts,  &c. 


Election  districts. 

Council  districts. 

Representative 
districts. 

Precincts. 

Counties. 

Towns,  townships  and 
precincts. 

C 

I 

1 

2 

Doufflas       .  .  ......  \ 

\Villow  Springs  .  .  .  .  , 

2 

o 

3 

t\ 

3 

3 

4 

\ 

Calhoun  

T"ecumseh    .... 

4 

1 

1 

Bull  creek     

i 

Pottawatornie  creek 

5 

4 

7  •' 

Bin*  Sucrar  creek 

1 

Little  Sncrar  creek  .  . 

6 

5 

G 

Bourbon  

Fort  Scott  

7 

3 

5 

"110"  

( 

iffi 

5 

{ 

IV'  adisori.  

Council  Grove         « 

9 

6 

8 

Riley  

0    < 

Big  Blue  

10 

G 

8 

11 

6 

9( 

Marshall  

iVJarysville  .......... 

n  < 

Silver  lake  

12 

6 

9 

St.  Mary's  

*13 

10 

10 

,1  < 

AVolf  river  .  •  

Doniphan      .......... 

14 

7 

11 

Burr  Oak  

12 

Burr  Oak  < 

f!5 

9 

13 

Atchison  

I 

Leavenworth  

16 

10 

14 

T 

17 

1 

1 

Shawnee  M  ission  

J18 

7 

11 

*  Part  of  13  (in  Kansas  half-breed  lands)  voted  in  2d  district.    Grasshopper  and  Mount  Pleasant  towushidj 
to  Atchison. 

tPart  of  15  voted  at  Doniphan,  80  men. 
jPort  of  llth,  12th  and  18th  districts. 


112  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


PROCLAMATION. 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  ) 
Territory  of  Kansas.        \ 

To  the  citizens  and  inhabitants  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas : 

I,  Andrew  H.  Reeder,  governor  of  the  said  Territory,  do  hereby 
proclaim  and  make  known,  that,  under  and  by  virtue  of  the  authority 
conferred,  and  the  duty  enjoined  by  the  thirty-fifth  section  of  the  act 
of  Congress  passed  the  thirtieth  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1854,  entitled 
"An  act  to  organize  the  Territories  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas,"  I  have, 
until  otherwise  provided  by  law,  defined  the  judicial  districts  of  the 
said  Territory,  and  assigned  one  of  said  districts  to  each  of  the  judges 
appointed  for  said  Territory  ;  and  have  also  appointed  the  times  and 
places  for  holding  the  courts  in  the  said  districts,  as  follows,  that  is 
to  say  : 

All  of  said  Territory  embraced  within  the  following  bounds  shall 
constitute  the  first  judicial  district,  to  wit :  Commencing  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Kansas  river ;  thence  up  the  Missouri  river  to  the  northern  line 
of  the  Territory  ;  thence  along  said  line  west  to  the  line  between  the 
eleventh  and  eighteenth  election  districts  ;  thence  down  said  line  to 
the  military  road  leading  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney  , 
thence  along  said  road  to  the  line  between  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
election  districts  ;  thence  down  the  same  and  the  waters  of  Soldier 
creek,  along  the  western  shore  thereof,  to  the  Kansas  river,  and  down 
the  same,  on  the  southern  shore  thereof,  to  the  place  of  beginning, 
including  the  thirteenth,  fourteenth,  fifteenth,  sixteenth,  and  eigh- 
teenth election  districts  ;  which  said  district  is  assigned  to  Chief  Jus- 
tice S.  D.  Lecompte,  and  the  courts  thereof  shall  be  held  at  the  town 
of  Leavenworth. 

All  of  said  Territory  embraced  within  the  following  bounds  shall 
constitute  the  second  judicial  district,  to  wit :    Commencing  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Kansas  river  ;  thence  up  the  same,  along  the  southern 
shore  thereof,  to  the  western  line  of  the  Pottawatomie  reservation  ; 
thence  along  the  western  and  southern  lines  of  said  reservation  to  the  i 
headwaters  of  the  Wakarusa,  or  the  nearest  point  thereto,  and  thence: 
directly  to  and  down  the  northern  shore  of  the  same  to  the  east  side 
of  the  house  of  Charles  Matingly  ;   thence  due  south  to  the  middle  of 
the  Santa  Fe  road  ;  thence  westwardly  along  the  middle  of  said  road  1 1 
to  Rock  creek  ;  thence  due  south  to  the  north  line  of  the  Sac  and  Fox.| 
reservation  ;  thence  along  the  north  and  west  lines  thereof,  and  due 
south,  to  the  Neosho  river ;  thence  up  the  southern  shore  of  said  river,, 
and  of  the  north  branch  thereof,  to  the  head  ;   thence  due  south  to 
the  line  of  the  Territory,  and  thence  by  the  south  and  east  lines  of! 
the  Territory  to  the  place  of  beginning,  to  include  the  first,  second, 
third,  fourth,  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventeenth  election  districts.     The 
said  district  is  assigned  to  Hon.  Rush  Ellmore,  and  the  courts  thereof! 
shall  be  held  at  the  town  of  Tecumseh. 

The  residue    of   the  Territory,   comprising    the   seventh,   eighth, 
ninth,  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  election  districts,  shall  constitute 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  113 

the  third  judicial  district;  which  is  assigned  to  Hon.   Sanders  W. 
Johnston,  and  the  courts  thereof  shall  he  held  at  the  town  of  Pawnee. 

The  regular  terms  of  courts  shall  he  as  follows  : 

At  Leavenworth,  on  the  third  Monday  of  April  and  third  Monday 
of  October. 

At  Tecumseh,  on  the  second  Monday  after  the  third  Monday  of 
April,  and  second  Monday  after  the  third  Monday  of  October. 

At  Pawnee,  on  the  fourth  Monday  after  the  third  Monday  of  April, 
and  fourth  Monday  after  the  third  Monday  of  October. 

Special  and  preliminary  terms  will  be  held  at  Leavenworth  on 
Monday,  the  19th  day  of  March  next  ;  at  Tecumseh  on  Monday,  the 
26th  day  of  March  next ;  and  at  Pawnee  on  Monday,  the  2d  day  of 
April  next,  at  10  o'clock,  a.  in.,  at  which  times  all  persons  bound  by 
recognizance  or  otherwise  to  appear  at  the  first  term  of  said  courts, 
will  appear  at  the  places  so  as  aforesaid  fixed  for  their  respective  dis- 
tricts ;  and  all  justices  of  the  peace  who  have  taken  recognizances  for 
the  appearance  of  any  person  charged  before  them  will,  at  or  before 
the  commencement  of  the  said  special  or  preliminary  term,  make  re- 
turn of  the  same  to  the  clerk  of  their  respective  districts,  or  to  A.  I. 
Lsacks,  esq.,  the  United  States  district  attorney. 

Witness  my  hand  and  the  seal  of  the  said  Territory,  this  twenty- 
aixth  day  of  February,  A,  D.  1855. 

A.  H.  KEEDEK,  Governor,  dc. 

Attest:  DANL.  WOODSON,  Secretary. 


PROCLAMATION. 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  ) 
Territory  of  Kansas.        \ 

To  the  citizens  and  qualified  voters  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  : 

I,  Andrew  H.  Eeeder,  governor  of  the  said  Territory,  do  hereby 
proclaim  and  make  known  that  I  have  erected  an  additional  election 
district,  comprising  portions  of  the  present  eleventh,  twelfth,  and 
thirteenth  election  districts,  to  be  called  the  eighteenth  election  district^ 
and  to  include  the  settlements  on  the  waters  of  the  Nemaha,  bounded 
and  described  as  follows,  to  wit  :  Commencing  in  the  Vermillion 
branch  of  the  Blue  river,  at  the  crossing  of  the  military  road  from 
Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney  ;  thence  due  north  to  the  line  of 
the  Territory ;  thence  along  the  same  east  to  the  line  of  the  fourteenth 
election  district ;  thence  south,  along  the  line  of  the  fourteenth  and 
fifteenth  election  districts,  to  the  aforesaid  military  road,  and  thence 
by  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  place  of 
election  for  said  district  will  be  at  the  house  of  W.  W.  Moore,  where 
the  St.  Joseph  road  crosses  the  Nemaha. 

And  further,  that  I  have  detached  from  the  eleventh,  and  added  to 
the  tenth  election  district,  the  following  portion  of  territory,  to  wit  : 
Beginning  in  the  Vermillion  river,  at  the  crossing  of  the  Independence 
H.  Rep.  20f 


114  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

emigrant  road  ;  thence  up  said  river  beyond  the  house  of  Josiah  Gr. 
Adams  ;  thence  due  east,  along  the  northern  side  of  the  said  house, 
to  the  said  road,  and  down  said  road  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Witness  my  hand  and  the  seal  of  the  said  Territory,  this  24th  day 
of  February,  A.  D.  1855. 

A.  H.  REEDER,  Governor,  &c. 

Attest :  DANL.  WOODSON,  Secretary, 


FIRST  DISTRICT. — Lawrence. 

LAWRENCE,  Friday,  April  25,  1856. 
ERASTUS  D.  LADD,  being  duly  sworn,  deposed  as  follows: 

To  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  came  into  this  Territory  late  in  September,  1854,  and  have  ever- 
since  resided  in  this  town  and  district.  I  was  here  on  the  30th  of! 
March,  at  the  legislative  election. 

On  the  day  previous  to  the  election  a  number  of  teams  and  wagons* 
loaded  with  armed  men,  and  men  on  horseback,  came  into  town. 
They  were  strangers  here  ;  they  came  in  from  the  south  and  south- 
west, and  were  preceded  by  two  or  three  men,  one  of  whom  was  sub- 
sequently called  or  passed  as  Colonel  Samuel  Young,  of  Missouri,  who 
appeared  to  be  the  chief  in  command.     I  think  "  colonel"  was  his- 
designation.     They  proceeded  through  the  town,  down  on  the  bankk 
of  the  river,  and  looked  around  for  a  time  with  the  intention,  as  they? 
stated,  of  encamping  there  that  night.     They  had  tents,  and  were 
armed  ;  I  saw  private  arms,  and  I  saw  rifles  and  other  arms  of  that! 
kind,  double-barrelled  shot-guns,  revolvers,  and  knives.     I  saw  them 
encamped,  and  partaking  of  their  provisions  or  refreshments  ;  but 
whether  they  brought  them  with  them  or  not  I  do  not  know.     The 
strangers  continued  to  come  in  during  the  evening,  and  next  morning 
there  had  been  a  very  large  addition  made  to  their  number. 

I  went  to  the  place  of  voting  in  the  morning,  and  was  there  at  th« 
opening  of  the  polls,  and  remained  all  day,  except  time  for  dinnerr 
A  very  large  company  came  from  the  camp  in  the  ravine  to  the  placr 
of  voting  and  surrounded  it.     There  was  some  difficulty  in  the  orr 
ganization  of  the  board,  and  delay  in  commencing  the  voting.     Mrr 
Abbott,  one  of  the  judges,  resigned.     A  vote  was  offered,  which  ! 
saw,  and  a  question  of  the  legality  of  the  vote  was  raised  and  wa* 
discussed  some  time.     During  the  discussion  Colonel  Young  said  he 
would  settle  the  matter.     He  crowded  up  to  the  front,  the  place  bein 
thronged  with  people.     The  other  vote  was  then  withdrawn  and  h 
offered  his  vote.     The  question  was  raised  as  to  the  legality  of  h 
vote.     He  said  he  was  ready  to  swear  that  he  was  a  resident  of  th 
Territory.     He  took  such  an  oath,  but  refused  the  oath  prescribed. b 
the  governor.     But  one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  wa 
then  acting.     His  oath  was  received.     He  then  mounted  the  window 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  115 

sill  and  proclaimed  to  the  crowd  around  that  the  matter  was  all  set- 
tled and  they  could  vote.  I  cannot  repeat  his  exact  words,  but  that 
was  the  sentiment ;  and  they  proceeded  to  vote.  E.  A.  Cummins 
was  appointed  in  the  place  of  Abbott.  At  noon  I  went  to  their  camp, 
and  passed  along  the  ravine,  from  one  extremity  to  the  other,  and 
counted  the  number  of  wagons  and  conveyances  of  different  kinds 
then  on  the  ground  and  in  sight.  They  had  then  commenced  leaving. 
I  counted  very  near  one  hundred  conveyances,  such  as  wagons  and 
carriages.  There  were,  besides,  a  large  number  of  saddle  horses.  I 
estimate  that  there  were  then  on  the  ground  about  seven  hundred  of 
the  party  ;  in  the  estimate  I  do  not  include  those  who  had  left  for 
other  places  or  for  home. 

[Here  the  witness  was  asked  to  detail  declarations  made  by  the 
strangers.,  at  the  time  of  their  voting,  as  to  their  intention  and  object 
in  voting,  and  as  to  where  they  came  from. 

To  this  Mr.  Oliver  objected.  The  objection  was  considered  and  dis- 
cussed by  the  committee,  and  overruled  ;  and  the  witness  was  allowed 
to  state  all  that  was  said  or  done  by  any  of  the  party  of  strangers  who 
voted.] 

Witness  resumed  :  Some  of  these  men  were  on  the  ground  when  I 
went  there,  before  the  polls  were  opened  ;  they  came  in  bodies  of,  per- 
haps, one  hundred  at  a  time,  and  voted.  The  voting  was  prosecuted 
as  rapidly  as  circumstances  would  permit,  and  continued  all  day. 

[Mr.  Oliver  objected  to  the  witness  being  allowed  to  tell  whether 
any  person  voted,  unless  he  told  their  names  and  their  places  of  resi- 
dence.] 

Witness :  G-enerally  speaking,  these  men  were  quiet  and  peaceable  ; 

they  proclaimed  at  all  times  the  right  of  every  person  to  vote  with 

the  rest.     They   were  situated  very  compactly  about  the  place   of 

voting,  which  was  very  much  crowded  during  the  forenoon,  so  much 

i  that  most  of  the  voters,,  and  for  a  long  time  all  of  them,  were  obliged 

\  to  pass  over  the  roof  of  the  house,  by  climbing  upon  the  window  sill, 

jand  then  being  hoisted  up  on  the  roof.     After  a  man  voted  he  was 

hoisted  up  on  the  roof,  as  he  could  not  get  back  through  the  crowd. 

jit  took  myself — and  I  used  my  best  efforts — about  an  hour  to  get  from 

ithe  outside  of  the  crowd  to  the  place  of  voting.     There  was  a  passage- 

jway  for  a  short  time,  formed  of  two  lines  of  persons,  through  which 

jvoters  passed  to  and  from  the  polls.     During  another  portion  of  the 

jtirne,  in  the  afternoon,  they  were  formed  in  procession  and  approached 

rthe  polls  two  by  two,  passing  along  in  front  of  the  window  and  off  as 

sthey  voted. 

There  were  a  large  number  who  had  arms  at  the  polls  ;  some  few 
i  had  shot-guns  or  rifles,  but  mostly  revolvers  and  knives  during  the 
i  most  of  the  day. 

About  five  o'clock  there  was  a  company  of  voters  proceeded  from 

the  town  over  to  the  polls  in  a  body,  perhaps  a  hundred,  residents  of 

the  town.     The  large  number  of  persons  who  had  been  afeout  the 

I  polls,  and  who  were  from  Missouri  and  abroad,  had  left  the  polls,  and 

(they  were  comparatively  clear.     Most  of  those  in  teams  had  left  the 

|  place  during  the  afternoon,  though  many  still  remained.     When  these 

b  residents  were  coming  over  I  was  by  the  polls,  and  I  saw  some  start 


116  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

from  the  polls  in  their  direction ;  Mr.  Wade  was  one  of  them,  and  I 
followed  out  that  way.  He  called  them  up  and  hallooed  to  them  to 
come  on  ;  then  they  took  their  larger  arms  and  came  on. 

Question  by  Mr.  Howard:     Who  was  this  Mr.  Wade? 

Witness :  He  lived  near  here,  and  was  a  candidate  for  the  legislature. 
I  heard  a  conversation  a  short  distance  from  where  I  stood,  and 
approached  pretty  nearly.  I  stepped  up  on  a  small  rise  of  ground 
and  saw  quite  a  violent  contest  going  on,  of  which  Mr.  Stearns  of 
this  place  was  the  object.  It  was  a  contest  of  words  and  threats  but 
not  of  blows  or  force  ;  while  it  was  going  on,  I  heard  some  one  cry  out 
" There  is  the  Lawrence  bully."  A  rush  was  immediately  made  in 
another  direction,  towards  Mr.  Bond  of  this  town,  and  a  cry  was  raised 
to  shoot  him;  "shoot  the  damned  abolitionist," ," shoot  the  damned 
bully,"  &c.  He  ran  for  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  crowd  fol- 
lowed him.  During  the  running  I  think  one  or  two  shots  were  fired. 
When  he  got  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  he  sprang  off  out  of  sight. 
They  rushed  to  the  bank,  and  guns  were  pointed  at  him  while  below. 
But  the  cry  was  raised  to  let  him  go,  and  he  was  permitted  to  go  on 
without  being  fired  at. 

Another  circumstance  occurred  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day.  Mr. 
Willis,  who  was  then  a  resident  of  this  town,  was  on  the  ground,  and 
a  cry  was  raised  that  he  was  one  of  the  men  concerned  in  abducting  a 
black  woman  about  which  there  had  been  some  difficulty  in  the  town 
a  short  time  previous.  Several  men  raised  the  cry  to  hang  him.  Some 
wtrA  on  horseback,  and  some  were  on  foot.  Movements  were  made 
towards  him  by  strangers  armed  with  rifles  and  smaller  arms.  The 
cry  was  repeated  by  a  large  number  of  persons  to  u hang  him,"  ugeta 
rope/'  &c.  At  the  suggestion  of  some  friends  he  left  the  ground. 

Question:  How  many  citizens  of  the  district  voted  on  that  day  to: 
the  best  of  your  judgment  and  belief? 

[Mr.  Oliver  objected  to  the  legality  of  that  question;  and  objection! 
sustained  until  the  witness  stated  his  means  of  information,] 

Witness:  I  was  tolerably  well  acquainted,  particularly  with  thisi 
portion  of  the  district,  but  not  particularly  acquainted  with  the  lowerr 
extremity  of  the  district. 

In  frequent  conversations  which  I  had  with  different  persons  of  the- 
party  during  the  day,  they  claimed  to  have  a  legal  right  to  vote  ini 
the  Territory,  and  that  they  were  residents  by  virtue  of  their  being: 
then  in  the  Territory.  They  said  they  were  free  to  confess  that  they: 
came  from  Missouri;  that  they  lived  in  Missouri,  and  voted  as  Missou- 
rians.  Some  claimed  that  they  had  been  in  the  Territory  and  mades1 
claims,  and  therefore  had  a  right  to  vote.  But  they  did  not  claim  to1 
be  residents  in  the  Territory,  except  that  they  had  a  residence  herea 
from  being  at  that  moment  in  the  Territory. 

They  had  mostly  left  before  sundown,  I  think.  There  were  somea 
here  the  next  day,  who  were  said  to  have  come  in  from  some  other 
point.  • 

They  left  during  the  afternoon,  in  single  bodies,  continuously,  o 
after  the  other,  but  not  in  a  compact  body.  It  seemed  to  be  their 
course,  when  a  wagon-load  had  voted,  to  get  in  their  wagons  and  start 
away  from  town.  They  commenced  moving  before  or  about  noon. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  117 

Mr.  Keeder  stated  that  he  was  through  the  direct  examination. 
Witness  desired  it  to  be  understood  that  when  estimating  the  num- 
ber of  strangers  here  at  TOO,  he  judged  at  the  time  he  counted  the 
wagons,  but  did  not  mean  that  that  was  all  that  had  come  here. 
In  reply  to  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  cannot  state  who  fired  the  pistols  at  Bond.  The  cry  " shoot  him" 
came  from  just  immediately  about  the  men  who  came  here  from  Mis- 
souri to  vote.  The  citizens  were  not  generally  armed.  There  were  a 
few,  I  think,  who  had  revolvers  with  them,  but  I  saw  none  exposed. 
The  general  claim  made  by  the  Missourians  was  that  they  were  resi- 
dents of  the  district  and  consequently  had  a  right  to  vote. 
Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  cannot  give  the  names  of  any  others  than  Col.  Samuel  Young 
that  voted  from  Missouri.  I  do  not  remember  the  names  of  any  others 
that  I  learned  ;  I  was  present  and  saw  the  names  of  others  recorded. 
I  cannot  say  how  many — possibly  50  or  100.  No  effort  was  made  on 
the  part  of  any  person  from  Missouri  to  intimidate  the  people  and 
drive  them  from  the  polls,  except  the  personal  conflicts  I  have  named. 
As  I  have  stated,  a  cry  was  raised  at  the  first  movement,  "  there  is 
the  Lawrence  bully/'  and  a  rush  was  made  towards  him.  I  did  not 
understand  that  it  referred  to  any  name  which  had  been  presented  at 
the  polls.  The  difficulty  with  Mr.  Bond  occurred  about  three  or  four 
rods  from  the  polls.  I  did  not  understand  that  the  object  was  to  pre- 
vent his  voting. 

I  understood  the  difficulty  with  Mr.  Willis  had  no  reference  to  his 
voting.  The  only  hindrance  to  voting  that  I  saw  during  the  day  was 
the  crowd  pressing  round  so  as  to  prevent  many  from  voting;  I  heard 
of  no  threats  with  direct  reference  to  voting  ;  it  was  frequently  re- 
marked by  those  present  that  all  had  a  right  to  vote.  I  heard  it  said 
that  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  vote  as  many  who  had  arrived  from 
the  east  and  were  voting. 

There  were  people  arriving  all  fhe  time.     There  may  have  been  100 

arrived  at  this  place  within  two  weeks  prior  to  the  election  ;  I  will 

not  state  definite^,  because  my  mind  is  not  clear  upon  the  subject ; 

there  may  not  have  been  so  many.     So  far  as  I  know,  persons  particu- 

I  larly  interested  in  this  election  were  looking  anxiously  for  the  ar- 

j  rival  of  persons  from  the  east  and  north  in  view  of  the  election.     I 

I  cannot  name  any  of  those  persons  who  voted.     Some  of  them  came 

under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.     There  were  persons 

jj  arriving  at  that  time,  both  before  and  after  the  election.     I  am  not 

I  clear  as  to  how  many  arrived  before  the  election. 

I  did  not  understand  that  the  Missourians  referred  exclusively  to 
those  who  had  just  arrived,  but  to  all  who  had  arrived.  The  procla- 
mation that  all  had  a  right  to  vote  was  made  in  conversation  ;  they 
announced  that  as  their  opinion  as  individuals. 

Colonel  Young's  vote  was  received  ;  and  I  understood,  as  I  stood 

near  the  polls,  that  he  took  au  oath  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Ter- 

I  ritory.     He  stood  on  the  window-sill  and  said  it  was  all  right,  that  it 

I!  was  all  settled,  and  they  could  vote.     I  do  not  recollect  that  I  under- 

j  stood  him  to  state  that  he  took  the  oath ;  I  saw  what  I  thought  was 


118  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

the  taking  of  an  oath;  the  movements  so  indicated,  though  I  did  not 
hear  him  take  it ;  I  supposed  such  was  the  case  from  appearances. 

I  am  aware  of  the  fact  that  some  did  leave  who  had  recently  arrived 
before  that  election ;  I  cannot  say  whether  they  ever  returned  and  be- 
came residents. 

The  candidates  looked  anxiously  for  these  emigrants,  because  it  was 
expected  an  invasion  would  be  made  into  the  Territory  by  voters  from 
abroad,,  and,  also,  that  as  large  a  free  State  vote  should  be  polled  as 
possible.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  the  latter  was  the  chief  con- 
sideration. I  understood  from  these  persons  that  their  purpose  in 
coming  to  the  Territory  so  early  in  the  spring  was  that  they  came  out 
here  to  settle,  and  that  they  might  be  present  at  the  day  of  the  elec- 
tion. I  know  of  some  of  those  who  had  recently  arrived  who  voted  ; 
I  can  only  approximate  their  numbers ;  I  should  think  there  were 
from  50  to  60.  I  think  there  were  some  who  had  arrived  within  48 
hours;  I  cannot  say  as  to  whether  they  made  settlements  in  the  Terri- 
tory in  that  time.  I  know  that  some  objected  to  voting  these  for  that 
reason,  that  they  had  made  no  settlements.  I  cannot  say  that  those 
who  voted  had  made  no  settlements,  nor  can  I  say  that  any  who 
actually  voted  returned  east.  Many  of  those  who  were  in  this  vicin- 
ity when  I  settled  here,  a  year  ago,  are  now  in  other  parts  of  the  Ter- 
ritory. There  were  a  large  number  who  arrived  in  this  part  of  the 
Territory  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  last  season 
who  returned,  but  I  cannot  tell  how  many. 

There  was  a  disturbance  in  progress,  if  I  recollect  right,  at  the  time 
the  Bond  disturbance  originated.  It  was  in  relation  to  Mr.  Stearns 
of  this  place,  who  was  on  the  ground,  it  was  said,  taking  notes  which 
he  intended  to  publish  in  the  New  York  Tribune.  This  disturbance 
was  not  in  reference  to  his  voting,  or  of  anybody  else.  So  far  as  I 
observed  all  of  the  Missourians  were  armed  at  the  polls,  but  not  all  of  i 
them  with  their  larger  arms,  but  with  their  side  arms,  revolvers,  andi 
knives.  I  think  some  of  the  citizeifs  of  the  town  had  arms. 

By  Mr.  Sherman: 

Judging  from  the  conversations  referred  to  in  my  cross-examination,.! 
the  persons  who  came  here  from  the  northern  and  eastern  States  camel 
here  to  become  settlers,  so  far  as  I  know.  I  can  state  from  my  own: 
knowledge  that  some  of  them  returned  because  they  were  dissatisfied! 
with  the  country,  and  disappointed  in  the  circumstances  that  existed; j 
here. 

I  think  there  were  citizens  kept  from  voting  by  the  condition  am 
surrounding  of  the  polls.  I  was  told  on  the  day  of  the  election  thai 
there  were  a  large  number  here  to  vote  who  came  from  Hickory  Point,, 
who  returned  in  a  body  without  voting.  I  saw  some  who  residet 
there.  I  did  not  see  any  of  them  vote.  I  cannot  state  what  nurabei 
of  legal  resident  voters  did  not  vote  on  account  of  the  troubles,  with- 
out examining  the  poll  lists  and  census  rolls. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

They  were  kept  from  voting  only  in  consequence  of  the  crowd  an< 
the  difficulty  in  getting  to  the  polls. 

To  Mr.  Keeder: 

The  Missourians  did  not  claim  to  be  residents  here  from  their  inten- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  119 

tion  to  remain  here,  but  that  their  mere  presence  created  their  resi- 
dence. I  do  not  remember  that  I  heard  any  of  them  say  that  they 
were  here  with  the  intention  of  remaining.  I  do  not  know  of  any 
man  who  came  here  from  the  northern  States  for  the  mere  purpose  of 
voting,  and  I  never  heard  of  one. 

The  side  arms  of  these  strangers  from  the  camp  were  exposed,  some 
of  them  openly  exposed,  others  partially  so.  There  did  not  seem  to 
be  any  careful  attempt  to  conceal  them.  I  want  to  qualify  a  little 
what  I  said  in  regard  to  men  coming  out  here  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  I  do  not  know  of  my  own  knowledge  that 
they  so  came  out  here,  but  it  was  so  reported  commonly  and  in  the 
public  prints.  That  is  the  extent  of  my  knowledge. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  think  I  heard  some  of  them  say  that  they  did ;  that  they  came  out 
as  members  of  certain  parties  that  left  Boston  at  such  and  such  a  time 
under  the  auspices  of  such  a  society. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  can  merely  state  what  I  have  heard,  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
has  an  office  in  Boston,  with  an  agent,  to  give  information  by  means 
of  which  companies  are  organized  for  settlement  in  Kansas.  The 
action  of  that  agency,  in  addition  to  thus  collecting  them  together, 
consists  in  sending  an  agent  with  the  companies  to  make  arrange- 
ments with  the  different  lines  of  travel,  by  which  their  expenses  are 
somewhat  reduced,  and  they  are  furnished  with  mills  and  other  mat- 
ters to  assist  them.  But  they  pay  their  own  expenses  out  here,  and 
these  mills  are  not  furnished  gratuitously,  but  merely  built  by  the 
society.  I  mean  by  "organized  for  settlement"  that  the  organization 
simply  has  reference  to  economy  in  travelling  out  here,  but  not  to  any 
continuance  after  they  got  here. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  am  not  aware  that  it  is  made  a  condition  of  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society  that  those  who  come  under  its  auspices  should  be  free  State 
men.  I  know  of  one  individual  who  is  said  to  have  come  out  under 
these  auspices,  who  is  now  understood  to  be  a  pro-slavery  man.  I  do 
not  know  what  he  was  when  he  came. 

E.  D.  LADD. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  25,  1856. 


Mr.  E.  D.  LADD  recalled. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  have  examined  the  poll  books  of  the  election  of  March  30,  1855. 
My  means  of  knowing  the  legal  voters  are,  that  I  have  been  a  resident 
here  from  the  first  settlement  of  the  place  ;  I  had  started  a  private 
post  office  in  town  for  the  convenience  of  the  country  about,  and  in 
that  way  had  become  familiar  with  the  names  of  those  here,  and  also 
through  the  medium  of  being  register  of  claims. 

Question  by  Mr.  Sherman:  Please  take  the  poll  book  for  this  district 
of  the  election  of  March  30,  and  furnish  us  a  list  of  those  whose 


120 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


names  are  on  that  poll  book  who  were  at  that  time  residents  of  this 
district.  Please  designate  also  those  who  were  here  when  the  census 
was  taken  from  those  who  came  here  to  reside  after  that  time  and 
before  March  30.  For  this  purpose  examine  carefully  the  census  rolls 
in  connexion  with  Mr.  Babcock,  who  took  it,  and  Mr.  G.  S.  Pratt,  the 
clerk  of  the  election.  Take  time  to  prepare  the  lists  and  attach  it  to 
your  testimony  before  it  is  signed. 

Answer.  In  connexion  with  Mr.  Babcock,  who  took  the  census,  and 
Mr.  Pratt,  the  clerk  of  the  election,  I  have  examined  the  census  re- 
turns and  poll  lists  of  March  30,  1855,  and  from  these  and  our 
knowledge  of  the  residents,  we  find  that  of  the  residents  who  were 
here  when  the  census  was  taken,  17^  voted.  The  list  marked  "A," 
contains  their  names.  There  are  192  settlers,  whose  names  are  in 
the  census  list,  who  did  not  vote,  or,  at  least,  their  names  are  not  in 
the  poll  lists.  We  find  in  the  poll  book  the  names  of  55  resident 
settlers  in  this  district,  but  who  came  after  the  census  and  before  the 
election.  This  list,  marked  "B,"  contains  their  names.  There  are, 
perhaps,  50  others,  and  perhaps  more,  who  came  into  the  Territory  in 
the  spring  of  1855  as  settlers,  and  who  are  now  residents  of  different 
parts  of  the  Territory,  many  of  whom  we  know.  The  others  in  the 
poll  list  were  not  residents,  as  I  believe. 

E.  D.  LADD. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  1,  1856. 


A. 
Names  on  census-roll  and  poll-book ,  (District  No.  I,)  for  March,  1855. 


Stillman  Andrews 
Samuel  Anderson 
Ellmore  Allen 
Norman  Allen 
Asaph  Allen 
William  D.  Atwood 
Calvin  Adams 
Eobert  Allen 
John  Baldwin 
Lazarus  S.  Bacon 
William  N.  Baldwin 
George  W.  Brown 
Henry  Bronson 
David  C.  Buffum 
Jonathan  Bigelow 
Horatio  N.  Bent 
Eli  W.  Burnett 
Ellis  Bond 

Theodore  E.  Benjamin 
C.  W.  Babcock 
Napoleon  D.  Blanton 


Albert  F.  Bercaw 
John  M.  Banks 
Thomas  Burge 
Thomas  Brooke 
Noah  Cameron 
Hugh  Cameron 
Hiram  Clark 
James  S.  Co  wen 
John  W.  Carlton 
Edward  Clark 
John  S.  Crain 
C.  H.  Carpenter 
Simon  Cook 
James  P.  Corl 
William  Corl 
Henry  Corl 
E.  A.  Colman 
Clark  S.  Crane 
E.  A.  Cummins 
Luke  Curlew 
William  Curry 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


121 


Joshua  Cummins 
James  H.  Crooks 
John  Doy 
S.  B.  Lindley 
John  H.  Dean 
James  A.  Davidson 
Carlos  Day 
S.  H.  Davis 
John  C.  Davidson 
George  F.  Earl 
William  Evans 
James  S.  Emery 
Thomas  Emery 
L.  J.  Eberhart 
Ed.  P.  Fitch 
S.  H.  Folsom 
J.  H.  Firman 
John  Fry 
James  Garvin 
James  N.  Gleason 
Joel G rover 
John  C.  Gordon 
H.  D.  Graves 
George  Gilbert 
Levi  Gates,  jr. 
Thomas  S.  Garvin 
George  Graves 
S.  C.  Harrington 
John  Hutchinson 
0.  A.  Hanscom 
M.  M.  Hammond 
G.  W.  Hutchinson 
N.  F.  Herrick 
William  Hale 
Franklin  Ha  seal  1 
John  Hutchinson 
L.  D.  Hubbard 
William  A.  Holmes 
Thomas  Hopkins 
H.  A.  Hancock 
John  S.  Hopper 
Simon  Hopper 
B.  F.  Hopper 
I).  B.  Hopper 
F.  Hill 
Edward  Jones 
Theod.  Johnson 
Benjamin  Johnson 
Alphonso  Jones 
Ira  M.  Jones 
S.  G.  Johnson 


E.  B.  Johnston 
Charles  Jordan 
James  A.  Jackson 
Frederick  Kimball 
Samuel  Kimball 
Samuel  Kennedy 
William  Kitchingman 
Wilder  Knight 
G.  W.  Kent 
Otis  H.  Lamb 
E.  D.  Ladd 
John  A.  Lowry 
George  S.  Lenian 
William  B.  Lee 
William  Lyon 
N.  B.  Lewis 
Samuel  Y.  Lune 
George  Long 
George  Lewis 
John  H.  Lewis 
Daniel  Lowe 
John  S.  Mott 
H.  S.  McClelland 
John  C.  Mossman 
Jonathan  Matthews 
Thomas  J.  Murray 
John  H.  Miller 
John  Mack 

B.  F.  McDonald 
J.  F.  Morgan 
Harrison  Nichols 
J.  B.  Nichols 
William  H.  Oliver 
A.  C.  Pomeroy 

C.  W.  Persall 
Caleb  L.  Pratt 
G.  B.  Page 
David  Pennington 
Hugh  Pettingill 
S.  J.  Pratt 

A.  J.  Payne 
John  Perott 
J.  S.  Percival 
Thomas  F.  Reynolds 
Charles  Robinson 
G.  W.  Reed 
William  Randolph 
James  H.  Reid 
Albert  D.  Searl 
Nicholas  Snyder 
0.  D.  Smith 


122 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


John  Speer 
John  Smith 
Henry  Smith 
N.  B.  Short 
J.  E.  Stewart 
S.  M.  Salters 
Thomas  J.  Stone 
J.  E.  Stewart 
James  Sullivan 
S.  N.  Simpson 
Ah.  Still 
Daniel  Sayre 
Clark  Taft 
Francis  0.  Toller 
J.  B.  Taft 


L.  F.  Tappan 
John  C.  Wood 
William  C.  Wood 
Harrison  Williams 
S.  J.  Willis 
J.  H.  Wilder 
S.  N.  Wood 
J.  J.  Whitson 
Sol.  Wildis 
Ed.  Winslow 
A.  B.  Wade 
J.  F.  Wilson 
James  W  hillock 
William  Wallace 
Rufus  H.  Wateman 


B. 

Names  of  those  on  poll-list  and  not  on  census-roll  whom  we  know  to 
have  voted  at  the  election  of  30£/i  March,  1855. 


James  Christian 
Sam.  Merrill 
G.  W.  Deitzler 
H.  E.  Bahcock 
Thos.  Still 
John  Wallace^ 
Clark  Stearnes 
Oscar  Harlow 
J.  W.  Ackley 
James  Coyle' 
C.  G.  Hoyt 
Martin  Adams 

E.  A.  Landon 
Horatio  Dunbar 
0.  T.  Bassett 
Geo.  Churchill 

F.  B.  Ackley 
C.  F.  Doy 

J.  A.  Ladd 
E.  H.  Dennett 
Increase  Whitcomh 
George  Perrin 
A.  B.  Perrin 
Sam.  Reynolds 
J.  L.  Baldwin 
Ahram  Wilder 
Joshua  Smith 
Chas.  S.  Camphell 


.   Jacoh  E.  Strout 
Adam  Weilhart 
L.  Litchfield 
Chas.  L.  Wilber 
.Geo.  0.  Willard 
P.  R.  Brooks 
David  Brown 
Lyman  Allen 
Jos.  G.  Fistler 

E.  F.  Knight 
H.  W.  Taber 
Ahner  Davidson 

F.  P.  Yaughan 
S.  B.  Sutherland 

G.  W.  Goss 

E.  S.  Scudder 
John  Lyon 
J.  Curlew 
Wm.  Harris 
Chas.  Harrington 

B.  G.  Livingston 

C.  F.  Keyes 
Amos  Trott 
Jos.  C.  Miller 
Chas.  Dickson 

F.  J.  Locke 
Wm.  Yates. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  123 


C.  W.  BABCOCK   recalled. 

I  assisted  Mr.  Ladd  and  Mr.  Pratt  in  making  out  the  lists  of 
voters  from  the  poll-lists  and  census  rolls,  and  whose  lists  referred  to 
in  Mr.  Ladd's  testimony  are  correct  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge.  I 
have  heard  his  statement  in  regard  to  them  and  concur  in  it. 

C.  W.  BABCOCK. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.;  May  1,  1856. 


C.  S.  PRATT  recalled. 

I  assisted  Mr.  Babcock  and  Mr.  Ladd  in  making  out  the  lists  of 
voters  from  the  poll-books  and  census  returns,  as  referred  to  by  Mr 
Ladd  in  his  testimony.  Those  lists  are  correct  to  the  best  of  my 
knowledge.  I  have  heard  the  statement  of  Mr.  Ladd  in  regard  to  these 
lists  and  concur  in  it.  I  was  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  election  of  the 
30th  of  March,  1855. 

CALEB  S.  PPvATT. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  1,  1856. 


NORMAN  ALLEN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  came  into  this  Territory  about  the  last  of  September,  1854_,  and 
settled  in  the  town  of  Lawrence,  and  have  resided  in  this  district  ever 
since.  I  was  here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  Several  days  pre- 
vious to  that  time  it  was  currently  rumored  here  that  there  were 
bodies  of  men  organizing  in  the  State  of  Missouri,  for  the  purpose  of 
controlling  the  elections  here.  On  the  28th  of  March  it  was  reported 
that  a  body  of  about  600  men  were  encamped  on  the  Wakarusa, 
about  six  miles  below  here.  On  the  29th  companies  were  con- 
stantly arriving  here,  consisting  of  strangers,  some  on  horseback 
and  some  in  wagons,  from  three  to  a  dozen  in  company.  Some  of 
them  came  into  town  ;  others  passed  through  to  the  second  ravine, 
west  of  the  town,  and  there  encamped.  There  were  a  large  number 
of  strangers  in  town,  who  said  they  came  for  the  purpose  of  voting 
and  controlling  the  elections.  Many  of  them  told  me  this  in  con- 
versation with  them.  They  said  they  considered  they  had  a  right 
to  do  so  from  the  law,  which  gave  residents  the  right  to  vote,  and  that 
they  were  residents  while  they  were  here.  I  went  out  to  their  camp 
on  the  night  of  the  29th,  and  strolled  around  from  one  camp-fire  to 
another,  and  had  some  conversation  with  persons  there.  At  one  of 
the  camp-fires  they  asked  me  what  county  I  came  from.  I  told  them 
I  was  a  resident  of  Lawrence,  and  they  would  converse  with  me  no 
further.  As  I  passed  on,  the  cry  of  "  spy  "  was  raised.  A  few 
moments  after  a  person  cried  "  Oyezy  oyez ;  all  the  companies  are 


124  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

requested  to  meet  at  Captain  Jackson's  camp  forthwith  on  important 
business."  I  followed  them  in  that  direction.  A  company  from  one 
of  the  camp-fires  came,  headed  by  music  ;  a  man  beating  a  drum  came 
in.  After  they  had  all  congregated,  there  were  several  speeches  made 
by  some  of  the  strangers  whom  I  did  not  know.  One  of  them  I  recog- 
nised as  Colonel  Young,  but  I  never  heard  his  other  name.  They 
said  they  were  satisfied  that  the  citizens  of  the  town  and  vicinity  were 
not  going  to  offer  any  resistance  to  their  voting,  and  that  they  had  a 
larger  number  of  men  than  was  necessary  to  control  this  election, 
and  they  wished  about  200  of  the  young  men  ;  the  old  men  being 
fatigued  with  the  travel,  would  volunteer  to  go  to  the  next  district. 
Quite  a  number  volunteered  while  I  was  there,  and  when  I  left  and 
came  away  they  were  making  up  a  company. 

The  next  morning  I  went  to  the  place  where  the  election  was  to  be 
held  ;  I  went  about  8  or  9  o'clock.  I  found  a  large  body  of  men 
assembled  there — many  of  them  with  guns,  and  most  of  them 
armed  in  some  way.  There  was  a  dense  body  of  men  against  the 
side  of  the  house,  near  the  window  where  the  votes  were  to  be  received. 
I  got  as  near  to  the  window  as  I  could  by  crowding  in,  and  found  that 
there  was  a  delay  occasioned  by  one  of  the  judges,  Mr.  Blanton,  fail- 
ing to  appear,  and  they  were  selecting  another  in  his  place.  I  believe 
Mr.  R.  A.  Cummins  was  chosen.  The  man  that  I  recognised  as 
Colonel  Young  then  offered  his  vote,  which  the  judges  refused  to  re- 
ceive, considering  him  a  non-resident,  unless  he  would  swear  in  his 
vote.  I  could  not  understand  all  the  conversation,  but  I  understood 
enough  of  it  to  learn  that  he  refused  to  take  the  oath  prescribed  by 
the  governor.  I  thought  he  took  an  oath;  and  afterwards,  in  speak- 
ing to  those  who  were  present,  he  stated  that  he  had  taken  an  oath. 
I  heard  Mr.  Abbott,  one  of  the  judges,  questioning  him  ;  he  asked 
him  if  he  intended  to  make  this  his  home,  and  the  reply  was  that  it 
was  none  of  his  business  ;  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory,  and 
that  was  all  the  law  required.  After  he  had  voted  he  got  up  into 
the  window  and  made  a  short  speech,  stating  what  kind  of  an  oath 
he  had  taken — simply  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory.  He 
said  other  things  which  I  do  not  now  remember. 

There  was  such  a  crowd  at  the  polls  that  it  took  me  nearly  an  hour 
to  get  to  the  window  to  offer  my  vote,  though  I  was  assisted  very 
much  by  people  leaving  the  window  at  the  time  of  the  disturbance 
connected  with  Mr.  Bond.  At  one  time  two  lines  were  formed  ex- 
tending several  yards  from  the  house,  under  the  superintendence  of 
Colonel  Young  and  Captain  Jackson.  They  stated  that  they  wanted 
the  old  men  to  go  in  first,  as  they  were  tired  and  wanted  to  return  to 
the  camp.  As  I  was  in  a  hurry,  T  went  in  with  the  old  men.  I  was 
ordered  out,  but  did  not  leave,  and  went  in  and  deposited  my  vote- 
After  the  men  had  voted,  a  large  number  decamped,  and  I  saw  them 
passing  through  town  that  afternoon  on  their  return  towards  Wa- 
karusa.  Some  three  hundred,  I  think,  remained  in  camp  that 
night,  and  left  the  next  morning  in  the  same  direction.  I  saw  none 
after  10  o'clock  the  next  day.  I  cannot  tell  how  many  wagons 
there  were,  but  I  should  think  there  were  over  one  hundred  in  all. 
I  counted  as  high  as  twenty  coming  in  at  one  time  in  a  string.  They 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  125 

a* 

were  generally  armed  with,  rifles  and  shot-guns,  and  many  of  them 
had  "belts  with  bowie-knives  and  revolvers  exposed,  though  some 
were  somewhat  concealed  by  coat-skirts.  I  saw  a  large  number  vote 
who  came  in  this  way,  and  were  principally  strangers  to  me.  I  do 
not  remember  of  seeing  but  one  who  was  a  resident  of  Missouri  vote 
whom  I  knew.  His  name  was  Mr.  Cole,  from  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
I  do  not  know  as  I  should  remember  his  name  if  he  had  not  dared  me 
to  challenge  his  vote. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

i  do  not  know  the  name  of  but  one  from  Missouri  who  voted  that 
day.  He  was  Mr.  Cole,  the  only  one  I  knew,  that  I  saw  vote.  I 
should  think  there  were  some  400  or  500  at  the  polls  who  were  armed 
with  shot-guns  and  rifles:  They  made  no  demonstration  with  their 
weapons.  In  conversation  with  them  the  night  before,  and  on  the 
day  of  the  election,  they  stated,  generally,  that  there  would  be  no  dif- 
ficulty unless  citizens  tried  to  interfere  to  prevent  their  voting,  but 
they  were  determined  to  vote.  I  do  not  remember  hearing  them  say 
that  there  were  many  here  who  had  recently  arrived  from  the  east- 
ern and  northern  States  who  had  no  right  to  vote.  I  heard  Colonel 
Young  say,  particuarly,  that  he  was  anxious  to  have  the  citizens  vote 
so  as  to  give  the  matter  a  look  of  fairness.  I  saw  no  force  used  to 
restrain  or  intimidate  the  citizens  from  voting.  I  do  not  know  how 
many  persons  had  arrived  recently  from  the  eastern  and  northern 
States  ;  but  I  think  that,  a  clay  or  two  previously,  a  party  of  some- 
thing like  one  hundred  persons  arrived  here.  None  of  them  voted  so 
far  as  I  know.  I  do  not  remember  any  disturbance  connected  with 
the  election,  excepting  those  already  stated.  Judging  from  conver- 
sations with  different  members  of  the  parties  encamped  here  the  night 
before  the  election,  I  should  think  there  were  from  800  to  900.  I 
should  think  there  were  nearly  one  hundred  camp-fires.  There  were 
but  three  whom  1  know:  Claiborne  F.  Jackson,  Mr.  Cole  of  Kansas 
City,  and  Mr.  Waful  of  Westport.  Mr.  Coles  and  Mr.  Young  were 
the  only  ones  I  saw  vote.  The  Missourians  said  they  expected  assist- 
ance here,  but  were  satisfied  that  none  would  be  offered. 

Question  ~by  Mr.  Sherman.  How  many  on  the  poll-book,  of  which 
here  is  a  copy,  are  there  of  residents  of  this  town  before  your  name, 
which  is  No.  58  ? 

Answer.  K.  A.  Cummins,  Hugh  Cameron,  J.  B.  Abbott,  C.  S. 
Pratt,  J.  Christian,  Lucas  Corlen,  Mr.  Sullivan,  John  J.  Lowry,  and 
D.  Parrington,  are  all  I  see. 

My  occupation  was  a  merchant.  I  am  from  Missouri  here.  Two 
years  before,  I  came  from  New  York. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  knew  of  some  recent  arrivals  from  the  east,  who  returned  after- 
wards. They  were  constantly  arriving  and  returning,  both  before 
and  after  the  election,  for  several  days,  and  one  company  returned 
about  eight  o'clock  the  morning  of  the  election,  before  the  polls  were 
opened.  I  think  that  not  more  than  one  half  who  came  out  that 
spring  remained  here.  I  think  that  perhaps  three  hundred  or  four 


126  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

**• 

hundred  came  into  this  district  last  spring,  about  half  of  whom  [left 
before  and  after  the  election. 

To  Mr.  Keeder: 

I  think  that  no  residents  of  this  district  got  to  the  polls  readily  and 
easily  while  I  was  there.  Those  who  appeared  to  be  leaders  then 
made  lines  reaching  from  the  window  on  each  side,  so  that  they  could 
allow  such  persons  to  go  up  to  the  polls  as  they  wished.  Mr.  Claiborne 
F.  Jackson  stated  that  they  wished  the  old  men  to  vote  first,  as  they 
were  tired,  and  wished  to  return  to  the  camp.  I  do  not  know  whether 
Mr.  Cole  voted  in  his  own  name  or  another;  I  simply  saw  him  pass  in 
his  vote,  when  he  was  then  lifted  up  on  the  roof  the  building,  and  passed 
out  that  way.  I  think  there  were  from  eight  hundred  to  nine  hundred 
Missourians  in  camp  before  the  two  hundred  were  detailed  for  the 
second  district.  I  should  think  there  were  about  one  hundred  persons 
arrived  from  the  east  shortly  before  the  election,  who  came  here  for 
the  purpose  of  settling.  I  should  think  about  one  half  left  here — some 
the  day  they  arrived,  and  others  in  a  longer  time  afterwards.  Some 
left  before  the  day  of  election,  and  some  the  morning  of  the  election, 
before  the  polls  were  opened.  The  accommodations  here  for  emigrants 
were  not  very  good — not  equal  to  their  numbers,  and  many  complaints 
were  made  because  they  did  not  find  things  as  they  expected,  and 
they  left,  many  to  settle  in  other  parts  of  the  Territory,  and  others  to 
return  to  the  east. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  am  not  able  to  state  definitely  the  number  of  females  who  came 
in  the  emigration  of  last  spring.  I  should  think  there  were  more 
than  one  lady  to  ten  men.  I  saw  some  companies  consisting  of  men 
with  their  wives  and  families ;  one  from  Pennsylvania,  of  fifteen  to 
twenty  teams. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder: 

It  has  been  frequently  the  case  that  men  have  first  come  here,  made 
their  selections,  sometimes  built  houses,  and  then  returned  for  their 
families.  In  the  earlier  days  of  the  settlement  of  this  Territory  a 
smaller  proportion  of  the  settlers  brought  their  wives  with  them  than 
is  the  case  now.  I  have  known  cases  of  families  returning,  but  do 
not  recollect  the  number. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  did  not  see  any  women  with  the  company  of  Missourians  who 
encamped  here  the  day  before  the  election. 

NORMAN  ALLEN. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.?  April  25,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  127 

40. 

WILLIAM  YATES  called  and  sworn. 


To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  August,  1854,  and  settled  in  this  dis- 
trict, where  I  have  resided  ever  since.  I  came  from  Illinois,  stopping 
two  or  three  months  in  Cass  county,  Missouri.  I  was  here  on  the 
day  of  the  election  of  the  30th  March,  1855.  On  the  evening  "before 
the  election  there  was  a  large  number  of  persons  who  came  t  in  on 
horseback  and  in  wagons,  and  encamped  across  the  ravine  and  remained 
until  after  the  election.  On  the  evening  of  the  30th  of  March,  along 
towards  night,  a  great  many  of  them  started  back  down  the  country. 
There  were  encamped  there,  as  near  as  I  can  guess,  about  six  or  seven 
hundred.  There  were  some  two  hundred  detailed  in  the  evening — so 
I  was  told  in  the  camp — to  go  to  another  district,  as  report  said  they 
wanted  help  there,  and  they  sent  them.  I  heard  them  say  this  in  the 
camp.  1  went  into  the  camp,  and  heard  them  say  that  they  came  up 
from  Missouri  purposely  to  vote.  Some  in  the  camp  I  was  acquainted 
with.  I  was  acquainted  with  one  man  particularly,  whom  I  knew  by 
eight,  that  I  fell  in  with  a  year  or  eighteen  months  before,  coming  up 
from  New  Orleans,  who  lived  in  Howard  county.  I  did  not  know  his 
name,  but  recognised  him,  and  he  recognised  me;  and  he  told  me  he 
still  remained  in  Howard  county.  There  was  another  man,  named 
Snowdy,  who  lived  in  Carroll  county,  and  others  that  I  knew  by  sight 
but  not  by  name.  They  said  nothing  more  about  their  intention  than 
that  they  came  here  to  vote. 

I  did  not  see  any  but  what  had  a  bowie-knife, Revolver,  shot-gun, 
rifle,  or  something  of  the  kind.  As  far  as  I  knew  they  brought  with 
them  the  fodder  for  their  animals.  There  was  a  lot  of  provisions  de- 
posited in  a  building  used  as  the  old  post  office,  that  was  said  to  be 
for  their  use.  It  was  the  house  of  William  Lykins.J 

I  was  at  the  election  on  the  30th.  I  cannot  say  whether  all  the 
men  from  the  camp  voted  or  not.  There  was  a  great  crowd  around 
the  window  all  day  until1  an  hour  by  sun,  or  perhaps  later.  I  did  not 
go  to  the  polls  until  perhaps  nine  or  ten  o'clock.  They  were  crowding 
around,  but  I  did  not  see  all  of  them  vote.  It  was  very  difficult  for 
me  to  get  to  the  polls.  I  made  one  or  two  efforts,  but  did  not  get 
there,  and  declined  voting  at  all,  but  was  over-persuaded  by  some  of  my 
friends  here  to  vote,  and  staid  around  until  late  in  the  evening,  until 
the  crowd  had  dispersed,  and  then  voted. 

I  saw  none  in  the  companies  that  had  encamped  there  that  were 
settlers  in  the  district  at  that  time.  I  believe  I  knew  almost  every 
man  in  the  district.  This  large  body  of  men  were  all  strangers. 

They  had  music,  but  I  do  not  remember  about  the  flags,  though  I 
am  of  the  opinion  that  they  had  some.  They  had  a  drum  and  a  fiddle  ; 
a  black  boy  waS  playing  the  fiddle,  and  some  man  beating  the  drum. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  could  not  tell  how  many  I  was  acquainted  with.  I  knew  some 
ten  or  a  dozen  by  sight,  and  some  by  name.  I  could  name  several, 
though  I  did  not  charge  my  mind  with  them  I  I  could  perhaps  name 


128  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

more  upon  sight  now.  I  knew  Mr.  Snowdy  and  Mr.  Robinson,  from 
Jackson  county,  I  think,  and  Mr.  McGee,  from  Jackson  county. 
These  are  all  that  come  to  my  memory  now,  with  the  exception  of 
Colonel  Young,  whom  I  knew  by  sight.  I  had  conversation  with 
some  of  these  gentlemen.  They  said  they  came  here  for  the  purpose 
of  voting.  They  said  it  was  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  legislature 
to  suit  themselves.  I  think  they  did  say  that  they  had  understood, 
and  believed,  that  there  were  a  number  of  persons  not  entitled  to  vote 
who  would  vote  to  establish  principles  different  from  those  they  de- 
sired to  have  established  in  this  Territory. 

I  don't  think  anything  was  said  in  camp  that  night  about  legal  or 
illegal  voting.  They  said  there  were  a  great  number  of  persons  here 
from  the  east  and  north  who  wished  to  elect  a  legislature  here  they  did 
not  desire.  They  said  they  would  elect  a  legislature  to  suit  themselves, 
because  the  people  of  the  Territory  would  not  elect  a  legislature  to 
suit  them.  I  don't  state  this  as  a  fact,  but  as  near  as  I  can  recollect. 
I  think  they  said  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  vote  as  men  who  came 
from  other  States.  I  heard  them  say  there  were  men  here  from  the 
east  and  north  who  came  here  to  vote.  They  said  that  these  men  had 
come  here  for  no  other  purpose,  and  that  they  had  as  much  right  to 
come  here  and  vote  as  the  others  had  ;  and  that  was  the  reason  they 
gave  for  coming  here. 

They  were  armed.  There  was  no  violence  offered,  but  crowding 
and  pushing.  There  was  a  larger  crowd  there  than  I  had  seen  in  the 
Territory  before.  I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  quite  so  much  crowding 
and  pushing  at  any  other  election  in  other  places.  I  did  not  see  any 
violence  used  or  weapons  drawn. 

Mr.  Sherman.  Look  at  this  poll-book  and  state  the  number  of  your 
vote. 

Witness.  It  was  881.  I  do  not  live  in  town  ;  I  live  in  the  country. 
1  am  a  farmer,  and  raise  stock.  My  means  of  knowing  the  people 
here  was  that  the  country  was  thinly  settled.  I  had  considerable 
stock,  and  was  riding  through  the  Territory  a  great  deal,  meeting 
persons  here  and  there. 

WM.  YATES, 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  25,  1856. 


WM.  B.  HORNSBY  produced  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  17th  day  of  August,  1854.  I 
resided  formerly  in  Johnson  county,  Missouri.  I  settled  on  the  Califor- 
nia road,  one  and  a  half  miles  west  of  here,  in  this  district,  and  have 
resided  in  this  district  ever  since.  I  was  here  on  thePSOth  of  March,, 
1855.  On  the  28th  and  29th  of  March  there  were  about  one  thousand 
came  into  this  district  from  Missouri,  they  said ;  some  came  in  wagons, 
some  on  horseback.  I  do  not  know  who  their  leader  was,  but  believe 
it  was  Claiborne  Jackson.  A  great  many  of  them  were  armed — the 
principal  part  of  them.  They  were  all  men,  in  my  opinion.  They 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  129 

had  drums,  and  fiddles,  and  flags.  I  saw  no  artillery  or  cannon. 
They  encamped  across  the  ravine  near  here — at  Wade's.  I  was  in  a 
part  of  their  camp — a  small  portion  of  it.  I  saw  there  Lewis  Glover, 
who  lived  in  Lafayette  county,  Missouri,  Kedman  Robinson,  of  Jack- 
son county,  Missouri.  There  were  a  good  many  others  there  I  knew, 
but  I  cannot  now  remember  their  names.  They  were  from  Missouri. 
I  was  pretty  well  acquainted  with  this  district  at  that  time.  None 
of  the  men  I  saw  there  lived  in  this  district,  so  far  as  I  knew.  They 
said  they  had  come  here  to  vote  ;  some  of  them  said  they  did  vote. 
That  was  said  after  the  election.  They  said  they  had  a  right  to  vote 
here  ;  that  this  country  belonged  to  Missouri,  and  they  would  vote. 
I  heard  no  speeches  made  in  the  camp.  A  detachment  was  sent  off 
the  night  of  the  29th  to  a  district  above  here.  They  said  there  was 
not  enough  went  up  there  to  carry  the  election  in  that  district.  I 
saw  the  same  men  at  the  election  voting.  I  was  not  in  the  camp 
till  the  morning  of  the  30th.  I  saw  a  great  many  of  them  going  up 
to  the  polls  with  tickets  in  their  hands  ;  they  said  they  were  going  to 
vote.  They  left  here,  part  that  evening  and  part  the  next  morning. 

To  Major  Oliver: 

I  am  not  acquainted  with  Claiborne  Jackson  ;  I  am  not  sure  that 
he  commanded  the  company  ;  I  heard  it  said  that  he  did  ;  I  resided 
since  August,  1854,  in  this  district ;  I  had  conversations  only  with  a 
few  ;  I  had  knowledge  of  some  of  them.  I  conversed  with  Galloway 
Adams  ;  don't  remember  only  part  of  what  he  said  ;  he  said  he  did  not 
come  here  to  vote — he  was  not  old  enough.  That  is  all  that  I  con- 
versed with  ;  only  a  few  words  to  others,  that  I  don't  remember.  I 
think  it  was  said  that  there  were  about  a  thousand  ;  I  saw  the  men  ; 
did  not  count  them  ;  I  merely  spoke  to  Lewis  Glover  ;  had  no  conver- 
sation with  Redman  Robinson.  I  saw  some  of  them  giving  in  their 
tickets  ;  did  not  see  Robinson,  nor  Adams  ;  I  was  out  in  the  crowd 
about  the  windows  ;  was  not  old  enough  to  vote  ;  don't  know  who  they 
voted  for.  I  said,  that  they  said  they  had  come  here  to  vote.  I  heard 
them  say  their  reasons  for  coming  was  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote-;; 
I  heard  them  say  at  the  polls  that  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  vote,  m. 
others  that  had  recently  come  into  the  Territory  from  other  States  ; 
they  said  that  persons  from  the  east  had  no  right  to  come  here  and 
settle,  and  no  right  to  vote  ;  does  not  remember  who  made  the  remark 
that  Kansas  Territory  belonged  to  Missouri ;  heard  it  in  camp,.  My 
age  is  twenty-two  years  now. 

Re-examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

It  was  said  that  Jackson  was  the  leader  ;  I  do  not  recollect  when  ; 
I  heard  the  expression  from  several,  I  don't  know  how  may,  that  per- 
sons from  the  east  had  no  right  to  come  here  and  settle,  and  no  right 
to  vote. 

WM.  B.  HQRNSBY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.}  April  25,  1856. 

H.  Rep.  200 9* 


130  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

F.  P.  VAUGHN  produced  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  of  Kansas  on  the  26th  of  March,  A.  D. 
1855,  and  into  this  district  on  the  2^th  of  the  same  month.  I  have 
heen  here  ever  since.  Previously  I  resided  in  Macon  county,  Missouri; 
had  lived  there  about  fourteen  years.  I  saw  some  stir  about  some- 
thing before  I  left  home  ;  saw  some  persons  going  round  about  the 
county  seat,  taking  certain  persons  out  and  speaking  privately  to 
them.  On  my  way  to  Kansas  I  stopped  a  few  days  in  Lynn  county, 
Missouri  ;  there  seemed  to  be  a  good  deal  of  excitement  there  in  rela- 
tion to  Kansas  elections.  I  saw  several  persons  from  Macon  county 
there  ;  they  said  they  were  on  their  way  to  Kansas.  I  passed  on  to- 
wards the  Territory,  and  as  I  travelled  along  I  saw  different  individ- 
uals whom  I  knew.  Stopped  a  few  days  in  Ray  county,  Missouri ; 
there  was  more  excitement  there  than  in  the  other  counties  through 
which  I  had  passed.  I  then  came  on  to  Clay  county,  Missouri,  and 
saw  a  young  gentleman,  who  said  he  himself  was  coming  up  to  Law- 
rence— that  there  were  a  company  of  three  hundred  others  coming  to 
vote  ;  said  they  certainly  would  vote  if  the  Yankees  were  allowed  to 
vote,  and  that  if  any  resistance  were  offered,  there  would  be  a  fuss  ; 
that  the  slaveholders  of  that  county  had  offered  to  pay  the  expenses 
of  three  hundred,  and  that  he  was  one  of  those  who  had  been  engaged 
to  come  ;  and  that  this  three  hundred  would  be  sufficient  for  fifteen 
hundred  votes,  if  they  did  as  they  had  done  in  former  elections  of  the 
Territory  ;  that  he  knew  of  several  men  who,  at  former  elections,  had 
voted  fourteen  or  fifteen  times  apiece,  by  changing  their  hats  and 
coats  and  voting  in  the  name  of  their  neighbors  ;  that  all  of  them  had 
voted  four  or  five  times  apiece. 

J  crossed  the  river  the  next  day  with  about  a  dozen  men.     One  of 
vtlwn.  seemed  to  be  a  leader  ;  said  my  ferriage  would  be  paid  if  I  was 
,  coming  to  vote.     From  that  time  until  I  got  up  to  this  district  there 
were  crowds  of  persons  coming  up  in  carriages,  wagons,  and  on  horse-- 
, backs  and  some  walking.     I  passed  some  words  with  some  of  them. 
In-eo&aing  out  this  side  of  Westport  I  was  challenged  to  know  where 
I  waslrom.     The  person  with  whom  I  was  speaking  said  that  they 
were  from  Independence,  Missouri,  and  we  are  going  up  to  vote — w^i 
are. 

I  stayed  all  night  at  Mill  creek  ;  there  was  a  camp  of  Missourians 
there,  as  I  understood  ;  they  were  hallooing  and  keeping  up  a  noise 
all  night.     Next  morning  I  had  a  conversation  with  one  person,  whoiru 
I  supposed  to  be  of  the  same  camp;  he  said  he  had  laid  a  claim  in  the- 
Territory,  and  that  he  had  a  right  to  vote,  although  his  family  were- 
not  there.     I  was  here  on  the  day  of  the  election,  on  the  30th  off 
March,  1855.     I  saw  several  men  that  I  had  previously  known  ;  they 
were  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dysart  and  Mr.  Morrow,  of  Macon  county,  Missouri,, 
and  a  Mr.  Mayo,  of  Randolph  county,  Missouri,  and  Mr.  Hunson,  or* 
Huston,  of  Carroll  county,  Missouri.     I  saw  these  men  at  the  place  off 
voting,  in  Lawrence.    I  was  not  in  the  camp.    It  is  about  two  hundred l| 
miles  from.  Macon  county  to  this  place;  but  not  so  far  to  Carroll  county. . 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  131 

I  saw  the  body  of  men  that  camped  near  this  town.    I  have  never  since 
seen  the  men  from  Macon,  and  Carroll,  and  Eandolph  counties. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  young  rnan  whom  I  saw  in  Clay 
county  ;  his  father  lives  on  the  road  from  Liberty  to  Randolph.  I  do 
not  know  that  he  voted,  but  he  was  present  at  the  polls  in  Lawrence 
on  the  day  of  election,  on  the  30th  of  March,  in  company  with  the 
Missourians.  When  we  crossed  the  Missouri  river,  at  Randolph,  the 
one  I  took  to  be  the  leader  said  the  ferriage  bills  would  be  footed  by 
the  persons  sending  ou£  the  company.  I  do  not  know  who  the  head 
man  was  ;  the  company  did  not,  to  my  knowledge,  pay  ferriage,  but 
a  list  of  their  names,  or  their  number,  was  given  to  the  ferryman. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  think  the  young  man  before  alluded  to  lived  about  six  miles  from 
Liberty  ;  his  father  lived  in  a  weather-boarded  house ;  there  was  a 
small  room  north  of  the  main  building,  and  a  passage  between.  I 
came  to  this  district  to  look  around,  and  stay  if  it  suited.  Some  ex- 
citement prevailed  in  Linn  county.  I  understood  the  cause  of  the 
excitement  in  those  far-off  counties  to  be  that  they  were  fearful  Kan- 
sas would  become  a  free  State.  But  when  I  reached  Ray  county  I 
understood  this  to  be  the  cause  of  the  excitement.  It  was  reported 
that  large  numbers  of  eastern  men  were  coming  on  the  boats  to  Kan- 
sas Territory,  to  be  present  at  the  elections  on  the  30th  of  March.  I 
understood  several  to  say  that  they  would  vote,  if  the  Yankees  or 
northern  men  voted. 

I  heard  some  of  the  people  of  Missouri  say  that  they  were  willing 
to  leave  the  whole  question  to"  be  settled  by  the  bona  fide  settlers  of 
the  Territory  ;  others  expressed  a  different  feeling.  A  great  many 
persons  in  Missouri  are  opposed  to  the  Missourians  coming  here  and 
meddling  with  the  elections  of  Kansas. 

F.  P.  VAUGHN. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  25,  1856. 


G-AIUS  JENKINS  produced  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  was  coming  up  from  Kansas  City,  on  the  morning  of  the  31st 
March,  1855.  After  leaving  Westport,  about  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  there,  I  began  to  meet  crowds  of  men,  and  as  I  approached  the 
timber  this  side  of  the  Baptist  Mission  I  was  frequently  detained  as 
much  as  fifteen  minutes,  allowing  them  to-  pass  in  the  road  ;  a  good 
many  of  them  were  quite  wild  and  uproarious,  and  seemed  to  enjoy 
themselves,  frequently  asking  if  I  had  seen  Governor  ^ Reeder. 
Some  of  them  said  that  if  he  did  not  sanction  that  election  they 
would  hang  him  in  the  first  tree,  or  something  like  that.  I  heard  it 
so  frequently,  I  cannot  give  the  precise  words  ;  it  was  a  general  ^  re- 
mark from  the  wagons  at  Ham's.  At  Mill  creek  they  had  been  nooniug; 


132  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  then  there  was  a  pretty  general  expression,  asking  if  I  had  seen 
Governor  Reeder  ;  they  said  they  were  going  into  the  Mission,  I  told 
them  that  I  supposed  he  was  at  the  Mission  ;  they  said  they  were  going 
in,  and  if  he  did  not  sanction  the  <  lection,  they  would  run  him  up  to 
the  first  tree,  God  damn  him  I  They  had  "been  drinking  ;  they  stated 
that  they  had  been  at  the  election  ;  they  stated  that  they  had  elected 
Chapman  to  the  council,  and  named  one  or  two  others  that  I  was  not 
acquainted  with.  I  recognisad  Cole,  as  one  I  was  acquainted  with  ;  it 
was  he  that  made  the  remark  that  they  had  elected  Chapman.  I 
recognised  others  as  being  from  Jackson  county,  as  persons  I  had  seen. 
These  persons  were  armed  ;  some  had  guns  irt  their  hands — no  side- 
arms  as  I  remember.  Chapman  was  a  candidate  in  this  district.  The 
party  was  chiefly  in  wagons — more  than  half — the  rest  on  horseback. 
After  leaving  Mill  creek,  there  was  very  little  said  to  me  ;  but  I  con- 
tinued to  pass  them  until  four  miles  this  side  of  Mill  creek,  some  eight 
miles  in  all  ;  and  straggling  parties  to  Fisher's,  some  thirteen  miles 
further. 

Cross-examined  : 

I  did  not  know  these  men  ;  I  recognised  but  could  not  name  them  ;  I 
saw  Mr.  McUee  as  one  of  the  party,  but  heard  him  say  nothing — the 
one  that  lives  in  the  brick  house  beyond  Westport  ;  his  first  name  I 
think  is  Allen. 

GAIUS  JENKINS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  25,  1856. 


GEORGE  W.  DEITZLER  produced  and  sworn, 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  saw  two  persons  here  from  Glasgow,  Missouri,  on  the  day  of  the  elec- 
tion ;  they  came  on  the  day  before  ;  one  was  Thomas  Crews,  keepen 
of  the  Glasgow  house  ;  his  father  keeps  it ;  the  name  of  the  otherr 
I  do  not  recollect.  Mr.  Crews  called  on  me  the  day  before  the  election! 
and  talked  over  matters  ;  he  told  me  the  boys  were  coming  to  vote  ;: 
I  told  him  I  thought  it  was  wrong  ;  he  said  that  was  no  considera- 
tion with  them — that  they  weie  bound  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,, 
or  there  would  be  trouble.  1  asked  him  whether  he  intended  to  start' 
here  ;  he  said  no,  he  might  at  some  future  day  go  over  to  Kansas.  He1 
told  me  their  party  were  from  Missouri  ;  there  were  only  six  fromi 
Glasgow.  He  told  me  about  four  hundred  were  on  the  Wakarusa  ;; 
this  was  when  he  came  in  the  day  before.  I  said,  suppose  the  judges? 
refuse  to  receive  your  votes?  He  said,  in  that  case,  damn  them,  theyv 
would  choose  others.  I  saidf  there  might  be  trouble.  At  this  time  he1 
took  my  hand  and  said  I  should  not  be  hurt  ;  that  he  would  be1 
around.  I  did  not  see  Crews  vote  here  ;  I  saw  him  with  a  party  oil 
Misbourians  that  afternoon,  and  I  saw  him  the  next  morning  with  the 
party  at  the  polls  ;  with  the  other  persons  I  had  very  little  conversa- 
tion. I  asked  him  what  brought  him  up  here  ;  he  said  he  came 
with  the  boys.  I  asked  him.  what  for.  He  said  he  came  to  vote, 
I  also  met  Mr.  Linney  here,  who  was  introduced  to  me  on  board; 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  133 

the  boat  as  a  member  of  the  Missouri  legislature.  I  don't  know  of 
my  own  knowledge  he  was  a  member  ;  he  was  introduced  to  me  by 
Colonel  John  Doniphan,  of  Weston  ;  I  saw  him  here  on  the  morning 
of  the  election.  I  told  him,  from  what  I  had  seen,  I  expected  a  great 
many  up,  but  had  no  idea  I  should  see  him  here.  Oh,  said  he,  we 
came  here  to  teach  you  your  interests. 

The  first  party  of  Missourians  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
close  to  town  ;  they  afterwards  collected  on  the  ravines  ;  next  morn- 
ing they  came  in  thick.  I  came  to  town  rather  early,  and  found  the 
place  where  the  election  was  to  beheld  surrounded  by  these  strangers; 
I  knew  them  to  be  strangers  from  the  fact  that  they  wore  white  rib- 
bons in  their  button-holes.  Very  few  citizens  were  about  at  that  time  ; 
they  did  not  seem  to  disguise  their  intentions,  but  spoke  very  freely 
about  it  all  day.  I  talked  familiarly  with  them  about  it  ;  one  of  them, 
to  show  that  he  was  a  citizen,  took  off  his  boots  to  show  that  he  had 
some  Kansas  dirt  in  it ;  he  said  that  made  him  a  citizen  ;  they  said 
they  were  citizens  of  Kansas,  all  of  them,  when  asked  the  question. 
When  asked  where  they  were  from,  they  said  from  Missouri,  different 
places.  I  returned  to  the  polls  about  ten  o'clock  ;  found  it  very  much 
crowded,  so  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  get  to  the  window.  After 
much  difficulty,  I  deposited  my  vote.  They  asked  me  to  pass  over  the 
roof  of  the  house  ;  that  I  could  not  get  back  out  of  the  crowd.  I  refused 
to  do  so,  and  then  they  asked  me  to  get  down  and  crawl  tbrough 
their  legs  and  get  out.  I  told  them  I  should  do  no  such  thing  ;  that 
I  walked  in,  and  should  walk  out.  I  fought  my  way  out,  I  might  say, 
and  was  a  long  while  doing  it.  I  had  had  equal  difficulty  to  get  in.  I 
should  suppose  there  were  between  seven  and  eight  hundred  at  this 
point;  most  every  one  had  a  gun,  and  all  had  revolvers  and  bowie- 
knives,  and  took  occasion  to  expose  them,  to  let  us  see  that  they  were 
armed.  Some  of  them  left  on  the  afternoon  of  the  election  ;  and 
others,  the  majority,  staid  till  next  morning. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

Mr.  Crews  told  me  that  one  of  the  reasons  of  the  people  coming  into 
this  Territory  was  by  endeavoring  to  justify  their  course,  by  referring 
to  emigrant  aid  societies  in  the  east,  which  he  understood  were  or- 
ganized for  the  purpose  of  sending  persons  into  Kansas  to  vote  at  that 
election,  and,  as  he  understood,  to  vote  at  the  30th  of  March  election, 
and  coming  up  the  river  for  that  purpose. 

G.  W.  DEITZLER. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  25,  1856. 


CARMIE  W.  BABCOCK  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  here  in  September,  1854,  previous  to  the  proclamation  of 
Governor  Reeder  for  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855  ;  there 
was  some  talk  about  the  Missourians  coming  here.  I  took  the  census 
of  this  district,  and  as  I  was  travelling  about  I  often  heard  it  said  that 


134  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

tlie  Missourians  would  be  here  at  the  election.  It  was  currently  re- 
ported here,  for  some  weeks  before  the  election,  that  the  Missourians 
were  preparing  to  come  up  here,  and  had  organized  what  they  called 
a  Blue  Lodge  for  that  purpose.  I  was  intimately  acquainted  with 
several  p^o-slavery  men  in  this  immediate  vicinity,  who  were  reported 
to  belong  to  that  lodge,  and  whom  I  had  every  reason  to  believe  did 
belong  to  it,  from  conversations  with  them.  The  first  thing  I  ob- 
served that  made  me  think  they  were  coming  was  this :  I  had  just 
opened  our  post  office  here  in  a  little  log  building  with  a  partition  in 
it ;  the  building  was  owned  by  a  young  man  named  William  Lykins, 
who  was  deputy  postmaster  ;  we  occupied  but  one-half  of  the  building. 
The  rats  and  mice  made  considerable  noise  in  the  other  part  of  the 
building,  which  was  unoccupied,  and  I  inquired  of  Mr.  Lykins  what 
they  were  up  to.  He  took  me  in  there  and  showed  me  a  lot  of  pro- 
visions, consisting  of  a  large  quantity  of  bacon,  some  corn,  and  I  think 
some  flour  and  meal,  though  I  will  not  be  certain  about  that.  I  do 
not  know  when  the  provision  was  brought  there,  though  I  was  told. 
This  Mr.  Lykins  was  from  Missouri,  though  a  resident  here  at  that 
time  ;  he  is  now  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 

On  the  evening  of  the  29th  of  March,  1855,  a  large  crowd  of  men, 
came  in  and  encamped  in  the  ravine  just  beyond  the  post  office  ;  I 
should  think  there  were  in  that  first  company  some  five  or  six  hun- 
dred ;  I  was  boarding  then  at  Mr.  Chapman's,  just  above  the  creek. 
That  evening,  about  10  o'clock,  I  think,  a  party  left  the  camp,  and 
started  for  the  California  road,  and  it  was  reported  that  they  were 

foing  to  the  second  district ;  soon  after,  another  company  left.* 
did  not  talk  with  any  of  them,  and  only  heard  it  reported  where 
they  were  going.  The  first  company  went  in  the  direction  of  Douglas 
district ;  the  last  company  in  the  direction  of  Hickory  Point.  There 
were  to  be  elections  at  both  places.  I  should  think  there  were  near 
two  hundred  in  each  party. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  of  the  election,  a  little  after  sunrise, 
another  company  commenced  coming  in.  I  was  standing  by  Mr. 
Chapman's  house,  and  saw  them  in  the  distance  over  the  hill,  and 
watched  them  until  they  passed  the  house  and  went  into  the  camp 
with  the  others. 

I  was  in  the  camp  on  the  evening  before  the  election  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  election,  and  was  introduced  to  several  persons  there. 
I  heard  them  talking  among  themselves,  stating  that  the  Howard 
county  boys  were  located  in  such  a  place,  the  Clay  county  boys  in 
another  place,  the  Cass  county  boys  in  another  place,  the  Saline  boys 
in  another  place,  and  called  over  a  number  of  other  counties  that  I  do 
not  now  recollect.  I  was  introduced  to  a  man  named  Davidson,  Mr. 
Wade's  father-in-law,  who  now  lives  in  this  Territory.  I  also  saw  a 
man  named  Coles,  from  Kansas  City,  I  think  ;  Allen  McGee,  of  West- 
port,  who  introduced  me,  I  think,  to  Colonel  Samuel  Young.  I  will 
not  be  positive  about  that,  but  I  was  introduced  to  him  afterwards. 
My  impression  is  that  Mr.  McGee  introduced  me  to  him  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  election. 

Nearly  all  these  men  had  guns  of  some  description  ;  shot-guns  and, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  135 

muskets.     Most  of  them  had  revolvers,  and  a  great  many  had  bowie- 
knives.     They  had  several  tents  and  some  flags  and  music. 

When  they  arrived,  the  provisions  in  Mr.  Lykins's  house  were  taken 
out  and  given  to  them.  On  once  occasion  a  young  man  came  up  to 
the  house  and  asked  for  the  provisions.  I  asked  who  they  belonged 
to,  and  he  said  they  belonged  to  the  company,  and  he  wanted  some  ot 
them.  He  took  off  a  sack  of  corn  for  the  horses.  I  delivered  but  that 
one  sack  ;  Mr.  Lykins  delivered  the  rest.  I  do  not  know  what  became 
of  the  rest  of  the  provisions.  Mr.  Lykins  wanted  to  clear  out  that  part 
of  the  house  for  the  election  to  be  held  in,  and  he  set  out  several  sides 
of  bacon  and  some  corn,  and  I  saw  persons  come  up  promiscuously 
from  the  camp  and  get  them. 

I  heard  Col.  Samuel  Young  make  a  speech  on  the  morning  of  the 
election.  I  heard  but  a  part  of  it.  as  he  wasVbout  closing  his  remarks 
when  I  came  up.  This  was  at  the  polls.  He  was  cautioning  the  boys 
to  keep  good  order,  as  they  would  all  be  allowed  to  vote  ;  they  must 
not  be  noisy,  must  not  disturb  property,  and  he  would  see  that  all 
had  a  chance  to  vctfe. 

I  was  sitting  in*the  office,  with  the  windows  up,  as  they  came  up  to 
the  polls.  There  did  not  seem  to  bo  any  military  organization  ;  they 
came  up  in  little  companies  as  they  had  camped.  Most  of  them  had 
guns,  some  carrying  them  on  their  shoulders,  some  in  their  hands. 
They  made  a  great  deal  of  noise  and  very  much  of  a  rush. 

I  talked  with  several  of  them  and  was  introduced  to  many  of  them, 
but  do  not  remember  their  names.  They  said  that  their  intention  was 
to  vote ;  that  they  wanted  to  do  it  peaceably  ;  did  not  propose  to  pre- 
vent others  from  voting  ;  were  willing  for  us  to  vote,  but  they  would 
vote  too,  as  they  had  just  as  much  right  to  vote  as  we  had.  That  was 
the  general  tenor  of  their  conversation.  They  left  about  four  or  five 
o'clock  on  the  day  of  election. 

Before  they  put  in  their  votes  I  heard  several  of  them  take  the  oath. 
I  was  in  the  next  room  and  heard  Col.  Young  swear  that  he  was  a 
bonafide  resident  of  Kansas  Territory.  He  did  not  say  he  was  a  resi- 
dent of  this  district,  so  far  as  I  recollect,  but  that  he  was  an  actual 
and  bona  fide  resident  of  Kansas  Territory,  and  owed  no  allegiance  to 
the  State  of  Missouri.  He  told  the  judges  that  it  was  unnecessary  to 
swear  the  rest  of  the  men,  as  they  would  all  swear  the  same  thing. 
He  was  not  a  resident  of  this  district  when  I  took  the  census,  and  was 
not  a  resident  at  the  time  of  the  election.  I  should  have  known  it  if 
he  had  become  a  resident.  I  do  not  believe  he  has  ever  become  a  re- 
sident of  this  district.  I  do  not  recollect  that  the  judges  asked  him 
any  questions  about  his  residence  here  when  he  took  the  oath. 

I  was  in  the  other  room,  and  looked  through  the  cracks  in  the  par- 
tition when  they  changed  the  election  board.  Mr.  Blanton  being  ab- 
sent, Mr.  Benjamin  was  put  in  his  place.  Mr.  Abbott  resigned,  and 
Mr.  Cummins  was  elected  in  his  place.  This  was  when  the  board  first 
met.  It  is  the  duty  of  voters  present  to  fill  the  vacancies  in  the  elec- 
tion board.  The  politics  of  Mr.  Benjamin  and  Mr.  Cummins  were  the 
same  as  of  those  who  had  camped  here.  That  party  was  supporting 
Thomas  Johnson  and  E.  Chapman  for  the  Council,  and  A.  B.  Wade, 


136  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

James  Whitlock,  and,  I  think,  John  M.  Banks  for  the  House  of  Ee- 
presentatives. 

A  few  of  this  party  remained  in  camp  until  the  morning  after  the 
election,  hut  the  most  of  them  left  in  the  evening  before. 

In  taking  the  census  I  followed,  as  near  as  I  could,  the  directions 
laid  down  in  the  precept.  It  was  a  correct  return,  to  the  best  of  my 
knowledge,  o4  all  the  voters  in  the  district  at  that  time. 

I  did  not  notice  any  mottoes  on  the  flags  of  this  party.  I  do  not 
think  they  had  their  tickets  printed  here,  but  brought  them  with  them. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  was  personally  acquainted  with  but  few  of  the  men  who  came 
here  from  Missouri.  Mr.  Allen  McGee  was  the  only  person  I  was 
acquainted  with  that  I  conversed  with  concerning  their  objects  in. 
coming  here.  He  informed  me  that  they  had  come  here  to  vote  ;  that 
there  was  a  large  number  of  persons  coming  here  from  northern  and 
eastern  States  to  be  at  that  election,  and  the  Missourians  were  coming 
here  to  counteract  that  movement.  I  had  a  conversation  with  Mr. 
Davidson,  of  Missouri — I  think  he  was  from  Pleagant  Hill,  in  Cass 
county.  He  said  he  did  not  approve  of  their  coming  up  here,  and 
that  he  would  not  vote  ;  did  not  believe  that  he  had  a  right  to  vote 
here.  He  stated  that  he  did  not  want  to  come  up  here  at  all,  but  his 
son-in-law  was  a  candidate,  and  the  people  were  all  coming  up,  and 
he  came  along  ;  but  he  would  not  vote,  as  he  did  not  approve  of  it. 
In  conversation  in  camp  I  heard  some  of  them  say  that  this  Territory 
belonged  to  the  Missourians,  and  that  these  eastern  men  had  no  busi- 
ness here.  That  was  the  drift  of  their  conversation.  I  heard  others 
say  that  they  were  coming  here  to  vote  against  these  eastern  men,  re- 
ferring, I  suppose,  to  recent  emigration,  though  they  did  not  say  that. 
I  conversed  with  several,  and  told  them  I  did  not  think  they  had  any- 
right  to  vote  here.  They  said  that  all  these  men  at  Lawrence  had 
been  sent  out  here  with  their  families  for  the  purpose  of  voting,  and 
they  had  as  much  right  to  vote  as  those  men  had. 

There  were  some  arrivals  in  the  Territory  after  the  census  was 
taken.  There  were,  I  should  think,  near  one  hundred  here  from 
northern  and  eastern  States,  but  I  do  not  think  all  staid  in  this  dis- 
trict ;  some  of  them  went  above. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

All  the  first  part  of  the  day,  as  fast  as  persons  voted,  they  put  them 
up  over  the  house,  because  there  was  so  much  of  a  crowd  and  rush  in 
front  of  the  polls  that  they  could  not  get  back.  The  building  was  a 
very  low  log  building  with  a  flat  roof.  The  post  office  was  open  at 
the  windows  at  the  time  of  the  election,  though  the  door  was  shut. 
A  great  many  of  our  citizens  came  to  the  window  and  complained 
that  they  could  not  get  near  the  polls  arid  could  not  vote. 

Some  time  before  noon,  as  I  was  in  the  office,  I  heard  a  gun  dis- 
charged. I  came  out  and  saw  a  crowd  rushing  towards  the  bank  of 
the  river.  I  went  down  with  the  rest  of  them,  and  saw  Mr..  Bond,  a 
citizen  of  this  place,  come  up  from  below  the  bank.  They  said  they 
had  shot  at  him,  and  he  had  jumped  oif  the  bank.  They  said  these 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  137 

had  been  some  conversation  with  him,  and  then  some  one  called  him 
a  damned  abolitionist,  arid  then  the  mob  pitched  on  him.  I  did  not 
see  any  other  difficulty. 

C.  W.  BABCOCK. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  26,  1856. 


LYMAN  ALLEN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  a  year  ago  the  24th  of  March  last. 
I  settled  here,  in  Lawrence,  and  have  resided  here  ever  since.  I  am 
from  the  State  of  New  York.  I  was  here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
In  coming  up  the  Missouri  river  I  stopped  at  the  various  landing 
places,  arid,  when  we  got  up  as  far  as  Glasgow,  we  noticed  persons 
who  commenced  coming  aboard.  We  came  up  on  the  "  Sam  Cloon." 
They  said  they  were  coining  here  to  vote,  as  a  fund  had  been  raised 
for  that  purpose.  They,  with  myself,  landed  at  Kansas  City,  I  think 
between  the  16th  and  24th  of  March,  1855.  I  immediately  came 
through  to  this  place,  and  on  the  27th,  28th,  and  29th  of  March,  the 
emigration  was  very  flush.  On  the  29th,  I  think,  there  were  not  less 
than  from  six  to  nine  hundred  came  here.  Most  of  them  encamped 
on.  the  Wakarusa  over  night.  I  came  here  the  next  day.  I  stopped 
with  my  brother,  about  four  miles  from  here,  near  the  Wakarusa  ;  and 
in  coming  here,  I  saw  a  large  party  pouring  up  the  Wakarusa.  There 
was  an  election  to  be  held  in  Bloomington  that  day.  Several  gentle- 
men came  into  town,  and  seemed  to  be  prominent  men  in  this  party. 
They  came  from  below  to  see  if  they  would  be  allowed  to  vote,  with- 
out resistance.  They  said  they  were  coming  here  to  vote  in  sufficient 
numbers  to  accomplish  their  object,  and  would  vote — peaceably  if  they 
could,  forcibly  if  they  must.  They  claimed  a  right  under  the  organic 
act  to  vote  here.  They  said  it  gave  them  that  right  although  they 
were  citizens  in  other  States,  because,  according  to  that  act,  citizens 
and  residents  were  not  synonymous  ;  they  were  residents  wherever  they 
happened  to  be,  but  citizens  where  their  families  were.  They  consid- 
ered it  unfortunate  that  such  an  oversight  had  crept  into  the  bill,  but 
they  would  claim  the  benefit  of  it.  I  came  in  town  about  T  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  30th,  and  immediately  went  over  to  the  place  of 
election.  1  remained  there  until  dark,  except  when  away  for  dinner. 
I  think  these  men  had  a  darkey  who  drummed  for  them,  and  one  who 
carried  a  flag.  They  were  generally  armed,  though  many  had  no 
guns.  Colonel  Young  seemed  to  be  the  leading  man.  He  had  told 
me,  in  conversation  with  him  previously,  what  I  have  already  stated 
as  to  their  idea  about  their  right  to  vote.  He  said  he  should  vote 
here,  though  that  disfranchised  him  in  Missouri.  The  men  who  came 
up  to  vote,  refused  to  take  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor.  Col. 
Young  said  he  would  offer  his  vote,  but  would  not  take  that  oath. 
He  would  make  that  the  test ;  and  if  he  was  allowed  to  vote  without 
taking  that  oath,  the  rest  would  probably  be  allowed  to  do  so  ;  if  not, 
they  would  vote  by  force. 


138  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

I  did  not  hear  what  oath  he  did  take.  When  he  came  out,  it  Was 
said  that  he  had  perjured  himself.  He  declared  he  would  like  to 
find  the  man  who  said  so,  and  he  would  dispatch  forty  such  men. 
Mr.  Abbott,  one  of  the  judges,  resigned,  because  those  who  voted 
refused  to  take  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor,  and  the  other 
judges  received  their  votes.  Hugh  Cameron  was  one  of  the  other 
judges,  but  I  cannot  say  whether  the  other  was  Mr.  Benjamin  or  Mr. 
Cummins.  After  Mr.  Young  had  voted,  about  two  hundred  men 
left  here  for  Bloomington,  as  it  was  said  they  were  not  needed  here. 
The  leaders  in  the  matter  then  undertook  to  expedite  the  voting,  as 
it  was  impossible  to  vote  from  the  crowd  ;  those  who  had  voted  being 
compelled  to  crawl  over  the  house,  which  was  a  low  one,  to  get  away. 
About  that  time,  Charles  Stearns  was  found  on  the  ground  with  a 
book  in  his  hands  taking  notes.  He  was  surrounded  by  a  company  of 
men,  who  said  they  would  have  no  notes  taken.  They  became  very 
much  exasperated,  and  threatened  to  kill  him,  but  Colonel  Young  got 
him  out  of  the  crowd  without  his  being  injured.  About  11  o'clock 
the  leaders  of  this  company  placed  guards  along  from  the  window, 
forming  an  alley,  so  as  to  allow  persons  to  vote  according  to  counties 
as  they  came  up — according  to  the  counties  from  which  they  came  in 
Missouri.  The  oldest  men  were  given  the  preference.  I  saw  one 
young  man  living  in  this  town  walk  into  the  alley  and  go  up  towards 
the  window.  He  was  asked  what  ticket  he  voted,  and  he  said  it  was 
his  own  business.  The  crowd  gathered  around  him  and  threatened 
him,  but  his  friends  got  him  away.  I  think  he  voted  at  that  time. 
Not  long  after,  Mr.  Edward  Bond  was  talking  with  some  gentlemen, 
when  he  got  into  some  difficulty.  An  attack  was  made  upon  him, 
and  as  he  was  jumping  off  the  bank  of  the  river  I  saw  a  revolver 
fired  at  him.  I  did  not  know  the  man's  name  at  the  time.  He  was 
not  a  citizen  of  this  district.  I  have  been  told  his  name  since,  but 
do  not  recollect  it. 

Colonel  Young  stated  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  Missouri,  though  a 
resident  of  Kansas  for  the  time  being.    I  found  a  great  many  young 
men  who  took  the  same  ground  as  Colonel  Young  did;  they  had  every 
appearance  of  being  educated  men.  After  dinner,  about  two  o'clock,  I 
attempted  to  vote  ;  there  was  a  very  large  crowd,  all  bracing  towards 
the  window,  and  about  two  hours  afterwards  I  got  there.    There  was 
a  crowd  from  every  direction  ;  but  our  side  was  the  strongest,  and  we* 
pushed  the  others  away.     It  seemed  to  be  a  contest  with  the  "Free-- 
Soilers"  and  Clay  county  boys.    I  was  with  the  latter,  and  they  came; 
in  ahead.     No  one  asked  me  my  politics.    I  went  in  and  voted,  and! 
was  then  taken  by  the  boys  and  lifted  upon  and  went  over  the  house. , 
I  saw  during  the  day  some  of  the  company  that  came  up  on  the  boat 
when  I  did;  I  saw  them  vote;  I  heard  them  say  frequently  they 
were  coming  here  to  vote.     I  have  since  recognised  several  persons 
as  citizens  of  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  whom  1  saw  vote  that  day. 

About  four  o'clock  the  ground  was  somewhat  cleared,  and  the  old 
men  began  to  leave,  and  they  began  to  decamp.  Some  of  the  boys  had 
got  considerably  intoxicated,  and  we  kept  a  guard  about  here  during 
that  night.  About  half  of  those  persons  left  I  think  before  midnight, , 
and  early  in  the  morning  ;  the  rest  drove  off  in  the  direction  from ; 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  139 

whence  they  came.  There  were  several  persons  in  the  crowd  when  I 
tried  to  vote — not  very  rugged  persons — who  "became  faint  and  were 
taken  away.  It  was  very  laborious  getting  up  to  the  polls. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  think  these  men  had  their  tickets  printed  in  the  "  Free-State" 
office  in  this  place,  at  that  time  under  the  charge  of  Miller  and  Elliott. 
Those  nominations  were  made  after  they  got  here;  they  voted  for  Mr. 
Chapman  and  Mr.  Johnson  for  Council,  and  Mr.  Whitlock  and  Mr. 
Banks  for  House  of  Kepresentatives.  I  think  there  was  one  McGee, 
who  was  with  the  committee,  who  came  up  from  the  Wakarusa  camp, 
but  I  am  not  certain  about  that;  I  think  Colonel  Young  was  most  of 
that  committee. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

These  persons  also  said,  though  not  generally,  that  the  position 
they  sustained  towards  the  Territory  made  it  necessary  that  this 
should  be  a  slave  State.  Their  interest  in  the  question  was  so  much 
greater  than  any  other,  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote  here  in  self- 
defence.  I  heard  Colonel  Young's  speech  ;  I  do  not  remember  of  his 
Baying  that  they  had  as  much  right  to  vote  as  others  who  had 
come  here  within  two  or  three  weeks  previously.  He  stated  that  the 
North  and  East  had  formed  societies  to  send  emigration  here  to  make 
this  a  free  State,  and  they  would  beat  them  at  their  own  game.  I 
think  I  heard  them  say  they  approved  of  the  principles  of  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  bill,  and  were  willing  for  the  bona  fide  settlers  in  this 
Territory  to  settle  the  question  of  slavery  for  themselves.  There 
were  two  young  men  I  got  acquainted  with  in  coming  here,  and  they 
admitted  in  conversation  that  this  thing  was  all  wrong  ;  but  as  the 
North  had  commenced  it,  they  would  come  in  under  the  same  plan. 

These  two  were  some  of  those  to  whom  I  have  referred  in  my  exam- 
ination in  chief  as  having  given  reasons  for  coming  here  to  vote.  I 
was  with  the  persons  who  were  here  all  day,  but  not  in  their  camp,  as 
they  were  not  in  camp  during  the  day.  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  heard 
any  one  say  that  they  had  as  much  right  to  vote  as  emigrants  recently 
from  the  north  or  east,  but  they  claimed  a  general  right  to  make  this 
a  slave  State,  as  the  North  had  sent  men  here  to  make  this  a  free 
State.  These  reasons,  I  think,  were  given  by  the  more  moderate  of 
the  party,  who,  I  judged,  came  along  as  peace-makers  ;  the  general 
tone  was  different.  I  do  not  remember  that  Col.  Young  in  his  speech 
said  that  there  were  a  number  of  persons  in  this  district  who  were 
from  the  north  and  east,  and  if  they  were  allowed  to  vote  he  would 
claim  that  he  and  his  party  should  be  allowed  to  vote  ;  and  if  allowed 
to  vote  peaceably  it  would  be  all  right,  but  they  would  vote  forcibly 
if  necessary.  I  had  just  arrived  in  the  Territory,  and  voted  at  that 
election.  I  do  not  know  how  many  from  the  north  and  east  who 
had  just  arrived  voted  at  that  time. 

When  I  was  on  my  way  here,  a  party  from  the  east  passed  me  at 
Buffalo,  and  when  I  reached  here  a  part  of  them  were  going  back, 
and  persuading  all  to  go  back  they  could.  Some  of  them  went  up 
the  "Big  Blue"  and  settled  what  is  now  called  "Manhattan." 


140  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


' 


Some  of  our  own  party  got  as  far  as  John  Ham's,  on  "  Mill  creek 
about  fourteen  miles  from  Westport,  and  being  obliged  to  sleep  on 
the  floor,  they  got  up  the  next  morning  and  started  back.  I  believe 
about  that  time  it  was  common  for  some  to  come  here  and  stay  over 
night,  and  start  back  the  next  day.  I  do  not  think  I  could  tell  defi- 
nitely how  many  voted  of  that  spring's  migration,  except  myself,  as* 
they  were  mostly  strangers  to  me.  The  most  of  the  party  I  came  out 
with  went  back.  I  had  been  here  but  eight  or  ten  days  before  the 
election.  I  brought  my  wife  with  me.  It  was  the  common  practice 
to  take  persons  by  the  legs  and  hoist  them  up  to  the  root'  of  the  house, 
as  they  could  not  get  out  any  other  way.  It  was  not  understood  to 
be  any  indignity  or  rudeness,  and  voters  on  both  sides  were  treated  in 
the  same  way.  When  the  crowd  was  thinned  out,  persons  left  the 
polls  in  the  ordinary  way.  This  was  the  case  after  about  three  or 
tour  o'clock,  but  the  crowd  was  dense  be  ore  that  time. 

LYMAN  ALLEN. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  26,  1856. 


SAMUEL  N.  WOOD  called  and  affirmed. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  first  came  into  the  Territory  in  June,  1854,  from  the  State  of 
Ohio.  I  settled  in  July,  1854,  about  five  miles  from  here,  in  this 
district,  on  the  California  road.  I  have  resided  in  the  district  ever 
since.  I  was  here  on  the  day  of  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855  ; 
it  was  on  Friday.  On  the  Wednesday  evening  before,  I  saw  some  two 
or  three  hundred  men  encamped  on  the  ravine  bottom  near  the  ford, 
who  said  they  were  from  Missouri,  and  were  going  above  to  some  place 
to  vote,  and  there  would  be  about  1,000  more  to  vote  at  this  place. 
The  next  day,  Thursday,  they  commenced  coming  in  hereto  Lawrence 
on  horseback,  on  mules,  in  wagons  and  carriages,  frequently  in  long 
processions  ;  they  camped  over  most  of  the  town,  I  think  on  Wade's 
claim.  I  was  all  over  their  camp  the  night  before  the  election.  I 
was  introduced  to  Doctor  Lomry  ;  he  said  he  was  from  Missouri.  I 
was  introduced  to  Col.  Claiborne  F.  Jackson,  who  lives  at  "Arrow 
Bock,"  Missouri.  I  do  not  recollect  whether  I  first  saw  Col.  Young 
that  night  or  the  next  morning.  I  recollect  seeing  a  Dr.  Earl,  from 
Westport,  who  was  postmaster  there.  When  I  first  came  out  here,  I 
also  saw  a  man  by  the  name  of  Cole,  from  Kansas  City.  There  was 
quite  a  procession  came  on  the  morning  of  the  election,  with  flags 
flying,  from  towards  the  "Wakarusa,"  I  think  from  where  Mr. 
McGee  lives  ;  I  saw  two  McGee's  in  the  party.  When  the  polls  were 
opened,  Mr.  Blanton,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election,  was  absent ; 
there  was  considerable  trouble  in  choosing  a  judge  in  his  place. 

Colonel  Young  assumed  to  manage  for  the  Missourians.  It  took 
us  at  least  an  hour,  1  think,  to  settle  on  the  third  judge.  Colonel 
YToung  claimed  that  the  people  here  had  two  of  the  judges,  and  there- 
fore it  was  nothing  more  than  right  that  the  Missourians  should  have 
one  to  attend  to  their  interests.  They  finally  agreed  upon  Mr.  Cum- 
mins. Mr,  Benjamin  was  appointed  in  place  of  Mr.  Abbott,  after  he 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  141 

resigned.  It  was  found  pretty  difficult,  when  the  polls  were  opened,  for 
any  one  to  get  to  the  window  to  vote,  after  the  judges  had  voted.  I  think 
Colonel  Young  was  the  first  who  offered  to  vote.  One  of  the  judges 
asked  him  if  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory,,  and  he  said  he  was.  He 
was  asked  to  he  sworn,  and  he  was  sworn,  and  again  said  he  was  a 
resident  of  this  Territory.  They  formed  two  lines  of  them  near  from 
the  window  out  on  the  prairie,  some  three  or  four  rods,  standing 
some  six  feet  apart,  and  those  who  voted  had  to  enter  in  at  the  outer 
end  of  these  two  lines,  walk  up  to  the  window,  and  vote  ;  and  for  a 
time  they  were  put  up  over  the  house  to  get  out.  After  some  voting 
they  formed  another  line  from  the  window  to  let  them  out.  Soon 
after  the  voting  commenced  I  heard  quite  an  excitement  a  little  to  the 
left  of  where  i  was  standing.  I  supposed  at  first  it  was  a  kind  of 
what  we  call  a  side  row,  got  up  to  get  people  away  from  the  house,  so 
that  others  could  vote.  I  saw  a  man  running  from  the  house  towards 
the  river,  and  as  many  as  a  hundred  running  after  him.  I  started 
after  them,  and  I  was  perhaps  a  rod  from  the  man  when  he  jumped 
off  the  bauk  ;  and  I  saw  it  was  a  Mr.  Bond,  of  this  place.  There  were 
some  two  or  three  pistol-shots  fired  after  him.  There  was  considerable 
excitement  on  the  bank.  Several  of  them  said  they  must  drive  all  the 
damned  abolitionists  off  the  ground.  I  remarked  that  it  would  be 
difficult  for  them  to  do  so,  as  there  were  men  there  who  would  be 
willing  to  have  their  bodies  riddled  with  bullets  before  they  suffered 
that  to  be  done.  Colonel  Young  carne  up  to  me,  and  said  that  he 
wished  no  difficulty,  and  if  we  would  keep  our  men  quiet  they  would 
not  allow  any  of  us  to  be  injured ;  that  they  wanted  to  vote,  and  would 
vote,  at  all  hazards.  I  heard  as  many  as  fifty  persons  say  that,  I 
think.  One  of  the  judges  objected  to  Colonel  Young's  vote  being 
received,  and  when  it  was  received  he  resigned.  They  appointed  Mr. 
Benjamin  in  his  place;  Mr.  Benjamin  was  a  resident  of  this  district, 
I  think. 

These  Missourians  had  almost  exclusive  control  of  the  polls  until 
late  in  the  afternoon.  This  Benjamin  had  a  claim  near  town,  but  I 
do  not  know  whether  he  was  living  on  it  or  not.  I  recollect  that  a 
man  named  Willis,  who  lived  in  this  place  at  that  time,  came  up  about 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon  to  vote,  when  about  half  of  these  Missou- 
rians had  left.  When  he  carne  up  they  raised  a  cry  that  he  was  a 
damned  abolitionist,  a  ne^ro  thief,  &c.,  and  hallooed  "Kill  him  1" 
"Shoot  him  I"  &c.  There  were  several  of  our  men  on  the  ground, 
and  they  told  them  if  they  wanted  to  commence  that  game  they  could 
do  so,  and  that  they  would  find  the  matter  would  not  end  here  in 
Kansas  Territory;  and  they  quieted  down  very  much.  I  think 
Willis  voted.  These  men  ran  him.  A  Mr.  J.  0.  Shelby,  who  I 
think  lives  in  Berlin,  Lafayette  county,  Missouri,  took  dinner  with 
rne  that  day.  He  said  there  were  fifty  who  came  from  his  neigh- 
borhood with  him  to  vote,  and  they  were  going  to  vote.  He  said 
that  if  he  had  to  swear  that  he  lived*  in  this  Territory  he  would  not 
vote,  as  he  did  not  live  here,  and  never  expected  to  live  here,  nor  did 
the  men  who  were  with  him  ever  expect  to  live  here.  I  do  not  know 
as  I  can  name  others  who  voted.  I  recollect  of  seeing  E.  M.  McGee, 
who  lives  between  Kansas  City  and  Westport.  I  also  saw  a  number 


142  -KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

whom  I  had  seen  in  Missouri,  in  Westport,  Kansas  City;  Independence, 
and  other  places,  whose  names  I  do  not  know.  I  think  there  were  two 
McGees  here,  hut  I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of  the  other  one.  This 
Shelby  stated  that  there  were  ten  thousand  Missourians  in  this  Terri- 
tory, and  one  thousand  of  them  were  detailed  to  this  place.  When  I 
was  in  the  camp  the  night  before  the  election  I  recollect  there  was  a 
messenger  came  in  to  inform  them  that  there  were  not  men  enough  in 
Bloomington — a  district  above  this — and  they  must  have  two  hundred 
more  men  there.  I  heard  this  Lomry  and  Jackson  talk  about  it,  and 
they  agreed  that  night  to  send  two  hundred  men.  Quite  a  number 
of  the  party  left  the  next  morning,  about  the  time  the  polls  were 
opened  here,  and  went  off  above  somewhere.  The  majority  of  these 
men,  1  think,  had  revolvers  in  sight.  They  had  bowie-knives,  I  sup- 
pose, though  I  do  not  know  enough  about  them  to  tell  whether  they 
were  bowie-knives,  though  they  were  large  knives ;  and  they  also  had 
rifles  and  double-barreled  shot-guns.  They  had  drums  and  flags, 
though  I  do  not  recollect  what  kind  of  flags  they  were.  I  think  I 
knew  perhaps  nine-tenths  of  the  settlers  in  this  district  at  that  time. 
These  men  who  came  here  were  all  strangers  to  the  district.  After 
the  election  they  left,  and  I  should  think  they  were  all  out  of  the  dis- 
trict by  noon  the  next  day.  They  said  they  came  here  to  vote,  and 
were  going  to  vote.  I  heard  the  remark  frequently  that  if  the  people 
here  made  no  opposition,  and  allowed  them  to  vote,  there  would  be 
no  trouble;  but  if  there  was  any  opposition  they  would  drive  them  all 
out  of  the  neighborhood,  or  kill  them,  as  they  were  going  to  vote 
anyhow.  I  recollect,  among  others,  seeing  Mr.  Owen  here,  who  lives 
near  Lexington,  Missouri.  He  had  formerly  been  in  the  Territory, 
and  had  a  claim  over  north  of  the  town.  He  was  here  at  the  first 
election  at  Basyager's,  and  had  a  difficulty  with  a  Dutchman,  and  shot 
him.  He  then  left  the  Territory,  and  had  not  been  seen  here  since 
until  the  day  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  at  which  he  voted. 
His  claim  was  some  twelve  or  fourteen  miles  from  here  to  the  south, 
and  I  think  in  the  district  below  here.  I  recollect  that  about  a  dozen 
men  who  were  strangers  to  me,  but  who  said  they  were  from  Missouri, 
took  me  one  side  on  the  day  of  election,  and  made  inquiries  about  one 
of  their  candidates.  They  said  they  were  afraid  he  was  not  altogether 
"sound  on  the  goose  question."  They  used  to  know  him  down  in 
Kansas  City,  but  were  afraid  of  him,  and  wanted  to  know  if  he  had 
not  expressed  some  rather  Free-soil  sentiments  up  here.  Colonel 
Young,  however,  vouched  for  him.,  and  they  concluded  to  vote  for 
him.  I  tried  to  find  out  their  candidates  when  I  was  in  their  camp  • 
the  night  before  the  election.  I. should  think  I  asked  a  hundred  men 
about  them  ;  but  the  universal  cry  was,  that  they  had  no  tickets,  and 
did  not  know  who  were  their  candidates.  They  said  their  leaders 
would  fix  that  up  in  the  night,  and  get  their  tickets,  and  they  would 
know  in  the  morning. 

I  was  about  the  polls  pretty  much  all  day,  with  the  exception  of 
about  one  hour  at  dinner  time.  These  men  from  the  camp  voted.  I 
think  I  saw  one  man  vote  four  times.  They  changed  their  coats  or 
their  hats,  and  came  up  to  the  window  again  and  voted,  I  do  not . 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

know  about  the  names  they  save.     I  asked  them  if  they  were  going 
to  keep  on  and  vote  the  whole  season. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  26,  1856. 

[Mr.  Oliver  objects  to  the  witness  stating  anything  the  supposed 
illegal  voters  may  have  said  in  regard  to  the  election  of  the  30th 
March,  1855,  and  insists  that  they,  the  alleged  illegal  voters,  would, 
if  present,  be  competent  witnesses,  and  that  they  should  be  subpoenaed 
to  appear  before  the  committee  to  testify  of  their  knowledge  touching 
the  said  election,  and  their  connexion  with  the  same.  That  the  mode 
of  examination  now  pursued  is  in  violation  of  the  well-established 
rules  of  evidence,  as  recognised  by  the  standard  authors.] 


EDWARD  CHAPMAN  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  28th  day  of  December,  1854,  and 
settled  in  this  district,  and  have  resided  here  ever  since,  I  was  here 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  saw  a  large  body  of  men  come  in  on 
the  day  of  the  election,  and  encamped  in  the  ravine  below  my  house. 
I  suppose  there  were  six  or  seven  hundred  of  them  before  they  sent  off 
the  detachments,  as  near  as  I  could  judge.  They  were  strangers,  not 
residents  of  the  district  at  the  time  ;  that  is,  a  majority  of  them  were 
not.  They  participated  in  the  election  at  the  time.  Most  of  them 
left  the  day  of  the  election — from  3  to  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  A 
small  party  were  here  I  believe  the  next  morning,  and  left  that  day, 
the  31st  of  March.  I  was  in  their  camp.  There  was  no  gentleman 
there  with  whom  I  was  acquainted  but  Claiborne  Jackson  ;  I  was  in- 
troduced to  several.  There  was  one  gentleman  to  whom  I  w'as  intro- 
duced before,  by  the  name  of  Harlow,  and  I  was  introduced  to  him 
again  on  that  day.  I  did  not  see  any  of  the  McGees  there  whilst 
encamped.  I  saw  Mr.  McGee  while  they  were  assembled  around  the 
election  house — Allen  McGee.  I  saw  Mr.  Coles,  of  Kansas  City,  at 
the  polls  that  day  ;  they  both  live  in  Missouri — Coles  in  Kansas  City, 
and  I  suppose  McGee  too — but  McGee  said  he  had  a  claim  on  the 
Wakarusa. 

Some  time  in  the  early  part  of  the  day,  on  the  30th,  one  detach- 
ment was  sent  off  to  Hickory  Point,  in  the  neighborhood  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  or  two  hundred,  or  more  may  be.  Another  detachment 
followed,  and  that  shortly — they  were  destined  for  the  second  district, 
Bloomington — I  should  conclude  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two 
hundred  of  them.  They  told  me  they  came  here  to  vote.  They 
claimed  that  they  had  a  right  to  come  here  and  vote  ;  all  they  asked 
was  to  vote  here  peaceably,  and  if  they  could  not  do  it  peaceably  they 
must  resort  to  some  other  means.  Most  of  them  had  double-barreled 
shot-guns,  and  guns  of  various  descriptions,  and  most^of  them  had 
side-arms.  I  saw  a  couple  of  pieces  of  artillery.  Mr.  Miller  and  my- 
self went  over  to  Mr.  Wade's  ;  after  Miller  had  finished  his  business 
we  came  through  a  part  of  the  camp  j  they  were  distributed  in  various 


144  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

parties.  We  crossed  the  ravine,  and  came  very  near  the  house  of  the 
election.  Some  gentleman  hallooed  to  me  ;  I  went  hack,  and  we  got 
into  conversation  about  the  matter.  He  asked  me  if  I  thought  there 
was  any  prospect  of  difficulty  here?  I  told  him  I  thought  not.  He 
said  he  was  in  hopes  there  would  not  he.  I  told  him  if  there  were, 
citizens  enough  in  the  place  to  give  them  a  fair  fight  they  would  do^ 
it.  He  thought  there  would  he  no  use  in  doing  that,  and  invited  me 
to  go  down  a  short  distance  with  him.  We  went  to  a  wagon,  and  he 
lifted  up  a  cloth  and  some  blankets,  and  remarked  to  me  that  there 
was  a  couple  of  "bull-dogs"  they  had,  loaded  with  musket-balls. 
They  were  all  covered  up  in  the  hay,  with  the  exception  of  the  rims  off 
them  ;  they  were  a  couple  of  brass  cannon.  I  then  left  there,  and! 
went  up  to  the  house  where  the  election  was  held.  I  suppose  I  was* 
voted  ior  by  them  for  member  of  council  on  that  day. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

Those  leading  gentlemen,  Mr.  Jackson  and  others,  said  they  came 
here  to  vote  to  counteract  the  votes  given  by  those  men  who  were  sent' 
here  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  ;  who  had  come 
that  spring,  and  were  still  coming  to  vote  at  that  election — the  30th 
of  March.  I  heard  Mr.  Allen  McGee  say,  that  he  would  never  have1 
brought  his  company  here,  but  for  his  understanding  that  there  were1 
a  number  of  persons  from  the  northern  and  eastern  States  en  route  on; 
the  Missouri,  to  reach  here  arid  vote  at  the  30th  of  March  election.  I! 
heard  that  remark  made  by  Mr.  Thompson,  of  Clay  county,  and  others,, 
and  by  most  of  those  whom  I  heard  speak  of  it  at  all.  They  thought 
the  whole  thing  wrong  and  irregular  on  both  sides,  and  were  only  act- 
ing in  self-defence.  They  meant  that  the  North  and  East  had  sent 
persons  here  for  the  purpose  of  making  this  a  free  State.  They  claimed1 
that  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  come  here  and  vote  as  men  from  the 
east  or  northern  States.  They  further  suited  that,  if  it  was  not  for 
this  eastern  and  northern  emigration,  they  would  not  have  come  here 
to  vote.  They  claimed  that  the  North  and  the  East  had  formed  what! 
they  called  Emigrant  Aid  Societies,  whose  purpose  was  to  send  mem 
here  to  vote.  Mr.  Allen  McGee  told  me  that  he  had  reliable  informa- 
tion that  there  were  between  four  and  five  hundred  on  a  boat  between; 
St.  Louis  and  Kansas  City,  of  eastern  and  northern  men,  to  be  at  this* 
place  and  other  points  in  the  Territory  at  that  election.  Some  of  the1 
same  gentlemen  said  that  they  were  willing  and  would  abide  by  the- 
principles  laid  down  in  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  and  were  willing; 
that  the  actual  settlers  of  the  Territory  should  determine  the  question* 
of  slavery.  They  claimed  that  they  had  reason  to  believe  that  there 
were  a  number  ot  persons  from  the  north  and  east  who  were  not  actual; 
settlers,  who  proposed  to  vote  at  that  election.  None  of  these  men  that 
I  conversed  with  at  that  time  claimed  to  be  actual  settlers,  except 
Allen  McGee.  I  have  been  told  by  several  of  them  that  they  would 
not  have  interfered  with  the  election  at  all,  were  it  not  that  these  men 
coming  from  the  north  and  east  were  not  actual  settlers.  None  of 
these  leading  men,  whose  declarations  I  have  given  in  my  examina- 
tion in  chief,  made  any  threats  that  they  would  use  violence  on  aur> 
of  the  citizens  of  Lav/rence. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  145 

To  Mr.  Keeder: 

The  first  declaration  stated  by  me  in  trie  cross-examination  was 
made  on  the  day  of  the  election  and  the  day  before.  Men  that  they 
said  were  coming  were  said  to  be  on  the  river  on  boats.  I  am  ac- 
quainted with  the  distances  and  modes  of  travel  between  this  point 
and  Kansas  City,  on  the  31st  of  March,  1855.  It  is  as  many  as  45 
or  50  miles.  We  had  no  public  conveyances  at  that  time.  It  gener- 
ally took  emigrants  from  a  day  and  a  half  to  two  days  with  loaded 
teams.  They  could  come  with  light  vehicles  in  a  day. 

E.  CHAPMAN. 

APRIL  26,  1856. 


GEORGE  CHURCHILL  affirms. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  1854 ;  settled 
at  Lawrence,  and  have  resided  here  ever  since,  except  three  months, 
during  which  time  I  lived  in  Independence,  Mo.  I  formerly  resided 
in  New  York;  knew  none  of  the  men  by  name  that  were  here  on  the 
30th  of  March,  from  Missouri,  but  recognized  the  countenances  of 
several.  I  was  present  here  on  the  30th  of  March.  I  recollect  of 
seeing  a  young  man  here  that  day  that  brought  me  into  the  Territory; 
he  lived  in  Westport ;  and  also  several  that  lived  in  Independence, 
Missouri. 

GEORGE  CHURCHILL. 

APRIL  26,  1856. 


R.  A.  CUMMINS  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory,  camping  at  Blue  Jacket's,  in  August, 
1854.  I  settled  three  miles  southwest  of  here,  in  this  district,  and 
have  resided  here  ever  since  I  came  from  St.  Louis  here.  I  am  a  Vir- 
ginian by  birth.  I  lived  in  Missouri  before  I  came  here.  I  was  here 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  was  not  appointed  one  of  the  judges 
of  that  election  by  the  governor,  but  was  selected  by  the  crowd  in  place 
of  N.  B.  Blanton.  I  was  selected  the  day  before  the  election  as  a  suit- 
able man  for  judge.  I  had  no  objection  to  serving  my  country  in  any 
way.  I  was  spoken  to  by  Allen  McGee,  of  Westport,  now  to  act  as 
judge.  He  pretended  to  live  here  at  that  time.  I  suppose  he  did.  I 
entered  on  the  duties  of  my  office  and  discharged  them  conscientiously, 
to  the  best  of  my  abilities.  Most  all  who  were  here  were  strangers  to 
me,  as  I  was  living  in  the  country  at  that  time,  and  knew  but  few 
persons.  I  should  think  there  were  over  one  thousand  votes  polled 
that  day.  Some  from  my  neighborhood  did  not  vote  then.  I  was 
not  in  the  camp  of  persons  here.  I  knew  that  there  were  camps,  but 
H.  Rep.  200 10* 


146  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

was  not  in  them,  as  I  was  on  duty  from  early  in  the  morning  till  12 
o'clock  at  night.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Colonel  Young  came  up  to 
vote.  I  had  no  personal  acquaintance  with  him.  He  was  sworn,  and 
made  oath  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  Territory,  and  would  not  vote 
anywhere  else  hut  here  for  twelve  months.  He  did  not  say  in  what 
part  of  the  Territory  he  resided.  My  opinion  is,  that  it  was  no  busi- 
ness of  the  judge  to  inquire  ;  that  he  had  a  right  to  vote  if  he  had  been 
here  but  an  hour.  I  do  not  recollect  many  of  the  particulars.  I  saw 
one  man  vote  who  said  he  lived  at  Lexington.  His  name  was  Holli- 
day_,  but  I  do  not  know  his  given  name.  He  said  he  lived  in  Lexing- 
ton, Missouri,  or  somewhere  in  that  vicinity.  Allen  McGee,  when 
he  asked  me  to  act  as  one  of  the  judges,  said  something  to  me.  I  do 
not  know  as  I  can  swear  positively  to  what  he  said,  as  it  was  a  gen- 
eral conversation.  I  don't  think  he  told  me  anything  about  persons 
corning  here  from  Missouri.  He  had  a  house  two  miles  west  of  where 
I  lived.  He  was  there,  and  had  a  black  woman  cooking  for  him. 
There  were  others  there — some  fifteen  or  twenty  others — who  were 
strangers  to  me.  Mr.  McGee  kept  a  kind  of  family  grocery  store  there, 
with  plenty  of  provisions  to  sell,  at  enormous  rates.  He  kept  a  kind 
of  hotel  there  for  a  few  days.  He  had  a  large  stock  at  the  time  of 
election,  but  I  do  not  know  as  it  was  larger  than  usual.  He  kept 
groceries  there  for  several  months.  He  had  a  young  man  for  clerk. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  Allen  McGee  was  just  as  good  a  voter  at  that 
time  as  I  was,  as  he  lived  there.  The  only  difference  was,  that  I  had 
no  other  home  and  he  had.  I  do  not  know  where  his  other  home  is. 

Cross-examined  by  Col.  Woodson  : 

I  know  that  McGee  had  been  here  at  the  time  of  the  election,  and 
built  a  double  log  house — a  one  story  house — and  had  a  black  woman 
here,  and  was  very  anxious  to  bring  his  wife  with  him,  but  she  was  in 
delicate  health  and  could  not  come.  He  often  spoke  to  me  about  that. 
He  has  since  sold  out.  He  had  built  this  house  prior  to  the  election 
of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  He  had  himself  only  been  here  a  week 
or  two  at  that  time,  but  frequently  before  that:  He  had  been  here 
the  fall  before,  at  the  election  of  a  delegate  to  Congress.  I  often 
heard  of  his  being  here.  I  was  not  acquainted  with  him  the  fall  be- 
fore. The  house  he  built  was  about  as  good  a  house  as  there  was  in 
the  Territory  at  that  time.  He  had  made  a  claim  here  before  I  came 
here,  in  May  some  time,  I  think,  but  did  not  build  here  until  after  I 
did.  He  had  a  log  cabin  on  his  claim  in  the  fall,  where  he  usually 
stopped  when  he  was  up  here. 

Re-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

He  sold  out  his  claim  a  few  weeks  ago. 

Re-examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

Mr.  McGee  came  there  with  his  cook  a  few  days  before  the  election, 
I  cannot  state  positively  when.  I  do  not  know  when  these  strangers; 
came  there.  I  think  McGee  himself  went  home  in,  a  day  or  two  after- 
the  election.  I  do  not  think  the  others  were  there  at  all  after  the: 
election.  He  had  a  clerk  in  his  house  to  attend  to  his  store  before: 
he  came  up  prior  to  that  election,  but  there  was  no  family  there. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  147 

The  same  clerk  lived  there  for  some  time  after  McG-ee  returned,  after 
the  election.  The  clerk  cooked  his  meals  there  for  himself.  The 
store  was  occupied  along  in  November  or  December,  1854,  but  I  could 
not  state  exactly  when  it  was.  The  clerk  occasionally  had  a  hired 
man  living  there  with  him.  No  one  else  lived  there  that  I  know  of. 

ROBERT  A.  CUMMINS. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


ROBERT  ELLIOTT  called  and  sworn. 
Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  was  residing  in  Lawrence  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  waa 
one  of  the  proprietors  of  a  printing  office  at  that  time.  I  saw  a  large 
number  of  men  who  said  they  were  from  Missouri,  who  visited  the 
office.  They  said  they  were  coming  here  to  vote.  I  was  not  in  their 
camp,  but  saw  it  at  a  distance.  I  saw  large  numbers  of  them  arrive  ; 
they  came  in  wagons  and  on  horses.  Most  of  them,  I  think,  had 
arms  ;  some  of  them  had  large  clubs.  I  did  not  see  any  banners  or 
.flags.  I  heard  music  at  a  distance,  but  did  not  see  them  when  para- 
ding. When  they  came  to  the  printing  office  the  night  previous, 
they  said  they  merely  came  to  see  an  abolitionist,  as  they  had  never 
met  one,  and  had  understood  that  the  "Free  State"  printing  office 
was 'conducted  by  abolitionists.  Mr.  Whitlock,  one  of  the  candidates 
for  the  legislature,  came  to  the  office  on  the  day  of  election,  just  before 
noon,  and  spoke  about  tickets  He  was  the  only  one  that  I  remember 
of  coming  to  the  office.  I  think  that  Mr.  Wade  spoke  to  my  partner 
and  myself  about  tickets.  He  was  also  one  of  the  candidates.  I 
think  Mr.  Chapman  spoke  to  rne  about  it.  He  was  a  candidate  for 
council,  and  was  of  this  place.  I  do  not  know  that  any  persons  from 
the  party  in  camp  spoke  to  me  about  those  tickets.  They  stated  they 
had  got  their  tickets  printed  before  they  came  here,  but  had  a  larger 
vote  than  they  had  expected,  and  wanted  more  tickets.  Mr.  Whit- 
lock,  Mr.  Wade,  and  Mr.  Chapman  were  running  on  the  same  ticket. 
We  printed  three  hundred  of  those  tickets.  Mr.  Whitlock  paid  for 
them,  and,  I  think,  took  them  away. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

This  Chapman,  Wade,  and  Whitlock,  lived  in  this  vicinity;  had 
families  with  them ;  but  I  do  not  know  about  Mr.  Whitlock. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  learned  the  names  of  three  or  four  of  those  strangers  here.     A 

man  named  Colonel  Walton,  I  think,  a  proprietor  of  a  "  hotel"  at 

Lexington,  Missouri,  was  introduced  to  me,  and  called  at  the  office,  I 

think,  once;   also  a  Mr.   Graves,  and  a  gentleman  named  Shroder, 

who  introduced  himself  as  from  Liberty,  Missouri ;  another  gentleman 

named  Sullivan  was  here  that  day  ;  I  was  acquainted  with  him  the 

all  previous;  came  up  the  river  with  him  as  liar  as  Lexington.     He 

tated  that  he  had  made  some  seven  claims  on  "  Salt  creek,"  near 


148  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Leavenworth ;  he  resided  near  Lexington,  Missouri,  when  I  got  ac- 
quainted with  him,  the  fall  before  the  election;  he  said  on  the  boat 
that  he  had  taken  seven  claims  on  "  Salt  creek,"  in  the  vicinity  of 
Leavenworth,  but  not  with  the  intention  of  settling  in  the  Territory, 
merely  for  the  right  of  his  friends,  and  to  keep  abolitionists  off;  he 
stated  that  he  resided  in  the  vicinity  of  Lexington,  Missouri.  It  was 
about  the  20th  of  November,  1854,  that  this  took  place. 

To  Colonel  Woodson: 

In  this  conversation  with  Sullivan  nothing  was  said  about  any  ex- 
pedition here.  It  was  an  independent  conversation  on  the  subject  of 
claims. 

B.  a.  ELLIOTT. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


N.  B.  BLANTON  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Keeder: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  last  of  September,  1854.  I  settled 
on  the  Wakarusa  about  five  miles  south  of  here,  and  have  lived  there 
ever  since;  I  came  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri;  I  was  appointed 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  election  of  March  30,  1855  ;  I  was  down  in 
Missouri  about  two  or  three  weeks  before  the  election;  I  was  sick 
there,  and  started  up  home  just  before  the  election ;  the  first  day  after 
I  left  there  I  stayed  at  Donaldson's,  and  the  next  day,  the  29th  of 
March,  I  met  a  party  of  men  coming  up  here ;  I  did  not  know  any  of 
them  ;  they  told  "me  they  were  coming  up  to  Lawrence  to  vote ;  some 
two  or  three  I  talked  with  told'  me  where  they  came  from  ;  some  said 
they  came  from  Boonville,  and  one  gentleman  told  me  he  was  from 
Columbia,  Boon  county. 

After  I  had  travelled  on  about  ten  miles,  and  they  had  found  out 
that  I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election,  they  wanted  to  know  if  I 
would  let  them  vote  without  swearing.  I  came  about  fifteen  miles 
with  them ;  I  do  not  know  how  many  there  were  in  the  company,  but 
I  should  suppose  there  were  about  one  hundred ;  a  good  many  asked 
me — first  one,  and  then  another — if  I  would  let  them  vote  without 
swearing.  I  never  saw  any  of  them  before  that  day,  but  saw  some  of 
them  up  here  afterwards  at  the  election  of  the  30th  March.  I  told 
them  I  could  not  according  to  the  oath  I  would  have  to  take  as  judge 
of  the  election,  as  they  were  not  citizens  of  the  Territory.  They 
argued  that  all  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  had  a  right  to  come 
here  and  vote  if  they  wanted  to;  they  got  to  trying  to  persuade  me  to 
let  them  vote  without  swearing,  saying  the  oath  the  governor  had 
prescribed  was  not  right  and  legal.  After  a  while  one  of  these  men— 
an  old  man — said  to  me :  "Go  on,  son,  and  act  as  judge,  and  let  us 
vote,  and  we  will  pay  you  for  it."  Two  or  three  more  spoke  up  and 
said,  if  I  did  not  let  them  vote  without  swearing  that  their  men 
would  get  enraged,  and  maybe  hang  me;  and  that  I  had  better 
resign.  I  did  not  then  resign,  but  left  them,  and  resigned  on  the 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  149 

morning  of  the  election.  I  was  here  in  town,  close  to  the  polls,, 
though  I  did  not  go  to  them.  I  dfd  not  go  into  their  camp  here ;  one 
of  their  camps  was  on  the  Wakarusa,  close  to  where  I  was  "building  a 
bridge,  about  five  miles  from  here.  They  came  there  the  morning 
"before  the  election ;  they  came  over  here  to  Lawrence  the  day  of  the 
election;  they  started  before  I  did,  hut  I  saw  some  of  them  here; 
there  were  about  fifteen  or  twenty  in  that  camp.  1  have  looked  over 
a  part  of  the  poll-list ;  I  saw  several  there  I  knew  were  citizens  of 
Missouri — Mr.  Hanly  and  Mr.  Dexter — I  cannot  give  their  first  names ; 
a  good  many  of  them  I  cannot  recollect,  though  I  knew  them. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson : 

I  did  not  know  the  men  with  whom  I  had  the  conversation ;  I  did 
not  know  that  they  were  speaking  for  the  company,  except  when  they 
said  their  men  would  get  enraged,  and  maybe  hang  me,  if  I  would 
not  let  them  vote  without  swearing.  They  said  their  object  in  com- 
ing  here  to  vote  was,  in  the  first  place,  to  get  a  legislature  to  suit 
them,  and  then  make  Kansas  a  slave  State.  I  think  the  emigrant 
aid  societies  were  mentioned  several  times,  but  I  do  not  know  as  they 
gave  that  as  their  reason,  only  that  every  citizen  of  the  United  States 
had  a  right  to  vote,  that  the  emigrant  aid  societies  were  sending  men 
to  vote,  and  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  vote  as  these  men  had. 

I  did  not  see  as  only  one  was  hindered  from  voting  here,  but  I  saw 
them  run  one  man  off  over  the  banks  of  the  river.  I  saw  the  man 
running,  but  did  not  know  when  the  difficulty  commenced;  I  did  not 
know  thejman's  name  then,  but  have  understood  since  that  it  was  Mr. 
Bond. 

N.  B.  BLANTON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


C.  S.  PRATT  called  and  sworn. 

'Examined  by  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  was  one  of  the  clerks  of  election  in  Lawrence,  in  March,  1855. 
Mr.  Abbott  and  Mr.  Cameron,  two  of  the  judges,  were  present  after 
opening  the  polls.  Mr.  Blanton  was  absent.  There  were  about  ten 
or  twelve  persons  inside  of  the  polls,  strangers  to  me ;  they  nominated 
Mr.  Cummins  to  serve,  and  he  did  serve.  There  was  no  conversation 
in  reference  to  the  oath.  Some  said  it  was  not  necessary  to  swear  to 
the  prescribed  form,  but  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office  to  the  best 
of  their  abilities.  Mr.  Cummins,  to  the  best  of  my  recollection, 
swore  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office  to  the  best  of  his  abilities ; 
I  do  not  know  how  the  rest  swore.  They  then  began  to  receive  votes. 
After  they  had  opened  the  polls,  a  man,  named  Page,  came  forward  to 
vote.  The  judges  asked  him  some  questions,  and  two  of  the  judges 
were  for  allowing  him  to  vote  ;  Mr.  Abbott  objected. 

Before  it  was  decided,  Colonel  Young  told  the  men  to  step  back  and 
allow  him  to  come  forward.  He  handed  in  his  ballot,  and  the  judges 
commenced  questioning  him  as  they  had  the  other  man.  Mr.  Abbott 
told  him  he  could  not  consent  to  take  his  vote  from  information  he  had 


150  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

got  from  himself.  Colonel  Young  stated  that  he  himself  was  compe- 
tent to  decide  whether  he  was  qualified  or  not.  Mr.  Abbott  said  he 
considered  it  the  duty  of  the  judges  to  decide  that.  The  other  two 
judges  decided  to  take  his  vote,  whereupon  Mr.  Abbott  resigned. 
After  he  resigned  a  man  was  sent  in  from  the  outside — Mr.  Benja- 
min— whom  the  judges  consented  to  receive  as  a  judge.  I  do  not  re- 
collect about  his  being  sworn.  After  that  they  commenced  taking 
votes,  without  questioning  more  than  one  man  in  eight  or  ten.  They 
would  ask  them  they  did  question  if  they  were  residents  of  the  Terri- 
tory and  would  swear  to  it,  and  they  did  so.  I  do  not  think  more 
than  one  eighth  or  one  tenth  of  the  men  were  sworn.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect whether  Colonel  Young  was  sworn  or  not.  I  was  inside  of  the 
house,  and  heard  Colonel  Young  say  that  he  had  been  forward  and 
voted,  and  all  could  vote  without  difficulty. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

I  do  not  recollect  whether  Colonel  Young  was  sworn  or  not. 

CALEB  S.  PRATT. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


THOMAS  HOPKINS  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  came  into  this  Territory  in  June,  1854,  from  Carroll  county,  Mis- 
souri ;  I  came  to  Missouri  from  Kentucky  •;  I  settled  in  this  Territory 
some  nine  miles  south  of  this,  in  this  county  ;  I  made  my  claim  the 
first  of  June,  moved  my  family  on  it  the  tenth  of  August,  1854.  I 
have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  this  place  at  the  election  off 
the  30th  of  Marck,  1855.  I  was  a  stranger  in  this  place,  but  when  I' 
got  here  that  day  I  met  a  good  many  of  my  acquaintances  from  Car- 
roll county.  I  found  them  about  the  polls  and  in  their  camps.  Col- 
onel William  Austin,  William  Austin,  again,,  cousin  of  the  other,, 
Robert  Dunde,  John  Snoddy,  from  Carroll  county.  They  stated  thai) 
two  others  I  was  well  acquainted  with,  Clarke  Lindsey  and  James < 
Wagnier,  had  gone  up  to  Douglas.  There  was  a  Mr.  Roy  here,  II 
heard — I  do  not  recollect  his  first  name.  They  told  me  there  was* 
about  twenty-five  of  my  old  neighbors  and  acquaintances  there.  Car- 
roll county,  I  should  suppose,  was  from  one  hundred  and  twenty-five? 
to  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  from  here.  It  is  twenty  miles  belo 
Lexington,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Missouri  river. 

They  told  me  they  had  come  here  to  vote,  and  intended  to  vote.. 
They  stated  that  they  were  afraid  if  this  became  a  free  State  they  wouldl 
lose  their  property  ;  and,  moreover,  that,  if  it  was  necessary,  the 
would  come  back  again  at  the  next  election.  They  told  me  there 
were  supposed  to  be  between  seven  hundred  and  one  thousand  fro 
Missouri  at  this  place.  They  also  told  me  there  would  be,  from  th 
best  information  they  could  get,  between  five  thousand  and  ten  thou- 
sand voters  from  Missouri1,  in  this  Territory,  at  that  election.  I  do 
not  know  as  I  recollect  particularly  anything  further  that  they  said. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  151 

Cross-examined  by  Colonel  Woodson : 

It  was  said  in  this  company  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  were 
sending  on  men  here  to  vote  ;  that  I  heard  before  I  left  Missouri. 
They  said,  also,  that  they  had  come  in  to  aid  the  pro-slavery  settlers 
here,  and  to  elect  members  of  their  own  party.  I  think  they  did  not 
tell  me  that  the  first  inducement  to  come  here  and  vote  was  to  coun- 
teract this  emigrant  aid  movement.  I  had  heard  it  spoken  of,  but  do 
not  know  as  that  was  their  first  inducement. 

I  am  not  able  to  say  about  that ;  I  did  not  hear  it  spoken  of  here  upon 
the  day  of  the  election,  though  I  had  heard  it  spoken  of  in  Missouri. 
They  were  voting  when  I  got  here  ;  there  was  one  little  skrimmage, 
but  I  do  not  know  the  cause  ;  I  do  not  think  any  free  State  man  had  a 
chance  to  vote  while  I  was  on  the  ground,  owing  to  the  crowd  of  others 
at  the  poll.  I  reached  home  before  night,  some  nine  miles  from  here ; 
I  reached  there  a  half  an  hour  or  an  hour  by  sun.  I  suppose  it  was 
later  than  two  o'clock  when  I  left — I  do  not  recollect  what  time  I 
went  to  the  polls.  As  well  as  I  can  recollect,  it  was  about  one  o'clock  ; 
they  had  commenced  voting  when  I  got  here  in  the  morning,  and  had 
been  voting  ever  since.  I  saw  no  violence  offered  at  the  polls.  I  sup- 
pose there  were  some  free  State  men  voted  that  day,  but  not  any  while 
I  was  here,  that  I  knew.  I  voted  that  day  here. 

THOMAS  HOPKINS. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


JORDAN  DAVIDSON  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  September,  1855,  and  settled  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  from  here  in  this  district.  I  came  from  Cass  county, 
Missouri.  I  moved  from  Jefferson  county,  Missouri,  into  Cass  county, 
about  the  first  of  November,  1854.  I  moved  from  Franklin  county 
into  Jefferson  county  in  1842.  I  moved  from  Kentucky  to  Franklin 
county  in  the  spring  of  1836. 

I  came  here  with  my  neighbors  to  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
1855,  and  voted  here  in  this  district.  I  should  suppose  there  were 
nine  hundred  or  one  thousand,  though  I  did  not  count  them,  in  that 
company.  I  saw  very  few  here  from  Cass  county.  I  saw  some  said 
to  be  from  Jackson  and  Lafayette  ;  some  from  Jefferson,  Howard,  and 
Saline  counties.  I  saw  some  said  to  be  from  several  counties,  but  I 
do  not  recollect  about  others.  I  saw  no  arrangement  by  counties, 
but,  while  they  were  in  camp,  they  seemed  to  be  intermixed. 

The  arrangement  was  to  meet  at  Cold-water  Grove,  near  the  south 
part  of  Cass  county.  But  not  all  met  there — not  a  general  meeting. 
A  great  many  met  there  and  left ;  but  I  was  not  at  a  general  meeting 
until  I  got  to  camp.  The  most  general  meeting  was  at  the  encamp- 
ment at  Bull  creek,  as  there  seemed  to  be  an  understanding  about  the 
meeting  at  Cold-water  Grove. 

The  company  that  were  here  in  this  precinct  returned  home,  some 
on  the  evening  of  the  election,  and  some  the  next  morning.  Colonel 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Young  appeared  to  be  the  principal  leader.  I  do  not  remember  what 
county  he  lived  in,  and  was  not  acquainted  with  him  until  I  saw  him 
here.  I  was  told  he  was  a  Missourian. 

The  companies  generally  had  arms  for  that  occasion.  I  had  none 
myself.  I  think  each  individual  bought  and  borrowed  his  own  arms. 
So  far  as  I  am  acquainted  with  the  arrangements  in  my  own  county, 
Cass  county,  some  who  did  not  come  put  in  provisions,  some  wagons; 
and  each  one  put  in  what  he  wanted  for  himself,  provisions,  wagon, 
&c.  I  put  in  provisions  in  a  wagon  for  myself,  and  fodder  for  nay 
horse.  1  missed  my  wagon  and  provisions  at  Bull  creek,  and  from 
there  I  got  provisions  of  other  companies  till  I  got  here,  when  I  lived 
off  provisions  belonging  to  my  son-in-law,  A.  B.  Wade,  who  was  a 
candidate  at  that  election  for  the  house  of  representatives.  He  was 
voted  for  by  our  party.  The  first  I  knew  of  his  nomination  was  from 
a  letter  he  wrote  me  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Cass  county,  saying  he  was 
nominated.  There  was  no  confirmation  of  that  nomination  in  Mis- 
souri, to  my  knowledge.  From  there  we  all  put  out  to  support  the 
pro-slavery  ticket.  I  do  not  know  of  money  being  raised.  Men  that 
had  not  means  to  come  could  come  with  the  provision  wagons,  and 
were  fed  there.  I  became  acquainted  with  Claiborne  F.  Jackson  at 
the  Wakarusa.  He  was  of  the  company  here,  and  I  thought  he  was 
in  the  position  of  a  lieutenant.  The  party  from  Bull  creek  went  I 
do  "not  know  where,  after  I  left  them,  the  evening  before  the  election. 
I  left  them  and  came  here  by  myself.  At  Bull  creek  I  did  not  see 
them  altogether  at  one  place,  but  I  should  think  there  might  have 
been  between  seven  hundred  and  one  thousand  there  in  one  encamp- 
ment. Those  at  Bull  creek  did  not  come  here. 

There  was  another  encampment  there  I  did  not  go.  to  see.  I  under- 
stood there  were  many  in  that  other  encampment,  but  I  do  not  know 
how  many  there  were  in  it.  The  encampment  was  not  in  sight,  but  I 
understood  there  was  another  there.  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any 
here  that  I  left  at  Bull  creek  ;  but  I  think,  probably.,  there  were  some 
of  them  here.  I  started  on  horseback  from  Cass  county,  and  expected 
to  overtake  the  provision  wagon,  but  did  not  do  so.  I  overtook  a  com- 
pany at  Wea,  but  that  one  had  merely  stopped  there  for  dinner  ;  they 
formed  a  portion  of  one  of  the  companies  at  Bull  creek  •  Bull  creek 
is  somewhere  from  40  to  45  miles  southeast  from  here,  and  is  a  branch 
of  the  Osage  river.  I  do  not  know  what  district  the  encampment  was 
in,  but  it  was  south  of  the  Independence  and  Santa  Fe  road  ;  I  should 
think,  from  a  rough  estimation,  25  miles.  It  was  near  Baptiste  Pa- 
ola,  in  this  Territory.  I  did  not  see  Colonel  Young  at  Bui  creek, 
but  saw  him  first  here,  on  this  ground.  I  first  saw  Claiborne  Jack- 
son on  the  Wakarusa,  eight  or  nine  miles  from  this  place,  the  day 
before  the  election  ;  I  took  dinner  with  him  that  day,  on  my  way  up 
from  Bull  creek.  There  was  a  large  encampment  there,  the  third  one 
I  had  seen.  I  do  not  know  how  many  there  were  there,  as  a  large 
portion  had  come  on  to  Lawrence  when  I  got  there,  and  I  think  the 
balance  came  on*that  evening.  I  came  on  here  after  dinner.  There 
were  some  expresses  came  here  the  evening  before  the  election,  that 
there  were  so  many  wanting  at  Douglas  and  Tecumseh,  and  perhaps 
at  One  Hundred  and  Ten.  There  were  three  detachments  of  volun- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  153 

teers  sent  off ;  some  started,  I  think,  to  go  up  on  the  river  here  some 
twenty  miles.  There  was  one  place  where  it  was  pretty  hard  to  get 
volunteers  to  go  on  the  morning  of  the  30th,  as  they  were  tired  of 
riding.  Colonel  Young  made  a  speech,  and  urged  that,  as  an  old  man 
had  volunteered  to  lead  them,  they  ought  to  volunteer  to  go.  I  do 
not  recollect  whero  that  detachment  was  to  go  ;  there  were  some,  I 
think,  sent  to  Tecumseh  and  Douglas,  and  probably  some  elsewhere, 
I  understood  that,  of  this  encampment,  some  were  from  Jackson,  La- 
fayette, Clay,  and  Carrol  counties  ;  and  I  saw  a  small  company  from 
a  small  county  way  down  in  the  State,  where  I  have  an  uncle  living. 
I  had  a  conversation  with  one,  who  lived  close  to  my  uncle.  The 
county  my  uncle  lived  in  was  Howard  county,  I  think.  I  saw  some 
from  Ray  county,  I  think.  I  knew  some  men  who  were  in  the  en- 
campment at  Bull  creek.  There  were  a  great  many  men  who  left 
Cass  county,  but  I  do  not  know  where  they  went ;  I  saw  but  few  in 
the  encampment  at  Bull  creek  who  were  from  Cass  county. 

I  heard  of  some  cannon  being  along  in  the  Lafayette  company,  but 
I  did  not  see,  them.  I  may  have  heard  after  I  came  into  the  Territory 
that  there  was  a  cannon  along,  but  I  do  not  recollect  by  whom  I  heard 
it ;  I  heard  of  the  cannon  at  Pleasant  Hill.  I  rode  with  a  gentleman 
from  the  head  of  Bull  creek,  where  I  stopped  on  the  Wednesday  night 
before  the  election,  who  told  me  that  there  was  a  cannon  along. 

Cross-examined  by  Colonel  Woodson : 

We  understood  in  Missouri  that  Governor  Eeeder  had  sent  to  the 
east  and  mustered  up  a  large  force  to  come  here,  and  we  came  here  to 
vote,  too,  though  that  was  not  all  the  inducement.  We  intended  to 
vote  first  here,  and  after  we  had  got  through  we  were  willing  to  let 
anybody  vote  who  wanted  to.  I  do  not  know  of  any  persons  coming 
here  to  vote  the  free  State  ticket  and  then  returning  to  the  east.  I 
saw  some  men  as  I  was  going  down  home,  who  said  they  were  return- 
ing to  the  east.  They  hired  my  son  and  my  son-in-law  to  carry  them 
on.  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  saw  them  here  at  Lawrence.  I  heard 
some  conversation  in  that  company  about  the  election,  and  some  two 
or  three  said  they  had  not  voted.  I  did  not  hear  the  rest  say  anything 
about  it.  There  were  free  State  men  voted,,  but  I  do  not  think  any 
were  hindered  from  voting  except,  perhaps,  Mr.  Bond,  who  got  into 
a  fuss  and  went  off  and  did  not  come  back  again.  He  was  run  off 
the  ground,  but  I  do  not 'think  it  was  to  prevent  him  from  voting. 
He  got  into  a  personal  difficulty,  I  understood,  and  they  run  him  off 
to  the  river.  Just  as  he  jumped  down  the  bank  a  pistol  was  fired  at 
him,  the  contents  going  perhaps  six  feet  over  his  head,  though  I  do 
not  think  it  was  aimed  at  him.  The  cry  was  "kill  him,"  "kill 
him."  I  do  not  know  of  any  free  State  voters  being  brought  hereby 
the  Emigrant  Aid  Society. 

By  Governor  Reeder  : 

We  did  not  understand  that  Governor  Reeder  had  brought  on  voters 
from  the  east,  but  that  he  made  the  day  of  election  known  there 
before  it  was  known  here,  in  order  to  induce  voters  to  come  on  here. 
The  other  inducement  we  had  for  coming  here  was  to  extend  slavery 
into  Kansas  Territory.  The  general  talk  among  our  people  who  came 


154  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

here  was  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote  here.     I  contended  myself  that 
I  had  a  right  to  vote  here. 


LAWRENCE,  K.  T.?  April  29,  1856. 


JORDAN  DAVIDSON. 


WILLIAM  LYON  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  resided  in  this  district  on  the  20th  of  March,  1855,  and  saw  the 
body  of  strangers  encamped  here  participate  in  the  election,  and  had 
some  conversation  with  some  persons  as  I  passed  through  the  edge  of 
their  camp  on  the  day  of  election,  and  also  with  Mr.  Shelby,  here  in 
town.  He  told  me  he  came  something  like  one  hundred  miles  to  vote, 
and  I  understood  that  he  lived  near  the  Missouri  river.  I  asked  him 
how  many  of  his  party,  citizens  of  Missouri,  would  vote  here  that 
day,  and  he  said  about  seven  or  eight  hundred.  In  answer  to  my  re- 
mark that  I  supposed  they  would  not  lose  a  vote  in  Missouri  in  conse- 
quence of  their  voting  here,  he  said  they  would,  as  they  would  not 
vote  in  Missouri  for  one  year.  That  was  their  place  of  voting  here,  " 
understood. 

Cross-examined  by  Colonel  Woodson: 

Mr.  Shelby  said  that  he  would  not  care  whether  there  was  slavery 
in  Kansas  or  not,  if  they  could  have  security  for  their  property,  but 
they  were  sure  they  could  not.  The  conversation  that  I  had  in 
coming  through  the  edge  of  their  camp  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
election,  I  thought  it  was  not  safe  to  say 'any  thing  about  it.  I  saw 
persons  there  armed  with  shot  guns,  pistols,  and  clubs,  but  no  one 
harmed  me.  Mr.  Shelby  named  the  place  he  was  from,  but  I  do  not 
recollect  it  now. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

He  gave  his  name  and  address  to  the  editors  of  the  Kansas  Tribune, 
to  which  he  subscribed. 

WILLIAM  LYON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  29,  1856. 


J.  B.  ABBOTT  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  election  in  this  city  on  the  30th  of  March, 
1855.  We  got  together  at  the  time  appointed,  and  Mr.  Blanton  had 
resigned.  After  about  another  hour  we  chose  another  judge  and 
opened  the  polls.  The  first  man  who  offered  his  vote  was,  I  think,  a 
man  named  Page,  and  took  the  oath  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the 
Territory.  I  inquired  of  him  if  he  had  a  home  in  any  other  place. 
He  said  he  had;  that  he  lived  in  Missouri.  I  inquired  if  he  intended 
to  make  this  'Territory  his  home.  He  said  he  did  not ;  that  he  ex- 
pected to  go  back  after  the  election.  I  told  him  I  could  not  consent 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  155 


to  his  voting,  and  referred  him  to  the  rest  of  the  board.  Mr.  Cameron, 
noe  of  the  other  judges,  had  also  stated  that  if  he  intended  to  go  back 
to  the  State  of  Missouri  after  he  had  voted,  he  could  not  permit  him 
to  vote.  He  asked  him  one  question  further ;  if  he  was  a  bona  fide 
settler  of  the  territory.  He  said  he  was,  and  Mr.  Cameron  then  said 
if  that  was  the  case  he  did  not  think  he  could  prevent  his  voting. 

Before  we  had  got  through  with  him.  Colonel  Young  came  forward 
and  requested  Mr.  Page  to  withdraw  his  vote  and  allow  him  to  vote. 
Colonel  Young  said,,  the  manner  in  which  he  should  present  his  vote 
would  be  the  manner  in  which  all  his  people  should  present  their 
votes,  and  that  if  he  was  permitted,  to  vote  all  the  rest  could  vote. 
He  was  then  put  upon  his  oath.  I  questioned  him  as  to  his  residence. 
He  stated  he  was  a  bona  fide  resident  of  the  Territory.  I  inquired  if 
he  had  any  home  in  any  other  State.  He  said  it  was/none  of  my 
business  or  anybody's  else.  He  said  that  if  men  swore  they  were 
residents  it  was  my  business  to  receive  their  votes  as  legal  voters  of 
the  Territory.  T  told  him  it  was  the  business  of  the  board,  as  I  un- 
derstood it,  to  inquire  and  satisfy  themselves  as  to  that,  and  not  let 
voters  decide  as  to  their  own  cases.  He  refused  to  answer  any  other 
question  in  any  other  form,  except  that  he  was  a  bona  fide  resident  of 
the  Territory;  but  finally,  in  arguing  the  case,  he  said  that  in  voting 
here  men  would  disfranchise  themselves  in  his  State  for  one  year.  He 
said  he  could  not  and  should  not  attempt  to  vote  in  Missouri  for  one 
year  after  he  had  voted  here.  In  asking  him  some  other  questions  he 
said  he  considered  them  impertinent,  and  that  he  was  incompetent  of 
perjuring  himself;  and  stated  that  if  any  one  insinuated  that  he  had 
perjured  himself,  or  was  competent  to  perjure  himself,  he  would  tear 
their  heads  from  their  shoulders.  I  told  the  colonel  his  threats  would 
probably  make  no  difference  in  the  minds  of  the  judges,  but  they 
would  try  to  satisfy  themselves  as  to  the  right  of  the  voters.  The 
question  was  then  taken  upon  his  right  to  vote,  and  two  of  the  judges 
decided  he  had  a  right  to  vote,  and  his  vote  was  received.  I  told  the 
board  if  they  were  going  to  permit  men  to  vote  upon  such  evidence  as 
that,  I  would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  them,  and  I  resigned. 

I  came  over  the  evening  previous  to  the  election,  and  had  a  consul- 
tation with  Mr.  Cameron.  There  was  a  number  of  gentlemen  at  the 
"Free  State"  office,  at  that  time,  from  the  camp;  and  one  of  them 
came  to  us  and  advised  us  to  resign,  as  our  position  was  a  dangerous 
one ;  and  that  if  we  knew  the  crowd  that  had  come  up  as  well  as  they 
did,  he  did  not  think  that  they  could  be  induced  to  sit  as  judges.  At 
that  time  both  of  us  agreed  we  would  go  to  the  polls,  let  the  conse- 
quences be  what  they  might.  During  the  conversation  with  Colonel 
Young,  he  told  me  he  lived  in  Missouri,  and  also  the  county  he  lived 
in,  but  I  do  not  remember  that. 

I  have  resided  in  this  district  since  the  first  settlement  of  it,  and  I 
have  never  seen  Colonel  Young  here  since  that  time.  From  my  know- 
ledge of  this  district,  I  think  he  has  never  resided  here.  During  the 
consultation  in  the  morning  about  Colonel  Young's  vote,  Mr.  Cum- 
mins agreed  that  all  persons  who  were  here  at  that  time  were  resi- 
dents, and  consequently  legal  voters. 

JAMES  B.  ABBOTT. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  2,  1856. 


156  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

IRA  W.  ACKLEY  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  16th  of  September,  1854,  from 
Cataraugus  county,  New  York,  and  settled  in  this  district,  and  have 
resided  here  ever  since.  I  was  here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I 
saw  a  party  of  strangers  come  in  here,  which  I  heard  estimated  from  six 
hundred  to  eight  hundred  or  one  thousand,  and  I  should  think  there 
were  about  that  number.  I  think  the  most  of  them  encamped  in  a 
body.  I  saw  their  camp.  They  attended  the  election  that  day  and 
voted.  They  were  armed  ;  the  most  that  I  noticed  had  rifles  and  shot 
guns,  and  a  great  many  had  revolvers  and  bowie  knives  ;  some  of 
them  had  clubs.  There  was  music — a  drum  and  fife — and  they  had 
flags.  They  marched  once,  I  think,  with  music  to  the  polls,  and  fired 
their  guns.  I  tried  to  get  to  the  polls  a  great  many  times  during  the 
forenoon,  but  could  not  succeed  ;  and  many  who  voted  had  to  go  over 
the  top  of  the  house,  as  there  was  such  a  crowd  they  could  not  get 
back.  In  the  afternoon  they  formed  in  a  column  two  by  two,  and 
went  up  by  the  window.  They  stated  their  object  in  voting  here  was 
to  carry  the  election,  and  have  slavery  here.  A  good  many  of  them 
said  that  they  would  have  slavery  here,  or  dissolve  the  Union,  or  die. 
After  the  election  they  left.  I  saw  in  the  afternoon,  after  the  line 
was  formed,  some  of  them  would  vote  and  pass  back  to  the  end  of  the 
line,  and  pass  up  and  vote  again.  I  noticed  three  do  that,  and  thought 
there  were  many  more. 

Cross  examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  do  not  remember  the  names  of  any  of  those  who  made  the  declara- 
tion I  have  mentioned.  One  told  me  he  lived  near  Jefferson  city  ;  I 
bought  some  Osage  orange  seed  of  him.  I  heard  some  declare  there 
were  numbers  here  from  the  north  and  east  who  had  no  more  right 
to  vote  than  they  had.  I  do  not  remember  of  hearing  them  say  that 
there  were  societies  in  the  north  to  make  this  a  free  State,,  and  they 
would  beat  them  at  their  own  game.  I  heard  them  say  that  they  un- 
derstood a  number  from  the  northern  and  eastern  States,  who  had 
recently  arrived,  were  going  to  vote,  and  they  had  the  same  right  as 
the  others. 

IRA  W.  ACKLEY. 

LAWRENCE,  April  26,  1856. 


Points  of  objection  by  Mr.  Oliver,  touching  the  mode  of  examining  wit- 
ness, (&c.,  fled  April  28,  1856. 

As  a  member  of  the  "  Kansas  Investigating  Committee,"  the  un- 
dersigned makes  the  following  points  of  objection  to  the  mode  of  ex- 
amining witness,  as  now  pursued  by  the  committee ;  and,  to  the  end 
of  rendering  his  points  manifest,  he,  in  the  first  place,  begs  to  advert 
briefly  to  the  resolutions  defining  the  powers  and  jurisdiction  of  said 
committee. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  157 


The  first  resolution  provides,  among  other  things,  that  said  com- 
mittee "  shall  proceed  to  inquire  into  and  collect  evidence  in  regard 
to  the  troubles  in  Kansas  generally,  and  particularly  in  regard  to  any 
fraud  or  force  attempted  or  practised  in  reference  to  any  of  the  elec- 
tions which  have  taken  place  in  said  Territory,  either  under  the  law 
organizing  said  Territory,  or  under  any  pretended  law  which  may  be 
alleged  to  have  taken  effect  therein  since." 

Under  this  clause  of  the  resolution,  the  undersigned  maintains  that 
the  only  points,  in  regard  to  whicV  the  committee  are  authorized  to 
take  evidence  at  all,  are,  as  to  whether  there  were  any  fraudulent  or 
illegal  votes  given  at  any  election,  or  any  other  acts  done  in  fraud  of 
the  ballot  box  ;  as,  for  example,  force  employed  or  used,  or  attempted 
to  be  employed  or  used,  in  reference  to  any  election  in  said  Territory, 
and  which  was  intended  to  constrain,  restrain,  or  intimidate  voters  ; 
and  also  in  regard  to  the  troubles  in  Kansas  generally.  Then  as  to 
the  affirmation  that  illegal  or  fraudulent  votes  were  given,  the  under- 
signed  maintains  that  the  names  of  the  persons  alleged  to  have  cast 
illegal  votes  should  be  given,  and  that  all  such,  being  competpnt  wit- 
nesses, should  be  subpoenaed  to  appear  before  the  committee  to  give 
evidence  touching  their  alleged  illegal  voting  ;  and  the  undersigned 
objects  to,  and  enters  his  solemn  protest  against,  allowing  witnesses  to 
state  what  they  heard  certain  persons  say  on  the  day  of  or  before  the 
election,  or  any  of  them,  as  to  their  having  voted  and  not  being  resi- 
dents of  the  Territory  ;  especially,  when  the  witness  is  unable  to  give 
the  names  of  the  persons  of  whose  declarations  he  testifies.  He  in- 
sists that  this  species  of  evidence  (hearsay)  is  never  allowable  in  courts 
of  law  or  equity  ;  and  that  to  allow  such  evidence  in  regard  to  the 
subjects  of  the  committee's  investigation  would  be,  and  is,  unjust  to 
the  parties  whose  rights  or  interests  are  to  be  affected  by  it ;  and  that 
such  evidence  would  be,  and  is,  violative  of  the  well  established  rules 
!  of  evidence,  as  recognized  by  all  standard  works  on  evidence,  and  es- 
1  pecially  Greenleaf,  on  that  branch  of  jurisprudence,  whose  works  on 
evidence  the  committee  have,  by  agreement,  adopted  as  the  standard 
i  authority  in  their  investigations  ;  and  the  undersigned  insists  on  the 
:  application  of  the  rules  as  laid  down  by  that  eminent  author. 

As  to  the  affirmation  that  force  was  "  attempted,  or  practised  in 
reference  to  any  elections"  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  since  its  organ- 
ization, the  undersigned  maintains  that  these  allegations  should  be 
proven  as  any  other  facts  ;  and  the  only  proofs  that  can  legally  be 
admitted  are  to  the  effect  that  actual  force  was  employed,  or  attempted 
to  be  employed,  to  force  and  control  the  voters  at  any  of  said  elections ; 
and  that  the  mere  presence  of  persons,  in  great  or  small  numbers, 
armed,  at  or  about  the  polls  would  not  be  sufficient,  unless  such  per- 
sons actually  employed  their  power  directly  to  control  the  ballot  box, 
or  that  they  directly  attempted  to  do  so.  Relying  upon  the  foregoing 
points,  the  undersigned  maintains  that  the  evidence  should  be  limited 
to  the  propositions  of  force  employed  or  attempted  to  control  said  elec- 
tion, by  violently  and  forcibly  interfering  with  voters  in  reference  to 
the  election  and  their  right  to  vote. 

The  undersigned  desires  this  paper  to  be  filed. 

M.  OLIVER. 


158  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

JOHN  C.  DAVIDSON  recalled.- 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  was  here  at  the  election  of  March  30,  1855.  I  moved  into  the 
Territory  in  July,  1854,  from  Carroll  county,  Missouri.  I  had  moved 
to  Missouri  from  Virginia  in  1839.  I  saw  a  large  body  of  strangers 
encamped  here  on  the  day  of  election  in  March,  1855.  I  was  at  one 
camp  composed  of  men  I  knew  in  Carroll  county  when  I  lived  there. 
I  had  conversation  with  two  of  them  upon  the  subject  of  their  being 
here.  I  do  not  recollect  that  they  told  rne  how  many  were  here  from 
Carroll  county,  or  from  Missouri.  They  told  me  they  came  here  to 
vote;  that  they  considered  they  had  a  right  to  vote  here;  that  accord- 
ing to  the  way  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  was  drawn  up  they  had  a 
right  to  vote  here  while  they  were  residing  here,  and  they  were  resid- 
ing here  while  they  were  here.  They  said  they  came  here  to  vote  and* 
intended  to  vote,  and  would  not  be  driven  from  the  polls  ;  that  each 
man  of  them  was  prepared  to  go  eight  rounds  without  loading  and  the 
ninth  round  with  the  butcher  knife.  They  said  they  had  come  into 
the  Territory  some  two  or  three  days  before  the  election  and  intended 
to  go  back  as  soon  as  the  election  was  over ;  they  said  they  did  not 
intend  to  settle  here.  The  men  I  talked  with  said  they  came  from 
Carroll  county.  I  saw  men  here  from  Lexington  that  I  was  acquainted 
with,  but  had  but  little  conversation  with  them.  I  do  not  recollect 
of  seeing  any  men  from  other  places  I  was  acquainted  with . 

By  Mr.  Woodson: 

The  men  I  was  talking  with  said  that  eastern  men  were  coming  up 
the  river  with  pasted  on  the  front  of  their  hats,  in  large  letters,  that , 
they  intended  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  that  they  considered 
they  had  as  good  a  right  to  come  here  and  vote  as  the  eastern  men. 
I  did  not  hear  any  other  reason  given. 

JOHN  C.  DAVIDSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


Dr.  JOHN  DOT  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

About  two  weeks  previous  to  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  1  renewed! 
an  acquaintance  with  a  person  who  went  by  the  name  of  Red  Robin 
son,  from  Missouri.     I  asked  him  his  business.     He  took   me  into 
where  the  post  office  was  then  held,  in  Lykin's  log  house,  on  the  other  r 
side  of  the  ravine,  and  I  saw  a  great  quantity  of  provisions,  bacon 
flour,  meal,  corn,  and  oats,  &c.     He  said  that  we  were  going  to  have 
a  number  of  boys  shortly  to  help  us  to  vote  and  this  was  to  provision 
them.    In  looking  around  I  saw  that  the  provisions  seemed  all  arranged, 
the  bacon  in  a  pile ;  the  flour  in  a  pile ;  the  corn  meal  in  a  pile,  and  the 
oats  in  bags  in  a  pile,  and  the  corn  in  bags  in  a  pile.     Before  he  bad 
told  me  what  the  provisions  were  for  I  had  bought  some  com  and 
ineal  from  him.     At  the  time  of  the  election  I  saw  Robinson  and 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS  159 

William  Lykins  deal  out  the  provisions  to  the  companies  here  en- 
camped in  the  ravine. 

I  saw  among  the  different  companies  little  flags  with  inscriptions 
on  them,  such  as  "Clay  county  boys/'  &c.  I  was  with  Mr.  Bond 
and  Mr.  Stearns  when  Mr.  Bond  was  driven  off  the  ground  and  shot 
at.  Mr.  Milt.  McGee,  a  Missourian,  came  up  and  pointed  at  Mr. 
Bond,  and  said  there  was  a  Lawrence  bully.  Some  four  or  five  persons 
made  at  him  then,  as  I  was  standing  close  to  him,  and  he  ran  round 
the  end  of  the  building  down  towards  the  river.  I  heard  a  shot,  then 
Mr.  Jackson  Bush  shoved  aside  a  rifle  that  was  levelled  at  Bond. 

The  same  party  came  back,  with  an  addition,  with  Colonel  Young 
with  them,  to  where  Mr.  Stearns  and  myself  were  still  standing. 
Stearns  was  pointed  out  as  an  abolitionist,  and  Colonel  Young  took 
him  up  in  his  arms  and  asked  them  if  they  intended  to  injure  such  a 
little  man  as  that,  as  he  weighed  but  125  pounds,  balancing  him  in 
his  arms  at  the  same  time.  After  some  preliminaries,  Colonel  Young 
took  Mr.  Stearns  away,  off  the  ground.  They  then  came  back  to  me, 
headed  by  George  Thornton,  of  Independence,  who  pointed  me  out  as 
an  abolitionist.  He  said  he  knew  it  by  my  discussion  with  him  the 
night  before  in  the  streets,  against  their  corning  here  to  take  away  our 
political  privileges,  &c.  I  asked  him  if  my  time  had  come  now,  as 
they  had  driven  off  Mr.  Bond  and  Mr.  Stearns.  His  lips  began  to 
tremble,  and  he  asked  if  I  had  intended  to  insult  him  by  what  I  had 
said  the  evening  before.  I  said  he  knew  I  did  not  by  the  way  we  dis- 
cussed the  subject.  He  then  turned  round  and  said,  "if  you  will  say 
you  did  not  intend  to  insult  me  by  what  you  said,  that  is  sufficient.'1 
He  then  requested  the  men  to  leave  me  and  walked  off  himself.  I  did 
not  get  an  opportunity  to  vote  until  in  the  afternoon,  towards  night, 
when  I  voted. 

By  Mr.  Woodson: 

This  Jackson  Bush  lived  in  the  Territory  at  that  time,  about  three 
miles  from  this  place,  and  was  a  farmer.  He  came  from  Missouri  into 
the  Territory,  and  formerly  from  Kentucky.  He  is  living  here  now. 
William  Lykins  I  have  spoken  of  is  the  son  of  Dr.  Lykins,  of  Kan- 
sas City,  Missouri. 

JOHN  DOY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


A.  B.  WADE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  went  into  the  Territory  and  made  my  claim  on  the  5th  of  June, 

1854,  and  settled  in  the  town  of  Lawrence.     I  was  a  candidate  for 

,  the  legislature  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  was  elected.     There 

;  were  a  great  many  emigrants  came  into  the  district  from  the  time  of 

'•taking  the  census  up  to  the  election,  and  greater  in  the  month  of 

March  than  at  any  time  before,  and  as  many  as  at  any  time  since. 

I  did  not  canvass  thut  district  much,  and  there  was  very  little  can- 


160  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

vassing  done.  At  the  time  of  the  election,  from  all  I  could  know, 
believe  the  free  State  party  had  a  majority  at  that  time,  but  not  so 
great  as  they  themselves  represented.  The  free  State  party  were 
divided,  and  many  of  them  would  not  vote  for  their  candidates. 
I  endeavered  myself  to  get  the  candidates  they  nominated  in  order  to 
make  this  split.  Mr.  C.  W.  Babcock  was  a  candidate  for  nomination, 
but  he  was  got  to  resign  at  the  nominating  convention.  The  pro- 
slavery  men  were  at  that  meeting,  and  we  got  them  to  nominate  S. 
N.  Wood,  who  was  known  to  be  one  of  the  rankest  abolitionists  there, 
dnd  we  voted  for  him  and  for  Mr.  Gooden,  so  as  to  have  the  free  State 
party  divided,  and  they  were  nominated.  I  know  a  great  many  free 
State  men  who  voted  that  day  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  I  saw  them  vote 
myself,  and  a  great  many  came  to  me  and  got  our  tickets. 

Dr.  Kobinson  had  been  gone  east,  so  I  was  told,  several  weeks,  and! 
he  returned  to  town  the  evening  of  the  day  of  election,  and  the  first 
I  saw  of  him  was  coming  across  from  Lawrence  to  the  place  of  elec- 
tion with  fifty  or  one  hundred  men,  quite  a  string  of  them  marching- 
up  to  the  polls.  He  marched  them  right  up  to  the  polls  and  they  voted! 
the  free  State  ticket,  and  then  he  marched  them  back.  They  were  alii 
strangers  to  me,  and  he  had  just  come  in  with  them  that  day.  li 
knew  most  of  the  free  State  men  residing  in  the  district  at  that  time. 
From  my  knowledge  of  the  district,  and  the  way  the  free  State  mem 
voted,  I  think  if  all  the  votes  of  the  Missourians  and  these  strange 
eastern  men  had  been  thrown  out,  we  would  have  had  the  same  result. 
I  believe  our  ticket  got  a  majority  of  the  legal  voters  according  to  the 
census.  I  saw  nothing  to  intimidate  the  free  State  men  from  voting, 
and  all  were  invited  to  come  up  and  vote,  and  they  came  in  line  with 
the  pro-slavery  men  and  came  up  and  voted. 

The  Missourians  who  came  there  said  they  came  to  rebut  the  illegal 
votes  they  believed  were  coming  from  the  east.  I  heard  several  of  the- 
principal  men  say  if  the  eastern  men  kept  away  they  would  not  molest: 
the  election.  They  were  referring  to  the  statements  made  about  the- 
eastern  men  on  the  day  of  the  nomination.  Mr.  Brown,  the  editor  off 
the  Herald  of  Freedom,  stated  on  the  day  of  the  nomination,  thatt 
there  need  be  no  fear  about  their  being  beaten,  as  he  had  just  receivedl 
a  letter  from  Mr.  Slater,  of  St.  Louis,  informing  him  that  there  were- 
between  six  and  eight  hundred  eastern  men  on  the  river  on  their  wayy 
up,  and  would  be  up  on  the  day  of  election,  and  three  hundred 
would  be  at  Lawrence.  This  thing  was  well  understood,  and  the  Mis- 
sourians heard  of  it. 

A  great  many  Missourians  came  there  in  the  evening  before  the  elecj 
tion  and  camped,  and  on  the  next  morning  some  two  hundred  went  ofli 
in  squads  in  different  directions,  some  saying  they  were  going  to  Tej 
cumseh,  and  others  to  different  points.  I  think  I  heard  the  Missou- 
rians express  themselves  in  this  way:  that  if  the  emigrant  aid  socie- 
ties would  let  the  Territory  alone  they  would  let  the  settlers  settle  the* 
question  themselves. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  think  all  the  hundred  men  who  came  up  and  voted  with  Robinson1 
were  eastern  men,  and  all  were  strangers  to  me  ;  they  voted  in  a  body} 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  161 

together,  one  after  the  other.  I  know  that  the  following  were  old 
residents  there :  C.  W.  Babcock;  I  know  several  Nichols  and  three 
Aliens,  a  Mr.  Forman,  John  Hutchinson,  a  Mr.  Morgan,  S.  N.  Simp- 
son, H.  Bronson,  Ellis  Bond,  M.  M.  Hammond,  S.  J.  Willis,  J.  A. 
Ladd,  a  Mr.  Lowe,  Charles  Robinson,  a  Mr.  Johnson  (but  not  his 
given  name,)  also  a  Mr.  Kimball,  Edward  Clark,  8.  C.  Pomeroy,  but 
not  S.  0.  Pomeroy.  These  names  that  I  have  given  were  settlers  at 
that  time.  I  do  not  think  these  men  were  in  that  crowd  of  a  hundred. 
I  do  not  know  where  Robinson  had  been,  and  I  do  not  know  that  he 
returned  from  Tecumseh  that  day.  I  do  not  know  that  Robinson  voted 
with  that  company  that  time  or  not,  but  he  went  up  to  the  polls  with 
them.*  I  do  not  know  that  Mr.  Babcock  headed  that  company ;  he 
may  have  done  so,  but  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  him  about  the  polls 
that  day.  There  was  quite  an  increase  of  the  population  in  one  dis- 
trict that  spring,  and  a  great  many  pro-slavery  and  free-State  men 
came  in.  I  think  from  all  I  could  learn  by  inquiry,  that  the  two 
sides  were  pretty  nearly  divided  ;  there  may  have  been  more  free-State 
men  than  pro-slavery  men  ;  I  lived  in  Lawrence,  and  saw  more  free- 
State  men  as  they  passed  that  way. 

To  Mr.  King: 

The  names  I  have  given  without  their  given  names,  I  do  not  know 
whether  they  were  the  men  on  the  poll-books  or  not. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  do  not  know  whether  they  left  the  next  day. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  saw  this  company  come  up,  and  the  greater  majority  of  them  were 
strangers  to  me  ;  as  they  came  up  it  was  asked  who  they  were,  and 
it  was  said  they  were  Robinson's  company,  and  had  just  come  in.  I 
was  in  town  the  day  before  and  heard  nothing  of  him  then. 

A.  B.  WADE. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  9,  1856. 


JOHN  M.  BANKS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  of  Kansas  about  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber, 1854,  at  what  is  called  Hickory  Point,  on  the  Santa  Fe  road,  in 
I  the  first  district.     I  was  a  candidate  at  the  election  of  30th  of  March, 
.  1855,  and  was  at  Lawrence  on  the   day  of  election.     I  was  tolerably 
.  acquainted  with  the  relative   strength  of  the  two  parties  in  that  dis- 
,  trict.     I  thought  the  two   parties  were  pretty  nearly  balanced,  but 
'{ that,  in  a  fair  vote  of  the  district,  the   pro-slavery  party  would  have 
the  majority.     I  did  not  canvass  the  district  very  much  ;  I  was  in  the 
different  neighborhoods,  but  made  no  general  canvass. 

When  I  got  to  the  place  of  holding  the  polls  one  of  the  judges  ap- 
inted  by  the  governor  had  resigned,  and  they  were  about  choosing 
H.  Rep.  200 11* 


162  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

one  in  his  place.     The  appointment  was  made,  and  the  polls  were  | 
opened,  and  the  people  commenced  voting. 

There  were  a  great  many  people   around  the  polls,  quite  a   crowd 
ahout  the  window.     I  saw  some   gentlemen   try  to  make  a   passage 
through  for  the  voters  ;  got   ropes  to  do  so,  hut  could  not ;  and  then  i 
they  got  poles  and  put  down  there,  and  thus  formed  a  passage,  so  that  | 
men  could  come  up  and  vote  and  then  pass  along  out. 

At  first  it  was  so  crowded  that  I  saw  some  men  lifted  up  over  the 
house,  and  some  crawled  along  over  the  others'  shoulders.  There.- 
were  Missourians  there,  and  I  saw  some  of  them,  voting. 

Whether  they  had  made  claims  "before  that  I  do  not  know ;  I  know* 
that  a  good  many  of  them  had  claims.  Some  five  or  six  came  over, 
and  laid  claims  and  have  worked  on  them  and  resided  on  them  since,, 
in  my  own  neighborhood.  There  was  a  good  deal  said  there  that  day,, 
but  I  do  not. recollect  of  hearing  any  of  the  Missourians  say  they  hadi 
come  to  counteract  the  votes  of  the  eastern  aid  emigrants.  I  did  notij 
know  many ;  some  four  or  five,  who  were  not  entitled  to  vote,  had  no» 
claims,  and  have  not  seen  them  in  the  Territory  since.  There  weree 
four  young  men  who  were  in  my  neighborhood  some  eight  or  ten  days 
before  the  election  and  made  claims,  but  have  not  been  back  to  therm 
since.  I  did  not  know  all  the  people  there,  and  cannot  say  that  li 
know  any  one  personally  who  voted  there  who  had  no  pretence  to  av 
claim,  but  were  voting  illegally.  Almost  every  one  I  spoke  to  thai' 
day  either  said  they  had  claims  or  were  going  to  make  claims  and! 
live  in  the  Territory.  I  saw  no  man  kept  from  voting  that  day,. 
All  were  privileged  to  get  to  the  polls  if  they  could  get  to  the  polk- 
through  the  crowd.  I  saw  free-State  men  and  pro-slavery  men  there 
in  the  crowd  together  pushing  up  to  the  polls.  There  was  a  pro-- 
slavery  man  from  my  neighborhood  who  would  not  push  through  th( 
crowd,  and  after  waiting  till  about  an  hour  before  the  polls  wen  j 
closed,  without  getting  a  chance  to  vote,  he  went  home  without 
voting. 

About  an  hour  before  the  polls  were  closed,  when,  the  crowd  waw 
pretty  much  all  gone,  a  gentleman  came  along,  I  do  not  recollec ;: 
who  he  was,  and  said  Robinson  was  just  coming  into  Lawrence  wita 
a  hundred  men.  I  suppose  it  was  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  tha  : 
I  saw  a  parcel  of  men  come  across  from  Lawrence  towards  the  hous< ; 
where  the  polls  were  held.  They  came  forward  and  marched  up  t( ; 
the  window  and  voted  and  went  back  to  town  without  making  arn-j 
halt.  I  counted  between  sixty  and  seventy  of  them,,  and  there  mighij 
have  been  more  of  them.  I  did  not  count  all  of  them,  but  turned 
and  walked  away.  There  were  between  sixty  and  seventy  of  them! 
marched  up  in  one  column. 

I  do  not  recollect  whether  I  saw  Dr.  Robinson  at  that  time,  though 
I  had  seen  him  during  the  evening  some  time.  I  had  seen  none  otjj 
these  men  about  Lawrence  before,  and  they  were  all  strangers  to  ma'l 
No  one  objected  to  their  voting. 

S.  N.  Wood  and  I  were  talking,  and  he  said:  "  There  are  som«i 
arrivals  as  well  as  Missouri  arrivals."  That  was  all  I  heard  aboui 
them. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  163 

I  think  there  were  illegal  votes  on  both  sides,  hut  I  thought  that 
there  were  more  from  Missouri  than  on  the  other  side,  until  these 
sixty  or  seventy  came  up  in  the  evening,  and  then  I  could  not  tell 
how  it  stood.  I  entered  into  no  arrangement  by  which  illegal  votes 
were  to  be  brought  there  to  secure  my  election,  and  did  not  desire  to 
be  elected  except  by  legal  votes.  The  increase  of  emigration  between 
the  taking  of  the  census  and  the  day  of  election  was  greater  than 
ever  before,  as  that  was  a  good  country  and  emigration  seemed  to  be 
directed  there,  both  free  State  and  pro-slavery.  I  know  a  good  many 
who  had  been  there  during  the  fall  and  winter  and  made  claims,  who 
were  not  there  at  the  time  of  taking  the  census,  but  came  in  before 
the  day  of  election.  Some  of  them  had  taken  their  families  to  Mis- 
souri to  spend  the  winter,  and  others  had  gone  down  there  after  their 
families. 

The  governor  ordered  a  new  election  in  that  district,  but  the  candi- 
dates of  the  pro-slavery  party  would  not  pay  any  attention  to  the 
election,  and  their  friends  did  not  attend  the  polls.  I  do  not  know  a 
pro-slavery  man  who  went  to  vote  at  the  second  election. 

I  am  acquainted  with  Mr.  Babcock,  and  knew  him  at  the  time  of 
the  30th  ot  March  election,  but  have  no  recollection  of  seeing  him  at 
the  head  of  the  party  of  sixty  or  seventy  who  came  up  in  the  evening. 
He  might  have  been  in  that  company,  but  I  did  not  see  him.  I 
never  saw  any  of  the  sixty  or  seventy  strangers  afterwards  that  1 
know  of,  though  I  might  have  done  so.  I  was  told  that  some  of  them 
had  returned  to  the  east.  I  thought  that  the  majority  of  those  that 
came  in  after  taking  the  census  and  before  the  election  were  pro- 
slavery  men. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  cannot  say  how  many  came  in  during  that  time.  They  appeared 
to  be  taking  claims  all  over  the  country  during  the  month  of  March. 
I  never  saw  the  like  of  it  before.  There  were  a  great  many  of  them, 
but  I  could  not  say  how  many.  They  became  residents,  and  I  think 
a  decided  majority  of  them  were  pro-slavery  men.  I  do  not  refer  at 
all  to  Missourians  or  others  who  came  on  the  day  of  election,  but  to 
those  who  took  claims  and  became  actual  settlers  between  the  taking 
of  the  census  and  the  day  of  election. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

At  the  time  of  election  I  lived  at  Hickory  Point,  near  the  Santa  Fe 
road,  about  ten  miles  south  of  Lawrence.     I  was  pretty  well  acquainted 
in   Lawrence.     The   country   was   newly  settled,   and   we  were   all 
strangers  to  each  other.     I  did  not  know  all  in  Lawrence  and  its  vi- 
cinity, but  I  think  I  knew  a  majorty  of  the  business  men  and  men  who 
:  lived  there.     1  do  not  think  I  knew  a  majority  of  them  who  lived  on 
^claims  within  five  miles  around  Lawrence.     I  was  in  the  habit  of 
going  to  Lawrence  quite  often,  but  I  cannot  say  that  I  went  on  an 
I  average  of  once  or  twice  during  the  month  of  March,  but  I  think  I 
|!did.     I  was  travelling  around  considerable,  but  did  not  travel  the 
game  road  all  the  time,     I  do  not  know  whether  I  knew  ten  of  the 
roters  in  the  district  or  not  by  name,  but  I  think  I  knew  more  than 


164  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

that  by  sight.  We  were  all  strangers,  settling  in  the  district  together,  j 
and  we  did  not  know  each  other  very  well.  I  suppose  that  betwixt  j 
two  and  three  hundred  settlers  moved  into  the  district  after  the  census  i 
was  taken  and  before  the  election,  and  a  majority  of  them  were  pro-  | 
slavery  men.  I  think  they,  as  a  general  thing,  became  actual  settlers  j 
and  are  living  there,  or  have  sold  their  claims  and  gone  to  other  por-  j 
tions  of  the  Territory,  as  is  customary.  I  think  the  time  I  saw  Dr.  j 
Eobinson  was  of  this  party  of  sixty  or  seventy  that  came  up  to  the  | 
polls.  He  was  towards  the  back  part  of  the  line  and  went  up  to  the  1 
polls,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  voted  or  not.  I  saw  him  just  off  ! 
the  crowd,  talking  to  some  one  about  fifty  yards  from  the  polls,  and  j 
then  he  went  back  to  Lawrence.  I  understood  that  he  was  coming  j 
from  Kansas  City  that  day  with  the  one  hundred  men ;  I  did  not  see  them  ;| 
on  the  road,  and  not  at  all  that  day  until  I  saw  them  coming  across1! 
to  the  polls.  -  I  heard  the  person  who  told  me  that  Kobinson  was  ! 
coming  with  one  hundred  men  say  that  there  were  two  or  three  hun- 
dred more  behind  at  Kansas  City  who  could  not  get  conveyances  up.. 
I  do  not  know  who  the  man  was  who  told  me  this,  and  whether  he-l 
was  from  the  camp  of  the  Missourians  or  not.  I  was  standing  talking: j 
with  some  one  else  when  he  came  up  and  told  us  this. 

I  think  between  two  and  three  hundred  actual  settlers  came  in  the  j 
district  during  the  month  of  March,  but  I  do  not  know  as  I  can  give  | 
many  of  their  names.  There  was  one  near  me  by  the  name  of  Win., 
Cummins,  and  there  were  George  Mermion  and  Perry  Kipetos,  who^j 
moved  into  my  immediate  neighborhood.  I  cannot  think  of  any  more?* 
now.  I  know  one  family,  a  widow  lady  with  some  five  or  six  young.:' 
men  in  the  family,  by  the  name  of  Hopper,  who  moved  in  in  March-i 
or  the  last  of  February,  and  settled  about  two  miles  from  Lawrence., 
The  Santa  Fe  road  was  the  line  between  the  first  and  fourth  districts., 
I  do  not  know  how  many  voters  there  were  in  the  Hickory  Pointl 
neighborhood.  I  supposed  there  were  seven  or  eight  hundred  voters^ 
actual  residents  in  the  first  district  at  the  time  of  the  March  election..) 
I  do  not  recollect  of  going  into  the  camp  in  the  ravine  back  of  thed 
town  where  the  election  was  held,  though  I  saw  several  wagons  and! 
one  or  two  tents  over  there. 

I  recollect  of  seeing  one  man  carrying  a  shot-gun  on  his  shoulder/, 
and  that  was  all  the  arms  I  saw  going  there  that  day.  I  know  Coloneii 
Samuel  Young  when  I  see  him,  and  I  saw  him  there  that  day.  I  arm 
positive  there  were  more  than  one  hundred  pro-slavery  voters  in  thil 
first  district  at  that  time,  though  I  do  not  know  how  it  is  now.  II 
counted  up  something  over  forty  near  Hickory  Point,  and  there  wasi 
quite  a  settlement  on  the  Wakarusa,  many  of  whom  were  pro-slavery? 
men,  and  I  think  there  were  some  in  the  vicinity  of  Lawrence, 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  believe  there  were  three  hundred  pro -slavery  voters  in  the  district 
at  that  time. 

To  Mr.  King : 

The  man  I  refer  to  said  that  Eobinson  had  come  into  Lawrence  witlal 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  165 

one  hundred  men,  and  there  were  two  or  three  hund  ed  down  to 
Kansas  City  who  could  not  get  up.  I  did  not  pay  much  attention  to 
what  he  said,  and  shortly  afterwards  I  saw  those  sixty  or  seventy 
coming  up. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  from  Pennsylvania.  I  never  attended 
any  election  in  the  western  country,  except  those  in  the  Territory.  I 
did  not  know  anything  about  the  habits  of  the  people  here  in  carry- 
Ing  arms  to  elections. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  know  Mr.  Thomas  Mockbee  who  keeps  a  store  at  Willow  Springs. 
Mr.  Mockbee  was  keeping  store  there  when  I  went  into  the  Territory, 
in  September,  1854.  His  house  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  old  Santa 
Fe  road,,  but  there  is  a  road  that  is  travelled  during  the  summer 
months  which  is  north  of  his  house.  We  understand  the  old  Santa 
Fe  road  to  be  the  dividing  line  between  the  two  districts.  His  store- 
house is  on  the  same  side  of  the  road  with  his  house. 

JOHN  M.  BANKS. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  4,  1856. 


JAMJIS  WHITLOCK  testifies. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  was  elected  at  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  election,  (at  Lawrence,)  a 
member  of  the  house  of  representatives  of  the  Kansas  Territorial 
legislature.  I  have  resided  three  miles  south  of  Lawrence  since  Octo- 
ber, 1854.  I  was  present  on  the  'day  of  election.  I  did  not  canvass 
the  district  at  all,  as  I  was  sick  most  of  the  time  after  my  nomination 
and  before  the  election.  A  great  many  I  saw  on  the  ground  on  the 
day  of  election  were  strangers  to  me,  but  many  of  them  I  have  since 
found  to  have  been  citizens  of  the  district.  I  do  not  myself  know  of 
any  votes  cast  there  that  day  except  by  residents  of  the  district. 
There  was,  I  think,  a  very  great  deal  of  emigration  into  the  district 
after  the  census  was  taken,  and  before  the  election.  I  believed  from 
the  time  I  got  the  nomination  that  I  would  beat  my  opponent.  This 
I  believed  from  what  iny  friends  told  me,  for  I  was  not  out  of  my 
room  for  three  months  before  the  election.  It  was  rumored  that  the 
free-State  men  would  vote  for  the  pro-slavery  candidate,  and  from  the 
vote  given  I  should  think  they  did  so.  I  do  not  know  as  any  illegal 
votes  were  given  that  day.  It  was  said  that  some  right  fresh  emi- 
grants voted  that  day.  Late  in  the  evening  of  the  day  of  the  election 
there  was  a  noise  among  the  multitude  that  stood  around  the  polls, 
that  some  emigrant  aid  men  who  arrived  that  day  were  going  to  vote. 
The  election  was  held  a  little  west  of  the  town.  I  saw  some  seventy- 
five  or  eighty  men,  walking  in  double  file,  coming  from  the  town  to 
the  place  of  election.  There  was  a  gentleman  they  told  me  was  Gen- 


166  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

eral  Pomeroy,  whom  I  have  got  acquainted  with  since,  at  the  head  of 
this  party.  He  is  known  in  Lawrence  as  the  agent  of  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society.  Some  of  the  hystanders  were  in  favor  of  not  letting  them 
vote,  for  the  reason  that  they  were  said  to  have  just  landed  in  the 
Territory,  that  morning  at  nine  o'clock.  I  told  them  this,  and  it  was 
the  only  thing  I  said  during  the  day  ahout  voting  :  "Let  them  vote ; 
1  want  to  see  every  man  here  vote,  if  he  is  entitled  to  vote."  The 
party  went  up  and  acted  as  if  they  were  voting,  and  it  was  understood 
that  they  voted.  I  do  not  know  what  ticket  they  voted,  hut  it  was 
believed  by  the  people  that  they  voted  the  abolition  ticket. 

There  was  among  the  people  a  feeling  of  difference  between  what 
they  call  free-State  men  and  abolitionists.  I  understood  that  the  free- 
State  party  tried  to  nominate  their  candidates,  and  were  defeated  by 
the  abolitionists,,  and  would  not  support  their  ticket,  and  my  opinion, 
founded  upon  rumors,  is,  that  they  did  not  support  the  abolition: 
ticket. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard: 

I  had  no  knowledge  of  the  strength  of  the  parties  in  the  district,, 
except  from  my  attending  an  indignation  meeting  some  months  before 
the  election.  My  opponents  were  considered  mostly  abolitionists.  At! 
the  time  of  the  election  I  considered,  if  there  were  no  illegal  votes 
on  either  side  at  the  election,  that  our  party  could  beat  the  other  par- 
ties easy. 

From  all  the  information  I  have,  I  think  General  Whitfield  is  and 
has  been  very  popular  among  the  pro-slavery  party  in  that  district, 
and  would  poll  a  very  fair  vote  of  the  party  there  at  any  election.  Att 
the  last  election  I  think  there  was  some  other  person  spoken  of  as  a 
candidate  for  Congress,  but  no  one  was  run  but  Whitfield.  At  the 
time  of  his  first  election  I  do  not  think  there  was  any  division  in  the; 
pro-slavery  party,  but  they  voted  for  General  Whitfield. 

To  Mr.  King : 

From  the  time  of  Whitfield's  first  election  down  to  the  election  oil 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  should  think  there  was  an  increase  of  resi-J 
dents  in  the  district  of  four  to  one.     When  I  built  my  house  I  couldi 
not  see  but  one  house  from  mine;  now  I  can  stand  in  my  yard  andlj 
see  forty  or  fifty  houses  around  me.     At  the  time  of  Whitfield's  firsttj 
election  there  were  but  two  or  three  houses  between  my  house  andlj 
Lawrence.     At  Whitfield's  last  election,  as  he  had  no  opposition, 
do  not  think  there  was  a  general  turn  out  of  the  pro-slavery  party,  a 
I  know  of  some  who  did  not  go  and  vote.     I  was  at  the  election,  an 
I  do  not  think  there  was  a  general  turn  out  of  the  pro-slavery  party 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

There  was  no  interest  taken  in  the  election,  as  there  was  no  oppo- 
sition, and  the  pro-slavery  party  thought  there  was  no  use  in  thei 
going  to  vote,  as  Whitfield  would  be  elected  any  how. 

JAMES  WHITLOCK. 

WESTPOET,  MISSOURI,  June  T,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  167 

HORATIO  OWENS  testifies :] 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  have  resided  in  the  first  district,  Kansas  Territory,  at  Hickory 
Point,  since  June,  1854.  I  was  at  the  election,  at  Lawrence,  of  the 
30th  of  March,  1855.  I  am  the  oldest  settler  now  at  Hickory  Point ; 
the  two  who  settled  there  before  I  did  left.  About  the  time  of  the 
March  election  there  was  quite  a  heavy  settlement  around  Hickory 
Point.  There  were  more  came  in  during  February  and  March  than 
I  knew  of  before.  The  emigration  in  March  was  heavier  than  at  any 
other  time.  A  great  many  came  in  before  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
From  *;he  best  information  I  could  learn  about  the  first  district,  at 
that  time,  the  pro-slavery  men  had  the  majority.  I  was  not  much 
about  Lawrence,  but  when  I  was  over  there  at  the  election  I  got  in- 
formation that  many  were  settling  in  and  about  Lawrence  both  before 
and  after  the  election.  I  lived  twelve  miles  south  of  Lawrence.  I 
saw  nothing  that  day  like  trying  to  prevent  any  man  from  voting. 
I  saw  a  number  of  men  there  I  have  never  seen  before  or  since.  All 
were  strangers  to  me,  except  those  who  were  from  my  immediate 
neighborhood. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 
I  voted  that  day. 

HORATIO  OWENS. 
WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  6,  1856. 


H.  W.  BUCKLEY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  moved  in  March,,  1855,  to  about  fchree  and  a  half  miles  from  Wil- 
low Springs,  in  the  first  district,  and  have  lived  there  since.  I  was 
on  the  ground  on  the  day  of  election,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at 
Lawrence.  There  were  a  good  many  Missourians  there  that  day,  and 
a  great  many  eastern  men,  who  were  strangers,  persons  I  had  not 
seen  there  before.  I  think,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day,  something 
near  one  hundred  of  these  eastern  men  voted  the  free-State  ticket.  I 
did  not  know  any  of  the  free-State  men  in  this  party  of  a  hundred.  I 
was  not  well  acquainted  at  that  time  in  Lawrence,  and  had  never 
been  there  before  the  day  of  election.  I  think  there  were  some  300  or 
400  Missourians  there  that  day,  but  there  were  a  great  many  who  did 
not  vote  at  all. 

H.  W.  BUCKLEY. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  9,  1856. 


168  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

SECOND  DISTRICT — Bloomington. 

HARRISON  BURSON  called  and  sworn. 

j 

I  settled  in  the  Territory  on  the  27th  of  September,  1854,  in  the 
second  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.     I  was  there  the  i 
30th  of  March,  1855,  and  was  one  of  the  judges  of  election  in  that 
district,  appointed  by  the  governor.     The  judges  met  on  the  morning 
of  the  30th,  and  after  being  sworn,  the  polls  were  opened,  as  near  as 
I  can  recollect,  about  half-past  eight  o'clock.     We  proceeded  to  re- 
ceive votes,  and  had  taken  some  fifteen  names,  when  a  company,  as^ 
near  as  I  can  recollect,  of  three  hundred  and  upwards,  came  marching 
up  with  flags  hoisted.     I  believe  they  were  generally  armed.     They 
came  to  the  polls  and  demanded  to  be  allowed  to  vote.     My  reply  was, 
that  if  they  were  legal  voters  they  should  have  that  privilege.     I  toldJ 
them  that  as  the  most  of  them  were  not  known  to  me,  the  oath  re- 
quired by  the  law  would  have  to  be  taken  by  them.     This  man  Jones,, 
known  now  as  sheriff  Jones,  appeared  to  be  the  leader  of  the  gang,, 
and  replied  that  they  would  not  take  the  oath.     His  name  is  S.  J.. 
Jones,  and  is  now  acting  as  sheriif.     I  replied  that  except  they  did! 
take  the  oath  they  could  not  vote.    Jones  replied  that  they  had  come  up. 
from  Missouri  to  vote,  and  they  would  vote,  and  they  intended  to  make 
Kansas  a  slave-State.     They  stated,  also,  that  if  they  could  not  vote 
by  fair  means,  they  would  by  foul.     Jones,  and  others  of  the  party,, 
whose  names  I  do  not  know,  said  this.     They  also  stated  ttat  no  man; 
should  vote  there  that  day  that  would  take  the  oath.     Some  men  whc  i 
were  about  the  window,  and  had  not  voted  when  this  crowd  came  upj 
upon  attempting  to  vote  were  taken  up  and  carried  back  by  the  mob..! 
They  then  requested  us  to  resign,  if  we  would  not  let  them  vote.     Oui  i 
reply  was,  that  we  should  not  do  it.     They  then  stated  that  if  we  did 
not  do  so  they  would  tear  the  house  down  and  kill  us.     They  made  a<^ 
rush,  and  stove  in  the  window  and  sash  together,  fixed  pries  to  thce! 
two  corners  of  the  house,  and  pried  up  the  building  some  distance  andl 
let  it  fall  back.     It  was  a  log  house.     At  that  moment  one  of  thecl 
judges,  Mr.  Ellison,  gathered  up  the  ballot-box  and  rushed  to  th«| 
door,  and  said  that  if  we  did  not  close  the  polls  there  would  be  once 
hundred  shots  fired  in  here  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes,  and  we  would  :i 
all  be  killed.     He  opened  the  door  and  ran  out  into  the  crowd,  taking;! 
the  ballot-box  with  him,  and  hurrahed  for  Missouri.     At  that  nioJ 
ment  numbers  rushed  in  the  door  as  fast  as  they  could  come  in,  witrJj 
revolvers  and  drawn  bowie-knives  in  their  hands.     They  now  filleoj 
the  house  ;  and  Jones,  one  of  the  first  who  came  in,  requested  us  td 
resign  ;  that  if  we  did  not  resign  they  would  kill  us.     Jones  drewj 
from  his  pocket  his  watch,  and  gave  us  five  minutes  in  which  to  re-  j 
sign  or  die.     He  held  the  watch  until  the  five  minutes  expired  ;  anoi 
as  we  did  not  resign,  he  extended  the  time  one  minute  longer.     Aboun| 
the  expiration  of  the  one  minute,  I  was  called  out  to  see  Mr.  Wake- ! 
fieJd,  telling  Jones  I  would  give  him  an  answer  about  resigning  wherj 
I  returned.     After  I  got  out  of  the  house,  my  friends  out  there  think-. i 
ing  it  was  dangerous  for  me  to  remain  there  any  longer,  judging  fronj 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  169 

the  state  of  the  crowd,  and  the  number  intoxicated  there,  persuaded 
me  not  to  go  back  into  the  house.  Before  I  left  the  house,  I  had  se- 
cured the  poll-books  by  putting  them  into  my  pocket.  After  consult- 
ing, we  concluded  to  go  across,  some  quarter  of  a  mile,  to  Mr.  Kam- 
say's,  one  of  the  judges,  and  wait  to  see  if  the  rage  of  the  crowd  would 
not  cool  down.  This  Jones  made  an  attempt  to  take  from  me  what 
he  thought  was  the  poll-books,  before  I  left  the  house.  He  seized 
them  and  pulled  them  from  me,  but  they  were  nothing  but  some 
blanks.  Finding  that  they  were  not  the  poll-books,  they  despatched 
a  company  in  pursuit  of  me.  Upon  my  being  informed  of  what  they 
wanted,  I  put  the  poll-books  in  the  hands  of  one  of  my  friends  for  safe 
keeping.  We  both  started  off  together  from  Mr.  Kamsay's.  Mr. 
Umberger  was  the  one  I  gave  the  books  to.  We  saw  a  number  of  the 
mob  pursuing  us.  I  told  him  to  go  on  home,  and  I  would  take  down 
the  other  way,  and  as  they  would  pursue  me  he  could  secure  the 
books.  They  missed  me  and  pursued  Umberger,  and  caught  him  just 
before  he  got  to  the  house,  and  made  him  prisoner.  They  searched 
him  and  took  the  poll-books  from  him  by  force.  I  was  in  sight  and 
saw  all  this.  They  asked  him  where  I  was.  I  was  close  enough,  con- 
cealed in  a  hazel  thicket,  to  hear  their  conversation.  He  told  them  he 
did  not  know  ;  but  pointing  the  way  I  was  going,  said  the  last  he  saw 
of  me  I  was  going  down  that  way.  Jones  then  took  CJmberger  behind 
him  on  his  horse,  and  carried  him  back  to  the  place  of  election.  By 
this  time  it  was  about  12  o'clock,  and  we  went  across  to  a  neighbor's 
for  dinner  ;  I  mean  Mr.  Jesse  and  myself.  I  saw  the  election  going 
on  as  I  was  standing  at  Mr.  Wood's  house,  near  the  place  where  the 
election  was  going  on.  Some  time  in  the  afternoon  a  detachment  of 
between  sixty  and  eighty,  as  near  as  I  could  judge,  started  for  Willow 
Spring.  I  saw  them  leave  after  they  got  through  voting.  I  knew 
some  of  the  party  in  the  mob  who  were  citizens  of  the  Territory,  but 
not  many  of  them.  The  Lehays — two,  if  not  three,  of  them — were 
there.  I  had  seen  in  Missouri  some  of  the  strangers.  Mr.  Jones 
lived  in  Westport  at  that  time.  I  came  here  to  this  Territory  from 
Illinois. 

Cross-examined  by  Col.  Woodson : 

I  did  my  trading  at  Westport,  and  frequently  saw  Mr.  Jones  there. 
[  heard  him  say,  on  the  day  of  the  election,  that  he  came  up  from 
Missouri ;  but  heard  him  say  nothing  of  his  residence.  He  was  not 
a  resident  of  this  Territory  previous  to  his  being  appointed  sheriff 
here.  Mr.  Wood's  house,  I  should  judge,  was  about  four  hundred 
yards  from  the  polls.  I  was  at  a  nearer  point  than  that  at  one  time,' 
but  not  to  the  polls.  I  saw  them  voting,  handing  in  their  tickets  at 
the  window,  but  did  not  know  them.  I  saw  different  persons  voting. 
I  could  not  recognise  them  from  my  place  ;  but  I  could  tell  they  were 
not  citizens.  I  knew  there  were  several  citizens  present  who  had  not 
voted,  and  had  left  the  polls  before  I  did.  I  could  distinguish  be- 
tween the  Lehays  and  the  strangers  by  their  dress.  I  did  not  see 
any  citizens  vote  at  that  time.  What  I  mean  by  voting  is,  that  I 
saw  them  handing  in  their  tickets.  I  had  walked  up  where  I  was?, 
about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  polls.  There  were  one  or  two 
persons  with  me  ;  Mr.  Jesse  was  one.  I  am  not  positive  that  there 


170  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

were  any  others.  I  understood  these  strangers  were  not  residents, 
because  I  knew  most  of  the  residents  of  the  district.  When  they 
first  came  up  they  said  they  came  from  Missouri,  and  I  recognised  the 
crowd  voting  as  the  same  crowd.  I  came  to  the  Territory  the  fall 
before  the  election,  and  by  that  time  knew  most  of  the  persons  in  that 
district.  It  was  said  there  were  many  emigrants  coming  in  that 
spring,  but  not  many  in  the  district  where  I  lived.  Most  of  those 
there  were  from  Missouri  and  Illinois. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

This  election  was  held  in  Bloomington,  on  the  Wakarusa,  some  ten 
or  twelve  miles  from  Lawrence,  southwest  from  here. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  do  not  know  who  has  the  poll-books  of  the  second  district.  My 
means  of  learning  the  residents  were  from  travelling  over  the  district 
and  laying  down  the  lines.  I  knew  the  greater  part,  except  men 
who  had  just  come  in. 

To  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  had  been  appointed  and  was  acting  as  a  justice  of  the  peace. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

The  citizens  were  not  armed,  as  far  as  I  knew. 

H.  BURSON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


HARRISON  BURSON  recalled. 

I  have  examined  the  list  of  voters  for  the  second  district  for  the 
29th  November,  1854.  I  find  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of 
thirty  persons  on  that  list  who  were  residents  of  that  district  at  that 
time.  I  examined  the  list  in  connexion  with  the  census  returns. 
There  were  two  hundred  odd  votes  polled  at  that  election. 

H.  BURSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


NATHANIEL  RAMSAY  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  2fah  of  September,  1854,  from 
Illinois.  I  settled  on  Wakarusa,  in  the  second  district,  close  to 
Bloomington,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  appointed 
one  of  the  judges  of  election  for  March  30,  1855.  The  polls  were 
opened  about  half-past  eight  o'clock,  and  we  proceeded  to  take  tickets 
till  about  half-past  nine  o'clock.  Some  twenty-five  or  thirty  tickets, 
I  think,  had  been  polled  up  to  that  time.  Some  four  or  five  of  them 
were  not  known  to  the  judges  as  residents,  and  were  sworn.  A  largo 
number  of  men  then  came  up  in  wagons  and  carriages,  and  on  horse- 
back. I  should  judge  there  were  between  two  and  three  hundred  of 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  171 

them.  They  were  strangers  to  me.  I  was  tolerably  well  acquainted 
in  the  district.  They  were  mostly  all  armed  with  revolvers  and 
knives.  Some  few  had  doiible-harreled  guns.  There  were  several 
flags  in  that  company.  Most  of  the  company  seemed  pretty  much  in- 
toxicated. They  came  to  the  polls  to  vote.  We  requested  them  to 
prove  they  were  actual  residents  of  the  Territory,  or  swear  to  it. 
They  refused  to  he  sworn,  and  said  if  we  did  not  let  them  vote  peace- 
ably, they  would  vote  otherwise.  There  were  several  men  they 
called  captains  and  lieutenants,  whom  I  was  not  acquainted  with.  I 
saw  Mr.  Jones,  the  sheriff  now,  with  the  company.  Claihorne  Jack- 
son was  there.  I  do  not  know  where  he  resided.  They  would  not 
be  sworn  to  vote,  and  they  said  no  man  should  vote  that  day  who 
was  willing  to  be  sworn  ;  and  while  I  was  sitting  as  one  of  the  judges, 
they  would  let  no  man  be  sworn.  They  hurrahed  around  there,  and 
ran  one  or  two  men  from  the  polls  who  said  they  were  willing  to  be 
sworn  as  to  their  residence.  They  then  broke  in  the  windows,  and 
pried  up  the  house  a  little  ways,  and  let  it  fall  back  again.  Mr. 
Ellison  then  took  up  the  ballot-box,  and  ordered  the  polls  to  be  closed 
for  the  day.  He  carried  the  box  with  him  out  of  doors  to  the  company 
around  the  house,  and  cried  out  " Hurrah  for  Missouri!"  He  then 
walked  back  to  the  door,  and  called  for  the  election  of  two  other  judges. 
A  company  of  some  six  or  eight  men  then  rushed  in  the  door,  with 
knives  and  revolvers,  and  called  upon  us  to  resign,  which  we  did  not 
do.  Mr.  Jones  then  took  a  watch  from  his  pocket,  and  gave  us  five 
minutes  to  resign  in  or  die.  The  time  expired,  and  he  limited  us  to 
another  minute.  At  this  time  the  company  in  there  had  their  re- 
volvers ready  to  shoot,  and  their  knives  in  their  hands  ready  to  stab, 
I  then  left  the  house  with  Mr.  Bur  son,  and  proceeded  to  my  own 
house,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant.  Mr.  Burson  left  my  house, 
while  I  remained  there.  A  party  of  about  fifteen  men  rode  up, 
demanding  the  poll-books.  I  told  them  the  poll-books  were  not 
there.  They  then  asked  where  Burson  was.  I  told  them  he  had 
started  off  west  from  the  house.  They  proceeded  that  direction.  It 
was  some  ten  minutes  before  they  returned.  They  stated,  when  they 
returned,  that  they  had  found  the  poll-books,  and  taken  Umberger  as 
prisoner.  They  arrested  Wakefield  at  my  house,  and  took  him  off  as 
prisoner.  There  was  a  company  of  about  twenty-five ;  some  fifteen 
were  on  horseback,  and  there  was  a  wagon-load  besides.  I  do  not 
know  how  many.  When  they  came  up  and  demanded  Wakefield 
from  a  company  of  men  who  were  there,  who  refused,  they  said  they 
would  take  him  dead  or  alive.  They  said  if  he  would  go  back  with 
them,  and  explain  something — I  did  not, hear  what — there  should  not 
be  a  hair  of  his  head  touched.  They  were  all  armed  with  revolvers. 
They  took  him  away  with  them.  Wakefield  returned  in  a  short 
time.  I  did  not  go  back  to  the  election  ground  that  day.  The  resi- 
dents left  about  the  time  we  did,  and  went  home.  These  strangers 
said  no  man  should  vote  that  day,  unless  he  would  vote  an  open  ticket, 
and  who  was  " right  on  the  goose."  They  stated,  at  my  house,  that 
the  30th  of  March  was  a  very  important  day  with  them,  as  Kansas 
was  to  be  made  a  slave  State  on  that  day.  I  did  not  hear  them  say 


172  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

where  they  came  from.     The  greater  part  of  them  were  strangers  to 
me.     I  was  tolerably  well  acquainted  in  that  district. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

They  came  to  my  house  and  told  me  this  was  an  important  election. 
There  were  some  fifteen  of  them.  Mr.  Jones  was  with  them ;  and 
they  said  they  must  have  the  poll-books,  as  that  was  an  important 
election  with  them.  Umber ger  was  a  prisoner  with  them. 

NATHANIEL  RAMSAY. 

LAWKENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


JAMES  M.  DUNN  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  first  of  November,  1854,  from 
the  State  of  Maine.  I  settled  near  Bloomington,  in  the  second  dis- 
trict, and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the 
30th  of  March,  1855 ;  I  went  to  the  polls  very  early  in  the  morning. 
We  had  heard  that  there  was  a  great  number  of  teams  between  Bloomr 
ington  and  Westport,  coming  up  from  the  States.  After  I  got  there, 
teams  arrived  in  such  large  numbers  as  to  surprise  me ;  they  continued 
to  arrive  until  near  nine  o'clock.  I  counted  the  teams,  and  made  out 
70 — two  and  four-horse  wagons.  There  were  150  mules  and  horses, 
saddled,  hitched  there  after  they  arrived.  At  the  opening  of  the  polls, 
all  was  quiet  for  some  time.  The  wagons  were  pretty  well  filled,  and 
contained  from  four  to  six  each,  and,  in  some  cases,  as  many  as  eight, 
I  should  think.  Things  remained  quiet  for  a  time.  This  party  went 
to  the  west  side  of  the  house,  and  held  a  little  caucus  by  themselves 
awhile.  Some  twenty  or  more  votes  were  polled.  They  then  came  to 
the  window  where  the  voting  was  done,  and  went  there  to  give  in 
votes.  The  judges  of  the  election  were  not  satisfied  they  were  resi- 
dents of  the  Territory,  and  wanted  them  to  take  the  oath  prescribed, 
which  they  refused  to  do.  The  judges  contended  that  they  could  not 
act  according  to  their  instructions  without  doing  so.  The  other  party 
said  that;  if  they  had  been  here  two  minutes,  it  was  as  good  as  two 
years,  and  they  had  a  perfect  right  to,  and  would,  vote.  The  judges 
still  insisted  upon  their  being  sworn.  They  refused,  and  said  they 
would  shoot  any  person  who  would  swear.  They  then,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, left  the  window,  and  went  to  another  spot,  perhaps  some  fifty 
feet  distant,  when  a  gentleman  made  a  speech  to  them.  I  asked  who 
the  gentleman  was,  and  I  was  told  he  was  Mr.  Jackson,  from  Jackson 
county,  Missouri.  He  said,  in  his  speech,  that  all  knew  what  they  had 
come  there  for.  They  had  come  there  to  vote.  uWe  will,"  said  he, 
" peaceably  if  we  can,  forcibly  if  we  must."  That  was  the  sentence 
he  used.  The  mob  then  went  to  a  large  wagon,  hauled  there  by  eight 
oxen,  and  handed  out  a  great  many  arms ;  I  did  not  count  how  many. 
They  were  mostly  revolvers  that  I  saw.  They  tied  a  white  tape  or 
piece  of  cloth  in  the  button-holes  of  their  coats,  when  those  arms  were 
given  out.  They  then  came  back  to  the  window,  with  declarations 
that  they  would  vote,  and  demanded  that  the  judges  should  resign  im- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  173 

mediately.  After  a  good  deal  of  noise,  confusion,  and  threatening, 
the  judges  left  the  house.  I  was  not  in  the  house,  and  do  not  know 
what  was  said  in  there.  I  heard  those  outside  of  the  house  say  that, 
if  they  did  not  resign  in  five  minutes,  they  would  cut  their  throats.  I 
tried  an  hour  and  a  half  to  get  to  the  window  to  vote.  They  would 
not  let  me  vote  without  showing  my  ticket,  which  I  did.  They  then 
crowded  me  away  by  force,  and  I  could  not  vote.  My  ticket  was  for 
Wakefield  for  council,  and  Macey  and  Davis  for  representatives.  The  op- 
position candidate  was  McDonald,  I  think,  for  councilman,  G.  W.  Ward 
and  0.  H.  Brown  for  the  lower  house.  They  were  willing  we  should 
come  and  vote  after  they  got  control  of  the  ballot-box.  Most  of  the 
citizens  went  home  ;  but  a  few  remained,  though  I  know  of  none  who 
voted.  I  saw  one  man  of  this  mob  take  a  small  man  by  the  collar  and 
tell  him  he  might  vote  if  he  would  vote  the  ticket  with  McDonald, 
Ward,  and  Brown  on  it.  He  would  not  vote  that  ticket,  and  they 
thrust  him  out  over  their  shoulders,  as  there  was  such  a  crowd  he 
could  not  get  out  any  other  way.  One  man  said  he  was  hired  to  come 
there  and  vote,  and  by  God  he  would  vote.  While  these  scenes  were 
being  enacted,  they  were  accompanied  with  a  great  deal  of  noise,  con- 
fusion, and  swearing.  These  people  were  intoxicated  more  or  less.  I 
knew  S.  J.  Jones  in  Wesport;  he  was  a  very  prominent  man  on  the 
day  of  election,  and  took  a  very  active  part.  I  considered  him  a  leader. 
I  had  been  in  the  post  office  at  Westport,  and  took  letters  out  there 
when  he  was  postmaster  there.  I  had  never  heard  of  his  moving  into 
the  Territory,  and  had  no  doubt  he  lived  in  Westport.  I  lived  in 
Westport  some  two  months  before  I  moved  into  the  Territory,  and  he 
tended  the  post  office  there,  where  my  letters  were  usually  directed. 

I  was  on  the  ground  the  principal  part  of  the  day  of  election.  I  be- 
lieve I  was  about  the  first  man  there.  I  went  home  at  noon,  about 
one  mile,  for  dinner,  and  came  back  and  remained  until  it  became  dark. 
This  party  brought  Mr.  Wakefield  back  to  the  polls.  I  could  not  say 
how  many  there  were  in  that  party  ;  there  were  from  fifteen  to  thirty- 
five,  and  they  were  armed.  I  do  not  know  who  headed  the  party.  I 
had  lived  in  the  district  from  the  previous  November.  We  were  fre- 
quently called  together  in  the  district  to  erect  log-cabins  for  one 
another  and  for  strangers,  and  by  that  means  became  acquainted. 

This  party  who  came  there,  upon  inquiry  of  a  number  of  them,  con- 
fessed to  me  that  they  were  from  Missouri.  I  asked  one  of  them  what 
he  would  do  if  we  were  to  go  to  their  election  and  act  as  they  did, 
and  he  replied,  "  We  would  whip  you  out."  I  heard  this  gentleman, 
who  made  the  speech,  tell  his  party  what  they  came  for,  and,  for  one, 
he  was  not  willing  to  go  away  till  it  was  accomplished.  They  gave 
him  three  cheers  when  he  closed  his  speech.  I  staid  on  the  ground 
till  the  last  of  this  party  left.  They  went  away  the  road  they  came, 
toward  Westport,  Missouri. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson: 

I  was  acquainted  with  this  man  Jones  before  I  moved  into  the  Ter- 
ritory. During  the  winter  before  the  election  I  did  not  see  Mr.  Jones, 
and  do  not  know  where  he  resided,  only  as  report  said.  I  suppose  he 
resided  at  Westport,  as  he  kept  the  post  office  there.  I  do  not  know 


174  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

I 

the  time  he  was  postmaster,  hut  have  taken  letters  from  the  office 
while  he  was  there. 

The  wagons  came  in  companies  of  two,  five,  and  ten  along  the 
road,  and  all  arrived  in  the  course  of  two  hours.  They  had  colors  fly- 
ing, but  not  in  martial  order.  Some  of  them  of  whom  I  inquired 
told  me  they  were  from  Missouri.  I  supposed  they  were  all  from  Mis- 
souri ;  because  I  asked  them  where  they  were  from,  and  they  told  me 
so.  I  do  not  know  how  many  I  asked  that  question  of.  It  was  usual 
to  ask  every  one,  actual  residents  and  all,  where  they  were  from;  but 
we  knew  nearly  all  in  the  district.  I  think  I  inquired  of  twenty  or 
thirty  men,  who  told  me  they  were  from  Missouri.  Some  who  came 
in  that  crowd  did  not  vote,,  and  said  they  would  not  have  come  had 
they  known  the  conduct  there  would  be  thus. 

I  do  not  recollect  that  I  personally  know  of  Mr.  Jones  acting  as 
postmaster  at  Westport  between  the  time  I  arrived  in  the  fall  and  this 
election.  After  the  election  I  was  in  the  post  office  and  he  handed 
me  my  letters.  I  cannot  be  certain  in  regard  to  the  time. 

By  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  did  not  converse  with  any  one  that  said  he  had  come  through 
Lawrence,  or  had  been  there.  Mr.  Jackson,  in  his  speech,  did  not 
mention  the  place  where  they  came  from  as  I  recollect. 

JAMES  M.  DUNN. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


J.  N.  MACE  called  and  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Keeder: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  1st  of  September,  1854.  I  se1 
tied  first  in  Lawrence.  I  moved  into  the  second  district  about  the  las 
of  February,  1855,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  reached  the  polls  somewhat 
late,  having  seven  miles  to  go.  There  was  a  very  large  crowd  around 
the  window  there,  so  that  it  was  very  difficult  of  access.  I  heard 
cries  from  the  crowd  that  "no  damned  Yankee  should  vote  there  that 
day ;  that  the  first  man  who  took  the  oath,  they  would  rip  his  guts 
out."  Those  were  the  words  they  used.  I  went  around  the  house, 
as  I  could  not  get  to  the  window  from  the  eastern  side.  I  attempted 
to  get  through  the  crowd  so  as  to  put  in  my  vote.  After  a  struggle 
of  perhaps  an  hour,  I  got  near  the  window.  A  man  was  at  the  win- 
dow attempting  to  vote.  The  judges  required  the  oath  of  him ;  he 
was  willing  to  give  it,  but  the  persons  on  the  outside  told  him  if  he 
did  so,  they  would  instantly  kill  him.  He  then  left,  saying  they  had 
lost  one  good  vote,  as  he  was  "right  on  the  goose."  I  then  stepped 
forward  to  the  window,  when  a  man  on  my  right  took  hold  of  my 
arm  and  said,  "Unfold  that  vote  and  let  me  see  it."  I  told  him  I 
came  there  by  the  United  States  law  'to  vote,  and  that  law  gave  me 
the  right  to  vote  by  ballot ;  and  if  I  could  not  vote  so,  I  would  not 
vote  at  all.  They  then  asked  me  if  I  should  take  the  oath.  I  told 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  175 

them  if  the  judges  required  the  oath  of  me,  I  should  take  it  accord- 
ing to  law.  An  old  gentleman  with  a  white  string  in  the  hutton-hole 
of  his  coat  then  stepped  up.  They  asked  me  to  give  way  for  him  to 
vote,  as  he  was  an  old  man  ;  and  I  did  so.  After  he  had  voted,  I 
stepped  forward,  put  my  hand  inside  the  window,  and  gave  my  name  ; 
when,  at  a  word,  from  one  of  the  two  men  who  stood  one  on  each  side 
of  the  widow,  I  was  seized  by  the  people  in  the  crowd,  and  dragged 
from  the  polls  through  the  entire  crowd.  They  made  shouts  of  "Kill 
the  damned  nigger-thief,"  "  Cut  his  throat/'  and  many  cries  of  that 
kind.  I  saw  revolvers  cocked  and  bowie-knives  drawn,  all  around 
me,  at  that  time.  After  I  had  been  dragged  out  of  the  crowd  I 
regained  my  feet.  I  had  a  small  American  flag  under  my  arm. 
When  I  got  to  my  feet,  I  unfurled  it  and  held  it  over  my  head.  I 
told  them  that  we  were  here,  and  had  no  law  to  protect  us,  and  I 
sought  protection  under  the  American  flag,  which  was  universally  re- 
spected in  foreign  countries,  and  I  supposed  it  would  be  here.  The 
crowd  did  not  seem  to  understand  what  it  meant,  and  they  let  me 
alone.  Some  of  them  asked  what  it  meant ;  and  some  one  of  their 
party  said  they  had  better  not  kill  a  man  when  he  was  under  the 
American  flag.  I  heard  some  voices  say  that  flag  was  false,  and 
pointed  to  a  flag  waving  over  one  of  their  wagons  with  one  star  in  it, 
and  said  that  was  the  true  flag.  I  then  said,  "  Who  calls  this  flag 
false  are  traitors."  One  man  who  had  a  large  cloak  on,  threw  it  off 
and  came  up  to  me,  and,  thrusting  his  fist  in  my  face,  asked  me  if  I 
called  him  a  traitor.  I  said,  if  he  called  that  flag  false  he  was  a 
traitor.  Then  another  man  stepped  up  to  me,  and  told  me  to  take 
that  back,  at  the  same  time  opening  a  clasp-knife,  and  put  it  so  it 
touched  the  breast  of  my  coat.  Another  man  had  a  revolver,  which 
he  held  close  to  my  ear.  Another  man  struck  at  me  with  a  club,  and 
a  friend  of  mine  turned  it  off  with  his  arm,  and  it  struck  somebody 
else.  At  this  instant,  a  fight,  or  row  of  some  kind,  was  got  up  at 

;  some  distance,  which  attracted  their  attention,  and  they  left  me.  I 
then  walked  around  the  building,  and  saw  some  individuals  with  a 

i  large  lever  attempting  to  pry  up  the  house,  so  as  to  take  the  logs  out. 
They  did  not  succeed,  as  they  could  not  lift  the  logs  high  enough  to 

i  take  one  from  under  the  other.     While  they  were  looking  for  a  large 

;  fulcrum,  a  man  came  out  of  the  house  with  a  bundle  of  papers  in  his 

I  hand,  and  held  them  up,  saying,   "We  have  got  the  documents." 

I 1  saw  Mr.  Ellison  come  out  with  the  ballot-box,  holding  it  up  over 
j  the  crowd,  and  hurrahing  for  Missouri;  that  is  about  all  I  saw.     I  did 
i  not  know  any  of  the  crowd,  or  any  there,  except  those  who  lived  in 

the  district.  I  should  think  I  did  not  see  more  than  twenty  residents 
of  the  district  in  the  crowd,  the  rest  being  foreigners.  I  did  not  hear 
any  of  them  say  where  they  came  from.  I  heard  some  of  them  say 
they  came  there  to  vote,  and  they  would  vote  in  spite  of  the  Presi- 
dent, the  governor,  the  laws,  and  the  devil.  I  think  I  staid  there  till 
about  12  o'clock— about  three  hours.  I  did  not  know  S.  J.  Jones  at 
that  time.  I  know  him  now  by  sight.  I  could  not  say  whether  he 
was  there  or  not.  Almost  all  the  people  there  had  white  strings  in 
their  button-holes.  The  one  of  whom  I  spoke  I  knew  by  sight ;  he 


176  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

lived  in  the  Territory.     There  were  seven  that  went  to  the  polls  in 
company  with  me,  and  we  all  came  back  without  voting. 

J.  N.  MACE. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


J.  C.  DUNN  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  the  month  of  December,  1854,  and 
settled  on  the  Wakarusa,  near  Bloomington,  and  have  resided  within 
the  vicinity  of  Bloomington  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the 
30th  of  March,  1855.  I  was  one  of  the  clerks  to  take  down  the  names 
of  those  who  swore.  I  was  on  the  ground  about  as  soon  as  any  one 
there.  All  this  crowd  got  there  in  about  two  hours  from  the  time 
they  commenced  to  arrive.  I  supposed  them  to  be  people  from  Mis- 
souri. I  thought  there  were  from  500  to  700  of  them.  They  came 
on  horses  and  in  wagons.  They  were  principally  armed  with  re- 
volvers. There  was  a  large  wagon  drove  up  in  front  of  the  door  ;  it 
contained  Colt's  revolvers  and  a  great  many  double-barreled  shot- 
guns. I  saw  that  their  arms  were  all  capped  and  loaded.  After 
Ellison  was  called  to  the  door,  he  went  out  and  returned  directly,  and 
stated  there  would  be  one  hundred  shots  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes 
if  we  did  not  leave.  There  was  a  cry  outside  not  to  shoot,  as  there 
were  two  pro-slavery  men  there.  At  that  time  I  was  sitting  by  the 
window  as  a  clerk,  and  there  was  one  on  the  outside  who  called  out 
for  the  crowd  to  get  away  from  the  window  until  he  shot  the  God 
damned  white-headed  abolition  judge.  The  judges  were  given  five 
minutes  to  leave  the  house,  or  they  would  be  shot  and  their  throats 
cut.  The  five  minutes  expired  and  they  had  not  left ;  and  as  I  sat; 
by  the  window,  I  could  hear  the  revolvers  cocking  in  almost  every 
direction.  They  had  another  minute  given  them  to  resign.  During 
this  time  there  was  a  lever  or  pry  rigged  under  the  corner  of  the 
house.  The  judges  left  and  closed  the  polls,  and  said  there  would  be 
no  election.  At  that  time  a  man  I  took  to  be  Jones  came  in  and  took 
a  package  of  papers  off  a  box,  and  took  them  out  aod  shook  them  and 
hallooed  " Hurrah  for  Missouri  I"  After  the  judges  left  they  then 
proceeded  to  elect  two  other  judges,  and  continued  the  election.  I 
was  around  there  all  the  time,  and  was  there  the  whole  day.  After 
they  had  driven  the  judges  from  the  house,  they  seemed  to  rejoice  over 
their  victory.  One  of  them  said  to  another,  he  was  hired  to  come 
there  to  vote,  and  by  God  he  would  vote.  They  said  that  Tom 
Johnson  was  their  governor,  and  they  swore  vengeance  on  Governor 
Keeder.  I  do  not  recollect  of  hearing  what  they  were  going  to  do 
with  him ;  but  they  said,  for  one  thing,  they  would  like  to  cut  his 
heart  out.  1  do  not  think  that  I  saw  Ellison  do  anything  with  the 
ballot-box,  though  I  have  some  faint  recollection  about  it.  They 
wanted  Mr.  Burson  and  Mr.  Eamsay  to  receive  their  votes  without 
swearing,  as  Mr.  Ellison  was  willing  to  do.  They  said  they  would 
not  do  it,  but  were  going  to  discharge  their  duties  according  to  law. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  177 

I  heard  some  man  making  a  speech,  but  do  not  recollect  what  he 
said,  or  what  his  name  was.  I  saw  one  man  there  who  was  a  doctor, 
and  kept  an  apothecary's  shop  in  Westport,  on  the  corner  in  front  of 
the  Harris  house.  I  do  not  recollect  his  name,  but  think  I  would  if 
I  heard  it.  He  recognised  me,  and  came  up  to  me  and  shook  hands 
with  me.  (Upon  being  asked)  I  think  it  was  Dr.  Earl.  These  men, 
in  my  opinion,  were  strangers.  I  know  that  many  of  them  asked  me 
the  way  to  the  precinct.  I  knew  that  the  most  of  them  were  not  resi- 
dents of  the  district,  because  at  that  time  I  knew  the  greater  part  of 
the  residents  by  sight.  I  saw  these  men  go  away ;  they  all  left  within 
two  hours,  I  should  think,  from  the  time  they  started.  They  took 
the  road  towards  Westport. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

I  was  not  acquainted  with  all  the  persons  in  the  second  district.  I 
do  not  know  that  there  were  more  moving  in  there  than  usual.  There 
were  some  moving  in,  in  the  neighborhood  of  McG-ee's,  and  they  laid 
out  a  town  there. 

I  think  at  that  time  I  knew  more  than  one-half  of  the  residents 
of  the  district  by  sight.  These  men  I  did  not  know  to  be  residents 
of  Kansas,  and  some  of  them  I  did  know  to  be  residents  of  Missouri. 
I  heard  them  say,  at  different  times,  among  themselves,  that  they 
had  come  from  Missouri  to  vote.  I  refer  to  those  of  the  election  of 
the  30th  of  March.  I  should  think  there  were  from  five  hundred  to 
seven  hundred  came  there,  and  from  appearance  they  voted  pretty- 
generally.  I  do  not  say  that  every  man  voted,  but  they  were  voting 
there  for  a  great  length  of  time.  I  heard  two  or  three  say,  if  they 
had  known  what  kind  of  people  inhabited  that  place  they  would  never 
have  been  caught  there,  and  would  not  be  in  such  a  muss  again.  As 
far  as  I  could  ascertain,  I  should  think  the  principal  leader  of  the 
gang  was  Steel,  of  Lexington,  Missouri. 

JOHN  C.  DUNJST. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


ANDREW  WHITE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  and  selected  my  place,  where  I  now  live, 
on  the  5th  of  June,  1854.  I  came  from  Missouri.  I  was  formerly 
from  Morgan  county,  Missouri.  I  moved  my  family  out  here  in  the 
fall,  after  having  built  houses  on  my  claim  here.  I  was  at  the  elec- 
tion in  Bloomington  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  got  there  about 
nine  or  ten  o'clock,  going  up  with  the  Missouri  company  who  were 
passing  by  at  that  time.  I  was  acquainted  with  some  of  them,  though 
I  do  not  know  as  any  of  them  came  from  Cass  county.  I  knew  Clai- 
borne  Jackson,  and  had  known  him  since  he  was  a  boy.  I  lived  in 
Missouri  for  thirty-five  years.  I  do  not  know  how  many  there  were 
in  this  company  I  went  up  with.  They  had  been  passing  my  house 
for  an  hour,  and  the  road  was  full  as  far  as  I  could  see,  back  and 
H.  Kep.  200 12* 


178  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

before.  They  said  they  were  going  to  vote  at  the  election.  I  had 
not  much  conversation  with  them  on  the  road,  but  I  talked  with 
them  right  smart  after  I  got  up  there.  I  asked  some  of  them  their 
reasons  for  coming  up  in  our  country  to  vote.  They  were  young  men 
I  was  talking  to.  They  said  they  were  hired  to  come  up,  and  got  a 
dollar  a  day.  I  stated  that  perhaps  they  would  not  be  allowed  to 
vote.  They  said  they  had  come  to  vote,  and  they  would  vote,  or  die 
there.  Those  I  was  talking  with,  judging  from  their  conversation, 
were  from  Jackson  county,  or  from  the  edge  of  the  county  east.  I 
knew  him  by  sight,  but  do  not  recollect  his  name.  I  had  no  conver- 
sation with  Claiborne  Jackson.  I  heard  his  speech.  He  got  up  and 
said  that  they  had  come  there  to  vote,  and  he  thought  they  had  as 
much  right  to  vote  when  they  had  been  there  five  or  ten  minutes  as 
a  man  who  had  been  there  four  or  five  years,  and  they  would  vote 
before  they  left  there,  or  die.  The  crowd  cheered  him  when  he  got 
through  speaking.  I  think  he  ordered  them  to  form  into  companies 
of  fifteen  or  twenty,  and  form  around  the  window,  and  let  no  man 
vote  who  was  willing  to  swear.  They  did  so.  I  heard  Steely's  name 
called  more  than  any  other  man's  there.  I  should  know  him  if  I 
should  see  him  again. 

About  the  time  they  formed  themselves  they  got  the  white  ribbons 
or  strings  in  their  coats.     As  they  formed  around  the  window  the 
crowd  was  pretty  strong  there,  and  they  got  a  big  rope  and  wound  it 
around  them  so  as  to  let  no  one  get  in  there  with  them.     They  swore 
they  would  let  no  man  vote  there  who  was  willing  to  be  sworn.     All 
this  time  they  were  arguing  with   the  judges,   and  threatened  to 
destroy  them  if  they  did  not  either  resign  or  take  their  votes  without 
swearing  them.     At  last  they  said  they  would  tear  the  house  down, 
and  fixed  a  pry  there,  and  pried  the  house  up  right  smartly,  but  did 
not  get  anybody  out.     In  a  few  minutes  they  threatened  if  they  did 
not  resign  or  let  them  vote,  they  would  fill  the  house  full  of  shot  in 
five  minutes,  I  believe.     The  next  I  noticed  was,  I  understood  the 
judges  would  close  the  polls  and  give  them  an  answer  directly.     The  • 
polls  were  closed,  and  the  judges  came  out  and  went  off.     I  went ; 
down  under  the  hill.     I  went  with  them.     Burson  expected  they ' 
would  be  after  him  for  the  poll-books.     He  gave  them  to  Umber ger, , 
who  took  them  and  went  off.     I  went  up  to  Mr.  Kamsay's,  and  saw 
nothing  more  of  Burson  until  the  evening.     Directly  after, I  got  up  to  > 
Kamsay's  they  came  back  with  Umberger  and  the  poll-books,  andi 
took  them  to  the  polls.     They  then  came  back  and  said  they  hadl 
orders  to  take  Judge  Wakefield  back  with  them.     There  were  several  I 
of  us  who  said  they  could  not  take  him,  and  they  swore  they  would  I 
have  him,  dead  or  alive.     Some  two  or  three  got  off  their  horses. 
Judge  Wakefield  was  in  the  house,  and  said  he  would  not  be  taken  \ 
by  any  such  set  of  ruffians  as  they  were,  and  I  think  he  seized  a  gun. . 
They  stated  that  they  did  not  want  to  hurt  him,  and  he  should  not! 
be  hurt  at  all  if  he  went  with  them  peaceably.     He  told  them  if  theyr 
would  give  their  honors  he  would  not  be  hurt  while  he  was  there,  he 
would  go  with  them  if  they  had  any  business  with  him.     He  went  off 
with  them,  and  returned  back  after  being  gone  some  time,  not  veryr 
long.     The  company  of  residents  then  broke  up,  and  mostly  went; 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS,  179 

tome.  I  went  to  the  polls  and  staid  there  till  night.  Ellison  con- 
tinued to  act  as  judge,  but  I  do  not  believe  I  know  the  others  who 
acted  as  judges,  I  saw  these  people  go  away  the  same  road  back  that 
they  came.  They  started  two  or  three  hours  by  sun.  A  party  of 
some  thirty  or  forty  were  left  about  the  house  to  guard  the  polls  until 
six  o'clock.  They  were  armed  with  revolvers  and  double-barreled 
shot-guns.  The  rest  went  away  when  they  had  voted.  I  believe  all 
had  arms.  I  did  not  notice  any  of  them  without.  They  formed  around 
the  wagon  about  the  time  they  said  they  would  tear  down  the  house, 
and  formed  in  small  companies,  and  took  rifles  and  shot-guns  out  of 
the  wagon.  I  did  not  look  into  the  wagon.  I  think  there  were  some 
ox  teams,  but  they  were  generally  two -horse  and  four-horse  teams, 
and  mule  teams.  They  had  some  flags,  but  I  did  not  notice  them 
very  particularly,  except  they  were  common  flags,  such  as  armies 
have. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson : 

It  was  from  these  men  I  learned  their  residence.  I  inquired  of  a 
dozen  or  so ;  all  I  talked  with  told  me  they  were  from  Missouri.  I 
should  think  there  were  five  or  six  hundred  altogether.  Some  of 
them  I  knew  by  sight,  but  not  by  name,  as  I  lived  in  Missouri  for  a 
year,  and  had  seen  them  near  Westport  and  Independence.  They 
spoke  it  out  publicly  in  conversation.  There  was  no  public  speaking 
except  by  Claiborne  Jackson,  I  resided  in  Cass  county,  Missouri,  on 
what  is  called  the  High  Blue,  near  Little  Santa  Fe.  I  formerly  came 
from  Morgan  county,  Missouri,  and  have  lived  in  Cooper  county, 
Missouri. 

To  Mr.  Boeder : 

I  was  well  acquainted  in  the  district.  I  do  not  think  there  were 
more  than  half  a  dozen — there  might  have  been  a  dozen — in  this  com- 
pany who  were  residents  in  the  district. 

his 

ANDREW  +  WHITE. 

mark, 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856, 


DK.  E.  Gr.  MACY  called  and  affirmed. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  this  Territory  about  the  middle  of  November,  1854,  and 
settled  in  the  second  district,  and  came  from  Butler  county,  Ohio.  I 
have  resided  in  the  second  district  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election 
of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  £t  Bloomington.  The  first  thing  that 
attracted  my  attention  after  I  got  there  was  a  large  body  of  strangers, 
who  were  holding  a  formal  election  in  the  front  of  Esquire  Burson's 
house.  I  heard  the  name  of  Thomas  Johnson  announced  as  our  gov- 
ernor. The  polls  were  then  opened,  and  there  was  a  general  rush 
around  the  window.  Two  men,  who  were  strangers,  placed  them- 


180  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

selves  one  on  each  side  of  the  window,  and  acted  as  foremen,  and  dic- 
tated more  or  less  to  those  who  came  up  to  vote,  and  told  them  they 
should  not  qualify  according  to  the  directions  in  the  proclamation. 
The  crowd  that  surrounded  the  polls  was,  I  should  think,  some  fifteen 
men  deep.  It  was  impossible  for  me  to  get  to  the  polls.  I  crowded 
in  for  half  an  hour,  and  did  not  get  more  than  half  way  to  the  polls 
from  the  outside  of  this  "body  of  men.  I  was  recognised  by  some  one 
in  the  crowd,  who  cried  out  "  There  comes  an  abolitionist/'  I  went 
back  out  of  the  crowd,  by  their  help,  a  heap  quicker  than  I  got  in. 
Soon  there  was  an  announcement  that  Claiborne  Jackson  would  address 
the  congregation.  He  took  an  elevated  stand,  and  addressed  the 
people  by  saying  that  a  few  minutes'  residence  in  the  Territory  gave 
them  as  good  a  right  to  vote  as  though  they  had  been  in  years.  He 
said  that  that  was  the  order  at  California,  and  it  should  be  so  here ; 
that  Governor  Eeeder  had  no  authority  to  issue  any  such  orders  as 
were  in  his  proclamation  ;  that  they  had  come  here  to  vote,  and  they 
would  vote.  He  then  called  upon  the  people  to  form  themselves  in 
companies  of  fifteen  men  each,  or  somewhere  of  that  number  ;  they 
proceeded  to  do  so  ;  they  had  white  strings  and  ribbons  tied  in  their 
coats.  Immediately  after  those  orders,  I  saw  numbers  of  them  over 
the  grounds,  loading  double-barreled  shot-guns.  A  committee  of 
three,  I  think,  was  then  appointed  to  wait  upon  the  judges,  to  demand 
that  they  should  resign.  After  five  minutes  had  expired,  some  gen- 
tleman— I  do  not  know  who,  as  they  were  all  strangers — took  out 
his  watch,  and  said  "  We  will  give  you  one  minute  more  ;  if  you  do 
not  resign  in  that  time,  this  house  will  be  torn  down."  At  that 
period  there  was  quite  an  excitement  in  the  crowd — a  great  many 
oaths  and  threats.  I  saw  a  lever  placed  under  one  side  of  the  house 7 
and  I  think  the  logs  were  raised  some  two  or  three  inches,  and  let  fall 
in  their  places  again,  without  doing  much  damage. 

During  this  excitement,  I  heard  a  crash  in  the  window,  and  saw  a 
confusion  at  the  front  door  and  a  rush  in  the  house.  I  passed  around 
where  the  front  door  was,  and  saw  a  man  they  called  Mr.  Jones  come 
out  with  a  bundle  of  papers  in  his  hands,  and  held  them  up  and  hal- 
looed "Hurrah  for  Missouri !"  I  heard  somebody  call  me,  and  I  looked 
around,  and  Esquire  Burson,  Judge  Wakefield,  and  some  others  were 
some  fifty  or  sixty  yards  north  of  the  house.  I  went  to  them,  and  we 
went  down  under  the  bluff.  There  were  some  four  or  five  of  us,  as 
near  as  I  can  recollect.  We  concluded,  after  a  short  conversation,  to 
go  to  Mr.  Kamsay's  house.  Esquire  Burson  had  the  poll-books  in  his 
pocket.  About  that  time  we  saw  a  crowd  on  horses  and  mules  coming 
towards  Mr.  Kamsay's,  where  they  came  and  called  for  Esquire  Bur- 
son.  Judge  Wakefield  told  them  positively  .he  was  not  there.  They 
were  told  the  poll-books  were  not  there.  I  saw  these  men  ride  down 
across  the  prairie  very  rapidly,  and  they  soon  returned  with  George 
Umberger,  a  neighbor  of  ours,  behind*one  of  them.  They  came  up  to 
Mr.  Kamsay's  house,  and  demanded  that  Judge  Wakefield  should  go 
up  to  the  polls  with  them.  He  refused  to  do  so  ;  when  they  drew  re- 
volvers, some  of  them  cocking  them  and  swearing  that  he  should  go, 
dead  or  alive.  The  old  man  declared  he  would  not  go,  and  if  they 
took  him  there.,  they  would  take  him  dead  ;  but  finally  they  pledged 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  181 

their  honor,  if  he  would  go,  he  should  not  be  hurt.  He  walked  up, 
and  they  followed  him  on  their  mules  shouting.  I  and  one  of  the 
judges  followed  them.  Just  as  we  got  there,  the  judge  came  down  off 
a  stand,  or  out  of  a  wagon,  where  they  had  had  him  up  making  a 
speech.  He  had  a  badge  in  his  coat.  I  then  left.  I  did  not  converse 
with  any  of  these  strangers. 

E.  G.  MACY. 
LAWRENCE,  K,  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


F.  E.  LAHY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  was  one  of  the  officers  in  the  second  district  election  on  the  30th 
of  March,  1855,  after  Mr.  Burson  and  Mr.  Ramsay  left.     I  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  people  on  the  ground.     There  were  a  crowd  of  people 
there.     I  was  sworn  by  Mr.  Ellison,  one  of  the  judges.     I  do  not  re- 
collect that  I  signed  an  oath  attested  by  Mr.  Taylor.     I  signed  an 
oath  sworn  to  before  Mr.  Ellison.     I  did  not  swear  before  Mr.  Taylor. 
I  was  not  there,  as  I  remember,  when  the  others  took  the  oaths.     I 
was  one  of  the  judges  of  election.     I  saw  the  oaths,  but  do  not  recol- 
lect that  they  were  attested  by  Mr.  Taylor.     He  was  one  of  the  clerks 
while  I  was  serving.     After  the  election  I  took  charge  of  the  duplicate 
papers  not  sent  to  the  governor's  office.     They  were  afterwards  put  in 
Mr.  Waful's  hands,  one  of  the  judges.     I  kept  the  books  until  the 
legislature  convened  at  Pawnee,  of  which  I  think  Mr.  Waful  was  one 
of  the  clerks.     Mr.  Waful  took  them  up  there  then,  and  brought  them 
back  some  five  or  six  months  ago.     I  have  not  these  papers  now. 
They  have  been  lost,  destroyed,  or  something,  while  I  was  from 
home — some  time  last  November  or  the  first  of  December.     We  had 
no  way  of  keeping  them  very  safely  ;  and  the  children  told  me  that 
the  box  was  open,  and  they  did  not  know  what  the  papers  were,  and 
they  got  scattered  around  amongst  the  books,  and  we  lost  a  part  of 
them  then.     Afterwards  I  found  some  and  put  them  away,  but  am 
not  able  now  to  find  them.     I  have  not  been  living  where  the  books 
were  for  some  three  months.     One  of  the  lists  of  voters — or  one  of  the 
sheets,  for  there  were  two  of  them — was  one  of  the  papers  I  found  arid 
put  away.     I  put  it  away  in  some  books  I  had.     It  was  my  father's 
house,  and  I  left  him  and  his  family  in  it.     I  saw  the  paper  last  some 
time  last  winter,  in  January  and  February,  in  the  place  where  I  bad 
put  it.     I  put  it  back  again  in  one  of  the  books,  in  the  same  case,  and 
I  have  not  seen  it  since.     I  made  thorough  search  for  it  a  few  days 
ago,  and  again  to-day.     I  could  not  find  it.     I  do  not  know  what  be- 
came of  it,  for  certain.     My  father  has  been  accustomed  to  take  sheets 
of  paper  from  the  book-case,  that  my  brothers  had  been  scribbling 
on,  to  wipe  his  razor  on  ;  and  he  may  have  taken  that,  as  it  did  not 
seem  to  be  of  much  importance.     I  asked  my  father  about  it,  and  he 
was  not  certain  what  had  become  of  it,  though  he  thought  it  likely  he 
had  done  something  of  the  kind,  as  he  thought  he  recollected  some- 
thing about  it.     Sherman  J.  Waful  acted  as  one  of  the  judges  of  the 


182  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

election,  and  he  acted  as  the  return  judge  of  that  election.  I  do  not 
know  that  George  W.  Withers,  of  Richfield,  Missouri,  acted  as  return 
judge  under  the  assumed  name  of  Sherman  J.  Waful.  I  do  not  know 
that  George  W.  Withers  brought  these  returns  to  Governor  Breeder's 
office. 

I  know  that  Mr.  Waful  started  with  the  books,  hiring  a  horse  upon 
the  grounds.  I  started  with  him?  and  went  a  part  of  the  way — for 
four  and  a  half  or  five  miles.  I  do  not  know  George  W.  Withers. 
I  left  Mr.  Waful  at  Allen  McGee's  house,  and  when  I  left  he  was 
making  preparations  to  go  on,  as  it  was  late.  That  was  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  election. 

F.  E.  LAHY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  29,  1856. 


HAMMOND  0.  MUZZY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  March,  1855,  in  the  second  district. 
I  saw  a  great  crowd  of  people,  and  a  great  many  wagons,  when  I  first 
went  there.  I  tried  to  get  to  the  window  to  vote,  and  got  there  just 
as  Mr.  Mace  did.  He  was  just  before  rne,  and  when  he  offered  his 
vote  some  of  the  pro-slavery  party  said  that  it  was  a  free-State  vote, 
and  told  him  he  should  not  vote  it.  Several  men  took  him  by  the 
eollar,  and  undertook  to  drag  him  away  from  the  windows,  and,  as  I 
was  by  his  side,  they  crowded  me  away  with  him.  Some  called  out, 
"  Cut  his  throat  I"  "  Tear  his  damned  heart  out  I"  I  saw  one  fellow 
draw  a  knife  and  present  it  to  his  side,  as  though  he  was  going  to 
stab  him.  They  finally  left  him  without  doing  him  any  injury.  After 
that,  I  saw  some  men  with  a  lever  trying  to  pry  up  the  corner  of  the 
cabin.  The  leader  of  the  party  hallooed  out  to  them  not  to  do  that 
till  they  had  orders.  Soon  after  that,,  I  saw  Mr.  Ellison  come  out  of 
the  cabin  with  the  ballot-box  in  his  hand,  and  he  hallooed  "  Hurrah 
for  Missouri  I"  Mr.  Ellison  was  one  of  the  judges.  I  heard  Mr. 
Jones  (now  sheriff  Jones)  give  Mr.  Burson  and  Mr.  Ramsay,  the  free- 
State  judges,  five  minutes  to  resign  in  or  die.  After  that,  he  gave 
them  one  more  minute  to  resign  in.  The  judges  left,  as  has  been 
stated  by  others.  I  was  on  the  ground  a  little  while  after  the  other 
judges  were  appointed,  and  the  crowd  then  voted.  I  did  not  see  any 
free-State  man  vote  after  that,  and  but  three  or  four  at  any  time.  I 
do  not  know  whether  sheriff  Jones  voted  there  or  not  that  day. 

HAMMOND  C.  MUZZY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  29,  1856. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  183 


GEORGE  W.  UMBERGER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  24th  or  25th  of  March,  1855.  I 
emigrated  from  Ohio,  and  wintered  in  Iowa.  I  settled  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Bloomington,  in  the  second  district,  and  have  resided  there 
ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the 
morning,  probably  for  a  half  or  three-quarters  of  an  hour  ;  then  went 
away,  and  came  back  near  noon.  I  started  to  go  back  to  the  polls, 
and,  seeing  the  judges  coming  away,  I  went  to  Mr.  Ramsay's  house, 
where  the  judges  came.  I  went  into  his  house.  There  appeared  to 
be  considerable  excitement  among  the  judges  and  the  clerks,  and  the 
few  others  who  were  there.  I  was  there  but  a  few  minutes,  when  Mr. 
Burson  handed  me  the  poll-books  and  told  me  to  take  care  of  them. 
We  started  out ;  I  went  towards  home  ;  he  went  part  of  the  way  with 
me,  when  he  turned  off  from  me  down  on  the  bottom.  I  continued 
towards  home,  and  was  overtaken  by  eight  or  ten  horsemen.  I  was 
surrounded  by  them,  and  the  poll-books  forced  away  from  me.  I  did 
not  know  any  of  the  party  at  that  time,  but  I  have  known  one  since 
then.  His  name  was  Jones — now  sheriff  Jones — and  the  only  one  of 
the  party  I  ever  knew.  I  think  Jones  acted  as  the  leader  of  the  party. 
After  they  got  the  poll-books,  they  wanted  me  to  go  back.  I  told 
them  my  folks  were  sick,  and  I  did  not  care  about  going  back,  and 
should  not  vote  if  I  did. 

Finally,  they  said  I  must  go.  One  man  came  up,  swore  a  few 
oaths,  and  tried  to  get  hold  of  my  collar  ;  I  supposed  to  choke  me. 
I  thrust  his  hand  away,  and  told  him  to  take  care  of  himself.  He 
finally  agreed  if  I  would  go  along,  I  would  not  be  hurt.  I  got  on  the 
horse  behind  Mr.  Jones,  and  went  over  to  Mr.  Ramsay's.  They 
wanted  Judge  Wakefield  there.  The  judge  refused  to  go  at  first. 
They  finally  told  him,  as  they  had  told  me,  that  if  he  would  go  along 
he  would  not  be  harmed.  We  both  went  over.  On  the  road  going 
over,  a  man  came  running  out  of  the  house  where  the  polls  were  held, 
and  said  he  would  cut  my  throat  if  I  did  not  take  care.  They  took 
me  to  the  window,  gave  me  a  pro-slavery  ticket,  and  wanted  me  to 
vote.  I  refused  voting  that  ticket.  They  handed  me  another,  and  I 
refused  to  vote  that  either.  I  left  shortly  after  that.  They  threat- 
ened Burson's  life.  They  wanted  to  get  hold  of  him  ;  they  supposed 
I  was  Burson  ;  they  threatened  his  life  if  they  got  him.  They  took 
Judge  Wakefield  to  the  polls.  He  got  up  on  a  wagon  and  made  a 
speech  to  them.  Shortly  after  I  left,  he  came  over  where  I  was.  As 
far  as  I  know  now — I  was  not  much  acquainted  at  the  time — I  should 
think  there  were  a  great  many  more  people  when  I  went  back  to  the 
polls  than  there  were  voters  in  the  district.  As  I  was  coming  up  the 
second  time  in  the  morning,  I  saw  a  great  many  going  home,  who  said 
they  saw  there  would  not  be  a  fair  chance  there,  and  they  did  not  care 
about  remaining. 


184  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

I  had  been  in  the  district  but  four  or  five  days,  and  was  a  stranger 
to  the  residents  of  the  district  generally. 

G.  W.  UMBERGEB. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.;  April  29,  1856. 


WILLIAM  JESSEE  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  for  the  first  time  about  the  middle  of  De- 
cember, 1854.  I  came  to  St.  Joseph  about  the  middle  of  November, 
1854,  and  left  my  family  there,  and  came  over  to  look  at  the  Terri- 
tory. I  came  from  McLean  county,  Illinois,  and  settled  on  the  Wa- 
karusa,  in  the  second  district,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Bloomington,  on 
the  last  day  of  January.  I  came  there  with  a  part  of  my  plunder  and 
my  oldest  son.  In  about  two  weeks  I  went  after  my  family.  I  moved 
them  there  on  the  28th  day  of  February,  1855.  I  was  at  the  election 
of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  A  day  or  two  before  the  election  one  of 
the  judges  chose  me  for  one  of  the  clerks.  On  the  morning  of  the 
election  I  started  very  early  to  go  to  the  polls,  and,  after  I  had  started 
a  few  minutes,  I  saw  a  wagon  coming  with  a  flag  on  the  hind  end  of 
it.  It  passed  me  before  I  got  to  the  polls.  I  was  not  out  of  the  house 
much  before  the  polls  were  opened,  but  went  in  to  help  them  to  pre- 
pare the  poll-books  for  the  election.  I  saw  a  great  many  persons 
going  backwards  and  forwards  before  the  door  and  windows.  The 
polls  were  opened  and  they  commenced  voting.  Some  persons  came 
forward  and  voted.  Others  came,  and  their  votes  were  objected  to 
until  they  were  proved  to  be  actual  settlers  of  the  Territory.  Some 
were  qualified,  and  others  were  proved,  by  men  who  were  by,  that 
they  were  settlers.  It  went  on  in  that  way  until  there  were  about 
thirty-three  votes  taken,  if  I  recollect  right,  when  one  man  offered  his 
vote,  and  the  judges  would  not  receive  it  unless  he  would  be  qualified, 
or  prove  he  was  a  citizen.  He  refused  to  do  so.  Others  cried  out  and 
swore  that  he  should  not  be  sworn,  but  that  he  should  vote  without. 
He  still  continued  to  insist  on  voting,  and  the  judges  would  not  re- 
ceive his  vote.  They  then  swore  he  should  vote  without  swearing. 
During  this  time  others  came  up  to  the  window  to  vote,  and  were 
pulled  away,  and  not  allowed  to  vote.  There  were,  I  should  think,  a 
dozen  pistols  cocked  and  pointed  to  the  judges  at  the  window,  and 
they  swore  they  would  blow  their  brains  out  if  they  did  not  receive 
those  votes  or  resign.  I  did  not  count  the  number  of  times  these 
pistols  were  presented,  but  I  should  think  it  was  from  eight  to  a  dozen 
times.  They  insisted  those  men  should  vote  without  being  sworn. 
They  said  they  had  come  there  to  vote,  and  they  would  vote.  One  of 
the  judges  (Mr.  Ellison)  then  told  the  other  two  not  to  take  any  votes 
until  he  came  back.  He  stepped  out  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  re- 
turned. He  proposed  to  close  the  polls,  and  said  that  in  less  than 
five  minutes  the  house  would  be  thrown  down  and  five  hundred  shots 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  185 

thrown  in  the  window.  I  felt  the  house  jar  with  the  pries,  but  I  did 
not  see  them.  Mr.  Ellison  and  Mr.  Ramsay  tried  to  gather  up  the 
ballot-box,  but  Mr.  Ellison  took  it  away.  I  think  the  door  was  broken 
open  about  the  same  time  ;  when  Mr.  Ellison  ran  out  with  the  ballot- 
box  and  hallooed  "  Hurrah  for  Missouri  I"  At  the  same  time  I  took 
up  the  poll-books,  doubled  them  up,  and  handed  them  to  Esquire 
Burson.  The  house  was  filling  up  at  the  time,  and  I  went  out  and 
talked  around  through  the  crowd.  In  a  few  minutes  a  man  came  out 
holding  up  some  papers  in  his  hand,  which  caused  a  great  hurrah.  I 
then  made  my  way  through  the  crowd  as  near  as  I  could  to  this  man, 
to  ascertain  what  were  the  papers  he  had.  When  I  got  close  enough, 
I  discovered  it  was  a  piece  of  blank  paper  that  had  been  blotted  in 
making  out  the  poll-book,  and  a  certificate  that  there  had  been  amis- 
take  made.  I  then  hunted  around  for  Esquire  Burson  and  Mr.  Ram- 
say. I  came  across  a  man  who  told  me  they  had  but  five  minutes — or 
one  minute,  I  do  not  recollect  which — to  live  if  they  did  not  resign 
their  posts  as  judges  of  election.  I  asked  him  why  he  did  not  go  in? 
He  said  he  could  not  get  in.  I  told  him  I  was  going  in  or  would  die, 
and  he  said  he  would  follow  me.  They  were  crowded  before  the  door, 
and  I  had  to  pull  my  way  considerably.  Nothing  was  said  to  me  until 
I  got  to  the  door.  They  asked  me  what  I  wanted,  and  I  said  I  wanted 
to  get  into  the  house  to  see  Esquire  Burson.  They  then  let  me  in. 
There  was  one  man  in  there  standing  with  a  watch  in  his  hand.  I  did 
not  know  his  name  at  that  time,  but  found  it  out  shortly  afterwards. 
I  then  went  to  Mr.  Burson  and  told  him  he  had  better  leave  the  house. 
He  said  he  hated  to  leave  his  own  house.  I  told  him  that,  under  the 
circumstances,  I  thought  he  had  better  leave,  and  he  consented  to  it 
and  went  out.  Mr.  Ramsay  followed,  and  I  went  out  after  them. 
We  all  three  walked  off  down  over  the  hill,  some  two  or  three  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  house.  There  were  probably  fifteen  of  us.  After 
that  we  went  to  Mr.  Ramsay's  house.  I  asked  Mr.  Burson  where  the 
poll-books  were  ?  He  answered  he  had  got  them,  but  I  found  them 
in  his  pocket  afterwards.  He  handed  them  to  Mr.  Umberger.  About 
that  time  there  was  a  yell  raised  near  the  house,  and  men  coming  on 
horses  as  hard  as  they  could  tear.  Mr.  Burson  and  Mr.  Umberger 
started  off.  These  men  asked  if  these  poll-books  were  there,  and  we 
told  them  they  were  not.  They  swore  they  believed  they  were,  and 
we  told  them  they  were  welcome  to  try  it.  They  then  went  off  after 
the  others,  and  shortly  returned  and  said  they  had  found  them.  They 
abused  us  most  wretchedly,  calling  us  almost  everything  they  could 
think  of.  Mr.  Jones  (now  the  sheriff)  had  Mr.  Umberger  behind 
him. 

About  that  time  there  was  another  yell,  and  some  fifteen  or  more 
came  after  Judge  Wakefield,  they  said.  They  demanded  that  he 
should  go,  and  he  refused,  asking  what  they  wanted,  and  he  would 
not  tell  them.  Finally,  three  men  agreed,  if  he  would  go,  they 
would  give  their  security  that  he  should  not  be  hurt,  and  they  gave 
their  names.  Sheriff  Jones  was  one  of  them  ;  the  others  I  do  not 
recollect.  He  went  with  them,  and  they  passed  off.  The  inquiry  and 
search  was  still  for  Esquire  Burson.  I  went  and  found  him,  and  we 
went  off,  and  it  was  near  evening  before  I  returned  to  the  polls. 


186  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


- 


When  I  got  back  the  bigger  part  of  the  company  had  left — a  few 
them  were  still  voting.     I  remained  there  half  an  hour,  and  then 
went  off  again. 

The  man  who  was  holding  the  watch  in  the  election  house  I  recog- 
nised afterwards  as  the  one  who  gave  his  name  as  Jones,  the  present^ 
sheriff,  in  Mr.  Ramsay's  house.  What  I  saw  of  those  persons,  went1! 
off  east  by  my  house.  I  was  home  part  of  the  time,  and  saw  a  num- 
ber of  horses  and  wagons  pass.  I  supposed  there  were  near  400 i 
strangers  in  the  district  then,  so  far  as  I  knew.  I  have  not  seem 
them  in  the  district  since.  As  far  as  I  saw,  they  were  pretty  welll 
armed  with  revolvers  and  bowie-knives.  Some  of  them  had  two  pis- 
tols in  a  belt  around  them,  and  a  bowie-knife  or  two.  I  do  not  know, 
whether  any  settlers  of  the  district  voted  after  this  difficulty  aboutt 
the  judges  took  place. 

WILLIAM  JESSEE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


SAMUEL  JONES  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  last  day  of  October,  1854.     I  went! 
into  the  district  where  I  am  living  now  the  2d  day  of  November,,  1854.. 
I  came  from  West  port,   Missouri,  where  I  had  been  living  for  moce 
than  two  years.     I  settled  in  the  second  district.     I  was  at  the  elec- 
tion of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     I  saw  a  good  many  of  the  people  II 
was  acquainted  with  in  Missouri.     Some  of  them  told  me  they  hadi 
moved  into  the  Territory,  and  others  that  they  had  claims,  but  had  notr 
moved  into  the  Territory;  and  others  told  me  that  they  intended  to' 
come;  and  one  of  them  that  he  did  not  intend  to  reside  here.  I  heardl 
these  men  threaten  that  if  the  judges  did  not  resign,  they  would  be 
killed.    Samuel  J.  Jones  (now  sheriff)  was  one  who  made  this  threat ;  a 
young  man  they  called  Dr.  Johnson,  who  they  said  was  from  Independ- 
ence, was  another;  and  others,  whose  names  I  do  not  know,  made 
other  threats  also.     I  saw  them  fix  a  pry  to  the  corner  of  the  house,- 
to  pry  it  down ;  and  some  of  them  told  them  there  was  a  pro-slavery r 
man  in  the  house,  and  they  took  the  pry  away,  and  went  to  the  door1 
of  the  house.     Just  then  the  door  was  opened,  I  think  from  inside, 
and  Mr.  Ellison  came  out  with  the  ballot-box  in  his  hand,  at  which  i 
there  was  a  general  shout.     I  do  not  recollect  what  Mr.  Ellison  said. 
I  was  in  camp  with  these  men  afterwards.     I  started  that  night  to> 
take  a  protest  to  Governor  Reeder  against  the  election.     On  the  cross-- 
ing  of  the  Wakarusa  there  was  an  encampment  nearly  half  a  mile 
long,  and,  without  stopping  there,  I  found  other  camps  on  almost: 
every  creek  as  I  went  along.     I  found  another  camp  in  the  morning, 
where  I  stopped  and  took  breakfast.     They  told  me  they  were  from 
Clay  county,  Missouri,  and  they  thought  there  were  as  many  as  six 
hundred  from  Missouri  at  Lawrence,  where  they  said  they  had  been 
at  the  election.     I  asked  them  if  they  had  claims  in  the  Territory, 
and  they  said  no ;  that  they  only  came  to  vote.     I  passed  on,  and  rode 
several  miles  with  some  men  from  Lafayette  county,  who  told  me  that 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  187 

they  had  claims  in  the  Delaware  country,  but  had  not  moved  on  there. 
They  said  a  good  many  had  come  to  the  election  from  their  neighbor- 
hood. About  the  time  I  got  to  the  Shawnee  Mission  I  saw  a  good 
many  going  towards  Missouri  whom  I  had  seen  at  Bloomington  the 
day  before.  On  my  way  back  I  found  the  road  full.  As  long  as  I 
kept  in  the  road  I  had  frequent  conversations  with  them.  They  said 
they  thought  there  had  been  from  two  thousand  to  eight  thousand 
Missourians  in  the  Territory  to  the  election. 

SAMUEL  JONES. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


JOHN  A.  WAKEFIELD  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  July,  1854,  from  Iowa,,  and  jsettled  in 
the  second  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Bloomington,  in  the  second 
election  district.  There  were  a  number  of  men  who  staid  at  my  house 
the  night  before  the  election — some  fifteen  or  twenty  in  number.  We 
all  went  over  to  Bloomington  together  the  morning  of  the  election. 
When  we  got  there  we  saw  a  large  body  of  non-residents  of  the  dis- 
trict. They  continued  to  come  between  one  and  two  hours  after  we 
got  there,  in  wagons  and  on  horseback  ;  they  were  all  armed  with 
revolvers,  guns,  &c.;  they  had  tents  and  wagons.  I  was  called  upon 
by  the  judges  to  assist  in  filling  up  the  poll-books.  This  gave  offence 
to  the  Missourians,  and  they  cried  out,  "Get  Wakefield  out  of  there; 
he  has  no  business  in  there."  The  door  was  in  the  south  side  of  the 
house,  the  window  where  the  votes  were  received  in  the  north  side, 
and  the  table  where  the  judges  sat  fronting  that  window.  After  the 
poll-books  were  filled  up  I  went  to  the  north  window  to  see  if  the 
judges  would  take  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor.  They  all 
took  that  oath.  Paris  Ellison,  Harrison  Burson,  and  Nathaniel 
Ramsay  were  the  judges.  After  they  were  sworn  they  opened  the  polls. 
The  actual  settlers  then  commenced  voting.  A  few  of  their  votes 
were  given  in,  and  then  the  Missourians  crowded  in  and  surrounded 
the  house,  and  demanded  to  vote.  Esquire  Burson  told  the  first  one 
that  he  did  not  know  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  Territory,  and  he  would 
have  to  swear  to  or  from  his  citizenship  before  he  would  be  allowed  to 
vote.  This  the  person  refused  to  do.  By  this  time  there  was  a  great 
excitement,  a  loud  din  of  voices,  and  many  threats  against  the  judges. 
They  cried  out,  "  Get  Wakefield  away  from  the  window  ;  he  has  no 
business  there."  They  then  pushed  and  shoved  me  to  the  outside  of 
the  crowd.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Gr.  W.  Ward  came  to  me  and  said, 
"  Judge  Wakefield,  if  you  have  any  influence  over  those  judges,  you 
go  and  tell  them  to  let  the  men  vote."  I  told  him  I  never  advised 
men  to  do  wrong.  A  man  then,  that  I  have  since  understood  was 
named  Jackson,  got  on  to  a  small  log,  and  made  a  very  inflammatory 
speech.  He  told  them  to  divide  themselves  off  into  companies,  and 
tie  a  white  ribbon  in  the  button-holes  of  their  coats,  that  they  might 
know  their  party  from  the  abolitionists ;  and  said  that  was  the  way 


188  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

they  had  once  done  in  California.  The  excitement  by  this  time  was 
very  great,  and  they  were  threatening  to  kill  two  of  the  judges, 
Burson  and  Ramsay.  At  this  time  I  saw  a  number  of  men  with  a 
large  piece  of  timber  to  pry  the  house  over,  and  also  a  piece  of  short 
timber  for  a  fulcrum ;  and  another  company  came  with  a  piece  of  short 
timber  to  batter  the  door  down.  But  before  they  attempted  to  batter 
down  the  door,  Parris  Ellison,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election,  opened 
the  door  from  the  inside,  ran  out  with  the  ballot-box  in  his  hand, 
hallooing  out  "Hurrah  for  Missouri!"  He  immediately  returned  to 
the  house,  and  as  he  did  so  the  mob  rushed  in  to  get  at  Burson  and 
Eamsay.  In  a  few  minutes  Burson  and  Ramsay  came  out  where  I 
was,  and  asked  me  what  we  should  do.  I  told  them  that  we  would 

fo  down  to  Mr.  Ramsay's  house — about  three  hundred  yards  off — and 
would  draw  up  a  statement  of  the  facts,  and  send  it  off  immediately 
to  the  governor.  Sheriff  Jones  (Samuel  J.  Jones),  at  the  head  of  a 
party  of  men,  immediately  followed,  and  commanded  Burson  to  go 
back.  I  said,  "  Let  us  walk  along,  and  not  notice  him."  We  went 
to  Mr.  Ramsay's,  arid  all  the  citizens  who  had  not  left,  about  twenty 
in  number,  signed  a  petition  to  the  governor  to  set  aside  the  election. 
Just  as  we  were  finishing  some  of  them  cried  out,  "Yonder  comes 
the  mob."  I  looked,  and  saw  Jones  at  the  head  of  a  large  number 
mounted  on  horses.  They  rode  up  to  the  door  and  halted,  and 
demanded  of  Burson  that  they  wanted  the  poll-books.  As  Burson 
had  just  left,  some  one  replied  that  he  was  not  there.  One  man  cried 
out  that  there  was  a  man  going  over  the  ridge,  and  that  he  had  the 
poll-books.  They  wheeled  their  horses,  and  followed  the  man  at  full 
speed.  They  caught  the  man,  whose  name  was  Umberger,  searched 
him,  and  found  the  poll-books  upon  him.  They  then  took  him  pri- 
soner, and  brought  him  back  behind  one  of  them — I  think  it  was 
Jones.  As  they  came  they  cried  out,  "Take  Wakefield,  dead  or 
alive — damn  him,  take  him  !"  I  then  ran  into  the  house,  and  told 
Mr.  Ramsay  to  give  me  his  double-barreled  shot-gun,  he  having  taken 
it  down  and  cocked  both  barrels  when  the  mob  first  came  to  the  house. 
The  mob  rode  up,  and  I  should  think  a  dozen  or  more  presented  their 
pistols  to  me.  I  drew  up  the  gun  at  Jones,  the  leader.  "We  stood 
that  way  perhaps  for  a  minute,  A  man  professing  to  be  my  friend 
undertook  to  take  the  gun  from  me,  saying,  "  If  you  shoot  we  will  all 
be  killed  ;  we  can't  fight  this  army."  My  reply  was,  to  stand  off,  or 
I  would  shoot  him,  which  he  did.  Then  one  of  my  friends  spoke  in 
a  very  calm  manner,  and  said,  "Judge,  you  had  better  surrender; 
we  cannot  fight  this  army  without  arms."  I  then  said  I  must  know 
the  conditions,  and  remarked  to  the  mob,  "  Gentlemen,  what  do  you 
want  with  me?"  Some  one  said,  "  We  want  you  to  go  back  to  the 
polls,  and  state  whether  it  was  not  you  that  persuaded  the  judges  to 
take  away  the  poll-books."  I  said  I  could  easily  do  that,  as  I  could 
not  get  in  hearing  of  the  judges ;  but  if  I  could  have  got  in  their 
hearing,  I  should  have  done  it.  "  But,"  said  I,  "  if  I  go  back,,  what 
security  have  I  that  I  will  not  be  mobbed  or  maltreated  on  the  way?" 
Some  two  or  three  of  them  spoke,  and  said  they  would  go  my  security ; 
that  I  should  not  be  hurt.  I  said  I  would  go,  but  go  alone.  I  went 
back  with  them,  and  got  up  in  a  wagon  and  made  them  a  short  speech, 


KANSAS  APFAIES.  189 

stating  to  them  that  I  had  been  an  old  soldier,  and  had  fought  through 
two  wars  for  the  rights  of  my  country  ;  and  I  thought  I  had  a  privi- 
lege there  that  day.  I  then  went  on  to  state  that  they  were  in  the 
wrong  ;  that  we  were  not  the  abolitionists  they  represented  us  to  be, 
but  were  free- State  men,  and  that  they  were  abusing  us  unjustly, 
and  that  their  acts  were  contrary  to  the  organic  law  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States.  A  man  cried  out  while  I  was  speaking, 
several  times,  "  Shoot  him  !  he  is  too  saucy."  I  then  made  an  effort 
to  those  who  gave  their  security  that  I  should  not  be  hurt.  When  I 
got  done  speaking,  and  got  off  the  wagon,  a  man  came  up  to  me  and 
told  me  he  wanted  to  tie  a  white  ribbon  in  my  button-hole,  or  the 
boys  would  kill  me.  I  first  refused,  but  he  insisted,  and  I  let  him  do 
it ;  and  then  I  turned  round  and  cut  it  out  with  iny  knife.  I  then, 
made  an  attempt  to  leave,  and  they  cried  out,  "Stay  with  us  and 
rote  ;  we  don't  want  you  to  leave."  I  thanked  them,  and  told  them 
they  could  have  it  to  themselves  then,  and  I  should  leave  them.  I 
then  left  them.  I  should  think  this  was  between  eleven  and  twelve 
o'clock.  The  citizens  had  gone,  generally,  before  that,  and  there 
were  not  a  dozen  of  them  on  the  ground ;  and  those  that  were 
left  there  went  home  ;  and  I  did  also.  I  was  a  candidate  at  that 
election  for  the  Council.  I  drew  up  a  statement  of  those  facts,  as  I 
have  before  stated.  It  was  signed  by  a  number  of  citizens — some 
twenty  or  thirty — and  sent  to  the  governor,  petitioning  him  to  set 
aside  the  election.  He  found  some  informality  in  it,  sent  the  man 
back,  and  a  second  petition  was  sent  to  him;  and  then  the  governor 
declared  the  election  null  and  void,  and  ordered  a  new  election  to 
take  place  on  the  22d  of  the  May  following.  That  election  took  place 
at  the  time  appointed.  There  were  no  foreign  votes  at  that  election. 
The  citizens  assembled  elected  myself  to  the  Council ;  William  Jesse 
and  Augustus  Wattles  to  the  House  of  Representatives.  We  appeared 
at  Pawnee  on  the  2d  of  July,  were  sworn,  and  took  our  seats  as  mem- 
bers of  the  legislature  then  and  there  convened.  When  the  Com- 
mittee on  Elections  was  appointed  by  the  president  of  the  Council,  I 
offered  a  resolution,  which  was  adopted,  calling  upon  the  governor 
for  the  evidence  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March.  The  governor 
furnished  the  affidavits  of  the  facts,  &c.  The  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Elections  (Colonel  Coffee)  called  upon  me  to  know  what 
plea  I  had  to  make  ;  I  pointed  out  to  him  on  the  poll-book  the  names 
of  the  Missourians  who  had  voted,  and  asked  him  if  he  did  not  know 
some  of  them.  He  made  very  light  of  my  remarks,  and  thought  it 
would  avail  me  nothing.  He  made  a  long  and  elaborate  report,  to 
the  effect  that  one  Andrew  McDonald  was  entitled  to  the  seat  in  the 
Council.  After  the  report  was  made,  and  before  the  vote  was  taken 
upon  it,  I  made  a  speech  to  the  Council,  in  which  I  went  into  the 
history  of  the  evidence  of  the  way  McDonald  was  elected,  and  stated 
to  them  that  the  people  of  New  York,  Georgia,  or  any  other  State, 
had  as  good  a  right  to  vote  in  this  Territory  as  the  people  of  Missouri ; 
and  said  that  McDonald  was  elected  by  foreign  votes.  I  told  them 
that  the  day  I  was  there  speaking  (on  the  4th  of  July)  was  a  memor- 
able day,  and  might  become  more  so  ;  that  their  actions  there  might 
be  the  means  of  lighting  the  watch-fires  of  war  in  our  land.  I  stated 


190  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

that  I  did  not  wish  to  stay  with  them,  as  they  might  meet  me,  and 
give  but  a  cold  shake  of  the  hand  while  the  heart  was  not  there.  I 
then  remarked  that  I  knew  they  would  turn  me  out — that  that  would 
he  the  result  of  their  vote,  and  I  knew  it  then.  The  vote  was  then 
taken,  and  it  was  unanimous,  with  the  exception  of  Chapman,  to  turn 
me  out.  and  give  McDonald  the  seat. 

JOHN  A.  WAKEFIELD. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


GrEO.  W.  WARD  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  reside  on  what  is  called  the  Wakarusa  creek,  within  a  mile  of 
Bloomington,  in  the  second  district,  and  have  resided  there  since  No- 
vember, 1854.  I  was  one  of  the  representatives  elected  from  that  dis- 
trict at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  attended  the  election 
at  Bloomington  on  that  day.  The  judges  that  the  governor  appointed 
met  in  the  morning  and  were  qualified.  Two  of  them,  Mr.  Harrison 
Burson  and  Mr.  Kamsay,  had  their  friends  who  had  arms  with  them, 
and  put  their  arms  in  the  corner  of  the  room  and  fastened  the  door. 
I  saw  no  demonstrations  outside  which  warranted  such  a  proceeding 
on  their  part.  When  they  got  ready  to  commence  the  balloting,  we 
were  told  that  we  were  to  vote  through  the  window.  Judge  Wake- 
field  and  some  other  free-State  men  took  possession  of  the  window, 
and  it  was  with  some  difficulty  we  could  get  there.  When  we  did  get 
up,  we  were  required  to  be  qualified  without  any  discrimination.  It 
was  the  pro-slavery  men,  chiefly _,  that  were  required  to  be  sworn. 
I  saw  no  free-State  men  sworn,  or  required  to  be  sworn.  They 
required  men  to  be  sworn  whom  they  knew  to  be  residents.  That 
created  excitement.  It  was  continued  so  for  an  hour  or  more,  until 
some  thirty-odd  votes  were  polled.  The  bystanders  then  insisted 
that  both  parties  should  be  sworn  or  neither  be  sworn,  or  that  the  two 
judges,  Burson  and  Eamsay,  should  resign.  There  were  some  threats. 
They  took  a  recess  of  half  an  hour  to  determine  if  they  would  resign. 
At  the  end  of  the  half  hour  they  were  called  and  did  not  appear.  The 
crowd  gave  them  two  minutes  more;  they  were  then  called,  and 
another  short  period  was  given  them ;  and  they  were  called  the  third 
time  and  did  not  appear.  Then  Mr.  Ellison  named  two  judges,  who 
were  sanctioned  by  the  crowd,  and  they  appeared  and  acted  as  judges. 
The  expressions  of  dissatisfaction  were  by  the  residents  of  the  Terri- 
tory. There  were  some  strangers  there  who  claimed  to  be  residents. 
But  those  I  knew  to  be  residents  expressed  this  dissatisfaction.  I  saw 
no  demonstrations  from  any  quarter  of  the  pro-slavery  party  to  in- 
timidate the  freetState  men  from  voting,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  free- 
State  men  were  invited  by  the  new  judges  and  others  to  come  up  and 
vote.  I  know  I  invited  twenty  free-State  men  to  come  up  and  vote. 

Our  district  settled  up  very  fast  between  the  taking  the  census  and 
the  day  of  election — as  much  so,  if  not  more,  than  at  any  other  time 
previous ;  and  I  do  not  think  the  number  of  voters  were  less  than  a 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  191 

hundred  in  that  increase.  It  was  always  my  impression,  from  can- 
vassing the  district,  that  I  would  he  ahle  to  he  elected  easily.  I  do 
not  think  the  free-State  men  were  satisfied  with  their  candidates,  and 
I  know  very  well  that  there  were  free-State  men  who  voted  for  me.  I 
do  not  think,  from  all  I  could  learn,  that  it  was  possible  for  the  result 
to  have  been  changed  by  any  illegal  votes  that  may  have  been  given 
there  that  day.  Mr.  Brown  and  myself,  the  pro-slavery  candidates, 
ran  pretty  close  together,  within  one  or  two  votes. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  reside  now  where  I  did  at  the  time  of  that  election.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  illegal  votes  polled  that  day.  The  persons  who  were 
there  all  claimed  to  be  residents,  and  I  took  them  to  be  such,  though 
gome  of  them  were  strangers  to  me.  My  opinions  and  conclusions 
are  all  founded  upon  the  idea  that  all  who  were  there  were  residents. 
I  do  not  recollect  that  any  who  were  strangers  to  me  were  sworn,  or 
that  those  strangers  voted  at  all. 

There  was  a  pry  put  under  the  corner  of  the  house  at  one  time,  but 
I  regarded  it  as  mere  fun,  and  not  with  any  intention  to  tear  down 
the  house.  I  saw  sheriff  Jones  there  that  day  ;  I  was  not  in  the 
house,  and  did  not  see  him  hold  any  pistol  at  the  breast  of  Burson,  or 
know  that  it  was  done.  I  have  seen  Jones  in  the  post  office  at  this 
place,  (Westport,  Missouri.)  I  do  not  know  that  he  was  ever  post- 
master here ;  I  have  heard  so,  but  my  impression  was  that  Colonel 
Boone  was  postmaster  here. 

A  portion  of  the  free-State  men  were  asked  to  vote,  and  refused  to 
vote ;  the  others  said  they  would  be  in  after  a  while,  but  I  do  not 
know  whether  they  voted  at  all. 

After  the  new  judges  were  elected,  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any 
one  sworn.  I  have  never  examined  the  poll-books,  and  cannot  say 
from  any  examination  of  them  whether  all  who  voted  were  residents 
or  not ;  I  considered  a  man  who  came  into  the  district  and  made  a 
claim  in  good  faith  to  be  a  resident,  whether  his  family  was  there  or 
not ;  all  I  knew  there  I  considered  to  be  residents. 

I  saw  no  camp  of  men  there.  I  do  not  know  Colonel  Claiborne  F. 
Jackson  ;  I  saw  a  man  there  they  called  Jackson,  but  do  not  know 
whether  it  was  Colonel  Jackson  or  not.  I  did  not  hear  him  make  a 
speech  ;  I  heard  Judge  Wakefield's  speech,  as  he  stood  in  the  wagon, 
after  he  was  brought  back  ;  I  do  not  know  who  brought  him  back. 

That  was  a  peaceable,  quiet  election,  with  the  exception  of  the  in- 
terruption before  the  new  judges  were  elected.  I  saw  no  arms  but  one 
double-barreled  shot-gun,  except  those  stacked  in  the  house.  I  saw 
no  arms  in  the  hands  of  these  strangers  ;  if  they  had  any,  I  did  not  see 
them.  I  saw  none  used,  and  none  were  threatened  to  be  used,  that  I 
heard  of. 

To  STr.  King : 

A  portion  of  those  who  were  prying  up  the  corner  of  the  house  were 
residents,  and  the  others  claimed  to  be.  A  great  many  of  those  I  did 
not  know  then,  I  have  found  out  since  to  be  residents  of  the  district. 
Sheriff  Jones  was  up  there  previous  to  that  time,  and  I  know  that  he 


192  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

had  a  claim  there  ;  a  man  by  the  name  of  Smith  claimed  it,  and  has 
possession  of  it  yet.  Mr.  Jones  was  backward  and  forward  there 
from  the  time  of  making  that  claim  till  he  went  to  Lecompton  to  live. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Mr.  Jones's  family  have  always  resided  here  in  this  place  till  lately, 
and  I  do  not  know  but  they  live  here  now.  Mr.  Jones  was  in  about 
Colonel  Brown's  store  and  the  post  office  here  until  he  was  appointed 
sheriff. 

To  Mr.  King : 

We  recognised  him  as  a  citizen  of  the  Territory  in  our  district. 
My  understanding  was  that  Smith  jumped  the  claim  which  Jones  had. 

GEORGE  W.  WARD. 
WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  9,  1856. 


THIRD  DISTRICT. — Tecumseh. 

Rev.  H.  B.  BURGESS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  October,  1854,  about  the  middle  of  the 
month.  I  came  to  Lawrence  first,  and  came  to  this  district  the  De- 
cember following,  and  have  resided  in  this  district  ever  since.  I  came 
from  Conneaut,  Ohio,  here.  I  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges  of  the 
election,  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  attended  that  election  during  a 
part  of  the  day.  I  arrived  here  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
At  that  time  the  other  two  judges  had  not  arrived.  I  saw  in  the  yard, 
about  the  window  of  the  room  to  be  occupied  by  the  judges  of  election, 
what  I  should  think  was  a  congregation  of  at  least  300  men  ;  and, 
from  my  knowledge  of  the  district,  and  from  their  appearance,  I  un- 
derstood them  to  be  in  the  main  non-residents  of  the  district,  there 
being  but  few  persons  of  that  company  with  whom  I  was  acquainted. 
I  went  into  the  judge's  room  and  found  a  gentleman  there,  who  after- 
wards informed  me  he  lived  in  Independence,  Missouri,  preparing  the 
poll-books  and  tally-list. 

[Mr.  R.  R.  Rees,  counsel  for  J.  W.  Whitfield,  objects  to  this  as 
hearsay  evidence;  a  majority  of  the  committee  overrules  the  objec- 
tion ;  Mr.  Oliver  dissenting.] 

I  soon  went  out  of  the  door,  not  finding  the  other  judges  in  the 
room,  to  look  for  them.  As  they  came  into  the  yard,  they  were  met 
by  a  couple  of  gentlemen  with  whom  I  was  acquainted,  and  stepped 
aside  into  an  unoccupied  portion  of  the  yard,  and  some  three  or  four 
gentlemen  detained  them  in  conversation  some  moments.  During  this 
conversation  I  stepped  up  to  them  and  introduced  myself.  I  heard 
a  few  remarks— but  few- — of  the  conversation,  and  one  of  the  remarks 
from  one  of  the  judges  was,  "  We  understand  it."  One  of  the  gen- 
tlemen— I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  the  other  judge  or  one  of  the 
company  there — said,  "  The  thing  is  perfectly  understood."  We 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  193 

rery  soon  went  into  the  house,  and  the  proprietor  of  tne  house  stated 
to  those  there  that  it  was  the  time  for  the  commencement  of  the  elec- 
tion, and  requested  gentlemen  to  vacate  the  room  for  the  judges,  as  it 
was  set  apart  for  their  express  use.  There  was  something  like  an  at- 
tempt to  clear  the  room,  and,  after  turning  out  some  of  my  friends,  I 
think  the  outside  door  was  then  locked.  The  inside  door,  opening 
into  another  room,  remained  so  that  it  could  he  passed,  and  the  room 
remained  as  full  as  before.  The  first  business  of  the  board  of  judges 
was,  one  of  them  proposed,  I  think  Mr..  Watts,  that  the  first  business 
was  to  elect  a  couple  of  clerks,  and  for  that  purpose  they  had  brought 
a  couple  of  friends  with  them.  To  this  I  dissented. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  cannot  give  the  names  of  these  friends. 

Direct  examination  continued  : 

i 

My  ground  of  objection  was,  that  the  proclamation  had  given  us 
no  such  liberty ;  had  made  no  provision  for  clerkship  outside  of  the 
board  of  judges.  This  objection  I  stated.  One  of  the  judges,  after 
some  discussion,  proposed  to  discuss  more  important  matters,  before 
we  could  organize. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  think  the  judge  was  Mr.  "Watts. 

Direct  examination  continued : 

That  matter  of  importance  was  the  taking  of  the  oath  prescribed  in 
the  proclamation.  Both  Mr.  Watts  and  Mr.  Stateler  claimed  that  the 
governor  had  transcended  his  authority  in  prescribing  that  oath,  as  he 
had  no  right  to  interpret  the  organic  act  in  regard  to  citizenship,  as 
the  judges  claimed  that  any  man  in  the  Territory,  no  matter  how 
short  or  how  long  a  time  he  had  been  in  the  Territory,  was  a  resident, 
and  entitled  to  vote  ;  that  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  interpret  the 
organic  act  as  the  governor,  and  they  refused  either  to  take  or  admin- 
ister the  oath  prescribed.  There  was  then  considerable  discussion, 
and  some  unpleasant  feeling. 

During  this  discussion  the  room  was  pretty  thoroughly  filled,  and 
a  large  crowd  outside  clamorous  that  the  election  should  commence.  I 
sat  near  the  window,  and  frequently  heard  the  remarks  :  "  The 
damned  Yankee" — "the  God  damned  Yankee" — "the  blue-bellied 
Yankee  should  never  come  out  there  alive" — "  put  a  knife  in  him" — 

shoot  him,  damn  him,  shoot  him,"  repeatedly;  which  expressions 
I  understood  applied  to  me,  and  my  course  there.  The  term  "  abo- 
litionist" was  frequently  applied  to  me.  During  this  time  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  house,  Mr.  Stinson — Thomas  Stinson,  I  think — came 
into  the  room  from  the  inside  door,  in  apparent  rage  ;  stepped  very 
quick  ;  had  a  very  heary  hickory  cane,  with  a  grub-butt,  which  he 
raised  over  his  head  I  think  with  both  hands.  His  first  remark  to  me 
was,  as  near  as  I  can  repeat  it,  i£  You  G-od  damned  blue-bellied  Yan- 
kee abolitionist,  you  said  that  any  man  who  would  marry  an  Indian 
was  a  damned  sight  meaner  than  if  he  had  married  a  nigger,  and, 
H.  Kep.  200 13* 


194  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

God  damn  you,  I  will  smash  your  brains  out."  I  arose  and  spoke  u> 
him  kindly.  I  had  an  overcoat  on,  buttoned  up,  and  I  put  niy  hand 
into  my  pocket.  I  told  him  I  hoped  he  would  be  reasonable  :  that  I 
was  not  aware  that  I  had  trespassed  on  any  of  his  feelings,  or  his 
rights  ;  that  I  came  there  as  a  citizen,  and  claimed  the  right  of  a  citi- 
zen upon  a  public  day,  and  was  in  his  house  as  a  judge  of  election, 
and  1  claimed  the  protection  of  the  other  judges  and  the  company. 
He  receded  a  pace  or  two  and  lowered  his  club,  and  ordered  me  out  of 
his  house,  and  I  told  him  I  would  go.  I  spoke  to  the  other  judges, 
and  asked  them  to  what  place  we  would  adjourn,  as  it  seemed  that  it 
was  impossible  to  hold  the  election  there.  They  seemed  inclined  to 
say  very  little  about  it,  and,  considering  the  matter  an  urgent  one,  I 
declared  the  election  adjourned  and  stated  that  I  should  leave,  and 
began  packing  up  my  things  to  he  off.  I  went  to  the  outside  door  I 
had  come  in  at,  and  found  I  could  not  get  out.  It  appeared  to  be  locked, 
and  the  key  was  not  there.  I  started  to  pass  out  the  other  door,  the 
inside  door,  and  this  gentleman  that  I  before  spoke  of,  who  told  me 
he  was  from  Independence — I  do  not  recollect  the  name — desired  me 
not  to  go,  and  had  a  few  words  with  the  other  judges,  and  the  amount 
of  it  was  that  icit  was  rather  an  awkward  position."  I  adhered  to 
my  determination.  He  said  that  they  would  see  Mr.  Stinson,  and 
have  the  matter  adjusted.  About  this  time  some  gentleman  I  did  not 
know  came  in  and  remarked  it  was  all  right  with  Mr.  Stinson.  I  was 
titill  unsatisfied,  and  he  proposed  to  go  and  see  him  himself,  and  very 
OQML  returned  and  said  he  had  seen  Mr.  Stinson,  and  Mr.  Stinson  said 
I  oeold  remain  until  after  the  election,  and  he  would  settle  with  me 
then ;  upon  which  I  resumed  my  seat. 

After  we  had  continued  our  attempt  at  an  organization  for,  I  should 
think,  about  two  hours,  the  people  outside  became  very  impat: 
The  reason  why  we  had  not  organized  was  because  I  would  submit  to 
nothing  less  than  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor,  which  the 
other  judges  would  not  accept,  and  refused  to  administer  it  to  me.  A 
suggestion  was  made  by  this  gentleman  from  Missouri  that  we  should 
make  a  compromise,  as  they  were  the  majority,  and  agreed  upon  their 
plan  of  proceedings ;  I  being  in  a  minority,  would  be  obliged  to  sub- 
mit to  their  proceeding,  to  which  I  was  very  ready  to  yield.  Mr. 
Watts  suggested  that  there  might  be  trouble  in  that,  and  asked  if  I 
would  send  in  a  report  offering  it  to  the  governor,  and  I  think  the 
other  judge  asked  if  I  would  sign  the  returns  if  they  proceeded  in  that 
way.  I  said  I  would  if  they  would  allow  me  to  send  up  with  the  re- 
turns a  statement  of  the  facts.'  This  they  would  not  accept,  and  pro- 
posed that  we  should  resign,  and  allow  the  people  there  to  elect 
judges  to  suit  themselves.  To  that  I  objected,  because  the  highest 
officer  in  the  Territory  had  appointed  us  to  that  office — the  highest 
trust  in  the  Territory — and  refused  to  vacate  my  seat.  About  this 
time  three  gentlemen  came  in  through  the  inside  door,  one  of  whom 
I  had  seen  in  the  crowd  outside,  and  wished  to  know  why  the  ele: 
could  not  go  on ;  to  which  very  little  reply  was  made — that  being 
given  by  Mr.  Watte,  that  they  had  not  yet  organized  the  board  of 
judges.  The  reply  to  that  was,  that  they  bad  better  be  about  it 
damned  soon,  or  some  rach  remark,  and  they  retired.  After  about 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  195 

from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes  another  deputation  of  three  came  in, 
and  said  the  hoys  were  getting  very  uneasy.     Their  language  was 
gentlemanly.     They  said  that  if  the  election  could  not  go  on,  they 
would  not  he  responsible  for  the  consequences  that  might  result  from 
it.     They  then  retired.     In  ahout  ten  minutes  more,  I  should  think, 
another  deputation  waited  upon  us,  and  the  speaker  then  was  a  rough, 
uncouth  man,  in  language  and  manner.     He  wanted  to  know  what  in 
hell  was   the  matter  that  the  election   could  not  go  on;  and  that 
we  had  better  he  getting  out  of  there  pretty  damned  soon,  er  we 
would  catch  hell.     Mr.  Watts  replied  to  him,  that  there  was  no  trou- 
ble except  with  one  of  them,  looking  and  nodding  towards  me  across 
the  table.     To  which  he  replied,  "if  he  knows  what  is  good  for  him- 
self, he  will  be  getting  out  of  here  pretty  God  damn  soon,  or  he  would 
catch  hell."     I  said  to  him,  "the  room  was  ordered  to  be  cleared, 
and  every  friend  of  mine  has  been  put  out  of  the  house,  but  the  room 
has  not  been  cleared  a  moment."     And  I  demanded  the  room  might 
be  cleared  for  the  sole  possession  of  the  judges,  to  see  what  they  could 
do  among  themselves,  as  persons  had  interfered  with  their  ceuasel  to 
my  great  annoyance.     He  asked  what  time  would  do  us,  and  I  replied 
give  us  ten  minutes."     I  should  have  said,  before  this,  that  during 
the  time  of  the  conversation  with  the  deputation  before  this,  Mr. 
Watts,  one  of  the  judges,  had  become  apparently  very  much  excited, 
and  had  withdrawn.     I  proposed  to  fill  up  the  vacancy.     Mr.  Stateler 
objected  to  his  leaving  us,  and  seemed  very  desirous  for  him  to  come 
back,  and  was  unwilling  to  have  another  appointed  in  his  place. 
When  the  last  deputation  came  in,  there  were  but  two  judges  ;  but 
after  they  left,  Mr.  Watts  resumed  his  seat,  by  invitation  of  Mr. 
Stateler.     We  soon  found  that  there  was  no  chance  for  argument,  as 
neither  weuld  recede  from  the  position  lie  had  taken.     Mr.  Stateler 
proposed  that  we  should  all  retire,  as  we  w<?re  all  ministers,  and  the 
reputation  of  Christianity  was  at  stake.     I  still  persisted  in  not  re- 
signing.    Yery  soon  we  heard  cried,  outside-,  ci  Five  minutes  left."    I 
had  heard  prior  to  this,  from  the  outside,  "  We  have  given  them  ten 
minutes,  and  then,  damn  them,  we  will  put  them  out,"  and  the  re- 
ply, "  Good!  there  are  only  ten  minutes  left  then^  damn  them."     I 
I  heard  the  remark,  "  Hang  the  damned  abolitionist, -damn  him,  hang 
him  ;"  and  then  from  others,  "  Hanging  is  too  good  f&:  him."    They 
sang  out,  "Three  minutes  left,"  and  "Two  minutes  left."     When 
the  two  minutes  was  sung  out,  Mr.  Stateler  rose  and  ssJdf  "I  will 
not  stay  here  any  longer — I  will  not  be  responsible  for  tiic,  conse- 
quences."    I  said,  "  Do  you  believe,  gentlemen,  that  there  is  c^Dger 
to  our  persons  by  staying  here?"     Mr.  Watts  remarked,  turning  to 
me  in  an  emphatic  manner,  "  that  he  was  afraid  of  no  danger — that 
he  was  afraid  of  no  violence."     Mr.  Stateler  rose  from  his  seat,  hold- 
ing on  to  it  with  one  hand,  and  said,  "  I  will  not  stay  any  longer  ;" 
to  which  I  remarked,  that  I  did  not  think  it  safe  myself  to  stay.     I 
was  asked  if  I  would  resign,  and  I  promptly  said  "  No."     Mr.  Watts 
went  to  the  window,  and  while  he  was  rising  said,  "  I  will  say  we 
•will  resign."     Mr.  Stateler  asked  me  if  I  would  acquiesce  in  it,  and 
I  said  again  that  I  would  not.     He  asked,  "  What  shall  we  do ,  our 
time  is  out  ?"     I  said  to  Mr.  Watts,  who  was  ready  to  speak  from  the 


196  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

window,  say 'we  will  retire,  and  you  may  conduct  the  election  as  yon 
are  a  mind  to,  winch  I  had  proposed  to  the  judges  "before.  My  things 
were  ready,  and  I  left  the  room  while  he  was  speaking  to  the  crowd 
from  the  window,  and  what  he  said  I  do  not  know.  I  know  what  he 
said  was  received  with  cheers  and  acclamations  ;  and  as  I  passed  ou1 
around  the  crowd,  they  were  nominating  tellers  for  the  new  judges, 
The  outside  door  was  open  as  I  came  out.  A  great  many  were  rush- 
ing into  the  room  from  the  doors.  During  the  ten  minutes  given  us, 
the  room  had  been  cleared  of  all  hut  the  judges  and  the  one  gentle- 
man from  Independence.  I  hare  never  seen  this  gentleman  since,  bu1 
think  I  should  recognise  him  anywhere.  The  door  was  at  the  end  o: 
the  house,  and  the  windows  at  one  side.  I  passed  around  the  crowd, 
which  was  very  dense  around  the  window,  and  met  with  no  resist- 
ance. I  left  the  ground  immediately. 

I  made  it  my  business  to  know  every  man  I  came  in  connexion  with, 
and  was  considerably  acquainted  in  the  district,  and  think  there  wen 
but  few  men  in  the  district  I  could  not  identify.  When  I  left  I  did 
not  take  so  minute  a  survey  as  when  I  came,  but  should  think  then 
were  100  more  than  when  I  came  ;  that  there  were  at  least  400  per- 
sons on  the  ground  when  I  left.  I  do  not  think  I  saw,  to  recognise 
them  as  citizens  of  the  district  once,  12  or  15  persons  on  the  ground 
•within  the  yard  when  I  came  away.  ISTone  of  the  deputations  thai 
came  into  the  room  were,  so  far  as  I  knew,  citizens  of  the  district. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Eees  : 

Among  the  citizens  I  recognised,  I  remember  D.  H.  *ETorne,  Mr.  (] 
think)  Freeman  Foster,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hickey,  Mr.  Stin- 
son,  Dr.  Crogsdale,  Mr.  Vaughan,  a  merchant  of  this  place,  and  s 
young  man  boarding  with  Mr.  Stinson.  I  do  not  remember  to  have 
ever  heard  his  name,  but  he  was  said  to  be  from  Kentucky.  I  cannol 
now  recall  another  name  but  the  two  judges,  Watts  and  Stateler. 

Shortly  after  leaving  the  ground  I  met  quite  a  number  of  citizem 
coming  to  the  election.  Philip  Briggs,  0.  K.  Holliday,  a  French 
Dr.  Doms  who  lives  in  the  valley  below  Topeka,  a  Mr.  Stone,  and 
Mr.  Clarke,  were  among  them  ;  the  others  of  which  I  do  not  now  re- 
collect. 

To  Mr.  Reeder  : 

The  greater  part  of  those  I  met  coming  to  the  election  turned  back, 
but  some  came  on. 

To  Mr.  Rees  : 

Mr.  Holliday  turned  back,  but  I  do  not  now  recollect  any  of  the 
others. 

Question.  Was  not  the  difficulty  between  you  and* Stinson  a  private 
affair,  and  did  you  not  make  use  of  the  remarks  Mi.  Simpson  alluded 
to  when  he  approached  you  ? 

Answer.  Mr.  Stinson  and  I,  at  that  time,  were  almost  wholly  ufc- 
acquainted.  I  had  called  at  his  house  at  one  time  when  he  was  sick, 
and  we  had  had  a  few  pleasant  remarks.  I  had  passed  him  a  few  time* 
upon  the  road,  and  there  had  been  nothing  but  a  pleasant  recognition 
"between  us,  and,  to  my  knowledge,  there  had  never  been  the  least 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  197 

personal  ill  feeling  "between  us — certainly  none  upon  my  part.  As  to 
the  latter  part  of  the  interrogatory,  I  have  no  knowledge  of  making 
use  of  that  or  any  similar  language. 

I  am  living  upon  a  claim  about  two  miles  west  of  Topeka. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  informed  those  I  met  coming  to  the  election  of  what  had  occurred, 
and  the  greater  part  of  them  returned. 

The  witness  here  stated  that  he  wished  to  say,  concerning  the  ques- 
tion asked  in  relation  to  Mr.  Stinson,  that  in  a  conversation  some  time 
prior  to  the  election,  with  a  gentleman,  one  or  two  others  being  present, 
the  witness  said  he  did  not  look  upon  it  as  proper  for  the  separate  races 
to  intermarry.  There  was  nothing  referring  to  or  intended  to  reflect 
upon  Mr.  Stinson,  or  any  other  person. 

HENRY  B.  BURGESS, 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  5,  1856. 


Rev.  H.  B.  BURGESS  recalled. 

To  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  have  examined  the  poll-list  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  for  this 
district.  I  find  there  the  names  of  16  residents,  as  follows  : 

W.  A.  Sublette,  T.  N.  Simpson,  D.  W.  Hunter,  H.  N.  Watts,  H. 
Cox,  J.  R.  Wagsman,  R.  A.  Edwards,  E.  A.  Updegraph,  Charles 
Alexander,  A.  P.  Bigler,  H.  J.  Shickler,  Dr.  Crogsdale,Wm.  Pickerel, 
"W\  A.  M.  Vaughan,  John  Horner,  W.  R.  Boggs. 

There  are  other  names  on  this  list  I  am  familiar  with,  but  not  so 
familiar  with  them  as  to  be  positive  about  their  given  names.  They 
are  as  follows :  J.  M.  Cavenaugh,  J.  Strother,  C.  H.  Buggaud,  J. 
Niccam,  James  Herrin,  F.  Grassmuch,  R.  H.  Matthew.  I  suppose 
there  were  but  very  few  men  in  the  district  at  the  time  of  the  election 
I  did  not  know  to  recognise  them,  and  could  tell  where  they  resided. 
Some  names  I  was  familiar  with,  but  did  not  know  their  Christian 
names.  I  had  been  pretty  mtfch  all  over  the  district,  and  had  been  at 
different  gatherings  that  brought  the  residents  together.  I  know  of 
legal  voters  being  discouraged  and  deterred  from  voting  on  that  day. 
I  know  that  at  Topeka,  my  residence  at  that  time,,  we  were  informed 
by  different  persons,  who  were  interested  in  the  election. 

SMr.  Rees  objected  to  this  testimony  being  received  as  to  reports 
rumors.     Mr.  Reeder  offered  to  prove  that  it  was  reported  at  To- 
|  pekathat  there  was  a  sufficient  force  here,  or  to  be  here,  to  control  the 
j    elections,  and  to  make  all  resistance  useless,  and  residents  remained 
;  away  from  the  polls,  and  gave  the  above  report  as  their  reason  for 
I;  doing  so.     A  majority  of  the  committee  decide  that  Mr.  Reeder  may 
prove  the  fact  that  there  was  such  a  report  in  Topeka,  and  that  voters 
|   remained  away,  but  not  to  prove  the  declarations  of  those  remaining 
IJ,  away;    ^Mr.  Oliver  dissents  to  the  report  being  given  on  the  ground 
that  it  is  but  a  rumor,  and,  therefore,  incompetent  evidence.] 
There  was  a  report  in  circulation,  on  the  evening  before  the  election 


198  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

of  30th  of  March,  in  Topeka  and  vicinity,  that  there  was  already  ; 
force  from  Missouri,  from  Texas,  and  from  other  different  souther] 
States  here,  for  the  purpose  of  controlling  the  election  here  ;  and  tha 
if  they  had  not  already  numbers  enough  to  overpower  us,  they  had  il 
the  Territory,  and  they  would  be  distributed  as  necessity  might  cal 
for.  It  was  also  reported  there,  that  there  was  another  body  sent  fb 
from  Lawrence,  to  come  during  the  night  or  in  the  morning,  and 
am  pretty  confident  that  it  was  reported  that  this  extra  force  would  b 
200  in  number.  Some  of  the  residents  of  Topeka  and  vicinity  came 
but  did  not  vote,  or  but  few  of  them,  as  I  find  but  few  names  on  th 
poll-lists  of  those  I  know  to  be  residents  of  Topeka  and  vicinity 
Their  names  are  Edwards,  who  lives  about  as  near  Tecumseh  as  To 
peka ;  Charles  Alexander,  who  lived  three  miles  above  us,  at  th 
Baptist  mission  ;  Wm.  Pickerell  and  W.  K.  Baggs,  who  lives  tw 
miles  from  Topeka  ;  and  Dr.  Crogsdale,  who  lived  at  the  Baptist  mis 
sion,  a  candidate  and  elected.  The  most  of  those,  however,  I  me 
upon  the  road  turned  back. 

To  Mr.  Kees : 

All,  save  William  Pickerell,  who,  I  think,  was  at  that  time  a  free 
State  man — of  which,  however,  I  am  not  positive — of  the  names 
have  mentioned,  were  pro-slavery  men.     I  stand  now  indicted  by  th 
grand  jury  of  this  county  for  perjury. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  was  indicted  for  telling  the  truth  in  regard  to  the  election,  i: 
making  an  affidavit  in  a  protest  against  the  election  setting  forth  th 
facts,  and  sent  in  to  the  executive  of  the  Territory.  I  was  not  boun 
over  before  a  justice  of  the  peace.  I  suppose  the  first  complaint  wa 
made  before  the  grand  jury  ;  a  warrant,  I  understood,  was  in  th 
hands  of  a  deputy  marshal  of  this  Territory  for  me,  and  before  it  wa 
served  I  hitched  up  my  team  and  came  down  here,  as  I  had  undei 
stood  before  this  time  a  bill  was  found  against  me.  I  have  neve 
learned  who  my  accuser  was,  nor  upon  what  testimony  the  indictmen 
was  found.  The  indictment  was  found,  as  far  as  I  can  recollect,  abou 
a  year  ago,  during  the  sitting  of  the  court  early  last  spring,  and  i 
is  still  pending. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Those  residents  who  did  not  vote  were,  as  far  as  I  know,  free-Stat 
men.  The  following  is  a  list  of  resident  voters  in  the  district,  whos 
names  I  do  not  find  on  the  poll-books  of  the  election  of  the  30th  < 
March,  1855,  numbering  sixty-eight. 

Names  of  resident  voters  in  the  3d  election  district  lolio  did  vote  on  ih 
30ZA  of  March,  1856. 

Mortamer  Gilbert  Keuben  Low 

Delmater  Ferrill  Fred.  Walman 

James  M.  Herrin  Castopher  Coplin 

JeMal  Tyler  Tim.  Mclntire 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


199 


J.  C.  Greenwood 
Thos.  G.  Thorntoh 
Daniel  H.  Howe 
Milton  0.  Dickey 
M.  C.  Drinkwater 
A.  A.  Ward 
W.  A.  Sumrnerville 
James  Lacking 
L.  T.  Cooke 
Jas.  B.  Morhan 
W.  F.  Johnson 
John  W.  Brown 
Alfred  Bigler 
Joseph  West 
Eb.  D.  Stinson 
Charles  Jordan 
Osborn  Nailor 
J.  M.  Edwards 
Peter  Belanger 
Belford  Gilbert 
C.  K.  Holliday 
Peter  N.  Main 
W.  C.  Lincker 
E.  Chase 

Edward  S.  Dexter 
H.  B.  Burgess 
John  All 
Abel  Hatwell 
J.  Teggart 
S.  A.  Clark 
Philip  Briggs 


W.  C.  Pickerell 
Jacob  B.  Chaise 
Charles  Farnsworth. 
C.  0.  Nicolas 
Claimore  Shelter 
Thos.  D.  Parkerson 
Wm.  Goddard 
Jerome  W.  Boles 
J.  P.  C.  Bouche 
Hiram  Dansin 
Charles  H.  Buzzard 
Wm.  D.  Owen 
F.  A.  Wentworth 
Charles  Matney 
John  Taylin 
^Richard  Cox 
T.  J.  Wells 
John  Leroy 
Jesse  Newcum 
Mr.  Cove! 
Dr.  Martin 
Wm.  Liniker 
John  Doty 
Mr.  Foster 
H.  L.  Kout 
Chas.  V.  Grey 
J.  T.  Case 
Daniel  Turner 
A.  P.  Turner 
W.  H.  Turner 


The  political  opinion  of  the  above  men  is  free-State,  or  Free-soilers, 

HENKY  B.  BUKGESS. 
TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6, 1856. 


CHARLES  JORDAN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  pitched  my  tent  in  this  place  on  the  21st  day  of  November,  1854. 
I  am  originally  from  Virginia ;  from  that  to  Kentucky,  then  to  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  and  to  Kansas.  I  have  lived  here  ever  since  Novem- 
ber, 1854,  within  a  mile  and  a  quarter  of  this  place.  I  rented  a 
house  in  Clay  county,  put  my  family  in  it  for  two  weeks,  and  came 
on  here  to  look  at  the  Territory,  and  then  went  back  for  my  family. 
I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  In  the  morning, 
between  nine  and  ten  o'clock,  I  arrived  at  Mr.  Stinson's,  where  the 
election  was  held.  Three  others  were  in  my  company,  and  as  we 
were  getting  over  the  stile  four  young  men,  all  armed,  approached  us. 


200  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

The  front  one  accosted  me  as  I  stepped  over  the  fence  about  in  this 
language  :  "  You  are  well;  how  am  I,  God  damn  you/'  or  "  by  God/' 
I  am  not  certain  which.  As  regards  the  positions  of  his  arms,  there 
was  a  pistol  revolver  shoved  down  in  his  boot,  a  bowie-knife  by  his 
side,  and  a  large  club  in  his  hand.  I  passed  him  without  heeding  or 
noticing  him.  My  son-in-law,  that  was  just  behind,  replied  in  some 
way  to  him,  but  there  was  nothing  of  importance  occurred.  I  went 
to  the  west  side  of  the  house,  where  was  the  window  to  receive  the 
votes.  There  was  a  throng,  perhaps  six  or  eight  persons  deep,  sur- 
rounding the  window.  I  heard  a  man  speak,  urging  those  in  the 
house  to  open  the  polls,  and  swore  that  if  it  was  not  done  in  ten 
minutes  they  would  force  the  polls  and  elect  their  own  judges,  as  the 
time  fixed  by  the  governor  to  open  the  polls  had  passed.  I  returned 
just  about  that  time  to  the  south  door,  and  about  that  time  Mr.  Watts, 
one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor,  came  out  and  informed 
me  that  he  had  resigned,  as  he  thought  it  was  unsuited  to  his  calling ; 
and  also,  that  he  thought  the  instructions  of  the  governor  conflicted 
with  the  law,  which,  the  judges  had  and  could  construe  for  themselves  ; 
as  that  was  the  case,  he  had  resigned.  About  that  time,  when  I  sup- 
posed not  more  than  ten  minutes  had  expired,  a  tall  spare  man  came 
out  and  proclaimed  that  the  judges  had  resigned,  and  they  were 
ready  to  elect  new  judges  within  by  voting  or  tellers.  He  nominated 
Horatio  Cox,  John  Homer,  and  Mr.  Small.  I  do  not  know  his  first 
name.  That  being  done,  they  went  into  the  house,  and  it  was  pro- 
claimed at  the  door  that  the  polls  were  now  open  and  ready  for  the 
receiving  of  votes.  There  was  considerable  rush  to  the  polls  and  a 
hunt  for  tickets.  There  was  one  man  in  the  yard  who  had  a 
ticket ;  and  *s  it  seemed  he  could  not  read,  he  inquired  what  kind  of  a 
ticket  it  was,  and  some  one  said  it  was  a  free-State  ticket,  which  he 
seemed  to  doubt ;  I  looked  at  it  and  saw  it  was  not  our  ticket,  and  I 
had  some  tickets  with  our  platform  at  the  head  of  them.  Seeing  the 
platform,  it  drew  a  considerable  of  a  crowd  about  me  ;  they  were 
strangers  to  me,  and  all  solicited  tickets  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
the  platforms,  and  I  handed  out  a  considerable  number  of  them, 
which  some  of  them  made  no  objection  to.  The  flag  was  floating 
over  us  just  about  where  we  were  standing.  I  told  them  I  had  de- 
fended my  country  ;  that  that  was  our  true  flag,  the  stars  and  stripes, 
and  under  that  flag  I  never  intend  to  vote  while  it  floats  over  a  sedi- 
tious mob.  Just  about  that  time  Mr.  Hearin,  a  neighbor  of  mine,  a 
pro-slavery  man,  came  into  the  crowd  and  addressed  himself  to  them, 
saying  I  was  a  neighbor  gentleman  and  a  good  citizen,  and  he  wished 
to  speak  to  me.  He  advised  me  not  to  do  anything  in  the  matter, 
and  that  I  was  in  serious  danger,  as  he  knew.  I  said  there  was  no 
chance  for  justice,  and  we  parted,  and  I  started  to  go  back  to  the  place 
of  voting.  There  was  a  gentleman  they  called  "  Texas"  ascended 
the  stile  and  proclaimed  that  they  wanted  everybody  to  come  forward 
and  vote  ;  that  it  was  everybody's  privilege  to  vote,  and  he  wanted 
both  parties  to  come  and  have  the  thing  fairly  tested.  He  concluded 
with  instructions  to  the  pro-slavery  party.  He  told  them  when  they 
voted  not  to  leave  the  ground,  but  to. stay  there  till  the  polls  were 
closed,  or  the  abolitionists  would  flock  in,  overpower  them,  and  they 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  201 

would  lose  all  their  trouble.  He  said  he  had  come  further,  perhaps, 
than  the  rest,  and  had  undergone  more  than  the  rest,  as  he  had  been 
four  and  a  half  days  on  the  road.  I  never  learned  where  he  came 
from.  I  then  advised  my  party  to  leave,  if  hich  we  did,  I  think,  pretty 
generally.  I  then  came  home. 

I  should  suppose  there  were  200,  and  perhaps  more,  when  I  was 
here  ;  they  were  pretty  thickly  scattered  over  the  yard,  and  in  groups 
about.     I  had  attended  some  meetings  for  nominations,  but  beyond 
that  I  was  not  much  acquainted  in  the  district.     I  did  not  know  but 
few  in  this  crowd.     I  saw  perhaps  twenty  or  thirty  there  I  knew,  or 
biad  formed  some  acquaintance  with.     I  saw  the  camps  the  day  before 
north  and  east  of  Stinson's  ;  passed  by  them,  but  did  not  speak  to  any 
in  there.     The  man  who  made  proclamation,  and  the  one  who  first 
accosted  me,  and  the  man  who  took  the  vote  for  judges,  were  all 
strangers.     I  did  not  vote  because  I  saw  we  were  entirely  overpowered 
}y  the  numbers  from  abroad.     I  was  a  free--State  man.     I  saw  we 
lad  to  be  perfectly  silent  on  all  political  matters,  or  we  would  get 
nto  difficulty.     When  I  referred  to  the  flag,  an  old  gentleman  asked 
me  if  I  had  seen  any  violence  ;  I  said  I  had  not,  but  had  seen  some 
menacing,  with  insults  added  to  injury,  and  would  nc$  vote.     I  do  not 
remember  positively  who  were  the  free-State  candidates.     I  do  not 
mow  that  I  am  acquainted  with  the  popular  feeling  of  the  district, 
)ut  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  there  was  a  considerable 
majority  of  free-State  men. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Kees : 

I  saw  no  violence  offered  to  any  man  who  attempted  to  vote,  .and  I 
saw  no  man  deterred  from  voting  by  violence. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

The  free-State  party  are  divided  between  what  are  called  free-State 
men  and  abolitionists.  There  are  pro-slavery  men,  free-State  men, 
and  abolitionists  here. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

Judging  from  the  vote  on  the  constitution,  I  should  judge  there 
were  four  free-State  men  to  one  abolitionist. 

CHAKLES  JOED  AN. 
TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


M.  J.  MITCHELL  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  last  of  October  or  first  of  November, 
[854,  and  I  have  lired  in  this  district  ever  since.  I  was  not  at  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  but  was  then  in  Missouri.  I  came 
rom  Liberty,  Clay  county,  Missouri,  to  this  place,  and  from  Camp- 
>ell  county,  Kentucky,  to  Missouri,  and  had  lived  in  Clay  county 
nearly  two  years.  I  have  examined  the  poll-list  of  the  30th  of  March, 


202  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

1855,  for  this  district,  and  find  plenty  of  residents  of  Clay  county 
upon  that  list,  as  follows  : 

0.  F.  Dougherty,  R.  Jones,  G.  W.  Withers,  G.  W.  Hall,  L.  Ben- 
net,  George  Buckle,  S.  Tillory,  Emmet  Allen,  G.  L.  Withers,  Garret 
Long,  F.  Bevans,  H.  S.  Keller,  W.  Eiley,  A.  M.  B.  Hughes,  J.  P. 
Bird,  0,  Duncan,  H.  S.  Kout,  J.  Estes,  B.  F.  Wallace,  J.  C.  Coons, 
A.  J.  Kelly,  C.  S.  Starts,  Jas.  G.  Adkins,  A.  H.  Cravens,  and  J.  Wal- 
lace. There  are  more  names  than  of  persons  from  Clay  county  that 
I  am  familiar  with,  but  I  cannot  give  their  given  names.  George  W. 
Withers  is  a  lawyer,  and  edits  the  "  Richfield  Enterprise"  newspaper, 
and  George  L.  Withers  is  a  lawyer.  The  George  W.  Withers  I  refer 
to  is  a  tall  man,  and  lives  in  Richfield,  and  I  think  he  is  a  lawyer, 
having  heard  him  attend  to  a  small  case  on  Fishing  river,  Clay 
county,  hefore  a  justice. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Rees : 

f  I  think  I  can  give  a  majority  of  the  names  of  those  who  are  resi- 
dents in  this  district.  I  heard  some  of  those  whose  names  I  have 
given  as  Clay  county  men  when  I  was  in  Missouri,  and  who  were 
making  preparations  to  arrive  here,,  say  that  they  were  coming  here 
to  vote,  and  they  inquired  how  many  it  would  take  to  beat  the  abo- 
litionists. 

To  Mr.  Reeder:  ^f 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  residents  of  this  district  at  that 
time  on  the  lists,  which  I  find  after  an  examination  of  the  poll-lists  of 
this  district  for  the  30th  of  March,  1855 : 

J.  N.  Cavenaugh,  W.  A.  Sublett,  James  McConner,  T.  N.  Stinson, 
D.  W.  Hunter,  Jerry  Nichols,  James  Herrin,  H.  N.  Watts,  J.  M. 
Small,  T.  W.  Hoges,  H.  Cox,  J.  R.  Wiseman,  R.  A.  Edwards,  P. 
Croco,  A.  G.  Brown,  Ed.  Updegraph,  Francis  Grassmuch,  A.  P. 
Bigler,  L.  D.  Chilson,  H.  J.  Strickler,  Dr.  Crogsdale,  William  Pick- 
erell,  W.  A.  M.  Vaughan,  John  Homer,  J.  Hitchner,  F.  A.  Went- 
worth,  Robert  H.  Mathews. 

M.  J.  MITCHELL. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


JOHN  LONG  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  this  neighborhood  near  a  year  ago  the  10th  of  last 
January,  and  settled  in  this  district,  so  far  as  to  commence  building, 
though  I  did  not  move  my  family  up  here  until  the  first  of  March.  I 
came  from  Michigan  to  Independence,  Missouri,  where  I  lived  a  year, 
and  then  I  came  here,  and  have  lived  here  ever  since.  I  was  at  the 
election  here  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  There  were  a  great  many 
strangers  here.  The  day  before  the  election  I  was  here  in  town ; 
there  were,  I  should  think,  about  200  men,  strangers  to  the  district, 
as  far  as  I  know,  many  of  whom  I  had  known  in  Independence. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  203 

They  camped  on  the  bottom  near  here,  north  of  Mr.  Stinson's,  perhaps 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  here.  I  was  in  their  camp  the  day  before 
the  election ;  was  here  nearly  all  day ;  was  acquainted  with  a  great 
many  in  the  camp,  and  was  round  the  camp  with  them.  I  do  not 
know  as  there  were  any  arms  in  the  camp,  for  I  saw  none,  as  far  as  I 
recollect  now.  1  had  some  conversation  with  those  in  camp,  and 
they  told  me  they  came  principally  from  Jackson  county,  but  some 
from  Clay  county,  Missouri.  They  said  they  came  for  the  purpose  of 
voting.  I  was  on  the  ground  on  the  .day  of  election,  and  I  saw  a 
great  many  of  them  vote.  A  Mr.  Noland,  an  old  gentleman  I  knew 
in  Independence,  claimed  the  privilege  of  voting  first.  The  party  all 
came  to  the  polls,  though,  I  think,  not  all  at  a  time.  I  got  to  town 
here,  I  think,  about  8  o'clock  in  the  morning,  though  I  was  not 
around  the  polls  all  the  time.  The  following  names  on  the  poll-lists 
I  know  to  have  been  residents  of  Missouri :  Small  wood  Noland,  Gill- 
son  Thomas,  Reuben  Johnson,  L.  Ruffrer,  J.  A.  McBride,  0.  C. 
Stewart — -'(Stewart  always  has  had  his  family  in  Missouri,  though  hue 
had  a  claim  here  and  had  a  house  built  on  it,  but  he  did  not  bring  his 
family  here,  I  think  on  account  of  their  health.  I  suppose  he  would 
be  considered  a  resident  there,  though  he  has  merely  stopped  here 
over  night  since  then,  generally  at  my  house,  and  has  made  no  more 
improvements) — J.  N.  McBride,  D.  C.  Patterson,  J.  P.  Henry,  3\J. 
Noland,  A.  J.  Messes,  J.  McMurray,  R.  D.  Wood,  D.  N.  Ross,  J. 
M.  Pitcher,  E.  A.  Hickman,  W.  L.  Farragh,  J.  T.  Thomas,  W.  S. 
Rogers,  S.  H.  Woodson,  D.  W.  Snanig,  S.  J.  L.  Porter,  J.  C. 
Riggs,  B.  Miles,  N.  B.  McMurray,  J.  C.  McCoy,  W.  M.  Akin,  F. 
Pitcher,  J.  W.  Hockaday,  James  Jackson,  and  J.  W.  McMurray. 
I  know  Samuel  H.  Woodson  well ;  he  lives  in  Independence,  Mis- 
souri. I  think  he  has  represented  the  district  in  Congress  ;  that  he 
is  a  farmer  and  a  lawyer,  and  at  one  time  had  a  contract  for  carrying 
the  mails  over  the  plains  to  Santa  Fe,  though  I  do  not  know  whether 
he  has  any  interest  in  it  now.  He  was  one  of  the  leading  men  here, 
and  I  think  took  the  part  of  Mr.  Strickler  against  Mr.  Owen  C.  Stewart, 
when  there  was  considerable  contest  as  to  which  should  be  run  for  coun- 
cil. Mr.  Woodson  was  in  the  room  with  the  judges  before  the  voting 
commenced.  There  were  a  great  many  men  here  that  I  knew  resided 
at  or  near  Independence,  but  I  am  not  familiar  with  their  given 
names,  and  cannot  state  positively  that  the  names  on  the  f>oll-listg 
are  meant  for  them,  except  so  far  as  I  have  given  them.  I  hearjl 
considerable  threatening  outside  at  the  time  Mr.  Burgess  was  in  the 
judge's  room.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  excitement  and  loud  talk 
and  threats  against  the  judges  of  the  election.  I  do  not  know  as  I 
could  state  the  exact  words.  The  crowd  around  the  window  were 
threatening  mostly  against  Mr.  Burgess,  if  he  did  not  receive  their 
votes,  or  was  not  put  out.  Just  at  evening,  pretty  near  time  to  close 
the  polls,  I  had  got  on  my  horse  to  go  home,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gil- 
patrick  (whose  name  I  afterwards  learned)  was  standing  near  the 
door,  and  I  saw  some  one  strike  at  him,  but  I  do  not  know  who  he 
was.  I  got  off  my  horse  and  went  up  to  him.  I  think  as  I  got  up 
to  the  door  where  he  had  been  standing,  he  stepped  into  the  opposite 
room  of  Mr.  Stinson's  house,  where  the  polls  were  held  and  claimed 


204  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

protection  of  Mr.  Stinson.  I  think  Mr.  Stinson's  reply  to  him  was., 
that  he  could  not  have  protection  there,  and  he  opened  the  hack  door 
for  him  to  go  through  the  house.  I  had  then  just  stepped  in  ;  the 
door  was  closed  hy  some  one,  and  I  opened  it  and  asked  him  to  come 
out  the  front  way  that  he  had  gone  in  at.  He  remarked  that  he  had 
been  insulted  ;  that  he  had  come  there  to  vote  and  could  not  have  the 
privilege  of  voting.  I  remarked  that  it  was  not  worth  while,  as  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  excitement,  and  we  had  better  not  try  to  vote. 
That  was  about  all  that  was  said  at  the  time,  and  we  left  in  a  very 
few  minutes  after  that.  He  inquired  of  me  for  some  friend  of  his, 
and  when  I  came  away  he  had  got  out  of  the  crowd,  and  was  stand- 
ing by  the  fence,  and  I  think  had  found  the  friend  he  was  looking 
for.  I  think  Mr.  0.  C.  Stewa'rt  had  talked  to  the  man  who  had 
made  an  assault  on  him,  as  he  knew  them,  and  had  quieted  them 
somewhat.  The  first  I  knew  of  the  difficulty  was  that  I  saw  a  man 
striking  at  him  ;  but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  struck  him,  though  I 
thought  he  did.  There  did  not  seern  to  be  any  in  the  crowd  disposed 
to  befriend  him,  and  he  got  away  as  I  have  stated.  I  saw  no  marks 
or  blood  on  him. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  did  not  vote  that  day. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

One  reason  was,  that  I  did  not  have  the  privilege  of  voting  for  men 
I  wanted  to  vote  for.  I  did  not  feel  inclined  to  vote.  I  thought  there 
•was  no  use  in  the  settlers  voting  against  the  .people  from  Missouri,  as, 
on  account  of  the  numbers,  they  could  not  stand  any  chance  of  elect- 
ing their  candidates.  I  suppose  there  were  two  hundred  Missourians 
here,  and  I  do  not  think  there  were  over  a  hundred  voters  in  this  dis- 
trict, though  I  did  not  know  who  were  actual  settlers  here.  1  did  not 
know  any  persons  except  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Eees  : 

I  do  not  know  the  original  cause  of  the  difficulty  with  Mr.  Gilpat- 
rick.  I  think  Mr.  Stinson  refused  him  protection,  saying  he  could 
not  have  protection  there,  and  at  the  same  time  opening  the  door  for 
him  to  gd  out.  I  was  not  prevented  from  voting  at  that  election.  The 
reason  I  could  not  vote  for  the  man  I  wanted  was,  that  one  of  the  men 
I  wanted  to  vote  for  was  not  a  candidate.  There  was  one  candidate  I 
shcmLd  have  voted  for  if  I  had  voted.  I  have  been  a  western  man  for 
some  time.  I  think  it  is  frequently  the  case  that  there  are  fights  at 
election,  but  I  never  saw  much  of  it  myself  where  I  have  been.  I 
have  resided  for  nearly  fifteen  years  in  Michigan.  Mr.  Strickler  for 
councilman,  and  Dr.  Crogsdale  and  Mr.  Halliday  for  assembly,  were 
the  candidates  that  day.  I  cannot  say  whether  the  free-State  men 
had  any  name  on  their  tickets  for  council  or  not.  I  think  the  ma- 
jority of  them  voted  for  Mr.  0.  C.  Stewart,  and  it  is  probable  there 
were  tickets  with  his  name  on  them.  I  think  that  Strickler  was  the 
only  regular  candidate  on  the  field  for  councilman,  though  I  am  not 
certain.  There  was  another  man  spoken  of  by  some,  but  I  do  not 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  205 


know  whether  there  were  any  tickets  with  his  name  on  or  not.  I 
think  he  came  from  Brownville,  hut  do  not  recollect  his  name.  One 
reason  why  I  did  not  vote  was  because  I  thought  there  was  no  use  in 
voting. 

JOHN  LONG-. 
TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


JAMES  HICKET  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  27th  of  November,,  1854,  spent 
a  week  in  Lawrence,  and  got  to  Topeka  about  the  12th  or  14th  ol 
December,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election 
here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  came  here  to  vote,  and  saw  a 
very  large  crowd  of  people  here.  I  was  pretty  well  acquainted  in  the 
Topeka  part  of  this  district,  but  not  much  in  other  parts  of  the 
I  district.  I  was  at  the  polls  here  some  two  or  three  hours.  I  heard 
jj  one  man  at  the  polls  make  a  speech,  and  say  that  he  had  come  a  good 
:'  ways  to  vote,  and  he  was  not  going  back  until  he  had  accomplished 
his  object,  and  advised  them  not  to  leave  the  polls  until  they  were 
closed.  I  did  not  pay  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  his  speech,  and  do 
not  recollect  that  he  said  anything  about  how  long  he  had  been  coming 
or  how  far  he  had  come.  I  did  not  vote  that  day,  as  I  was  advised  by 
some  of  our  men  of  Topeka  that  it  was  no  use  of  voting.  I  saw  no 
camp,  but  I  saw  a  great  many  wagons  they  had.  They  were  gen- 
erally armed.  Almost  every  man  had  a  revolver,  and  generally 
^ticking  out  of  his  boot-leg,  and  most  of  them  had  large  clubs.  Al- 
most all  of  these  men  were  strangers ;  and,  out  of  the  crowd,  I  do 
not  suppose  I  knew  more  than  twenty  who  came  from  Topeka  and 
that  neighborhood. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Eees  : 

I  saw  nothing  to  prevent  me  from  voting  that  day  if  1  had  desired. 

JAMES  HICKEY. 
TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


LEWIS  0.  WILMAKTH  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  came  into  this  district  on  the  2d  day  of  February,,  1855.  I  was 
it  the  election  of.  the  30th  of  March,  1855 ;  I  saw  a  large  number  of 
trangers  whom  I  took  to  be  from  the  State  below,  and  I  knew  some 
f  them  to  be  from  there,  as  I  had  seen  them,  as  I  had  been  down  there. 

do  not  know  how  they  came  here,  as  the  first  I  saw  of  them  they 
rere  here.  I  did  not  see  their  camps.  I  saw  here  from  Missouri  a 
oung  mechanic  fromWestport — I  do  not  know  his  name — and  another 
roung  man  named  Holloway,  that  I  knew  in  Westport ;  I  had  no 


206  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

conversation  with  them,  as  I  was  with  the  crowd,  passing  for  one  of 
the  crowd,  and  avoided  those  I  knew,  for  they  knew  me  and  my  prin- 
ciples. I  talked  with  quite  a  number  of  the  crowd,  and  they  said 
they  had  come  here  to  whip  the  damned  Yankees ;  but  they  were 
afraid  the  Yankees  were  playing  them  rather  a  Yankee  trick  in  not 
voting.  Several  of  them  said  they  came  purposely  to  fight,  and  they 
wanted  to  get  into  a  row.  One  man  remarked,  if  he  could  get  the 
boys  to  join  with  him,  he  would  go  up  to  Topeka  and  wipe  the  people 
into  the  river  ;  that  he  was  good  for  half  a  dozen.  They  were  all 
armed  with  guns,  pistols  and  clubs,  which  they  brandished  around 
very  much,  rushing  to  that  corner  of  the  yard  where  there  seemed 
to  be  any  excitement.  I  made  several  attempts  during  the  first  part 
of  the  day  to  get  to  the  window  where  the  votes  were  received,  but 
could  not  on  account  of  the  crowd.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  day  they 
gave  out  that  they  wanted  us  all  to  come  and  vote.  I  did  not  vote, 
"because  the  judges  were  appointed  in  such  a  manner,  and  the  whole 
thing  was  conducted  in  such  a  manner  as  it  was.  I  remained  until 
the  whole  party  that  I  came  with  had  returned  without  voting.  I  did 
not  hear  them  say  directly  where  they  had  come  from.  They  said 
they  were  from  below,  and  one  man  said  he  had  been  about  a  week  on 
the  journey. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Kees  : 

My  object  in  going  into  the  crowd  was  to  see  what  they  were  going 
to  do,  and  to  talk  with  them  ;  but  I  had  nothing  definite  in  view. 
As  I  was  sitting  on  the  fence  when  I  first  came  here,  two  or  three 
came  and  talked  to  me  as  though  I  was  one  of  their  number,  and  I 
thought  I  would  let  it  go  so  for  awhile,  to  see  what  it  would  amount 
to.  I  saw  no  violence  offered  to  any  one  who  desired  and  offered  to 
vote,  though  I  heard  a  great  many  threats. 

LEWIS  0.  WILMARTH. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


D.  H.  HORNE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  1st  of  December,  1854,  from  Massa- 
chusetts here.  The  last  of  March  I  went  to  Kansas  City  to  meet  my 
family  I  expected  there,  but  I  did  not  find  them  there.  Being  con- 
stable of  this  district,  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  be  present  at  the  election. 
I  left  Kansas  City  on  the  28th  of  March,  1855.  I  saw  a  party  of 
horsemen  cross  the  river  there,  and  leave  the  same  time  I  did.  They 
said  they  were  going  into  the  Territory  to  vote ;  they  asked  me  if  I 
was  acquainted  with  the  road,  and  I  told  them  I  was ;  they  asked  me 
if  they  were  right  on  the  road  to  Lawrence,  and  I  told  them  they 
were  ;  they  passed  me,  as  did  many  other  horsemen  and  some  teams 
during  the  day.  I  reached  Lawrence  the  day  after  I  left,  late  in  the 
evening.  A  large  party  overtook  me  just  as  I  got  there.  Somo 
wagons  had  flags  hoisted  and  a  drum  on  board.  I  went  into  Law- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  207 

rence  with  the  mail-team,  and  took  the  mail  on  to  Topeka,  it  being- 
then  "between  9  and  10V  clock  in  the  evening.  Soon  after  I  left  Law- 
rence a  party  passed  me.  I  stopped  at  the  springs  until  the  next 
morning,  the  day  of  election,  and  then  came  on  here  to  Tecumseh.  I 
saw  a  good  many  men  here  who  were  strangers  to  me,  who  were 
armed  with  clubs,  knives,  and  revolvers.  One  of  them  stated  that 
Mr.  Stinson  would  not  allow  thern^  to  bring  their  guns  inside  the 
yard,  but  they  must  deposite  them  outside  and  arm  themselves  with 
clubs  if  they  could  get  them  easy.  I  was  here  when  Mr.  Burgess 
came  down  from  Topeka,  and  conducted  him  to  the  room  of  the 
judges  of  the  election.  Soon  afterwards  Mr.  Stateler  and  Mr.  Watts 
i  came  in  with  the  ballot-box.  I  was  requested  by  some  stranger  to 
i  me  to  wait  outside,  and  I  did  so.  After  I  had  been  out  awhile  the 
crowd  began  to  be  somewhat  uneasy  because  the  judges  did  not 
organize.  Some  one  got  up  and  said  they  should  either  organize  or 
!  resign,  and  have  ten  minutes  to  do  it  in,  and  they  sent  a  man  in  to 
(the  judges  with  that  message.  The  man  told  them  ;  and  afterwards, 
|  as  the  minutes  would  expire,  he  would  inform  them  that  he  had  so 
i  many  more  minutes.  There  was  considerable  excitement  at  the  time; 
>and  they  said  if  the  damned  abolition  judge  did  not  resign  pretty 
soon  they  would  hang  him.  About  that  time  Mr.  Burgess,  the  free- 
State  judge,  came  out  of  the  door.  Several  men. started  after  him  as 
he  came  out,  and  he  called  upon  me  to  protect  him.  I  went  off  with 
him,  and  they  followed  a  short  distance,  and  then  turned  back.  We 
soon  met  some  of  our  Topeka  friends  and  advised  them  to  go  back. 
Mr.  Burgess  told  them  how  he  had  been  used,  and  they  said  they 
should  not  trouble  the  polls.  He  went  home  then.  The  people  said, 
or  some  of  them,  that  they  came  there  to  vote,  and  they  were  going 
;to  vote,  and  would  take  no  oath.  I  knew  most  of  the  persons  in  the 
idistrict.  I  should  think  there  were  two  hundred  and  fifty  persons 
around  the  polls  that  day,,  the  most  of  them  when  the  judges  first  got 
together.  I  do  not  think  there  were  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty 
persons  there  who  were  residents  of  the  district.  I  did  not  vote.  I 
left  when  Mr.  Burgess  came  out;  and  when  he  told  me  how  he  had 
been  used,  and  the  demonstrations  there,  I  thought  it  better  not  to 
vote — that  it  was  no  use  to  vote  the  free-State  ticket,  which  I  should 
vote  if  I  voted  at  all ;  and  I  thought  a  man  might  get  himself  into 
difficulty.  A  great  many  residents  of  the  district  from  Missouri  said 
that,  if  the  free-State  men  would  vote  to  keep  the  niggers  out,  they 
would  vote  the  free-State  ticket.  A  large  majority  in  the  district,  I 
hink,  were  free-State  men. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Kees : 
saw  no  violence  offered  to  prevent  any  one  from  voting. 

DANIEL  H.  HORNE. 
TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  Hay  6,  1856. 


208  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

JAMES  F.  MERRIAM  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  arrived  at  Lawrence  the  22d  day  of  November,  1854,  and  came 
into  this  district  the  7th  of  December,  1854,  and  hare  resided  at  To- 
pefefi  ever  since.  I  was  at  this  place  the  day  of  election,  the  30th  of 
March,  1855.  I  think  I  got  here-  not  far  from  9  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  left  about  noon,  or  a  little  later.  I  should  judge  there  were 
from  300  to  400  about  the  polls  on  that  day.  I  saw  very  few  resi- 
dents among  them  that  I  knew ;  the  rest  were  strangers  to  me.  I 
did  not  go  down  to  their  camps.  I  met  Mr.  Burgess  as  I  came  down, 
and  he  informed  me  of  what  had  taken  place  here  before  he  left.  I 
came  down  that  morning  from  Topeka,  and  found  some  300  or  400 
men  assembled  around  the  window  of  Mr.  Stinson's  house,  where  the 
election  was  held.  The  judges  appointed  by  the  governor,  except  one, 
had  left,  and  they  were  trying  to  agree  upon  others  in  their  places. 
The  mob  about  the  window  chose  two  persons  for  that  purpose.  I 
did  not  vote.  The  voting  commenced,  and  I  was  absent  among  the 
crowd,  hearing  their  remarks,  and  looking  on.  There  was  a  pretty 
free  damning  of  the  abolitionists  and  Yankees,  and  remarks  about 
those  who  came  in.  While  I  was  there,  one  who  appeared  to  be  a 
leader,  and  the  most  respectable-looking  man  among  them,  mounted 
the  fence,  and  commenced  a  speech  to  the  crowd,  stating  that  he  had 
understood  that  the  abolitionists  were  coming  down  from  Pawnee  and 
Topeka,  and  other  points,  in  the  'afternoon,  and  intended  to  take  the 
polls  in  their  own  hands  to  out-vote  them.  He  said  he  had  come  as 
far  as  any  of  them  ;  had  a  farm  and  home-  in  Missouri ;  had  been  a 
week  from  home,  and  was  willing  to  stay  a  week  longer,  if  it  was 
necessary.  He  wanted  them  to  stay  until  the  certificates  of  election 
were  given  to  their  men,  and  he  would  then  be  willing  to  go  home 
with  them.  That  was  the  substance  of  what  he"  said.  I  heard  his 
name,  but  do  not  recollect  it.  The  crowd  about  here  were  armed, 
and  a  good  share  of  them  appeared  to  be  in  liquor,  and  were  very 
noisy  and  boisterous.  I  saw  a  great  many  bowie-knives,  revolvers, 
and  guns,  and  many  of  them  had  sticks  or  bludgeons,  that  appeared 
to  be  freshly  cut.  I  did  not  vote,  because  I  did  not  consider  the  elec- 
tion legally  conducted. 

Cross-examined  by  J.  W.  Whitfield: 

I  came  into  this  Territory  from  Vermont .  I  came  out  in  company 
with  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Hickey.  At  Albany  we  fell  in 
company  with  some  80  or  100  more,  who  were  coming  out  here,  and 
we  came  out  with  them.  There  was  one  man  who  might  be  called  a 
leader,  named  Tafft,  who  made  arrangements  for  the  party.  They 
were  not  known  by  any  particular  name  or  organization. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  knew,  by  the  papers,  that  a  party  was  to  start  to  come  out,  and  I 
went  there  to  meet  them,  but  had  no  appointment  with  them. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  209 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

All  the  control  this  agent  took  was,  for  instance,  when  we  stopped 
at  Chicago  the  different  runners  of  the  hotels  came  on  board,  and  he 
made  arrangements  with  one  of  them  for  dinner,  &c. ,  and  the  most 
of  the  company  went  there,  but  all  of  the  company  did  not.  The 
company  furnished  their  own  means/as  far  as  I  know.  I  paid  my  fare 
out  of  my  own  funds,  and  I  know  of  no  reduction  being  made.  This 
party  came  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Boston  Aid  Company,  so  far  as 
to  arrangements  the  Aid  Company  had  previously  made  with  different 
lines  of  travel.  This  I  understood,  but  I  do  not  know  of  it  myself. 
I  do  not  know  that  there  was  any  agreement  to  comply  with  any 
arrangement  whatever.  I  made  none  myself,  and  I  do  not  know  that 
any  of  the  rest  did. 

I  saw  no  one  here  prevented  from  voting.  I  know  that  I  and  the 
free-State  men  did  not  vote,  because  there  were  no  legal  persons  to 
receive  the  votes.  I  think  I  had  a  ticket  with  C.  K.  Holliday  and 
Dr.  Wood,  and  I  think  Mr.  Stewart,  on  it.  It  was  a  sort  of  fusion 
compromise  ticket,  as  I  can  recollect  now. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

Those  candidates  were  not  withdrawn.  The  free-State  men  came 
here  with  tickets  in  their  pockets,  and  finding  the  legal  judges  had 
been  ousted,  and  some  persons  chosen  by  the  mob,  who  were  not 
legally  entitled  to  receive  their  votes,  they,  as  a  general  thing,  did 
not  vote.  I  have  no  question  that  a  majority  of  this  district  were 
free-State  men  at  that  time.  I  am  a  dentist  by  profession.  My 
knowledge  of  the  people  of  the  district  is  not  very  extensive.  I  know 
all  the  men  in  and  about  Topeka,  many  here,  some  down  on  the 
Wakarusa,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  district;1  and,  so  far  as  my 
knowledge  extends,  I  should  think  the  proportion  of  free-State  men 
to  pro-slavery  men  was  4  to  1. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

On  our  ticket  we  agreed  to,  and  one  which  I  think  I  had  at  that 
time,  I  think  was  Mr.  Stewart's  name,  and  he  was  a  pro-slavery  man. 
It  was  a  kind  of  compromise  on  the  ticket,  where  one  party  would 
allow  the  election  of  an  opposite  candidate  if  the  other  party  would 
return  the  favor.  We  were  firmly  convinced  that  this  overwhelming 
imajority  would  be  here  from  Missouri  on  the  day  of  election,  and  we 
took  this  as  the  only  course  by  which  we  would  be  likely  to  get  a 
learing. 

By  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  do  not  know  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Company  ever  paid  the  pas- 
sage of  any  one  out  here. 

J.  F.  MERRIAM. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 

WILLIAM  R.  BOGGS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  February,  1855,  to  settle,  though  I  had 
ocated  in  the  Territory  about  August,  1854.  I  located  above  Topeka, 
n  the  third  district,  and  have  lived  there  ever  since.  I  came  from 
H.  Rep.  200 14* 


210  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Howard  county,  Missouri,  here.  I  was  raised  in  Missouri,  partly  in 
Howard  county.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855, 
and  I  found  a  great  many  strangers  here,  but  I  could  not  tell  where 
they  resided ;  I  could  not  tell  positively  who  were  residents  at  that 
time.  I  saw  a  great  many  men  I  had  known  in  Missouri,  hut  I  did 
not  ask  them  where  their  residence  was  there.  I  do  not  recollect  of 
seeing  any  of  them  in  the  district  since  that  time.  I  had  conversa- 
tion with  some  I  was  acquainted  with  in  Howard  county,  hut  it  was 
not  in  regard  to  the  election  or  their  residence.  I  think  some  one  or 
two  or  them  told  me  they  came  here  to  vote.  I  was  in  their  camps  ; 
a  portion  of  them  camped  north  of  this  on  the  river,  and  there  were 
various  other  camps.  I  think  there  were  about  100  here,  though  I 
cannot  tell  positively  whether  there  were  more  or  less  of  them.  I  was 
in  the  camp  above  here  on  the  river  the  day  of  election  ;  I  voted  here. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

_I  saw  a  great  many  vote  there  who  were  strangers  to  me. 
^Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

The  candidates  of  our  party  were  Dr.  Crogsdale  and  Mr.  Strickler, 
and  some  one  I  do  not  recollect  whom.  I  think  Mr.  Holliday's  name 
was  on  the  other  ticket.  I  think  there  was  some  opposition  to  Mr. 
Strickier.  I  saw  no  man  prevented  from  voting,  and  nothing  to  pre- 
vent any  one  who  had  any  resolution  about  him.  There  may  have 
been  a  little  more  trouble  here  than  at  elections  in  some  parts  of  Mis- 
souri ;  but  it  is  common  to  have  something  of  the  kind  at  elections  in 
western  countries.  I  saw  many  residents  of  the  district  vote. 

By  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  do  not  know  that  I  know  any  one  who  voted  differently  from 
what  those  strangers  did  on  that  day ;  but  I  was  not  around  the  polls 
much;  I  do  not  know  how  they  voted.  The  men  I  know  from  Howard 
eounty  were  Dr.  Morse,  a  Mr.  Hughes — perhaps  one  or  two  of  them, 
one  by  the  name  of  Clarke,  and  several  others  I  do  not  now  recollect. 

WILLIAM  B.  BOGGS. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 

W.  A.  M.  VATJGHAN  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Keeder: 

I  was  living  in  Tecumseh  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  first  came 
here  on  the  first  or  second  week  in  September,  1854,  and  have  resided 
here  ever  since.  I  moved  from  Nebraska  Territory  to  Missouri  and 
remained  there  for  a  month,  and  then  came  to  this  Territory.  I  went 
from  Missouri  to  Nebraska  in  1850  ;  I  went  from  Kentucky  to  Mis- 
souri, and  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky.  I  saw  a  great  many  men  on 
the  day  of  election,  and  both  before  and  afterwards  here,  that  I  did 
not  know.  Some  of  them  came  a-foot,  some  in  wagons,  carriages,  and 
buggies,  and  some  on  horseback ;  some  encamped  here,  and  some 
passed  above.  The  largest  encampment  I  saw  was  on  the  Shunga- 
munga,  about  two  hundred  yards  from  Mr.  Stinson's  ;  I  was  in  the 
camp  once  early  in  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  March  ;  there  was  only 
one  wagon  there  then,  and  from  three  to  five  men.  I  was  introduced 
to  two  of  them  at  that  time — one  of  them  was  Henry  or  McBride,  I 
do  not  know  which.  I  did  not  hear  where  they  were  from ;  I  remained 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  211 

there  but  a  few  minutes.  That  camp  increased  afterwards,  for  I  saw 
a  great  number  of  tents  there,  but  I  was  not  in  it  afterwards.  I  saw 
persons  in  town  that  I  had  seen  some  two  months  or  three  months 
previous  in  Missouri ;  I  recognised  some  seven  or  eight  of  them.  I 
think  the  first  time  I  saw  them  here  was  on  the  28th.  They  were  a 
young  man  by  the  name  of  Bird,  who  had  a  claim  near  Douglas,  but 
now  resides  in  Leavenworth  city  ;  one  by  the  name  of  Bennett,  who 
told  me  he  had  a  claim  near  Douglas,  but  resides  in  Missouri ;  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Kyland  Jones,  who  I  had  seen  previously  in  Mis- 
souri, and  since  in  Leavenworth  city ;  a  man  by  the  name  of  0.  F. 
Dougherty,  who  resided  in  Missouri,  and  I  have  since  seen  him  there. 
I  saw  others  there  I  do  not  recollect  now.  I  have  examined  some 
four  times  the  poll-list  ot  this  district  for  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
The  following  is  the  list  of  the  names  of  those  I  find  on  the  poll-lists 
of  residents  of  this  district ;  those  having  no  remarks  to  the  names 
correspond  with  the  names  on  the  poll-list. 

Residents  of  Third  District. 
George  Holmes  had  a  claim,  but  had  not  resided  on  it  for  some  time,  or  until  a  few  days 

before  the  election  ;  McBride  had  a  claim  on  Deer  Creek— do 'nt  know  given  name  nor 

time  of  residence  ;  Lowe,  do'nt  know  given  name  ;  O.  C.  Steward,  G.  Bowls,  J.  W. 

Kavanaugh,  J.  R.  F.  Hooft,  F.  A.  Wentworth,  W.  A.  Sublett,  G.  M.  Holloway,  J.  R. 
Warren,  J.  Mitchener,  J.  Strother,  J.  Piles,  C.  H.  Buzzard,  P.  Woods,  J.  McConnell,  E. 
G.  Vaughan,  Thomas  Warren,  J.  Piles,  S.  Scott,  D.  W.  Swearengen,  W.  Sutherwhite,  T. 
N.  Stinson,  D.  W.  Hunter,  J.  C.  Riga-,  J.  McConnell,  (should  be  Harvey  McConnell,)  R. 
H.  Mathews,  J.  Sarton,  B.  Wilks,  N.  M.  Ilendricks,  A.  D.  M.  Hand,  J.  Acres,  J.  W. 
West,  J.  Niccum,  W.  D.  Owen,  James  Herren,  H.  N.  Watts,  James  S.  Piles,  J.  H. 
Weaver,  C.  Copeland,  Samuel  D.  McCutchen,  James  M.  Small,  T.  W.  Hays,  Horatio  Cox, 
W.  Matney,  M.  Rule,  James  K.  Waysman,  G.  W.  Berry,  R.  A.  Edwards,  Peter  Crocco, 
A.  G.  Brown,  A.  J.  Kelley,  Edward  Updegraff,  W.  R.  Boggs,  W.  H.  Brady,  L.  B.  Stateler, 
James  Corigal,  Charles  Alexander,  F.  Grassmuck,  John  Sailing,  A.  T.  Byler,  W.  Stanley, 
J.  M.  Edwards,  Richard  Steward,  W.  Mutney,  sen..  L.  D.  Chilson,  John  C.  Agee,  (on 
tooks,  J.  R.  Agele,)  Thomas  Quesenberry,  Richard  Hunter,  H.  Z.  Quesenbery,  (on  books, 
H.  G.  Quesenby,)  H.  J.  Strickler,  D.  Croysdale,  W.  Pickerell,  W.  A.  M.  Vaughan,  John 
Homer. 

I  find  two  J.  McConnells  on  the  list.  I  knew  a  J.  McConnell  and 
a  Harvey  McConnell  in  the  district  who  are  brothers,  and  I  think  one 
of  the  J.  McConnells  was  meant  for  Harvey  McConnell.  A  man  b> 
the  name  of  Lowe  lives  in  the  district,  but  I  do  not  know  his  give* 
name.  A  man  by  the  name  of  McBride  had  a  claim  on  Deer  creek, 
but  I  do  not  know  where  he  lived.  When  I  speak  of  men  living  on 
claims,  I  mean  that  I  saw  them  alive  before  they  went  there,  and  I 
saw  them  alive  after  they  came  back,  and  they  also  told  me  they  lived 
there.  McBride  came  here  a  few  days  before  the  election,  but  I  do  not 
know  how  many.  I  was  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  election.  I  was  out 
in  the  yard  talking;  my  name  was  called,  and  I  went  into  the  room, 
and  did  not  know  for  what  purpose  I  was  wanted  until  I  got  into  the 
room.  I  am  a  pro-slavery  man.  I  have  been  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness ever  since  I  have  had  my  house  up.  I  am  postmaster  here.  I 
am  tolerably  well  acquainted  here  in  the  district.  I  do  not  think  any 
of  the  strangers  here  told  me  where  they  came  from.  I  do  not  know 
of  my  own  personal  knowledge  that  any  of  the  men  here  on  the  day 
of  election  lived  in  Missouri  at  that  time.  I  know  of  my  own  know- 
ledge that  the  names  I  have  given  on  the  list  as  residents  of  the  dis- 
trict were  living  here  at  that  time.  I  am  of  opinion  that  those  I  have 
given  as  residents  of  Missouri  were  residents  of  Missouri  at  the  time 
of  the  election,  for  I  saw  them  there  some  two  months  before,  and  have 


212  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

seen  some  of  them  since.  Some  of  them  had  farms,  and  some  of  them 
were  in  stores.  I  find  the  name  of  J.  Estes  on  the  list.  I  know  a  J. 
Estes  in  Missouri,  but  I  know  he  was  not  here.  I  did  not  see  him 
here.  I  know  he  was  too  old  a  man  to  get  out  here.  Am  keen  to 
swear  he  was  not  here. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  the  persons  I  allude  to  as  being  from 
Missouri : 

Smallwood  Nowland,  (know  a  man  in  Missouri  by  the  name  of  Nowland,  not  given 
name,)  John  Bland,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,)  O.  F.  Dougherty,  (know  such  an  one 
in  Missouri,)  R.  Jones,  (know  such  in  Missouri,  now  in  Leavenworth  city,  K.  T.,)  G.  W. 
Withers,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,)  G.  W.  Hall,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,) 
L.  L-  Bennett,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,)  L.  Tillery,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,) 
Emett  Allen,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,)  G.  Long,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,)  J. 
J.  P.  Bird,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,)  H.  L.  Roustt,  (know  such  an  one  in  Missouri,) 
J.  P.  Henry,  (know  such  an  one  in  Nebraska,)  J.  Estes,  (know  such  in  Missouri,  who  was 
not  here,)  H.  Morton,  (knew  him  in  Missouri  and  Philadelphia,  Penn.,)  N.  R.  McMany, 
(have  heard  of  such  a  name,)  J.  A.  Laneheart,  (know  a  Laneheart  in  Missouri,)  A.  B.  Earl, 
(know  a  Dr  Earl  in  Missouri,)  W".  F.  Gordon,  (know  a  man  by  the  name  in  Missouri,) 
C.  S.  Stark,  (know  a  man  by  the  name  in  Missouri,)  T.  C.  Cooms,  (know  a  man  by  the 
name  in  Missouri,)  James  G.  Adkins,  (know  a  man  by  the  name  in  Missouri,)  S.  H.  Wood- 
son,  (know  a  man  by  the  name  in  Missouri,)  W.  W.  Tilley,  (know  a  man  by  the  name  in 
Missouri,)  James  Hunter,  (know  a  man  by  the  name  in  Missouri,)  H.  A.  Hunter,  (know  a 
man  by  the  name  in  Missouri. 

WM.  A.  M.  VAUGHAN. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 

W.  A.  SUBLETT  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  resided  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Tecumseh,  in  the  third 
election  district.  I  went  there  in  the  fall  of  1854.  It  was  rumored 
through  the  Territory  that  eastern  men  were  to  be  sent  to  the  Terri- 
tory for  the  purpose  of  voting,  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  The  ru- 
mors on  the  borders  of  Missouri  were  pretty  much  the  same  in  regard 
to  the  matter.  I  heard  one  man  say  that  he  had  come  for  that  pur- 
pose. He  was  in  company  with  another  gentleman.  He  was  speak- 
ing of  himself  and  a  company  of  some  six  or  eight  others.  There 
were  but  those  two  persons  present  at  the  time  of  the  conversation, 
and  the  others  were  in  camp  close  by.  As  near  as  I  can  recollect,  he: 
said  he  came  with  a  company  from  Pennsylvania;  that  they  had  come 
out  through  the  influence  of  Governor  Reeder,  and  for  the  purpose  of 
voting.  He  said  that  there  were  between  forty  and  fifty  behind  on/ 
the  river,  coming  up  for  the  same  purpose.  It  was  before  the  time  of 
election.  He  told  me  that  he  knew  of  the  election  in  Pennsylvania 
before  we  knew  of  it  here.  I  think  this  conversation  took  place  in 
February,  1855.  These  persons  were  all  I  knew  of  who  professed 
to  have  come  into  the  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  voting.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  free-State  men  going  out  of  the  Territory  just  after  the 
election.  I  do  not  recollect  that  this  person  stated  how  they  knew 
the  time  of  election  in  Pennsylvania. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard: 

This  conversation  took  place  in  my  storehouse  in  Tecumseh.  I  do 
not  know  what  was  the  name  of  this  man.  There  were  two  together 
at  the  time.  He  stated  that  there  was  a  company  of  forty  or  fifty  be- 
hind on  the  river  ;  so  I  understood.  He  himself  had  just  come  into 
the  Territory,  and  was  on  his  way  to  Fort  Riley.  I  think  he  stated 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  213 

to  me  that  he  came  by  water.  He  did  not  state  anything  about  his 
leaving  after  the  election.  He  stated  that  the  time  of  election  was 
known  in  Pennsylvania  before  it  was  known  here.  I  cannot  say  what 
time  this  took  place,  except  that  it  was  between  the  first  and  the  last 
of  February. 
To  Mr.  Scott- 
It  was  after  navigation  had  opened  on  the  river,  because  I  think 
this  gentleman  told  me  he  had  come  up  the  river.  I  do  not  know 
what  time  navigation  did  open.  I  cannot  be  certain  that  it  was  in 
February,  for  I  may  be  mistaken;  but  if  my  recollection  serves  me 
it  was  in  February,  and  after  navigation  was  opened. 

W.  A.  SUBLETT. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


GEORGE  HOLMES  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  at  and  before  the  30th 
of  March,  1855,  in  the  third  election  district.  The  election  was  held 
on  that  day  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Stinson,  in  Tecumseh.  I  acted  as  one 
of  the  clerks  at  that  election.  I  went  over  to  the  place  of  holding  the 
election,  and  one  of  the  judges  (Mr.  Burgess)  was  there.  I  then 
went  over  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Stateler  for  him  and  Mr.  Watts,  the 
other  two  judges  appointed  by  the  governor.  They  came  over  to  the 
polls,  and  Mr.  Watts  proposed  the  appointment  of  two  clerks.  Mr. 
Burgess  objected,  saying  that  he  could  find  nothing  about  clerks  in 
the  instructions  of  the  governor,  and  he  thought  he  could  do  his  own 
clerking,  and  the  other  two  judges  could  do  the  same.  They  then 
commenced  an  argument  on  the  qualifications  of  voters.  I  do  not  re- 
member all  the  argument ;  but  Mr.  Watts  and  Mr.  Stateler  were  not 
in  favor  of  receiving  all  who  offered  to  vote,  as  to  whether  they  in- 
tended to  remain  in  the  Territory  all  their  lives  or  not.  Mr.  Burgess 
said  he  would  swear  every  man  he  was  not  personally  acquainted 
•with,  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory,  and  intended  to  live 
there,  and  whether  he  had  any  family  in  the  Territory.  That  is  the 
argument  to  the  best  of  my  recollection.  Mr.  Watts  said  every  one 
they  were  at  all  doubtful  about  they  would  question,  and  he  would 
have  to  swear  or  prove  that  he  was  a  settler,  and  intended  to  reside  in 
the  Territory.  He  said  he  was  in  favor  of  letting  every  man  vote 
who  had  a  claim,  and  intended  to  make  a  permanent  settlement  on  it. 
As  far  as  I  could  understand  it,  I  do  not  think  their  object  was  to 
lallow  persons  who  came  there  merely  to  vote  and  then  return  to  give 
votes  there  that  day.  I  do  not  think  there  were  more  than  fifty  on 
the  ground,  perhaps  one  hundred,  when  I  went  after  the  judges.  I 
was  in  the  room  afterwards  with  Mr.  Burgess,  and  do  not  remember 
more  than  that  being  there  in  the  morning.  I  knew  most  of  the  per- 
pons  I  saw  there,  and  considered  them  residents.  The  only  violent 
talk  I  heard  during  the  day  was  while  the  argument  was  going  on 
between  the  judges.  Mr.  Stinson  came  in  and  asked  Mr.  Burgess  if 
he  had  said  that  every  man  who  had  married  a  half-breed  ought  not 
to  grumble  at  any  one  who  married  a  nigger,  or  something  to  that 


214  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

effect.  Mr.  Stinson  had  married  a  half-breed.  Stinson  had  a  cane  in 
his  hand,  and  told  Burgess  if  he  had  said  so  he  would  break  his  head. 
Burgess  denied  having  said  so ;  when  some  persons  in  the  room  inter- 
fered, and  told  Stinson  not  to  quarrel  with  him  in  his  house  at  that 
time,  as  it  might  interfere  with  the  election.  Mr.  Stinson  said  he 
would  settle  it  with  Mr.  Burgess  some  other  time,  and  then  left  the  room. 

I  believe  the  judges  could  not  come  to  any  agreement ;  and  they 
all  agreed  to  resign,  and  allow  the  voters  there  to  elect  new  judges. 
Most  of  the  voters  I  saw  there  I  knew.  They  were  standing  at  the 
window  at  the  time,  and  said  it  was  past  the  time  for  opening  the 
polls,  and  wanted  the  judges  to  proceed  with  the  election.  They 
were  legal  voters,  so  far  as  I  knew  them.  Other  judges  were 
elected,  being  residents  of  the  Territory,  and  living  there  at  the 
time.  I  do  not  recollect  their  names.  They  appointed  Mr.  Vaughan 
and  myself  to  act  as  clerks  of  the  election.  I  prepared  the  poll- 
books  myself.  I  have  no  recollection  of  any  one  from  Missouri 
there  arranging  the  poll-books.  I  mean  by  preparing  the  poll- 
books,  taking  the  paper  and  ruling  it  into  appropriate  columns.  I 
think  several  votes  were  challenged  during  the  day,  and  the  judges 
decided  they  could  not  vote — some  for  being  minors,  and  some  for 
other  causes.  There  were  only  few  challenged.  I  always  was  of 
opinion  that  the  district  was  strongly  pro-slavery.  I  had  not  been 
about  in  the  district  a  great  deal,  and  did  not  know  how  many  voters 
were  there.  I  knew  the  county  round  about  was  pretty  thickly 
settled,  and  it  was  one  of  the  principal  districts  in  the  Territory.  I 
judged  by  the' election  the  "fall  before,  at  which  I  was  also  a  clerk, 
that  the  pro-slavery  party  would  be  about  eight  to  one.  I  had  been 
sick  in  the  Territory,  and  could  not  be  about  much,  and  I  was  also 
taken  sick  again  while  down  here  afterwards.  There  were  a  great 
many  persons  who  did  not  come  to  the  fall  election,  as  they  lived  a 
long  distance  from  the  polls ;  and  I  thought  it  was  no  use  to  come,  a» 
Whitfield  would  be  elected  any  way. 

I  saw  some  on  the  ground  at  the  election  of  March  30th  that  I  had 
known  in  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  but  I  did  not  know  whether  they 
were  residents  of  the  Territory  or  not.  All  that  I  spoke  to  that  I  did 
not  know  of  having  claims  there  said  they  had  claims,  and  intended 
to  improve  them  and  become  residents.  I  left  the  district  shortly 
after  the  election,  and  do  not  know  who  have  moved  there  since. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  first  moved  into  the  third  district  in  August,  1854,  and  settled 
near  Tecumseh.  I  had  no  family  at  that  time,  but  took  a  claim,  and 
afterwards  improved  it  during  the  fall  and  winter,  building  a  cabin 
on  it.  I  was  part  of  the  time,  from  August  to  November,  in  West- 
port,  where  I  had  moved  from,  and  part  of  the  time  in  the  Territory. 
I  do  not  know  exactly  how  long  I  was  in  the  Territory.  I  went  up 
in  August,  made  my  claim,  came  down  here,  and  got  a  wagon  and 
horses,  and  went  back  with  the  intention  of  improving  my  claim,  and 
was  taken  sick  in  the  Territory,  and  laid  sick  there  three  weeks  at 
Mr.  Homer's.  I  then  came  down  to  Westport  on  business,  and  was 
taken  sick  here  again,  and  lay  sick  here  for  a  long  time,  nearly  up  to 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  215 

the  time  of  the  election  in  the  fall.  I  then  went  back  again,  and 
served  as  clerk  of  the  election.  When  I  came  down  here  and  was 
sick,  I  was  engaged  in  writing  up  some  books,  as  I  could  do  but  little 
to  enable  me  to  meet  my  expenses,  but  had  no  permanent  engage- 
ment, I  returned  here  directly  after  the  November  election,  and  re- 
turned to  the  Territory  again  not  long  before  the  March  election.  I 
was  engaged  in  business  here  during  the  winter,  when  I  was  able  to- 
make  something  to  live  upon,  as  I  was  a  poor  man.  I  had,  however, 
improvements  going  on  in  the  Territory  upon  my  claim  at  the  same- 
time.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  other  persons  going  up  from 
Missouri  at  the  time  I  did,  except  myself  and  Mr.  Hunter.  I  saw  a 
gentleman  there  on  the  day  of  election,  who  was  said  to  be  Col.  Sam- 
uel H.  Woodson,  of  Independence,  Missouri,  but  I  do  not  know  the 
man,  having  heard  of  such  a  man  only,  and  do  not  know  him  except 
by  reputation.  The  one  called  Mr.  Woodson  was  in  the  room  with 
the  judges  and  clerks  part  of  the  time,  and  part  of  the  time  he  was 
not.  Several  gentlemen  made  speeches  that  day,  but  I  was  busy 
counting  up  the  votes,  and  could  not  say  positively  whether  Mr. 
Woodson  spoke  or  not.  I  do  not  remember  who  the  gentlemen  were 
who  persuaded  Mr.  Stinson  not  to  interfere  with  Mr.  Burgess.  I  con- 
sidered that  a  man  who  was  on  the  ground  the  day  of  election,  and 
had  a  claim,  was  a  resident  voter.  I  did  not  say  anything  to  Mr. 
Woodson  about  his  having  a  claim,  and  do  not  know  whether  he  voted 
or  not.  The  question  usually  asked  by  the  judges,  of  those  whom 
they  questioned  at  all,  was  whether  they  had  claims  in  the  Territory 
or  not.  I  do  not  remember  how  many  were  so  questioned.  I  left 
there  a  few  days  after  that  election,  and  have  resided  in  Westport, 
and  am  now  engaged  in  business  here.  I  left  the  Territory  because  I 
could  not  make  a  living  there. 

To  Mr.  King  : 

I  have  my  claim  yet.  There  was  a  dispute  about  my  claim  when  I 
went  up  in  the  fall,  and  that  was  one  reason  why  I  left  there.  I  told 
Judge  Elmore  he  might  have  the  houses,  but  I  believe  the  claim  is 
not  taken  by  any  one  but  myself  yet.  I  tried  to  sell  my  claim  for 
some  time,  but  could  not  do  it. 

Several  speeches  were  made,  but  I  was  busy  at  the  time,  it  being 
after  the  election  was  over,  and  while  the  judges  were  counting  over 
the  votes,  and  1  was  keeping  the  tally  list  as  clerk.  The  voting  that 
day  was  quiet  and  orderly,  and  I  saw  no  violence  of  any  sort.  Some 
votes  were  cast  for  the  free-State  candidate,  Holliday,  and  I  saw  noth- 
ing to  prevent  any  one  from  voting  for  him  who  wanted  to  do  so. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  never  did  vote  in  this  State,  as  I  was  just  of  age  when  I  went  up 
into  the  Territory  in  1854. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

When  I  went  up  to  the  Territory  and  took  a  claim,  I  intended  to  go 
there  and  cultivate  my  claim,  and  reside  upon  it,  and  make  a  living 
there  if  I  could  ;  and  only  returned  here  after  having  tried  and  failed 


216  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

to  make  a  living  there.  I  had  no  intention,  when  I  took  a  claim,  o 
taking  it  merely  so  that  I  could  vote.  I  understood  from  many  per- 
sons about  that  time,  that  they  had  taken  claims,  and  were  making 
preparations  to  take  their  families  there.  If  a  man  said  he  had  a 
claim,  and  I  believed  it,  I  thought  he  was  a  voter,  I  considered  all 
voters  who  had  claims,  and  were  really  intending  to  settle  upon  them. 

GEO.  HOLMES. 
WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  3,  1856. 


GEORGE  H.  BERRY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  first  located  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  on  the  1st  of  September? 
1854,  and  moved  my  family  there  in  November,  eleven  miles  south  of 
Tecumseh,  in  the  third  district.  I  was  at  the  election  at  Tecumseh 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  A  majority  of  the  people  there  were 
strangers  to  me.  I  recognised  a  great  many  of  them  as  citizens  of 
the  country.  I  was  not  at  the  polls  much,  merely  going  down  there 
to  cast  my  vote.  I  was  not  at  the  polls  more  than  twenty  minutes, 
and  not  more  than  an  hour  on  the  ground,  during  the  day.  During 
the  month  of  March  there  was  considerable  emigration,  and,  as  far 
as  I  could  see,  more  than  at  any  time  previous. 

Some  few  days  after  the  election — not  more  than  seven  or  eight, 
and  perhaps  not  more  than  four  or  five  days — I  was  coming  down  to 
Westport  on  business,  and  I  fell  in  with  many  men  on  the  route* 
And  about  noon  I  met  with  quite  a  number  of  men  at  Blue  Jacket's, 
on  the  Wakarusa.  I  drove  into  the  body  of  the  creek  to  get  some 
water,  and  some  four  or  five  men  rode  up  to  me,  going  into  the  Ter- 
ritory ;  and  after  talking  with  them  a  bit,  I  found  them  to  be  Mis- 
sourians.  We  struck  up  a  conversation,  and  while  we  were  talking 
a  company  of  fifteen  or  twenty,  who  were  encamped  on  the  bank, 
whom  I  supposed,  from  the  direction  of  their  teams,  to  be  men  going 
into  the  Territory,  came  to  the  spring  in  the  bed  of  the  creek  to  get 
water  while  I  and  the  Missourians  were  talking.  As  they  passed 
from  me  going  back  to  their  wagons,  I  asked  some  of  the  Missou- 
rians who  they  were,  and  where  they  were  going.  The  answer  was 
given  to  me  that  they  were  Yankees,  and  I  said  that  they  had  come 
a  little  too  late,  and  should  have  come  before  the  election,  and  had 
an  opportunity  to  vote.  The  party  had  not  gone  out  of  hearing. 
They  turned  around,  some  three  or  four  of  them,  and  thanked  me 
kindly,  and  said,  "  Sir,  we  have  done  that  little  thing,  and  are  on 
our  way  home."  Some  one  or  two  went  on  to  remark  that  they  were 
aiming  to  beat  Missouri  at  her  own  game.  I  told  them  that  was 
right,  and  every  man  who  could  be  beaten  at  his  own  game  ought  to 
stand  it.  I  travelled  along  the  road,  and  saw  some  of  them  along  the 
way,  and  some  of  them  here  in  Westport,  and  also  in  Kansas  City. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

The  Council  Grove  district  is  a  little  northwest  of  me.     At  that 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  217 

time  Mabillon  McGee  lived  in  that  district,  and  now  lives  in  this 
vicinity.  I  know  of  no  settlement  west  of  Council  Grove.  My  under- 
standing from  these  eastern  men  was,  that  they  had  been  at  Lawrence 
and  had  voted  there.  Where  I  met  them  was  this  side  of  Lawrence 
some  seven  or  eight  miles. 

GEORGE  W.  BERRY. 
WESTPOKT,  MISSOURI,  June  7,  1856. 


FOURTH  DISTRICT. — Dr.  Chapman  s. 


PERRY  FULLER  testified. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  have  resided  in  the  fourth  district  since  September  6,  1854,  and 
profess  to  be  well  acquainted  in  the  district.  I  have  been  doing  busi- 
ness, merchandising,  ever  since  I  came  there,  and  have  had  a  good 
chance  of  becoming  acquainted.  I  was  at  the  election  of  30th  of 
March,  1855,  and  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges  of  that  election. 
I  went  to  the  place  I  was  told  it  was  to  be,  (the  election  was  to  be 
held  at  Dr.  Chapman's,)  and  got  there  half  an  hour  before  the  time 
prescribed  for  opening  the  polls,  and  stayed  at  Dr.  Chapman's  some- 
thing like  an  hour,  I  suppose,  and  was  then  told  the  election  was 
being  held  half  a  mile  from  there,  at  another  house,  and  going  on  at 
the  time.  I  went  over  there,  and  got  there  a  short  time  after  the 
hour  for  opening  the  polls,  and  was  told  that  some  forty  odd  votes  were 
taken  before  I  got  there.  I  went  and  asked  the  question  of  one  of 
the  judges  why  they  opened  the  polls  without  the  proper  judges  being 
there  ;  the  answer  was  that  I  had  come  too  late.  I  then  told  the  free 
State  party  that  it  was  a  one-sided  election,  and  advised  them  not  to 
vote,  and  think  only  two  of  them  voted. 

There  was  a  good  many  men  camped  there,  a  good  many  wagons, 
and  a  general  display  of  guns  and  implements  of  war.  They  were 
very  rude  ;  the  company  was  very  insulting. 

As  near  as  I  recollect,  there  were  some  forty-seven  legal  voters  in 
the  district  at  that  time.  There  were  eighty  votes  cast  at  that  election. 

I  have  here  a  list  of  actual  residents  of  the  district  who  did  not 
vote  at  that  election.  There  are  twenty-nine  of  them. 

There  are  only  fifteen  names  on  the  poll  list  who  were  actual 
residents  of  the  district  at  that  time.  Their  names  are  as  follows : 
Reuben  Hackett,  John  H.  Lockridge,  D.  S.  Keezer,  David  Pultz, 
J.  B.  Davis,  Joseph  M.  Bernard,  Alfred  Dale,  Charles  Homer, 
J.  Chapman,  Reese  B.  Young,  C.  J.  Hartley,  William  G.  Luckett, 
Thomas  Essex,  Richard  McCamish,  and  J.  Wilson. 

I  was  acquainted  with  one  of  the  non-residents  who  voted  that  day, 
T.  J.  Lockridge.  Their  camp  was  150  yards,  perhaps,  from  the 
election. 

They  had  two  sets  of  poll  books,  one  to  elect  a  governor. 


218 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


I  was  disgusted  with  the  proceeding,  and  left  for  home. 

One  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  officiated.  James  B. 
Davis  and  Thomas  Mockbee  were  the  other  two  judges. 

The  next  day  we  met  and  got  up  a  protest,  which  we  sent  in  signed 
by  thirty-one  persons,  none  of  whom  had  voted,  and  all  were  residents. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  twenty-nine  names  which  I  referred  to : 


John  F.  Javens, 
Mansfield  Carter, 
Samuel  Workman, 
Thomas  Doty, 
Levi  Doty, 
Franklin  Barnes, 
J.  C.  Hughes, 
Charles  Clark, 
William  David, 
M.  Shore, 
A.  F.  Powell, 
S.  T.  Shore, 
William  Moore, 
Silas  Moore, 
Edward  Moore, 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


James  Moore, 
Jacob  Clark, 
Champion  Mayfield, 
Samuel  Mewhinney, 
P.  Basinger, 
A.  B.  Gilliland, 
William  Harris, 
Wm.  Mewhinney,  sen., 
Kalph  Mayfield, 
Wtm.  Mewhinney,  jr., 
Amos  Hanna, 
Perry  Fuller, 
D.  Hendricks, 
A.  G.  Miller. 

PERBY  FULLER. 


PETER  BASINGER  recalled. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  was  not  at  the  March  election  in  1855.  I  saw  numbers  of  persons 
going  to  the  election,,  and  saw  some  going  back  after  the  election. 
There  was  some  man  from  Missouri,  who  was  boarding  at  my  house  at 
the  time,  who  had  come  out  to  look  at  the  Territory.  Some  of  those 
who  were  going  to  the  election  I  knew  were  Missourians,  and  had 
seen  in  Missouri,  as  I  had  teamed  it  a  good  deal  that  fall,  and  had 
become  acquainted  with  them.  Some  of  them  had  been  there  in  the 
November  before,  but  I  do  not  recollect  their  names.  I  was  the  last 
settler  on  the  side  of  the  district  towards  Missouri.  I  should  suppose 
some  twenty  or  thirty  persons  passed  my  house  before  I  left.  One 
person  I  knew,  called  Mr.  Mockbee,  stopped  and  got  a  cup  of  coffee, 
as  several  of  them  did.  Mr.  White  stopped  there  also  ;  I  knew  him. 
I  left  home  that  morning  about  ten  o'clock.  Dr.  Chapman's  is,  I 
should  suppose,  about  four  miles  from  the  Missouri  line.  I  got  back 
home  the  evening  of  the  day  of  the  election. 

PETER  BASINGER,  his  x  mark. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  219 

WILLIAM  MOORE  testifies. 

I  came  into  this  Territory  about  the  16th  of  August,  1854,  from 
Indiana,  and  settled  on  Ottawa  creek,  in  the  fourth  district,  and  have 
lived  there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
1855.  At  that  time  I  had  become  tolerably  well  acquainted  with  the 
citizens  of  the  district. 

My  son,  Edward  Moore,  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges.  I  went 
with  him  early  in  the  morning  of  the  election  to  Dr.  Chapman's 
house,  the  place  where  the  election  was  to  be  held.  When  we  got 
near  there,,  I  saw  no  persons  about.  A  little  distance  from  that  house 
a  couple  of  gentlemen  came  out  of  a  cabin  and  told  us  the  election 
had  been  moved  betwixt  a  quarter  and  a  half  a  mile  from  Dr.  Chap- 
man's to  a  double  cabin  that  was  unoccupied,  and  that  about  sunrise, 
or  a  little  earlier,  they  had  gathered  there,  and  Squire  Haskell  of  that 
district  had  sworn  in  some  men  as  judges.  I  met  then  with  Mr. 
Fuller,  the  other  free  State  judge,  and  we  consulted  as  to  whether  we 
should  go  from  Dr.  Chapman's.  We  went,  and  when  we  got  to  the 
top  of  a  rise,  we  saw  quite  a  number  of  carriages  and  buggies,  and 
perhaps  a  rise  of  a  hundred  men,  who,  with  few  exceptions,  were  en- 
tire strangers.  I  do  not  think  there  were  more  than  a  dozen  men 
there  who  belonged  to  the  district.  We  went  up  to  the  place  where 
they  were  voting.  The  principal  part  at  that  time,  eight  or  nine 
o'clock,  had  voted,  had  got  off  in  little  groups  around,  and  appeared 
to  be  playing  cards  and  drinking  liquor,  and  were  quite  noisy.  They 
said  their  liquor  had  about  run  out,  and  they  started  off,  two  or  three 
on  horses,  to  hunt  more  liquor.  We  staid  there  perhaps  an  hour  and 
a  half,  until  some  more  of  our  neighbors  came  in,  and  we  concluded 
we  would  not  vote  ;  that  we  would  draw  up  a  protest,  because  the 
election  was  illegal.  We  then  left  for  our  house.  I  had  but  little 
conversation  with  those  strangers,  and  did  not  hear  them  say  much 
about  their  coming  there,  or  where  they  came  from. 

I  recognized  Mr.  Thomas  Mockbee,  who  was  acting  as  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  election,  as  he  had  done  the  election  before  ;  also  a  Mr. 
Thomas  Lockridge,  who  lives  not  far  from  Independence,  where  I  have 
seen  him.  There  appeared  to  be  two  elections,  one  kept  in  an  adjoin- 
ing house,  where  one  man  was  acting  as  receiver,  judge,  and  clerk. 
He  said  he  was  taking  votes  for  a  new  governor.  I  asked  him  if 
Governor  Keeder  was  dead,  and  he  said  he  had  run  away,  arid  more 
than  that,  he  was  a  one-sided  governor,  and  they  wanted  one  that  had 
two  sides.  His  poll  book  appeared  to  be  this  red-colored  wrapping 
paper,  and  his  pen  one  of  these  black  pencils.  He  kept  calling  out  for 
more  votes,  saying  they  surely  had  not  all  voted  that  wanted  a  two- 
sided  governor.  His  name  was  Timothy  Keezer,  and  he  lived  in  the 
district.  I  did  not  stay  there  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half  or  two 
hours,  and  left  between  ten  and  eleven  o'clock.  I  think  some  of  these 
strangers  did  not  vote. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

These  men  voted  for  Thomas  Johnson — Uncle  Tom  Johnson,  as 
they  called  him — for  governor. 


*220  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

Mr.  Thomas  Mockbee,  I  understood,  was  not  a  resident,  he  did  not 
live  in  the  district,  and  his  friends  always  told  me  he  did  not  live  in 
the  Territory.  I  did  not  know  his  residence  only  from  hearsay.  He 
had  a  store  on  the  north  side  of  the  Santa  Fe  road,  out  of  the  district, 
at  what  is  called  Willow  Springs. 

WILLIAM  MOOKE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


JoriN  F.  J  A  YENS  testifies. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  29th  of  February,  1854,  from 
Westport,  Missouri.  I  settled  upon  the  headwaters  of  the  Marais  des 
Cygnes,  and  was  the  first  settler  who  made  a  claim  there.  It  was  in 
the  fourth  election  district.  On  the  morning  of  the  election  of  the  30th 
of  March,  1855,  I  was  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Chapman,  the  place  desig- 
nated by  the  governor  where  the  polls  were  to  be  held,  and 'saw  there 
two  of  the  judges  of  the  election  appointed  by  the  governor.  I  saw, 
about  a  half  a  mile  distant,  a  crowd  of  men,  who  appeared  to  be  voting 
there.  There  was  no  voting  done  at  Dr.  Chapman's  house  while  I 
was  there,  and  I  left  there  with  the  judges  while  the  election  was 
going  on  at  the  other  house.  I  saw  men  from  Missouri  I  knew,  sta- 
tioned along  the  road  in  sight  of  the  house,  and  threatening  to  shoot 
every  free  State  man,  abolitionist,  or  Yankee  who  should  come  there 
to  vote.  They  said  to  me  they  were  determined  no  man  who  was  not 
a,  pro-slavery  man  should  vote:  These  men  were  around,  and  I  knew 
them  personally,  and  that  they  were  citizens  of  Missouri.  I  saw  the 
place  of  voting  surrounded  by  armed  men,  and  but  very  few  citizens 
among  these  armed  men.  The  most  of  the  citizens  collected  at  Dr. 
Chapman's  house,  and  when  they  saw  how  things  were  going  they 
went  home  without  voting. 

I  would  not  go  to  the  place  where  the  voting  was  going  on,  and  did 
not  vote  that  day,  because  it  was  surrounded  by  armed  men  from  Mis- 
souri, who  threatened  every  free  State  man  who  should  come  up  there 
to  vote  ;  and  the  citizens,  being  unapprised  of  what  was  going  to  take 
place,  were  unarmed  and  unprepared  to  defend  themselves.  The  free 
State  citizens  who  were  there,  with  myself  as  president,  held  a  meet- 
ing to  get  up  a  protest  against  the  election,  as  it  was  controlled  by  the 
citizens  of  Missouri^  and  we  considered  it  illegal.  The  proceedings  of 
the  meeting  we  sent  to  the  governor,  signed,  I  think,  by  a  majority 
of  the  legal  resident  voters  of  the  district.  I  have  examined  the  poll 
books  of  that  election,  and  find  on  it  not  over  fifteen  or  twenty  names 
of  citizens  that  I  was  acquainted  with,  and  I  thought  I  knew  all  at  that 
time.  I  do  not  think  there  are  more  than  fifteen,  certainly  not  more 
than  twenty.  The  remainder  were  not  residents,  and  many  I  knew 
to  be  residents  of  Missouri  at  that  time.  Among  them  were  some  I 
knew  when  they  were  boys.  I  find  on  the  poll  books  among  those  I 
know,  and  who  are  prominent  citizens  of  Missouri,  T.  J.  Lockridge, 
Thomas  Mockbee,  (who  had  a  trading  house  on  the  north  side  of  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  221 

Santa  Fe  road,  not  in  the  fourth  district,  and  resided  himself  in  Jack- 
son county,  Missouri,)  C.  C.  Hamilton,  of  Westport,  S.  Writter,  of 
Kansas  City,  and  a  number  of  others/  At  that  time  there  were  a  large 
majority  of  the  citizens  of  that  district  who  were  and  are  now  free 
State  men.  Many  of  them  did  not  come  to  the  polls  at  all,  and  did 
not  know  of  the  meeting  I  have  alluded  to,  and  were  not  there. 

JOHN  F.  JAVENS. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


THOMAS  MOCKBEE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott  : 

I  became  a  resident  of  Kansas  Territory  in  June,  1854,  occupying- 
the  place^called  Willow  Springs,  on  the  old  Santa  Fe  road.  I  built 
a  store  house  and  two  warehouses  there  at  that  place.  The  ware- 
houses? were  built  of  stone.  I  also  built  some  stone  fence  at  the  same 
place.  I  remained  there  a  little  over  one  year,  and  sold  goods,  provi- 
sions, &c.,  during  that  time.  I  also  cultivated  the  claim,  and  raised 
some  provisions  there  in  the  year  1854.  The  old  Santa  Fe  road  ran 
on  the  north  side  of  my  possessions.  I  had  taken  the  responsibility 
myself  to  change  this  road  by  a  temporary  fence.  The  old  road  threw 
my  building  in  the  fourth  election  district.  I  was  residing  in  the 
fourth  district  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855  ; 
the  old  Santa  Fe  road  being  the  line  between  the  first  and  fourth  dis- 
tricts, according  to  my  understanding.  I  was  judge  of  election  in  the 
fourth  district  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  being  elected  by  the  peo- 
ple then  present,  citizens  of  the  district.  The  judges  appointed  by 
Governor  Keeder  came  there.  It  was  my  understanding  that  the  free 
State  party  had  the  polls.  The  judges  could,  not  agree,  and  two  of 
them  resigned,  and  consequently  persons  were  selected  by  the  people 
present  to  act  in  their  places.  I  do  not  know  who  the  two  who 
resigned  were,  or  what  party  they  belonged  to.  Mr.  Young,  I  think, 
appointed  by  Governor  Keeder,  acted  as  a  judge  of  election.  Mr. 
Alexander  Johnson  and  Mr.  Powell  for  representatives,  pro-slavery 
men,  were  candidates  at  that  election  ;  Mr.  Powell  was  opposing  Mr. 
Johnson,  and  was  on  the  free  State  ticket,  but  he  had  before  that  time 
voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket.  I  do  not  think  he  was  nominated  at  all. 
He*did  not  vote  that  day.  I  do  not  recollect  the  names  of  the  candi- 
dates for  the  council.  There  were  about  eighty  votes  cast  that  day,  to 
the*best  of  my  recollection.  I  was  acquainted  with  a  great  many  of 
the^ people  of  that  precinct.  I  think  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifty 
resident  voters  there  altogether  at  that  time,  and  the  pro-slavery  party 
had  the  majority  at  that  time,  and  always  had  had  ;  I  should  suppose 
fromStwenty  to  twenty-five  majority  at  that  time.  I  think  the  voters 
of  the  district  were  generally  present  that  day  at  the  place  of  election. 
A  few  of  the  free  State  party  voted  that  day,  but  a  good  many  of  them 
did  not  vote.  Everything  was  quiet  at  that  election,  and  there  was 
no  disturbance  at  all  during  the  day,  that  I  saw.  The  pro-slavery 


222  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

candidate  there  was,  without  doubt,  elected  by  a  majority  of  the  legal 
Totes  given  that  day. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  moved  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  into  the  Territory  of  Kan- 
sas. I  did  not  take  my  family  with  me,  but  I  lived  there  myself,  all 
the  time,  for  one  year  and  upwards,  and  some  of  the  time  I  had  some 
of  the  blacks  of  my  family  with  me.  I  had  a  farm  in  Missouri  at  that 
time,  and  still  carried  it  on.  My  wife  and  the  members  of  my  family 
remained  on  it,  at  times,  and  sometimes  in  other  counties  of  Missouri, 
and  sometimes  in  the  Territory.  I  had  a  clerk  part  of  the  time,  and 
part  of  the  time  a  partner  in  my  store  in  the  Territory.  After  I  sold 
out  in  Kansas  Territory,  I  returned  to  this  State.  I  have  not  voted 
in  the  Territory  since  I  left  there.  The  old  Santa  Fe  road  is  north  of 
my  house,  in  the  Territory ;  the  new  road,  as  travelled,  is  a  small  dis- 
tance south  of  my  house.  I  lived  on  the  extreme  verge  of  the  district. 
I  never  canvassed  that  district  in  any  way.  My  information  in  regard 
to  the  people  of  the  district  was  derived  from  the  nature  of  my  busi- 
ness there,  they  generally  trading  at  my  store,  more  or  less,  from  all 
parts  of  the  district.  I  am  not  mistaken  about  the  two  judges 
appointed  by  the  governor  resigning  that  morning  of  election.  I  am 
certain  I  saw  them  there,  then,  before  I  was  appointed  to  act  as  judge 
of  election.  I  do  not  know  as  they  assigned  any  particular  reason 
for  resigning. 

THOMAS  MOCKBEE. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  5,  1856. 


ANDREW  S.  JOHICSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  was  born  and  raised  in  the  seventeenth  district  of  Kansas  Terri- 
tory, and  was  living  at  the  Shawnee  Mission,  in  that  district,  at  the 
time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  was  not  at  the 
-election  in  that  district.  I  was  a  candidate  for  the  house  of  represen- 
tatives, and  went  about  a  week  before  election  into  the  fourth  district, 
which  was  a  portion  of  my  representative  district. 

Thomas  Johnson,  my  father,  and  E.  Chapman,  were  the  candidates 
for  council,  pro-slavery,  and  S.  N.  Wood,  and  a  Mr.  Goodwin,  free 
State;  and  Mr.  Powell,  free  State,  and  myself,  pro-slavery,  were  the 
candidates  for  the  house  of  representatives. 

The  election  in  the  fourth  district  was  held  at  the  house  of  Dr. 
Chapman.  I  was  at  the  place  of  election  about  7"  o'clock  that  morn- 
ing. The  judges  of  election  appointed  by  Governor  Keeder  were  Mr. 
Fuller,  Mr.  Moore,  and  Mr.  Pultz.  The  time  came  for  opening  the 
.polls,  and  Mr.  Pultz  was  the  only  judge  present.  The  polls  were  not 
held  at  Dr.  Chapman's  residence,  but  at  another  house  on  the  same 
.claim.  According  to  the  proclamation,  Mr.  Pultz  appointed  Mr. 
Hockbee  and  Mr.  Davis  judges  of  election,  in  place  of  those  who 
were  absent.  I  asked  some  one  present  at  the  time,  and  Pultz  said 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  223 

the  time  for  opening  the  polls  had  arrived,  and  I  heard  several  saying 
that  the  polls  should  he  opened.  At  the  time  the  judges  were  ap- 
pointed hy  Mr.  Pultz,  I  heard  no  one  ohject  to  the  polls  "being  opened 
on  account  of  the  hour  not  having  arrived. 

When  I  got  to  Dr.  Chapman's  residence  in  the  morning  Dr.  Chap- 
man was  not  at  home.  Mrs.  Chapman  said  that  as  some  of  her  family 
were  unwell,  and  their  house  was  small,  she  would  take  it  as  a  favor  if 
we  hold  the  polls  at  the  other  house  on  their  claim.  The  house  was 
between  three  and  four  hundred  yards  off,  unoccupied,  in  full  view  of 
his  residence.  We  held  the  election  there  as  a  matter  of  favor  to  Mrs. 
Chapman.  The  houses  were  easy  of  access  to  each  other.  At  the 
time  the  new  judges  were  appointed  I  cannot  say  that  there  were  any 
free  State  men  on  the  ground  that  I  knew.  Mr.  Pultz  announced  to 
the  crowd  who  the  judges  were  whom  he  had  appointed,  and  asked  if 
they  were  all  satisfied  with  them,  and  I  heard  no  dissenting  voice. 
Everything  the  whole  day  was  carried  on  quietly  and  peaceably,  no 
threats  or  resistance  of  any  kind  were  shown  in  regard  to  voting,  and 
all  had  an  opportunity  to  vote  their  sentiments  without  molestation. 
Mr.  Mockbee  was  residing  at  that  time,  as  he  had  been  for  several 
months  previous,  at  Willow  Springs,  about  six  miles  from  the  place 
of  voting.  I  had  been  at  his  residence  at  Willow  Springs.  I  knew 
him  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  Territory  at  that  time,  and  not  a  citizen  of 
Missouri.  I  had  not  been  in  the  fourth  district  for  some  time  until 
about  a  week  before  the  election,  and  I  visited  most  of  the  settlement 
in  that  district  during  that  week.  My  own  party  were  of  the  opinion 
that  the  pro-slavery  party  were  much  the  strongest.  I  did  not  visit 
the  free  State  party  but  little.  I  was  informed  by  some  of  them  that 
they  thought  they  had  the  majority  in  the  district. 

I  had  no  information  in  regard  to  the  strength  of  parties  in  that 
district  except  what  I  got  that  week.  Soon  after  the  polls  were  opened, 
about  ten  or  twelve  of  the  free  State  party  I  was  acquainted  with 
came  up  to  the  polls,  and  I  think  two  of  them  voted.  They  then  went 
off  and  consulted  together,  and  came  back  and  said  that  these  were 
not  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor,  and  they  were  not  going  to 
vote.  They  went  off  some  hundred  yards  from  the  polls,  and  were 
joined  by  others  of  the  free  State  party,  and  remained  there  for  some 
time.  I  sent  three  messages  to  them,  requesting  them  to  come  up  and 
vote,  explaining  that  the  election  was  conducted  according  to  the 
governor's  proclamation,  and  that  I  wished  each  party  to  have  a  fair 
show. 

I  am  acquainted  with  Mr.  Javens_,  and  was  before  he  moved  from 
Missouri  into  the  Territory.  I  was  acquainted  with  his  reputation  for 
truth  among  his  neighbors,  and  it  was  not  good.  I  would  not  beliere 
him  under  oath.  I  did  not  see  him  at  the  place  of  election  during 
that  day,  and  am  confident  he  was  not  there,  as  I  did  not  see  him.  ' 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  voted  at  that  election. 

A.  J.  JOHNSON. 
WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  Jwus  5,  1856. 


224  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

» 

B.  S.  KEZER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  lived  in  the  fourth  district  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  also 
before  that  time,  living  on  my  claim  there. 

I  was  present  at  the  election  of  that  day  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Chap- 
man, in  Willow  Springs  precinct.  To  the  best  of  my  information,  the 
understanding  with  the  judges  of  election  was  that,  as  Dr.  Chapman's 
family  were  sick,  they  would  hold  their  election  in  another  house  on 
his  claim  and  belonging  to  him,  he  having  requested  them  to  do  so. 

I  heard  no  objection  from  any  one  as  to  the  propriety  of  that  being 
done.  I  saw  nothing  that  day  that  indicated  any  disposition,  on  the 
part  of  any  one,  to  prevent  any  one  from  voting  according  to  his  sen- 
timents. 

I  believe  that,  according  to  the  time  pieces  there,  the  polls  were 
opened  at  the  time  fixed  by  the  proclamation  of  the  governor.  I  was 
occasionally  at  the  polls  during  the  day.  I  do  not  recollect,  particu- 
larly, of  hearing  the  judges  swear  any  voters  that  day,  or  that  any 
one  challenged  the  voters,  for  I  was  not  immediately  at  the  polls,  but 
generally  among  the  crowd.  Thomas  Mockbee  was  one  of  the  judges 
of  election  who  served. 

All  the  judges  did  not  appear  at  the  time  of  opening  the  polls,  and 
as  one  of  the  judges  were  lacking  he  was  appointed  by  the  voters  pre- 
sent, according  to  instructions.  As  far  as  I  recollect  one  of  the  judges 
was  elected  by  the  people,  but  I  do  not  recollect  who  it  was.  Mr. 
Mockbee  lived  at  Willow  Springs  and  was  doing  business  there  at 
that  time,  and  I  never  heard  any  one  dispute  his  residence  there  in 
that  district.  I  knew  he  lived  there  myself,  and  I  was  acquainted 
with  him.  I  saw  numbers  of  persons  there  I  was  not  acquainted  with. 
I  saw  none  I  knew  to  be  illegal  voters  give  their  votes  that  day.  I 
saw  some  who  said  they  had  come  to  the  Territory  to  live  and  they 
voted.  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the  relative  strength  of  the  pro- 
slavery  or  free  State  parties  in  that  district.  I  saw  no  hindrance  and 
heard  no  threats  against  any  man  coming  up  to  vote  who  desired  to 
do  so. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  moved  into  that  district  some  time  previous  to  the  election,  I  think 
the  fall  of  1854.  I  occasionally  live  there  now,  as  I  still  hold  my 
claim  and  have  improvements  upon  it,  and  have  a  family  living  there. 

My  business  calls  me  away  a  good  deal.  I  have  no  family.  I  heard 
Mrs.  Chapman  complain  of  being  unwell  that  day. 

Mr.  Mockbee  lives  directly  on  the  Santa  Fe  road.  •  I  think  he  lived 
at  that  time  on  the  north  side  of  the  road.  I  do  not  know  whether 
he  had  his  family  there  or  not,  or  whether  or  not  he  had  a  store  in 
the  State.  I  know  he  lired  there  himself,  and  I  have  called  there  to 
see  him.  It  was  proposed  on  the  morning  of  election,  after  a  person 
was  nominated  to  be  judge  of  election,,  to  put  the  motion  to  the  crowd. 
I  put  the  vote  as  to  whether  they  were  satisfied  or  not,  and  they 
answered  "aye." 

I  did  this  that  all  should  be  satisfied.     I  do  not  recollect  of  any 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  225 

announcement  being  made  beforehand  as  to  who  should  be  selected  in 
the  place  of  the  judge  who  was  absent.  There  were  a  great  many 
there  who  were  strangers  to  me,  and  I  do  not  know  where  they  wer% 
from.  There  were  two  or  three  that  went  with  me,  and  who  had  been 
living  in  Missouri,  and  expected  to,,  and  thought  it  likely  they  would, 
make  Kansas  their  home.  I  did  not  see  them  vote,  but  they  said 
they  voted.  The  other  strangers  I  do  not  know  where  they  lived.  I 
dicf  not  know  all  who  lived  in  the  district. 

B.  S.  KEZER. 
WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  3,  1856. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Bull  creek,  Pottawatomie,  Big  Sugar,  Little  Sugar, 


Dr.  B.  C.  WESTFALL  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  about  the  5th  of  January,  1856,  from 
Missouri.     I  had  resided  for  three  years  previous  at  New  Santa  Fe, 
Jackson  county,  immediately  on  the  Missouri  line,  within  ten  feet  of 
it.     Some  few  clays  prior  to  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  companies  were 
organized  to  go  over  the  Territory  to  various  places  to  vote,  and  some 
of  my  neighbors  prevailed  upon  me  to  go  with  them  to  Bull  creek,  at 
Baptiste  Peoria,  in  the  fifth  district.     We  went  out  on  the  29th  o  f 
March,  probably  thirty  in  the  company  I  was  with,  and  when  we  got 
to  Bull  creek  we  found  two  encampments  near  there ;  the  one  that  I 
camped  in  was  principally  from  Jackson  county  and  near  the  place  of 
election,  and  the  other  was  about  a  mile  off,  and  those  there  were 
principally  from  ;Cass   county,  but   some   from  Lafayette.     I  knew 
personally  a  great  many  of  them,  perhaps  half  of  them,  as  I  had  lived 
in  C'ass,  Jackson,  and  Johnson  counties  for  the  ten  years  previous. 
The  evening  we  arrived  there  Mr.  Park,  from  Kentucky,  and  Mr. 
Payne,  from  Missouri,  claiming  to  be  two  judges  appointed  by  G-over- 
nor  Reeder,  came  to  me  and  told  me  that  the  third  judge  the  governor 
had  appointed  would  not  be  at  the  election,  and  requested  me  to  act 
as  judge  with  them,  as  they  had  the  appointment  of  judge  in  the  ab- 
sence  of  the  other.     I  told  them  I  would  serve.     About  ten  o'clock, 
when  the  most  of  us  had  retired  to  our  tents,  Judge  Hamilton,  one  of 
the  members  of  the  county  court  for  Cass  county,  Missouri,  came  in 
from  Pottawatomie  precinct,  and  woke  us  all  up  and  told  us  there  was 
not  a  sufficient  number  of  men  down  at  P  otawatomie  to  carrry  the 
day,  and  requested  us  to  send  about  sixty  more  down  there  if  we  could. 
A  portion  of  our  company  went  with  him  to  that  precinct,  about  six- 
teen miles  from  our  camp.     In  the  morning  those  who  remained  came 
lo  the  house  where  the  election  was  to  be  held.     We  judges  convened 
and  opened  the  polls.     I  asked  the  other  two  judges  what  we  would 
do  with  regard  to  all  the  voters  from  Missouri,  and  whether  or  not 
H.  Rep.  200 15* 


226  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

we  could  reconcile  that  with  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor. 
They  stated  we  were  not  to  be  sworn.  We  opened  the  polls  and  they 
•ommenced  voting.  I  think  there  were  three  hundred  in  the  company 
but  I  do  not  know  how  many  voted.  I  think  nine-tenths  or  more  of 
those  who  voted  were  residents  of  Missouri,  as  there  were  but  few  set- 
tlers in  that  precinct  at  that  time.  The  judges  were  not  sworn.  We 
closed  the  polls  and  went  to  making  out  the  returns,  and  the  magis- 
trate, or  one  who  called  himself  a  magistrate,  certified  to  the  governor 
that  he  had  sworn  the  judges.  One  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Samue 
Wade,  near  New  Santa  Fe,  called  out  his  name  and  we  took  it  down-, 
Shortly  after  he  voted  he  came  back  and  called  out  Jim  Wade's  name 
and  I  am  pretty  confident  that  was  taken  down.  Jim  Wade  was  j 
son  of  the  old  gentleman,  some  nine  or  ten  years  old  at  that  time, 
asked  Mr.  Wade  afterwards  why  he  had  called  out  Jimmy's  name  a 
a  voter,  and  he  said  he  had  made  him  a  claim  on  Bull  creek,  adjoin 
ing  his  own,  and  he  expected  Jemmy  would  become  a  resident  of  the" 
Territory  and  a  voter.  The  returns  were  then  made  out  and  sent  to 
Governor  Keeder.  The  men  who  went  out  were  all  heavily  armed, 
and  asserted  that  if  they  were  prevented  from  voting  they  would  assert 
their  rights  and  vote  anyhow.  The  party  left  for  Missouri,  a  few  the 
evening  of  the  election,  but  the  main  body  of  them  the  next  morning. 
They  voted  for  Mr.  Lykins  for  council,  and  Colonel  Coffee  for  council, 
also;  Henry  Younger,  who  lives  in  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  Mr. 
Haskell,  Mr.  Wilkinson,  and  Scott,  for  the  lower  house.  Mr.  Lykins 
lived  near  Peoria,  Missouri,  at  that  time.  Colonel  Coffee  did  not  have 
his  family  on  Bull  creek  at  that  time,  though  he  has  them  there  now. 
I  understood  there  that  his  family  at  that  time  were  in  Bates  county, 
Missouri.  Mr.  Wilkinson  resided  in  the,  district.  I  do  not  knosw 
anything  about  Scott.  Mr.  Haskell,  I  think,  was  a  citizenjof  the  di  - 
trict  at  that  time.  I  had  been  acquainted  with  him  for  some  time- 
He  had  left  Missouri  then,  and  I  had  understood  he  was  in  that  dis- 
trict keeping  a  trading  house.  Henry  Younger  is  a  man  of  consider- 
able wealth  and  has  much  land  and  many  slaves  in  Jackson  county, 
Missouri.  I  have  known  him  since  the  fall  of  1847,  and  he  resided  near 
Independence  at  that  time.  I  do  not  know  that  he  had  moved  into 
the  Territory,  and  I  do  not  think  he  has  ever  changed  his  residence 
since  I  knew  him.  I  think  he  has  never  taken  his  family  into  the 
Territory,  as  I  never  heard  of  any  such  thing,  and  I  am,  in  fact,  cer- 
tain that  he  has  never  brought  them  out  to  the  Territory  "to  live  any 
length  of  time. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  do  not  recollect  of  any  double  voting  on  that  day  except  that  man 
who  voted  for  his  son.  I  do  not  know  how  many  had  gone  to  Potta- 
watornie.  1  was  told  by  Payne  and  Park  that  they  had  been  appointed 
by  the  governor,  but  I  do  not  know  for  myself  how  it  was.  No  one 
took  command  of  our  company  at  Bull  creek.  They  generally  went 
in  small  bands  of  twenty  or  thirty. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  live  in  the  fourth  district  now.     I  think  I  saw  five  hundred  in 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  227 

the  two  camps  from  Missouri,  including  those  who  went  to  Pottawato- 
mie.  I  saw  a  great  many  who  told  me  they  went  directly  to  Potta- 
watomie  and  voted  there. 

B.  C.  WESTFALL. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


B.  C.  WESTFALL  recalled. 

I  find  upon  the  poll  books  some  memoranda  under  the  names  of 
several  persons — " rejected,  refusing  to  swear."  This  was  all  got  up 
for  effect,  as  some  free  State  men  were  looking  on.  It  was  all  under- 
stood between  the  voters  and  the  judges.  When  one  of  them  would 
•come  to  the  window  the  judge  would  say.,  "  I  think  you  live  in  Mis- 
souri, do  you  not?"  To  which  the  man  would  reply,  "I  have  a  claim 
in  the  Territory."  The  judge  would  ask  them  if  they  would  be  sworn 
that  they  were  residents  of  the  Territory,  at  which  they  would  pre^ 
tend  to  get  angry  and  threaten  to  whip  the  judges,  and  refused  to  be 
sworn.  The  matter,  however,  was  all  arranged  beforehand.  No  one 
was  sworn  that  day. 

B.  C.  WESTFALL. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


JESSE  W.  WILSON  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  26th  of  August,  1854,  in  the  fifth 
district,  and  in  the  Bull  creek  precinct.  I  moved  there  from  Missouri, 
Jackson  county.  I  am  well  acquainted  in  the  fifth  district,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  there.  I  think  there  was  but  one  white  family 
there  before  within  ten  miles  of  where  I  live.  I  was  at  the  election 
of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  reached  the  polls  about  ten  o'clock, 
having  walked  about  ten  miles  to  get  there.  I  saw  a  great  many  men 
when  I  got  there,  and  I  should  suppose  that  there  were  not  less  than 
200  men  there  non-residents ;  some  I  was  acquainted  with,  and  some 
I  was  not.  I  conversed  with  a  great  many  of  them,  and  they  told  me 
they  were  from  Missouri.  I  was  acquainted,  among  the  rest,  with  Mr. 
Samuel  Wade,  Mr.  Kauffman,  and  two  sons-in-law  of  Wade,  all  from 
Jackson  county,  Missouri,  where  I  was  personally  acquainted  with 
them.  They  said  they  were  coming  here  to  vote,  and  that  they  came 
to  retaliate  on  the  eastern  Aid  Society,  who  were  sending  out  paupers 
here  to  vote;  and  they  were  going  to  poll  as  many  votes  as  these  pau- 
pers, and  perhaps  more.  I  do  not  know  of  any  in  our  district  who 
came  out  here  under  the  auspices  of  the  Aid  Society.  Our  settlers 
were  from  Missouri,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Kentucky,  and  other  western 
States,  I  think.  Those  persons  I  talked  with  said  it  was  their  inten- 
tion to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State.  They  said  they  had  voted,  though 
I  did  not  see  them  vote.  These  non-residents  were  armed  with  re- 
volvers and  Bowie  knives,  shot  guns  and  muskets;  and,  as  the  saying 


228  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

is,  were  armed  to  the  teeth.  I  saw  no  disturbance  created  while  I  was 
there.  I  do  not  suppose  I  saw  more  than  twelve  or  fifteen  men  that 
I  knew  to  he  settlers  in  our  precinct,  and  I  think  they  all  voted.  The 
people  of  our  neighborhood,  as  near  as  I  can  judge  from  conversation 
with  many  of  them,  were  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State.  In 
my  judgment,  if  none  but  the  settlers  had  voted  that  day,  the  free 
State  candidates  would  have  had  a  good  majority  in  the  precinct.  I 
do  not  know  of  Mr.  Younger  ever  living  in  the  Territory,  or  of  any 
property  or  claim  he  has  ever  had  in  the  Territory.  Doctor  Westfall, 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  election,  with  whom  I  am  personally  ac- 
quainted, was  a  resident  of  the  State  of  Missouri  at  that  time.  I  have 
examined,  with  Mr.  Gearhart,  the  poll  books  for  the  30th  of  March, 
1855,  and  we  can  find  the  names  of  but  thirteen  that  we  know  to  have 
been  residents  of  that  precinct  at  that  time.  From  our  acquaintance 
with  the  district,  I  am  satisfied  that  if  any  other  residents  had  voted 
we  should  have  known  it.  The  names  of  these  thirteen  residents  are 
stated  in  Mr.  Gearhart's  testimony.  I  arn  acquainted  with  Samuel 
Wade,  and  know  that  he  voted  for  his  son,  James  Wade,  a  boy  about 
ten  years  old  at  that  time. 

J.  W.  WILSON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


JOSEPH  M.  GEARHART  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  November,  1854,  from  Missouri,  and 
settled  on  the  Marais  des  Cygnes  river,  in  .the  fifth  district,  in  Bull 
Creek  precinct,  and  have  lived  in  that  district  ever  since.  I  was  at 
the  election  of  March  30,  1855.  I  reached  the  polls  about  10  or  11 
o'clock.  I  saw  a  great  many  strangers  there,  and  some  I  knew,  from 
the  State  of  Missouri,  with  Joseph  Christopher,  Jack  Yocum,  James 
Yocum,  and  others.  These  men  lived  in  Cass  county,  Missouri,  and 
told  me  they  came  there  to  vote  ;  but  I  did  not  see  them  vote.  Most 
of  the  strangers  to  the  district  had  shot  guns  and  other  arms.  I  rode 
through  the  camp  going  to  the  polls,  but  stopped  on  going  back  after 
the  election  at  Lug  Freeman's  camp.  I  should  reckon  there  were  200 
persons  there  I  did  not  know.  I  am  acquainted  with  pretty  near 
every  man  in  the  district,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  it.  The 
district  at  that  time  was  rather  thinly  settled.  In  the  Bull  Creek 
precinct  at  that  time  I  think  there  could  not  have  been  more  than  fifty 
voters.  There  were  some  settlers  on  Bull  Creek  higher  up  I  was  not 
well  acquainted  with  ;  some  of  them  were  these.  But  I  do  not  think 
there  were  ten  from  our  neighborhood  that  were  there.  I  heard  be- 
fore I  started  that  men  from  Missouri  were  there  ;  and  I  heard  before 
I  left  Missouri  that  men  from  Missouri  were  coming  over  to  vote  ;  and 
as  I  was  passing  backwards  and  forwards  for  provisions,  some  of  these 
same  men  told  me  they  were  coming  over  to  vote.  I  think  I  was  once 
in  the  State  a  month  or  so  before  the  election,  and  some  of  these  men 
then  told  me  they  intended  to  come  over  and  vote,  as  they  had  claims 
in  the  Territory.  I  voted  that  day.  I  staid  at  the  polls  some  two  or 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  229 

three  hours.  There  appeared  to  be  some  difficulty,  and  considerable 
noise  and  cursing.  I  did  not  myself  see  any  of  the  Missourians  vote, 
though  they  said  they  voted.  I  do  not  know  exactly,  but  I  think  Dr. 
Westfall,  one  of  the  judges  at  that  election,  lived  in  Missouri.  Mr. 
Younger,  a  candidate  elected  for  representative,  was  a  resident  of 
Missouri,  where  I  have  seen  his  farm  and  house.  I  saw  him  once  in 
the  Territory  before  this  election,  at  a  meeting  at  Dutch  Henry's  for 
the  purpose  of  nominating  candidates  for  the  legislature.  Mr. 
Younger  made  a  speech,  saying  that  he  thought  Missourians  had  a 
right  to  come  here  and  vote.  He  was  a  pro-slavery '  man.  A  Mr. 
Fox  got  up  and  contradicted  him,  saying  that  he  thought  the  men  who 
came  here  and  smote  down  the  trees  and  made  the  paths  were  the  ones 
to  vote.  Fox  was  a  candidate  of  the  free  soil  party.  This  was  a  few 
days  before  the  election. 

No  nominations  were  made  that  day  by  the  pro-slavery  party.  I 
do  not  know  where  Younger  and  other  pro-slavery  men  were  nomi- 
nated. I  never  heard  of  their  being  nominated  by  any  public  meet- 
ing in  the  Territory.  Lykins  and  Coffee,  for  council,  and  Scott, 
Younger,  Wilkinson,  and  Haskell,  for  representatives.,  were  voted  for 
by  the  Missourians  that  day.  Younger 's  house  and  farm  is  this  side 
of  Independence.  I  have  passed  it  twice.  I  do  not  think  he  has  any 
claim  in  the  Territory  now,  though  at  the  time  of  the  election  he  said 
he  had  a  claim  on  Sugar  creek.  I  never  heard  that  his  family  ever 
lived  in  the  Territory.  Some  of  the  citizens  remained  away  from  the 
polls,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  from  fear  or  not. 

I  have  carefully  examined  the  poll  books  in  connexion  with  Mr. 
Wilson,  and  I  can  find  but  the  following  names  on  the  list  of  resi- 
dents of  this  district,  that  I  know  to  have  been  residents  at  that  time  : 
Barnet  Hall,  James  Shaw,  David  Lykins,  James  D.  Keid,  John  Van- 
horn,  Isaac  Jacob,  Harrison  Standiford,  J.  M.  Marshall,  Joseph  M. 
Gearhart,  J.  W.  Wilson,  Linge  Ferris,  and  Mr.  Linden  ;  13  in  all. 

JOS.  M.  GEARHART. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


WILLIAM  CHESNUT  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  on  October  23,  1854,  and  settled  uat 
Ossawatomie,  in  the  fifth  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since. 
I  am  a  farmer.  I  came  from  Connecticut.  I  was  at  the  election  of 
March  30,  1855.  I  was  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder  as  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  election  at  Pottawatomie  precinct.  I  got  there  about 
eight  o'clock,  or  a  little  after,  in  the  morning  of  the  election.  The 
other  two  judges,  except  Wilkinson,  who  was  a  candidate,  and  there- 
fore unqualified,  were  not  there.  I  claimed  the  privilege  of  appoint- 
ing two  to  fill  the  vacancies,  when  a  stranger  came  forward  and  told 
me  he  was  from  Missouri.  He  was  armed  with  a  revolver  and  a  knife, 
and  had  a  rifle  in  his  hand.  He  told  me  his  party  woujd  appoint  the 
judges.  I  remonstrated  with  him,  and  named  two  persons  for  judges 
that  I  thought  were  qualified.  He  told  me  that  if  I  made  any  trouble 


230  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

with,  them  they  would  dispose  of  me  with  very  little  ceremony.  He 
then  asked  with  a  kind  of  sneer  in  what  manner  I  would  like  to  have 
the  election  conducted,  and  I  said,  in  conformity  with  the  instruc- 
tions contained  in  the  governor's  proclamation.  He  said  the  gover- 
nor had  no  right -to  impose  such  conditions  and  restrictions  upon 
them  ;  that  their  being  there  that  day  constituted  them  legal  voters  ; 
that  they  had  come  on  purpose  to  vote,  and  I  could  see  they  had  come 
well  prepared,  and  would  vote,  let  the  consequences  he  what  they 
might.  I  insisted  that  as  I  had  been  appointed  I  would  preside,  and 
if  I  had  not  the  power  to  prevent  fraudulent  voting,  I  would  at  least 
be  a  witness  as  to  the  manner  in  which  they  did  it.  He  said  if  I 
insisted  upon  it,  it  would  be  at  my  own  peril.  A  few  minutes  after 
he  came  to  me,  and  said  he  thought  the  better  way  to  avoid  difficulty 
would  be  to  allow  their  people  to  vote  without  asking  them  any  ques- 
tions, or  requiring  them  to  swear  they  were  residents.  He  said  there 
was  a  large  party  from  Boston  on  the  creek  above,  who  came  on  pur- 
pose to  vote,  and  his  people  had  been  holding  a  consultation  and  had 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  best  way  was  to  allow  our  people  to 
vote  without  asking  any  questions,  if  we  would  extend  the  same  privi- 
lege to  their  people.  I  refused  to  consent  to  any  such  arrangement, 
when,  without  any  farther  ceremony,  they  appointed  two  individuals 
to  preside  as  judges,  one  of  whom  I  have  since  learned  was  a  resident 
of  Clay  county,  Missouri,  and,  I  think,  was  named  Wear.  The 
other  was  named  Fur guson,  and  was  a  resident  of  Bull  Creek  precinct, 
and  not  entitled  to  vote  at  Pottawatomie,  though  he  said  he  had  his 
washing  done  there  and  was,  therefore,  a  voter. 

One  of  the  clerks  was  Barnaby.  I  insisted  on  taking  down  a  list 
of  the  names,  and  acted  as  clerk  also.  They  then  declared  the  polls 
opened  and  commenced  to  take  votes,  which  were  handed  as  fast  as  we 
could  take  them.  Over  four-fifths  of  the  votes  were  handed  in  by 
armed  men,  strangers  to  me.  I  knew  at  that  time  most  every  legal 
voter  in  the  precinct.  I  objected  to  several  when  they  offered  to  vote, 
believing  they  were  not  legal  voters,  and  the  other  two  that  acted  as 
judges  would  immediately  take  the  ballot  and  put  it  in  the  ballot  box, 
without  taking  any  notice  at  all  of  my  remonstrance,  ex  cept  to  say, 
by  way  of  reply,  that  they  knew  the  gentleman,  that  he  lived  up  the 
creek  and  had  a  claim  there. 

We  were  kept  pretty  busy  taking  votes  until  about  noon,  when  one 
of  the  judges,  Mr.  Wear,  I  suppose,  though  I  did  not  know  him  then, 
proposed  to  adjourn  for  about  an  hour  for  dinner.  He  then  picked  up 
the  ballot  box,  saying  he  would  take  care  of  it,  took  it  under  his  arm 
and  walked  out  with  it.  I  followed  him,  and  a  short  time  after  he 
got  out  he  stepped  up  to  Mr.  Fur  guson  and  told  him  Mr.  Wilkinson 
had  invited  them  down  to  his  house  to  dinner.  Wilkinson  was  one 
of  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  I  told  them,  as  I  was  very  well 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Wilkinson,  I  would  go  down  too,  determined  to 
keep  in  sight  of  the  ballot  box.  We  went  down  through  their  camp 
to  Mr.  Wilkinson's  house.  They  were  encamped  on  both  sides  of  the 
road,  some  in „ tents,  and  more  in  wagons  ;  and  the  men  were  there 
lying  around  on  the  ground  in  groups,  some  under  the  influence  of 
liquor,  and  all  armed,  generally  with  knives, 'revolvers,  and  rifles. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  231 

When  we  came  in  sight  of  Mr.  Wilkinson's  house,  the  one  who  had 
the  ballot  box  turned  round  and  looked  at  it  for  a  moment,  and 
finally  said:  "I  believe  we  wont  go  down  there/'  He  then  turned 
and  came  back  to  Henry  Sherman's  house,  where  the  meeting  was 
held.  Shortly  after  one  o'clock  we  again  commenced  to  take  votes, 
and  kept  the  polls  open  until  sundown,  though  we  did  not  take  very 
many  in  the  afternoon. 

We  then  counted  over  the  votes.  The  tally  list  was  presented  to 
each  of  the  judges,  with  the  request  to  sign  it  as  being  a  correct 
return  of  the  legal  voters  in  that  precinct.  When  they  handed  it  to 
me  for  my  signature,  I  remarked  that  I  could  not  consistently  put  my 
name  to  it,  because  in  doing  so  I  would  commit  perjury.  The  house 
was  immediately  filled  with  as  many  armed  men  as  could  stand  on 
the  floor.  Until  then  they  had  all  kept  outside.  General  Coffee, 
candidate  for  councilman,  was  among  the  crowd,  and  another  person 
I  think  they  called  Anderson,  from  Missouri.  They  both  addressed 
the  crowd.  General  Coffee  stated  that  he  admitted  that  it  was  very 
aggravating  for  a  public  officer  to  refuse  to  do  his  evident  duty,  but 
still  he  hoped  there  would  be  no  bloodshed,  nor  personal  violence  used, 
on  that  occasion.  After  he  got  through,  he  came  to  me  and  remarked 
that  he  thought  the  best  way  was  to  put  iny  name  to  it,  it  would  look 
better  in  the  eyes  of  the  public,,  and  there  was  no  use  in  my  making 
any  trouble  about  it.  I  told  him  that  I  had  said  I  could  not  do  it, 
and  had  given  my  reasons,  and  I  would  not  do  it.  I  said  I  knew  I 
was  entirely  at  their  mercy,  and  they  might  keep  me  there  until  mid- 
night if  they  saw  fit,  but  I  would  not  testify  that  that  was  a  correct 
return  of  the  legal  voters,  when  I  knew  it  was  very  far  from  it.  The 
judges  then  said  they  did  not  see  much  use  in  saying  any  more  on 
the  subject,  as  they  thought  they  could  make  it  answer  without  my 
name.  I  then  got  up  and  came  out  of  the  house.  On  my  way  home, 
when  I  had  got  about  fifty  or  sixty  rods  from  Mr.  Sherman's  house,  a 
party  of  armed  strangers,  who  stood  at  a  distance  of  probably  fifty 
rods  from  me,  discharged  a  number  of  rifles.  They  called  names, 
and  hooted  and  yelled  as  long  as  we  remained  in  sight  or  hearing.  I 
then  proceeded  home. 

Those  strangers  voted  for  Lykins  and  Coffee  for  councilmen.  I  am 
pretty  confident  Coffee  did  not  live  in  the  district  at  that  time.  It 
was  generally  understood  that  he  lived  in  Missouri.  They  voted  for 
Younger,  Wilkinson,  Haskell,  and  Scott,  for  representatives.  I  was 
not  acquainted  with  any  of  the  candidates  but  Wilkinson.  I  should 
think  there  were  not  over  fifty  or  sixty  legal  votes  polled  there  ;  not 
over  seventy-five,  at  all  events.  A  good  many  residents  I  did  not 
know  by  name,  but  by  sight.  From  the  information  that  I  possessed 
at  that  time,  and  from  watching  the  voting,  I  thought  there  were 
frorn^  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  illegal  votes  polled  at  that 
election.  I  do  not  think  there  was  one  individual  in  the  Boston  com- 
pany, the  gentleman  I  have  referred  to  spoke  about,  in  the  district. 
I  think  the  most  of  the  settlers  were  from  Iowa.  I  do  not  know  posi- 
tively of  any  who  came  out  under  the  auspices  of  any  aid  society 
except  myself ;  and  I  came  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  New  York 
society,  called  the  Kansas  League.  I  paid  my  own  expenses,  and  de- 


232  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

rived  no  service  from  the  society,  except  information  about  the  bes 
modes  of  getting  here  and  the  country  here.     They  asked  me  no 
questions  about  my  politics.     At  that  time  I  think  a  decided  majority 
of  the  residents  were  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State. 

WILLIAM  CHESNUT. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  Mty  9,  1856. 


JAMES  M.  ARTHUR  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  my  family  into  this  Territory  on  the  7th  of  August,  1854, 
from  Indiana",  and  settled  in  the  fifth  district,  and  have  lived  there 
ever  since.  I  was  in  Big  Sugar  Creek  precinct  at  the  election  of  March 
30,  1855.  I  was  at  the  election.  I  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges 
of  election  by  the  governor,  and  also  Elisha  Tucker  and  John  E.  Brown. 
We  went  on  in  the  morning  and  opened  the  polls  by  swearing  each 
other  in,  as  there  was  no  justice  of  the  peace  there.  We  took  the 
oath  as  prescribed  by  the  governor.  About  the  time  the  polls  were 
opened,  a  large  number  of  strangers  came  into  the  yard  and  demanded 
to  vote.  I  wanted  to  swear  them  as  to  whether  they  were  residents  or 
not,  and  they  refused  to  swear.  Mr.  Brown,  one  of  the  judges,,  told 
me  then,  I  must  take  their  votes  or  resign.  I  asked  Mr.  Tucker,  the 
other  judge,  what  should  be  done,  and  he  said  he  considered  ,them 
legal  voters,  without  swearing  or  asking  them  any  questions.  I 
thereupon  resigned.  Some  eighteen  or  twenty  votes  had  been  given 
when  I  resigned.  They  appointed  Hickman  Smith  in  rny  place,  and 
went  on  with  the  election.  I  heard  no  questions  asked  of  any  voter, 
whether  he  was  a  citizen  or  not,  during  the  day.  I  think  there  was 
some  eighty  or  ninety  votes  polled  there,  and  I  think  there  were  not 
more  than  thirty-five  or  forty  citizens  there,  and  a  great  many  of  them 
did  not  vote.  I  was  tolerably  well  acquainted  in  that  precinct,  as  I 
had  been  riding  around  considerable  in  that  precinct.  Mr.  Younger, 
who  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  was  there,  and  voted.  He  never 
has  been  a  resident  of  that  district.  He  said  he  had  a  claim  about 
three  or  four  miles  below  where  I  lived,  and  built  a  little  shanty  there 
three  or  four  days  before  the  election  ;  but  he  has  never  covered  or 
floored  it,  and  has  never  lived  in  it.  I  remained  there  until  they  had 
closed  the  polls,  and  had  done  counting  the  votes  I  saw  the  strangers 
have.  They  did  not  leave  in  a  body,  but  went  away  at  various  times 
as  they  got  done  voting.  I  had  conversation  with,  them  during  the 
day,  but  principally  at  supper,  with  those  who  remained  there.  I  had 
a  long  talk  with  Mr.  Younger  during  the  day.  He  said  he  had  a 
right  to  vote  there,  as  he  had  a  claim.  I  had  a  conversation  with 
several  of  the  party,  who  said  they  were  then  living  in  Jackson  county, 
Missouri ;  but  they  said  they  had  claims  in  the  Territory,  and  had  a 
right  to  vote.  A  great  many  of  them  I  have  not  seen  back  since. 
Mr.  Younger  said  the  Missourians  had  as  much  right  to  vote  here  as 
the  Yankees  had,  of  whom  some  four  boat  loads  had  landed  a  few  days 
before,  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  He  said  all  who  happened  to  be  in 
the  Territory  on  the  day  of  election  had  a  right  to  vote,  according  to 
Douglas'  bill.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  the  political  opinion 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


233 


of  the  precinct  was  greatly  free  State  ;  a  very  decided  majority  of  the 
whole  district  was  free  State,  so  far  as  I  know  anything  about  it.  I 
have  been  in  almost  every  neighborhood  of  the  district,  and  have 
talked  with  all  the  prominent  men  about  the  matter,  and  I  am  satis- 
fied that  at  that  time  a  large  majority  of  the  district  was  free  State. 
These  strangers  were  armed.  They  came  principally  in  wagons,  some 
on  horseback.  One  two-horse  wagon  was  loaded  with  guns.  I  did 
not  see  anything  else  in  it.  They  unloaded  it  in  the  yard  and  stacked 
their  guns  around  a  forked  apple  tree  in  the  yard.  They  also  had 
very  large  knives — afoot  or  more  in  length — that  looked  like  "they 
were  home  made.  Some  of  them  had  pistols.  I  have  examined  the 
poll  books  of  that  precinct,  and  think  the  following  list  is  the  names 
of  resident  voters  of  Big  Sugar  precinct,  fifth  district,  at  the  election 
of  March  30,  1855: 

17".  J.  M."  Hampton, 


1.  A.  M.  Smith, 

2.  L.  B.  Willson, 

3.  Beubin  Noel, 

4.  James  E.  Wadkins, 

5.  Thomas  Smith, 

6.  Henry  Littlejohn, 
T.  Silas  Young, 

8.  William  Cash, 

9.  John  Gr.  Robinson, 

10.  James  B.  Fleming, 

11.  James  M.  Freeman, 

12.  D.  P.  Fleming, 

13.  James  M.  Arthur, 

14.  R.  M.  Daniel, 

15.  Jonah  Daniel, 

16.  Allen  Stewart, 


18.  Lewis  Thompson, 

19.  John  B.  Robinson, 

20.  Henryllclviney, 

21.  Ransom  Elliot, 

22.  John  Eliot, 

23.  William  M.  Smith, 

24.  L.  M.  Eliot, 

25.  J.  W.  Regan, 

26.  John  Wykle, 

27.  Samuel  Clark, 

28.  George  Wykle, 

29.  M.  C.  D.  Osburn, 

30.  L.  M.  Love, 

31.  J.  E.  Brown, 

32.  Elish a  Tucker. 


Some  of  the  above  names  may  not  have  been  residents  at  that  time, 
but  they  are  now. 

JAMES  M.  ARTHUR, 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


S.  W.  BOUTON  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Matthias  : 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  the  month  of  May,  1854,  and  resided 
here  until  April  1855,  in  the  fifth  election  district.  I  was  at  the 
jelection  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  held  at  the  house  of  William 
j Stockton.  The  judges  of  election  were  David  Finlay,  William  Stock- 
;ton,  and  some  one  I  did  not  know.  I  understood  that  those  who 
|  served  were  those  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder. 

There  were  something  like  one  hundred  votes  cast,  some  sixty  for 
hthe  free  State,  and  some  forty  for  the  pro-slavery  ticket.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  one  being  there  not  entitled  to  vote,  and  the  election  was 
orderly  and  quiet. 

S.  W.  BOUTON. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  3,  1856. 


234  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

SIXTH  DISTRICT. — Fort  Scott. 


JOHN  HAMILTON  called  and  sworn. 

I  first  came  into  the  Territory  in  1835,  but  I  have  been  out  andi 
back  at  times.  I  came  back  last  in  March,  1855,  and  settled  at  Fort! 
Scott,  in  the  sixth  election  district.  I  emigrated  from  Pennsylvaniai 
to  Missouri,  and  thence  to  the  Territory. 

I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  31st  of  March,  1855,  at  Fort; 
Scott.  William  J.  Godefroy,  Mr.  Bay,  and  William  Painter,  were  the 
judges  appointed  by  the  governor.  They  served  as  judges.  I  went! 
to  the  polls  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock.  There  were  strangers  who 
had  collected  near  the  polls  the  day  of  election  and  the  day  before, 
from  between  one  hundred  and  one  hundred  and  fifty.  They  came 
from  the  direction  of  Missouri,  and  came  in  wagons  and  on  horseback. 
Some  encamped  and  some  put  up  at  public  houses  there.  Some  oj 
these  strangers  I  knew ;  C.  L.  Harris,  Mr.  S.  H.  Loring,  Mr.  Benja- 
min Eichardson,  Dr.  Stone,  and  a  great  many  more  whose  names  I 
do  not  recollect.  They  lived  in  Bates  county,  Missouri.  They  were 
with  the  companies  who  came  in.  I  conversed  with  some  of  them  the 
evening  before  the  election  ;  they  said  they  came  there  to  vote,  and 
seemed  to  think  they  had  a  perfect  right  to  do  so.  They  were  armed 
generally  with  pistols.  They  said  they  came  to  vote  ;  they  did  not 
say  what  their  purpose  in  voting  was.  I  cannot  say  certain  that  more 
than  one  of  these  men  I  knew  voted,  for  I  was  not  about  the  window 
much.  Afterwards,  Mr.  Loring  and  Mr.  Kichardson,  when  the  polls 
were  closed,  came  to  me  and  said  they  came  to  me  as  friends,  to  know 
if  I  intended  to  contest  the  election.  I  stated  that  if  I  had  a  majority 
of  the  legal  votes  in  the  district  I  should  certainly  contest  it.  They 
said  if  I  did  it  would  certainly  be  detrimental  to  the  interests  of  myseli 
and  family.  They  said  nothing  further.  The  pro-slavery  candidates  fon 
representatives  were  Mr.  Williams  and  Mr.  Anderson.  William  Mar- 
graves was  an  independent  pro-slavery  candidate.  I  was  a  free  State 
candidate.  William  Barbee  was  the  pro-slavery  candidate  for  council, 
and  had  no  opposition.  The  election  was  held  in  the  house  I  occupy, 
and  I  was  there  at  the  opening  of  the  polls,  but  was  not  present  in  the 
room  of  the  judges,  and  cannot  say  whether  or  not  they  were  sworn. 
William  Barbee  lived  at  that  time  in  the  town  of  Fort  Scott.  I  do  not 
know  where  Mr.  Anderson  lived  at  that  time.  He  was  staying  in  our 
district  a  few  days  before  the  election,  and  I  presume  was  boarding, 
there.  I  do  not  know  where  he  came  from  to  the  district ;  I  do  not 
know  where  he  lives  now.  I  think  he  does  not  live  at  Fort  Scott 
now,  unless  since  I  left,  four  days  since.  S.  A.  Williams  lives  now 
at  the  town  of  Fort  Scott,  but  I  do  not  know  where  he  lived  then, 
though  he  had  been  around  Fort  Scott  some  days  before  the  election. 
He  has  a  family,  but  I  never  saw  them  there  before  the  election.  I 
do  not  know  when  and  where  Mr.  Williams  and  Mr.  Anderson  were 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  235 

nominated.  I  learned,  first,  several  days  before  the  election,  that 
they  were  candidates,  but  know  nothing  in  regard  to  how  they  were 
brought  out.  Some  of  these  strangers  told  me  they  had  voted,  but 
i  not  all  of  them  for  whom  ;  though  some  said  they  voted  for  me,  but 
I  supposed  they  were  joking  with  me.  There  were  persons  coming 
•  into  the  district  at  different  times.  I  am  acquainted  with  a  great 
many  at  different  points  in  the  district.  The  district  was  somewhat 
:  thinly  settled.  There  was  no  town  at  Fort  Scott  at  that  time.  It 
;  had  been  occupied  as  a  fo-rt,  and  citizens  occupied  the  place  merely  by 
permission  of  the  agent  left  in  charge  of  the  property,,  and  stayed 
there.  Some  days  after  the  election  the  property  was  sold.  There 
^was  no  disturbance  at  the  polls.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of  the  voters 
i  were  sworn.  I  saw  some  votes  handed  in.  I  saw  some  strangers  about 
ithe  windows,  but  there  was  such  a  crowd  there  that  I  could  not  see 
what  they  were  doing.  I  do  not  know  whether  or  not  any  of  the  citi- 
zens who  came  in  that  day  went  away  without  voting.  I  had  not 
canvassed  the  district.  I  believed  that,  at  that  time,  a  majority  of 
the  settlers  of  the  district  were  in  favor  of  a  free  State.  I  know  of 
no  double  voting  that  day.  I  do  not  think  the  number  of  votes  of 
that  district  was  more  than  125.  I  have  carefully  examined  the  poll 
lists  of  that  election  in  our  district  of  the  30th  of  March,  and  I  have, 
as  near  as  possible,  selected  from  them  the  names  of  all  those  I  knew 
to  be  resident  voters  at  that  time.  After  I  had  made  that  list,  I  com- 
pared the  poll  lists  with  the  census  roll.  The  census  was  taken  by 
Mr.  Barbee  and  his  assistants.  I  have  added  the  names  taken  from 
the  census  rolls  of  residents.  I  did  not  know  who  voted  on  the  30th 
of  March,  and  I  make  62  in  all.  This  list  includes  the  names  of  all 
I  know  to  have  been  residents,  and  whose  names  I  find  on  the  poll 
books  and  the  census.  So  far  as  I  know,  this  would  be  a  correct  list 
of  the  legal  voters  at  that  election.  To  supply  those  I  did  not  know, 
I  examined  the  poll  lists  and  census  returns.  There  were  many  per- 
sons coming  in  at  that  time.  In  this  list  I  have  included  Mr.  Ander- 
son and  Mr.  Williams,  whom  I  did  not  believe  to  be  citizens,  though 
their  names  are  on  the  census  returns.  The  following  is  the  list  of 
names  on  the  poll  books  and  census  roll  of  the  Fort  Scott,  or  sixth 
district,  as  I  find  them  : 

William  Barbee,  B.  F.  Wilkinson,  K.  Beth,  William  Breeze,  L.  S. 
Broyles,  T.  B.  Arnott,  A.  P.  F.  Davis,  W.  F.  Alexander,  F.  Dewint, 
John  B.  Smith,  James  Marr,  Emery  B.  Cook,  H.  Watkins,  E.  Fly, 
John  Gnthree,  William  January,  J.  W.  Sharp,  Jerome  Moody,  A. 
Ward,  S.  Potter,  Jesse  Eay,  John  Crook,  James  H.  Fleming,  John 
B.  Fleming,  Michael  McCann,  Wm.  Kay,  Joseph  Harrison,  Thomas 
H.  Fox,  Wm.  A.  Randolph,  H.  Bledsoe,  James 'Waldron,  Daniel  F. 
Burkhardt,  Lewis  Davis,  L.  Sharp,  N.  II.  Bennett,  John  Graves,  M. 
Dawson,  Samuel  Beaver,  Samuel  Moore,  P.  S.  Moor,  J.  Field,  John 
Culton,  James  Kay,  Win.  J.  Godfrey,  D.  Guthree,  William  Painter, 
P.  D.  Caning,  J.  C.  Anderson,  John  Grant,  Thomas  Graves,  Wm. 
Watkins,  John  Brown,  Charles  Milan,  Thomas  Summers,  J.  Jefries, 
J.  W.  Fly,  William  Musgrave,  G.  Wood,  J.  W.  Arnott,  Charles 
Hurd,  H.  S.  Wilson,  William  Ewing. 

In  addition  to  those  not  on  the  foregoing  list,  are   twelve  names  of 


236  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

persons  resident  voters  not  on  the  census  returns,  and  whom  I  know 
to  have  been  residents  : 

J.  N.  Newmew,  George  W.  Morris,  J.  M.  Ward,  T.  Mathias,  A. 
Snow,  John  January,  H.  Varbal,  M.  Sellers,  J.  T.  Ray,  F.  F.  York,, 
"Win.  Humphries. 

I  find  no  other  names  on  the  census  book  that  are  also  on  the  polll 
list,  except  those  I  have  given.  The  census  list  is  alphabetically 
arranged  ;  I  took  up  the  poll  book  name  by  name,  and  whenever  I 
found  a  name  on  the  poll  book  that  was  on  the  census  list,  I  put  it 
down  in  my  list.  I  put  on  the  list  names  I  did  not  know,  but  I  found 
their  names  both  on  the  census  and  poll  lists.  I  have  also  given  the 
names  of  those  I  know  to  have  been  resident  voters  who  were  not  on 
the  census  returns,  but  were  on  the  poll  lists. 

Upon  examining  the  poll  books,  I  found  the  names  of  persons  I 
know  to  be  residents  of  Missouri  at  that  time,  the  30th  of  December, 
1855.  The  following  are  their  names: 

G.  Oldham,  G.  W.  Oldham,  P.  Zeal,  C.  Mitchell,  J.  S.  Mitchell, 
H.  C.  Weire,  John  Knight,  G.  T.  Jones,  G.  L.  Harris,  N.  Godefroy, 
E.  Dean,  Wm.  March  Banks,  S.  A.  Williams,  J.  C.  Anderson,  Wm. 
D.  Lynde,  William  Merick,  J.  M.  Newman. 

I  do  not  know  with  regard  to  the  other  names  I  find  there.  There 
are  names  I  am  familiar  with,  but  do  not  know  the  given  names,  and 
do  not  recollect  to  have  seen  them  on  the  ground.  I  do  not  know 
where  those  live  whose  names  I  have  not  mentioned,  and  whom  I  find 
on  the  poll  list. 

Cross-examined  by  Joseph  C.  Anderson: 

I  understood  the  district  at  that  time  commenced  in  the  channel  of 
the  Little  Osage,  and  followed  the  stream  up  ;  and  there  was  no  dis- 
trict west  of  it  in  the  Territory.  It  run  to  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  Territory  ;  it  was  about  seventy  miles  wide  ;  it  included  the 
Indian  lands  and  nations,  and  there  was  very  little  of  it  open  to  set- 
tlement. I  had  been  in  the  Territory  about  twenty  days  before  the 
election.  I  did  not  know  the  voters  in  the  district,  as  I  had  not  can- 
vassed it ;  there  might  have  been  many  men  there,  legal  voters,  I  did 
not  know  ;  I  would  not  say  all  the  names  I  have  not  given  were  ille- 
gal voters.  I  heard  no  one  say,  as  I  recollect,  what  induced  them  to 
come  there  to  vote.  I  should  judge,  of  those  I  saw  there  that  day, \ 
two  thirds  were  armed.  It  is  customary  for  citizens  of  the  Territory 
to  have  arms.  Those  men  generally  had  pistols.  I  was  not  induced 
to  any  course  of  conduct  by  any  threats  made  towards  me.  I  had  re- 
peatedly stated  I  should  contest  that  election  if  I  thought  I  had  a 
majority  of  the  legal  votes  there  then.  I  did  not  contest  it  at  that 
time,  because  there  was  not  time  enough  to  contest  it ;  and  I  believed 
at  the  time  a  majority  of  the  votes  were  against  me.  There  were 
thirty-five  votes  counted  out  as  given  for  me.  I  never  have  ascer- 
tained that  I  received  a  majority  of  the  legal  votes  there  ;  I  do  not 
know  of  any  more.  I  knew  men  from  Missouri  who  voted  for  me  ; 
two  told  me  they  had  voted  for  me.  I  did  not  send  to  my  friends  in 
Missouri  to  come  to  that  election,  or  intimate  to  them  in  any  way  that 
I  should  like  to  have  them  come.  I  do  not  know  that  Joseph  C.  An- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  237 

•. 

derson  had  not  been  in  the  district  before  I  came  there  ;  I  never  had 

heard  of  his  being  here.     I  think  the  census  was  finished  a  few  days 

after  I  came  into  the  Territory.     I  find  the  name  of  Joseph  C.  Ander- 

|i  son  on  the  census  book,  but  do  not  know  why  it  was  placed  there. 

i!  The  grounds  of  my  belief  that  Anderson  was  not  a  citizen  of  the  dis- 

i|  trict,  at  the  time  of  the  election,  were,  that  he  left  the  next  morning, 

i|  and  I  did  not  see  him  until  after  the  adjournment  of  the  legislature. 

I  do  not  know  where  Mr.  Anderson  was  during  that  time.     It  was 

understood  in  the  district  that  while  Mr.  Anderson  was  away  he  was 

in  the  legislature.     I  did  not  know  that  he  had  any  other  home  at 

the  time  of  the  election  but  at  Fort  Scott. 

I  do  not  think  Mr.  Williams  was  a  resident  of  Fort  Scott  at  that- 
:|time  any  more  than  was  Mr.  Anderson.  Mr.  Williams  did  not  buy 
any  property  there,  at  the  sale,  that  I  know  of,  though  I  heard  Mr. 
Wilson  bid  off  a  house  for  them  together.  Mr.  Williams  occupies 
ijthat  house  now  with  his  family^  and  has  been  residing  there  since  the 
i: election,  and  is  now  probate  judge  of  that  county  by  appointment  of 
;the  territorial  legislature.  The  pro-slavery  party  was  and  are  very 
favorable  to  the  election  of  Mr.  Anderson,  so  far  as  I  have  heard, 
j There  were  many  persons  living  in  the  houses  at  Fort  Scott  at  the 
'time  of  the  election  by  permission  of  the  agent.  E.  Oldham  came  the 
night  before  the  election,  and  went  back  not  long  after  the  election. 
I  do  not  recollect  that  I  had  any  conversation  with  him,  and  do  not 
know  anything  that  would  go  to  show  he  intended  to  live  there.  I 
jdo  not  know  that  there  was  any  one  frightened  from  the  polls.  So  far 
ias  I  know,  the  residents  of  the  district  who  were  there  that  day  voted. 
jjl  do  not  know  how  many  of  the  residents  were  not  there.  There  were 
people  living  there  who  had  no  horses  and  did  not  get  to  the  polls, 
but  were  not  prevented  from  going  to  the  polls  upon  account  of  fear, 
'I  think.  I  do  not  know  how  many  strangers  voted  and  how  many 
did  not  vote.  No  endeavors  were  made,  to  my  knowledge,  to  prevent 
;Mr.  Loring  from  voting. 

Question.  Was  it  not  the  common  rumor  that  there  would  be  500 
inen  sent  out  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Company  to  control  the  election 
at  Fort  Scott? 

Answer.  It  was  not  a  common  rumor. 

I  was  not  round  the  polls  all  day.  I  lived  in  the  house  where  the 
voting  took  place,  I  was  at  the  polls  several  times,  but  not  much.' 
E  was  not  preyented  from  going  to  the  polls  by  threats.  If  I  mistake 
;jnot  I  voted  for  William  Barbee  for  council,  and  Mr.  Margraves  for 
representative.  I  considered  Barbee,  from  what  he  said  to  me,  a  free 
; State  man,  until  after  the  election.  I  was  not  aware  of  any  caucus 
held  by  the  free  State  party  on  the  morning  of  the  election  at  Fort 
Scott,  to  decide  upon  the  question  of  bringing  out  a  candidate  against 
Barbee. 

I  never  heard  tell  of  the  Mitchells  coming  to  Fort  Scott  until  after 
the  sale,  which  took  place  on  the  16th  of  April,  1855.     They  bought 
j  some  property  there,  but  did  not  move  on  it  until  some  time  after- 
wards that  I  know  of.     They  are  now  residents  of  Fort  Scott.     It 
| may  have  been  that  some  of  the  names  I  say  I  am  familiar  with,  but 
liilo  not  know  the  given  names  were  legal  votes.     Some  of  the  legal 


238  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

voters  in  the  district  were  not  on  the  census  hook.  I  was  not  myself 
There  were  a  great  many  came  into  the  district  after  the  census  an< 
"before  the  election,  but  I  do  not  know  where  they  came  from. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

The  following  names  in  the  list  of  sixty-two  names  are  persons 
-did  not  know  to  he  citizens,  but  whose  names  I  found  in  both  censui 
returns  and  poll  lists. 

F.  Dewint,  James  Marr,  E.  Fley,  J.  W.  Sharp^  S.  Potter,  Join 
•Crook,  James  H.  and  John  B.  Fleming,  H.  Bledsoe,  James  Waldron; 
D.  F.  Buckhardt,  Lewis  Davis,  L.  Sharp,  John  Graves,  M.  Dawson 
J.  Field,  John  Grant,  Thomas  Graves,  Charles  Milan,  J.  Jeffreys^ 
J.  W.  Fley,  and  G.  Wood. 

By  Mr.  Anderson  : 

There  are  many  settlements  in  the  district  I  am  not  acquainte' 
with. 

JOHN  HAMILTON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


EMERY  B.  COOK  called  and  sworn. 

I  carne  into  the  Territory  in  March,  1854,  and  have  resided  nea; 
Fort  Scott  ever  since.     I  came  from  Ohio  and  Missouri,  and  thence  t 
the  Territory.     There  were  a  few  settlers  at  the  Fort ;  but  none  in  m 
neighborhood  when  I  came.     I  am  a  mason  by  occupation.     I  am  toli 
erably  well  acquainted  in  the  district ;  and  have  been  asked,  and  hav 
gone,  all  over  the  neighborhood  to  house  raisings.     I  should  thin 
there  were  about  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-fi  v 
voters  in  the  district  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     William  Barbe 
took  the  census  of  the  district,  and  subsequently  he  run  for  council 
I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March.     There  were  a  grea 
many  strangers  came  there  the  day  before  election,  and  on  the  day  c 
^election.     A  great  many  came  from  the  southern  part  of  Missour: 
where  I  did  the  most  of  rny  work  as  a  mason.     These  men  came  thi 
day  before  the  election,  in  wagons,  of  four  or  five  in  company  ;  some 
•times  I  counted  as  high  as  twelve  in  one  wagon,  and  some  as  low  aa 
two  or  three.     They  had  tents  with  them,  and  generally  carried 
demijohn,  as  I  usually  call  a  pistol.     I  did  not  know  any  of  those  ii 
the  wagons.     Many  came  on  horseback,  on  the  day  of  election,  wlioi 
I  knew.     Those  in  the  wagons  brought  their  own  provisions,  but  n 
baggage,  and  no  families,  or  signs  of  moving.    I  was  at  the  polls  beforr 
it  was  open.     I  saw  a  great  many  of  these  people  around  the  polls  ;  an 
a,  great  many  of  them  said  they  were  going  to  vote.     Afterwards,  oni 
man  came  to  me  and  told  me  he  had  voted,  and  wanted  to  know  why  I  di 
not  vote.     I  said  I  would  vote  when  I  got  ready.     There  was  a  famil 
•of  Houcks,  from  Cooper  county  there,  as  they  said  that  they  came  t 
vvote,  and  it  seemed  to  be  understood  that  the  north  was  imposing  on  th 
south,  and  they  were  going  to  try  to  keep  up  with  them.    There  was  ODD 
•or  two  persons  there  I  had  seen  in  Missouri,  so.  as  to  know  their  names' 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  239 

There  was  no  claim  that  they  resided  in  the  district.  I  heard  nothinS 
said  about  the  residences  of  the  people  there,  except  that  the  Houcks 
said  they  were  from  Cooper  county.  I  saw  these  men  walk  up  to  the 
polls  in  bodies,  generally,  with  tickets  in  their  hands,  though  I  did  not 
see  the  votes  actually  given  in.  I  thought  at  first  that  there  were  two 
hundred  there  ;  but,  after  some  had  gone  off  on  horseback,  I  think  there 
were  but  one  hundred  or  one  hundred  and  fifty.  They  were  coming 
and  going  all  day.  Some  who  came  in  wagons  left  the  day  of  elec- 
tion, and  some  the  day  after,  going  the  main  road  to  Missouri.  The 
most  of  those  who  came  in  wagons  came  from  towards  Missouri  up 
north.  I  voted  that  day.  I  think,  as  a  general  thing,  the  settlers 
did  not  vote  that  day.  I  had  been  watching  for  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
I  knew,  and  did  not  see  them.  I  cannot  say  whether  any  there  did 
not  vote.  I  have  looked  over  the  poll  book,  in  connexion  with  Mr. 
Hamilton,  and  we  have  drawn  off  a  list  we  know  to  be  legal  voters  ; 
some  few  of  them,  such  as  we  found  on  the  poll  books.  .  He  recognized 
some  three  or  four  names  I  did  not,  and  I  recognized  two  he  did  not. 
They  are  all  put  in  the  list.  William  Barbee  was  candidate  for  coun- 
cil in  that  district,  and  had  no  opposition.  Mr.  Anderson  and  Mr. 
Williams  were  the  pro-slavery  candidates,  and  Mr.  Hamilton  the  free 
State  candidate.  Mr.  Anderson  was  boarding  in  the  district  some 
week  or  two,  electioneering  around  amongst  us,  but  I  did  not  consider 
him  a  resident.  He  left  a  short  time  after  the  election,  and  I  think  I 
did  not  see  him  any  more  until  he  came  back  from  the  territorial  legis- 
lature in  September  last.  There  was  a  public  pro-slavery  dinner,  as  it 
was  called,  the  Saturday  before  the  election,  last  fall.  I  did  not  attend 
the  dinner,  though  I  had  intended  to  go.  I  think  I  saw  Mr.  Ander- 
son leave  the  next  day  after  the  election,  and  think  I  have  not  seen 
him  there  since.  I  do  not  know  where  he  resides  now.  I  was  at  the 
Fort  the  bigger  part  of  the  time  last  fall,  and  if  he  had  been  there  be- 
tween the  two  .elections  I  should  probably  have  seen  him.  I  do  not 
know  anything  about  the  residence  of  Mr.  Williams  at  the  time  of 
the  election,  though  he  moved  into  the  district  with  his  family  after 
he  was  elected.  He  was  in  the  district  himself  some  week  or  ten 
days  before  the  election.  He  resides  in  the  district  with  his  family 
now.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  persons  named  by  Mr.  Hamilton  in 
the  latter  clause  of  his  deposition  were  citizens  or  not ;  I  do  not  know 
any  such  persons  in  the  district.  I  think  I  know  all  the  names,  be- 
sides this  latter  clause,  that  he  has  furnished  on  his  list,  some  forty- 
eight  of  them.  I  have  heard  his  deposition  ;  and  so  far  as  it  relates 
to  the  lists  and  the  persons  named,  I  think  he  is  right,  from  all  I 
know  of  the  district,  and  from  my  examination  of  the  poll  lists  and 
census  returns.  I  think  there  were  about  fifty  who  voted  that  day 
that  I  consider  citizens  at  that  time.  What  I  mean  by  a  citizen  is 
Qne  who  makes  his  only  home  in  the  Territory,  and  without  regard  to 
the  length  of  time. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Anderson: 

I  know  the  various  settlements  in  the  district,  but  am  not  acquainted 
with  the  mall.  I  am  not  well  acquainted  with  the  district  far  from 
home,  but  I  am  well  acquainted  within  10  or  12,  or  15  miles  of  my 


240  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

home,  but  not  with  everybody.  I  am  not  acquainted  with  Mr.  Guth- 
rie's  nephews,  the  Floys,  though  I  am  acquainted  with  the  Gutliries. 
I  have,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  with  Mr.  Hamilton,  prepared  of 
all  I  knew  to  have  been  residents,  but  I  will  not  say  that  is  all.  I 
was  around  the  polls  on  the  morning  of  the  election  and  during  the 
day.  I  saw  no  men  hindered  from  voting  and  heard  no  threats  made 
against  free  State  men  about  voting.  A  good  many  free  State  men 
did  not  vote.  Some  two  or  three  of  the  herdboys  said  they  did  not 
vote.  They  live  about  five,  six,  or  seven  miles  above  the  Fort  on  the 
Marmitau.  They  had  been  living  there  some  three  or  four  weeks  be- 
fore the  election.  I  saw  no  others  there,  that  I  recollect  of,  who  said 
they  did  not  vote.  I  never  heard  of  any  caucus  of  the  free  State  party 
on  the  day  of  the  election  to  decide  upon  the  question  of  bringing  out 
a  candidate  against  Barbee.  I  know  of  a  good  many  men  of  both  par- 
ties who  did  not  come  to  the  election,  as  they  told  me.  I  think  these 
strangers  were  armed  more  than  was  usual  in  this  country.  There  were 
persons  who  came  in  from  Missouri  in  the  morning  and  went  back  in 
the  afternoon.  Some  of  them  I  knew  to  be  from  Missouri  and  to  be 
living  there  at  the  time ;  about  twenty  I  should  say ;  I  cannot  name 
all,  though  I  know  where  they  lived.  I  can  recollect  A.  G.  Hay,  John 
Hay,  William  Hay,  William  Lynd,  James  Brown,  a  Mr.  Woods, 
another  William  Lynd,  William  Merrick,  Elias  Dean,  James  Logan, 
William  Hereford,  (I  think,)  William  Miller,  Jacob  Miller,  C.  D. 
Ball,  Dick  Bond,  N.  Dodge,  and  Abraham  Redfield.  I  do  not  know 
whether  those  men  voted  or  not.  I  heard  Logan  and  Dean  say  that  it  was 
right  for  every  citizen  of  Missouri  to  vote.  It  was  the  general  rumor 
of  the  Missourians  that  they  ought  to  vote,  because  the  north  came  flock- 
ing into  the  election  and  running  out  again.  In  the  part  of  Missouri 
where  I  worked  it  was  rumored  that  one  part  of  the  General  Aid  So- 
ciety's emigrants  were  coming  to  this  Territory  to  live  and  make  this 
a  free  State,  and  another  set  coming  in  to  vote  and  then  go  out  again. 
I  voted  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  These  strangers,  generally,  con- 
ducted themselves  as  well  as  people  usually  do  at  western  elections. 
A  man  came  and  asked  to  see  my  ticket,  I  showed  it  to  him  and  asked 
if  it  suited  him.  He  said  it  did  not.  I  asked  him  where  he  lived,  he 
said  down  on  the  Marmitau,  between  Henry  Barber's  and  the  line,  but 
I  never  saw  the  man  there,  though  I  have  often  been  along  there,  and 
I  think  have  seen  every  man  along  the  line.  It  is  customary  for  per- 
sons to  live  in  temporary  affairs,  such  as  tents,  when  they  first  come 
to  the  Territory.  I  heard  several  of  these  strangers  say  they  were 
citizens  of  the  Territory,  five  or  six  of  them,  perhaps  more.  Some 
men  living  in  the  western  part  of  the  district,  I  understood,  left  on 
account  of  the  Osage  Indian  difficulties,  and  the  question  of  the  New 
York  reservation  has  prevented  some  two  or  three  from  settling  there. 
I  believe  the  strangers  generally  claimed  that  the  citizens  of  Missouri 
had  a  right  to  vote  if  these  northern  emigrants  did.  There  were  many 
there  in  tents.  These  strangers,  who  were  coming  in  and  going  from 
the  election  during  the  day,  were  from  towards  Missouri,  and  as  I  lived 
near  the  line  I  saw  some  of  them  go  over  into  Missouri.  Those  who 
were  in  tmts  I  do  not  know  where  they  were  from,  though  the  Houcks 
^  i  *ae  the  company  in  their  wagons  were  from  Missouri.  I  do  not 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  241 


know  that  Joseph  0.  Anderson  was  in  the  district  "before  the  census 
was  taken,  though  he  may  have  heen.  I  go  to  Fort  Scott  about  once 
a  week  during  the  winter.  The  first  time  I  saw  Mr.  Anderson  he  was 
introduced  to  me  as  a  candidate.  I  work  a  good  deal  in  the  southwest- 
ern part  of  Missouri,  and  Mr.  Anderson  could  have  heen  in  the  district 
between  the  election  and  close  of  the  legislature  and  I  not  have  known 
it.  I  heard  one  man  from  Missouri  say  he  had  voted  for  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton, but  I  do  not  know  of  any  who  came  over  for  that  purpose. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

There  was  a  rumor  prevailing  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Scott 
that  there  were  many  persons  coming  over  from  Missouri  to  vote,  but 
I  do  not  know  that  it  was  general,  but  in  my  neighborhood  it  was 
generally  believed. 

By  Mr.  Anderson : 

We  generally  believed  that  they  were  going  to  vote  for  the  Missouri 
party,  as  we  called  it,  though  some  for  Mr.  Hamilton.  I  know  the 
rumor  prevailed  by  hearing  some  few  men  say  that  they  were  going 
to  come  over  and  vote. 

E.  B.  COOK. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


JOHN  HAMILTON  recalled. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

There  was  at  Fort  Scott,  before  the  election,  a  general  rumor  that 
persons  would  come  over  from  Missouri  to  vote  on  the  30th  of  March, 
1855.  That  rumor  extended  so  far  as  I  had  acquaintance.  So  far  as 
I  know,  the  rumor  was  generally  credited.  I  do  not  know  whether 
that  rumor  kept  any  one  from  the  polls  or  not.  There  were  settlers 
who  were  not  there,  but  I  cannot  state  why  they  did  not  come. 

JOHN  HAMILTON.. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


JOSEPH  C.  ANDERSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King  : 

I  removed  to  the  Territory,  for  the  purpose  of  residing,  in  February,, 
855,  and  settled  at  Fort  Scott,  in  the  sixth  election  district.     I  was 
resident  there  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  was  a  candidate  and 
lected  as  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives.     From  my  infor- 
nation,   (and  I  tried  to  ascertain  the   strength  of  parties  in  thai 
istrict,)  I  was  of  opinion  that  there  were  upwards  of  two  hundred 
nen  in  the  district  favorable  to  me  and  my  party,  and  not  more  than 
ifty  on  the  free-State  side.     I  heard  one  man  I  can  name,  who  was 
rom  Missouri,  say  he  had  voted,  but  I  did  not  see  him  vote.     My 
H.  Kep.  200 16* 


242  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

present  impression  is  that  I  heard  another  Missourian  say  so.  Mr, 
Lor  ing  was  one  of  them.  I  tried  to  keep  him  from  voting.  I  re- 
marked to  him,  6{  Mr.  Lorlng,  you  are  not  going  to  vote?"  The  ob- 
ject of  my  inquiry  was  dissuasive.  I  told  him  I  did  not  want  him  to 
vote ;  that  I  did  not  want  men  known  to  be  citizens  of  Missouri  to 
vote  there,  for  the  reason  that  everybody  was  voting  for  me,  and  I 
did  not  want  to  have  my  election  contested,  or  have  any  trouble  about 
it.  I  told  him  that  the  free-State  party  had  no  confidence  in  their 
candidates,  and  would  vote  for  me  before  they  would  vote  for  thern, 
and  that  there  were  but  few  of  them.  I  told  him  this  because  I  really 
believed  it.  I  used  every  argument  to  prevent  him  from  voting  that 
I  could  think  of  at  the  time.  He  said  he  came  there  to  vote,  and  he 
was  going  to  do  it ;  that  the  abolitionists  were  shipping  men  from 
the  east  to  vote,  and  he  thought  that  the  Missourians  had  a  right  to 
come  there  and  vote  too.  In  the  course  of  the  evening  Mr.  Loring 
told  me  he  had  voted.  There  were  persons  who  were  said  to  be  Mis*- 
sourians  who  were  there,  but  most  of  them  were  strangers  to  me.  It 
was  the  current  and  credited  rumor  there  that  an  armed  body  of  abo- 
litionists, emissaries  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  would  be  in  Fort 
Scott  on  the  day  of  election  and  control  it.  Many  of  those  Missourians 
said  they  did  not  come  to  vote  themselves,  but  to  insure  the  people  in 
that  part  of  the  Territory  the  right  to  elect  their  own  candidates  with- 
out interference,  though  they  would  vote  if  it  became  necessary  to 
counteract  this  Emigrant  Aid  Society. 

I  do  not  think  I  had  any  competitor.  Mr.  Hamilton  was  an  op- 
posing candidate,  but  he  told  me  he  was  not  running  against  me,  but 
against  Williams.  He  said  he  could  get  as  many  votes  from  Missouri 
as  I  did,  and  that  pro-slavery  men  from  Missouri  would  vote  for  him, 
and  he  thought  he  and  I  would  both  be  elected.  He  told  me  that  fives 
hundred  eastern  men  would  land  at  Kansas  City  and  come  down  t<x3 
Fort  Scott  at  the  election.  He  said  this  in  the  presence  of  Barber, 
myself,  and  others.  The  Missourians,  as  they  were  said  to  be,  said  ii 
those  men  did  come,  they  would  fight  them,  if  necessary,  as  long  as! 
they  could.  Hamilton  told  me  that  his  own  political  friends  had  voted! 
against  him,  and  he  would  give  it  up.  It  was  the  current  report  down 
there,  and  believed  among  those  with  whom  I  talked,  that  the  free* 
State  men  knew  when  the  election  was  to  be  ten  days  before  the  pro->- 
clamation  of  the  governor  was  issued.  I  talked  with  perhaps  a  dozen 
about  it,  and  we  all  believed  it.  I  heard  nothing  about  my  having  si 
right  to  a  seat  in  the  Kansas  legislature  because  I  was  a  citizen  of  Mis-« 
souri  until  towards  the  close  of  the  legislature,  and  I  took  it  to  be  21 
jest,  and  so  regarded  it  at  the  time.  I  heard  nothing  of  the  kind' 
talked  of  seriously  until  after  this  committee  came  out  here.  So  faJi 
as  I  talked  with  citizens  of  Missouri,  and  I  talked  with  a  good  manj 
of  them,  it  was  the  expression  of  almost  all  of  them  that  they  woulc 
not  object  or  interfere  in  having  Kansas  a  free  State,  if  it  was  madd 
so  by  natural  and  uninfluenced  emigration  of  people  from  the  east  or 
free  States  ;  but  that  they  intended  interfering  if  the  eastern  peopld 
resorted  to  abolition  propagandism  by  organized  societies,  and  thai 
they  would  resist  such  interference  as  that,  if  it  produced  civil  war 
That  was  the  universal  feeling,  so  far  as  I  could  learn  it. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  243 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  heard  of  the  formation  of  the  emigrant  societies,  and  of  the  land- 
ing of  aholition  emissaries  here,  before  I  heard  of  any  contemplated 
interference  by  people  from  Missouri. 

JNO,  C.  ANDEBSON. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  6,  1856. 


WILLIAM  BARBEE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  reside  at  Fort  Scott,  in  the  sixth  election  district  of  the  Territory, 
and  have  resided  there  since  October,  1854.  I  was  in  the  Territory 
in  the  July  previous.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
1855,  in  that  district,  and  was  frequently  about  the  polls,  but  not  all 
the  time.  I  think  there  were  350  votes  polled  that  day,  of  which  I 
received,  as  member  of  the  council,  343  votes.  I  think  the  members 
of  the  lower  house  got  all  but  thirty,  or  thereabouts.  I  was  acquainted 
with  the  greater  portion  of  the  people  of  the  district,  having  taken 
the  census  a  short  time  before  ;  and  when  I  took  the  census  I  obtained 
the  opinion  of  the  people  there  on  the  question  of  slavery,  as  well  as 
I  could,  and  found  in  the  fifth  council,  or  sixth  election  district,  a  pro- 
slavery  majority.  I  also  took  the  census  in  the  fifth  election  district, 
and,  as  far  as  I  could  estimate,  I  found  the  district  to  be  pro-slavery 
by  a  small  majority.  I  took  the  census  in  February,  1855,  The 
winter  was  very  dry  that  year,  and  emigration  was  very  heavy  in 
February  and  March,  and  many  arrived  after  the  census  was  taken, 
and  before  the  day  of  election,  I  think  the  Pro-slavery  party  had  an 
increased  majority  at  the  time  of  the  election  in  the  Fort  Scott  dis- 
trict, as  nearly  all  the  emigration  after  the  census  was  taken  to  the 
time  of  election  was  pro-slavery.  There  were  many  persons  at  the 
polls,  as  that  was  the  only  voting  place  in  the  district.  There  were 
some  Missourians  present,  but  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  of  them  voting. 
Some  of  them  did  not  offer  to  vote.  There  was  something  said  about 
the  floating  vote  that  both  parties  had  there,  but  I  believe  neither 
party  insisted  upon  receiving  any  such  votes.  All  the  judges  ap- 
pointed by  the  governor  served  there  that  day,  and  I  saw  no  trouble 
or  difficulty.  Mr.  Hamilton,  one  of  the  free-State  candidates,  acknow- 
ledged after  the  election  that  he  had  been  beaten  by.  the  votes  of  his 
own  party ;  that  is,  a  majority  of  the  free-State  men  voted  against  him. 
He  talked  of  contesting  the  election ;  but  after  examining  the  polls  he 
gave  it  up,  stating  that  his  own  friends  had  voted  against  him.  Every- 
thing wound  up  peaceably,  and  we  had  no  difficulty  there  at  all. 

Joseph  C.  Anderson,  elected  to  the  lower  house,  came  into  the  dis- 
trict before  I  had  opened  my  books  for  the  census,  and  I  considered 
that  at  his  home,  and  all  considered  him  a  citizen,  so  far  as  I  heard. 
He  proposed  to  go  into  partnership  with  me  in  the  law  ;  but  we  went 
into  politics,  both  of  us,  and  neither  did  anything  about  the  law. 
Mr.  Williams,  also  elected  to  the  lower  house,  came  into  the  district 


244  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

without  his  family,  from  Polk  county,  Missouri.  After  Mr.  Ander- 
son came  into  the  district  I  made  a  claim,  and  had  work  done  on  it. 
He  remained  in  the  district  until  after  the  election,  and  then  started 
after  his  family,  and  has  "been  a  resident  of  that  district  ever  since. 

Governor  Reeder  took  me  to  he  a  free-State  man,  and  requested  me 
to  hunt  up  suitahle  free-State  men  for  judges  of  election,  when  I  took 
the  census,  and  said  that  he  aimed  to  appoint  two  free  soilers  and  one 
pro-slavery  man  for  judges  of  election.  He  did  do  that  in  our  dis- 
trict, and  in  those  districts  in  which  I  took  the  census,  which  was 
over  half  of  the  Territory  in  extent,  so  far  as  he  could. 

[Governor  King  proposes  to  prove  the  same  facts  hy  this  witness, 
substantially,  that  he  offered  to  prove  hy  Thomas  Johnson,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  conduct  of  Governor  Reeder  in  calling  the  legislature 
together. 

The  majority  of  the  committee  overrule  the  testimony  offered,  Mr. 
Oliver  dissenting,  as  in  the  case  of  Thomas  Johnson.] 

Cross-examined  hy  Mr.  Howard  ; 

Governor  Reeder  took  me  to  he  a  free-State  man.  I  passed  for  a 
free-State  man  with  him,  and  that  was  the  way  I  got  the  appointment 
to  take  the  census.  I  came  into  the  Territory  from  Illinois,  leaving 
my  family  in  Kansas  City  about  two  months,  while  I  was  looking 
over  the  Territory.  Governor  Reeder  aimed  to  appoint  a  majority  of 
free-State  men  in  the  district  in  which  I  took  the  census,  though  he 
may  have  heen  mistaken  in  regard  to  some  of  the  districts.  I  made 
my  returns  to  Governor  Reeder  in  just  time  hefore  the  election,  some 
two  weeks  or  so.  I  made  my  returns  as  quick  as  I  could,  hut  in  ex- 
tent of  territory  I  had  a  very  large  district.  When  I  made  my  re- 
turns Governor  Reeder  immediately  wrote  his  proclamation  for  the 
press,  and  I  took  a  copy  or  minute  of  it  hack  with  me.  I  think  I 
made  my  returns  the  very  day  he  wrote  his  proclamation.  I  think 
my  district  of  taking  the  census  embraced  some  seven  miles  more  than 
half  of  the  Territory.  It  run  up  to  the  south  line  of  the  Shawnee 
lands,  and  extended  back  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;  all  that  is  now 
included  in  the  counties  of  Lykins,  Lynn,  Bourbon,  and  all  south  and 
west  of  those  counties,  being  Indian  reservations  a  large  portion. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

The  settlements  in  the  district  I  had  to  take  the  census  of  were  con-i 
fined  in  the  counties  of  Franklin,  Lykins,  Lynn,  and  Bourbon,  and 
some  little  settlements  in  Allen  county.  Governor  Reeder  wrote  me 
a  letter  that  my  census  books  were  ready,  but  it  did  not  reach  me 
until  three  weeks  after  it  was  written,  and  I  did  not  get  my  books 
until  after  the  others  did.  He  spoke  of  the  delay  in  receiving  the 
returns,  and  called  the  election  immediately  after  they  were  made,  as 
soon  as  he  could  do  so.  I  do  not  think  he  was  to  blame  in  not  fixing 
the  election  earlier,  after  taking  the  census. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  Governor  Reeder  ought  not  to  have 
taken  the  census  earlier. 

WILLIAM  BARBEE. 
WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  5,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  245 

THOMAS  B.  ARNETT  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  reside  in  Fort  Scott,  and  have  resided  there  from  before  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill.  I  am  pretty  well  acquainted  with 
the  bounds  of  the  sixth  district  as  laid  off  by  Governor  Reeder.  On 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  acquainted  with  a  great  many  of  the 
voters  of  that  district.  There  was  quite  a  flood  of  emigration  of  bona, 
fide  settlers  coming  into  the  district  after  the  taking  of  the  census  up 
to  the  day  of  election.  It  was  nearly  a  daily  occurrence  to  have  more 
or  less  come  into  the  district.  My  opinion  is  that  there  were  some  90, 
perhaps  more,  emigrants  came  in  during  that  time.  I  kept  a  public 
house  at  Fort  Scott,  and  had  a  good  opportunity  of  seeing  the  emi- 
grants who  came  in.  I  was  present  at  the  30th  of  March  election. «  I 
saw  men  parading  around  through  the  streets,  but  saw  none  about  the 
polls.  I  saw  nothing  like  an  emigration  of  armed  men.  I  saw  no 
usurpation  of  the  right  of  voting.  There  were  men  who  came  in  from 
Missouri  to  vote,  and  the  judges  did  not  allow  it.  It  was  supposed 
that  there  were  two  hundred  men  who  came  in  to  vote,  and  were  not 
allowed  to  vote — were  expelled  from  voting,  I  know  of  no  illegal 
voting.  It  was  supposed  that  some  two  hundred  voters  came  there 
who  were  not  considered  legal  voters  and  were  not  allowed  to  vote. 
The  prevailing  understanding  was,  that  a  fair  vote  of  the  Territory 
should  be  taken.  I  know  of  no  citizen  of  the  district  that  was  pre- 
vented from  voting,  and  I  know  of  no  attempt  of  the  kind.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  one  who  did.  not  vote  from  any  expressed  apprehension 
of  fear  or  violence  in  any  way.  The  polls  were  opened  by  the  judges, 
and  kept  open  for  every  legal  voter  and  citizen  of  the  Territory  to 
come  and  vote  on  his  own  will  and  pleasure.  There  were  more  free- 
soil  votes  given  than  I  anticipated  were  in  our  district,  there  being 
some  thirty-odd  in  all  given.  The  polls  were  kept  open  for  them  as 
well  as  for  the  pro-slavery  party,  and  their  votes  were  as  amicably  and 
justly  received  as  from  the  pro-slavery  party.  The  vote  of  the  pro- 
slavery  party  was  about  as  I  anticipated  it  would  be ;  not  higher  than 
I  anticipated.  My  own  opinion  was  that  the  pro-slavery  party  in  that 
district  was  even  higher  than  the  vote  showed  .they  were  on  the  day 
of  election.  I  considered  the  majority  at  least  five  to  one.  I  heard 
no  complaints  from  free-State  men  on  that  day,  that  they  had  been 
prevented  from  voting,  either  free-State  voters  or  candidates. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman: 

The  election  was  held  in  the  hospital  building  at  Fort  Scott,  in  a 
room  prepared  for  that  purpose.  I  was  engaged  in  my  public  house 
part  of  the  day,  and  part  of  the  day  I  was  out  mixing  among  the  people. 
I  was  immediately  at  the  polls  some  one  or  two  dozen  times  during 
the  day,  though  I  did  aot  make  it  my  business  to  watch  the  polls.  I 
do  not  think  I  heard  the  vote  of  any  individual  challenged  that  day. 
I  do  not  recollect  of  it  now.  I  do  not  think  I  heard  the  judges  an- 
nounce their  opinion  upon  any  question  before  them.  I  was  not  directly 
at  the  window,  as  it  was  pretty  crowded.  I  was  only  about  the  polls 
a  short  time  at  any  time  I  was  up  there.  I  understood  from  the  non- 


246  KANSAS   AFFAIES. 

residents  themselves  that  they  did  not  vote.  They  were  encamped 
down  on  the  creek.  I  do  not  know  how  many  told  me  they  did  not 
vote,  hut  such  was  the  general  talk  among  the  non-residents.  I  un- 
derstood from  them  that  they  were  ineligible  to  vote,  and  that  was  the 
reason  they  did  not  vote.  They  came  to  vote,  I  suppose,  and  that 
was  their  intention.  I  only  heard  such  a  rumor  from  them.  The 
reasonable  presumption  is,  that  th£  judges  deterred  them  from  voting, 
but  I  do  not  know  that  myself.  I  do  not  recollect  that  they  told  me 
why  they  did  not  vote.  I  think  some  of  them  said  there  .were  votes 
enough  there  without  their  votes,  any  how.  I  have  some  slight  ac- 
quaintance in  Weston,  Missouri.  The  persons  in  the  camp  came 
from  various  parts  in  the  western  part  of  Missouri,  from  Cass,  John- 
son, Lafayette,  Cooper,  and  Howard  counties.  I  know  a  gentle- 
man by  the  name  of  Oldham,  but  I  do  not  recollect  his  first  name. 
The  one  I  knew  lived  in  Jackson  county.  There  is  an  Oldham  in  our 
district,  now  a  settler.  He  had  a  claim  in  the  district  at  the  time  of 
the  election,  but  his  family  was  not  with  him.  He  was  then  pre- 
paring for  his  family,  and  shortly  afterwards  brought  them  there.  I 
knew  a  Mr.  Zeal  living  at  that  time  in  Bates  county,  but  he  had  an 
improvement  in  the  Territory,  with  his  family  in  Bates  county,  and 
now  is  merchandising  in  the  Territory.  I  know  some  Mitchells  who 
at  that  time  lived  in  Vernon  county,  but  they  had  claims  in  the  Ter- 
ritory before  the  election,  and  were  there  themselves,  but  their  families 
were  not  there.  J.  S.  Mitchell  and  Carter  Mitchell  are  now  residents 
of  Fort  Scott.  Carter  Mitchell  opened  a  claim  and  made  improve- 
ments upon  it,  and  sold  it  for  $800.  He  is  now  in  Fort  Scott.  Jos. 
C.  Anderson  came  in  our  place  first  during  the  latter  part  of  Febru- 
ary or  the  first  of  March.  He  boarded  with  me  while  he  was  there. 
He  left  very  shortly  after  the  election,  either  the  first  or  second  day 
after.  He  was  a  young  man,  without  a  family.  I  did  not  see  him 
at  Fort  Scott  again  until  the  barbacue  in  September.  He  remained 
there  but  a  short  time  after  General  Whitfield's  election,  and  I  have 
not  seen  him  there  since.  When  he  first  came  to  Fort  Scott  he  made 
a  claim  and  entered  it  upon  our  squatter's  record,  and  that  will  show 
he  had  a  claim. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  heard  some  several  of  these  Missourians  who  expressed  themselves 
willing  to  submit  the  case  to  the  people  of  the  Territory,  providing 
that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  would  not  interfere.  They  said  there 
was  such  a  flood  of  these  emigrants  coming  in,  they  thought  they  had 
ae  good  a  right  to  come  in  and  defend  the  rights  of  the  people  of  the 
Territory  as  those  eastern  emigrants  had  to  come  in. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  saw  none  of  these  eastern  emigrants  in  our  district  at  that  time, 
and  never  knew  of  any  of  these  emigrants  who  were  shipped  here 
being  in  our  district  since. 

To  Mr.  King : 

It  seemed  to  be  the  motto  of  most  all  of  the  Missourians,  that  see- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  247 

ing  none  of  the  emigrant  society  voters  there,  who  were  not  actual 
settlers  of  the  country,  they  were  disposed  to  stand  off  and  take  no 
part  in  the  election. 

THOMAS  B.  ARNETT. 
WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  2,  1856. 


SAMUEL  A.  WILLIAMS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  reside  now  in  Fort  Scott,  in  Kansas  Territory,  in  what  was  the 
6th  district,  and  have  resided  there  since  March  1,  1855.  I  was  a 
candidate  for  representative  to  the  legislature  from  that  district.  I 
was  elected.  I  have  resided  there  since  that  time.  Joseph  C.  Ander- 
son was  in  the  district  before  I  was.  I  was  in  the  district  there  before 
Mr.  Hamilton,  the  free-State  candidate,  was,  and  he  was  living  there 
at  the  time  of  the  election.  I  was  considerably  acquainted  in  that 
district.  My  opinion  is  that  that  election  was  a  very  fair  one.  I  do 
not  know  of  any  illegal  votes  there  that  day.  From  the  time  I  went 
into  the  district  the  emigration  was  very  heavy  from  Arkansas,  Mis- 
souri, and  Texas,  up  to  the  time  of  the  election,  and  settled  on  the 
Neosho  and  the  streams  in  that  neighborhood,  and  the  district.  At 
the  time  of  that  election  I  think  the  Pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority 
in  that  district.  A  good  many  free-State  men  were  dissatisfied  with 
their  candidates,  and  many  of  them  told  me  they  voted  for  me  and 
Mr.  Anderson,  and  I  wrote  the  tickets  for  some  of  them  myself. 

SAML.  A.  WILLIAMS. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  9,  1856. 


248  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 


TESTIMONY  AS  TO  ELECTION  OF  MARCH  30,  1855,  IN  THE  SEVENTH  DISTRICT, 

I.  B.  TITUS  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Keeder: 

I  moved  into  the  Territory,  where  I  am  now  living,  on  the  1st  day 
of  October,  in  the  year  1854,  in  the  seventh  district,  and  have  resided 
there  ever  since.  I  was  at  home  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  There 
was  a  large  camp  across  the  creek  from  my  house,  which  I  estimated 
to  contain  between  two  and  three  hundred.  I  was  not  at  home  the 
day  previous  to  the  election,  but  arrived  the  night  previous,  and 
found  the  camp  there.  I  went  into  the  camp  the  next  morning ;  I 
saw  some  three  or  four  persons  in  the  camp  that  I  had  seen  in  the 
district,  and  knew  had  claims  there ;  the  balance  were  all  strangers 
to  me.  They  were  armed — I  think,  all  of  them — some  with  one  kind 
of  arms,  and  some  with  another.  I  saw  no  flags  or  music  along  with 
them.  I  don't  know  where  they  got  their  provisions  and  fodder,  but 
supposed  they  brought  them  with  them,  as  I  knew  of  no  other  way  of 
their  getting  them.  Some  had  tents,  and  some  slept  in  their  wagons. 
I  had  some  conversation  with  them ;  they  said  they  were  from  Mis- 
souri, and  had  come  out  on  purpose  to  vote.  One  man  said  they  were 
disappointed,  as  they  expected  to  find  more  Yankees  there  than  there 
were,  and  allowed  that  they  had  more  with  them  than  was  necessary 
to  balance  the  vote.  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  learned  the  names  of 
any  of  those  strangers.  I  saw  a  great  many  of  them  vote,  and 
thought  they  all  voted,  as  I  was  in  or  about  the  house  all  day.  The 
election  was  held  in  my  house.  They  went  back  east,  on  the  Santa 
Fe  road,  in  the  direction  of  Missouri — some  before  the  election  was 
over,  and  the  rest  afterwards.  I  have  seen  none  of  those  strangers 
in  the  district  since,  except  a  few  passing  through,  freighting  to  the 
Grove.  I  have  seen  a  few  of  them  in  Missouri  since. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson: 

In  the  conversation  I  had  in  camp,  they  intimated  that  a  good  many 
free-State  people  had  come  out  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  they 
came  to  overbalance  that  vote.  That  was  the  inducement  they  gave 
for  coming.  I  came  into  the  Territory  from  Iowa.  I  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  district  at  that  time,  as  I  was  one  of  the  first  in 
it.  I  know  the  boundaries  of  the  district,  but  do  not  recollect  the 
number  of  miles  across  it.  I  think  I  knew  all  the  residents  at  the 
time  of  election.  There  were  not  many  came  in  there  before  the  elec- 
tion, of  actual  settlers,  though  considerable  came  out  some  time  before 
the  election  to  look  at  the  town  site,  and  then  returned  before  the 
election.  The  population  was  very  sparse ;  and  I  should  think  there 
were  about  twenty-five  resident  voters  there  at  the  time  of  election.  I 
know  of  none  who  came  into  the  district  and  voted  and  then  returned, 
but  Missourians.  I  know  of  none  others  who  returned  immediately 
after  the  election.  I  did  not  trouble  myself  much  about  the  candi- 
dates at  that  time,  as  I  was  pretty  neutral  in  politics.  I  may  have 
known  them,  but  do  not  recollect  them  now.  The  "110"  settlement 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  249 

is  about  eight  or  nine  miles  from  our  settlement,  and  the  Wakarusa 
settlement  is  ten  miles  off.  There  were  no  other  settlements  in  the 
district  at  that  time. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

My  occupation  is  blacksmi  thing.  There  is  no  other  blacksmith- 
shop  in  the  district,  I  think,  but  mine. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

There  were  about  ten  families  in  our  settlement  at  the  time  of  that 
election.  There  was  but  one  family  at  "  110,"  that  I  knew  of  then. 
The  Wakarusa  settlement  was  considerably  smaller  than  ours  then. 
The  rest  of  the  district,  away  from  these  three  creeks,  consisted  mostly 
of  high  prairie,  and  was  not  then  settled,  and  is  not  settled  yet. 

I.  B.  TITUS, 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


MARCUS  H.  KOSE  called  and  sworn. 


To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  8th  of  November,  1854,  from 
Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  settled  about  the  14th  on  Switzer 
creek,  a  branch  of  the  Osage,  in  the  seventh  district,  and  have  re- 
sided there  ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
1855,  a  short  time.  I  did  not  intend  to  attend  the  election,  seeing  a 
company  coming  in  on  the  day  before.  I  saw,,  on  the  29th,  a  large 
company  coming  in  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  was  about 
starting  for  my  cabin  when  they  came  in.  My  cabin  is  about  three 
miles  from  there.  I  was  then  at  Mr.  Hoover's.  I  did  not  count 
them.  They  came  in  wagons  and  on  horses  and  mules.  I  should 
suppose  there  were  about  fifty  wagons,  but  do  not  know  how  many 
they  contained.  Some  of  the  wagons  had  two  horses  and  some  four, 
I  should  judge  there  were  from  thirty  to  fifty  horses  and  mules.  They 
encamped  a  few  rods  from  the  house  in  which  the  election  was  to  be 
held,  in  the  timber  on  the  claim  of  Mr.  Prentiss.  I  passed  on  down 
home,  after  they  had  got  into  the  timber  and  commenced  chopping. 
I  remained  home  until  some  time  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  elec- 
tion. Mr.  Stewart  came  after  me.  I  declined  coming  up  to  the  elec- 
tion, but  went  up  with  him  when  he  stated  that  they  intended  con- 
trolling the  election.  When  I  reached  the  election-house  there  were 
quite  a  number  around  the  house  still  voting.  Others  were  going 
back  the  way  they  came.  What  I  saw  of  these  men  were  armed, 
do  not  remember  of  seeing  any  flags.  I  was  pretty  well  acquainted 
in  my  immediate  vicinity,  but  not  extensively  in  the  district  I  do 
not  know  how  many  voters  there  were  in  the  district  at  that  time.  I 
do  not  know  of  any  increase  of  settlers  in  the  district  between  the 
taking  of  the  census  and  the  day  of  election,  but  rather  a  decrease,  as 
some  went  away  into  other  districts  to  work.  Those  men  that  came 


250  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

there  were  strangers  to  me.     I  have  seen  none  of  the  company  there 
since.     I  had  no  conversation  with  them. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson : 

I  understood  that  Mr.  S  trickier  for  the  council,  and  McGee  for  the 
assembly,  were  the  candidates.  Mr.  Bice  and  Mr.  Baker,  I  think, 
were  candidates  for  the  assembly.  I  do  not  know  the  politics  of  the 
candidates,  except  by  report.  I  do  not  recollect  the  boundaries  of  the 
district.  I  do  not  know  the  comparative  numbers  in  the  district  at 
the  taking  of  the  census  and  the  time  of  election.  My  information 
was  very  limited.  The  decrease  I  spoke  of  was  in  my  immediate  set- 
tlement, 

To  Mr,  Sherman : 

I  do  not  recollect  who  took  the  census,  but  think  J.  R.  McClure  was 
the  name.  I  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  at  the  time  of  the 
election. 

To  Mr,  Reeder : 

J.  R.  McClure  does  not  live  in  my  district, 

MARCUS  H.  ROSE. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T,;  April  29,  1856, 


JAMES  R.  STEWART  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  12th  or  14th  of  November,  1854, 
from  Pennsylvania,  and  settled  in  the  seventh  district,  and  have  lived 
there  ever  since.  There  were  a  party  of  men  in  the  district,  that  I 
saw  shortly  after  they  encamped.  I  talked  with  some  of  them,  and 
ascertained  where  they  were  from.  I  had  no  personal  acquaintance 
with  them,  but  recognised  one  or  two  as  citizens  of  Missouri,  whom  I 
had  seen  in  Missouri.  There  were  none  in  the  company  I  recognised 
as  citizens  of  the  district.  1  first  saw  them  in  camp  between  12  and 
1  o'clock  the  day  they  arrived,  as  they  were  pitching  their  tents. 
This  was  on  the  29th,  the  day  previous  to  the  election.  I  had  con- 
versation with  some  of  them  in  their  camp.  I  made  inquiry  of  some 
of  their  young  men  where  the  party  was  from,  and  they  said  from 
Missouri.  I  asked  what  they  came  for,  and  they  said  to  vote.  I  was 
down  to  the  election  quite  early,  but  not  to  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  place  where  the  polls  were  to  be  held,  as  I  supposed  they  were  not 
opened.  All  the  judges  were  present,  but  two  of  them  did  not  serve. 
I  heard  no  reason  why  the  two  judges  did  not  serve.  The  names  of 
the  two  judges  were  Mr.  Harvey  and  John  W.  Freel.  Mr.  Snider 
did  serve.  I  do  not  know  the  others  who  did  serve.  They  were 
strangers.  I  did  not  see  them  appointed,  but  saw  them  acting.  The 
party  from  the  encampment  voted.  They  voted  without  being  sworn. 
Some  of  the  residents  of  the  district  voted,  but  not  more  than  one-half 
of  those  who  were  there.  The  others  did  not,  as  they  said  it  was  of 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  251 

no  use.  I  was  on  the  ground  the  principal  part  of  the  day.  Their 
men  had  arms — shot-guns,  &c.  There  were  a  number  of  them  who 
wore  "badges,  and  seemed  to  be  leaders.  The  order  was  to  "be  peace- 
ful, and  create  no  disturbance,  unless  there  was  some  resistance  on 
the  part  of  the  residents  to  their  voting.  As  I  understood  it,  their 
badges  were  a  blue  ribbon,  with  a  motto  or  something  upon  them, 
about  six  inches  long,  attached  to  their  coats  and  vests.  They  sup- 
ported H.  J.  Striclder  for  council,  and  M.  W.  McGee  for  assembly. 
M.  W.  McGee  was  in  the  district  electioneering,  but  I  do  not  know  as 
he  lived  there.  I  saw  him,  three  or  four  days  after  the  election,  at 
his  house  in  Missouri.  These  men  left  the  evening  of  the  election. 
Some  of  them  started  on  horseback,  saying  that  they  were  going  to 
some  other  point ;  I  think  it  was  Lawrence,  as  they  said  they  could 
be  there  before  night.  They  did  not  state,  as  I  could  hear,  what  they 
were  going  for.  All  of  them  left  the  camp  that  evening  before  sun- 
down. Those  who  left  first  started  in  the  direction  they  came,  as  did 
the  others,  as  far  as  I  could  see.  I  have  not  recognised  any  of  them 
there  since.  I  think  there  was  not  much  change  in  the  population  of 
the  district  between  the  taking  of  the  census  and  the  day  of  election. 
At  that  time  the  district  was  very  thinly  settled.  I  cannot  tell  how 
many  families  were  in  it.  I  do  not  know,  exactly,  how  many  votes 
were  polled  on  that  day. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

I  was  near  the  polls  the  greater  portion  of  the  day.  I  saw  no  vio- 
lence. The  free-State  men  were  allowed  to  vote  without  interference, 
and  some  of  them  voted.  In  the  conversation  with  some  of  the  party, 
I  did  not  hear  any  inducement  for  coming  into  the  Territory  to  vote. 
One  of  the  young  men  I  was  talking  to  said  he  thought  the  expedi- 
tion would  be  of  no  consequence,  as  the  election  could  not  stand.  I 
am  not  acquainted  with  all  the  boundaries  of  the  district.  I  know 
every  person  for  several  miles  around  that  vicinity,  but  not  all  the 
parts  of  the  district.  A  number  of  persons  came  to  that  neighbor- 
hood for  the  purpose  of  settlement,  and  finding  things  different  from 
what  they  expected,  they  went  into  Missouri,  and  did  not  return  in 
time  to  be  taken  in  the  census.  I  think  there  were  not  as  many  per- 
sons in  the  district  at  the  time  of  taking  the  census  as  before  that.  I 
think  there  were  full  as  many  at  the  time  the  census  was  taken  as  at 
the  time  of  the  election.  I  was  acquainted  for  several  miles  about 
our  settlement.  The  district  is,  I  think,  twenty-four  miles  square. 
I  know  of  but  two  other  settlements  in  the  district,  and  they  were 
small.  One  of  the  settlements — "110" — is  now  no  larger  than  it 
was  then.  I  knew  of  no  new  settlements  between  the  taking  of  the 
census  and  the  day  of  the  election.  The  candidates  who  were  elected 
were  Strickler  for  the  council,  and  W.  M.  McGee  for  the  assembly. 
Mr.  Baker  was  a  candidate  in  the  seventh  district.  He  nominated 
himself,  and  was  a  pro-slavery  man,  as  was  Mr.  W.  M.  McGee.  Mr. 
Johnson  was,  I  think,  the  free-State  candidate  for  the  council,  and 
Mr.  Rice  for  the  assembly.  I  never  saw  McGee  in  his  home  in  the 
district.  I  do  not  know  of  McGee's  residing  in  the  district  with  his 
wife  and  servants. 


252  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

Those  persons  who  made  claims,,  and  went  to  Missouri,  were  eastern 
folks,  who  went  to  Missouri  to  get  employment  through  the  winter. 
I  do  not  think  there  were  any  of  them  in  the  company  who  came  to 
the  election.  There  is  one  settlement  on  Switzer,  Dragoon,  and 
Soldier  creeks;  another  on  "110-mile"  creek;  some  on  the  Waka- 
rusa.  I  am  acquainted  with  two  settlements  ;  well  acquainted  with 
the  Switzer  settlement,  but  not  so  well  acquainted  with  the  one  on 
"  110-mile"  creek.  These  people  did  not  come  from  the  direction  of 
the  Wakarusa  settlement,  or  the  opposite  direction.  The  Wakarusa 
is,  I  think,,  pretty  near  due  north  from  the  place  where  the  polls  were 
held.  They  came  from  the  east,  on  the  Santa  Fe  road. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

The  settlement  at  "  110-mile  "  creek  was  east  from  where  the  polls 
were  held,  in  the  direction  where  this  company  came  from.  There 
might  have  heen  some  from  "  110"  with  them,  but  it  was  a  small 
settlement,  and  I  know  many  there.  I  went  into  their  camp  before 
the  election,  just  after  they  arrived,  before  they  were  done  pitching 
their  tents.  They  came  in  wagons,  on  horses,  and  mules.  They  re- 
turned east  after  the  election  was  over.  There  were  two  or  three 
hundred  of  them. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

They  had  their  provisions  and  fodder  along,  as  I  supposed,  and 
cooked  their  own  meals  and  fed  their  own  horses  in  camp.  I  think 
there  were  not  so  many  at  the  time  of  the  census  as  before.  Some 
time  before  the  census  was  taken,  a  large  party,  I  should  think  from 
fifty  to  sixty,  or  seventy,  came  to  Switzer's  creek,  and  returned  in 
the  course  of  a  week  to  several  places — some  to  Missouri,  and  some  back 
east.  They  were  all  eastern  folks.  That  is  what  I  mean  by  there 
being  more  before  the  census  than  when  it  was  taken.  They  came  in 
November,  and  there  was  very  little  emigration  after  that.  I  think 
in  January,  1856,  there  was  but  one  family  at  "110-mile"  creek, 
Mr.  McGree's.  Some  time  previous  there  were  other  families  living 
there,  but  they  had  left.  I  do  not  think  there  were  ten  or  a  dozen 
families  there.  Perhaps  there  were  that  many  men  there. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

It  was  in  November,  1854,  that  this  company  of  fifty  or  sixty  came 
to  Switzer 's  creek.  T^hey  were  organized  as  far  as  Kansas  City,  no 
farther.  It  was  not  particularly  under  the  control  of  any  one.  A  man 
named  Albright  assumed  the  leadership.  I  came  in  the  same  com- 
pany. It  was  organized  in  Pennsylvania,  and  called  the  Pennsylva- 
nia Kansas  Company.  Loten  Smith  did  not  bring  a  company  with 
him  after  I  came  ;  but  one  or  two  came  with  him.  He  came  out  as  the 
agent  of  the  American  Settlement  Company.  He  made  improvements 
there  as  the  agent  of  that  company.  I  had  no  connexion  with  Mr. 
Smith's  .company.  The  company  with  which  I  came  disorganized  at 
Kansas  City,  and  left  for  different  parts  of  the  Territory.  The  organi- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  253 

zation  of  the  company  was  for  the  purpose  of  saving  expenses  in  trav- 
elling. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

The  company  dishanded  in  Kansas  City  about  the  1st  of  November, 
and  have  never  been  organized  again.  Our  only  object  in  organizing 
was  to  save  expenses. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

There  were,  I  should  think,  two  hundred  in  the  company ;  I  should 
think  one-fourth  of  the  men  had  their  wives  with  them.  I  left  with 
them  on  the  29th  of  October,  meeting  them  after  they  started.  I 
know  of  no  other  object  of  the  company  but  to  settle  in  Kansas,  and 
make  money  as  individuals.  There  were  arguments  used  in  Penn- 
sylvania to  come  here  and  make  this  a  free  State.  We  left  before 
there  was  much  excitement  upon  the  subject.  I  have  heard  more  of 
those  arguments  since  I  came  here.  As  far  as  I  know,  the  party  were 
free-State  men.  We  paid  our  own  expenses.  We  contributed  a  dol- 
lar apiece  to  our  agent,  Mr.  Albright,  to  go  to  Pittsburg  to  charter  a 
boat  for  us.  But  each  one  paid  his  own  expenses.  Our  agent  came 
all  the  way  through  to  Kansas  with  us. 

To  Mr.  Whitneld: 

We  have  no  organization  now.  There  is  a  plot  of  the  town  laid 
out  under  the  agency  of  Mr.  Smith,  and  belongs  to  the  members  of 
the  American  Settlement  Company. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

Some  of  our  party  are  in  the  Territory,  but  I  do  not  know  how 
many. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  came  from  Lawrence  county,  Pennsylvania.  Most  of  the  company 
assembled  at  Conneautville,  Crawford  county.  I  came  through  to 
Rochester  on  a  canal-boat.  I  was  not  acquainted  with  Gov.  Reeder 
in  Pennsylvania. 

To  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  never  heard  from  any  member  of  the  company  that  Gov.  Reeder 
had  anything  to  do  with  the  company.  The  most  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nians  came  from  western  Pennsylvania ;  some  from  Alleghany  county, 
Indiana  county,  but  the  most  from  Crawford  county.  Some  of  the 
company  came  from  the  State  of  Ohio.  Mr.  Albright,  I  think,  set- 
tled at  Fort  Riley  or  Pawnee.  This  company,  as  I  understood  it, 
was  nothing  more  than  a  set  of  individuals  who  agreed  to  go  together 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  out  here  as  cheaply  as  possible,  and  it  was 
not  contemplated  that  we  should  be  a  company  any  farther  than  Kan- 
sas City;  that  was  where  the  boat  we  chartered  was  to  take  us  to. 
Individuals  in  the  company  formed  themselves  into  clubs  or  sub-divi- 
sions of  the  company  on  the  way,  whenever  they  could  agree  to  go 
together.  The  company  I  speak  of  in  connexion  with  our  town,  is 
the  American  Settlement  Company  of  New  York  city.  I  do  not  know 


254  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

of  any  in  our  company,  or  out  of  it,  that  came  out  here  to  vote,  and 
then  go  hack.  I  never  heard  of  a  pro-slavery  man  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  company  got  here  to  Kansas  City  on  the  8th  or  9th  of  November. 
They  scattered  to  different  points  of  the  Territory,  and  many  stopped 
in  Missouri.  Some  few  remained  at  our  town  after  they  arrived  there, 
while  the  rest  went  away  in  ahout  a  week — went  away  hefore  the  elec- 
tion. All  that  did  go  back,  hut  three  or  four,  were  gone  hefore  the 
fall  election.  These  men  came  out  to  settle  in  the  Territory. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  have  seen  several  editions  of  the  circulars  of  the  New  York  Ameri- 
can Settlement  Company,  hut  they  differ.  I  do  not  know  the  work- 
ing of  the  company. 

J.  K.  STEWART. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  29,1856. 


MARCUS  H.  ROSE  examined. 

Q.  Mr.  Rose,  have  you  examined  and  compared  the  census-rolls  and 
the  poll-hook  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the  sev- 
enth district? 

A.  I  have. 

Q.  How  many  votes  are  there  on  the  census-rolls? 

A.  Fifty-two. 

Q.  How  many  are  on  the  poll-list  of  those  on  the  census-rolls? 

A.  Seventeen. 

Q.  Ahout  how  many  names  are  on  the  poll-list  altogether? 

A.  Two  hundred  and  thirty-four. 

Q.  What  are  the  names  of  those  seventeen  you  find  on  the  census- 
rolls? 

A.  David  Condit,  John  W.  Freel,  Wm.  Graham,  W.  Foster  Har- 
vey, Abraham  Hoover,  Joseph  Mclntyre,  Thomas  Russell,  Mathias 
A.  Reed,  Ithiel  Streit,  James  R.  Stewart,  William  A.  Stewart,  John 
Smith,  Loten  Smith,  Ely  Snyder,  I.  B.  Titus,  Divilla  Wright,  and 
Henry  Smith. 

There  are  the  names  of  eight  legal  voters  on  the  poll-list  that  are 
not  on  the  census  returns,  as  follows:  John  Skidmore,  Isaac  Chatham, 
Charles  A.  Linkenanger,  L.  S.  Axtill,  William  J.  Tillinghast,  G-eo. 
W.  Barnes,,  W.  N.  Haven,  and  H.  Rice.  Six  of  these  persons  were 
away  who  had  been  there  before  the  census  was  taken,  had  made 
claims  and  built  cabins.  The  other  two  were  new  comers. 

Q.  How  many  votes  were  polled  at  the  first  election,  in  November, 
1854,  according  to  the  copy  of  the  poll-book? 

A.  Six  hundred  and  seven. 

Q.  From  your  acquaintance  with  the  people,  and  the  examination 
of  the  census-roll,  how  many  resident  voters  were  there  in  your  dis- 
trict at  that  time? 

A.  There  might  have  been  twenty-five  or  thirty,  though  I  was  not 


. 

KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  255 

much  acquainted  there.     I  have  not  examined  the  list  of  names  on  the 
poll-list  of  that  election. 

MARCUS  H.  ROSE. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


J.  R.  STEWART  examined. 

Q.  Did  you  examine  the  census  returns  and  poll-books  with  Mr, 
Rose? 

A.  I  did.     I  aided  in  preparing  the  lists  he  has  given. 

Q.  Have  you  heard  his  testimony  read? 

A.  I  have. 

Q.  State  whether  or  not  you  concur  with  him  in  his  testimony  on 
those  points. 

A.  I  do. 

J.  R.  STEWART. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


HALLOM  RICE  called  and  sworn. 

I  got  to  Switzer  creek  the  day  before  the  election  of  March,  1855, 
and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  came  from  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri, to  the  Territory,  and  before  that  I  was  from  Texas.  It  was 
after  sundown  when  I  arrived  at  Mr.  Titus' s  with  my  family.  I  saw 
a  camp  across  from  his  house  in  the  Grove,  but  I  did  not  go  into  it. 
I  was  only  within  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  camp ;  there 
was,  I  should  think,  a  space  of  ground  about  one  hundred  yards  square 
covered  with  wagons  and  tents.  I  was  at  the  polls  the  next  day  ;  I 
had  some  conversation  with  a  gentleman  who  said  he  was  one  of  the 
leading  men  there  ;  I  asked  him  what  their  business  was  there,  and  he 
said  to  vote  ;  I  asked  their  pretensions  to  vote  there,  and  he  said  they 
had  claims  in  the  Territory  ;  I  asked  him  what  the  shooting  was  on 
the  other  side  of  the  creek,  and  he  said  it  was  nothing  but  the  boys 
shooting  at  a  mark ;  I  said  that  the  women  thought  they  were  making 
rather  too  much  noise,  and  he  said  he  would  vouch  for  their  conduct. 
I  live  on  the  Dragoon  creek,  in  the  seventh  district.  After  the  elec- 
tion was  over,  I  saw  some  of  the  party  that  encamped  there  start  east, 
on  the  Sante  Fe  road,  and  I  suppose  all  went  that  way. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson : 

There  were  some  coming  in  about  the  same  time  I  did ;  the  country 
appeared  to  be  almost  all  on  the  wing.  I  did  not  know  the  actual 
settlers  ;  I  was  told  there  were  considerable  many  moving  in  ;  some 
half  a  dozen  men  came  in  with  me.  I  was  driving  a  team  from  Kansas 
City  to  Council  Grove  during  the  winter,  and  saw  considerable  many 
stirring  in  the  district,  but  do  not  know  how  many  settled  there;  I 
made  a  claim  in  the  district  the  fall  before. 


256  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  believe  I  voted  that  day  ;  I  would  not  be  positive  about  it  ;  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  the  voting,  and  I  believe  I  voted. 
Things  did  not  go  off  to  suit  me,  and  I  did  net  charge  my  mind  with 
it. 

To  the  committee : 

I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  recent  military  organization  in  Kansas 
Territory. 

HALLOM  KICE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


WILLIAM  F.  JOHNSON  testifies  : 

The  29th  of  March,  1855, 1  received  a  letter  from  Topeka  informing 
me  that  I  had  been  renominated  as  a  candidate  for  the  legislature  on 
the  free-State  ticket ;  I  sent  word  that  I  declined,,  and  I  went  over  to 
the  seventh  district.  The  election  was  held  at  Titus's.  The  night 
previous  to  the  election,  Nolan,  of  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  came 
up  to  the  house  where  I  was,  and  invited  me  to  go  to  the  camp  with 
him.  I  saw  a  great  many  there  I  was  acquainted  with  ;  I  was  there 
till  a  late  hour  that  night,  and  conversed  with  a  number  there ;  I 
returned  to  the  camp  in  the  morning.  The  camp  had  about  two  hun- 
dred in  it,  principally  from  Missouri ;  a  great  many  of  those  I  had 
seen  at  "  110"  in  November,  1854,  were  there.  I  asked  Nolan  why 
he  came  with  them,  and  he  said  it  was  to  keep  the  boys  from  doing 
some  mischief,  but  did  not  intend  to  vote  himself.  They  generally 
voted  at  that  election,  but  were  very  peaceable  and  quiet.  I  saw 
nothing  improper  in  the  camp  ;  I  was  acquainted  with  rather  more  in 
that  camp  than  in  the  one  at  "  110  ;"  there  were  Squire  Nolan,  Squire 
Smith,  Mr.  Muir,  the  old  man,  and  the  Muir  and  Nolan  family  gen- 
erally, a  young  man  named  Johnson,  and  some  of  the  Lees,  George 
W.  Case,  William  Dawson,  and  others  I  do  not  recollect.  They  told 
me  they  came  up  to  vote,  and  asked  me  if  I  was  a  candidate  ;  I  told 
them  I  was  put  up,  but  had  declined  running.  They  came  up  to  me 
with  their  bowie-knives  and  seemed  to  be  pretty  rabid,  but  Case  and 
others  I  knew  quieted  them,  and  all  went  on  quietly  after  that.  At 
the  polls  they  gave  way  and  let  a  small  company  of  settlers  vote — 
about  twenty-three  of  whom  voted.  The  judges  that  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  -governor  refused  to  serve,  except  Snider;  there  were 
other  judges  appointed  by  the  crowd  in  their  places,  but  I  did  not 
know  them. 

Some  few  settlers  from  Wakarusa,  that  belonged  in  that  district,  went 
over  there  and  voted.  One  old  gentleman  from  Jackson  county,  who 
told  me  his  name,  but  I  forget  it  now,  stated  to  a  number  of  men  living 
on  Switzer's  creek  that  he  had  no  claim  in  the  Territory,  and  did  not 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  257 

live  there,  and  was  paid  a  dollar  a  day  for  coining  here,  and  he  did 
that  because  it  was  better  than  staying  at  home  doing  nothing.  He 
said  he  had  voted  ;  but  I  did  not  see  him  vote.  After  the  polls  closed 
they  started  off  down  the  road  towards  Missouri.  There  was  no  dis- 
turbance during  the  day  that  I  saw  ;  they  said  their  object  in  coming 
here  to  vote  was  to  defeat  the  free-State  party.  All  the  objection  they 
had  to  me  was  that  I  was  inclined  to  be  a  free-State  man.  The  Mis- 
sourians  voted  for  Mobillon  McGree  for-  representative,  and  Strickler 
for  council. 

Cross-examined  by  J.  W.  Whitfield  : 

I  was  the  only  candidate  on  the  other  side  for  council,  and  my 
business  over  there  was  to  decline  ;  but  I  believe  I  was  voted  for.  I 
did  not  consider  myself  a  candidate,  and  my  understanding  was  that 
Strickler  had  no  opposition.  My  principal  reason  for  declining  was 
that  I  was  unwilling  to  run  the  risk  of  so  unequal  a  contest,  as  I  had 
heard  that  there  were  a  great  many  coming  up  from  Missouri.  I  had 
always  held  the  same  opinion  in  Missouri  as  in  Kansas.  Mr.  Baker 
and  some  other  one  were  running  against  Mr.  McGree.  I  do  not 
know  what  Mr.  Baker's  politics  were. 

W.  F.  JOHNSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 


CHARLES  A.  LINKEN AUGER  called  and  sworn. 

\>  Mr.  Scott : 

I  live  on  the  Dragoon  creek,  south  of  the  Santa  Fe  road,  near  what 
is  called  Council  City,  in  the  seventh  election  district.     I  went  there 
in  August,  1854,  and  have  lived  there  ever  since.     At  the  election  of 
March  30,  1855,  I  was  in  "  110"  precinct;  the  election  was  held  at 
I  the  house  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Titus,  at  Switzer's  creek.     I  was  present  at 
j that  election.     The  election  was  going  on  when  I  got  there.     There 
j were  a  considerable  number  of  persons  there  when  I  got  there.     I 
iwas  very  well  acquainted  in  the  Council  City  neighborhood.     There 
jwere  persons  in  the  precinct  I  did  not  know.     All  that  I  knew  of  the 
(persons  that  were  there  that  day  were  residents  of  the  district  at  that 
time  ;  some  three  or  four  of  each  political  party.     The  pro-slavery 
party  were  Strickler  for  council  and  McGee  for  representative.     A 
man  by  the  name  of  Baker,  I  think,  was  running  against  McGree, 
but  I  do  not  know  what  he  was.     I  never  had  but  little  to  say  to 
j  persons  in  that  district  about  their  opinions  upon  the  slavery  question. 
I  think  Baker  got  some  free-State  votes.     I  do  not  know  how  many 
votes  Baker  got  at  that  election,  but  I  think  it  was  a  small  number. 
I  think  the  free-State  men  of  the  district  were  there,  at  that  election, 
and  voted.     I  saw  no  interference  and  heard  no  complaint  by  free- 
State  men  of  interference  by  any  one  to  prevent  them  from  voting. 
H.  Rep.  200 17* 


258  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

The  election  was  quiet  and  peaceable  while  I  was  there.  I  voted 
there  myself  without  any  difficulty.  Mr.  McGee  was  a  resident  of 
that  district  at  that  time,  and  he  went  out  there  when  I  first  did  in 
1854.  He  had  a  claim  there  and  improvements  upon  it.  I  worked 
a  good  deal  for  McGee,  who  had  a  saw-mill  there.  He  had  a  house 
there,  and  lived  in  it.  I  think  that  in  the  Council  City  neighborhood 
I  was  acquainted  with  some  sixty  or  seventy  men  who  had  claims 
there,  and  buildings,  and  lived  there  at  the  time  of  the  election. 
There  was  quite  an  emigration  coming  in  there  every  day.  A  great 
many  made  claims  and  settled  there  that  I  knew  nothing  of  until 
afterwards.  The  two  creeks,  Switzer  and  Dragoon,  where  the  Santa 
Fe  road  crosses  them,  are  about  four  miles  apart,  and  the  settlements 
on  those  two  creeks  comprised  nearly  all  the  settlers  in  the  district, 
of  whom  I  knew  some  sixty  or  seventy.  There  were  considerable 
many  came  in  during  the  month  of  March  and  settled  around  there 
who  were  strangers  to  me.  I  suppose  some  few  persons  from  the 
district  went  into  Missouri  to  spend  the  winter.  I  came  back  at  dif- 
ferent times,  but  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  one  who  did  so  between  the 
1st  and  30th  of  March.  Free- State  men  were  coming  in  during  the 
spring  into  the  district,  and  considerable  many  of  them  in  the  month 
of  March.  Some  of  them  did  not  stay  but  a  short  time  after  the 
election ;  I  speak  of  men  who  came  with  the  American  Settlement 
Company,  and  had  been  sent  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  I  had 
frequent  conversations  with  those  men.  They  did  not  speak  particu- 
larly of  what  they  came  for,  but  of  the  way  they  were  brought  there, 
and  expressed  themselves  very  much  dissatisfied  with  the  men  who 
had  induced  them  to  come.  They  said  they  were  humbugged  by  men 
who  had  come  on  here  before  and  had  gone  back  and  stated  to  them 
that  they  had  picked  out  a  place  for  a  settlement  and  laid  off  a  town, 
and  that  by  buying  stock  they  could  come  on  and  go  to  improving  ; 
that  there  was  work  to  be  had  for  mechanics,  who  were  needed,  and 
thus  men  were  induced  to  come  on  with  their  tools,  &c.,  and  found 
that  the  representations  to  them  were  all  false.  There  was  one  box 
of  guns  there,  but  what  it  was  brought  for  I  cannot  say.  The  box 
was  brought  to  Council  City ;  they  were  revolving  rifles,  five  or  six 
shooters.  The  agent  of  this  American  Settlement  Company,  named 
Smith,  took  possession  of  these  guns. 

This  American  Settlement  Company  was  composed  of  men  froini 
Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  the  New  England  States.  They  were 
free-State  men.  I  think  those  guns  are  in  Smith's  possession  yet ;; 
or,  at  all  events,  he  had  some  last  week,  when  a  man  got  two  of  him. , 
I  do  not  know  whether  he  has  any  left  now  or  not.  I  think,  at  the: 
time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  there  were  perhaps  thirty 
of  these  American  Settlement  people  there.  Three  left  shortly  after: 
the  election.  Those  are  all  I  know  of  leaving  there.  There  are  per-- 
sons  coming  in  and  going  out  of  the  district  belonging  to  this  same; 
company.  Of  the  original  thirty,  I  think  all  are  there  now  ex- 
cept the  three  who  left  after  the  election,  and  some  who  are  downi 
here  in  the  State  now. 

C.  A.  LINKENAUGEK. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  5,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  259 

ANDREW  JOHNSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  30th  March,  1855,  election  in  the 
seventh  district  in  Kansas  Territory.  The  polls  were  held  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  B.  Titus,  in  Council  City,  at  the  place  designated  by 
Governor  Keeder,  in  his  proclamation.  I  was  appointed  a  judge  in 
place  of  Mr.  John  Freel,  declining  to  serve  because  he  could  not  sign 
his  name.  He  was  one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor. 
Mr.  Freel  was  considered  a  free-State  man,  though  he  voted  for  Mr. 
McGee.  I  refused  to  serve  at  first ;  but  he,  and  the  whole  crowd, 
insisted  that  I  should  serve.  I  heard  no  design  or  wish  expressed 
that  I  should  be  appointed  so  that  all  could  vote  who  offered  to  vote. 
There  was  some  talk  there  about  the  voting,  and  I  told  them  if  I 
undertook  to  be  one  of  the  judges  there  sould  be  no  illegal  voting  on 
either  side,  or  I  would  not  serve  at  all.  I  never  saw  the  protest  that 
was  sent  in  in  regard  to  our  election,  though  I  understood  that  one 
was  sent  in.  Eli  Snider,  appointed  by  the  governor,  served  as  judge. 
Mr.  Chidington  served  in  place  of  one  originally  appointed,  but  who 
did  not  appear.  Mr.  Chidington  and  myself  were  appointed  accord- 
ing to  the  instructions  of  the  governor,  by  the  people  present.  I  am 
not  able  to  tell  where  Mr.  Chidington  lived,  though  he  told  me  he 
had  a  claim  near  "  110,"  and  we  considered  him  a  resident  of  the 
district.  I  had  lived  in  the  district,  at  work  on  my  claim,  some  two 
months  prior  to  the  election,  and  considered  myself  entitled  to  vote 
there,  and  did  not  consider  that  I  had  a  right  to  vote  anywhere  else. 
No  one  disputed  my  right  to  vote  there  that  I  ever  heard  of.  I  told 
Governor  Keeder,  when  I  made  my  returns,  how  I  came  to  be  put  in 
as  one  of  the  judges,  and  he  said  it  was  all  right.  There  were  Mis- 
sourians  there  that  day.  I  think  likely  I  saw  wagons  and  men  there. 
I  know  that  some  four  or  five  of  the  wagons  had  men  who  were 
taking  their  stock  up  to  their  claims,  and  stopped  there  at  the  elec- 
tion. One  man  had  his  family  along  with  him.  We  swore  one 
another  in  as  judges,  as  there  was  no  magistrate  there.  A  number 
of  persons  offering  to  vote  were  challenged,  and  they  were  sworn. 
Eight  smart  of  them  would  not  swear,  and  we  would  not  take  their 
votes,  unless  we  knew  ourselves  or  were  satisfied  persons  were  legal 
voters  as  they  presented  themselves.  Some  one  of  us  administered  the 
oath  to  those  who  would  take  it.  i  do  not  know  of  any  free-State 
man  who  offered  to  vote  and  his  vote  was  rejected.  Mr.  Smith,  the 
leading  man  among  the  free-State  men,  said,  in  the  evening,  when 
the  voting  was  dull,  that  he  never  knew  an  election  that  passed  off 
so  peaceably  and  harmlessly  as  that  did ;  though  he  said  he  was 
afraid  in  the  morning  the  excitement  would  terminate  rather  badly. 
I  requested  him  to  bring  up  all  his  friends  and  neighbors  who  wanted 
to  vote,  and  have  them  vote.  I  know  but  little  about  the  correctness 
of  the  census  that  was  taken,  for  I  paid  but  little  attention  to  it,  as  I 
was  busy  about  my  claim.  I  am  satisfied  there  were  many  there  who 
were  not  included  in  the  census,  and  I  understood  from  my  neighbors 
that  the  census  taker  did  not  go  round  much,  but  just  kept  the  road. 


260  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

I  cannot  say  as  to  the  strength  of  the  parties  in  that  district,  nor 
whether  the  vote  on  the  day  of  election  was  a  fair  test  of  the  strength 
of  parties  or  not, 

Mobillon  W.  McGee  was  elected  at  that  election  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Kepresentatives. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard: 

I  was  not  very  well  acquainted  in  the  district  at  the  time  of  election, 
or  how  many  voters  there  were  there.  It  was  generally  understood 
that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority  there.  The  oath  we  pre- 
scribed to  the  men  who  offered  to  vote,  and  whom  we  decided  to  swear, 
I  think  I  can  recollect  pretty  nearly.  The  form  of  oath  for  the  judges 
I  did  not  feel  willing  to  take,  and  did  not  take  it3  and  objected  on  that 
ground  to  serving  at  first.  We  swore  the  voters  whether  they  had 
a  claim  in  Kansas  Territory  or  not,  and  whether  they  had  voted  in 
any  other  district.  That  is  about  the  way  they  were  sworn,  I  think. 

We  would  not  swear,  as  judges,  that  we  would  live  on  our  claims 
as  long  as  we  lived,  which  we  thought  was  the  effect  of  the  one  pre- 
scribed by  the  governor.  We  swore  ourselves  to  take  all  legal  votes 
and  no  illegal  votes,  as  far  as  we  knew,  and  to  conduct  the  election 
legally  as  far  as  we  knew. 

I  knew  the  people  of  four  or  five  of  these  wagons,  who  stopped  at 
the  place  of  election,  were  taking  their  stock  along  to  their  claims. 
They  settled  in  the  seventh  district,  but  lost  their  claims  on  account 
of  being  determined  to  be  on  the  Sac  lands  when  the  survey  was 
made. 

I  could  not  tell  how  many  wagons  there  were  there  altogether.  I  had 
my  own  wagon  there  that  morning.  My  claim  was  some  fifteen  miles 
nothwest  of  Council  City  and  of  the  Santa  Fe  road.  I  lost  my  claim 
by  being  on  the  Sac  lands.  When  I  came  to  the  polls  that  morning  I 
noticed  several  wagons  there.  There  were  people  moving  in.  and 
Borne  freighting  out,  and  some  may  have  been  from  Missouri  for  aught 
I  know. 

I  do  not  think  the  census  contained  as  many  names  as  there  were 
persons  in  the  district  making  claims  ;  I  know  of  nearly  fifty  persons 
who  moved  in  after  the  census,  and  before  the  election.  I  do  not 
recollect  the  name  of  the  man  who  took  the  census,  though  I  have 
heard  it. 

There  were  some  people  encamped  at  the  place  on  the  day  of  election 
that  I  know  to  be  non-residents,  but  I  would  not  say  there  were  ten 
who  had  no  claims  then  in  the  district.  There  was  a  free-State  man 
there  who  said  he  had  no  claim  in  the  district,  but  intended  to  live 
there,  and  he  said  he  had  a  right  to  vote,  and  he  voted. 

As  well  as  I  can  recollect  there  were  twenty,  perhaps  over  that 
number,  of  free- State  voters  there  that  day. 

All  the  free-State  men  I  saw  there  that  day  voted,  and  there  was 
no  obstruction  or  hindrance  to  any  one  voting,  that  I  saw  ;  and  the 
election  passed  off  quietly  and  peaceably. 

To  Mr.  King : 

Since  giving  the  above  testimony,  I  have  heard  the  protest  from  one 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  261 

district  read.  As  one  of  the  judges  of  election,,  I  am  willing  and  pre- 
pared to  state,  that  there  are  many  things  in  that  protest  in  which 
those  who  signed  it  were  mistaken.  The  judges  were  sworn,  and  any 
man  whom  we  did  not  feel  satisfied  had  a  right  to  vote  was  sworn 
before  we  allowed  him  to  vote  ;  and  if  he  would  not  swear,  he  was  not 
allowed  to  vote.  And,  as  a  judge  of  election,  I  am  willing  now  to 
swear  that  we  allowed  no  man  to  vote  that  we  did  not  consider  had  a 
right  to  vote.  A  great  many  of  the  people  in  that  district  whom  we 
considered  legal  voters  came  to  the  polls  in  their  wagons,  I  have  no 
doubt,  as  I  came  there  myself  in  my  wagen.  It  is  the  habit  of  the 
people  of  the  Territory  to  go  to  gatherings  in  their  wagons. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

If  a  man  was  making  a  claim  for  the  purpose  of  going  to  live  on 
it,  and  claimed  his  residence  there,  and  had  no  other  place  of  voting, 
we  considered  him  entitled  to  vote. 

I  did  not  live  on  my  claim  myself,  but  was  coming  out  of  the  Terri- 
tory at  the  time  of  the  election,,  when  I  stopped  at  the  polls  ;  and  I 
considered  I  had  a  right  to  vote  there,  as  I  intended  to  live  on  my 
claim,  having  made  improvements  upon  it. 

I  did  not  consider  that  I  had  any  right  to  vote  in  the  State  from 
which  I  came. 

ANDREW  JOHNSON. 

WESTPOET,  Mo.,  June  3,  1856. 


ABSALOM  HOOVER  called  and  sworn. 

I  arrived  at  Switzer's  creek  on  the  14th  of  November,  1854,  and 
settled  there,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  came  from  Arm- 
strong county,  Pennsylvania.  I  was  at  Switzer's  creek  on  the  30th  of 
March,  1855.  On  the  evening  before  the  day  of  election  there  were 
quite  a  number  of  wagons,  buggies,  and  men  on  horseback,  came 
along  the  Santa  Fe  road,  and  pitched  their  tents  near  the  house  where 
the  election  was  to  be  held.  The  next  morning  I  went  to  the  election 
pretty  early  before  the  polls  were  opened.  Mr.  Freel  and  Mr.  Harvey, 
and  another  man  I  did  not  know,  were  appointed  judges.  Mr.  Freel 
and  Mr.  Harvey  did  not  serve  as  judges,  but  I  cannot  tell  whether  it 
was  from  fear  or  not.  The  company  then  elected  a  couple  of  their 
own  number  as  judges,  who  then  went  on  to  receive  votes.  I  staid 
there  till  they  adjourned  for  dinner  ;  I  saw  one  of  the  men  appointed 
as  judge  come  out  of  the  house  with  the  ballot-box  under  his  arm, 
and  he  carried  it  down  to  the  camp.  In  the  afternoon  I  went  back  to 
the  polls  and  got  acquainted  with  one  of  the  men  of  the  company,  a 
Dutchman,  like  myself.  After  some  little  conversation  he  said  to  me, 
now  let  us  go  and  vote ;  I  said  I  was  not  quite  ready.  He  said 
he  would  go  ;  and  he  went  and  put  in  his  ticket.  After  he  had  voted 
he  came  to  me  again,  and  I  asked  him  whether  he  lived  in  the  Terri- 
tory or  had  a  claim,  and  he  said  he  did  not.  He  also  said  they  came 
out  on  a  wild-goose  chase,  as  he  called  it,  to  vote  at  the  election.  I 


262  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

asked  him  his  name  and  he  told  me,  but  I  do  not  now  remember  it. 
After  they  had  got  through  voting  they  all  started  back  the  way  they 
came.  I  thought  there  were  between  two  hundred  and  three  hundred 
of  them,  but  I  did  not  count  them.  This  company  were  all  strangers 
to  me.  They  had  some  tents  with  them,  and  some  encamped  in  their 
wagons.  They  brought  their  tents,  provisions,  and  fodder,  along 
with  them.  I  do  not  know  where  they  got  their  tickets  ;  I  think  I 
saw  some  tickets  for  Strickler  and  McG-ee,  but  I  do  not  remember  of 
seeing  any  before  they  came  ;  I  did  not  ask  the  man  with  whom  I 
talked  who  he  voted  for.  They  came  from  the  east,  along  the  Santa 
Fe  road.  There  were  not  a  great  many  settlers  in  the  district  east  of 
where  the  polls  were  held.  I  do  not  know  how  many  families  there 
were  at  "  One  Hundred  and  Ten-mile  creek. "  I  did  not  see  any 
judges  sworn  at  all,  though  I  was  about  the  house  when  the  election 
was  opened.  I  think  the  one  I  talked  with  said  they  came  from 
Missouri. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

My  information  was  got  from  the  Dutchman  with  whom  I  talked. 
I  came  out  from  Pennsylvania  in  the  same  company  with  Mr.  Stewart. 
My  main  object  in  coming  here  was  to  get  me  a  home.  I  do  not  know 
what  the  main  object  of  the  company  was ;  I  do  not  know  how  the 
company  was  organized.  Mr.  Albright  acted  as  leader  of  the  com- 
pany to  get  us  out  here  as  cheaply  as  possible.  We  had  no  articles 
of  agreement ;  no  written  agreement  or  pledges,  that  I  know  of;  no 
other  object,  particularly  of  the  organization,  except  to  come  here  and 
get  homes.  I  never  attended  any  of  their  -  meetings  but  one  or  two, 
and  the  most  that  was  said  was  to  come  to  Kansas  and  get  us  homes. 
I  know  of  no  resolution  passed  at  their  meetings. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  do  not  know  as  this  was  an  organized  company  at  all,  but  a  com- 
pany of  men  coming  together  for  the  sake  of  cheapness.  I  never 
knew  of  any  one  having  anything  to  do  with  our  company  except  the 
men  who  came  out  that  trip.  I  knew  of  no  man  in  our  company  or 
out  of  it  from  the  northern  or  eastern  States  coming  here  purposely 
to  vote  and  go  back  ;  but  there  were  others  who  went  back  after  they 
voted,  as  they  got  sick  and  got  tired  of  the  country.  I  know  two 
families  of  them  who  went  back  last  fall. 

ABSALOM  HOOVEK. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  29,  1856. 


IN  THE  NINTH,  TENTH,  ELEVENTH,  AND  TWELFTH  DISTRICTS. 

NINTH  DISTRICT,  at Paivnee. 

TENTH  DISTRICT,  at |    Kfe*. 

ELEVENTH  DISTRICT,  at Marysville. 

m               DTSTRTPT   at  $    St'  Mary's- 

IWELFTH  DISTRICT,  at J 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  263 

ANDREW  MCCONNELL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided,  on  and  prior  to  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Pawnee  in 
this  Territory.  I  came  into  the  Territory  in  May,  1854,  from  New 
York.  Mr.  McClure  hired  myself  and  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  others 
to  go  to  Pawnee  to  huild  a  State-house.  After  I  had  "been  there  a  few 
days  I  left  and  went  to  Fort  Kiley,  heing  discharged  by  McClure. 
While  I  was  hoarding  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Mohley,  some  six  or  eight 
eastern  men  came  there  to  hoard,  and  others  went  to  Pawnee,  to  the 
house  of  Mr.  Knapp,  where  they  formerly  hoarded.  They  said  they 
were  from  Pennsylvania,  and  were  going  to  stay  until  after  the  elec- 
tion, and  then  they  were  going  home  again.  They  said  that  letters 
that  Keeder  had  sent  to  Pennsylvania  had  made  false  representations 
of  the  country,  and  they  were  going  back  after  the  election.  This 
was  about  two  weeks  before  the  election  ;  and  they  said  they  had  just 
arrived  from  Pennsylvania.  There  were  some  twelve  or  fifteen  who 
came  up  in  that  party.  I  saw  some  four  or  five  of  them  vote  at  Paw- 
nee on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  They  said  they  had  all  voted  the 
Free-soil  ticket,  and  had  fulfilled  the  contract  on  their  part,  and  were 
going  back  to  Pennsylvania.  On  the  second  or  third  day  after  the 
election  they  hired  a  man  named  Blacksley  to  take  them  to  Kansas 
City,  Missouri.  They  did  not  say  what  their  contract  was;  they  said 
that  they  had  come  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  So- 
ciety, and  found  that  the  conntry  had  been  misrepresented  to  them, 
and  they  were  going  back.  Mr.  McClure  took  us  all  to  Pawnee  with 
him  when  we  went  to  build  the  State-house.  I  heard  him  say  that 
all  the  men  he  had  brought  up  were  good  free-State  men,  who  would 
vote  the  Free-soil  ticket,  and  that  they  were  the  only  kind  he  em- 
ployed. I  heard  him  state  this  to  Merrick,  the  clerk  of  the  sutler's 
store. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

These  men  who  came  up  to  Pawnee  said  they  had  just  come  from 
Pennsylvania,  and  they  reached  Fort  Kiley  nearly  two  weeks  before 
the  election.  I  was  hired  by  McClure,  and  commenced  to  work  on 
the  State-house  at  Pawnee.  I  do  not  know  how  long  the  work  was 
continued.  I  left  in  April.  McClure  discharged  me,  saying  that 
they  hired  nothing  but  free-State  men.  There  was  no  trouble,  at  the 
time  I  was  there,  about  Pawnee  being  on  the  military  reservation. 
These  men  from  Pennsylvania  said  that  this  country  and  things  here 
had  been  misrepresented  to  them,  and  they  were  going  back.  They 
said  that  they  had  come  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society,  and  it  had  been  misrepresented  to  them.  These  men  were  not 
among  those  hired  to  work  on  the  State-house.  There  were  some 
twelve  or  fifteen  in  number.  I  talked  with  some  of  them  at  different 
[  times,,  and  I  heard  them  as  they  came  to  where  I  was  boarding.  I 
'  do  not  recollect  any  of  their  names  now.  They  hired  Mr.  Blacksley 
to  carry  them  off  after  the  election  ;  but  I  cannot  say  that  they  all  went 
off  with  him.  They  said  they  were  going  back  to  Pennsylvania.  I 


264  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

bought  two  guns  of  them,  as  they  said  they  were  almost  out  of  money. 
They  seemed  to  be  quite  anxious  to  get  back  home.  But  speaking  of 
the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  of  the  letters  from  Eeeder  to  Pennsyl- 
vania which  they  said  falsely  represented  things  to  them,  they  said 
they  would  fulfil  their  part  of  the  contract,  and  then  g.o  back  home. 
I  caunot  call  to  mind  the  names  of  any  of  these  Pennsylvanians. 
They  did  not  state  particularly  what  Emigrant  Aid  Society  they  had 
reference  to.  I  saw  some  five  or  six  of  these  men  vote  ;  they  voted 
the  Free-soil  ticket,  directly  contrary  to  what  I  voted,  which  was  the 
pro-slavery  ticket.  They  showed  me  their  tickets  at  a  grocery,  and 
said  that  was  the  way  they  were  going  to  vote  ;  and  we  went  from  the 
grocery  to  the  polls  and  voted.  I  do  not  recollect  what  part  of  Penn- 
sylvania they  were  from,  except  that  some  two  or  three  said  they  were 
from  Bradford  county.  I  do  not  know  whether  or  not  there  was  ever 
an  Emigrant  Aid  Society  in  Pennsylvania,  and  I  never  heard  any  one 
else  speak  of  one  as  being  in  Pennsylvania,  except  these  men,  whose 
names  I  cannot  recollect.  I  think  they  were  there,  to  the  best  of  my 
knowledge,  about  a  fortnight  before  the  election.  I  got  to  Pawnee 
about  the  1st  of  March,  and  they  got  there  somewhere  about  the  middle 
of  March.  Some  of  them  were  mechanics,  and  went  to  work  on  a 
house  at  Pawnee,  which  they  said  was  for  Ileeder  ;  the  rest  were  idle. 

ANDKEW  McCONNELL. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


EGBERT  WILSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  resided  at  Fort  Kiley,  in  this  district,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
I  went  there  in  May,  1853,  and  resided  there  from  that  time  to  this. 

I  was  at  the  election  in  that  district  on  the  30th  of  March ;  1855, 
held  at  Pawnee,  and  I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  election.  Pawnee  is 
about  a  mile  from  Fort  Kiley.  Persons  commenced  pouring  in  from 
the  eastern  States  about  a  week  before  the  election,  and  continued  to 
come  in  until  the  day  of  election.  They  all  voted  at  that  election, 
and  voted  the  free- State  ticket.  A  few  of  them  had  families,  but  most 
were  single  *men.  I  cannot  state  how  many  there  were  of  them,  but 
I  should  think  some  sixty  or  seventy  of  them.  I  do  not  know  of  more 
than  one  or  two  of  them  that  had  families.  They  were  all  boarding 
at  the  hotel,  or  in  camp  or  tents.  Most  of  them  left  a  few  days  after 
the  election — some  forty  or  fifty  of  them  ;  they  left,  some  the  next 
day,  and  they  were  going  for  two  or  three  weeks,  until  they  were 
nearly  all  gone.  Nearly  all  of  those  persons  voted.  Some  men  who 
came  out  with  Mr.  Sherwood,  from  Pennsylvania,  he  told  me  did  not 
vote  for  fear  of  prejudicing  the  legislature  against  Pawnee.  Most  of 
these  eastern  men  were  from  Pennsylvania,  and  a  great  many  from 
Easton,  Pennsylvania.  I  did  not  learn  from  them  under  what  influ- 
ence they  came  out  here.  I  heard  some  of  them  say,  when  they  left, 
that  they  were  going  back  home.  I  had  very  little  to  say  to  them, 
and  had  very  little  conversation  with  them.  I  did  not  learn  from 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  265 

them  that  any  persons  or  society  paid  their  expenses  out  here  to  have 
them  vote.     I  think  Governor  Reeder  was  one  of  the  original  stock- 
holders in  Pawnee,  and  I  think  owned  some  thirty-five  or  forty  shares. 
I  sold  him  about  twenty,  and  he  owned  ten  before  that.   Each  original 
stockholder  had  ten  shares,  and  there  were  twenty-six  stockholders. 
Governor  Eeeder  had  a  claim  of  about  eighty  acres  near  Pawnee,  and 
was  interested  in  one  or  two  other  claims.     His  nephew,  Col.  Hutter, 
had  a  claim  near  town.     It  was  some  time  in  February,  1855,  that  I 
first  heard  Governor  Keeder  speak  about  locating  the  capital  at  Paw- 
nee.    I  had  heard  that  spoken  of  before  then,  but  not  by  him.     He 
spoke  of  it  after  he  had  become  interested  in  the  town,  and  the  real 
estate  near  there.     I  do  not  think  Governor  Reeder  had  any  interest 
in  Mr.  Dickinson's  claim,  though  he  was  very  anxious  to  get  it.     I 
heard  Governor  Reeder  say  that  he  thought  Dickinson  ought  to  be 
got  away  from  there,  as  that  was  the  key  to  the  town.     The  associa- 
tion raised  money  to  buy  this  Dickinson  out.     I  understood  Governor 
Reeder  had  offered  $1,200  for  that  claim,  if  it  could  not  be  got  in  any 
other  way.     Prior  to  the  time  that  the  seat  of  government  was  located 
at  Pawnee,  Governor  Reeder  tried  to  get  an  interest  in  real  estate 
property  about  there,  and  made  several  claims  for  his  friends  in  Penn- 
sylvania.   I  do  not  know  of  any  proposition  made  by  Governor  Reeder 
that  the  commander  of  the  fort  should  take  the  Dickinson  claim  inside 
the  military  reservation,  so  as  to  get  the  Dickinsons  off  it,  and  then 
send  a  secret  agent  to  Washington  to  get  the  reserve  cut  down,  in 
order  that  the  association  might  get  the  Dickinson  claims.     Governor 
j  Reeder  said  to  me  that  we  ought  to  sell  shares  to  the  members  of  the 
j  legislature  for  less  than  we  would  to  other  persons,  so  that  the  capitol 
might  remain  at  Pawnee.     I  sold  Judge  Johnson  five  shares  in  that 
|  way,  and  with  that  understanding.     I  sold  Governor  Reeder  some 
[twenty  shares,  but  I  cannot  say  as  it  was  with  any  such  under  stand- 
jing  as  that.    I  did  not  sell  many  shares  to  members  of  the  legislature, 
j  There  were  a  good  many  shares  sold  by  others.     Pawnee  is  a  little 
I  south  of  west  from  here,  some  125  miles  on  the  extreme  western  borders 
of  the  population  of  this  Territory,  and  will  not  be  in  the  centre  of 
population  unless  we  get  a  railroad.     There  are  about  three  houses  in 
Pawnee  now;  two  are  owned  by  me,  and  one  by  the  association.    Two 
of  them  are  not  occupied,  and  one  is  occupied  by  the  chaplain  of  the 
military  post  there.    I  have  a  two-story  stone  building,  25  by  40,  and 
the  association  has  a  two-story  stone  warehouse,  about  100  by  90,  with 
a  cellar.    The  other  is  a  little  frame  building.    The  house  of  the  asso- 
[ciation  has  never  been  finished,  and  has  no  windows  or  doors  in  it; 
I  that  is  the  house  the  legislature  met  in.     Governor  Reeder  and  myself 
i  were  out  riding  one  day,  and  he  stated  to  me  that  he  had  understood 
•that  General  Whitfield  was  trying  to  get  a  bill  through  Congress,  to 
;  give  the  legislature  the  power  to  fix  the  seat  of  government ;  and  he 
{thought  he  could  head  him  off  by  letting  out  secretly  contracts  to 
Jbuild  the  State-house  by  citizens  of  Missouri,  so  as  to  quiet  them.     I 
i  do  not  know  as  I  have  letters  from  Governor  Reeder,  in  which  he  said 
Hhe  would  maintain  the  seat  of  government  at  Pawnee  under  all  cir- 
cumstances.    I  have  letters  from  him,  in  my  possession,  saying  that 
ijhe  has  learned  that  General  Whitfield  has  introduced  a  bill  in  Con- 


266  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

gress  to  give  the  legislature  power  to  locate  tlie  seat  of  government ; 
but  that  I  need  have  no  fears  about  the  passage  of  that  bill,  but  that 
I  should  go  on  and  finish  the  warehouse,  and  provide  provisions  for  the 
legislature.  I  decline  to  produce  those  letters  at  present  before  the 
committee.,  until  I  get  the  consent  of  the  gentleman  to  whom  they 
were  directed.  Those  letters  are  in  reference  to  the  interest  of  the 
company,  and  of  Governor  Eeeder  in  maintaining  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment at  Pawnee.  I  had  no  conversation  with  Governor  Keeder  in 
regard  to  the  illegality  of  the  legislature  before  they  met  at  Pawnee  ; 
and  I  never  heard  him  say  that  any  member  of  the  legislature  was 
not  legally  elected  prior  to  that  time.  I  think  I  asked  him  after 
most  of  the  members  arrived,  if  they  would  have  a  right  to  remove 
the  seat  of  government  by  a  two-thirds  vote,,  and  he  responded  they 
would.  I  do  not  know  that  he  ever  advised  the  stockholders,  as  a 
body,  to  secure  the  influence  of  at  least  one-third  of  the  legislature  in 
favor  of  keeping  the  seat  of  government  at  Pawnee  ;  but  he  advised 
individuals  to  sell  shares  cheaper  to  members  of  the  legislature  than 
they  would  to  others,,  for  that  purpose,  and  also  said  he  would  sell 
them  that  way  himself;  and  he  sold  one  to  Mr.  Marshall,  of  the  lower 
house,  considered  very  influential  there.  He  sold  him  a  share  at  two- 
thirds  for  what  they  would  sell  for  there.  I  think  Pawnee  was  an  in- 
convenient out-of-the-way  place  for  the  legislature  to  meet  at.  I  am 
acquainted  with  the  handwriting  of  Governor  Keeder.  The  letters 
shown  me  are  his  handwriting. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

There  were  men  coming  in  for  a  week  before  the  30th  of  March, 
1855.  Some  few  of  them  were  employed,  but  the  most  of  them  were 
doing  nothing,  and  I  do  not  know  as  they  sought  occupation.  There 
was  pretty  extensive  building  at  the  fort,  but  they  had  no  lumber  at 
Pawnee.  Some  few  left  the  day  after  the  election,  but  some  few  aiv 
there  yet.  Of  those  that  left,  none  expressed  themselves  dissatisfied 
with  the  country.  Sherwood  told  me  his  party  did  not.  These  sixty 
or  seventy  men  were  mostly  from  Pennsylvania.  All  that  I  knew,  a 
good  many  of  them,  were  from  Easton,  Pennsylvania.  It  was  some 
time  in  August,  1855,  and  in  a  month  or  two  after  the  legislature 
adjourned  to  Shawnee  'Mission.  The  Secretary  of  War  declared  Paw- 
nee on  the  military  reservation,  and  that  very  quickly  destroyed  the 
place. 

KOBEKT  WILSON. 

LEAVENWOKTH  CITY.,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


MARSHALL  A.  GARRETT  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  November,  1854,  from  Missouri,  and 
settled  on  the  Big  Blue.  I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  election  in  the 
10th  district  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  There  were  a  party  from 
Wyandott  there,  headed  by  Garrett  and  Walker  ;  some  eight  or  ten 
of  them  in  the  party  who  voted  that  day,  and  claimed  to  be  entitled 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  267 

to  vote  from  having  claims  in  the  district.  They  were  of  the  Wyan- 
dott  tribe  of  Indians,  and  some  of  them  were  locating  Wyandott 
floats,  and  others  claimed  to  he  in  their  employ.  Some  of  them  have, 
and  some  have  not,  lived  there  since. 

M.  A.  GARRETT. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


JOSEPH  STEWART  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  June,  1854,  and  settled  on  Big  Blue, 
in  the  10th  district,  in  the  Big  Blue  precinct.  I  was  appointed  "by 
the  governor  one  of  the  judges  of  election  for  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
J  came  from  Pennsylvania  to  Iowa,  from  Iowa  to  Missouri,  and  then 
jhere.  I  think  some  eleven  or  twelve  came  up,  principally  from  the 
Wyandott  nation,  to  our  precinct  and  voted ;  some  of  them  I  did 
(not  know ;  the  principal  man  among  them  was  William  Walker. 
He  told  me  his  home  was  in  Wyandott  city,  and  he  calculated  to 
ireturn  there.  I  told  him  I  could  not  take  his  vote.  The  other  two 
pudges  took  his  vote,  and  put  it  in  the  hallot-hox.  There  was  another 
igentleman  "by  the  name  of  Walker  that  was  sworn,  and  in  answering 
to  the  questions  said  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory ;  and  when  I 
iwished  to  ask  him  further,  he  answered  me  that  I  had  asked  him  all 
ithe  leading  ones,  and  a  good  many  minor  ones.  I  was  not  satisfied 
$o  receive  the  vote,  hut  the  other  two  judges  took  it  and  put  it  imto 
the  hox.  There  were  some  eight  or  nine  others  who  voted  about  in 
jthe  same  way,  except  that  some  answered  all  the  questions  satisfac- 
torily. The  next  morning  a  part  of  this  party  left,  going  towards 
the  Wyandott  nation.  The  remainder  of  them  left  the  second  day, 
in  the  same  direction.  None  of  them  have  been  back,  to  my  know- 
ledge, to  claim  any  residence,  except  Russell  Garrett,  who  was  run 
as  representative.  He  had  a  claim  at  that  time  there,  and  the  party 
voted  for  him. 

J.  STEWAET. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


W.  J.  OSBORN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  was  at  the  Big  Blue  precinct,  twenty  miles  this  side  of  Fort  Eiley, 

at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     After  the  nominations 

lad  been  made  up  there  for  the  legislature,  I  was  sent  to  the  lower 

>art  of  the  district  with  proclamations  to  inform  the  people  who  the 

lominees  were,  and  on  my  return  I  fell  in  with  some  fourteen  or 

ifteen  gentlemen  from  or  near  Easton,  Pennsylvania,  who  came  out, 

they  said,  under  the  auspices  of  Governor  Reeder.     I  saw  eleven  of 

•them  at  the  Big  Blue  precinct  on  the  day  of  election.     I  challenged 

several  of  their  votes.     I  was  induced  to  do  so  from  the  remarks  they 

piade  the  previous  evening,  where  I  had  staid  all  night  with  them  the 


268  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

night  before  the  election.  I  was  overruled,  and  they  were  allowed  to 
vote.  Those  that  I  challenged  were  sworn  as  to  their  place  of  resi- 
dence. I  think  about  eleven  of  them  voted.  The  balance  of  them 
went  to  Fort  Eiley.  When  I  met  them  below  they  were  very  anx- 
ious to  get  to  the  Blue  on  the  day  of  election.  They  stated  that  theY 
were  aware  what  day  the  election  would  take  place  before  they  left 
Pennsylvania.  They  informed  me  that  they  had  been  induced  to 
come  out  here  by  Governor  Keeder  ;  that  they  had  not  found  things 
as  he  represented  ;  that  they  should  return  after  they  had  voted ;  and 
it  was  upon  this  ground  that  I  challenged  their  votes.  I  afterwards 
saw  some  of  them  on  their  return.  I  met  them  at  the  St.  Mary's 
Mission,  when  they  told  me  they  were  on  their  return  home. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  voted  at  the  Big  Blue  precinct.  My  vote  was  challenged.  I  don't 
remember  whether  I  was  sworn  or  not.  I  was  a  resident  of  that  pre- 
cinct. The  men  I  challenged  were  sworn,  examined,  and  their  an- 
swers being  satisfactory  to  the  judges,  their  votes  were  admitted.  I 
do  not  remember  the  number  of  their  men  that  I  conversed  with.  I 
do  not  know  that  I  can  tell  the  number,  because  it  seemed  a  general 
conversation,  and  they  all  might  and  might  not  have  participated. 
I  do  not  know  whether  these  men  are  or  are  not  now  residents  of  the  i 
Territory.  The  legislative  nominations  were  made  by  the  pro-slavery 
party  at  Dyer's,  in  the  Big  Blue  precinct. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  think  the  judges  were  Mr.  Dyer,  Mr.  Garrett,  and  Mr.  Stewart. , 
Dyer  and  Stewart  were  free-State  men.  The  judges  were  not  unani-  • 
mous  in  their  opinion.  Mr.  Garrett  dissented  upon  the  question  off 
admitting  these  men,  before  spoken  of,  to  vote. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

This  was  the  same  poll  at  which  William  Walker  and  others  voted. , 
They  claimed  to  be  residents  of  the  Big  Blue  precinct.  A  portion  off 
them,  to  my  knowledge,  own  land  there,  and  claim  to  be  occupants^ 
of  it.  There  were  some  there  who  voted  who  belonged  to  the  Wyan-l 
dott  tribe  of  Indians. 

W.  J.  OSBOKN. 

LEAVENWOETH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


ISAAC  S.  HASCALL  testifies  : 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  was  at  the  Blue  Kiver  precinct  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  J 
1855.     Mr.  Osborne  was  there  that  day.     Shortly  before  the  30th  of 
March  it  was  rumored  that  a  body  of  Pennsylvanians  were  coming  on 
from  Reeder's  district  in  Pennsylvania,  and  just  before  the  election 
crowds  of  strangers  came  into  the  district  representing  themselves  ast 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  269 

Boeder's  men.  I  should  judge  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifty  that 
passed  up  on  the  Fort  Biley  road.  They  stated  that  they  came  at  the 
instance  of  Governor  Reeder  ;  that  they  had  hurried  to  get  here  hefore 
the  election  ;  that  they  did  not  know  as  they  should  stay  here  perma- 
nently, hut  came  merely  to  see  how  matters  stood.  I  know  nothing 
about  their  movements  after  they  went  to  Fort  Riley,  except  through 
report.  I  saw  some  of  the  same  company  afterwards  at  Pawnee,  after 
the  election.  They  stated  they  would  not  live  in  the  Territory  on 
any  consideration,  but  that  they  were  going  back  to  Pennsylvania, 
where  they  could  enjoy  life.  I  was  at  Pawnee  and  Fort  Riley  after 
(that  several  times,  until  the  meeting  of  the  legislature,  and  I  would 
meet  one  of  them  occasionally,  and  I  do  not  know  of  but  three  of  the 
1  original  party  who  remained  in  the  Territory. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

They  had  no  women  with  them.  Some  came  in  on  wagons,  and 
feome  on  foot.  The  greater  part  of  the  men  had  guns  ;  some  had  re- 
rolvers,  but  not  often. 

ISAAC  S.  HASCALL. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June,  5. 


AUGUSTUS  BAKER  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  November,  1853,  and  went  to  Fort 
liley  and  worked  as  a  millwright,  and  made  a  claim  on  the  Big  Yer- 
aillion  in  December,  1853,  I  think  in  the  twelfth  district,  and  have 
ived  there  ever  since.  I  did  not  vote  at  the  election  of  November, 
854,  or  March,  1855.  The  night  after  the  election  of  the  30th  of 
£arch,  1855,  myself  and  friend  (John  Baker)  staid  with  Louis  Trum- 
>le,  a  half-breed  Pottawatomie,  on  the  Black  Yermillion.  That  is  on 
he  Independence  road  to  California,  about  twenty  miles  this  side  of 
Marysville.  I  am  acquainted  about  Marysville,  and  know  there  was 
LO  settlement  about  there  at  that  time  for  forty  miles,  except  that 
Marshall  and  Bishop  kept  a  store  and  ferry  at  the  crossing  of  the  Big 
Blue  and  the  California  road.  I  only  know,  by  hearing,  about  the 
llegal  voting  at  Marysville.  Marshall  is  there  sometimes,  but  his 
•amily  lives  in  Weston.  He  stopped  at  my  house  some  two  years  ago. 

AUGUSTUS  BAKER. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


JOHN  E.  D'Avis  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  on  the  Big  Yermillion.  I  moved  into  the  Territory  in 
November,  1854.  I  was  not  at  the  election  of  November,  1854,  or 
[arch,  1855.  The  day  after  the  election  of  the  31st  of  March,  I  was 
j  my  store,  about  forty-five  miles  this  side  of  Marysville.  Mr.  Mar- 
nail,  who  lives  in  Marysville,  and  has  a  store  there,  came  to  my  hous* 


270  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

with  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  men,  the  most  of  whom  I  had  known 
in  Weston,  Missouri.  They  camped  for  dinner  near  my  store.  I  went 
down  to  their  camp,  and  some  of  them  were  at  my  store.  I  had  some 
conversation  with  them.  They  told  me  that  they  were  up  to  Marys- 
ville,  and  had  carried  the  day  for  Missouri ;  that  they  had  voted  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  votes,  I  think.  They  said  that  they  would  see 
that  Kansas  should  be  a  slave  State.  They  were  drinking  and  talking 
freely.  I  had  formerly  lived  in  Weston,  and  tbey  thought  I  was  a 
pro-slavery  man.  They  said  they  went  up  the  road  from  Weston,  and 
I  knew  that  they  lived  in  Weston  when  I  was  there.  This  Mr.  Mar- 
shall, who  was  along,  afterwards  served  as  a  member  of  the  legislature. 
Marshall  did  not  say  much  ;  he  inquired  for  hay  for  his  mules,  and 
some  provisions,  and  paid  the  bill  for  the  party.  They  left  together 
towards  Missouri.  Donaldson,  another  member  of  the  legislature, 
passed  the  next  day,  coming  down  towards  Missouri.  He  said  he 
thought  he  was  elected ;  that  he  had  lost  a  good  many  votes  about 
Fort  Riley,  as  the  free-soil  candidate  got  the  most  votes  there,  but 
thought  the  votes  at  Marysville  would  save  him.  He  lived  in  Missouri ; 
I  think  in  Jackson  county.  I  have  not  seen  him  in  our  region  since. 
He  had  no  claim  that  I  know  of  in  the  district,  and  no  business,  except 
election,  coming  here. 

J.  E.  D'AVIS. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


ISAAC  S.  HASCALL  testifies : 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  lived  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Blue,  and  in  that  neighborhood,  for  six 
months.  I  should  judge  it  to  be  120  miles  from  Kansas  City  to  Big  • 
Blue.  I  have  been  at  Marysville,  in  this  Territory.  I  was  there  in  < 
the  summer  of  1855,  though  but  for  a  short  time.  That  is  between  40  i 
and  50  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Blue,  according  to  the  usual ! 
route.  Marysville,  according  to  the  direct  route  from  Kansas  City,  is,i 
I  think,  about  140  or  150  miles.  The  Otoes  have  a  reserve  north  off 
Marysville.  At  Marysville,  and  in  its  vicinity,  there  is  quite  a  num— 
ber  of  settlers.  There  are  not  many  there  in  the  town.  Marshall  1 
and  Woodward  had  a  store  there.  That  is  the  northwest  settlement ; 
of  the  Territory,  and  is  not  as  well  settled  generally  as  the  Nemaha  i 
region.  Marysville  is  in  Marshall  county,  in  which  county  I  think : 
there  are  not  as  many  people  as  in  Riley  county,  though  there  may  ' 
be  as  many  as  in  Nemaha  county  for  aught  I  know. 

To  Mr.  Scott  : 

I  think  there  is  a  route  from  Marysville  to  Pawnee  of  about  60  miles ;  J 
Pawnee  is  a  little  west  of  south  of  Marysville. 

ISAAC  S.  HASCALL. 
WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  5,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  271 

JOHN  A.  CANTRELL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  reside  in  Westport,  Missouri ;  I  resided  here  in  the  spring  of  1855, 
and  kept  a  livery-stable.  Some  time  in  March,  towards  the  last  of  it, 
I  was  employed  by  some  nineteen  men  from  Pennsylvania,  and  all 
professed  to  be  acquainted  with  Governor  Reeder.  One  of  them — a 
mechanic — showed  me  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  Reeder  as  a 
workman.  They  employed  me  to  take  them  up  into  the  Territory. 

took  them  up  to  the  Big  Blue  river,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Man- 
hattan. They  had  no  women  or  children  with  them,  and  their  bag- 
gage was  generally  a  carpet-sack.  There  they  left  me,  with  the 
igreement  that  I  should  wait  for  them  to  return,  which  I  did ;  and 
after  the  election  I  brought  the  most  of  them  back.  They  said  they 
wanted  to  go  to  the  election,  and,  as  it  was  difficult  for  me  to  go  with 
my  teams,  I  waited  there  for  them.  They  paid  me  by  the  day. 

They  told  me  after  they  returned  that  they  had  killed  some  Mis- 
spurian  votes,  and  I  understood  that  they  voted  at  the  Big  Blue  pre- 
cinct. The  most  of  them  returned  with  me  ;  and  when  they  got  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Pottawatomie  Indians,  they  wanted  me  to 
take  them  across  to  Leavenworth  city,  but  I  would  not  go.  They 
settled  with  me,  and  went  across  by  another  conveyance;  three  of  them 
returning  to  Westport  with  me,  and  went  right  on  down  towards  the 
river  in  a  wagon  that  I  sent  down  to  the  river  with  them.  All  those 
who  were  with  me  expressed  their  determination  to  return  home ; 
jtwo  of  them  cursing  Reeder  for  getting  them  out  here.  There  was 
?not  much  said  between  us,  either  one  way  or  the  other,  about  Emi- 
grant Aid  Societies,  eastern  men,  &c. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

As  well  as  I  recollect,  19  of  these  men  went  up  with  me,  and  IT 
started  back  with  me  and  came  down  to  where  they  turned  off  for 
Leavenworth,  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  getting  on  a  boat  and  going 
back  again.  The  other  two  crossed  the  river  and  said  they  would 
meet  me  down  below,  but  did  not  do  so.  Their  complaint  against  Ree- 
der was  something  about  the  capitol  up  there.  Among  them  was  a 
3tone-mason,  and  also  a  carpenter,  and  they  spoke  of  Reeder  as  having 
got  them  out  here  to  get  work  on  the  capitol.  These  were  the  two 
men  who  came  down  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  I  do  not  know 
exactly  why  the  others  returned  with  me,  but  I  understood  that  it 
was  something  about  being  dissatisfied  with  the  country,  or  with 
something — I  cannot  tell  what. 

To  Mr.  King : 

After  they  got  to  the  end  of  the  journey  up  in  the  Territory,  they 

jnade  a  contract  with  me  to  wait  two  days  for  them  and  haul  them 

jback.     I  got  there  in  the  evening,  and  I  and  my  hands  camped  by 

jpurselves,  and  the  party  camped  by  themselves.     The  leader  of  the 

party  came  to  me  and  said  he  wanted  me  to  wait  there  until  the  day 

ifter  the  morrow  morning.     I  waited  there  two  nights,  and  they  came 


272  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

in  and  started  back  with  me,  as  I  have  before  stated.  The  election 
took  place  while  I  was  there  waiting  for  them.  I  contracted  with  the 
men  to  take  them  up  the  country  just  as  they  got  off  the  boat  at  Kan- 
sas City.  Some  three  weeks  after  I  got  back  I  saw  these  two  men, 
who  came  down  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  on  their  way  home. 

JOHN  A.  CANTRELL. 
WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  7,  1856. 


THOMAS  REYNOLDS  testifies : 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

On  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  resided  about  five  miles  nearly  west 
of  Fort  Kiley,  where  I  reside  now,  in  what  I  think  was  the  9th  dis- 
trict. The  election  in  March  was  held  at  Pawnee,  in  what  was  called 
Klutz  house.  The  pro-slavery  candidates  at  that  election  were  Don- 
aldson for  Council,  and  Garrett  for  House  of  Representatives  ;  the  free- 
State  candidates  were  Con  way  for  Council,  and  Houston  for  the  House 
of  Representatives.  I  was  present  at  that  election.  I  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  resident  voters  of  that  district ;  perhaps  more  so 
than  any  other  person  in  that  portion  of  the  county.  In  that  pre- 
cinct I  think  there  were  some  70  or  80  legal  voters,  of  which  I  thought 
the  pro-slavery  party  had  the  majority.  I  never  thought  the  army 
had  the  right  to  vote,  though  they  always  did  vote.  I  did  not  at- 
tend the  polls  very  closely  that  day,  and  saw  some  connected  with  the 
army  vote,  though  the  same  were  there  that  I  had  seen  at  the  election 
in  the  fall  before.  A  great  many  strangers  came  into  the  district 
shortly  before  the  election.  Report  said  that  three  hundred  from 
•Pennsylvania  were  there  on  the  day  of  election.  We  who  were  op- 
posed to  their  voting  objected  pretty  strongly,  and  not  a  great  many 
of  them  voted.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  fighting,  &c., 
on  that  day.  I  saw  no  women  with  these  strangers  ;  they  commenced 
coming  a  week  or  ten  days  before  the  election.  That  is  a  very  hard 
country  to  live  in,  as  there  were  but  few  settlers  and  few  accommoda- 
tions. They  stopped  at  Mr.  Twombly's  and  the  Klutz  house,  in  Paw- 
nee ;  that  was  in  March,  and  it  was  quite  cold,  and  they  complained 
very  much  of  the  country  and  of  Reeder  for  sending  them  there, 
and  many  swore  they  would  not  vote  for  Reeder 's  men,  as  he  had  de- 
ceived them,  and  he  would  go  back  home.  There  were  a  great  many 
people  there  living  about  in  tents,  but  I  did  not  know  of  any  of  these 
having  tents  with  them.  They  said,  so  far  as  I  saw  them  and  heard 
them,  that  they  were  from  Pennsylvania.  I  heard  them  say  a  great 
deal  about  having  their  expenses  paid  out  there;  some  said  Governor 
Reeder' s  wife  paid  their  way,  and  some  that  they  paid  their  own  way, 
and  would  go  back  home  and  do  as  they  please,  and  not  vote  that 
day.  They  called  the  society  that  paid  their  expenses  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society.  They  complained  of  Reeder  for  making  misstatements 
in  saying  it  was  a  fine  country,  good  place  to  get  farms,  and  that  it 
was  well  supplied  with  coal,  and  they  had  been  deceived.  They 
said  that  they  came  only  from  what  Reeder  wrote  back  to  Pennsyl- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  273 

vania,  not  what  he  had  said  to  them  himself,  as  he  was  not  there. 
They  said  that  Keeder  wrote  back  about  iron  mountains,  and  big 
wages,  &c.,  which  they  found  to  have  been  a  misstatement.  Myself 
and  some  others  were  very  anxious  to  know  what  district  we  would 
be  thrown  in,  and  some  who  seemed  to  know  better  represented  that 
we  belonged  to  the  district  below  the  Kaw  river. 

Some  two  or  three  days  before  the  election  two  wagon-loads  of  emi- 
grants came  there  and  said  they  had  the  governor's  circulars  laying 
off  the  Territory  into  districts,  and  said  they  had  had  them  two 
months  before  in  Pennsylvania.  That  was  the  first  we  knew  of  the 
districts,  and  we  had  not  time  to  make  our  arrangements  before  the 
election.  After  the  election  I  saw  some  of  them  going  in  the  direc- 
tion of  their  home,  and  I  do  not  know  where  they  went.  One  wagon- 
load  left  the  day  before  the  election.  There  are  but  few  of  them  in 
that  portion  of  the  country  now.  A  good  many,  all  that  got  wagons 
to  go  in,  started  off  the  day  after  the  election :  they  had  no  wagons  of 
their  own.  All  that  I  heard  say,  said  that  their  homes  were  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, near  where  Governor  Keeder  came  from.  I  do  not  recollect  of 
hearing  any  who  voted  say  they  had  done  all  they  came  to  do,  and 
would  then  go  back.  I  heard  some  say  before  the  election  that  they 
came  to  vote,  and  to  vote  for  Governor  Reeder  and  his  men.  They 
said  they  wanted  a  free  State,  and  that  was  the  understanding  with 
Governor  Reeder  before  they  left  home.  It  was  reported,  some  two 
weeks  before  the  day  of  election,  that  it  would  be  held  at  Pawnee, 
and  the  day  it  would  be  held ;  but  we  could  not  get  his  proclamation 
to  know  what  were  the  bounds  of  the  district.  I  think,  generally, 
the  people  all  over  the  district  knew  when  and  where  the  election  was 
to  be.  But  I  think  the  first  proclamations  with  regard  to  the  district 
came  on  the  Friday  before  the  election  on  Monday,  with  those  Penn- 
sylvanians.  All  near  the  Pawnee  precinct  knew  where  their  voting 
place  was  to  be,  and  I  think  were  there  on  the  day  of  election  ;  but  I  do 
not  know  about  the  other  precincts.  The  people  in  the  neighborhood 
generally  called  the  Pennsylvanians  <fReeder's  men,"  though  I  do 
not  know  as  I  heard  the  Pennsylvanians  call  themselves  Reeder's 
men.  They  were  generally  known,  as  they  were  better  dressed  men 
than  we  were. 

I  have  heard  that  Reeder  was  at  that  time  a  stockholder  in  Paw- 
nee, but  I  never  heard  him  say  anything  about  it  himself.  I  could 
not  say,  only  from  report,  whether  Reeder  had  any  interest  in  claims 
outside  of  Pawnee  or  not. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  think  that  about  the  time  of  this  election  there  were  nearly  seventy 

i  or  eighty  legal  voters  in  the  Pawnee  precinct,  and  I  think  all  voted. 

Some  of  those  Pennsylvanians  voted  after  coming  forward  and  swear- 

'  ing  that  they  intended  to  reside  in  that  district.     I  think  that  for 

representative  we  had  about  thirty  pro-slavery  majority  in  the  whole 

district.     The  district  embraced  the  Pawnee  precinct  and  one  on  the 

Big  Blue,  but  I  do  not  know  the  name  of  it.     I  think  there  were 

more  than  seventy  or  eighty  legal  voters  in  the  whole  precinct.     In 

the  Pawnee  precinct  I  think  we  had  some  eighteen  majority  of  the 

H.  Rep.  200 18* 


274  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

pro-slavery  party  at  that  time*  We  did  not  canvass  the  precinct,  but 
we  talked  to  one  another,  and  we  knew  all  in  the  precinct,  and  what 
their  politics  were,  hut  we  did  not  not  take  any  memorandum.  I  do  not 
think  that  the  report  of  there  heing  300  Pennsylvanians  on  the 
ground  at  the  time  of  election  was  true^  though  there  were  a  great 
.many  there.  I  do  not  remember  the  names  of  any  of  those  Penn- 
sylvanians who  went  back.  I  understood  that  a  Mr.  Sherwood  was 
building  a  house  there  for  Gov.  Keecler.  But  those  men  who  told 
me  Eeeder 's  wife  gave  them  money  to  come  out  here  with  were  not  at 
work  on  that  house,  and  I  think  did  not  work  at  all.  1  did  not 
hear  many  say  that  Eeeder's  wife  gave  them  money.  I  heard  one 
speak  of  it,  and  I  think  he  said  Mrs.  Eeeder  gave  him  $25,  but  I 
do  not  recollect  that  he  said  what  he  came  out  for  :  but  he  complained 
of  the  country  not  being  so  good  as  he  expected,  and  of  there  not 
being  any  accommodations.  I  heard  several  men,  at  different  times, 
say  they  had  been  sent  out  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  but  I  never 
knew  their  names ;  they  said  that  the  society  paid  their  way  out  here. 
I  first  saw  these  circulars  on  the  Big  Blue,  and  two  wagons'  full  of 
Pennsylvanians  from  Westport  were  on  their  way  to  Pawnee,  and 
they  had  them.  The  circulars  were  some  proclamation  of  the  gov- 
ernor fixing  the  time  and  place  of  election,  and  laying  off  the  dis- 
tricts. They  told  me  they  had  them  in  Pennsylvania  some  two 
months  before  that.  This  was  some  three  or  four  days  before  the 
30th  of  March,  1855.  These  Pennsylvanians  gave  us  some  of  theii 
circulars.  I  do  not  know  the  names  of  any  of  those  Pennsylvanians^ 
and  none  are  in  the  country  now. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  think  some  of  the  pro-slavery  men  voted  for  Houston,  the  free- 
soil  candidate,  and  some  did  not  vote  at  all.  We  could  not  get  up  i 
regular  ticket  until  we  knew  where  the  district  was. 

To  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  think  some  of  the  pro-slavery  menl  voted  for  Houston,  as  the 
was  a  split  in  the  free  State  party,  and  some  of  the  free  State  m( 
would  not  vote  for  Conway. 

THOMAS  EEYNOLDS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  Hay  28,  1855. 


C.  E.  MOBLEY  testifies : 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  Fort  Eiley,  in  the  ninl 
election  district  of  this  Territory.  I  was  at  the  election  on  that  da. 
at  Pawnee  ;  I  was  then  acting  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  that  distric 
under  appointment  of  Governor  Eeeder.  I  was  well  acquainted  wili 
most  of  the  resident  voters  in  that  precinct,  and,  I  think,  castin 
out  all  in  the  employment  of  the  government,  there  were  son; 
thirty-five  *  or  forty  legal  resident  voters  there.  I  took  a  gre> 
deal  of  pains  to  inform  myself  of  the  sentiments  of  each  inc 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  275 

vidual  on  the  question  of  slavery,  and  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  pro- 
slavery  party  generally  that  they  had  a  majority.  I  thought  we  had 
about  ten  pro-slavery  majority.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  strangers 
— as  many  as  one  hundred,  I  should  think — arrived  in  the  precinct 
before  the  election.  The  Pawnee  Town  Association  sent  down  and  got 
twentv  or  twenty-four  men  who  had  come  up  about  two  weeks  before 
the  election;  I  mean  by  this  association  the  stockholders  of  the  town 
of  Pawnee.  Dr.  Hammond  was  the  agent  who  went  and  employed 
them,  I  think,  but  I  am  not  certain.  I  do  not  know  where  the  men 
were  brought  from,  but  from  some  place  outside  of  the  district;  I  do 
not  know  how  long  he  was  gone  after  them  I  heard  Dr.  Hammond 
tell  Mr.  Wilson  that  they  would  be  able  to  beat  the  pro-slavery  party, 
as  he  was  bringing  the  right  kind  of  men  to  come  there  and  work, 
and  they  would  all  vote  right.  The  principal  portion  of  these 
strangers  were  coming  for  four  or  five  days  before  the  election.  I  was 
keeping  a  boarding-house  at  the  fort  at  that  time,  and  quite  a  num- 
ber stopped  with  me  ;  they  had  no  families  with  them,  and  no  bag- 
gage but  carpet-sacks.  I  think  none  of  them  arrived  after  the  elec- 
tion; no  bodies  of  men,  so  large,  have  arrived  there  since.  Some  of 
them  boarded  with  me ;  some  at  the  Klutz  house,  and  some  of  them 
stopped  in  government  tents.  I  do  not  know  whether  Col.  Mont- 
gomery knew  or  not  of  their  occupying  the  government  tents,  though 
I  understand  that  Captain  Lyon  furnished  them  out  of  his  com- 
pany ;  Captain  Lyon  was  a  stockholder  in  the  town  of  Pawnee.  I  think 
most  of  these  persons  that  the  judges  would  permit  to  vote  voted  at 
that  election.  Almost  all  of  them  were  at  the  polls,  and  claimed  the 
right  to  vote.  I  saw  several  of  them  vote;  but  I  do  not  know  the 
number  who  voted.  They  commenced  leaving  the  next  day,  and  con- 
tinued to  leave  as  fast  as  they  could  get  their  carpet-sacks  and 
get  away.  The  most  of  these  men  represented  themselves  as 
being  from  Pennsylvania,  and  they  said  they  came  there  to  make 
Kansas  a  free  State,  and  intended  to  do  it  at  all  hazards ;  that 
they  had  the  power  to  do  it,  and  they  would  do  it.  They  said  they 
could  out-vote  us,  and  could  always  be  able  to  put  more  voters 
in  the  Territory  than  the  pro-slavery  party  could.  Some  of  them 
said  they  were  furnished  with  money  to  come  by  the  society  ; 
and  some  said  Mrs.  Eeeder  had  furnished  them  with  money. 
They  were  accused  of  being  hired  to  come  and  vote,  and  they  said 
they  had  received  $25  to  come  to  the  Territorry,  and  their  voting 
the  free  State  ticket  was  considered  a  matter  of  course.  Many  expressed 
dissatisfaction  at  Keeder  for  his  misrepresenting  the  country  to  them, 
and  said  they  were  going  home.  Some  said  they  had  done  all  they 
had  come  to  do,  and  were  going  home.  They  spoke  of  having  voted. 
There  was  one  of  them  from  New  York,  and  there  were  "probably 
more  of  them.  The  most  of  those  from  Pennsylvania  spoke  of  Eas- 
tpn,  Pennsylvania;  they  were  generally  well-dressed  men.  The  first 
time  I  ever  talked  with  Governor  Keeder  I  asked  him  where  he  'would 
locate  the  seat  of  government?  and,  instead  of  answering  my  question, 
he  went  on  to  ^  say  what  advantages  Pawnee  had  for  such  purposes  • 
and  when  I  said  I  wanted  to  locate  near  the  seat  of  government  he 
said  I  could^looate  near  Pawnee,  and  have  no  fears  about  the  matter 
of  the  location  of  the  seat  of  government.  This  conversation  took 


276  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

place  at  Fort  Leavenworth  in  October,  1854.  Governor  Keeder  had 
just  returned  from  his  circuit  of  the  Territory.  I  started  the  next 
day  after  that  to  Fort  Riley  on  Boeder's  recommendation,  and  he 
came  to  Fort  Kiley,  I  think,  in  December  following.  The  stock- 
holders were  making  strong  efforts  to  have  the  seat  of  government  lo- 
cated there,  and  for  some  time  he  held  himself  aloof  and  for  two  or 
three  days  would  not  say  what  he  would  do,  though  they  made 
pretty  liberal  propositions  to  him.  It  was  finally  agreed  that  the 
capital  should  be  located  there.  I  do  not  know  as  Keeder  was  paid 
for  this ;  but  I  think  Mr.  Wilson  was  to  let  him  have  twenty  shares 
on  liberal  terms,  though  I  do  not  know  what  those  terms  were.  At 
the  same  time  I  heard  Reeder  say  that  the  present  condition  of  Paw- 
nee would  not  do  for  the  seat  of  government,  as  it  had  the  Fort  re- 
serve on  one  side,  Bluffs  on  another,  the  Kaw  river  on  another  and  a 
lot  of  Irish  on  the  other.  The  Irish  commenced  with  their  claims  on 
the  river  running  to  the  Bluffs,  and  had  six  claims  there.  Four  of 
them  were  named  Dickson.  Governor  Reeder  told  them  that  those 
Irish  should  be  got  off  if  they  wanted  to  build  a  town  there  ;  and,  in 
his  absence,  the  company  suggested  the  plan  of  raising  $1,200  or 
$1,500  to  offer  them  for  their  claims,  and  if  they  would  not  take  that 
they  were  to  induce  Colonel  Montgomery  to  have  the  reserve  surveyed, 
so  as  to  have  Pawnee  out  and  take  the  Irish  in  ;  and  then  Colonel 
Montgomery  was  to  drive  the  Irish  off  their  claims,  and  then  they 
were  to  send  agents  to  Washington,  Johnson  and  Sherwood  being 
named,  to  get  the  reserve  curtailed;  the  matter  being  kept  secret 
until  they  could  put  men  on  these  claims  to  hold  them. 

These   Irish    were  driven  off  by   persons   under  the  command   of 
Colonel  Montgomery,  and   their  houses  thrown   down  and  destroyed. 
The  Irish  then  dug  holes   in  the  ground  and  lived  in  them,  and  the 
roofs  fixed  over  the  holes  were  torn  off,  but  they  were  never  driven  offi 
their  claims.     I  do  not  know  that  G-overnor  Reeder  ever  acquired  any 
interest  in  those  claims,  though  I  understood  that  he  and  Judge  John- 
son were  to  have  residences  on  those   claims.     They  were  both  stock- 
holders in  Pawnee.     I  think  that  Mr.  Sherwood  and  Mr.  Klutz  saidl 
that  they  had  a  conversation  with  Governor  Reeder,  in  which  Reederr 
said,  if  the  Irish  were  driven  off  their  claims,  the  capital  will  be  all  I 
right.      Colonel  Montgomery  was  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  reason  fort 
driving  the  Irish  off  their  claims,  as  it  was  thought  he  would  havef 
conscientious  scruples  against  doing  so  if  he  umderstood  all  about  the< 
reasons  for  doing  so.     The  question  of  whether  the  seat  of  government  I 
was  to  remain  or  not  at  Pawnee  was  considered,  and  an  arrangement! 
agreed  upon  by  which  the  members  of  the  legislature  were  to  have* 
a  certain  number  of  shares  on  easy  terms  ;  their   object  being,    as  I 
understood,  to  secure  their  votes  in  favor  of  making  Pawnee  the  per- 
manent seat  of  governme  it.     I  do  not  know  of  any  shares  being  sold 
lower  to  any  members  of  the  legislature  than  to  other  persons.     Mr. 
Donaldson  said  he  had  got   a  share  of  Governor  Reeder,  and  he  in-i 
tended  to  vote   for 'Pawnee  being  the  permanent  seat  of  government,! 
but  did  not  say  why  he  should  do  so.     I  heard  Governor  Reeder  say; 
that   the   location  of  the  capital  was  entirely  in  his  power  ;  this  was 
before  he  located  it.     After  the  legislature  had  removed  the  seat  of 


KANSAS,  AFFAIRS.  277 

government,  I  heard  Keeder  say  they  had  no  right  to  do  so  ;  but  I 
never  heard  him  say  anything  about  that  matter  after  the  election  and 
before  the  meeting  of  the  legislature.  The  stockholders  said-that  a 
majority  of  the  members  of  the  legislature  were  in  favor  of  having  the 
seat  of  government  remain  there,  and  it  would  be  necessary  for  them 
to  secure  the  votes  of  one-third  of  the  legislature  to  keep  it  there. 
These  stockholders  were  Kobert  Wilson,  Captain  Lyon,  and  Dr.  Ham- 
mond. I  have  heard  Governor  Keeder  say  that  he  had  a  wife  and 
children  living  in  Pennsylvania,  and  that  they  had  never  been  in  the 
Territory;  this  was  in  December,  1854.  I  think  he  never  did  hare 
his  family  in  the  Territory. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

The  Mr.  Donaldson  who  got  a  share  of  Governor  Keeder  was 
councilman  for  the  Pawnee  district.  The  20  or  24  men  employed  by 
Dr.  Hammond  were  employed  to  work  for  the  company  in  March. 
1855,  and  for  what  was  called  a  warehouse,  quarrying  stone,  hauling 
logs,  &c.  When  Dr.  Hammond  told  Wilson  they  could  beat  the 
pro-slavery  party,  &c.,  Wilson  said  that  the  pro-slavery  men  could 
beat  the  free  State  men,  as  they  had  the  most  voters,  and  would  not 
let  the  Hammond  men  vote.  I  do  not  know  where  those  men  came  from. 
I  think  those  hired  by  the  association  did  not  belong  to  the  Pennsyl- 
vanians.  One  of  the  Pennsylvanians,  who  was  hired  by  the  Pawnee 
Association  as  general  engineer,  said  he  had  received  $25  of  the  society, 
and  voting  was  considered  as  being  a  matter  of  course.  I  asked  sev- 
eral for  the  board  they  owed  me,  and  they  said  they  had  no  means,  as 
they  had  been  furnished  only  money  enough  to  come  out  here.  John 
McClellan  said  that  Mrs.  Keeder  had  furnished  him  with  money,  and 
some  two,  or  three,  or  four  said  the  same  thing.  They  were  fre- 
quently accused  of  being  hired  to  come  out  and  vote,  and  they  said 
they  were  paid  their  expenses  out,  and  voting  was  considered  as  a 
matter  of  course.  I  heard  a  Mr.  Beckwith  say  his  expenses  were  paid 
by  the  society,  and  he  said  most  of  the  others  came  out  the  same  way. 
Some  of  the  others  denied  it,  and  some  admitted  that  it  was  so,  I 
think.  Beckwith  was  from  New  York.  Lieutenant  Hunter  was  one 
of  the  stockholders,  and  several  other  stockholders  being  present, 
who  assented  to  it.  Mr.  Kobert  Wilson,  Mr.  Sherwood,  and  Dr.  Ham- 
mond proposed  to  have  the  reserve  surveyed  so  as  to  take  in  the  Irish 
claims,  and  have  the  reserve  cut  down,  &c.  This  was  at  Mr.  Wilson's 
store,  at  the  Fort,  in  December,  1854,  while  Governor  Keeder  was  at 
the  Fort.  There  were  persons  coming  in  and  going  out  of  the  store 
all  the  time ;  but  I  do  not  know  as  I  could  give  the  names  of  any  of 
them.  This  conversation  was  among  themselves.  The  Irish  were 
driven  oif  that  winter,  some  time  before  the  March  election — that  is, 
some  of  their  families  were  taken  off,  and  their  houses  torn  down. 
Captain  Lyon  at  one  time,  and  Lieutenant  Hunter  at  another,  with 
some  20  men,  went  to  do  this.  When  the  houses  were  torn  down,  the 
Irish  dug  holes  in  the  ground  and  put  roofs  upon  them,  and  the  roofs 
were  torn  off. 


278  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

The  stockholders  of  the  Pawnee  Association — so  I  understood  from 
them — chose  a  number  of  trustees  to  act  for  them,  but  I  do  not  know 
how  many  there  were  of  them.  Colonel  Montgomery,  Captain  Lyon, 
and  Dr.  Hammond,  I  understood  were  trustees,  and  there  were  others, 
but  I  do  not  know  who  they  were.  It  was  generally  understood  that 
what  the  trustees  did  was  binding  on  all  the  shareholders,  at  least 
they  told  me  so.  I  heard  the  matter  of  their  getting  the  Irish  off 
their  claims  spoken  of  by  all  the  stockholders  and  the  trustees  that 
lived  there,  except  Colonel  Montgomery;  but  I  heard  him  say  he 
would  drive  them  off. 

Q.  How  many  houses,  and  of  what  size,  were  there  in  Pawnee  on 
the  1st  of  July,  1855? 

Question  overruled,  Mr.  Oliver  dissenting. 

Pawnee  is  a  about  120  or  130  miles  from  here,  in  a  southwestern  di- 
rection. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

There  are  three  houses  in  Pawnee  now — two  stone  and  one  frame 
house.  The  chaplain  of  the  Fort  is  living  in  one,  and  the  others  are 
not  occupied.  The  house  in  which  the  legislature  vote  there  is  un- 
finished, and  I  think  no  doors,,  except  temporary  ones,  and  no  win- 
dows. There  is  no  lower  floor  there  now,  though  there  were  floors 
there  once,  but  they  have  been  broken  down. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

The  stockholders  built  that  house;  some-said  for  a  warehouse,  and 
others  for  a  capitol.  I  do  not  know  when  the  roof  of  the  house  was 
put  on,  or  the  floors  put  in.  There  were  very  few  settlements  west 
of  Pawnee.  I  think  Pawnee  is  generally  a  very  healthy  place, 
though  some  persons  died  at  the  Fort,  near  there,  of  cholera,  last 
summer. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

Pawnee  City  is  now  declared  to  be  on  the  Pawnee  reservation,  and 
I  think  that  is  to -a  great  extent  the  cause  of  its  present  condition, 
though  there  were  but  few  persons  there  when  we  heard  about  the 
military  reservation.  We  heard  of  it  about  September,  1855. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

There  were  five  or  six  houses  there  at  that  time. 

C.  B.  MOBLEY. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


H.  A.  LOWE  testifies : 
To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  resided  at  Fort  Kiley  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the  ninth 
election  district  in  this  Territory,  and  was  wagon-master  at  the  Fort 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  279 

at  that  time.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  at  Pawnee, 
for  a  few  moments  only.  The  free  State  candidates  were  Conway  for 
council,  and  Houston  for  house  of  representatives  ;  and  the  pro-slavery 
candidates  were  Donaldson  for  council,  and  Grarrett  for  house  of  rep- 
resentatives. I  voted  at  the  election  the  free  State  ticket.  Several  of 
the  employees  of  the  government,  at  the  Fort,  went  to  the  polls  that 
day  and  voted  the  free  State  ticket,  with  the  exception  of  one,  so  far 
as  t  know.  I  judge  that  all  the  men  of  the  Fort,  with  the  exception 
of  one  besides  myself,  were  there  merely  because  they  were  in  the 
employ  of  the  government,  and  not  as.  residents  of  the  Territory.  I 
saw  a  number  of  strange  faces  there  at  the  time  of  the  election,  who 
were  said  to  be  men  from  Pennsylvania.  I  did  not  talk  with  those 
men  much  ;  but  the  general  appellation  given  to  them  was  et  Reeder's 
men,"  and  it  was  generally  understood  that  they  came  to  vote.  I 
think  I  have  heard  Colonel  Montgomery  and  Dr.  Hammond  call  them 
"  Reeder's  men."  Mr.  Sherwood  and  one  or  two  others,  who  were  at 
work  on  a  house  for  Reeder,  were  the  ones  that  Colonel  Montgomery 
and  Dr.  Hammond  called  "  Reeder's  men."  A  portion  of  these  Penn- 
sylvanians,  some  ten  or  fifteen,  Mr.  Sherwood  and  Mr.  Hubbell  and 
others,  had  been  there  for  some  time.  We  thus  came  there  some 
three  or  four  days  previous  to  the  election,  as  the  boarding  houses 
were  full.  Some  of  them  lived  in  camps  and  tents.  Those  that  could 
not  get  into  the  boarding  houses.  I  was  at  the  polls  ;  I  saw  a  num- 
ber of  these  men  around  the  polls,  but  I  saw  none  of  them  vote.  These 
men  brought  no  baggage  with  them,  as  settlers  usually  do,  and  no 
women  and  children.  They  disappeared  after  the  election,  and  out  of 
all  the  free  State  votes  given  at  that  election  I  can  make  up  but  ten 
there  now,  including  government  employes,  a  large  party  of  these 
strangers,  &c.  The  free  State  men  left  that  portion  of  the  country 
i  before  it  was  ascertained  that  Pawnee  was  on  the  government  reserve. 
I  do  not  know  whether  Dr.  Hammond  was  at  that  election  or  not.  I 
did  not  see  him  there.  I  think  that  Mr.  Sherwood  went  to  Pennsyl- 
vania and  brought  the  ten  or  fifteen  men  back  with  him  just  before 
the  election.  About  the  1st  of  March,  I  think. 

H.  A.  LOWE. 
LBAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT.- — Hickory  Point, 


J.  B.  Ross  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  on  one  of  the  tributaries  of  Crooked  creek,  about  eighteen 
miles  from  here,  and  have  lived  there  since  I  first  came  to  the  Terri- 
tory from  Platte  county,  Missouri,  in  August,  1854.  I  was  appointed 
one  of  the  judges  of  election  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Hickory 
Point,  in  the  thirteenth  district.  I  did  not  serve  as  judge  during 
that  day  ;  I  resigned  early  in  the  day,  before  any  votes  were  taken. 


280  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  gave  up  the  polls  because  I  was  told  I  had  to  receive  such  votes  as 
were  offered  or  give  up  the  polls,  or  have  the  house  torn  down.  I  was 
told  this  repeatedly  by  the  crowd  generally  around  the  window.  The 
majority  of  the  crowd  were  strangers  to  me.  I  was  tolerably  well 
acquainted  in  the  thirteenth  district  at  that  time.  There  were  but 
few  residents  there  on  the  ground  that  day,  not  over  thirty  or  forty 
I  should  judge.  I  judge  there  were  between  250  and  300  persons 
present.  I  did  not  hear  these  non-residents  say  where  they  were 
from,,  though  I  know  some  were  from  Platte  City,  Missouri.  Those  I 
knew  from  Platte  City,  Missouri,  I  cannot  say  had  any  badge  about 
them,  though  it  was  a  pretty  general  thing  to  see  a  bunch  of  hemp 
in  the  button-hole  or  around  the  hat,  some  made  into  tassels.  William 
Fox,  that  I  knew  to  be  from  Platte  City,  was  there.  I  do  not  know 
as  he  voted.  I  knew  no  other  non-residents  there  except  those  from 
Platte  City,  and  I  do  not  know  as  I  heard  any  of  them  say  where 
they  were  from.  As  near  as  I  can  recollect,  some  two  or  three  per- 
sons offered  to  vote,  who,  on  examination,  acknowledge  themselves 
to  be  citizens  of  Missouri,  and  we  refused  their  votes.  They  then 
remarked  that  we  had  to  give  up  the  polls  or  receive  their  votes,  or 
otherwise  they  would  tear  the  house  down. 

Some  of  these  men  were  armed  with  guns,,  some  with  knives  and 
revolvers  in  their  belts.  It  was  repeated  frequently  about  tearing  the 
house  down,  and  they  appeared  to  be  very  positive  about  it.  I  do  not 
know  any  man  named  Thomas  in  our  district.  I  know  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Gardner  in  Platte  City,  but  I  did  not  know  his  first  name. 
There  is  a  Jesse  Yocum  in  our  district.  I  resigned  without  receiving 
any  votes,  but  remained  about  the  polls  till  some  time  in  the  after- 
noon. I  do  not  know  any  men  named  0.  G.  McDonald,  G.  C.  Clin- 
dey,  J.  S.  Barbee,  in  our  district.  I  cannot  tell  the  names  of  the  two 
or  three  whose  votes  I  refused.  They  claimed  a  right  to  vote  because 
they  had  a  claim  in  the  Territory,  though  they  lived  in  Missouri, 
The  settlers  I  saw  there  did  not  amount  to  more  than  thirty  or  forty. 
I  saw  none  of  them  vote.  All  of  the  judges  resigned  at  once,  took 
up  all  the  poll  books  and  papers,  and  left  the  room  and  took  them  up 
to  Governor  Reeder.  I  do  not  think  we  announced  our  resignation. 
I  think  three  judges  were  nominated  by  some  person,  and  all  in  favor 
invited  to  walk  out  and  form  a  line.  So  far  as  I  recollect  I  do  not 
know  any  men  in  our  district  named .  N.  B.  Hopewell,  or  William  M. 
Gardner,  or  Richard  Chandler.  I  did  not  see  the  new  judges  receive 
any  vote.  I  did  not  vote,  because  I  thought  it  would  not  be  worth 
while  to  vote  where  the  judges  were  almost  compelled  to  give  up  the 
ballot  box. 

I  reached  Governor  Reeder  with  the  protest,  signed  by  myself  and 
the  other  two  judges,  I  think,  on  the  3d  of  April,  some  time  in  the 
forenoon.  I  do  not  know  as  the  protest  was  acted  on,  as  there  was 
no  special  election  called,  to  my  knowledge.  I  did  not  see  these  men, 
but  I  saw  quite  a  number  of  wagons  and  tents.  I  had  some  conver- 
sation with  Mr.  Fox  about  voting.  He  came  to  me  and  wanted  to 
know  if  I  could  not  receive  the  votes  of  "  our  people,"  as  he  called 
them,  under  the  oath  I  had  taken  as  judge.  I  told  him  I  could  not. 
I  have  no  means  of  telling  by  the  census  returns  the  number  of  voters 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  281 

in  that  precinct,  which  gives  some  80  odd.  I  do  not  know  when  these 
men  left.  A  portion  left  before  I  did,  taking  the  military  road  towards 
the  river. 

Mr.  Fox  stated  no  reason  for  voting  over  here,  except  that  they  had 
a  right  to  vote.  At  that  election,  I  think  the  free  State  party  had  a 
pretty  good  majority  in  that  district.  I  have  never  heard  of  any  free 
State  man  who  voted  on  that  day.  I  do  not  recollect  the  candidates 
at  that  election.  I  lived  in  Missouri  some  two  and  a  half  years,  and 
came  there  from  Indiana.  I  did  not  vote,  because  I  considered  that 
election  illegally  conducted. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Kees : 

I  heard,  more  than  once,  from  the  crowd,  that  they  would  pull  the 
house  down,  and,  I  think,  from  different  men.  I  did  not  know  all 
the  residents  of  that  district.  I  was  acquainted  with  many  in  the 
district.  I  thought  the  proceedings  were  illegal'  from  the  time  the 
judges  were  not  allowed  to  act.  I  had  calculated  to  act  at  that  elec- 
tion before  that  time,  and  considered  it  legal  up  to  that  time.  I 
intended  to  vote  for  Samuel  L.  Hardh  for  representative,  and  Colonel 
A.  J.  Whitney  for  council.  I  knew  there  were  other  candidates,  but 
never  knew  their  names.  Travelling  in  wagons  is  sometimes  a  very 
common  mode  in  this  country,  and  I  suppose  people  go  to  elections 
sometimes  in  wagons.  Some  of  these  persons  I  knew  were  non-resi- 
dents, but  I  do  not  wish  to  mention  the  names  of  any  but  Mr.  Fox. 
I  consider  a  man  who  resides  in  the  Territory  with  his  family  a  resi- 
dent. Some  of  these  men  told  me  they  did  not  live  in  the  Territory. 
I  think  a  majority  of  those  there  did  not  live  in  the  Territory.  The 
first  men  who  offered  to  vote  said  their  families  were  in  Missouri,  and 
their  homes  were  there,  and  they  had  a  claim  in  Kansas.  There 
were  but  two  or  three  of  them.  I  do  not  know  when  they  made  their 
claims.  They  claimed  to  have  a  right  to  vote  because,  they  said,  they 
had  claims. 

There  were  but  few  men  in  our  district,  who  staid  there,  who  had 
not  their  families  with  them,  and  none,  that  I  recollect  of,  who  had 
any  families  at  all.  The  district  ran  west  of  Charles  Hardh' s  a  con- 
siderable distance,,  but  I  never  was  to  the  boundary,  and  do  not  know 
how  far  it  ran.  I  do  not  know  what  was  understood  to  be  the  dis- 
tance. The  protest  I  carried  up  was  a  return  of  the  three  judges, 
which,  I  think,  was  not  sworn  to.  I  think  I  got  it  down  to  the  gov- 
ernor on  the  third  day  of  April.  I  live  some  ten  miles  from  Hardh's. 
I  did  know  a  man  in  June,  1854,  in  that  district,  but  I  have  not  seen 
him  since.  I  do  not  know  his  first  name. 

To  H.  Miles  Moore : 

I  know  a  David  Hunt  that  lives  some  two  or  three  miles  from  Platte 
City.  I  know  J.  H.  Winston,  in  Platte  county.  I  do  not  know  that 
those  men  voted  there.  I  knew  them  when  they  lived  in  Platte 
county,  but  do  not  know  where  they  live  now. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  do  not  know  any  men  of  those  names  in  our  district. 

J.  B.  KOSS. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


282  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

J.  B.  Ross  recalled 

I  have  looked  over  the  poll  lists  for  the  election  of  the  30th  of 
March,  at  Hickory  Point.  There  was  a  man  named  Whitehead  who 
lived  on  Crooked  creek.  I  knew  a  James  Kuykendall  who  lived  in 
the  west  part  of  the  district,  and  a  demons,  who  lived  near  Kuyken- 
dall. G.  W.  Dyer  lived  near  Osawkee;  Jesse  Yocum  lived  in  the 
district ;  a  Mr.  Tibbs  lived  near  Osawkee  ;  a  William  Dyer  lived  in 
the  district,  as  did  Owen  Tibbs.  Those  are  all  the  names  I  find  on 
the  list  I  recognize  now  as  residents  at  that  time.  Eight  in  all. 

J.  B.  BOSS. 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


WILLIAM  H.  GOODWIN  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  usually  about  five  miles  from  here,  in  Salt  creek  valley.  I 
arrived  in  this  place  from  Michigan  the  16th  March,  1855.  I  was  at 
the  election  at  Hickory  Point,  in  the  thirteenth  election  district,  on  the 
30th  of  March.  The  election  was  held  at  Mr.  Hardh's  house.  One  of 
the  judges  I  knew,  by  the  name  of  J.  B.  Boss  ;  another  was  named 
Cory;  and  another  I  did  not  know.  I  was  present  at  the  election  for 
a  short  time.  For  some  reason  the  judges  I  have  named  did  not 
serve  ;  they  left  the  polls  before  I  left,  and  I  did  not  see  them  take  any 
votes.  Other  men  acted  as  judges,  but  I  do  not  know  how  they  were 
obtained.  I  arn  acquainted  with  some  persons  who  were  at  the  elec- 
tion, but  I  am  not  acquainted  in  that  neighborhood.  There  were  a 
great  many  people  there,  with  camps  and  wagons,  prepared  to  live 
without  going  to  houses.  There  were  a  great  many  people  there ;  I 
should  guess  perhaps  600  or  'TOO  of  them,  perhaps  more  or  less,  I 
cannot  tell.  There  were  a  good  many  armed,  and  a  good  many  I 
saw  with  no  arms.  I  heard  a  good  deal  of  talk  but  I  did  not  pay 
much  attention  to  it.  I  did  not  vote  because  I  had  reason  to  believe 
there  were  a  good  many  there  from  Missouri,  from  what  I  heard  there. 
It  was  the  talk  among  those  I  knew  that  such  was  the  case.  I  could 
have  voted  if  I  desired.  I  did  not  know  any  who  were  from  Missouri. 
I  saw  a  great  many  there  with  hemp  in  their  coats  and  pants  and  on 
their  hats,  but  I  did  not  know  where  they  came  from.  I  think  the 
principal  part  of  those  I  saw  were  camped  in  tents  and  wagons  ;  sev- 
eral hundreds  of  them.  I  do  not  remember  that  I  heard  that  day  any 
discussion  about  the  rights  of  those  there  to  vote.  I  left  the  grounds 
early  in  the  afternoon,  perhaps  2  or  3  o'oclock.  There  was  a  good 
deal  of  voting  before  I  left.  At  times  there  was  considerable  noise 
and  confusion,  but  I  do  not  remember  any  threat  or  fighting.  There' 
was  a  great  crowd  about  the  polls.  When  I  went  away  the  polls  were 
not  so  crowded.  I  do  not  remember  of  seeing  any  men  in  the  tents 
and  wagons  start  off  before  I  did. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Bees  : 

I  did  not  know  the  judges  who  acted  at  that  election  ;  they  were  not 
the  same  as  those  who  commenced  to  act  as  judges.     From  the  tents 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS,  283 

and  wagons  I  saw  there  I  should  judge  there  were  from  600  to  700 
persons  there,  perhaps  more,  perhaps  less.  I  cannot  tell  how  many 
wagons  and  tents  I  saw  there. 

My  object  in  coming  from  Michigan  here  so  early  in  the  season  was 
to  get  employment  in  the  public  surveys  here. 

By  Mr.  Howard : 

I  got  employment  as  an  assistant  surveyor,  and  I  have  no  other 
business. 

WM.  H.  GODWIN. 
LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


DR.  JAMES  NOBLE  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  northwest  of  this  place  about  twenty- four  miles,  in  the 
thirteenth  district,  now  called  Jefferson  county.  I  came  into  the  Ter- 
ritory in  the  fall  of  1854,  from  Missouri — the  northeast,  Platte  county. 
I  had  resided  in  Platte  county  about  two  years  at  that  time,  and  some 
years  before.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  at  Hickory 
Point,  in  that  district,  at  the  house  of  Charles  Hardh.  I  was  tolera- 
bly well  acquainted  in  that  district  at  that  time  ;  I  had  been,  I  think, 
in  pretty  much  every  settlement.  There  were  a  great  many  people 
at  that  election.  I  do  not  know  who  were  the  judges  ;  I  think  there 
were  two  classes  of  judges,  but  I  do  not  know  who  were  the  first  class 
of  judges.  N.  B.  Hopewell  was  one  of  the  second  class  of  judges, 
and,  as  such,  told  me^that  he  made  the  returns  to  the  governor. 

There  were  very  few  citizens  at  the  election  after  I  got  there,  which 
was  about  twelve  o'clock.  I  did  not  vote  that  day.  I  was  not  pre- 
vented from  voting  by  any  violence.  I  was  requested  by  some  old 
acquaintances  from  Clay  county,  Missouri,  who  were  there  then,  to 
vote,  and  grumbled  at  me  for  not  voting.  I  did  not  go  to  the  polls  at 
all,  and  saw  no  man  vote. 

I  do  not  recollect  more  than  eight  or  ten  residents  in  the  district  I 
saw  there  that  day.  I  judge  there  were  some  two  hundred  in  all  on 
the  grounds  that  day.  I  do  not  know  any  one  by  the  name  of  Barber 
in  our  district.  I  never  heard  of  but  two  men  named  Graves  living 
in  our  district.  1  saw  a  great  many  of  niy  old  neighbors  there  that 
day  who  did  not  live  in  our  district,  among  them  were  Mr.  Ellington, 
of  Platte  county  ;  B.  Prater,  of  Clay  county  ;  Andrew  Murray,  form- 
erly constable  at  Liberty,  Missouri.  I  do  not  know  of  any  Marshalls 
in  our  district,  or  Rockholts,  or  Whitlocks,  or  Arnolds.  I  saw  a  Mr. 
Thompson,  from  Clay  county,  there  on  the  day  of  election.  A  Mr. 
W.  G.  Baker,  I  think,  is  interested  in  our  town  plot  of  Jacksonville, 
but  I  believe  he  is  from  Baltimore.  I  do  not  know  a  man  in  our  dis- 

1  trict  named  J.  Harris,  but  I  knew  one  in  Missouri.  I  do  not  know  as 
I  saw  him  on  that  day.  Mr.  Lykins,  I  think,  formerly  lived  about 

i  Platte  city  ;  I  know  of  no  man  named  Lykins  in  our  district.  I  know 
of  no  man  named  J.  Weekly.  I  do  not  know  L.  Henshaw,  or  any 
Millers  in  our  district.  I  knew  some  Swetts  in  Missouri,  but  none  in 


284  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

our  district.  I  have  heard  that  some  G-raggs  are  settling  on  the 
Grasshopper,  hut  I  do  not  know  when  they  went  there.  I  do  not 
know  Mr.  Keith.  I  do  riot  know  of  any  Walker  in  our  district.  I 
do  not  know  of  any  Hatches  in  our  district,  though  I  know  of  some  in 
Missouri.  I  know  of  Henry  Arnold,  of  Missouri,  near  Liberty.  I  do 
not  know  A.  C.  Woods,  as  I  know  of.  I  know  David  Gentry,  of 
Boone  county.  Willia'ms  is  a  very  numerous  name  in  Missouri,  hut 
I  know  of  none  in  our  district.  I  know  a  John  Wilson,  in  Missouri, 
hut  no  Wilsons  in  our  district.  John  Cook  lived  in  our  district,  I 
think,  and  so  did  Colegrove.  I  did  not  know  G.  L.  Merritt  or  any 
Gardiner  in  the  district,  but  a  good  many  in  Missouri.  I  formerly 
knew  a  Crane,  of  Clinton  county,  Missouri,  and  John  Hawkins,  also 
of  Missouri.  I  have  heard  of  a  Lee  in  our  district.  I  knew  Whites 
in  Missouri  and  Kentucky,  and  two  in  the  district,  named  George  A. 
White  and  Smith  White.  I  do  not  know  J.  Carr  or  G.  L.  Parrish  in 
our  district.  I  know  of  no  Hunts  or  Carrs  in  our  district,  hut  I  know 
of  a  David  Hunt  at  Platte  city.  I  never  heard  of  any  Ewing  in  our 
district,  or  of  J.  Howard.  I  do  not  know  of  any  Mitchells  in  our 
district.  I  do  not  know  of  any  Thachers,  or  Coxes,  or  Brooks  in  our 
district ;  I  have  heard  that  a  Brooks  lived  near  the  line  of  our  district, 
and  I  think  probably  he  was  here  on  the  clay  of  election.  I  know  of 
but  one  Mason  in  our  district,  George  Mason. 

I  have  lived  forty-odd  years  in  Missouri.  I  had  some  talk  with  my 
acquaintances  from  Missouri  about  their  right  to  vote,  which  they 
claimed  to  be,  because  they  were  personally  on  the  ground  intending 
to  take  up  claims,  or  had  done  so.  I  contended  that  they  had  no 
right  to  vote  until  they  moved  over  here  with  their  goods  and  chat- 
tels. I  saw  no  one  vote  that  day.  I  do  not  recollect  the  candidates 
on  that  day  altogether.  Mr.  Tibbs,  Mr.  Easten,  arid  Mr.  Kichard 
Kees,  were  candidates,  but  I  do  not  recollect  the  rest.  I  know  of  no 
man  in  our  district  by  the  name  of  Breckenridge — know  an  Alexan- 
der Breckenridge  in  Missouri ;  saw  no  man  by  that  name  there.  I 
know  Pembertons  in  Missouri,  but  none  in  our  district.  I  did  not 
charge  myself  with  the  names  of  those  I  saw  there.  It  appeared  to  me  a 
good  deal  as  if  I  was  now  home  in  Missouri  surrounded  by  my  acquaint- 
ances and  friends.  I  know  W.  Carpenter,  a  merchant,  in  Clinton 
county,  Missouri ;  John  Keed  was  a  neighber  of  Mr.  Carpenter.  I 
know  Shepards  in  Missouri,  but  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any  here 
on  the  day  of  election.  J.  Jeffries  I  i  ves  in  Clay  county — I  know  John 
Myers,  of  Howard  county,  Missouri.  K.  Chandler  was  a  citizen  of 
our  district.  Pleasant  Ellington  was  from  Missouri — I  knew  him — 
I  never  knew  of  his  having  any  claim  in  our  district.  I  know  Coxes 
in  Missouri,  but  none  in  our  district. 

I  think  I  did  not  know  at  that  time  half  who  lived  in  our  district ; 
I  think  I  knew  more  than  half  around  the  polls,  for  it  appeared  as  if 
I  knew  most  all  of  those  I  met.  I  did  not  recognize  more  than  a  dozen 
I  knew  to  be  residents  of  the  district ;  as  to  the  rest  I  think  I  recog- 
nized most  as  my  old  acquaintances  of  Missouri — I  think  there  were 
at  least  two  hundred  there  in  all.  They  started  off  home  before  I  left. 
I  heard  a  number  speak  about  the  right  to  vote  ;  they  contended  that 
the  Territory  had  been  open  to  settlement ;  and  that  Atchison,  I  think, 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  285 

had  proposed  that  a  man  should  be  here  thirty  days  before  he  should 
be  entitled  to  vote,  but  he  had  been  overruled  in  that ;  and  now  any 
man  who  was  here,  no  matter  how  long,  was  entitled  to  vote  ;  and  a 
man  was  a  citizen  as  soon  as  he  stepped  into  the  Territory. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

I  had  been  in  most  of  the  settlements  of  the  district  at  that  time  ; 
the  boundaries  of  the  district,  as  I  understood,  commenced  on  the  east 
side,  and  run  three  miles  west  of  Stranger  creek,  pretty  nearly  paral- 
lel to  it,  up  to  a  line  north  of  Kickapoo  or  Atchison,  to  some  three  and 
one-half  miles  north  of  Charles  Hardh,  and  continued  west  to  the 
Grasshopper,  across  it,  some  eight  or  ten  miles  beyond  ;  then  north 
to  Kau  river,  and  then  down  to  the  Kau  river  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning. The  district  did  not  include  Easton,  I  think.  I  did  not  know 
that  the  district  ran  as  far  west  as  Soldier  creek,  only  as  far  as  Muddy 
creek.  I  do  not  say  this  is  the  bounds  of  the  district,  but  I  under- 
stand it  so.  I  think  I  am  as  well  acquainted  with  the  district  as  any 
man  in  it  who  has  not  been  running  lines.  The  district  included 
Grasshopper  Falls,  I  think. 

I  was  all  about  through  the  county  before  the  election,  and  looked 
at  the  country  and  people  who  were  there.  I  do  not  know  that 
Mr.  Ellington  ever  was,  or  ever  claimed  to  be,  a  resident  of  the  Ter- 
rity  at  all ;  I  knew  him  in  Missouri  as  a  resident  of  Missouri.  If 
he  has  ever  been  a  resident  of  the  Territory  I  never  knew  it.  I  reached 
the  place  of  electon  about  12  o'clock.  The  understanding  was,  that 
most  of  the  residents  had  gone  away  with  the  poll  books,  but  I  did 
not  see  any  of  them  go.  I  saw  no  quarrelling  after  I  got  there.  I 
was  from  Casey,  now  Boyle  county,  Kentucky,  to  Missouri.  I  knew 
Smiths  in  Kentucky  ;  I  left  them  when  I  was  a  young  man  ;  men  of 
the  same  name  I  have  mentioned  as  those  I  knew  in  Missouri  might 
have  lived  in  Kentucky  or  Massachusetts,  but  these  did  not,  they  were 
my  old  chums  in  Missouri.  I  saw  no  man  vote  that  day. 

I  only  knew  that  men  from  Missouri  voted  that  day  from  what  they 
said  themselves  ;  they  said  they  lived  then  in  Missouri,  and  had  voted 
that  day.  Barret  Prater  told  me  so  of  himself ;  he  was  the  only  man 
who  told  me  so  ;  he  appeard  to  be  taking  for  the  crowd,  who  were 
all  listening.  I  sometimes  talk  for  the  crowd,  and  sometimes  for  my- 
self. He  had  said  "  we,"  and  when  I  talk  for  myself,  I  say  "I."  I  do 
not  know  that  Prater  was  talking  for  the  crowd,  but  I  took  it  so  from 
what  he  said — the  whole  crowd  were  listening  to  him — I  do  not  know 
that  the  crowd  endorsed  his  opinions.  Whenever  a  man  comes  in 
with  a  crowd,  or  party,  to  accomplish  a  particular  purpose,  and  he 
comes  forward  and  says,  "  we  think  this,"  or  "  we  will  do  or  have 
done  that,"  I  take  it  he  is  speaking  for  that  party  or  crowd.  I  do 
not  know  that  the  crowd  endorsed  what  he  said. 

Question.  Was  not  the  delay  of  organizing  the  territorial  govern- 
ment here  the  occasion  of  great  complaint  and  dissatisfaction  among 
the  people,  and  one  of  the  primary  causes  that  have  led  to  the  diffi- 
culties that  have  taken  place  here  ;  and  did  not  the  people  believe 
that  the  delay  was  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  allowing  time  to  the 
aid  companies  to  ship  a  sufficient  number  of  persons  here  to  control 
the  election  ? 


286  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

(The  question  was  overruled,  Mr.  Oliver  dissenting.) 
I  recollect  some  of  the  names  of  my  old  chums  I  saw,  but  not  all  of 
them  ;  among  them,  William  Chandler,  Barrett  Prater,  Andrew 
Murray,  Mr.  Darbey,  and  others.  In  connexion  with  these  people 
they  said  they  came  to  vote,  and  contended  the  way  matters  were  fixed 
up  it  was  free  for  every  man  to  come  over  here  and  vote.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect of  their  giving  any  other  reason  for  coming.  I  do  not  know  that 
these  people  did  not  have  claims,  some  said  they  had  chosen  claims, 
others  that  they  were  looking  out  for  claims  and  intended  to  come. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

The  general  rumor  was  that  the  free  State  party  had  a  majority  in 
that  district  at  that  time,  and  ib  is  larger  now.  The  rumor  was  that 
the  legal  voters  in  that  precinct  (Hickory  Point  precinct)  was  about 
forty-three,  but  I  never  knew  what  it  was  or  what  the  census  was. 

To  Mr.  Whitefield : 

Previous  to  my  examination,  some  of  the  names  on  the  poll  books 
were  read  to  me  by  Mr.  Propper,  in  order  to  see  if  I  could  recollect 
any  of  the  names  of  the  Missourians. 

JAMES  NOBLE. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


JAMES  F.  FORMAN  was  called  <md  sworn. 

At  the  time  of  the  March  election  I  resided  in  the  Doniphan  pre- 
cinct, fourteenth  district,  and  was  present  at  the  30th  of  March  election. 
I  was  present  when  the  vates  were  being  counted  out,  after  the  closing 
of  the  polls.  There  was  a  discrepancy  between  the  poll  list  and  bal- 
lots of  one  vote.  The  judges  explained  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to 
all.  If  there  had  been  a  discrepancy  of  from  five  to  fifteen  votes  be-- 
tween  the  tally  list  and  polls,  I  think  I  should  have  noticed  it,  for 
there  would  have  been  some  questioning  about  it,  but  I  heard  nothing: 
and  saw  nothing  of  the  kind. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  feel  almost  positive  there  was  a  difference  of  only  one  vote  betweeni 
the  tally  list  and  ballot  cast.  The  only  reason  why  I  think  there 
was  not  more  is  that  it  would  have  excited  attention. 

JAMES  F.  FORMAN. 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  27th,  1856. 


RICHARD  CHANDLER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  first  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  3d  of  April,  1854,  and  stopped  at 
Osawkee,  in  the  thirteenth  district,  and  resided  there  until  July,  1854. 
I  then  went  to  Hickory  Point  in  the  same  district.  I  was  at  the  elec-' 
tion  at  Hickory  Point  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  for  members  of  the 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  287 

legislature.  I  was  one  of  the  judges  chosen  "by  the  people,  after  the 
first  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  had  resigned.  The  election 
was  orderly  and  quiet,  so  far  as  I  saw.  I  saw  no  effort  to  prevent  or 
control  any  man  in  his  voting.  I  am  tolerably  well  'acquainted  in 
that  district,  and  have  paid  some  attention  to  the  relative  strength  of 
parties  there.  I  should  think  there  were  from  200  to  250  resident 
voters  there  at  the  time  of  that  election,  and  the  pro-slavery  party  had 
a  majority  of  some  four  or  five  to  one  of  the  free  State  party  ;  so  far 
as  I  could  judge  the  pro-slavery  party  turned  out  at  that  election 
pretty  well.  I  saw  some  free  soilers  there,  but  there  were  many  I 
knew  that  I  did  not  see  there.  I  saw  some  free  State  men  vote  there. 
Some  three  or  four  free  soilers  were  called  on  to  vote,  but  they  refused 
to  vote.  The  people  there  on  that  day,,  so  far  as  I  saw,  seemed  to  get 
on  very  peaceably  and  friendly  together,  and  I  heard  no  disturbance 
there  in  reference  to  the  election. 

I  am  acquainted  with  the  general  character  of  Doctor  Noble  for 
truth  and  veracity,  both  in  Missouri  and  in  the  Territory,  and  it  was 
very  bad.  He  lived  in  Missouri  some  eight  years,  and  his  reputation 
there  was  very  bad  for  truth  and  veracity.  I  have  been  frequently  in 
his  neighborhood  hunting  up  cattle,  and  the  people  there  generally 
considered  his  character  for  truth  and  veracity  as  very  bad ;  and  from 
my  knowledge  of  his  general  character  I  do  not  think  I  would  believe 
him  under  oath.  I  know  something  about  the  general  character  of 
Charles  Hardh  for  truth  and  veracity,  and  he  is  noted  for  his  hard 
yarns  and  tough  stories,  and  his  neighbors  generally  will  not  believe 
what  he  says.  I  should  believe  him  under  oath,  as  I  think  he  is  too 
proud  and  too  good  hearted  to  swear  a  lie.  I  know  four  men  by  the 
name  of  Gardiner  in  our  district.  I  know  three  Greggs — Thomas, 
William,  and  another.  I  do  not  know  any  Arnold  or  Walker.  I 
know  a  man  by  the  name  of  White,  but  none  by  the  name  of  Breck- 
enridge.  I  know  the  Pembertons  and  William  Carpenter  there,  and 
also  John  Myers ;  he  resided  in  the  territory  on  the  30th  of  March, 
1855.  These  men  I  speak  of  knowing  were  residents  of  the  district 
at  the  time  of  the  election  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  also  know 
a  Marshall  there  and  some  Jeffers  there  also  at  that  time. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard: 

There  were  at  least  one-third  of  the  voters  that  were  sworn.  We 
asked  them  if  they  considered  themselves  resident  voters  of  the  Terri- 
tory. We  had  the  governor's  proclamation  there,  and  followed  the 
form  pretty  strictly. 

RICHARD  CHANDLER. 

LEAVEN  WORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


T.  A.  MINARD  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  into  this  territory  with  my  family  in  August,  1854,  from 
Iowa.  I  came  to  western  Missouri  on  the  10th  of  June,  1854,  and  re- 
mained there  until  I  came  into  this  Territory  and  settled  on  Stranger- 


288  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

creek,  near  Easton.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
The  principal  road  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kiley  passes  my 
house.  On  the  day  before  the  election  there  were  large  numbers  of 
men,  some  walking  and  some  riding,  who  passed  my  house.  There 
was  nothing  said  and  done  by  them  except  that  they  would  curse 
Eeeder  and  hurrah  for  Atchison,  or  something  of  the  kind.  They 
were  in  companies,  some  two  or  three  wagons  in  a  company,  and  they 
were  passing,  more  or  less,  all  day.  On  the  morning  of  the  election 
some  passed  on  horseback.  I  had  no  conversation  with  these  men  on 
their  way  out  about  voting.  I  came  to  Leavenworth  that  day,  as  that 
was  my  precinct,  and  I  returned  in  the  afternoon,  arriving  at  home 
about  sundown.  I  met  men  returning,  whom  I  am  confident  were 
the  same  who  went  by  my  house  the  day  before,  in  wagons.  I  had 
some  conversation  with  some  of  them.  On  the  way  home  I  met  quite 
a  number  of  wagons  I  recognized  as  some  I  saw  pass  my  house  the 
day  before.  They  inquired  if  we  were  right  on  the  goose,  and  we 
answered  we  were.  They  inquired  how  the  election  went  at  Leaven- 
worth, and  we  generally  said  that  the  goose  had  carried  it.  After 
passing  these  wagons,  I  rode  along  about  two  miles,  and  met  a  man 
on  horseback  coming  along,  and  commenced  a  similar  kind  of  conver- 
sation, and  then  he  inquired  if  we  had  seen  a  wagon,  describing  it,  on 
ahead  of  him.  I  told  him  I  did  not  recollect  of  seeing  any  of  the  de- 
scription he  gave.  He  then  stated  that  his  captain  had  agreed  to  camp 
on  Stranger,  and  he  could  not  find  him  there.  I  inquired  if  he  had 
been  at  the  election  at  Hickory  Point ;  he  said  he  had.  I  asked 
how  the  election  went.  He  said  that  they  had  run  out  the  judges 
appointed  by  Keeder,  and  put  in  judges  themselves.  I  then  asked 
him  how  many  votes  they  had  polled,  and  he  said  he  did  not  know  ; 
that  he  had  got  drunk  before  the  polls  were  closed,  and  did  not  hear 
the  votes  counted.  He  appeared  to  be  about  getting  over  a  spree  when 
I  saw  him.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection,  he  said  he  and  the  com- 
pany came  from  near  Liberty,  Clay  county,  Missouri.  He  said  he 
was  hunting  for  the  captain  of  their  company,  as  he  had  their  provi- 
sions, and  he  was  afraid  if  he  did  not  find  him  he  would  have  to  camp 
out  with  nothing  to  eat.  This  was  the  substance  of  the  conversation 
we  had.  Several  wagons  camped  along  the  Stranger,  about  a  mile 
from  my  house.  I  saw  them  as  I  was  going  home,  but  did  not  go 
down  there  again.  I  recognized  some  as  being  the  same  who  had 
gone  by  my  house  the  day  before. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott: 

I  do  not  know  where  the  men  were  going  to  the  day  before  the  elec-- 
tion,  or  where  they  did  go.  I  heard  but  this  one  man  say  that  they 
had  been  to  Hickory  Point,  or  where  they  were  from.  I  did  not  see; 
the  wagon  he  described  as  the  one  he  was  looking  for.  I  rather  ; 
volunteered  some  remarks  to  Mr.  Sherman,  of  this  committee,  in  re-- 
gard  to  what  I  knew  of  this  matter,  because  I  was  in  a  hurry  to  leave  • 
and  wanted  to  be  examined  as  soon  as  possible.  I  was  not  summoned il 
by  any  request  of  my  own,  and  did  not  wish  it  either.  The  member! 
of  the  committee,  after  I  had  requested  to  be  examined  as  soon  as* 
possible,  invited  me  to  talk  with  him  upon  another  subject,  and  after i 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  289 

we  had  got  through,  that  I  volunteered  some  remarks  in  relation  to 
this  one.  I  think  I  said  pretty  much  what  I  have  said  this  time. 
In  other  respects  our  conversation  was  rather  on  personal  matters,  not 
proper  to  come  hefore  the  committee  perhaps.  I  think  after  we  had 
talked  a  few  minutes,  the  remark  which  this  memher  of  the  committee 
made,  which  induced  me  to  speak  of  this  matter,  was  to  ask  me  what 
I  knew  in  regard  to  the  election  in  the  thirteenth  district.  That,  I 
think,  was  the  only  question  asked  me.  No  other  memher  of  the 
committee  was  present  that  I  know  of,  though  there  were  other 
persons  present  when  we  had  our  conversation.  I  have  heen  accused 
of  "being  an  abolitionist,  which  was  not  true.  I  am  a  free  State  man 
all  the  time. 

I  understood  "by  the  term  "right  on  the  goose/'  that  there  were 
men  coming  here  to  control  the  country,  and  make  this  a  slave  State; 
and  when  I  answered  that  I  was  right  on  the  goose,  I  wanted  them  to 
understand  that  I  treated  them  the  same  as  they  had  treated  me.  I 
did  not  wish  them  to  think  I  was  a  pro-slavery  man,  for,  if  I  had  heen 
asked,  I  should  have  told  them  I  was  a  free  State  man.  J  answered 
in  that  way  so  as  to  avoid  difficulty. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

The  conversation  I  had  with  Mr.  Sherman  was  here  in  the  room, 
while  the  examination  was  going  on.  I  was  sitting  about  three  feet 
from  the  reporter  who  was  taking  down  the  testimony,  and  before  all 

E  resent.     I  did  not  think  any  attempt  was  made  at  concealment.     Mr. 
herman  made  no  remark  whatever  to  indicate  what  direction  I  should 
give  my  testimony,  except  to  intimate,  by  some  gesture,  that  he  did 
not  wisli  to  listen  to  it. 

THOMAS  A.  MINAKD. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May.  22,  1856. 


CHARLES  HARDH  called  and  sworn. 

I  settled  in  the  Territory  on  the  22d  of  June,  1854.  I  emigrated 
from  Missouri  and  settled  in  the  thirteenth  district,  and  reside  there 
still.  I  was  one  of  the  candidates  for  representative  on  the  30th  of 
March,  1855,  and  was  a  candidate  up  to  the  day  of  election,  when  I 
•  withdrew  at  the  commencement  of  opening  the  polls  the  second  time. 
The  reason  I  did  so  was  because  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor 
(Were  ordered  away  by  some  persons  in  the  crowd  who  were  strangers 
to  me.  I  then  saw  that  there  would  be  difficulty,  and  withdrew.  I 
voted  that  day.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  citizens,  as  a  general 
thing,  voted  or  not.  I  left,  immediately  after  I  withdrew,  from  about 
the  polls.  I  handed  in  my  ticket  to  one  of  the  persons  acting  as 
judges  about  five  o'clock  in  the  evening.  I  did  not  see  persons  vote, 
as  I  was  not  about  the  polls. 

I  knew  some  of  the  persons  who  resided  in  Missouri  when  I  was 
there.  One  was  Colonel  David  Hunt,  who  had  a  claim  on  the 
Stranger;  but  I  do  not  know  as  he  ever  resided  on  it.  I  do  not  know 
where  his  family  resides.  Mr.  Tebbs  was  my  opponent;  there  was 
H.  Kep.  200 19* 


290  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

but  one  candidate  on  each  side  for  representatives.  Mr.  Kees  and  Mr. 
Eastin  were  the  candidates  for  council.  Twombly  and  Whitney  re- 
sided at  Grashopper  Falls,,  but  I  never  heard  their  names  in  connexion 
with  the  candidacy. 

Cross-examined  by  John  Scott : 

As  far  as  I  know,  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  entered  upon 
the  discharge  of  their  duty  according  to  law.  There  was  a  vote  handed 
in  which  they  refused  to  take,  and  then  the  row  commenced,  so  I 
understood.  The  man  who  first  handed  his  vote  was  Mr.  Haley,  of 
Weston,  Missouri,  so  he  told  me  himself,  and  it  was  refused  for  some 
reason,  lie  could  not  tell  what.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  a  legal 
voter  or  not,  except  that  he  has  a  store  in  the  Territory,  but  his  family 
resided  in  Weston.  I  do  not  know  as  there  was  any  other  head  of 
his  family  but  himself;  he  lived  in  the  Territory  himself  at  the  time 
of  the  election.  I  understood  it  was  on  account  of  refusing  to  receive 
his  oath  that  the  crowd  became  excited  and  ordered  the  judges  to  leave 
the  polls,  and  they  quietly  withdrew.  I  saw  them  come  out  with  the 
poll  books  in  their  hands.  I  do  not  know  of  any  threats  of  violence 
being  used  towards  them,  or  whether  they  were  quietly  requested  to 
withdraw. 

I  do  not  know  how  other  judges  were  appointed,  though  there  were 
persons  acting  as  judges  when  I  looked  in  in  the  afternoon  at  five 
o'clock.  I  withdrew  from  being  a  candidate  by  the  request  of  my  own 
party,  who  said  they  wanted  to  go  home  and  would  not  vote  at  that 
election.  I  was  on  the  returns,  notwithstanding,  as  a  candidate.  I 
believe  I  got  three  votes.  I  requested  of  the  recording  judges  to 
scratch  my  name  from  the  poll  books,  but, they  refused,  as  they  said  I 
must  run  as  a  candidate,  having  been  brought  out.  I  belonged  to  the 
free  State  party,  and  voted  for  Tebbs,  the  pro-slavery  candidate,  as 
there  was  a  private  arrangement  between  us  that  we  should  vote  fon 
each  other.  That  arrangement  was  made  in  the  evening  of  the  elec- 
tion, just  as  I  voted.  He  handed  me  a  ticket,  and  said  that  was  one 
of  his  tickets,  and  if  I  would  vote  his  ticket  he  would  vote  mine.  II 
made  the  request  of  the  judges  to  take  my  name  off  the  poll  books  in 
the  evening  of  the  day  of  election.  There  was  some  excitement  about! 
the  polls  when  the  first  judges  refused  the  vote  offered ;  some  excite- 
ment on  both  sides,  but  I  don't  recollect  of  being  any  threats. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Bailey's  store  was  at  Osawkee,  in  the  thirteenth  district,  about  teni 
miles  from  the  place  of  voting.  His  son  had  charge  of  the  store.  I! 
do  not  recollect  of  hearing  him  say  whether  he  was  asked  to  swear  on 
not.  I  believe  I  made  the  request  of  Mr.  Tebbs  for  the  arrangementl 
I  have  mentioned  between  us,  but  it  was  mere  childrens'  play  on  myv 
part  than  anything  else.  After  the  excitement  in  the  morning,  the<: 
election  went  on  very  quietly,  as  there  was  but  one  side  to  it. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

There  was  no  more  excitement  at  the  polls,  then,  that  day  at  anyj 
time  than  was  usual  in  western  stores  at  elections. 

C.  HAEDH. 
LEAVENWOBTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  22,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  291 

G.  M.  DYER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  first  came  to  this  Territory  in  1853,  and  first  stopped  in  the  Pot- 
tawatoniie  country,  and  then  went  to  Osawkee  in  July,  1854,  and 
have  resided  there  ever  since,  in  the  thirteenth  district.  I  was  at 
Hickory  Point  at  an  election  held  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  for 
members  of  the  territorial  legislature,  and  was  present  at  that  elec- 
tion. The  judges  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder  were  Mr.  Corey  and 
Mr.  Atkinson,  and  one  of  them  I  do  not  recollect.  They  did  not  act 
as  judges  during  that  election,  hut  resigned.  I  did  not  hear  them 
give  any  reasons  for  resigning.  My  brother  applied  the  first  man  to 
vote,  and  they  rejected  it  because  his  family  was  not  in  the  district, 
though  they  had  been  in  the  Territory  for  seven  years.  My  brother 
had  resided  and  done  business  in  Osawkee  since  1854,  and  has  done 
business  there  ever  since.  He  had  had  a  store  there  previous  to  1854, 
but  had  moved  away  for  a  time,  going  there  in  1850  or  1851.  At  first 
Colonel  Ealey  offered  to  vote,  and  his  vote  was  rejected.  He  had  resided 
in  that  district  many  a  year  previous  to  that  time,  that  is,  he  had  been 
doing  business  in  Osawkee ;  had  his  family  there  since  November,  1854 ; 
was  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder  judge  of  elections,'  and  served  as 
such.  Governor  Reeder  had  stopped  at  Colonel  Raley's  house  several 
times.  These  judges  then  resigned,  and  others  were  chosen  by  the 
people,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  the  governor.  That 
election  then  proceeded  in  a  quiet  and  orderly  manner,  so  far  as  I  saw. 
I  noticed  no  attempt  to  prevent  any  one  from  voting  by  any  means. 
There  were  a  good  many  resident  voters  out  that  day.  I  saw  free 
State  men  vote  that  day.  I  went  with  three  of  them  to  the  polls,  and 
they  voted  as  quietly  as  any  of  the  rest  did.  Dr.  Tebbs,  the  one 
elected  to  the  legislature  at  that  election,  came  to  the  Territory,  I 
think,  in  August,  1854,  and  has  resided  there  ever  since.  I  should 
suppose  there  were  no  resident  voters  in  that  district  at  that  time.  I 
was  a  resident  in  the  district  then,  and  had  a  pretty  good  opportunity 
to  find  out  who  were  the  residents,  and  had  been  appointed  postmaster 
there.  I  think  the  pro-slavery  party  had  five  to  one  in  that  district 
at  that  time.  I  came  to  that  conclusion  from  all  my  means  of  infor- 
mation. I  do  not  think  the  pro-slavery  party  is  so  strong  there  now, 
but  I  think  they  are  two  to  one  yet. 

I  am  acquainted  with  the  general  character  of  Dr.  Noble  for  truth 
and  veracity,  and  it  is  rather  a  bad  one,  so  far  as  the  prevailing  sen- 
timent goes.  Do  not  know  so  much  about  it  among  his  immediate 
neighbors,  as  I  lived  some  distance  from  him,  but  among  those  who 
live  four  or  five  miles  from  him  both  parties  speak  very  disparagingly 
of  him.  Am  pretty  well  acquainted  with  Charles  Hardh's  general 
reputation  for  truth  and  veracity,  and  it  is  pretty  bad.  I  do  not  think 
he  would  tell  the  truth  if  he  could  find  a  lie  to  tell,  but  I  do  not  think 
he  would  swear  to  a  lie.  His  neighbors  will  not  believe  what  he  says, 
his  reputation  concerning  truth  and  veracity  is  so  bad. 

I  know  of  some  free  State  men  who  voted  for  Dr.  Tebbs  that  day. 
Among  them  were  two,  Mr.  Bushings  and  Mr.  Carpenter,  and  Charles 
Hardh  told  me  he  voted  for  him.  I  know  three  men  in  the  district  by  the 


292  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

name  of  Gardner,  and  one  of  them  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  elec- 
tion on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  do  not  know  of  any  in  the  district 
by  the  name  of  Gregg  and  Arnold.  I  know  some  by  the  name  of 
Walker  and  White.  None  by  the  name  of  Breckenridge  or  Pember- 
ton,  though  I  have  heard  of  the  Pembertons.  William  Carpenter 
resided  there,  as  did  John  Myers. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

My  knowledge  of  the  district  at  that  time  was  confined  more  par- 
ticularly to  Osawkee  and  around  there.  The  district  was  a  pretty 
large  one.  I  do  not  know  whether  my  brother  and  Colonel  Raley* 
refused  to  take  the  oath  prescribed  by  Governor  Eeeder,  and  I  do  not 
know  whether  they  were  asked  to  take  that  oath  or  not.  I  did  not 
hear  how  the  matter  was  decided  at  that  time,  but  I  understood  from 
my  brother,  Colonel  Raley,  and  others,  what  were  the  grounds  of  re- 
jecting their  votes. 

G.  M.  DYER. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


0.  B.  TEBBS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  resided,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Osawkee,  in  the  thirteenth 
district  in  this  Territory,  and  had  resided  there  since  August,  1854, 
and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  attended  an  election  at  Hickory 
Point,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  for  members  of  the  legislature. 
I  did  not  see  the  first  judges  appointed  by' the  governor,  and  who  re- 
signed. The  second  set  of  judges  were  Mr.  Chandler,  Mr.  Gardner, 
and  Mr.  Hopewell,  and  were  chosen  by  the  voters  on  the  ground 
after  the  first  judges  resigned,  and,  as  I  understood,  according  to  the 
instructions  of  the  governor.  I  was  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  at 
at  that  time,  under  the  appointment  of  Governor  Reeder,  and  admin- 
istered the  oath  of  office  to  the  judges.  I  was  tolerably  well  acquain- 
ted in  that  district;  and  I  should  suppose  there  were  two  hundred, 
perhaps  a  few  more,  resident  voters  in  the  district  at  the  time  of  that 
election.  I  was  present  during  that  election;  and,  so  far  as  I  saw, 
the  residents  of  the  district  who  were  there  voted,  except  some  few 
gentlemen,  who  told  me  during  the  day  that  they  had  not  voted, 
and  did  not  know  as  they  would  vote.  I  should  suppose  that  the 
pro-slavery  party  was  five  to  one  of  the  free  State  party,  as  the 
district  was  almost  exclusively  settled  by  Missourians.  I  thought 
the  free  State  party  was  pretty  generally  out  that  day,  as  far  as  I 
know — there  ten  or  twelve  of  them.  A  party  of  over  five  or  six  did 
not  vote,  as  I  saw,  and  they  have  since  told  me  they  did  not  vote. 
Others  of  the  free  State  party  did  vote.  I  saw  no  attempt  that  day 
to  intimidate  men  from  voting.  I  was  asked  by  Charles  Hardh  if 
there  was  any  danger,  because  he  was  a  free  State  man.  I  told  him 
there  was  none.  I  did  not  consider  that  he  was  at  all  frightened. 
Subsequent  to  the  election,  there  was  a  personal  quarrel  between  two 
of  opposite  politics,  and  I  stepped  in  and  stopped  that ;  but  it  had  no 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  293 

reference  to  the  election.  The  intercourse  between  all  of  both  parties 
that  day  seemed  to  be  friendly  and  pleasant.  My  brother,  who  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives  of  this  Territory, 
has  been  residing  in  the  district  the  same  time  I  have.  He  had  a  claim 
at  that  time  ;  had  a  large  number  of  cattle,  and  had  hired  persons  to 
put  his  claim  in  a  state  of  cultivation.  He  himself  devoted  his  tme 
to  practice  as  physician.  He  went  there  to  reside  permanently  in  Au- 
gust, 1854.  I  purchased  a  claim  for  $250.  He  left  his  family  in  Mis- 
souri, because  he  owned  a  comfortable  house  there  they  could  live  in, 
and  had  not  a  comfortable  house  in  the  Territory.  His  wife  was  a 
very  delicate  woman,  and  he  did  not  desire  to  bring  her  into  the  Ter- 
ritory, where  he  had  such  indifferent  accommodations.  He  was  advised 
not  to  put  up  comfortable  buildings  on  the  lands  then,  as  they  were 
Delaware  lands,  and  we  were  liable  to  be  driven  off*  at  any  time,  and 
therefore  he  did  not  put  up  any  comfortable  houses.  We  both  went 
out  there  for  the  purpose  of  settling  permanently,  and  become  bona 
fide  settlers  ;  and  we  have  been  residing  there  ever  since,  bringing  our 
families  over  shortly  after  the  election.  I  considered  that  when  I  went 
there  I  ceased  to  be  a  citizen  of  any  other  place,  and  a  resident  of  Kan- 
sas Territory  in  good  faith.  My  brother  had  the  same  intention  as 
myself,  I  have  no  doubt  at  all.  We  had  adjoining  claims^  and  were 
interested  therein  together  from  the  first. 

I  am  tolerably  well  acquainted  with  the  general  character  of  Dr. 
Noble  for  truth  and  verac;ty,  and  it  is  very  bad.  I  have  heard  thirty 
men  speak  of  him,  and  all  spoke  of  him  alike.  Both  were  from  his 
own  immediate  neighborhood,  and  from  other  places.  I  am  also  ac- 
quainted with  the  general  character  of  Charles  Hardh  for  truth  and 
veracity.  He  is  in  the  habit  of  telling  long  tales  and  yarns  without 
truth  in  them  ;  but  I  never  heard  that  he  ever  told  lies  for  any  mali- 
cious purpose.  Dr.  Noble  was  regarded  as  a  malicious  liar,  and  I 
would  not  believe  him  under  oath;  but  I  could  not  say  I  would  not 
believe  Charles  Hardh  under  oath. 

0.  B.  TEBBS. 

LEAVEWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


A.  B.  SHARP  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  resided  at  Osawkee  on  and  prior  to  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and 
'.  located  there  in  the  fall  of  A.  D.  1851  ;  was  at  the  election  on  the 
30th  ^  of  March,  at  Hickory  Point ;  was  clerk  of  that  election;  was 
appointed  by  the  judges  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder  ;  those  judges 
did  not  act  during  that  election,  but  resigned.  I  think  Mr.  Dyer  was 
the  first  man  who  offered  to  vote  ;  the  judges  refused  his  vote  on  the 
ground  that  his  family  was  not  living  in  the  district.  Mr.  Dyer  has 
been  living  in  the  Territory  since  1847,  and  had  been  doing  business 
at  Osawkee  since  1851,  and  had  resided  there  up  to  the  time  of  the 
election,  and  has  resided  there  ever  since.  Colonel  Raley  was  the  next 
man  who  offered  to  vote.  He  had  been  appointed  a  judge  of  election 
by  Governor  Reeder,  at  the  election  of  the  fall  of  1854.,  His  vote  was 


294  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

rejected  by  the  judges  and  the  judges  then  resigned.  Colonel  Raley 
had  been  a  resident  some  time  previous  ;  he  had  been  a  judge  of  elec- 
tion in  November,  1854  ;  he  had  been  there  frequently  since  that  elec- 
tion, up  to  March  30^  1855,  but  was  not  there  all  the  time  ;  he  was 
merchandizing  there  before  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  has  been 
since ;  he  has  a  claim  there  now  and  had  at  that  time.  After  the 
judges  appointed  by  the  governor  had  resigned,  other  judges  were 
elected  by  the  voters  present,  as  I  understood,  in  accordance  with  the 
instructions  of  the  governor.  I  do  not  remember  what  reasons  the: 
judges  gave  for  resigning.  Mr.  Eastin  and  Mr.  Eees  for  council,  andi 
Dr.  Tebbs  for  house,  were  the  candidates  on  our  side,  and  Mr.  Whitney1 
and  some  one  else  for  council,  and  Charles  Hardh  for  the  house,  om 
the  other  side.  Mr.  Cora,  one  of  the  judges  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernor, I  do  not  recollect  ever  said  anything  to  me  about  what  he1 
considered  the  qualifications  of  those  voters  who  were  rejected.  II 
am  not  very  well  acquainted  with  the  strength  of  the  two  parties  ini 
that  district,  but  I  think  that  at  that  time  the  pro-slavery  party  had! 
a  majority  of  five  to  one.  I  suppose  there  were,  at  that  time,  two) 
hundred,  perhaps  more,  resident  voters  in  that  district.  I  think  therec 
is  a  pro-slavery  majority  there  now  as  large  as  at  that  time.  So  fan 
as  I  saw  the  election  was  conducted  very  orderly.  I  saw  no  force  or; 
opposition  employed  to  prevent  any  one  from  voting,  or  any  disturb- 
ance with  reference  to  the  election.  I  do  not  personally  know  Dr.] 
Noble.  I  am  acquainted  with  the  general  character  of  Dr.  Noble  forJ 
truth  and  veracity,  and  it  is  very  bad.  I  am  acquainted  with  theej 
general  character  of  Mr.  Charles  Hardh  for  truth  and  veracity,  andi! 
it  is  much  like  Dr.  Noble's. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  think  there  were  about  two  hundred  voters  in  this  district  at  the 
time  of  that  election,  and  pretty  much  all  were  pro-slavery  voters.  J 
could  not  say  how  many  free  State  voters  were  there.  There  rna) 
have  been  fifty  in  the  district.  I  have  no  accurate  knowledge,  nevei 
made  calculations,  but  my  general  impression  is  that  the  pro-slaverj 
party  had  a  large  majority.  I  was  living  at  Osawkee  at  the  time  o 
that  election,  and  Dr.  Noble  lived  some  seven  or  eight  miles  fron 
there.  When  I  speak  of  his  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity,  I  refe 
to  the  neighborhood  around  for  eight  or  ten  miles ;  the  county  is  no 
very  thickly  settled,  and  Dr.  Noble  is  considered  in  that  neighbor! 
hood  ;  I  have  heard  his  nearest  neighbors  say  he  was  not  a  truthful 
man.  I  heard  his  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity  ever  since  ha 
came  into  the  neighborhood,  and  the  common  talk  is,  that  he  is  n 
liar  I  do  not  know  how  many  I  have  heard  speak  of  it,  for  I  do  no! 
often  listen  to  a  man  speaking  of  Dr.  Noble,  for  it  has  been  dirme<" 
into  my  ears  until  I  am  tired  of  it.  Some  of  the  persons  in  this  dis> 
trict  knew  Dr.  Noble  before  he  moved  there,  and  ever  since  he  haa 
been  there  I  have  heard  this  of  him.  Charles  Hardh  was  never  ; 
very  bad  liar,  but  yet  he  is  a  pretty  good  fellow.  He  does  not  tel 
malicious  lies,  or  mean  any  harm  by  them,  but  yarns  and  such  like* 
I  used  to  know  him  before  he  moved  there,  when  he  was  boarding  out 
on  that  road,  towards  Fort  Eiley.  He  used  to  haul  goods  for  McDoni) 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  295 

aid,  who  had  a  trading  place  at  Osawkee.  I  have  heard  a  number  of 
persons  say  they  would  not  believe  Dr.  Noble,  perhaps  twenty,  per- 
haps fifty,  I  cannot  tell ;  the  same  may  have  told  me  the  same  thing 
about  hiin  several  times. 

A.  B.  SHAEP. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


WILLIAM  H.  TEBBS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott  : 

I  resided  in  Jefferson  county  in  this  Territory,  formerly  the  thir- 
teenth district,  at  the  time  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  have 
resided  there  since  the  summer  of  1854.  I  bought  a  claim  imme- 
diately upon  coming  into  the  Territory,  and  have  worked  upon  that 
claim  ever  since.  My  family  was  not  brought  into  the  Territory 
until  more  than  a  year  afterwards,  because  I  had  not  sufficient  accom- 
modations for  a  family.  My  family  was  small,  and  I  preferred  to 
board  them  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  while  I  myself  lived  on  my 
claim  altogether.  The  only  business  I  have  carried  on  since  I  came 
into  the  Territory  was  on  my  claim,  and  all  the  business  I  have  done 
out  of  the  Territory  has  been  to  settle  up  my  affairs  in  Missouri. 
Previous  to  my  election  as  a  member  of  the  Territorial  legislature  I 
had  a  saw  mill  in  operation,  and  had  hired  a  man  in  Missouri  to  work 
in  my  mill.  That  man  sued  me  in  Missouri,  in  company  with  my 
partners  in  the  mill.  A  summons  was  left  in  Missouri  at  the  place 
where  I  usually  stopped  when  there,  and  where  my  wife  boarded.  I 
believe  a  lawyer  was  employed  by  one  of  the  partners,  but  I  was  not 
present  at  the  trial  and  took  no  part  in  it,  and  some  justice  of  the 
peace  (so  I  have  understood)  decided  that  I  was  a  resident  of  Platte 
county  at  that  time,  but  upon  what  ground  I  do  not  know.  I  had 
previously  acted  in  this  Territory  as  judge  of  election,  under  appoint- 
ment by  Governor  Eeeder,  and  was  then  serving  in  the  legislature 
under  a  certificate  of  election  given  me  by  Governor  Eeeder.  My 
brother  also  came  into  the  Territory  with  me,  and  was  in  company 
with  me  in  business  here,  and  had  the  same  kind  of  residence  here  as 
I  did.  He  was,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  acting  as  justice  of  the 
peace  in  this  Territory,  under  an  appointment  from  Governor  Eeeder, 
at  the  time  of  the  30th  of  March  election.  I  suppose  I  was  as 
generally  acquainted  with  the  residents  of  the  thirteenth  district  as 
any  other  man  in  it,  as  I  had  been  there  for  months  previously,  and 
had  been  generally  a  public  man.  So  far  as  I  knew  the  people  of 
that  district  I  think  I  was  acquainted  with  their  sentiments  upon  the 
subject  of  slavery,,  and  my  opinion  was,  after  making  calculations,  that 
the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority  of  three  to  one  in  that  district. 
One  ground  of  my  opinion  was,  that,  at  the  previous  election  of 
November,  when  the  only  question  mooted  was  the  slavery  question, 
General  Whitfield,  the  pro-slavery  candidate,  received  sixty-nine  out 
of  the  seventy  votes  given  in  that  district.  On  the  30th  of  March, 
1855,  Messrs.  Eastin  and  Eees  for  the  council,  and  myself  for  the 


296  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

lower  house,  were  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  As  near  as  I  can  recol- 
lect, Mr.  Twombley  and  Mr.  Whitney  for  counsil,  and  Mr.  Hardh 
for  the  house  of  representatives >  were  the  freesoil  candidates.  Mr. 
Biddle  was  an  independent  freesoil  candidate,  so  I  understood.  The 
election  was  held  at  the  house  of  Charles  Hardh  at  Hickory  Point. 
The  judges  of  election  appointed  by  Governor  Eeeder  were  Mr.  Carey, 
Mr.  Atkinson,  and  another  I  do  not  recollect.  They  opened  the  polls, 
and,  on  some  account,  resigned  shortly  afterwards.  One  of  the 
judges,  Mr.  Atkinson,  said  that  he  resigned  because  he  could  not 
proceed  under  the  instructions  of  Governor  Reeder  and  act  fairly 
and,  to  use  his  own  words,  "  as  he  found  the  election  was  going  all 
right  any  how.  He  thought  other  judges  could  be  appointed  who 
could  act  more  properly  than  he  could."  He  was  a  freesoiler,  but  he 
was  in  favor  of  my  election.  I  do  not  know  that  Mr.  Hardh,  the 
free  State  candidate,  withdrew  from  the  election  about  the  time  the 
polls  were  opened.  There  were  some  free  State  men  who  voted  for 
me  that  day.  Mr.  Hardh,  the  free  State  candidate  told  me  himself 
that  he  preferred  my  election  to  his  own.  And  in  a  free  State  con- 
vention to  nominate  a  free  State  candidate,  some  time  before  the 
election,  I  received  within  one  or  two  votes  as  many  as  did  Mr.  Whit- 
ney,  who  received  the  nomination  for  council. 

On  the  day  of  election  there  was  no  interference  with  voters,  as  far 
as  I  saw,  and  I  heard  no  complaint  of  anything  of  that  kind  from 
any  one  that  day.  A  party  of  free  State  men  were  there  who  did  not 
seem  inclined  to  take  part  in  the  election,  and  I  went  to  them  and 
told  them  that  they  could  come  and  vote  for  whom  they  pleased 
without  molestation  from,  any  one.  Other  persons  gave  them  the 
same  assurance.  They  replied  to  me  that  they  thought  it  was 
unnecessary.  The  only  man  I  saw  armed  that  day  was  a  free  State 
man,  one  in  this  party  to  whom  I  spoke.  I  saw  some  persons  on  the 
ground  that  I  know  do  not  reside  in  the  district  now,  but  I  do  not 
know  where  they  resided  at  that  time.  There  were  some  there  whom 
I  had  known  in  Missouri,  and  I  think  may  have  resided  in  Missouri 
at  that  time,  and  were  so  regarded  by  the  free  State  party.  There 
may  have  been  some  twenty  or  more  who  may  have  been  so  regarded 
by  the  free  State  party,  and  if  all  those  Missourians  had  voted  I 
should  have  had  a  majority  without  their  votes.  The  free  State  votes 
alone  that  I  received  would  have  elected  without  their  votes.  At  that 
time  I  knew  of  no  Lykins  in  the  district,  though  there  may  have 
been.  I  know  one  of  them  of  the  name  of  Gardner,  and  also  some 
by  the  name  of  Gregg.  I  do  not  know  as  I  knew  any  persons  there 
by  the  name  of  Williams.  I  had  heard  of  a  Mr.  Arnold  in  that 
district.  I  knew  a  man  of  the  name  of  Walker  there  ;  two  persons 
by  the  name  of  White.  I  knew  a  man  there  named  Albert  Mason  at 
that  time.  I  did  not  know  a  Breckenridge  there,  but  heard  of  one 
there  before  the  day  of  election.  I  do  not  know  whether  a  Mr.  Mar- 
shall resided  there  before  the  election  or  not.  I  knew  two  Pembertons 
there,  and  a  William  Carpenter,  frequently  employed  by  me,  and  a 
free  State  man.  I  knew  a  Mr.  Jeffrey,  and  heard  of  another  Mr. 
Jeffrey  there.  John  Myers  had  lived  in  the  district  for  three  years 
previous  to  the  extinguishment  of  the  Indian  title.  I  knew  a  Mr. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  297 

Cox  there.  I  knew  Smiths  in  the  district  previous  to  that  election. 
I  saw  many  resident  voters  on  the  ground  that  day.  I  should  judge 
there  were  at  least  150  of  them  I  knew  to  have  heen  resident  voters. 
There  may  have  heen  more  or  less.  Some  twenty-five  or  thirty  went 
up  with  me  from  the  neighborhood  of  Osawkee.  I  do  not  know  Dr. 
James  Noble  personally,  and  I  do  not  think  there  is  a  man  in  Jeffer- 
son county  who  hears  a  worse  reputation.  His  general  reputation  in 
my  neighborhood  as  to  truth  and  veracity  is,  that  he  is  a  notorious 
and  unscrupulous  liar.  I  know  the  reputation  of  Charles  Hardh  in 
his  neighborhood  for  truth  and  veracity,  and  it  is  very  bad. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

At  the  freesoil  convention  I  have  referred  to,  I  have  been  told  that 
there  were  some  twenty  persons  there.  I  was  not  present  myself,  but 
I  was  told,  as  near  as  I  recollect,  that  I  received  nine  votes  and  Mr. 
Whitney  ten  votes  for  council.  This  conversation  was  held  at  Mr. 
Hardh' s  some  time,,  not  very  long,  before  the  election.  Of  my  own 
personal  knowledge  I  know  nothing  about  it.  I  know  only  by  hearsay. 
I  did  not  authorize  my  name  to  be  presented  to  that  convention.  I 
think  Mr.  Charles  Hardh  and  Mr.  Hudson  put  my  name  forward.  I 
tli ink  I  have  heard  there  were  pro-slavery  men  there  at  that  conven- 
tion, but  Mr.  Hudson  is  the  only  one  I  now  recollect. 

I  consider  a  man  a  resident  of  this  Territory  when  he  has  made  a 
claim  here,  and  made  a  demonstration  that  indicated  that  he  is  going 
to  settle  here  ;  is  upon  his  claim  and  declared  that  he  intended  to  be 
and  remain  a  resident,  whether  he  had  his  family  with  him  or  not. 
I  think  that  three-fourths  of  those  who  voted  in  the  Territory  and 
who  are  now  residents,  with  no  families  with  them  at  the  time  of  the 
election,  because  they  had  no  accommodations  for  their  families.  I 
resided  for  two  years  previous  to  my  coming  into  the  Territory,  and 
had  lived  there  some  five  years  before  that  in  Platte  county,  Missouri, 
and  was  pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  residents  there.  I  saw  a 
good  many  men  on  the  ground  the  day  of  the  election  I  formerly 
knew  in  Platte  county,  but  they  may  have  all  been  residents  according 
to  my  definition.  I  knew  two  or  three  there  on  that  day  who  now 
live  in  Platte  county  :  David  Hunt,  Green  White,  I  think  Lycurgus 
Sheperd,  formerly  sheriff  of  Platte  county,  and  others  I  do  not  now 
recollect.  There  was  a  number  of  persons  there  I  did  not  know.  I 
saw  no  man  vote.  I  never  knew  of  any  arrangement  or  invitation  for 
voters  to  come  in  our  district  at  that  election.  I  was  frequently  asked 
if  men  should  be  sent  to  our  district  from  Missouri  to  vote,  and  I 
always  told  Missourians  who  asked  me  that  there  was  no  necessity  for 
that  as  we  could  beat  the  freesoilers  three  to  one,  and  I  suppose  for 
that  reason  they  did  not  come.  I  think  there  were  upwards  of  200 
votes  given  that  day,  and  I  think  I  received  all  but  three  ;  one  of  the 
three  I  gave  myself.  At  the  previous  November  election  I  think  that 
TO  votes  were  cast ;  69  for  Whitfield  and  1  for  Flanigan.  I  know 
men  in  our  district  who  did  not  come  to  the  election  on  account  of  the 
distance.  I  lived  about  10  miles  from  where  the  election  was  held  on 
the  30th  of  March.  Mr.  Gardner  lived  on  Walnut  creek,  I  think 
about  4  or  5  miles  from  Hickory  Point.  He  is  a  farmer,  and  came 


298  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

from  Missouri.  Mr.  Gregg  lives  on  Cedar  creek  ;  he  made  his  claim 
on  the  Grasshopper,  ahout  the  time  1  came  into .  the  Territory,  and 
afterwards  sold  out.  Mr.  Arnold  lives,  I  think,  on  Crooked  creek, 
some  three  or  four  miles  from  Hickory  Point.  Mr.  Walker  lives  on 
the  Grasshopper,  ahout  four  miles  ahove  me  ;  I  do  not  know  what  his 
first  name  is  ;  before  Whitfield's  first  election  he  lived  in  the  district. 
Mr.  White  lived  on  Big  Slave  creek,  ahout  four  or  five  miles  from 
Hickory  Point.  I  do  riot  know  where  Mr.  Breckenridge  lived;  I  do 
not  know  as  I  should  know  him.  Mr.  Marshall  lived  on  Crooked 
creek,  some  four  or  five  miles  from  Hickory  Point,  so  I  have  under- 
stood ;  I  do  not  know  when  he  moved  into  the  district,  and  do  not 
know  him  personally.  The  Pemhertons  lived  on  Walnut  creek,  and 
moved  in  the  district  ahout  the  time  I  did.  William  Carpenter,  after 
leaving  his  wife,  went  hack  to  Illinois.  Mr.  Jeffries  told  me  he  and 
his  sons  had  claims  on  Crooked  creek  ;  he  came  |from  Clay  county, 
Missouri.  John  Myers,  I  understood,  had  been  employed  by  different 
individuals  to  herd  cattle,  &c.,  for  three  years  before  the  Indian  title 
was  extinguished.  Dr.  Noble  lives  at  a  place  he  calls  Jacksonville, 
some  10  or  12  miles  from  where  I  live  ;  I  have  heard  of  him  ever  since 
I  have  been  in  the  Territory,  but  I  do  not  know  him  personally  ;  his 
reputation  for  veracity  in  my  own  neighborhood,  so  far  as  I  know  men 
who  know  Mr.  Noble  personally,  though  there  are  few  of  them, 
is  very  bad  ;  and  I  know  persons  in  his  own  neighborhood  who  know 
him,  and  they  give  him  the  same  reputation  ;  among  them  is  Mr. 
Hopewell,  an  acting  commissioner  of  the  county  of  Jefferson,  and 
others  I  should  not  like  to  name.  Mr.  Hopewell  his  told  me  of  Dr. 
Noble's  general  character  for  veracity  several  times  :-  one  time,  I  think, 
during  the  last  term  of  the  circuit  court  held  at  (Xsawkee.  I  under- 
stood from  him  that  Noble  was  ordinarily  a  liar,  and  there  was  no 
use  in  believing  him.  I  have  heard  several  persons  who  have  so 
stated  ;  I  know  those  who  so  testified  before  the  grand  jury  as  to  his 
character.  I  have  heard  others  say  so  elsewhere.  Every  person  whom 
I  knew  from  his  neighborhood  gives  the  same  account  of  him.  Ii 
know  of  other  persons  who  speak  of  this  but  I  decline  to  mention  thein 
names,  as  I  do  not  think  it  is  necessary.  I  do  not  know  as  I  shoulcli 
know  Dr.  Noble  if  I  saw  him  ;  I  do  not  know  as  I  ever  saw  him.  II 
first  heard  something  said  against  his  veracity  about  two  months  ago,, 
about  the  time  of  the  sitting  of  our  court ;  but  even  before  the  March i 
election  I  had  heard  him  spoken  of  quite  hardly  in  connexion  with  thed 
murder  of  a  man  named  Davis  in  the  district,  and  an  effort~was  madet 
to  indict  him  as  accessory  to  that  murder.  Mr.  Hopewell  never  hadl 
anything  to  do  with  this  effort  at  indictment  and  I  never  heard  of  itt 
until  it  was  brought  before  the  grand  jury,  of  which  I  was  a  member. . 
Most  of  the  witnesses  were  free  State  men  I  think.  The  murder  II 
think  resulted  from  some  quarrel  about  a  claim.  I  am  quite  friendlyvj 
with  Charles  Hardh  and  have  long  been  on  intimate  terms  with  him  ; 
I  voted  for  him  and  believe  he  voted  for  me.  Common  reputation! 
among  all  who  knew  him,  both  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  and  in  our 
district,  was  that  he  was  a  liar  ;  I  never  heard  any  one  call  him  as 
truthful  man.  Charles  Hardh  is  not  a  common  associate  of  mine  ;  he» 
keeps  a  tavern  and  I  often  find  it  convenient  to  stop  there  to  take' 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  299 

meals  with  him,,  and  I  regard  him  as  I  would  a  landlord  and  treat  him 
as  such  ;  but  I  do  not  make  a  "bosom  friend  of  him.  So  far  as  our  in- 
tercourse extends  we  are  on  friendly  terms,  in  no  sense  enemies,  hut  I 
do  not  regard  him  as  a  truthful  man. 

Question.  What  other  persons  have  you  heard  "besides  Mr.  Hopewell 
speak  of  the  character  of  Dr.  Noble  for  truth  and  veracity? 

Answer.  I  have  heard  three  or  four  or  five  respectable  persons  of 
his  neighborhood  speak  of  it,  but  I  decline  mentioning  their  names. 

Question.  Do  you  decline  to  mention  their  names  on  the  ground 
that  it  would  involve  you  in  personal  danger  and  difficulty  ? 

Answer.  It  is  not  upon  the  ground  of  apprehension  of  personal  dan- 
ger and  difficulty  to  myself.  But  knowing  the  common  prejudice  in 
regard  to  having  their  names  brought  into  public  in  this  connexion, 
and  being  ignorant  of  the  feelings  of  those  who  have  made  these 
statements  to  me.  out  of  respect  to  them  I  would  decline  giving  their 
names.  I  do  not  decline  to  give  up  the  names  out  of  any  fractious 
spirit,  but  if  it  becomes  absolutely  necessary  I  will  give  their  names. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

After  the  March  election  I  never  voted  in  Platte  county,  Missouri, 
at  any  August  election  there.  I  was  sitting  as  a  member  of -the  legis- 
lature for  this  vicinity  at  that  time.  The  last  vote  I  ever  cast  in 
Missouri  was  in  1854. 

WILLIAM  H.  TEBBS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T,  May  30,  1856. 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Burr  Oak  precinct. 


A.  A.  JAMISON  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  came  to  the  Territory,  I  think,  the  first  of  October,  1854,  and 
settled  four  and  a  half  miles  west  of  St.  Joseph's,  near  the  Burr  Oak 
voting  place  in  the  fourteenth  district.  I  came  from  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, to  the  Territory,  but  was  formerly  from  Ohio.  I  have  resided 
in  the  fourteenth  district  ever  since. 

I  was  at  the  election  of  March  30,  1855,  at  the  Burr  Oak  precinct. 
On  the  29th  day  of  the  month,  in  the  afternoon,  towards  evening, 
some  ten  or  dozen  wagons  came  over  the  ferry  from  St.  Joseph's  to 
the  place  and  camped  upon  the  ground  west  of  the  place.  They 
brought  provisions  with  them.  There  was  a  firing  of  fire  arms 
during  the  evening  until  late  in  the  night.  I  saw  them  passing  as  I 
was  at  the  road.  The  next  morning  the  firing  begun  again.  I  went 
up  to  the  place  of  voting  early  in  the  morning,  and  they  soon  began 
to  come  in  from  St.  Joseph's  and  continued  coming.  I  did  not  count 
them,  but  as  near  as  I  can  make  an  estimate  of  the  numbers  who 
were  not  citizens  of  the  precinct,  I  should  judge  there  were  something 
like  two  hundred. 


300  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

They  were  well  armed  with  riflels,  pistols,  Bowie  knives,  and  even 
"  war  clubs,"  as  they  termed  them.  About  fifteen  minutes  before 
the  polls  were  opened  the  candidates  of  the  free  Slate  party  proclaimed 
that  the  whole  free  State  ticket  would  be  withdrawn  and  the  pro- 
slavery  party  could  have  the  field  to  themselves.  General  String- 
fellow,  of  Weston,  was  there — I  was  not  acquainted  with  him,  but  he 
was  pointed  out  to  me  by  those  who  said  they  knew  him — stepped  up 
to  Major  Fee,  who  was  a  free  State  candidate,  and  asked  him  to  get  up 
on  the  fence  and  proclaim  it  aloud,  so  that  the  party  might  hear  him. 
He  did  so,  and  there  seemed  to  be  great  rejoicing,  hats  flying,  hallo- 
ing, &c.  There  were  two  opposing  candidates  of  the  pro-slavery 
party  for  the  council,  Major  William  P.  Richardson  and  Captain  John 
H.  Whitehead.  Captain  Whitehead  mounted  a  stump  and  made  a 
speech,  and  told  the  company  that  he  and  Major  Richardson  did  not 
differ  any  as  regards  the  slavery  question.  There  was  some  misun- 
derstanding in  getting  up  the  ticket ;  some  advantages,  I  believe,  had 
been  taken  by  one  of  the  party.  He  explained  it  to  the  audience, 
and  requested  the  Missourians  to  stand  back  and  let  the'actual  resi- 
dents of  the  district  settle  the  question  between  him  and  Major  Rich- 
ardson, as  the  field  was  then  clear.  The  voting  commenced,  and  was 
continued  from  that 'time  till  sundown.  There  was  a  party  selected 
towards  evening  of  good  fighting  men  to  stand  and  protect  the  polls 
until  they  were  closed  and  they  saw  that  all  was  right.  Their  rea- 
sons for  forming  such  a  fighting  party,  as  they  said  themselves,  was, 
that  they  were  afraid  the  free  State  men  would  come  in  and  vote 
towards  evening.  There  were  some  votes  cast  by  the  free  State  party , 
probably  a  dozen  or  fifteen — I  cannot  state  particularly  about  that — 
for  Whitehead.  I  did  not  vote,  and  did  all  I  could  to  prevent  any  of 
the  free  State  party  from  voting  after  their  ticket  had  been  with- 
drawn. The  reasons  for  withdrawing  the  free  State  ticket  and  my 
not  voting  were  that  the  numbers  of  the  Missourians  were  too  great 
for  the  actual  settlers  of  Kansas  Territory,  and  also  to  prevent  blood- 
shed ;  those  were  the  reasons  given.  Through  the  day,  some  time 
about  the  middle  of  the  day,  I  noticed  a  barrel  said  to  be  whisky, 
and  I  saw  person^  drawing  from  ths  barrel  and  drinking.  I  saw  a 
great  many  drunken  men  there  that  day.  I  saw  a  good  many  per- 
sons there  from  St.,  Joseph's  with  whom  I  was  well  acquainted. 
Some  of  them  I  saw  vote.  Their  vote  was  challenged,  and  it  was 
requested  to  swear  them,  which  they  declined  doing,  and  it  was  not , 
done.  After  the  election  they  returned  towards  St.  Joseph's.  A  great 
many  left  before  sundown. 

Of  the  three  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  to  act  at  that  elec- 
tion but  one  served,  who  was  Corey  B.  Whitehead.  He  appointed 
two  to  fill  the  vacancies  of  Albert  Heed  and  H.  J.  Johnson.  I  saw 
General  Stringfellow  writing,  and  I  think  he  acted  as  clerk  part  of 
the  day.  One  of  the  two  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  that  did 
not  serve  was  on  the  ground. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  heard  no  threats  of  bloodshed  myself  in  the  morning  before  th 
free  State  ticket  was  withdrawn.     I  asked  many  of  these  strangers 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  301 

they  resided  and  they  said  they  lived  in  Missouri  and  came 
aver  to  vote  for  Major  Richardson. 

By  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  was  acquainted  with  nearly  all  who  lived  in  that  precinct,  at  least 
a  majority  of  the  residents  there.  I  do  not  think  if  the  whole  num- 
ber of  votes  of  the  actual  settlers  of  the  precinct  had  "been  polled  they 
would  have  numhered  over  60,  perhaps  not  over  50. 

The  threats  I  heard  after  the  free  State  ticket  was  withdrawn,  were 
not  to  take  life.  I  saw  some  fighting  hy  fisticuffs.  I  saw  a  man  ahout 
five  minutes  after  he  had  been  shot,  but  I  did  not  see  it  done.  I  saw 
others  who  had  their  heads  badly  cut  with  clubs  and  stones. 

These  Missourians  said  that  they  considered  that  five  minutes  gave 
them  as  much  right  to  vote  in  the  Territory  as  any  man  had  who  had 
been  living  there  a  year.  Major  Richardson  made  a  speech,  in  which 
he  said  he  really  hated  a  freesoiler,  and  he  would  get  up  at  the  latest 
hour  of  the  night  and  go  a  mile  to  disturb  him.  I  have  never  been 
at  General  Richardson's,  though  I  have  been  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  of  his  house  in  Missouri.  The  first  I  knew  of  him  he  was  resi- 
ding in  Missouri,  about  2|  miles  east  of  St.  Joseph's.  He  came  over 
to  the  Territory  and  took  a  claim  and  erected  a  portable  saw  mill  on  it. 
It  was  a  timber  claim.  I  think  the  mill  was  erected  in  the  fall  to  cut 
lumber  all  winter,  but  it  was  not  for  sale.  I  know  of  but  one  man 
who  got  a  foot  of  it,  and  he  was  obliged  to  have  it  for  certain  purposes, 
and  there  was  none  to  be  got  on  this  side  of  the  river  except  of  Rich- 
ardson. On  the  evening  previous  to  the  election,  I  saw  Hon.  Willard 
P.  Hall,  of  St.  Joseph's,  bringing  Major  Richardson's  lady  over  in  a 
carriage  on  this  side  of  the  river.  The  clay  after  the  election  I  saw 
them  returning  to  Missouri,  Major  Richardson  being  then  in  company 
with  them. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

To  my  knowledge  that  was  the  only  time  Mrs.  Richardson  has  ever 
ibeen  in  the  Territory.  Major  Richardson  still  keeps  up  his  house  and 
ifarm  in  Missouri. 

By  Mr.  Reeder : 

The  lumber  cut  by  Major  Richardson's  saw  mill  was  for  his  farm  in 
Missouri,  and  was  taken  to  St.  Joseph's  by  Mr.  Dillon's  ferry.  I  do 
,not  know  as  I  have  seen  Major  Richardson  in  the  Territory  since  last 
•fall. 

I  saw  no  persons  sworn  on  the  day  of  the  election,  and  do  not  know 
that  there  were  any  sworn.  The  time  was  so  short,  I  consulted  with 
a  good  many  of  our  people  in  regard  to  it,  that  it  was  concluded  not 
to  contest  the  election.  I  then  proposed  that  we  should  write  to  the 
government  about  it.  That  was  one  reason  why  the  election  was  not 
contested.  Another  reason  was  that  threats  had  been  made  that  ii 
the  election  was  contested  there  would  be  greater  numbers  at  the  next 
election. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  am  well  acquainted  with  that  district,  and  have  been  living  there 


302  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

since  October  1854.  I  took  a  claim  when  I  first  came,  and  I  still 
hold  it.  I  have  been  in  no  particular  business  since  I  have  been  here, 
but  have  been  pretty  much  over  the  Territory,  and  know  the  most  of 
the  persons  in  the  precinct.  I  made  it  my  business  to  go  about  and 
ascertain  the  feelings  of  the  people  in  regard  to  the  slavery  question, 
and  from  what  I  learned  I  have  no  doubt  that  a  majority  of  the  resi- 
dents were  free  State  men,  and  we  expected  to  elect  our  candidate  if 
these  Missourians  had  not  come  over.  Benjamin  Harding  for  council, 
John  Fee  and  Alfred  Larzelere  for  the  assembly,  were  the  free  State 
candidates. 

I  have  examined  the  poll  books  of  Burr  Oak  precinct,  for  the  30th 
of  March,  and  find  thirty-four  names  of  residents  of  the  district  there 
which  I  know.  My  opinion  is  that  there  may  be  a  few  others  there 
who  were  citizens,  but  strangers  to  me.  The  rest  I  think  were  stran- 
gers to  the  district.  I  have  the  names  of  persons  on  the  poll  books  I 
was  acquainted  with  as  residents  of  Missouri.  There  are  twelve  of 
them,  and  I  believe  but  one  of  them  resides  in  the  Territory  now.  I 
saw  several  of  them  vote.  There  were  many  persons  there  I  was  well 
acquainted  with,  who  took  an  active  part  in  the  matter,  but  did  not 
vote.  There  were  half  a  dozen  attorneys  from  St.  Joseph's,  of  which 
Bela  M.  Hughes,  Colonel  A.  M.  Mitchell,  Colonel  Silas  Woodson, 
General  Bassett,  John  Scott,  Willard  P.  Hall,  and  Mr.  Cunningham, 
were  of  the  number. 

It  is  called  ninety  miles  from  Burr  Oak  to  Shawnee  mission,  the 
way  we  have  to  travel.  I  do  not  recollect  that  boats  were  running  on 
the  river  at  that  time,  but  judging  from  the  season  I  suppose  there 
were. 

Eev.  William  M.  Irish,  William  Davis,  Dr.  F.  Purcell,  0.  H. 
Craig,  merchant  of  Savannah,  Samuel  Blair,  A.  G.  Mansfield,  F.  A. 
West,  William  K.  Richardson,  F.  M.  Morse,  Charles  M.  Gilmore,  B. 
McCall,  William  P.  Richardson,  are  on  the  list,  and  I  know  them  to 
have  been  there  from  Missouri.  Two  or  three  of  these  persons  held! 
claims  at  the  time  of  the  election,  but  were  residents  of  Missouri,. 
never  having  removed  upon  their  claims.  After  they  had  sold  their 
claims,  they  still  remain  in  Missouri,  with  one  exception,  who  hasi 
bought  a  claim  in  the  Territory,  and  is  now  living  on  it ;  that  is,  F.. 
M.  Morse,  of  St.  Joseph's.  I  do  not  know  whether  William  P.  Rich- 
ardson has  sold  his  claim  or  not. 

I  find  on  the  poll  lists  the  names  of  thirty-four  resident  voters  ofl 
the  district,  as  follows  : 

Names  of  resident  voters  in  the  Burr  OaJc  precinct,  whose  names  appe<arf 

on  the  poll  books. 


E.  Blacks  tone, 
William  Deekerd, 
A.  Longshore, 
J.  D.  Armstrong, 
John  M.  Tracy, 
R.  Meyers, 
H.  Thompson, 
John  Copeland, 


H.  Smallwood, 
B.  H.  Brock, 
William  Palmer, 
John  Fee, 
James  B.  O'Toole, 
Peter  Caduc, 
John  Trotman, 
H.  L.  Creal, 


E.  Copeland, 
J.  J.  Lovelady, 
M.  E.  Bryant, 
John  McCafferty, 
Joel  P.  Blair, 
C.  W.  Stewart, 
Matthew  Hes, 
James  O'Toole,  sen., 
Thomas  C.  Stewart, 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  303 

Thomas  W.  Watterson, 

A.  Grow, 

W.  a.  Fee, 

J.  R.  Whitehead, 


Laply  Ralph, 
Albert  Heed, 
Gary  B.  Whitehead, 
H.  J.  Johnson, 
William  A.  Hill. 


Cross-examined  hy  Mr.  Rees: 

Major  Richardson  had  a  claim  here  at'the  time  of  the  election,  and 
had  a  house  on  it.  I  have  never  seen  him  on  his  claim,  though  I 
have  often  seen  him  in  the  Territory.  I  do  not  know  as  he  had  any 
stock  on  his  claim.  I  know  that  he  spends  a  good  deal  of  his  time 
in  Missouri,  though  I  have  never  been  at  his  house.  I  do  not  know 
that  he  or  his  family  are  not  frequently  on  his  claim.  I  have  not  seen 
him  or  his  family  in  the  Territory  since  last  fall.  I  think  he  has  but 
an  only  child,  a  daughter,  now  married,  so  that  his  family  consists  of 
his  wile  and  himself  only. 

By  Mr.  Reeder: 

This  is  the  same  General  Richardson  who  had  command  of  the 
troops  here  last  fall  during  the  war. 

By  Mr.  Rees: 

Of  the  man  who  was  shot  I  cannot  say  and  do  not  know  who  shot 
him,  or  the  cause  of  the  difficulty  leading  to  his  being  shot.  1  do  not 
know  what  was  the  cause  of  the  fist  fight,  though  it  took  place  at  the 
time  of  the  shooting. 

By  Mr.  Reeder: 

No  answer  was  made  to  the  proposition  of  Mr.  Whitehead  for  the 
Missourians  to  stand  back. 

A.  A.  JAMISON. 
TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


WILLIAM  P.  RICHARDSON  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  first  came  over  into  this  Territory  in  May  or  June,,  1841,  and 
stopped  at  the  Nemaha  agency,,  24  miles  from  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri. 
I  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  went 
into  the  Territory  some  two  or  three  weeks  before  the  election  of  No- 
vember, 1854,  and  bought  a  claim  and  gave  $250  for  it.  I  was  a 
candidate  for  council  at  the  election  of  March,  1855,  in  my  district. 
Benjamin  Harding  and  Captain  Whiting,  Thomas  J.  Watterson,  Joel 
Blair,  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Larzelere,  and  Mr.  Fee  were  the 
other  candidates.  This  was  in  the  fourteenth  district.  It  is  stated  in 
the  evidence  of  Mr.  A.  A.  Jamison  that  I  was  not  at  that  time  a  citi- 


304  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

zen  of  Kansas  Territory.     That  is  untrue;  I  was  not  a  citizen  of  Mis- 
souri, and  to  my  knowledge  did  not  own  one  inch  of  land  in  Missouri. 

I  did  not  hear  of  any  man  being  shot  at  that  election,  and  I  do 
not  believe  that  any  man  was  shot  there.  I  was  present  at  the  elec- 
tion all  day. 

There  were  a  great  many  Missourians  there;  I  should  think  400  or 
500,  some  say  only  300.  I  knew  a  good  many  of  them,  and  there 
were  a  good  many  of  them  I  did  not  know  I  believe  were  from  Mis- 
souri. I  did  not  see  one  of  them  vote,  though  there  may  have  been 
some  of  them  who  voted. 

The  election  of  that  day  was  orderly.     The  free  State  candidates 
withdrew,  I  think,  an  hour  before  the  election  commenced.     I  did  not 
hear  an  angry  word  that  day  about  voting,  and  saw  no  efforts  to  in- 
timidate voters.     The  window  at  which  votes  were  received  was  clear 
half  the  day,  and  they  were  calling  out  for  voters.     There  was  a; 
family  living  in  one  end  of  the  house.     I  saw  no  arms  that  day  oni 
these  men.     I  had  weapons,  but  always  have  carried  them  since  I  was* 
an  Indian  agent,  but  that  day  not  because  I  thought  there  would  be1 
any  difficulty.     I  saw  none  of  the  pro-slavery  party  offer  any  indig-- 
nity  to  the  free  State  party.     I  heard  of  one  difficulty  between  a  free- 
soiler  and  a  pro-slavery  man,  but  I  did  not  see  it.     There  were  several 
among  the  pro-slavery  men  along  in  the  afternoon,  as  I  heard,  but  I 
did  not  see  them.     The  first  fight  took  place  one  hundred  yards  from; 
the  polls,  at  a  liquor  store,  kept  by  a  Frenchman,  who  I  think  is  ai 
freesoiler,  but  I  am  not  certain,  as  he  speaks  very  bad  English.     Mr. 
Harding,  Mr.  Larzelere,  and  Mr.  Fee,  the  free  State  candidates,  with- 
drew,  Mr.  Fee,  for  thenx,  making  a  speech  to  that  effect.     Captain 
Whitehead,  I  think,  made  a  speech,  and- 1  answered  him.     He  was 
my  opponent.     He  says  he  is  not  a  free  State  man.     There  was  a  pri- 
mary election  held,  in  which  he  was  beaten,  and  he  still  run  as  a  pro- 
slavery  man  against  me.     There  were  no  free  State  candidates  that 
day.     I  think  I  received  234  votes  that  day,  and  Captain  White- 
head  68. 

I  was  not  well  acquainted  enough  in  the  district  to  tell  the  number 
of  actual  residents  there,  but  I  thought  I  knew  the  relative  strength 
of  parties  there,  and  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  50  majority; 
others  thought  there  were  more  majority.  All  the  votes  of  that  dis- 
trict' both  for  councilman  and  representative,  were  taken  at  Burr  Oak. 
From  my  canvassing  that  district  I  was  satisfied  there  was  a  majority 
of  the  pro-slavery  party  in  that  district,  and  I  told  the  Missourians 
not  to  vcwte;  and  I  do  not  know  as  one  of  them  voted.  Some  of  the 
free  State  men  voted -that  day,  I  should  think  upwards  of  forty.  I  do 
not  think  Captain  Whitehead  got  more  than  twenty  pro-slavery  votes. 
I  think  I  got  twenty  free  State  votes.  I  could  name  many  free  State 
men  who  voted  for  rne,  and  I  think  I  received  more  free  State  votes 
than  he  did  pro-slavery  votes ;  and  I  think  about  fifteen  free  State 
men  went  away  without  voting  for  either  of  us.  One  of  the  free  State 
men  was  very  active  in  my  behalf.  I  have  no  doubt  if  there  had  been 
a  free  State  candidate  I  should  have  received  a  majority  of  the  votes 
of  the  actual  settlers  of  that  district.  I  should  be  willing  to  say  the 
same  in  regard  to  the  pro-slavery  candidates  for  the  house  of  repre- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  305 

sentatives  at  that  election.  Blair  and  Watterson  received  a  number  of 
free  State  votes ;  they  were  on  the  pro-slavery  ticket. 

I  conversed  with  many  of  the  Missourians  who  were  over  there  that 
day  and  they  said  they  expected  an  emigration  of  about  150  voters  in 
that  precinct,  and  they  came  there  for  the  purpose  of  objecting  to  their 
voting,  and  if  they  did  .vote  they  would  vote  themselves.  They  said 
they  would  not  have  come  but  for  that,  and  I  begged  them  not  to  vote 
because  there  was  no  necessity  for  their  voting.  There  were  but  two 
who  said  they  would  vote  for  me,  though  others  may  have  done  so, 
but  I  do  not  know  that  they  did. 

In  my  speech  that  day  I  said  this,  "that  I  would  get  up  and  go  a 
mile  bare  footed  over  frozen  ground  to  strike  a  blow  at  their  princi- 
ples, but  I  would  legislate  for  them  as  I  would  for  pro-slavery  men, 
and  I  thought  if  any  free  State  men  who  were  honest  in  their  principles 
were  there  they  would  vote  for  me,  as  I  did  not  tote  water  on  both 
shoulders."  I  said  nothing  against  the  free  soilers'  persons,  only 
their  principles. 

My  wife  has  been  in  Kansas  Territory  many  times.  I  have  a  pretty- 
good  farm  in  the  Territory  and  stay  there  most  of  the  time,  and  have 
from  $5,000  to  $7,000  worth  of  property  in  the  Territory  most  of  the 
time,  just  as  my  servants  pass  to  and  fro.  I  go  over  to  Missouri  on  a 
Saturday  night  and  come  back  Sunday  night.  I  have  about  250  head 
of  cattle  in  the  Territory  and  have  exercised  no  rights  of  a  citizen. 
of  Missouri  since  I  have  been  in  the  Territory.  My  wife  stays  most 
of  the  time  at  Mr.  Hall's,  for  he  married  our  only  child.  She  comes 
over  to  see  me  at  times  and  I  go  over  to  see  her.  I  received  thirty- 
odd  votes  that  lived  within  two  miles  of  my  cabin,  and  Mr.  Jamison 
has  not  given  one  of  them  in  his  list.  Some  of  these  thirty  odd  are 
now  residents  of  that  district  and  all  were  at  that  time.  The  thirty- 
nine  Mr.  Jamison  has  given  are  in  his  immediate  neighborhood,  in 
the  bottom  opposite  St.  Joseph's,  except  two  or  three  who  live  up 
Peter's  creek.  I  live  in  the  bottom  above  that.  James  K.  Whitehead 
lives  a  mile  and  a  half  from  me,  and  Mr.  Jamison  has  given  no  names 
above  that;  that  is  the  nearest  one  to  me.  I  do  not  remember  of  ever 
seeing  Mr.  Jamison  about  my  claim  and  never  heard  of  his  being  there. 

My  wife  was  at  home  when  the  assessor  came  and  he  did  not  assess, 
as  he  said  at  the  time,  correctly.  He  trusted  me  for  some  names  and 
I  may  have  forgotten  the  names  of  some,  though  I  thought  I  knew 
all  of  them.  I  have  paid  no  taxes  in  Missouri  since  I  came  to  the 
Territory,  though  at  the  time  of  the  election  I  did  owe  some  of  the 
previous  years'  tax  in  Missouri.  I  gave  it  to  my  son-in-law  and  have 
had  nothing  to  do  with  it  or  the  profits  from  it  myself  since  the  elec- 
tion, except  the  then  growing  crop. 

Some  of  our  boys  came  up  from  the  grocery  in  the  evening,  where 
we  had  something  to  eat  and  to  drink  set  out  there.  The  freesoilers  eat 
our  provisions  and  drank  our  liquor.  I  asked  them  to  come  up. 
Some  of  our  boys  who  came  up  got  into  some  little  fights  among  those 
of  our  own  party. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  emigrated  from  Missouri  to  the  Territory  from  Buchanan  county. 
H.  Kep.  200 20* 


306  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

I  gave  my  farm,  upon  which  I  was  living  "before  I  went  to  the  Territory, 
to  my  son-in-law.  The  farm  was  spoken  of  generally  as  my  farm  ;  I 
had  my  servants  and  property  there.  I  made  the  claim  I  now  hold  in 
the  Territory  in  November,  1854,  and  I  remained  there  during  the 
winter,  my  wife  living  with  my  son-in-law,  and  that  was  the  case  at 
the  election.  I  was  nominated  in  the  Territory  a  few  days  before  the 
election.  At  the  primary  election  I  was  voted  for,  I  think  by  ballot, 
and  got  the  nomination.  The  free  State  men  had  no  primary  election. 
They  were  withdrawn  because  I  think  they  knew  they  would  be  beaten. 
I  do  not  know  who  paid  the  expenses  of  these  Missourians  who  were 
over  then;  I  paid  nothing  of  it.  They  said  they  came  over  to  coun- 
teract eastern  votes.  We  heard  of  them  and  believed  they  were  com- 
ing. The  only  reason  I  ever  heard  assigned  for  these  Missourians  coming 
there  was  to  counteract  the  votes  sent  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society. 
I  never  heard  the  free  State  candidates  say  when  they  were  withdrawn 
that  they  did  so  because  there  were  non-residents  there.  Bela  M. 
Hughes,  Colonel  A.  M.  Mitchell,  Colonel  Silas  Woodson,  General 
Bassett,  John  Scott,  and  Mr.  Cunningham,  I  know  are  all  lawyers, 
and  are  all  citizens  of  St.  Joseph's.  I  cannot  state  the  names  of  the 
thirty  odd  persons  I  have  stated  as  living  near  me,  but  will  furnish  a 
list  of  them.  General  B.  F.  Stringfellow  was  about  there  at  the  time 
of  the  election,  but  if  he  served  as  clerk  of  the  election  I  did  not  know 
it.  I  do  not  know  that  the  free  State  candidates  withdrew  because  the 
Missourians  were  over  there.  I  do  not  know  how  many  voters  there 
were  in  that  district.  I  do  not  think  there  had  been  a  great  deal  of 
emigration  that  spring.  Some  of  the  free  State  men  were  not  there 
at  the  polls,  but  the  pro-slavery  residents  were  generally  there. 

By  Mr.  Oliver: 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  voters  who  lived  in  my  neigh- 
borhood of  the  district  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855:    Elijah  Merrill ;: 

Tipican ;  William  Kidge ;    Kobert  Whitset ;    James  Watterson ; 

G-.  W.  Baker;  John  Doyle;  Bryan;  Thomas  J.  Dowlin;  M.  F. 

Sweeney  ;  Anderson  Gladden ;  Sabert  Gladden,  who  was  then  at  work, 
at  his  brother's  and  since  made  a  claim  there;  Dr.  E.  F.  Wells ;  Wil- 
liam Nichols,  who  lived  with  Wells ;  James  Jolars  ;  Oldey  Evans ;  Wil- 
liam H.  Allen;  Poleet,  who  is  a  Frenchman,  but  whose  surname  I  do 

not  know ;    Edward  Snyder ;  Anderson ;    Joseph  Ashley ;  

Francois,  a  Frenchman;  William  Shelton;  F.  Trent;  John  W.  Smith;. 
E.  M.  Moyain,  and  brother-in-law,  whose  name  I  do  not  know; 


Uno ;  Charles  Slimer;  Kobert  Keid;  Matthias  Kupp;  George  Shun;; 
Joseph  Shun,  who  is  father  of  George,  and  George  is  brother-in-law^ 
of  Kupp ;  Hezekiah  Jackson ;  Peter  0.  Kope ;  Benjamin  Duncan ;  John) 
W.  Stephens;  James  Gillespie,  and  Dio. 

The  district  from  east  to  west  in  the  largest  part  is  twelve  miles,  as* 
near  as  I  can  say.     It  is  irregular  in  shape,  owing  to  the  river,  and  is-* 
about  fifteen  miles  north  and  south  in  the  largest  part.     The  average 
width  I  cannot  give,  owing  to  its  irregularities. 

There  are  two  bottoms  or  neighborhoods  below  me,  in  one  of  which 
Jamison's  names  are,  and  I  find  none  among  his  list  from  the  other 
neighborhood.  There  is  also  a  neigborhood  above  me  of  which  I  have 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  307 

given  no  names,  in  which  neighborhood,  I  think,  there  were  at  that 
election  at  least  sixty  voters  resident.  I  cannot  remember  whether  or 
not  all  the  free  State  men  went  to  the  polls  from  that  neighborhood ; 
some  of  them  I  know  did.  Jamison  has  not  given  all  the  names  in 
his  neighborhood.  The  names  I  have  given  myself  are  of  persons  who 
live  within  two  miles  from  me.  There  are  some  names  I  give  from 
recollection_,  as  I  cannot  find  all  of  them  on  the  poll  books.  I  know 
some  of  them  voted  whose  names  I  cannot  find  on  the  books,  I  think 
because  they  are  not  correctly  given,  or  else  I  have  not  got  the  correct 
names.  I  made  out  a  list  of  names  and  then  compared  it  with  the 
poll  books,  of  which  I  never  saw  a  copy  until  I  examined  it  this  time. 
I  did  not  see  them  vote,  but  I  saw  them  on  the  ground,  gave  them 
tickets,  and  saw  them  go  up.  But  there  are  some  four  or  five  names 
I  have  given  I  cannot  make  out  on  the  poll  books.  There  were  no 
Indians  in  the  district  that  I  know  of,  and  none  voted  there  I  believe. 
I  have  never  seen  the  original  poll  lists.  I  think  from  examining  the 
poll  lists  that  all  the  free  State  candidates  voted  that  day.  I  found 
about  a  dozen  names  on  the  list  I  think  were  not  residents ;  some  of 
the  dozen  I  know  were  not  residents.  I  do  not  know  whether  there 
are  more  there  or  not  who  were  not  residents,  and  cannot  state  whether 
all  were  residents  or  not  of  these  names  I  do  not  know.  ' 

WILLIAM  P.  RICHARDSON, 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  14,  1856. 


LUTHER  DILLON  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  ferryman  at  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri,,  on  the  29th  and  30th  of 
March,  1855.  There  was  an  arrangement  with  Captain  Wright,  one 
of  the  owners  of  the  ferry^  to  carry  over  persons  from  St.  Joseph's, 
Missouri,  to  Kansas  Territory,  for  the  payment  of  twenty-five  cents  for 
each  man  and  horse  carried  each  way.  That  arrangement  was  made 
by  Colonel  Fouts  and  Samuel  Carsons  on  the  morning  of  the  day  be- 
fore the  election,  who  agreed  to  pay  for  some  companies.  On  the  day 
of  election  Judge  Leonard  and  Mr.  Middleton  made  an  arrangement 
to  pay  for  whoever  crossed  during  the  day,  and  told  me  to  collect  from 
none  of  them  without  they  were  pointed  to  me.  Captain  Wright 
pointed  out  all  that  were  pointed  out  to  me,  and  from  those  I  collected 
the  fare.  Our  ordinary  fare  was  thirty-five  cents  for  a  man  and  horse. 
There  was  217  horsemen  in  all,  both  going  and  coming.  We  called 
them  400  footmen  who  crossed,  though  there  was  more  there.  There 
was  more  boys  than  men,  as  they  were  going  over  and  back  all  the 
time  as  it  was  a  free  ride  to  them.  What  has  been  paid  to  me  wag 
paid  by  Alex.  Davis,  and  Colonel  Somerville,  and  some  $40,  odd, 
were  handed  to  Captain  Wright  by  some  one,  I  do  not  know  whom. 
I  was  told  to  look  to  the  men  who  made  this  contract  for  the  money. 
That  day,  or  the  day  before,  Major  Richardson's  black  boy  took  over 
gome  provisions  in  a  wagon,  and  some  kegs,  but  I  do  not  know  what 
was  in  them.  There  was  more  that  day  crossing  the  river  than  was 
usual  at  that  season  of  the  year  ;  but  not  more  than  there  was  a  few 


308  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

days  afterward,  when  the  emigration  commenced.  I  heard  some  of 
the  persons  who  crossed  say  they  were  going  to  the  election  at  or  near 
Bryant's.  I  was  not  there  myself. 

To  Mr.  Propper : 

There  was  no  arrangement  made  by  which  I  could  distinguish  per- 
sons who  were  under  this  arrangement,  except  to  he  pointed  out  to 
me.  The  question  about  the  pronunciation  of  the  word  "cow"  was 
not  asked  by  any  of  the  officers  of  the  boat,  so  far  as  I  know.  The 
usual  price  was  charged  those  who  were  pointed  out  to  me. 

LU.  DILLON. 

.LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856. 

BENJAMIN  HARDING  testifies. 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  1852,  from  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri, 
^where  I  had  resided  several  years,  and  have  resided  ever  since  in  the 
Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  fourteenth  district.     I  was  a  candidate  on 
the  free  State  ticket  for  the  council  from  that  precinct,  at  the  election 
of  the  30th  March,  1855,  and  remained  a  candidate  until  the  morning 
of  election,  when  I  withdrew.     Two  days  before  the  election,  Mr.  Fee 
came  to  me  and  stated  that,  from  what  he  had  learned,  he  thought  our 
prospect  of  being  elected  was  not  very  good,  and  that  from  informa- 
tion he  had  received  we  would  probably  suffer  an  overwhelming  de- 
feat.    He  said  that  reports  led  him  to  believe  that  there  would  be  a 
large  number  of  Missourians  over  with  the  intention  of  voting.     I 
contended  that  I  had  intended  to  run  the  race  through,  unless  we 
consulted  our  friends  in  the  district.     We  met  at  my  house  the  next 
day  with  Mr.  Larzelere.     I  had  ascertained  only  from  rumor  of  the 
coming  over  of  the  Missourians.     Our   second   conference   resulted 
pretty  nearly  as  the  first,  with  the  agreement  that  we  would  decide 
the  next  morning  before  the  voting  commenced.     I  went  to  the  polls 
the  next  morning.     I  saw  a  large  number  of  persons  from  Missouri 
there,  and  quite  a  number  of  citizens  of  the  Territory.     Some  of  the 
citizens  of  Missouri  were  known  to  me.     I  only  saw  them  on  the 

f  round,  as  far  as  I  now  recollect.  I  could  not  say  how  many  of  them 
took  to  be  non-residents  were  on  the  ground,  there  ought  have  been 
a  hundred  or  more,  but  many  were  strangers  to  me.  After  conference 
with  Mr.  Fee  and  Mr.  Larzelere,  it  was  decided,  after  we  ascertained 
who  were  to  be  the  judges  of  the  election,  that  we  should  all  with- 
draw, and  we  did  so — Mr.  Fee  getting  up  and  announcing  to  the 
crowd  the  withdrawal  of  the  whole  free  State  ticket.  I  had  taken  no 
particular  steps  to  ascertain  what  the  course  of  the  judges  would  be  in 
regard  to  receiving  votes.  I  understood,  merely  from  rumor,  that  they 
were  in  favor  of  what  was  called  "Stringfellow's  exposition"  of  their 
instructions  and  duty.  We  did  not  know  whether  that  was  true  or 
not,  but  we  believed  it  to  be  true.  Mr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Heed  were 
elected  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Hulan  and  Mr.  Blackstone,  the  judges! 
appointed  by  the  governor.  All  the  judges  thus  acting  professed  toi 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  309 

be  pro-slavery  men.  I  had,  some  three  or  four  days,  been  riding 
around  through  the  district  and  making  some  general  inquiries  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  political  sense  of  the  people  of  the  dis- 
trict. Mr.  Fee  was  with  us  most  of  the  time,  and,  I  think,,  took  more 
pains  for  that  purpose  than  I  did  myself.  Mr.  Larzelere  was  with  me 
but  a  portion  of  the  time.  It  was  my  impression,  from  all  I  could 
learn,  that  the  free  State  party  had  a  majority  in  the  district  of  some 
thirty  or  forty,  perhaps  more,  and  I  was  led  to  believe  that  the  ma- 
jority would  have  been  larger  if  there  had  been  no  under  influence 
from  Missouri  before  and  at  the  election.  Fears  were  expressed  that 
in  consequence  of  the  presence  of  Missourians  on  the  ground  there 
would  be  disturbances  if  we  continued  as  candidates,  which  we  wished 
to  avoid.  I  cannot  say  that  I  had  any  very  great  fears  of  any  such 
thing  myself.  I  think  likely  these  fears,  and  the  presence  of  these 
Missourians,  had  some  effect,  with  other  things,  in  inducing  the  free 
State  candidates  to  withdraw.  I  had  intended  to  go  through  with 
the  election  and  remain  a  candidate,  and  if  there  was  much  fraud 
practised  to  enter  a  protest  against  the  election.  Many  of  the  free 
State  men  voted  that  day  ;  but  I  do  not  know  how  many  or  what  pro- 
portion of  them  voted.  Some  of  them  afterward  told  me  they  did  not 
vote.  I  voted  for  Captain  Whitehead  alone  ;  but  cast  no  vote  for 
representative.  I  have  looked  over  the  poll  books  of  that  election  and 
I  find  on  it  the  names  of  some  I  knew  to  have  been  residents  of  Mis- 
souri at  that  time,  among  them  are  W.  K.  Eichardson,  Sidney  Ten- 
nant,  F.  C.  Hughes.  I  think  that  it  is  probable  a  majority  of  the 
names  on  the  poll  books  were  of  residents  of  the  Territory  at  that 
time,  as  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the  names.  There  were  many  per- 
sons in  the  district  I  knew  by  sight  but  not  by  name.  I  saw  persons 
on  the  ground  whom  I  knew  to  be  residents  of  Missouri  whose  names 
I  cannot  give  now.  I  did  not  see  much  of  the  voting  done,  and  can- 
not tell  who  or  how  many  voted.  I  was  never  at  Major  Richardson's 
house  in  Kansas,  but  I  have  often  seen  him  in  the  Territory  and  also 
in  Missouri ;  but  I  do  not  know  as  I  have  ever  seen  him  at  his  old 
place  in  Missouri,  now  Mr.  Hall's  place,  since  he  first  came  to  the 
Territory,  in  the  fall  of  1854.  The  exposition  of  General  Stringfellow, 
of  the  duties  of  judges  and  rights  of  voters,  was  circulated  pretty 
generally,  I  believe,  in  the  district  in  the  form  of  a  circular.  I  saw 
several  copies  of  it.  It  was  stated  to  have  been  his  exposition  and  so 
represented,  but  I  believe  his  name  was  not  attached  to  it.  The  prin- 
cipal portion  of  it  was  an  exposition  of  the  oath  prescribed  by  Gover- 
nor Reeder.  I  have  no  copy  of  it,  and  do  not  know  as  I  could  obtain 
one,  and  do  not  know  that  any  copies  of  it  are  now  in  existence. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott. 

Mr.  Fee,  Mr.  Larzelere  and  myself,  so  far  as  I  recollect,  did  not  con- 
clude to  withdraw  until  after  the  judges  who  acted  were  appointed.  I 
recollect  distinctly  requesting  Mr.  Fee  to  wait  until  we  learned  who 
the  judges  were  to  be,  before  we  determined  whether  we  should  with- 
draw. As  far  as  I  was  myself  concerned,  I  did  not  determine  absolutely 
to  withdraw^more  than  five  minutes  before  it  was  done.  I  did  not  tell 
Gary  B  Whitehead,  one  hour  before  the  new  judges  were  appointed,  thai 


310  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

the  free  State  ticket  was  to  be  withdrawn,  and  we  were  going  to  con- 
centrate the  free  State  vote  on  Captain  John  H.  Whitehead.  I  do  not 
think  I  told  any  one  any  such  thing.  I  have  no  recollection  of 
Mr.  Fee  so  stating  to  Mr.  Gary  B.  Whitehead,  in  my  presence,  and 
my  consent  to  it.  I  have  no  recollection  of  any  conversation  with 
Gary  B.  Whitehead  one  hour  before  the  judges  were  appointed,  in 
which  he  insisted  that  Mr.  Fee  and  myself  should  run,  and  that  the 
pro-slavery  party  could  beat  us  a  hundred  majority  in  our  district.  If 
any  such  thing  was  said,  I  think  it  was  not  in  my  presence.  I  think 
I  had  expressed  my  preference  for  Captain  Whitehead  over  Major 
Kichardson  for  council  upon  our  ground.  I  had  determined  to  cast  my 
vote,  if  I  voted  at  all,  for  Captain  Whitehead ;  but  I  did  not  under- 
take to  pledge  any  man's  vote,  and  am  of  the  impression  that  even  my 
own  vote  was  not  pledged  at  all.  I  am  not  aware  of  having  used  any 
under  influence  with  regard  to  the  vote  of  any  person.  I  have  never 
attempted,  that  I  am  aware,  to  influence  any  man's  vote,  except  sim-' 
ply  by  argument.  I  made  no  agreement  with  Mr.  Fee  and  Mr.  Lar- 
zelere  to  use  our  influence  to  elect  Captain  Whitehead ;  and  if  they  did 
so,  it  was  not  in  my  presence.  I  had  no  particular  partiality  for  either 
Captain  Whitehead  or  Major  Kichardson;  and  voted  for  Captain 
Whitehead  merely  because  I  understood  him  as  pledged  to  use  his  in- 
fluence for  the  passage  of  an  election  law,  by  which  the  rights  of  the 
citizens  of  Kansas  in  elections  should  be  protected.  I  used  the  same 
argument  with  some  of  the  free  State  men.  I  said  that  some  free 
State  men  told  me  they  did  not  vote.  William  Keaton  was  one  of  them. 
Mr.  Keaton  has  told  me  himself  he  was  a  free  State  man.  I  mean 
the  old  gentleman,  the  father  of  Jackson  Keaton,  that  used  to  live  in 
St.  Joseph's,  Missouri.  Mr.  Jacob  Sharps  told  me  he  had  not  voted. 
He  lives  in  the  fourteenth  district,  on  Walnut  creek.  He  was  not  at 
the  election  at  all  on  that  day.  Mr.  William  Gaines  was  another  of 
the  same  class;  and  he  told  me  he  was  not  at  the  election.  The  per- 
sons I  have  named  told  me  they  were  about  starting  for  the  election 
when  they  learned  the  free  State  candidates  had  withdrawn,  and  they 
then  determined  not  to  go  to  the  polls.  I  have  no  distinct  recollection 
of  hearing  any  other  persons  say  so.  I  stated  that  my  opinion  was 
that  there  was  a  decided  free  State  majority  in  that  district  at  that 
time,  and  that  it  would  have  been  larger  if  there  had  not  been  undue 
influences  from  Missouri,  both  before  the  election  and  at  the  polls.  I 
saw  some  leading  men  from  Missouri  passing  about  through  our  dis- 
trict, and  I  understood  from  others  that  they  were  electioneering  for  the 
pro-slavery  party,  and  representing  their  institutions  of  slavery  as 
unsafe  in  Missouri  if  Kansas  should  be  made  a  free  State.  I  consider 
that  undue  influences.  I  knew  of  no  free  State  men  from  Missouri,  as 
I  npw  recollect,  of  travelling  our  district  and  advocating  free  State  doc- 
trines. There  might  have  been  free  State  men  from  Missouri  in  our 
district  advocating  free  State  doctines.  Mr.  John  K.  Carter  was  over 
in  our  district  at  work.  He  was  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and  a 
citizen  of  Missouri,  and  he  expressed  himself  to  me  as  being  in  favor 
of  a  free  State  here.  I  do  not  know  whether  on  the  night  before  the 
election  John  E.  Carter  used  the  argument  to  me  that  the  free  State 
candidates  should  withdraw,  so  that  Captain  Whitehead  might  be 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  311 

elected.  I  recollect  that  he  stated  to  me  that  it  was  his  opinion  I  had 
"better  withdraw ;  but  I  do  not  recollect  whether  it  was  one  or  two 
days  before  the  election.  There  was  a  large  number  of  Missourians  on 
the  ground  on  the  day  of  election ;  but  I  do  not  know  as  I  can  specify- 
any  undue  influence  that  they  exerted  that  day,  except  what  has 
been  shown  by  evidence  here,  and  by  the  poll  books.  I  know  several 
persons  in  Major  Kichard son's  neighborhood,  but  I  did  not  know  par- 
ticularly about  relative  strength  of  parties  in  his  neighborhood,  as  I 
did  not  go  directly  into  his  neighborhood  during  the  canvass,  and  was 
in  that  neighborhood  less,  perhaps,  than  in  any  other  in  the  district. 
I  know  two  or  three  men,  living  between  Major  Richardson's  and 
Smithton,  who  have  stated  to  me  that  they  were  true  free  State  men — 
John  Hartman  and  Charles  Skinner — but  further  than  that  I  do  not 
now  recollect.  I  was  in  Burr  Oak  Bottom  a  couple  of  times  before 
the  election,  and  I  think  once  afterwards.  I  cannot  tell  how  many 
persons  of  that  neighborhood  I  conversed  with  before  the  election  ; 
probably  more  than  a  half  a  dozen  of  them — Mr.  Roark,  some  Law- 
horns,,  and  others,  whose  names  I  do  not  recollect.  I  cannot  tell  how 
many  persons  I  conversed  with  in  regard  to  the  election,  before  the 
election,  and  after  I  was  a  candidate,  in  St.  Joseph  Bottom,  or  how 
many  in  the  Bottom  below  St.  Joseph  Bottom.  I  conversed  with  Mr. 
Kincade,  Mr.  Randolph,  and  several  others  ;  but  I  do  not  know  how 
many.  I  cannot  tell  how  many  voters  resided  in  that  Bottom.  It  was 
my  opinion  that  there  were  more  than  twenty  voters  there ;  but  I 
never  saw  twenty  men  that  I  knew  lived  there.  I  do  not  know  that 
the  truth  of  the  population  of  the  district  was  comprised  in  the 
neighborhoods  just  mentioned,  as  there  were  other  parts  of  the  dis- 
trict quite  thickly  settled.  It  was  from  conversations  with  these  per- 
sons in  these  neighborhoods,  and  with  others  from  different  parts  of 
the  district  that  I  formed  my  opinion  that  there  was  a  free  State  ma- 
jority in  the  district;  but  I  could  not  specify  names  now. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  wish  to  state,  in  regard  to  the  statements,  that  there  were  rumors 
that  the  free  State  candidates  expected  aid  from  eastern  emigrants  on 
the  day  of  election,  that  I  did  not  expect  or  wish  it  myself,  and  heard 
nothing  of  it  except  from  persons  of  the  pro-slavery  party ;  and,  so  far 
as  I  know,  it  was  without  foundation.  I  am  not  aware  that  any  east- 
ern emigrants  were  at  that  election  in  that  precinct. 

B.  HARDING. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856. 


JOHN  H.  WHITEHEAD  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  the  fall  of  1854,  from  St.  Joseph's, 
Missouri,  and  settled  about  five  miles  northeast  of  St.  Joseph's,  in  the 
Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  fourteenth  district.  I  was  at  the  election  of 
the  30th  March,  1855,  at  Bryant's.  Myself,  Major  Richardson,  and 
Mr.  Harding  were  candidates  for  council.  Mr.  Blair  and  Mr.  Watter- 


312  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

son  on  one  side,  Mr.  Fee  and  Mr.  Larzelere  on  the  other  or  free  State 
side/ were  candidates  for  the  house  of  representatives.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  election  Mr.  Fee,  Larzelere,  and  Harding,  the  free  State 
candidates,  withdrew.  On  the  day  before  election  I  held  a  conference 
with  Mr.  Fee  as  to  the  position  that  we  all  occupied  before  the  people 
of  the  district,  and  our  conclusion  was  that  Mr.  Hardin  and  Mr.  Larze- 
lere were  not  strong  enough  to  carry  the  vote  of  the  free  State  party, 
consequently  there  was  no  chance  for  their  success.  He  promised  that, 
when  they  met  the  next  morning  on  the  ground  of  election,  he  would 
use  his  influence  with  those  men  to  withdraw  and  cast  their  suffrages 
for  me.  It  was  generally  rumored  among  our  people  that  the  people 
of  Missouri  were  coming  over  to  vote  at  our  election  ;  I  do  not  know 
as  it  was  generally  credited  or  not,  but  it  was  believed  by  some  and 
not  believed  by  others.  Missourians  did  come  over  across  on  the  day 
before  and  the  morning  of  election  ;  a  good  many  of  them,  I  should 
suppose  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred.  I  think  some  of 
them  voted.  My  acquaintance  in  and  around  St.  Joseph's  was  about  as 
good  as  any  man  who  lived  there,  I  think,  as  I  had  lived  there  pretty 
much  since  1839.  I  was  present  at  the  polls  most  of  the  time,  but 
not  all ;  backwards  and  forwards  during  the  day.  My  memory  is  bad 
as  to  names,  and  I  may  not  be  able  to  call  over  now  those  I  saw  there. 
I  saw  some  of  them  vote.  They  claimed  to  vote  because  people  were 
coming  from  the  east  to  vote,  right  into  the  Territory  to  the  election, 
and  their  voting  was  but  a  set-off  to  the  others.  I  do  not  recollect 
that  they  claimed  any  right  to  vote  because  of  the  provisions  of  the 
Kansas-Nebraska  bill ;  I  think  the  reason  I  have  given  was  the  only 
one  I  heard  given.  The  polls  opened  about  eight  or  nine  o'clock  in 
the  morning.  I  think  the  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  did  not 
serve,  but  1  heard  them  assign  no  reasons  for  their  not  serving.  Mr. 
0.  Hulan  did  not  serve  that  day  ;  he  was  on  the  ground  part  of  the 
time  ;  I  do  not  recollect  whether  he  was  on  the  ground  before  the 
polls  were  opened  or  not.  I  did  not  hear  there  why  he  did  not  serve. 
Mr.  Blackester  and  Mr.  Hulan  did  not  serve,  and  I  do  not  recollect 
the  third  man  appointed  by  the  governor  as  judge.  I  do  not  know 
how  the  judges  who  did  serve  were  chosen,  for  it  was  not  done  in  my 
presence.  Mr.  Heed,  Mr.  Johnson,  arid  Mr.  Whitehead,  my  brother, 
served  as  judges  that  day,  and  were  all  residents  of  the  district  at  that 
time. 

There  were  some  objections  made  to  the  Missourians  voting  when 
they  went  up  to  vote.  I  challenged  one  man's  vote  myself,  the  vote 
of  Mr.  Newby,  who  lived  in  the  east  part  of  Buchanan  county,  Mis- 
souri. I  think  he  was  permitted  to  vote.  He  was  not  sworn,  to  the 
best  of  my  recollection.  I  did  not  see  any  one  sworn  that  day  as  to 
their  qualifications  to  vote,  though  there  might  have  been.  When  I 
challenged  his  vote,  I  do  not  know  that  any  particular  reason  was 
given  why  he  should  vote.  We  stood  there  awhile,  and  I  asked  the 
judges  if  they  wrere  going  to  allow  him  to  vote,  and  no  answer  was 
made  that  I  recollect  of.  I  walked  away  then.  He  voted.  I  have 
known  this  man  since  he  was  a  small  boy,  and  he  is  a  man  of  family 
now,  and  I  was  satisfied  he  had  not  resided  in  Kansas,  even  if  he  had 
claim.  I  do  not  recollect  now  whether  I  stated  to  the  judges  the 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  313 

Grounds  why  I  challenged  his  vote.  I  do  not  recollect  whether  or  not 
he  stated  the  grounds  why  he  claimed  to  have  a  right  to  vote.  I 
challenged  no  other  vote  that  day.  I  heard  Mr.  Groomes,  while  I 
was  standing  a  little  way  off,  challenge  a  vote,  hut  I  do  not  recollect 
the  name  of  the  man  who  offered  to  vote,  or  the  disposition  of  it.  I 
think  three  hundred  arid  three  votes  were  cast  that  day,  and  between 
fifty  and  one  hundred  votes  were  illegal,  and  I  thought  at  the  time  I 
knew  that  many  persons  there  who  were  not  residents.  There  were 
many  strangers  voted  there  that  day,  probably  some  of  them  were 
legal  votes,  though  I  cannot  say  about  that.  Mr.  Fee,  one  of  the 
candidates,  withdrew  himself  the  morning  of  the  election,  giving  as  a 
reason  that  there  was  not  a  union  among  the  party.  He  told  me  the 
morning  of  the  election  that  it  was  the  understanding  that  the  free 
State  ticket  should  be  withdrewn  entirely.  I  do  not  think  the  pre- 
sence of  non-residents  had  anything  to  do  with  it.  Mr.  Fee  expressed 
no  apprehensions  of  danger  to  me,  and  I  apprehended  none  myself, 
from  the  presence  of  non-residents.  I  do  not  know  who  these  non- 
residents voted  for  on  that  day.  I  believe  some  of  them  voted  for  me, 
though  I  requested  them  not  to  do  so.  I  do  not  think  the  free  State 
men  voted  that  day  as  a  general  thing.  Some  of  them  did  vote  and 
some  went  away  without  voting,  because  there  was  no  ticket  of  their 
party  in  the  field.  If  the  Tote  had  been  confined  to  the  actual  voters 
of  the  district,  I  cannot  say  whether  the  result  would  have  been  the 
same.  If  the  lines  had  been  strictly  drawn,  I  think  the  pro-slavery 
party  would  have  beaten.  I  had  taken  a  good  deal  of  pains  to  inform 
myself  upon  that  point.  If  all  three  of  the  candidates  for  the  council 
had  run,  I  cannot  determine  what  the  result  would  have  been,  but  I 
think  it  would  have  resulted  as  it  did,  for  it  would  have  driven  men 
to  unite  on  the  candidates  of  their  party.  I  was  running  as  a  pro- 
slavery  candidate.  I  cannot  explain  why  the  votes  for  council  were 
more  than  for  representatives.  I  cannot  say  whether  the  free  State 
men  who  voted,  voted  for  representatives  or  not,  though  I  supposed 
they  voted  a  full  ticket.  I  thought  the  election  on  that  day  was  as 
peaceable  an  election  as  I  ever  saw.  I  never  saw  better  order  on  the 
election  ground  in  my  life ;  all  voted,  so  far  as  I  know,  who  wanted 
to.  The  contest  was  all  on  one  side,  except  between  Major  Kichardson 
and  myself.  Some  of  the  free  State  men  asked  me  if  it  was  necessary 
to  vote  for  me.  I  told  them  to  use  their  own  pleasure,  but  cannot  say 
whether  they  voted  for  me  or  not.  The  free  State  men  were  very 
greatly  in  the  minority  in  the  crowd  about  the  polls,  though  there  ap- 
peared to  be  a  great  many  about  the  polls  the  first  part  of  the  day. 
I  do  not  remember  the  names,  or  that  I  saw  many  persons  there  on 
the  day  of  election  that  held  offices  in  Missouri.  Mr.  Scott  was  attor- 
ney of  St.  Joseph's  at  that  time,  and  was  there  on  the  day  of  election. 
At  one  precinct  Mr.  Stringfellow  was  there,  but  I  do  not  recollect 
about  those  who  held  offices  in  Missouri  at  that  time.  A  great  many 
of  the  leading  citizens  of  St.  Joseph's  were  there,  but  I  do  not  know 
what  part  they  took  in  the  election.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  speeches 
made  there  that  day,  except  by  Major  Kichardson. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott: 

I  understood  when  I  had  a  consultation  with  Mr.  Fee,  the  day  before 


314.  KANSAS    AFFAIRS 

the  election,  that  he  was  to  use  his  influence  with  the  free  State  can- 
didates to  withdraw  and  have  the  free  State  men  vote  for  me.  The 
votes  to  he  given  by  Missourians,  I  think,  had  no  influence  with  either 
Fee  or  myself.  He  had  no  right  to  think  that  the  citizens  of  Missouri 
would  do  anything  to  injure  him,  as  he  had  long  heen  a  citizen  of 
Missouri  himself.  The  only  apprehension  seemed  to  he  that  he  would 
not  get  votes  enough  of  the  actual  residents  to  secure  his  election. 

Mr.  Fee  assigned  as  a  reason  for  withdrawing,  that  Harding  and  Lar- 
zelere  were  unpopular  with  their  party,,  and  if  he  himself  ran,  he 
would  have  to  carry  them,  and  therefore,  he  thought  it  best  for  all  to 
resign.  When  he  announced  on  the  morning  of  the  election  that  he 
had  succeeded  in  making  this  arrangement,  I  understood  it  to  be  in 
consequence  of  an  arrangement  of  the  day  before. 

JOHN  H.  WHITEHEAD. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


JOHN  K.  CARTER  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  Missouri,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  of  St.  Joseph's.  I  live 
within  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  farm  known  formerly  as 
the  Major  Eichardson  farm,  and  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  from  the 
residence.  I  moved  there  in  the  spring  of  1842,  and  have  had  my 
residence  there  since  then.  I  was  in  Kansas,  at  the  Burr  Oak  election 
precinct,  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  build- 
ing a  mill  for  Messrs.  Creel  and  Bryant.  I  was  about  the  place  of 
election  at  different  times  during  the  day.  I  was  not  around  the  polls 
at  all,  but  I  was  at  work,  at  odd  times  during  the  day,  and  was  about 
the  place  of  election  at  times.  I  was  working  on  the  mill  the  day 
previous  to  the  election,  and  after  dinner,  perhaps  the  middle  of  the 
afternoon,  covered  wagons  drove  up  and  camped  around  where  I  was 
at  work,  containing  Missourians,  some  of  my  neighbors.  The  first 
one  I  saw,  I  think,  was  Craig  Montgomery.  Shortly  after  that,  there 
was  perhaps  to  the  amount  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  men,  from  various 
sections,  under  their  leaders,  came  up  there. 

Judge  Leonard  was  there ;  Dugan  Fouts  was  there,  with  a  party 
from  Kock  House  Prairie,  in  Missouri,  down  in  the  east  of  Buchanan 
county.  They  appeared  to  be  the  most  prominent  men.  There  was 
Walker  Gr.  Eeed,  and  three  or  four  of  the  young  Carsons,  Isaac  Thorn- 
ton, of  Saline  county  there,  Preston  Eichardson  from  Andrew  county, 
Jeptha  Ford  from  Andrew  county.  There  was  a  company  from  An- 
drew county,  many  of  whom  I  was  acquainted  with,  but  I  cannot  re- 
collect their  names.  John  S.  Pickett  was  there,  and  a  great  many 
others  with  whom  I  was  acquainted,  but  I  do  not  recollect  their  names. . 
They  were  there  with  their  wagons,  and  provisions,  and  two  barrels  < 
of  whiskey,  and  camped  there,  about  two  hundred  yards,  perhaps  ai 
little  more,  from  Mr.  Bryant's  house,  where  the  polls  were  held  the 
next  day.  -They  camped  all  around  where  I  was  at  work,  on  the  hill  I 
side,  and  put  their  provisions  in  an  old  Indian  shanty  that  was  there. . 
I  had  conversation,  a  good  deal  of  it,  with  these  men,  many  of  themi 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  315 

my  old  acquaintances  and  neighbors,  and  I  remained  there  with  them 
till  long  in  the  night.  I  talked  with  Colonel  Fonts,  John  S.  Pickett, 
and  Isaac  Morton  about  their  mission  over  there  to  Kansas. 

Shortly  after  they  came  there,  Isaac  Thornton  took  me  out  privately, 
one  side,  and  asked  me  if  I  was  going  to  join  their  company.  I  said 
I  did  not  know,  as  I  did  not  know  what  their  object  was.  He  told 
me  they  had  come  over  to  guard  the  polls  and  see  that  the  election 
went  oif  right  in  Kansas.  I  told  him  that  if  he  went  my  way  I  would 
go  with  him,  and  if  he  did  not  I  would  not.  He  asked  me  if  I  would 
join  their  company  and  go  with  them.  I  said  if  he  would  go  my 
way  I  would,  but  if  he  did  not  I  would  not.  He  said  they  were  going 
to  support  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  I  do  not,  as  they  were  named, 
but  they  were  understood.  I  would  not  say  that  any  told  me  they 
came  to  vote,  but  rather  to  guard  the  polls.  I  told  them  I  was  a 

,  southern  man,  and  would  do  all  I  could  for  Captain  Whitehead,  who 
was  a  pro-slavery  man,  and  if  they  would  go  for  him  I  would  go  with 
them.  They  said  they  would  not  go  into  that.  When  I  went  to  the  mill 
that  morning  the  men  were  around  the  camp.  I  saw  some  of  them 
around  the  polls  that  day,  but  they  seemed  to  be  about  the  Indian 
shanty  and  the  polls.  They  camped  there  that  night,  and  some  of 
them  told  me  I  would  have  to  get  the  countersign  if  staid  till  after  dark. 
I  did  not  see  any  of  these  men  vote.  I  was  about  the  polls  before 
they  were  opened,  and  then  I  went  away  and  did  not  come  back  until 
dinner  time,  when  men  were  voting  at  the  polls.  I  did  not  vote  my- 
self that  day.  I  paid  no  attention  to  the  polls,  staying  but  a  few 
minutes  to  get  my  dinner,;  at  Mr.  Bryant's,  and  then  I  went  back  to 
the  mill.  I  have  examined  a  list  of  names  given  to  me  to-day,  and 
said  to  be  a  copy  of  the  poll  books,  and  have  made  out  of  the  list  of 
those  I  know  to  have  resided  in  Missouri.  At  that  time  I  got  from 
one  of  the  judges  of  election  a  certified- copy  of  all  the  votes  given  at  that 
election.  There  was  a  very  important  city  election  going  off  the  next 
week  at  St.  Joseph's,  between  the  whiskey  and  anti-whiskey  parties, 

\  and  I  was  requested  to  get  a  copy  of  the  names  of  the  citizens  of  St. 
Joseph's  who  voted  there  in  Kansas,  which  I  did,  and  presented  to 

;  the  judges  of  the  election^  to  Dr.  Harding,  of  St.  Joseph's,  and  I 
had  marked  on  that  paper  the  names  of  those  I  knew  to  be  citizens  of 

:  St.  Joseph's  with  a  star;  and  so  did  many  other  citizens  of  St. 
Joseph's,  as  we  were  very  much  interested  in  the  election.  That  is 
the  way  my  attention  was  called  to  this  subject.  The  names  I  have 
shown  from  the  poll  books  furnished  by  the  committee,  are  as  follows : 
J.  W.  Stephens,  S.  P.  Blair,  Isaac  Thornton,  Merrill  Willis,  Sidney 
Tenant,  Dr.  George  C.  Catlett,  0.  P.  H.  Craig,  F.  C.  Hughes, 
James  M.  Teagarden,  William  Carson,  James  Carson,  Charles  C. 
Carson,  Johnson  Carson,  and  William  K.  Richardson,  Peter  Monroe, 
S.  W.  Woodcock,  Jacob  Ostenberger,  G.  B.  Groomes,  eighteen  in  all. 
Some  of  these  names  1  have  given  reside  in  Buchanan  and  Andrew 
counties.  St.  Joseph's  is  in  Buchanan  county. 

To  Mr.  Propper : 

When  they  told  me  I  would  have  to  get  the  countersign  I  did  not 
get  it.     I  understood  that  they  would  have  a  regular  military  camp. 


316  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Mr.  Thornton  told  me  when  I  said  I  was  going  to  stay  there  that  fe 
night,  that  they  were  going  to  have  guards,  and  that  I  would  have  I 
to  get  the  countersign,  but  I  did  not  get  any,  and  went  off  out  of  theij 
camp  along  in  the  night  without  any  trouble.  I  think  Judge  Leonard!! 
and  Colonel  Fouts  and  men  of  that  stamp  appeared  to  be  the  leaders,  j 
Thornton,  I  think,  and  perhaps  Fouts,  told  me  they  were  going  to 
support  the  pro-slavery  ticket. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

Mr.  Thornton  told  me  that  it  was  rumored  that  there  was  to  be 
boat  loads  of  emigrants  coming  from  the  east  to  be  at  the  election  and 
vote  the  next  day,  and  that  was  the  cause  why  they  came  over  there 
to  guard  the  polls-    I  think  the  term  "abolitionists"  was  used  most  I 
that  day,  perhaps  "emigrant  aid  men,"  but  I  do  not  know  whether 
it  was  understood,  or  not,  that  they  were  arriving  merely  to  vote,  orrj 
also  to  settle.     I  do  not  recollect  that  they  said  they  were  going  to .» 
vote,  or  what  they  were  going  to  do.     I  told  them  I  was  a  coloniza— 
tionist,  not  an  abolitionist;  that  I  was  a  southern  man  with  northern i 
feelings.     I  was  in  favor  of  fair  play  on  both  sides,  let  every  man  vote/ 
to  suit  himself.     I  had  friends  on  both  sides,  but  I  had  no  particular! 
interest  in  Kansas,  and  took  but  little  thought  about  it. 

J.  W.  Stephens  was  a  young  man,  and  was  about  the  neighborhood! 
mostly  where  I  lived ;  I  saw  him  come  over  the  evening  of  the 
election,  and  I  think  I  had  a  conversation,  and  I  think  he  said  him-! 
self  that  he  was  going  to  vote  or  burst.  I  do  not  know  where  he  re-! 
sided  for  the  six  weeks  before  the  election.  He  said  he  came  over  the>; 
river  to  vote,  and  he  was  going  to  vote  or  burst.  I  never  saw  Majonj 
Richardson's  mill  in  the  Territory,  and  do  not  know  that  this  Stephens! 
was  at  work  at  the  mill  before  the  election.  He  was  in  our  neighbor-! 
hood  previous  to  the  election,  and  also  since,  though  he  might  have-j 
been  in  Kansas  at  work  for  six  weeks  or  two  months,  though  he  has-! 
been  about  our  neighborhood  for  three  or  four  years  past.  It  was  my>| 
opinion  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  Missouri,  and  to  the  best  of  my  know- 1 
ledge  I  believe  he  was.  S.  P.  Blair  lives  about  two  miles  southeast  off! 
me.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  he  was  living  there  on  the  day  ofi| 
election.  I  had  been  with  him  surveying,  and  he  had  a  claim  onij 
Peter's  creek,  in  Kansas,  and  I  was  hunting  a  claim  myself.  I  helped! 
him  run  off  a  claim  there,  I  think,  in  June,  1854.  He  made  anotherr 
claim  adjoining  it  for  a  widow  Bradley,  of  St.  Joseph's.  He  had  somet 
cattle  over  there  grazing,  but  I  do  not  know  as  he  ever  improved  his? 
claim,  and  his  family  lives  near  me  yet.  He  never  went  over  to  his* 
claim,  as  far  as  I  know,  with  his  family,  and  I  know  he  lives  and  has*! 
lived  near  me.  William  K.  Richardson  was  at  the  time  a  citizen  off 
St.  Joseph's.  I  believe  F.  C.  Hughes  is  also  a  citizen  of  St.  Joseph's,,! 
and  Dr.  George  Catlett,  Sidney  Tenant.  I  have  examined  the  copyvj 
of  the  poll  here,  and  those  are  the  only  names  I  know  to  have  beemi 
citizens  of  St.  Joseph's.  I  do  not  know  half  the  persons  at  St.  Joseph's. .! 
I  know  most  of  the  old  established  citizens  of  St.  Joseph's,  but  thereei 
are  a  thousand  there,  probably,  I  do  not  know.  Major  Richardsomj 
and  myself  have  no  dealings  with  each  other. 


KANSAS'  AFFAIRS.        ,  317 

To  Mr.  Propper : 

I  saw  no  eastern  emigrants  that  day  about  the  polls  that  I  know  of, 

JOHN  B.  CAKTER. 
LEAVBNWORTH  CITY,  May  23,  1856. 


JOHN  W.  SMITH  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  reside  in  the  14th  district,  Burr  Oak  precinct,  in  this  Territory, 
and  have  resided  there  since  April,  1853.    I  was  very  well  acquainted 
in  that  precinct  with  nearly  all  the  principal  citizens  at  the  time  of 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     There  were  at  that  time  general 
reports  in  that  precinct  that  Eastern  people  were  to  he  sent  there  to 
vote  at  that  election.     The  Burr  Oak  bottom  comprised  the  largest 
neighborhood  in  the  precinct,  containing,  I  should  suppose,  upwards 
of  fifty  voters,  but  I  cannot  state  the  exact  number.     In  Major  Rich- 
ardson's neighborhood  there  were  ten  families.     In  St.  Joseph's  bot- 
tom there  were  somewhere  about  fifty  voters.     I  was  not  particularly 
acquainted  in  any  but  these  three  neighborhoods  at  the  time  of  the 
election.     I  cannot  state  how  many  voters  there  were  in  the  entire 
precinct.     Major  Richardson  lived,  at  the  time  of  the  election  and  be- 
fore it,  in  what  is  known  as  the  Bontown  bottom,  in  Kansas  Territory ; 
he  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  that  neighborhood  ;  I  had  fre- 
quently visited  his  house  before  the  election ;  he  had  a  quantity  of 
stock,  cattle,   horses,  mules,  and  hogs  there,  some  slaves,  &c.     He 
had  been  a  citizen  there  and  kept  house  there,  eating  and  sleeping 
there.     I  was  present  at  the  election  at  Bryant's  in  that  precinct  on 
the  30th  of  March,  1855  ;   I  noticed  some  of  the  voting  done  there 
during  the  day  ;  I  do  not  think  all  the  legal  voters  of  the  precinct 
were  there  at  the  polls,  but  they  were  there  as  a  general  thing.     I 
know  of  three  persons  who  did  not  go  at  all — Mr.  Poe,  Mr.  Howell, 
and  Mr.  Gabell — who  told  me  they  were  not  there  ;  I  heard  no  others 
!  say  they  were  not  there.     These  persons  gave  no  reasons  for  not  being 
there.     Mr.  Gabell  says  he  is  a  free  State  man,  but  I  do  not  know 
j  about  Mr.  Poe  and  Mr.  Howell.     I  could  not  state  definitely  whether 
;  others  were  absent  or  not ;  there  were  some  there  who  told  me  they 
did  not  vote.    Mr.  Ben.  Harding,  and  Mr.  Smallwood,  and  I  think 
I  Mr.  Brock,  but  I  am  not  certain  about  that.     The  pro-slavery  party 
;  had  a  majority  in  that  precinct  at  that  time  of  perhaps  one-fourth  ; 
i  that  is,  a  difference  of  one-fourth  between  the  two  parties.     There 
was  no  one  shot  at  that  election  that  I  ever  heard  of.     I  saw  no  arms 
there,  and  heard  no  guns  fired. 

JOHN  W.  SMITH. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


OSBORN  HULAN  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  August,  1854,  from  St.  Joseph's,  and 
settled  in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct,  14th  district,  and  have  resided  there 


318  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

ever  since.  I  was  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder  one  of  the  judges  of  ^ 
fclie  election  of  March  30,  1855.  I  did  not  serve  ;  the  reason  I  did  not : 
serve  was,  that  I  did  not  think  I  could  serve  as  judge,  and  go  accord-  * 
ing  to  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor,,  which  I  thought  I  ought 
to  act  up  to.  Carrol  Hughes,  of  St.  Joseph's,  met  me  on  the  road  as  < 
I  was  going  to  town,  the  day  before  the  election  ;  he  told  me  he  had  1 
come  over  to  advise  me  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  election,  that 
he  came  as  a  friend  ;  I  believe  he  was  sincerely  a  friend  to  me  in  that. . 
I  told  him  I  was  very  thankful  for  his  advice,  but  I  had  positively 
declined  within  myself  not  to  serve,  before  I  had  seen  him.  I  did  note 
think  he  came  to  frighten  me  at  all.  I  had  had  a  conversation  withi 
Mr.  Whitehead,  one  of  my  associate  judges,  about  this  matter,  the  * 
legality  of  voting,  in  order  to  see  how  our  views  were  upon  that  sub-- 
ject ;  we  disagreed  but  little  at  the  time  ;  but  after  I  went  home,  and  i 
read  the  governor's  proclamation,  and  reflected  on  it,  I  concluded  that; 
I  could  not  and  would  not  have  anything  to  do  with  the  election,  as  Itj 
knew  I  could  not  do  what  I  knew  to  be  my  duty  without  having  some 
difficulty.  When  I  was  talking  with  Mr.  Whitehead  we  had  before  • 
us,  I  knew,  "Stringfellow's  Exposition"  of  the  oath  prescribed  by, 
the  governor.  I  do  not  think  either  of  us  agreed  either  for  the  one ' 
or  the  other  decision  in  regard  to  the  oath.  I  cannot  say  whether! 
Wh  (ehead  approved  of  Stringfellow's  Exposition  or  not,  but  he* 
seemed  to  think  that  the  governor's  proclamation  was  no  particular!1 
criterion  to  go  by  ;  but  thought  the  oath  prescribed  would  not  pre--| 
vent  any  one  from  voting  who  should  apply,  as  he  considered  all  inij 
the  Territory,  and  had  a  claim  merely  as  residents,  and  entitled  to*i 
vote. 

OSBORN  HULAN. 
LEAVENWORTII  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


ALFRED  LARZELERE  testifies. 

I  first  made  a  claim  in  April,  1854,  and  the  one  on  which  I  now 
reside  in  May,  1854.  I  moved  my  family  from  St.  Joseph's  in  March.) 
1855;  to  this  Territory,  and  settled  in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct,  in  thet 
14th  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  named  as  a 
candidate  for  the  free  State  party  as  representative  at  the  election  ol> 
March  30,  1855,  in  connexion  with  Mr.  Harding  for  council,  andt 
Mr.  Fee  for  the  house.  I  ceased  to  be  a  candidate  on  the  morning  ol> 
election,  when  I  withdrew.  Mr.  Fee,  froin  the  extraordinary  excite-1 
ment  became  alarmed,  and  was  afraid  the  election  would  result  in  si 
row  if  we  continued  as  candidates.  Missourians  from  various  quarter? 
began  to  come  over  into  the  Territory  some  two  or  three  days  before 
the  election,  some  stopping  about  in  the  neighborhood,  and  otherfj 
going  further  out.  I  think  it  was  two  days  previous  to  the  election J 
Mr.  Fee  called  at  my  house  and  expressed  his  fears  as  to  the  consequence' 
of  this  excitement,  and  suggested  the  propriety  of  our  withdrawing}! 
our  names  from  the  contest.  I  opposed  the  measure  very  decidedly/! 
as  I  was  for  running  the  race  through  as  men  of  principle,  if  we  dici<j 

• 

'    •  i 

I 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  3  ]  9 

not  get  any  votes  at  all.  We  separated  with  the  understanding  of 
meeting  at  Mr.  Harding's  house  the  next  day,  which  we  did.  We 
there  had  a  consultation  with  some  of  our  friends  ;  Mr.  Harding  and 

I  myself  opposed  this  withdrawing  of  our  names,  and  Mr.  Fee  urged  it. 

II  do  not 'know  that  any  particular  persons  came  over  and  stopped  them 
the  day  before  the  election  from  Missouri.     But  persons  were  coming 
over  for  several  days  before,  and  the  rumor  was  general  that  they 
would  come  to  the  election.    Mr.  Harding,  Mr.  Fee,  and  myself,  after 
the  consultation,  left  with  the  understanding  that  we  were  to  meet  on 
the  ground  at  the  polls  on  the  morning  of  election.     We  did  meet 
there;  I  was  quite  sick,  and  should  not  have  left  niy  house  but  for  that 
appointment.     We  looked  around  and  surveyed  the  crowd_,  and  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  there  must  be  from  200  to  250  Missourians  on 
the  ground,  and  the  general  understanding  was  that  they  come  there 
prepared  to  vote.    I  think  the  number  was  sufficient,  if  they  had  voted,, 

;to  out  vote  the  free  State  residents  of  the  district.     Mr.   Harding^ 
Mr.  Fee,  and  myself  met,  consulted,  and  reluctantly,  so  far  as  Mr. 
Harding  and  myself  were  concerned,  consented  to  have  our  names 
withdrawn,  as  we  believed  the  Missourians  would  out  vote  us,  if  we 
run  as  candidates  at  that  time.     Our  names  were  then  withdrawn. 
Mr.  Fee  announcing  by  our  authority  that  the  free  State  ticket  would 
be  withdrawn.    I  had  taken  some  pains  to  ascertain  the  state  of  feeling 
in  the  district  as  to  free  State  and  slave  State,  and  I  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  free  State  party  had  a  decided  majority  in  the  district. 
The  fear  of  being  out  voted  by  Missourians,  and  the  anxiety  of  Mr. 
Fee,  were  the  principal  reasons  for  our  withdrawing  our  names.     I 
did  not  really  fear  myself  that  there  would  be  any  difficulty.     I 
knew  the  instructions  of  Governor  Keeder  to  the  judges  of  election, 
and  it  was  generally  rumored  that  General  Stringfellow  had  issued 
:  another  set  of  instructions  to  the  judges.     We  declined  to  withdraw 
,  until  we  knew  who  were  to  be  the  judges,  and  what  their  course  of 
,  proceeding  was  to  be.      Mr.  Blackstone  and  Mr.  Hulan,  two  of  the 
judges  appointed  by  the  governor,,  were  not  there,  and  the  places  were 
I  filled  by  Mr.  Albert  Heed  and  Mr.  Johnson,  so  that  all  the  judges  were 
i  pro-slavery.     The  free  State  men  generally  did  not  vote  that  day.     I 
]  do  not  know  how  many  came  to  the  polls,  as  I  went  home  early  in  the 
I  morning.     On  my  way  home  I  met  some  fifteen  or  twenty  citizens,  ta 
i  whom  I  told  the  circumstances  ;  some  kept  on  and  others  said  they 
would  turn  back  and  not  vote.    I  voted  that  morning  myself  for  Capt. 
Whitehead  and  no  other  person.     I  saw  nothing  more  of  the  election. 
I  have  examined  the  poll  lists,  and  the  following  are  the  names  of 
some  I  find  there  I  know  to  have  been  citizens  of  Missouri  at  that 
time  :  S.  P.  Blair,  who  lives  southeast  of  St.  Joseph's,  0.  H.  P.  Craig, 
of  Savannah,  Andrew  county,  Missouri,  Duncan  Lenion,  from  the 
bottom  above  St.  Joseph's,  William  K.  Eichardson,  of  St.  Joseph's, 
Young  Owen,  at  that  time  a  citizen  of  Buchanan  county,  but  since  a 
citizen  of  Andrew  county,  Evan  Richardson,  from  Buchanan  county, 
Emmet  Fulkerson,  from  Andrew  county.     There  are  a  good  many 
names  there  I  am  acquainted  with,  but  am  not  acquainted  with  their 
first  names,  who  were  citizens  of  Missouri  at  that  time. 


320  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

I  was  acquainted  with  a  good  many  in  the  district  in  which  I  was 
a  candidate,  and  I  knew  many  "by  face  I  did  not  know  by  name.     I 
have  been  in  almost  every  neighborhood  in  the  district,  though  in 
some  of  them  I  have  not  travelled  much.     I  am  best  acquainted  in 
the  bottom,  below  St.  Joseph's,  and  the  St.  Joseph's  bottom.     I  never 
was  in  Major  Richardson's  neighborhood  before  the  election,  and  did 
not  know  who  lived  there,  except  from  report.     I  have  never  been  in 
the  Burr  Oak  bottom.     I  have  been  out  the  California  road,  seven  or 
eight  miles,  but  did  not  call  at  any  one's  house,  as  I  had  no  business 
at  any  of  them.     I  never  traced  the  lines  of  the  district  by  actual 
observation,  though  I  knew  where  they  were,  as  they  were  published. 
I  learned,  by  making  inquiries,  conversing  with  different  ones,  that 
the  free  State  party  had  a  majority  in  the  district.     I  learned  from 
various  persons  that  up  in  Burr  Oak  bottom  the  parties  were  pretty 
nearly  divided.     Mr.  Harding  and  Mr.  Fee  were  up  there  electioneer- • 
ing.     Did  not  go  out  myself  to  canvass,  but  once,  on  account  of  sick-  - 
ness.     I  then  went  into  the  bottom  below  St.  Joseph's  bottom,  and  li 
ascertained  there,  from  the  inhabitants  there,  that  there  were  forty 
voters,  and  only  three  pro-slavery  men  there.     I  think  Mr.  White 
and,  probably,  Mr.  Myers  told  me  so.     I  think  Nathan  White,  or 
Wheith,  who  lives  in  that  bottom,  is  the  one  I  refer  to.     So  far  as  II 
learned,  I  heard  of  no  dissensions  in  the  free  State  party,  though  there3 
might  have  been  such  a  thing.     Mr.  Fee  never  urged  that  to  me  as  a»j 
reason  for  withdrawing  the  free  State  ticket ;    the  only  reason  he 
urged  to  me  was  the  fear  of  a  defeat  by  Missouri  votes,  and  perhaps  ail 
row.     He  did  not  urge  that  if  we  withdrew  our  ticket,  which  we 
could  not  elect,  and  unite  it  on  Captain  Whitehead,  we  could  elect  f| 
him  to  the  council  over  Major  Eichardson,  though  it  was  understood! 
that  if  we  voted  at  all  it  should  be  for  Captain  Whitehead.     I  stayed 
at  the  polls  but  a  short  time  after  the  polls  were  opened,  perhaps  an 
hour  or  two.     I  state  that  the  free  State  men  did  not  vote  generally 
that  day,  because  I  understood  they  did  not  generally  turn  out,  and  I 
know  there  were  but  few  on  the  ground  when  I  left,  and  I  met  others 
on  my  way  home,  who  said  they  would  not  go  to  the  polls.     I  do  not 
know  whether  any  of  the  fifteen  or  twenty  men  I  met  went  to  thei 
polls  or  not;  I  left  them  standing  in  the  road  discussing  the  matter; 
some  of  them  said  they  would  go  back  without  voting.     I  do  not 
know  positively  that  any  one  free  State  man  did  not  vote  that  day, 
but  I  understood  there  was  not  a  general  turn  out.     I  think  it  wasn 
not  known  before  the  morning  of  election,  so  far  as  I  knew,  or  gave 
any  intimation  of  it,  that  the  free  State  ticket  was  to  be  withdrawn.,! 
If  the  free  State  ticket  had  not  been  withdrawn,  it  is  probable  persons,!! 
would  have  gone  out  and  urged  to  come  to  the  polls  those  of  the  freetj 
State  party  who  might  have  been  tardy  in  coming.     I  never  receivedlj 
a  letter  from  Governor  Reeder,  while  I  was  a  resident  of  Missouri,,! 
urging  me  to  run  as  a  free  State  candidate  for  the  legislature  in  this«i 
Territory.     I  was  into  the  St.  Joseph's  bottom,  some  days  before  the? 
election,  and  I  saw  many  persons  there  strangers  to  me,  and  heard l| 
that  they  were  collecting,  and  there  was  a  general  rumor  to  that! 
Affect.  A.  LARZELERE. 

LEAYENWOETH  CITY,  K.  T.?  May  23,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  321 

WILLARD  P.  HALL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

My  house  and  place  of  residence  is  about  f  of  a  mile  from  the  cor- 
poration limits  of  the  town  of  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri.  I  have  resided 
there  in  that  house  since  March,  1849.  I  was  at  an  election,  held  at 
Mr.  Bryant's  in  this  Territory,  about  4|  miles  from  St.  Joseph's,  on 
the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  believe  that  is  called  the  Burr  Oak  pre- 
cinct. There  were  a  great  many  persons  there  from  Missouri ;  I  sup- 
pose about  250.  My  purpose  and  the  purpose  of  those  with  whom  I 
conversed  in  going  to  that  election  that  day,  was  to  secure  the  election 
of  the  pro-slavery  ticket  by  all  legal  and  fair  means.  The  voting  of 
Missourians  I  did  not  consider  fair  and  legal  means  of  accomplishing 
that  object,  as  my  position  has  always  been  that  no  one  but  actual 
residents  of  Kansas  Territory  had  a  right  to  vote  in  the  Territory. 
There  was  great  excitement  in  our  section  of  the  country,  the  Platte 
county,  and,  I  believe,  throughout  the  frontier  of  Missouri  at  that 
time.  We  heard  that  a  great  many  men  were  coming  from  the  free 
States  for  the  purpose  of  voting  at  that  election,  with  a  view  of  pro- 
hibiting slavery  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  It  was  also  reported  and 
believed  that  many  of  these  men  threatened  that  they  would  first 
make  Kansas  a  free  State  and  then  commence  an  attack  upon  the  slave 
property  of  Missouri.  It  was  also  reported  that  a  large  number, 
several  hundred,  were  expected  on  the  boat  the  day  of  election  to  vote 
at  the  precinct  where  we  went ;  we  expected  to  challenge  all  such 
voters.  If  it  was  determined  by  the  judges  that  non-residents  who 
were  opposed  to  slavery  should  be  permitted  to  vote,  it  was  supposed 
that  they  would  apply  the  same  rule  to  non-residents  who  were  in 
favor  of  slavery.  I  was  about  the  polls  a  good  deal  that  day,  as  my 
father-in-law  was  a  candidate,  and  I  felt  a  good  deal  of  interest  in  his 
election,  as  I  considered  him  more  reliable  upon  the  slavery  question 
i  than  his  opponent.  I  am  not  able  to  say  what  number  of  Missourians 
voted.  I  believe  I  did  see  two  vote,  but  those  are  the  only  two  I  no- 
ticed vote.  I  suppose  they  voted  from  having  gone  up  to  the  window 
with  their  votes,  though  I  did  not  actually  see  them  vote.  They  were 
Dr.  Tisdale  and  Mr.  Nap.  B.  Wood,  of  Savannah.  There  may  have 
been  other  Missourians  who  voted,  but  if  so  I  did  not  know  it.  I  did 
not  know  the  number  of  legal  voters  in  that  precinct  except  by  report, 
though  I  endeavored  to  make  myself  acquainted  with  the  relative 
strength  of  parties  in  that  district,  as  I  felt  a  great  interest  in  the 
matter.  I  conversed  with  every  one  of  both  parties  whom  I  thought 
were  able  and  willing  to  give  me  any  information  upon  the  subject. 
My  opinion  was,  from  all  I  learned,  that  there  were  about  250  legal 
voters  in  that  district,  and  about  from  30  to  50  majority  for  the  pro- 
slavery  party  in  that  district.  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the  residents 
of  the  district  generally,  though  I  am  acquainted  with  a  great  many 
i  who  did  reside  there  at  that  time.  I  saw  a  great  many  that  I  knew 
to  be  residents  of  that  district,  some  50,  or  60,  or  70,  who  were  at  the 
polls,  and  I  saw  a  good  number  of  them  vote,  but  I  cannot  say  how 
many  ;  and  some  also  that  I  judged  did  not  vote.  I  attended  a  meet- 
ing at  old  man  Lohorn's,  called  by  some  of  the  candidates,  I  under- 
H.  Rep.  200 21* 


322  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

stood,  and  Mr.  Fee,  Mr.  Harding,  and  Captain  Whitehead,  candidates, 
were  there.  That  was  two  days  before  the  election  of  March  30,  1855. 
Captain  Whitehead,  Mr*  Harding,  and  Mr.  Fee  addressed  the  meeting. 
Captain  Whitehead  said  he  was  a  pro-slavery  man ;  the  others  ap- 
peared to  me  not  to  express  themselves  very  decided  free  State  men, 
but  the  drift  of  their  argument  was  in  favor  of  a  free  State.  There 
were  not  more  than  12  or  15  voters,  I  think,  at  that  meeting.  I  con- 
versed with  quite  a  number  of  them.  I  also  made  a  little  speech 
there  myself,  in  which  I  tried  to  persuade  the  people  that  they  ought 
to  vote  the  pro-slavery  ticket. 

William  P.  Richardson,  now  member  of  the  council  of  this  Terri- 
tory, resided  at  that  time  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  about  6^  miles 
from  St.  Joseph's,  by  the  usually  travelled  road,  and  about  4  miles  in 
the  most  direct  way.     Major  Richardson  lived  in  my  house  until  the 
fall  of  1854,  September  or  October.     He  managed  the  farm,  and  at 
the  time  he  left  my  farm  and  house  turned,  it  over  to  me,  and  I  have 
had  the  whole  matter  to  myself,  and  he  has  had  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
He  has  never  lived  in  my  house  or  on  my  farm  since,,  only  occasionally 
visiting  us.     At  the  time  he  left  my  farm  he  said  he  was  going  to  re- 
side in  Kansas  Territory.     I  have  been  frequently  at  his  house  in 
Kansas  since  that  time.     He  has  a  farm  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  ; 
which  he  cultivates.     Prior  to  and  at  the  time  of  the  election  of : 
March  30,  1855,  Major  Richardson  had  between  200  and  300  head  of? 
cattle  in  the  Territory,  and  also  some  slaves,  some  two  or  three,  some-  • 
times  more.     He  also  had  horses  and  mules,  and  a  circular  saw  mill. 
He  had  also  some  hogs,  I  think.     As  to  the  amount  of  land  he  had  i 
under  cultivation  at  that  time,  I  cannot  say,  nor  how  much  he  had  i 
enclosed  by  fences.     Major  Richardson  was  an  actual  resident  of  Kan-  • 
sas  Territory  at  the  time  of  that  election.     Sometime  during  the  day 
of  election,  perhaps  about  noon,  there  was  a  fight.     I  got  to  the  place  • 
of  election  prior  to  the  opening  of  the  polls.     I  heard  of  no  quarrel- 
ling or  disturbance  before  the  polls  were  opened,  or  any  threats  by  per-- 
sons  of  any  party.     I  was  present  when  one  of  the  candidates,  I  think; 
Mr.  Fee,  got  up  and  stated  that  the  free  State  ticket  was  withdrawn. . 
I  heard  a  speech,  all  of  it,  delivered  by  Major  Richardson  on  that  oc- 
casion.    I  cannot  state  the  words,  but  I  can  state  what  I  recollect  ofi 
the  substance  and  drift  of  what  he  said.     He  said  that  he  was  a  very/ 
strong  pro-slavery  man_,  and  yet  he  believed  that  the  honest  free  State? 
men  would  vote  for  him.     He  said  he  would  get  up  at  any  time  in  thei 
night  to  defeat  the  free  State  principles,  and  if  elected  he  would  ops* 
pose  their  free  soil  principles  in  every  way  in  his  power,  but  in  anyf 
other  respect  he  would  represent  them  impartially.     I  think  that  m 
about  the  substance  of  all  he  said  upon  that  subject.     I  think  thee 
polls  were  closed  when  I  left  that  evening.     I  got  over  the  river  before? 
dark,  and  I  think  a  little  after  sundown.     I  went  over  on  a  steamboat.! 
I  do  not  know  how  prominent  and  leading  I  was  in  the  councils  of! 
the  pro-slavery  party  6n  the  ground  that  day.     I  was  in  consultatioail 
with  those  I  considered  the  leaders  of  the  pro-slavery  party  at  that* 
time.     There  was  no  fighting  committee  appointed  and  left  there  fofl 
the  day,  so  far  as  I  know.     I  think  if  there  had  been  anything  of  thai 
kind  I  should  have  known  it,  though   there  might  have  been  such  asl 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  323 

thing  without  my  knowledge.  I  never  heard  of  anybody  being  shot 
there  that  day  until  within  a  few  days  ago,  and  I  do  not  believe  there 
was  any  one  shot  there  that  day.  I  cannot  say  how  the  Missourians 
who  went  over  there  that  day  were  armed.  Some  few  I  saw  with 
rifles,  but  the  rest  had  no  arms  except  they  were  concealed.  I  had 
none  myself.  I  remember  of  seeing  a  few  guns  on  the  ground,  not 
more  than  half  a  dozen,  and  I  do  not  know  that  they  were  all  in  the 
hands  o*f  the  Missourians,  and  cannot  say  that  I  saw  a  single  gun  in 
the  hands  of  a  Missourian.  I  do  not  think  I  saw  a  pistol  or  Bowie 
knife  in  the  hands  of  any  one  that  day.  I  accompanied  Mrs.  Rich- 
ardson  on  the  third  day  before  the  election  to  the  Territory.  I  rode 
on  horseback,  and  she  went  in  a  two  horse  wagon  driven  by  a  negro 
boy.  I  left  her  there,  and  I  believe  she  returned  to  my  house  the  day 
after  the  election,  though  it  may  have  been  later.  I  came  home  my- 
self on  the  day  of  election.  The  day  after  she  came  to  my  house, 
Major  Richardson,  Gary  Whitehead,  and  one  of  the  judges  of  elec- 
tion, Mr.  Blair  and  Mr.  Watterson,  representatives  elect,  left  my  house 
for  the  purpose,  as  they  said,  of  going  to  Shawnee  Mission,  where 
Governor  Reeder  was,  for  the  purpose  of  making  returns  of  the  elec- 
tion, and  getting  certificates  of  election  for  the  members  elect. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  heard  of  these  rumors  that  I  have  spoken  of  being  in  existence  in 
Missouri  in  regard  to  the  eastern  people  coming  on  here  to  vote  in  the 
early  part  of  March,  1855.  I  heard  the  matter  talked  about  a  good 
<deal.  I  did  not  hear  about  the  steamboat  load  of  passengers  to  come 
at  the  election  precinct  where  I  was  until  about  a  week  before  the  elec- 
tion. I  also  heard  that  there  was  an  emigration  of  some  forty  or  fifty 
coming  to  Iowa  Point  either  from  Iowa  or  through  Iowa.  The  report 
was  that  these  persons  were  coming  merely  to  vote  and  then  return. 
I  know  nothing  about  the  truth  of  these  reports.  I  know  these  per- 
isons  were  not  at  the  election  where  I  was.  It  appeared  to  be  generally 
i  believed,  though  I  doubted  it  myself.  I  never  tried  to  trace  up  this 
i  report  to  see  where  it  came  from,  but  I  enquired  a  good  deal  about  it 
to  see  whether  it  was  reliable  or  not.  I  enquired  of  a  good  many  who 
I  said  they  had  taken  pains  to  enquire,  and  they  said  they  believed  the 
'report  to  be  true.  I  believe  now  that  a  great  many  did  come  under 
| the  influence  of  the  free  State  aid  societies  merely  to  vote,  and  that 
ithey  did  vote  and  then  returned.  I  saw  none  at  the  precinct  I  was  at 
that  spring,  but  I  believe  they  were  here  at  uthis  precinct,  and  that 
they  came  here  that  spring.  I  know  nothing  at  this  time  about  the 
truth  or  falsity  of  the  report.  It  was  .my  intention  and  those  with 
whom  I  conversed  to  go  over  to  the  election  and  challenge  the  votes  of 
these  men  if  they  were  offered  ;  if  they  were  ruled  out  we  would  have 
been  satisfied.  If  they  had  not  been  ruled  out  I  would  not  have  voted 
junder  any  circumstances  myself,  because  I  thought  I  had  no  legal 
:right  to  vote.  I  would  have  advised  no  one  else  to  vote,  though  I  be- 
lieve there  were  many  there,  residents  of  Missouri,  who  would  have 
offered  to  vote  if  the  judges  had  decided  that  the  residents  of  Massa- 
chusetts had  a  right  to  vote.  I  do  not  now  remember  that  I  saw  any 


324  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

newly  arrived  eastern  emigrants  there  that  clay,  and  from  all  I  have? 
learned  I  think  there  were  none  there.     I  saw  two  Missourians  go  up; 
to  the  polls  with  tickets  in  their  hands,  and  believe  they  voted  ;  one* 
was  Dr.  Tisdall,  who  resided  in  Savannah,  Andrews  county,  Missouri,, 
but  I  do  not  know  his  first  name  ;  the  other  was  Nap.  B.  Wood,  oi 
Savannah.     I  did  not  hear  any  I  knew  to  be  Missourians  say  they  had! 
voted.     From  all  I  have  heard  I  do  not  believe  there  were  over  teni 
Missourians  voted  there  that  day,  but  I  think  there  were  about  thaii 
number  of  Missourians  voted  that  day.     I  heard  in  almost  every  crowd! 
and  every  little  company,  where  Kansas  matters  were  discussed  at  all., 
these  rumors  I  have  mentioned.     I  did  not  come  over  to  Kansas  till  a* 
few  days  before  the  election,  for  the  first  time  that  month.     I  think- 
these  rumors  were  very  prevalent  in  our  portion  of  Missouri.     I  do  not 
recollect  who  was  the  first  one  I  heard  mention  this  rumor  ;  I  do  nolr 
think  I  talked  with  any  but  citizens  of  Missouri  and  pro-slavery  merr 
of  Kansas  about  this  rumor  before  the  election.     I  think  I  heard  ru-i 
mors  that  there  was  information  derived  from  steamboat  captains  aria 
others  perhaps,  that  there  was  a  large  crowd  of  these  emigrants  in  Stt, 
Louis  waiting  for  a  chance  to  come  up  the  river.     Gen.  William  P* 
Richardson  has  a  wife,  and  he  has  lived  in  this  Territory  from  the  fall 
of  1854.     His  wife  lived  at  my  house  in  Missouri  during  that  time1 
and  lives  there  yet.     I  do  not  think  that,  in  the  opinion  of  a  souncc 
lawyer,  a  man's  residence  would  be  affected  by  the  fact  that  he  lived  in 
the  Territory  and  his  wife  in  Missouri,  for  we  hold  that  a  wife's  residencoj 
follows  Jhat  of  her  husband.     The  farm  I  live  on  is  sometimes  desigjj 
nated  as  Major  Richardson's  farm,  but  I  do  not  think  the  title  wa,tj 
ever  vested  in  him.     When  the  house  was  built  it  was  built  upon  land 
that  never  belonged  to  Gen.  Richardson.     I  was  in  Congress  at  th-ij 
time,  and  when  I  came  home  Gen.  Richardson  lived  in  the  house  an«< 
cultivated  the  farm,  and  it  was  commonly  known  as  the  Major  Richard! 
son  farm.     He  cultivated   the   farm  before  he  lived  in  that  house 
and  continued  to  cultivate  and   manage  it  until   the   fall  of  1854] 
when  he  ceased  to  have  anything  to  do  with  it.     Plis  wife  has  madij 
her  home  with  me  and  he  has  made  his  home  in  Kansas  Territory,  hit 
wife  never  going  over  except  on  visits.     Major  Richardson  has  a  fam 
in  Kansas,  and  I  think  since  he  has  been  there  the  most  of  his  attenr 
tion  has  been  devoted  to  his  cattle  as  the  most  important  part  of  hii 
farming  operations.     I  do  not  remember  that  I  know  any  Bird  in  tha 
district  where  Major  Richardson  resides,  or  in  this  part  of  the  State  c< 
Missouri,  and  do  not  think  I  saw  a  man  by  the  name  of  Bird  or  c 
Ashburn  at  the  place  of  election  that  day.     If  there  were  250  resii 
dents  in  the  district,  I  think  I  was  acquainted  more  or  less  with 
fourth  of  them.     John  Fee  was  a  candidate  before  the  day  of  election 
but  on  the  day  of  election,  before  any  votes  were  taken,  he  withdrew 
The  following  are  some  of  the  names  of  resident  Missourians- 1  s 
there  that  day  :  Solomon  L.  Leonard,  Bela  M.  Hughes,  F.  C.  Hughew 
John  Scott,  George  Hall,  my  brother,  Gen.   Jonathan  M.   Basset^ 
Reuben  Middleton,  Walker  Read,  Silas  Woodson,  Preston  Richardson 
John  Graves,  Wellington  Cunningham,  Squire  E.  S.  Castle,  Captaij 
James  Craig,  Alexander   Davis,  James  Carson,  Bean  Hamilton, 
youth  of  some  15  or  16  years  of  age,  Benjamin  F.  Stringfellow,  COD 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  325 

A.  M.  Mitchell,  Mr.  Todd,  and  a  great  many  more  that  I  do  not  now 
rememher.  I  am  not  aware  that  the  farm  I  live  on  has  been  known 
as  Major  Richardson's  farm  since  he  moved  to  the  Territory  in  1854. 
I  think  it  is  not. 

WILLARD  P.  HALL. 
LEAVBNWOETH  CITY,  May  22,  1856. 


BENJAMIN  H.  BROCK  called  and  affirmed. 

To  Mr.  Propper : 

I  reside  in  about  five  or  six  miles  of  the  Savannah  landing,  opposite 
Savannah,  Missouri,  in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  fourteenth  dis- 
trict.    I  moved  in  the  Territory  in  the  last  of  September,  1854.     I 
was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the  Burr  Oak  pre- 
cinct, at  Bryant's.     I  got  to  the  place  of  election  after  they  had  com- 
menced voting.     Harding  informed  me  that  the  free  State  candidates 
had  withdrawn.     The  voting  was  going  on.     I  then  voted  for  Mr. 
Whitehead,  Blair,  and  Watterson.    I  saw  numbers  voting.    I  saw  but 
;  one  in&n  vote  that  I  knew  to  be  a  resident  of  Andrew  county,  Missouri ; 
his  name  was  Samuel  W.  Woodcock.     There  was  a  large  concourse  of 
people  there.    I  had  seen  a  young  man  some  time  previous  to  that  come 
up  and  hand  in  his  vote.     I  did  not  know  the  young  man,  and  they 
objected  to  his  voting,  and  said  he  was  not  of  age.     One  of  the  judges 
presented  the  Testament  or  Bible  to  him.    The  young  man  would  not 
••  swear,  but  left.     I  asked  the  judges  about  the  time  Mr.  Woodcock 
voted  if  they  applied  the  same  rule  to  -every  one  who  offered  to  vote  as 
Ithey  did  to  this  young  man,  and  they  told  me  they  would  call  for  me 
when  they  wanted  my  advice.     I  saw  a  Mr.  Castle  there,  and  I  had  a 
j  conversation  with  him.     I  have  known  him  for  the  last  fifteen  years; 
he  was  a  citizen  of  Andrew  country,  and  is  yet,  I  believe.     His  name 
is  E.  S.  Castle,  Squire  Castle,  as  they  call  him.    He  and  I  got  to  talk- 
ing, and  I  told  him  jokingly  that  he  must  vote,  now  he  had  come  over, 
and  he  said  he  was  not  entitled  to  vote.     The  judges  intimated  as 
much  as  if  he  could  vote.     It  appears  to  my  mind  that  they  said 
|  he   could  vote.     I  think   Mr.  Whitehead  was  foremost,   but  I  will 
(not  be  positive  about  that.     I  was  not  very  well  acquainted  in  our 
(district,  and  cannot  say  what  the  relative  strength  of  parties  then 
'was.     There  were  some  men  I  met  there  I  was  acquainted  with  in 
'!  Andrew  county,,  Ex-sheriff  Crook,  two  of  the  Davis's,  or  Davidson, 

Fleming  and  Benjamin,  I  think,  were  their  names,  Dr. Baker,  • 

[  and  many  others  whose  names  I  cannot  recollect.  Mr.  Teagarden 
'  and  some  gentleman  I  talked  with  claimed,  as  I  understood,  that  they 
;had  a  right  to  vote  under  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  and  that  every 
'  man  ^  on  the  ground  had  a  right  to  vote  ;  that  their  presence  in  ^  the 
'Territory  made  them  voters.  Mr.  Teagarden  had  an  interest  in  a 
1  claim  over  here.  I  knew  nothing  of  any  the  others  having  claims. 
:  They  agreed  that  a  man  coming  here  and  laying  out  a  claim  here, 
though  still  living  in  Missouri,  had  a  right  to  vote  here.  I  have  seen 
<  a  copy  of  the  poll  list  furnished  by  the  committee,  and  saw  som* 


S26  KANSAS   AFI'AIRS. 

names  there  I  was  certain  were  residents  of  Andrew  county  at  that 
time^Dr.  Tisdale  and  P.  0.  H.  Craig,  William  K.  Richardson,  of 
Bushman  county.  I  left  shortly  after  Judge  Leonard  got  up  and  asked 
the  company  to  remain  until  the  polls  were  closed,  and  I  think  he  said 
the  poll-hooks  certified,  and  then  they  would  all  return  together.  I 
saw  little  disturbance,  but  it  was  some  one  hundred  yards  from  the 
polls,  at  a  grocery. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

I  saw  but  one  man  vote  there  that  I  was  positive  was  not  a  resident 
of  the  Territory.  I  saw  numbers  voting  there.  I  will  not  be  positive 
that  it  was  Mr.  Whitehead  who  said  to  Squire  Castle  that  he  could 
vote,  but  I  am  of  the  opinion  it  was. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  emigrated  from  Andrew  county,  Misssouri,  to  Kansas.  The 
greater  portion  of  those  voting  there  that  day  were  strangers  to  me, 
and  I  do  not  know  whether  they  lived  in  the  district  or  not. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  had  never  been  to  Major  Richardson's  place  in  the  Territory.  I 
had  never  seen  his  mill.  At  the  time  of  the  election  I  did  not  know 
what  people  lived  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mr.  Richardson. 

BENJAMIN  H.  BROCK. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


BENJAMIN  DUNCAN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided  in  the  14th  district  of  this  Territory  on  the  30th  March,, 
1855,  in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct.  I  was  acquainted  a  good  deal  ini 
that  neighborhood  at  that  time;  I  was  acquainted  with  John  W.  Ste- 
phens. I  went  over  to  Kansas  in  December,  1854,  or  January,  1855,, 
and  Stephens  was  living  in  the  Territory  at  that  time,  at  Major  Rich- 
ardson's, where  I  went  myself.  He  continued  to  reside  there  until! 
after  the  30th  of  March.  Some  few  days  before  the  election  he  wentt 
across  the  river  on  some  business,  and  returned  again.  I  knew  Elijahi 
Merrill,  James  Merrill,  Mr.  Tippican,  Robert  Whitsett,  James  Wa— 
terson,  Gr.  W.  Bahn,  John  Doyle,  Thomas  J.  Dolan,  Anderson  Cried-- 
don,  M.  S.  Swinney,  Sabiot  Gledon,  'Dr.  E.  F.  Wells,  William  Mi- 
chaels, (was  working  for  Wells,)  James  Sellers,  Olney  Evans,  William i 

H.  Allen,  Polite  Laravier,  Edward  Snyder, Anderson,  Joseplf 

Ashley,  Franpois,  a  Frenchman,  William  Shelton,  F.  Trust,  John  W,| 

Smith,   E.  M.  Morris, Uno,  Joseph  Peters,  Charles  Sl.imer, 

Matthias  Rapp,  Hezekiah  Jackson,  Peter  O'Rouke,  Benjamin  Dun an,,j; 
John  W.  Stephens,   James  Gillespie,   Henry  Lagua,  were  residents?, 
of  the  district.     Major  Richardson  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory^ 
I  worked  for  him  about  three  months,  and  he  was  there  pretty  much' 
all  the  time. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  327 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  have  known  John  W.  Stephens  since  I  went  to  the  Territory.  I 
heard  from  him  that  he  was  from  Virginia.  He  was  a  young  man, 
without  a  family.  Mr.  Stephens  lives  near  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri, 
now.  His  parents  are  not  living  in  Missouri.  He  left  the  Territory 
shortly  after  the  election,  though  he  had  a  claim  in  Kansas  then,  but 
has  lost  it  now,  so  he  told  me.  I  think  Elijah  Merrill  is  a  man  of 
family,  and  James  Merrill  is  married.  They  both  live  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Major  Kichardson,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  they  live 
there  now  or  not,  as  I  do  not  live  there  myselt  now  ;  they  were  there 
when  I  went  to  the  Territory.  I  do  not  recollect  exactly  where  Tip- 
pican  lived  then,  and  do  not  know  where  he  lives  now.  I  do  not 
know  where  he  was  from,  or  how  long  he  had  lived  in  the  Territory 
then,  and  do  not  know  certain  whether  he  has  a  family  or  not,  but  I 

I  think  he  has.  I  cannot  say  how  old  he  was,  and  do  not  know  as  I  saw 
him  on  election  day,  or  where  I  saw  him  last.  I  never  knew  him 
anywhere  else  except  in  the  Territory,  and  have  never  been  very  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  him  ;  I  recollect  of  seeing  the  man  there. 
Robert  Whitsett  had  a  claim  there  at  that  time,  but  I  do  not  know 
where  his  family  was,  but  I  believe  he  had  one.  I  do  not  know  where 
he  lives  at  this  time  ;  I  know  that  he  lived  on  his  claim  on  the  day  of 
election,  but  I  cannot  tell  how  long  he  had  lived  there  or  where  he  had 
come  from.  John  Doyle  had  a  place  near  where  I  was  working,  and 
had  his  family  with  him  ;  and  so  with  Thomas  Dolan.  I  think  that 
a  man  who  lives  in  the  Territory,  and  has  been  living  there  for  some 
time,  and  has  his  family  with  him,  if  he  has  one,  he  is  a  resident.  I 
do  not  recollect  much  about  M.  F.  Swinney.  I  think  he  was  there  on 
the  day  of  election,  and  I  have  seen  him  there  at  other  times.  He 

ihas  a  family,  and  lived  between  three  and  four  miles  from  Bryant's. 
Mr.  Gladden  had  a  farm  there,  and  his  family  with  him.  Mr.  Wells 

I  was  living  there.     Joseph  Sollers  is  a  farmer,  and  had  a  family  there  ; 

!he  came  from  Missouri,  and  is  between  twenty -five  or  thirty  years  old. 

,1  left  the  neighborhood  about  two  weeks  after  the  election,  and  have 
not  been  back  to  that  neighborhood  since.  Mr.  Anderson  is  a  man  of 

:  family,  and  had  his  family  with  him.     I  think  Mr.  Trent's  business 

I  is  a  farmer.     I  do  not  know  that  any  of  them  even  had  any  other 

j  house.     John  M.  Smith  had  a  claim,  and  was  living  on  it.     E.   M. 

i  Morris  lives  west  of  Major  Richardson's  place,  and  had  a  family,  and 

i  was  living  there  at  the  time  of  election  ;  he  came  there  with  his  fam- 

|  ily  sometime  during  the  winter. 
To.  Mr.  Scott : 

I  went  from  Major  Richardson  down  on  the  bottom,  opposite  St.  Jo- 
seph's ;  got  married,  and  went  to  California  by  the  way  of  Salt  Lake. 
I  left  my  wife  here  on  a  claim  I  had.  I  got  back  the  last  part  of 
March,  1856. 

BENJ:  DUNCAN,  his  x  mark. 

LHAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


328  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

CHARLES  W.  STEWART  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Propper : 

•I  moved  into  the  Territory  on  the  15th  of  January,  1855.  I  cai 
originally  from  Indiana,  by  the  way  of  St.  Joseph's.  I  moved  in 
Doniphan  County,  in  Burr  Oak  precinct,  14th  district.  I  was  at  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Bryant. 
There  were  a  great  many  people  there,  more  than  I  had  expected.  I 
should  suppose  there  were  something  like  300  people  on  the  ground. 
I  arrived  there  about  10  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  the  voting  had 
been  carried  on  for  some  time.  There  were  a  great  many  strangers N 
there,  and  many  I  knew  to  be  citizens  of  Missouri.  I  am  of  opinion 
that  there  was  at  least  50  persons  from  Missouri  that  I  was  acquainted 
with.  I  had  lived  near  St.  Joseph's  five  years,  or  something  near  it, 
and  was  acquainted  with  most  of  the  citizens  there  at  that  time. 
Some  of  those  I  knew  were  William  Hughes,  an  acting  justice  of  the 
peace,  F.  W.  Smith,  Mr.  James  Clark,  Merrill  Willis,  Evan  Rich- 
ardson, Mr.  M.  Moore,  Mr.  Northcut,  the  proprietor  of  a  mill,  Squire 
Carson,  and  a  great  many  others  I  know.  Mr.  CundifF,  the  editor  of 
the  St.  Joseph's  Gazette,  and  Wm.  K.  Richardson  were  there.  1  am  not 
very  well  acquainted  all  through  the  district ;  well  acquainted  in 
some  portions  of  the  district,  and  not  in  others.  At  that  time,  I  am 
of  opinion  that  the  free  State  party  had  a  majority  of  the  regular  legal 
residents  in  that  district.  I  voted  that  day.  I  think  that  the  major 
part  of  the  free  State  men  did  not  vote.  My  understanding  with  them 
was  that  they  would  not  vote,  because  the  opposite  party  had  driven 
their  candidates  from  the  track,  and  they  did  not  intend  to  participate 
in  the  election.  The  crowd  there  broke  up  as  persons  usually  break 
up  at  elections,  and  went  off  I  do  not  know  where.  Some  were  on 
the  ground  when  I  left.  I  think  I  did  not  hear  any  speeches  made 
that  day.  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any  persons  vote.  I  had  some 
conversation  with  some  of  them  in  regard  to  voting.  They  pretended 
to  say  that  there  had  been  a  rush  of  abolitionists  to  the  Territory  to 
vote,  and  that  they  had  an  equal  right  to  vote  in  the  Territory.  It 
was  contended  by  many  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  but  I  do  not 
know  upon  what  ground  except  perhaps  that  they  were  present.  They 
gave  as  a  reason  for  voting  that  it  was  in  retaliation  to  the  course 
pursued  by  the  abolitionists. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott  : 

I  do  not  know  what  free  State  men  left  the  polls  without  voting. 
Matthew  Isle  told  me  he  did  not  vote.  I  have  looked  at  the  poll 
lists,  and  I  do  not  find  the  names  of  some  free  State  men  I  know.  I 
do  not  know  of  my  own  knowledge  that  any  free  State  men  went 
home  without  voting.  I  do  not  recollect  the  persons  who  said  that 
the  other  party  had  driven  off  our  candidates.  I  think  Mr.  Fee,  or 
Mr.  Harding,  I  am  not  certain  which,  told  me  that  they  had  withdrawn 
their  names  to  prevent  bloodshed,  as  a  party  had  come  over  from 
Missouri  the  evening  before  with  arms,  and  encamped  upon  the  ground 
near  there.  No  one  tried  to  prevent  my  voting  that  day.  I  voted  for 
Capt.  Whitehead,  and  no  one  else.  I  made  nothing  like  a  speech 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  329 

there.     I  said  I  was  a  candidate  for  "  Congers/'  as  we  used  to  say  in 

Indiana  when  we  were  boys,  and  used  to  go  sparking  old  Congers 

daughters,  but  I  made  nothing  like  a  speech.     I  got  some  liquor  at 

.,  the  °Indian  wigwam,  took  it  with  Squire  ^Carson,  Major  RichardsoM, 

|  and  Judge  Leonard,  some  whiskey  the  Missotirians  had  brought  over. 

Mr.  Evan  Richardson  tantalized  me  by  saying  "what  will  you  do 

with  your  abolition  sentiments  to  day,  just  look  there/ '  pointing  to 

the  wagons.      There  was   not  I  think   the  very  best  feeling  there 

between  the  parties.    I  saw  some  guns  in  wagons,  but  am  not  positive 

about  seeing  any  upon  persons.     One  gentleman  in  company  with 

Merrill  Willis  told  me  he  was  from.  Grand  river,  and  had  come  over 

with  a  wagon  in  which  there  were  some  guns,  and  showed  me  his  gun. 

If  I  saw  any  person  armed  it  was  with  nothing  but  side  arms,  but  I 

could  not  say  I  saw  even  that. 

C.  W.  STEWART.'! 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


COLONEL  A.  M.  MITCHELL  sworn. 

Question.   Were  you  at  the  election  at  Burr  Oak  precinct  ? 
Answer.  I  was. 

Question.    How  was  that   election   conducted  ;    was   it   quiet  and 
orderly  ? 

Ansioer.  I  considered  it  as  much  so  as  elections  usually  are. 
Question.  Did  you  see  many  Missourians  there  ? 
Ansiver.  I  did. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  object  of  the  Missourians  being  there  ? 
Ansiver.  It  was  understood  at  St.  Joseph's  that  two  or  three  steam- 
boats  were   to   arrive  about   the  time  of  the  election  loaded   with 
•  Emigrant  Aid  men  from  the  north,  for  the  purpose  of  voting  and 
,  carrying  the  election  at  this  precinct  for  the  free  State  men,  and  the 
!  people  of  St.  Joseph's  and  vicinity  determined  they  would  be  on  the 
ground  in  large  numbers  and  prevent  them  from  voting  who  had 
!  come  there  merely  for  the  purpose  of  voting. 

Question.  Do  you  know  where  W.  P.  Richardson  lives? 
Answer.  To  the  best  of  my  belief  he  is  a  resident  of  Kansas. 
Question.  Do  you  believe  he  was  a  resident  of  Kansas  on  the  30th 
of  March,  1855. 
Answer.  I  do. 

Question.  Have  you  a  knowledge  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the 
Territory  at  the  time  of  the  first  congressional  election  in  the  Terri- 
tory? 

Answer.   I  believe  he  was  a  resident  there,  and  has  been  ever  since. 
Q  uestion.  Did  you  make  a  speech  in  St.  Joseph's  a  few  days  before 
the  election  ;  and  what  did  you  advise  the  Missourians  to  do  ? 

A  nswer.  I  did ;  and  advised  them  that  they  had  no  right  to  vote 
in  the  Territory. 

Questioned  by  committee  : 

Did  not  other  prominent  citizens  of  Missouri  take  a  different  view 


330  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

of  the  law,  and  claim  that  any  one  on  the  ground  in  the  Territory  on 
the  day  of  election  had  a  right  to  vote  ? 

Answer.  I  know  of  no  one  hut  General  Stringfellow,  who  took  that 
ground  at  the  puhlic  meeting  at  which  I  spoke.  I  don't  remember 
that  the  other  speakers  defined  their  positions  in  that  respect. 

A.  M.  MITCHELL. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


HENBY  S.  CREAL  testifies. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  was  residing  in  the  Territory  on  March  30,  1855,  and  was  at  the 
election  on  that  day,  at  Mr.  Bryant's  in  Burr  Oak  precinct,  in  the 
fourteenth  district.  I  was  acquainted  with  very  many  of  the  resi- 
dents of  the  district,  and  I  think  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  decided 
majority  in  the  district  at  that  time,  seventy-five  ;  perhaps  more  on 
the  day  of  election.  Major  Kichardson  resided  at  that  time  in  Kan- 
sas Territory.  I  know  this  from  the  fact  that  I  was  frequently  at  his 
residence,  and  lie  was  our  candidate  for  councilman.  I  took  some 
pains  to  inform  myself  as  to  the  number  of  resident  voters  in  the  dis- 
trict, and  I  think  there  was  at  least  three  hundred  votes,  and  my 
"belief  is  increased  from  the  vote  polled  at  our  primary  elections. 
The  weather  was  very  bad,  and  we  polled  at  the  primary  election 
over  one  hundred  votes,  and  I  am  satisfied  not  one-third  of  the  voters 
in  the  district  were  out  at  that  time.  I  was  acquainted  with  a  great 
many  Missourians  who  were  over  there.  Their  object  in  coming,  as  I 
understand,  was  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State  if  possible.  It  was 
rumored  there,  and  believed  by  many,  that  a  great  number  of  men 
would  be  sent  into  the  Territory  by  the  eastern  aid  society  to  be  at 
our  election,  and  that  there  would  be  some  at  our  place  of  election, 
and  the  Missourians  came  over  there  to  prevent  them  from  voting, 
and  to  counteract  their  voting.  I  saw  no  arms  there  on  the  day  of 
election.  There  was  no  disturbance  of  any  kind  at  the  polls,  and  it 
was  as  quiet  and  orderly  an  election  as  I  ever  saw.  I  think  the  free 
State  candidates  were  not  driven  from  the  field  by  any  threats  or  op- 
position. I  did  not  hear  Mr.  Fee's  announcement  of  withdrawal. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

The  report  about  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  was  believed  up  to 
the  day  of  election.  It  was  said  at  that  time,  and  the  name  of  the 
captain  was  given,  that  many  of  these  eastern  people  were  on  their 
way  up  the  river,  and  it  was  determined  by  the  captain  of  the  boat  to 
ground  his  boat  below  St.  Joseph's.  It  was  generally  believed,  I ' 
think.  It  was  expected  that  these  emigrants  would  arrive  at  the 
precinct  the  day  before  the  election.  It  is  likely,  if  the  emigrants 
had  been  coming  as  was  rumored,  they  would  have  landed  at  St, 
Joseph's,  as  that  would  have  been  their  most  convenient  point.  The 
boats  going  up  and  down  the  river  almost  always  stop  at  St.  Joseph's. 
I  presume  if  they  had  arrived,  it  would  have  been  known  at  St.  Jo- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  331 

eeph's.  Some  of  the  citizens  of  St.  Joseph's  came  over  on  the  day  of 
election,  and  some  the  day  before.  It  is  likely  those  who  came  over 
knew  the  rumor  as  to  our  district  was  not  true  in  regard  to  these  emi- 
grants. The  reason  I  heard  given  was  that  they  came  over  in  conse- 
quence of  this  rumor,  and  they  came  over  for  the  purpose  of  counter- 
acting this  emigrant  vote  and  preventing  their  voting.  I  think  that 
rumor,  judging  from  the  actions  of  the  leading  citizens  of  St.  Jo- 
seph's, was  helieved  by  them  on  the  day  of  election.  The  claim  was 
made  by  myself  and  by  others,  as  a  matter  of  right,  that  the  citizens 
of  Missouri  had  a  right  to  vote  in  Kansas  if  they  were  on  the  ground 
on  the  day  of  election.  I  do  not  know  how  far  this  was  believed. 
Some  believed  that  and  others  did  not,  Some  said  they  had  no  right 
to  vote,  and  others  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote  and  would  vote. 
There  was  also  the  other  claim  in  relation  to  counteracting  the  action 
of  this  eastern  Emigrant  Aid  Society. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  have  heard  resident  Missourians  claim  that  they  had  a  right  to 
vote  merely  because  of  their  presence  on  the  day  of  election  at  the 
polls  in  Kansas.  The  general  doctrine  was  that  if  they  were  present 
on  the  ground  on  the  day  of  election,  and  lived  in  Missouri  at  the 
same  time,  but  had  claims  in  the  Territory,  and  intended  to  come 
over  here  to  settle,  they  therefore  had  a  right  to  vote  here.  I  have 
no  doubt  but  that  Major  Richardson  got  a  majority  of  the  legal  votes 
cast  on  that  day.  Very  many  of  the  freesoilers  did  not  vote.  I  have 
no  doubt  but  what  Major  Richardson  received  at  least  two-thirds  of 
the  legal  votes  cast  that  day. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  saw  no  force  resorted  to  on  that  day  to  prevent  the  free  State  men 
from  voting  or  attempted  to  be  employed,  and  I  do  not  believe  such  a 
thing  was  thought  of  by  any  of  my  party.  I  never  attended  an  elec- 
tion where  so  much  interest  was  felt  where  there  seemed  'to  be  so 
much  good  feeling  between  the  people  there. 

H.  S.  CREAL. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


GEORGE  W.  G-ILLMPIE  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  April  11,  1855.  On  March  30,  1855, 
I  was  at  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri,  on  my  way  to  the  Territory,  with  my 
teams  and  goods,  and  I  crossed  the  river  there  and  voted  in  the  Ter- 
ritory just  below  Whitehead's.  There  were  a  gjeat  many  at  that 
election.  I  should  think  there  were  two  thousand  of  them.  I  had 
no  conversation  with  them,  and  as  soon  as  I  voted  I  crossed  back.  I 
saw  these  men  going  up  to  the  window  where  the  votes  were  taken, 
but  I  cannot  tell  where  they  were  from.  I  do  not  recollect  whether 
they  were  armed  or  not.  There  was  a  dinner  provided  there  free  to 
all  who  wanted  to  eat.  I  eat  there  and  paid  nothing  for  my  dinner, 
When  I  came  over  from  St.  Joseph's  to  vote,  and  3  hen  I  went  back 


332  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

to  meet  my  family  on  the  road,  there  was  a  large  crowd  along.  There 
was  no  charge  for  ferriage  either  way.  The  boats  were  passing  back- 
wards and  forwards  all  the  day.  After  voting  and  returning  I  went 
down  the  river  to  meet  my  family,  who  were  on  their  way  to  the 
Territory,  and  met  them  and  crossed  at  Weston,  some  twenty-five 
miles  below,  and  came  to  the  Territory  and  have  been  here  since. 
General  Kichardson  appeared  to  be  the  leader  of  the  party  that  day. 
The  place  of  voting  was  just  opposite  St.  Joseph's  some  fo*ur  and  a 
half  miles  from  the  landing.  I  do  not  remember  who  were  the  can- 
didates, except  that  Kichardson  and  Whitehead  were  running  for 
council.  My  two  sons  came  over  and  voted  at  the  same  time,  as  did 
my  son-in-law.  Upon  examining  the  poll  list  of  the  fourteenth  dis- 
trict, Burr  Oak  precinct,  I  find  that  I  voted  No.  170.  This  I  can 
only  tell  by  finding  it  on  the  poll  books. 

G.  W.  GILLESPIE. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


GARY  B.  WHITEHEAD  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  live  in  Doniphan  county,  in  what  was  formerly  Burr  Oak  pre- 
cinct, in  the  fourteenth  district  in  this  Territory.  I  moved  from  St. 
Joseph's,  Missouri,  in  January,  1854,  to  the  Territory;  I  made  my 
claim  in  July,,  1853.  I  am  at  present  sheriff  of  Doniphan  county;  I 
was  one  of  the  judges  of  election  at  Burr  Oak  precinct  at  the  election 
of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  to  which  office  I  had  been  appointed  by 
Governor  Reeder,  and  acted  as  judge  at  that  time.  I  think  I  was  as 
well  acquainted,  perhaps  better  than  any  other  man  there,  with  the 
residents  of  the  district  at  the  time  of  the  election.  I  should  judge 
that  at  that  time  there  were  about  four  hundred  voters  in  that  pre- 
cinct, though  there  may  have  not  been  over  three  hundred  arid  fifty. 
There  were  no  votes  cast  on  the  day  of  election  but  what  we  considered 
legal  at  the  time.  I  have  been  examining  the  poll  books  and  I  find 
some  names  upon  them  I  do  not  now  recollect,  and  a  great  many  I  do 
recollect.  There  are  a  number  of  French  and  German  names  which 
I  do  not  recollect  now.  There  are  French,  German,  and  Norwegians 
living  in  that  precinct  whom  I  know  by  sight  but  not  by  name,  and 
they  were  legal  voters  at  that  time  and  they  voted.  In  looking  over 
the  poll  books  I  find  the  names  of  many  who  were  sworn,  as  they  were 
not  naturalized  and  had  merely  filed  their  intention  to  become  citi- 
zens. I  know  there  were  such  persons  living  in  the  precinct  at  the 
time  of  election,  but  I  do  not  recollect  their  names.  I  have  examined 
the  list  of  legal  voters  taken  from  the  poll  books  and  given  in  the  ies-  • 
timony  of  Mr.  Heed,  numbering  some  130,  and  I  think  I  know  pretty 
nearly  every  man  on  that  list  to  have  been  a  legal  voter  at  that  elec- 
tion. There  are  some  few  names  I  do  not  recollect.  I  have  examined 
the  poll  books  of  that  election  and  have  made  out  a  list  of  eighty-one 
additional  names  of  legal  voters,  that  I  know  the  names  of,  and  I 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  333 

knew  to  have  been  legal  voters  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
1855,  they  are  as  follows: 

B.  E.  Lowen,  John  Edmondson,  Oby  Evans,  J.  Peters,  H.  Doyle, 
E.  B.  King,  James  Roberts,  Sherrod  Lawhorn,  James  Lawhorn,  E. 
C.  Smith,  C.  L.  Parker,  Polite  Levier,  R.  Dodd,  S.  M.   Gardner,  J. 
Denoble,  J.  W.  Stephens,  Edward  Snider,  R.  Osborne,  James  Lovel, 
S.  P.  Blair,  E.  Moran,  S.  J.  Floyd,  William  J.  Roland,  J.  M.  Parker, 
Madison  Osborne,  Philip  Manuel,  W.  H.  Gillespie,  William  McGrew, 
William  Chapman,  William  Ayres,  Porter  G.  Roberts,  P.  H.  Rob- 
erts, John  P.  Brady,  J.  Pecar,  T.  Reed,  John  Arnet,  John  Hender- 
son, N.  Holmes,  Q.  Ball,  Elijah  Merrill,  F.  Duvall,  J.  Randolph,  J. 
C.  Stump,  E.  F.  Wild,  David  Jones,  Levi  Lyman,  J.  P.  Irvin,  J. 
Craft,  William  Davis,  Benjamin  Sprouse,  John  Kelly,  S.  K.  Camell, 
Levi  Shepherd,  F.  Lariman,  Thomas  Howell,  James  Taylor,  F.  Pur- 
cell,  G.  W.  Gillespie,  R.  B.  Ayre,  J.  Welsh,  W.  J.  Copeland,  C.  M. 
Gilmore,  J.  Morrow,  Horace  Teron,  Henry  Roat,  Francis  Murphy, 
Gaspar  Lariman,  G.  W.  Davis,  G.  Armstrong,  J.  Beattie,  Joseph 
Gillespie,  William  Michaels,  A.  C.  More,  E.  Taylor,  Philip  Kerlin, 
Jacob  Osenberger,  Samuel  Anderson,  James  Michaels,  G.  B.  Groomer, 
and  William  J.  Palmer,  eighty-one  in  all.     There  are  in  that  county, 
in  what 'used  to  be  Burr  Oak  precinct,  two  ferries  from  St.  Joseph's — 
one  at  Whitehead,  one  at  Palermo,  one  at  Bontown,  one  at  Boston, 
!  one  at  Kelly's  Ferry.     They  were  all  employing  men,  four  to  six 
hands  to  each  boat,  and  they  lived  in  the  Territory,  and  were  con- 
sidered legal  voters,  but  I  do  not  know  all  their  names.     There  are 
names  on  the  poll  books  that  I  cannot  recollect  anything  about,  and  a 
good  many  that  I  know  were  present  and  voted,  but  I  cannot  recollect 
now  where  they  lived.     There  were  a  great  many  more  legal  votes 
cast  that  day  for  Major  Richardson  than  were  necessary  to  elect  him 
over  Captain  Whitehead,  even  if  Captain  Whitehead  had  got  all  the 
free  State  votes  in  that  precinct ;  and  if  all  the  free  State  ticket  had 
i  run,  I  have  no  doubt  they  would  have  been  beaten.     I  told  the  free 
I  State  candidates  that  morning  that  I  would  bet  them  $100  that  if 
'  they  run  wejwould  beat  them  one  hundred  clean  votes,  and  there 
\  should  be  no  illegal  voting  done  that  day.     I  went  to  the  polls  that 
i  morning  tolerable  early.     Just  as  I  got  to  the  polls  I  met  John  Fee ; 
I  he  was  the  first  man  I  spoke  to  there.     He  spoke  to  me,  and  said  he 
;  wished  me  to  do  my  duty  as  judge  of  election  on  that  day;  that  he 
•  and  the  other  two  free  State  candidates,  Harding  and  Larzelere,  had 
;  concluded  to  withdraw  from  the  field,  with  the  understanding  that 
i  they  were  to  use  their  influence  for  John  Whitehead,  my  brother.     I 
asked  him  his  reason  for  withdrawing.     He  stated  that  he  had  can- 
vassed the  district,  and  was  satisfied  their  ticket  could  not  be  elected ; 
he  thought  he  himself  might  be  elected,  but  he  could  not  pack  Hard- 
ing and  Larzelere.     Just  at  that  time  Harding  came  up,  and  we  con- 
tinued to  talk  for  some  few  minutes,  and  Harding  himself  acknow- 
ledged that  they  had  concluded  to  resign  and  use  their  influence  in 
favor  of  Captain  Whitehead ;  this  was  at  least  an  hour  or  an  hour  and 
a-half  before  the  polls  were  opened  or  the  judges  elected.     I  told  Fee 
that  the  pro-slavery  party  could  beat  them  one  hundred  votes  in  the 
district ;  that  I  had  counted  them  and  could  tell  him  to  a  man  the 


334  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

difference  between  the  two  parties.     I  told  them  that  from  the  best 
calculation  I  could  make  the  pro-slavery  vote  in  that  precinct  was  just 
eighty-seven  votes  more  than  the  freesoil  vote,  and  I  told  them  they 
might  run  and  we  would  show  them  that  it  was  so.     I  tried  to  get 
them  to  run  for  that  purpose.     I  put  a  hundred  cattle  in  the  rush 
brake,  and  I  paid  the  Indians  $50  for  the  privilege  of  doing  so,  and 
have  done  so  since  1852.     In  this  way,  and  because  I  herded  alto-  • 
gether  about  a  thousand  head  of  cattle,  I  had  a  better  chance  than 
any  one  else  to  tell  who  lived  in  the  district.     Major  Richardson 
resided  at  that  time  in  Burr  Oak  precinct,  in  Richardson  bottom,  or 
Bontown  bottom,  or  Big  Trout  Lake,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  i 
the  town  of  Whitehead.     Major  Richardson  bought  that  claim  in  the  * 
latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1854,  from  William  Jordan,  and  gave  • 
$250  for  it,  and  has  been  living  on  it  ever  since.     I  have  staid  withi 
him,  I  should  think,  a  hundred  nights,  and  I  rarely  ever  found  him  i 
away  from  the  place. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard: 

By  legal  voters,,  I  mean  that  the  greater  portion  were  inhabitants  < 
of  the  Territory  at  that  time.  They  had  claims  there,  had  property ' 
there,  had  houses  there,  and  were  living  there,  though  some  of  them  i 
did  not  have  their  families  there.  Many  came  up  arid  offered  their* 
votes,  and  declared  they  were  resident  citizens  of  the  Territory  andi 
were  willing  to  swear  to  it.  A  number  of  them  I  did  swear,  and  I[ 
called  on  the  people  standing  round,  that  if  they  thought  proper,  then! 
was  the  proper  time  to  challenge  their  votes.  I  considered  those  per--; 
sons  legal  voters  who  had  claims  and  property  there,  and  were  living ; 
on  their  claims,  whether  their  families  were  with  them  or  not.  I  knew ' 
at  that  time,  and  I  know  now  where  every  man  lived  and  lives  that  !(• 
have  put  on  my  list.  The  jnost  of  them  had  claims,  though  some  • 
were  hired  out,  some  in  the  saw-mill,  some  on  the  ferry  boats.  I  ami 
not  very  well  acquainted  in  Missouri.  I  recognized  some  names  on  i 
the  poll  books  that  I.knew  lived  in  Missouri  at  that  time.  Evan  Rich- 
ardson was  there  and  claimed  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  Territory,  but  he? 
has  not  moved  into  the  Territory  since.  He  claimed  to  be  a  resident, , 
and  said  he  had  a  claim,  and  we  allowed  him  to  vote.  I  have  never' 
seen  his  claim,  and  he  has  never  moved  on  to  any  claim  that  I  know ' 
of.  A  large  majority  of  the  men  in  the  list  I  have  given  had  claims,, 
though  all  were  not  living  on  their  claims,  but  some  were  out  at  workfi 
for  other  persons.  One  young  man  came  up  to  vote,  said  he  was  ai 
citizen  and  had  a  claim,  and  ninety-nine  men  out  of  one  hundred! 
would  have  taken  him  to  be  twenty-three  or  twenty-four  years  old. . 
The  other  two  judges  were  about  to  let  him  vote,  and  I  questioned  him  i 
about  his  age,  and  he  admitted  he  was  not  twenty-one  years  of  age, , 
and  he  did  not  vote.  J.  W.  Stephens  is  now  in  Kentucky,  I  think. . 
He  then  lived  in  the  district  and  worked  for  Major  Richardson.  He* 
was  a  carpenter.  Wm.  K.  Richardson  was  there.  He  had  a  claim  in? 
the  Territory,  and  lived  almost  as  much  in  the  Territory  as  he  does  in  f 
St.  Joseph's,  where  his  family  is,  but  I  do  not  know  as  he  has  ever  had  1 
his  family  over  there  with  him.  He  has  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and! 
sixty  acres  on  the  prairie,  all  fenced  in.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  i 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  335 

names  I  have  given  on  my  list  were  all  on  the  census.  The  county 
was  settling  every  day  after  the  census  was  taken,  and  has  been  set- 
tling almost  every  day  since.  The  men  I  put  on  my  list  came  mostly 
from  Missouri.  The  most  of  our  county  of  Doniphan  is  settled  from 
Buchanan,  Platte,  and  Andrew  counties,  Missouri.  I  called  all  those 
who  had  claims,  made  improvements,  and  lived  on  their  claims, 
whether  they  had  their  families  with  them  or  not,  legal  voters.  There 
were  some  Missourians  who  had  cattle  and  claims  in  the  Territory 
without  calling  themselves  citizens,  though  not  many. 

GARY  B.  WHITEHEAD. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


THOMAS  W.  WATTERSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  reside  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas  Territory,  and  have  resided 
there  with  my  family  since  June,  1854.  I  removed  to  St.  Joseph's, 
Missouri,  from  Butler  county,  Ohio,  leit  my  family  there  some  six 
weeks,  and  then  took  them  to  the  Territory.  I  am  quite  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  fourteenth  district,  and 
was  about  the  second  family  that  moved  into  that  precinct  after  the 
treaty  was  made  with  the  Indians.  On  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  the 
weight  of  the  populatiou  of  that  precinct  was  contained  in  the  Burr 
Oak  bottom,  the  St.  Joseph's  bottom,  the  neighborhood  of  Major 
Richardson,  and  the  Cadue  bottom,  or  the  bottom  below  St.  Joseph's 
bottom.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection  there  was  very  little  over 
thirty  votes  in  other  parts  of  the  district.  I  was  at  almost  every 
'house  in  the  precinct  twice  before  that  election.  I  was  a  pro-slavery 
candidate  for  the  legislature  before  the  preliminary  conventions  of 
;the  pro-slavery  party.  I  think  there  was  five  of  us  pro-slavery  can- 
didates, all  desirous  of  receiving  the  nomination.  The  last  time  I 
ipassed  over  that  precinct  was  immediately  before  the  election,  not 
exceeding  two  or  three  days.  It  was  but  a  day  or  two  before  the  elec- 
jtion,  when  I  got  through  canvassing  that  precinct.  I  took  a  good 
ideal  of  pains  in  regard  to  finding  out  the  number  of  voters  in  that 
:precinct,  and  the  way.  they  would  vote  on  the  slavery  question.  I 
;had  a  memorandum  book  in  my  pocket,  and  I  took  down  the  names 
;of  those  voters  who  were  in  favor  of  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  and  also 
those  in  favor  of  the  freesoil  ticket,  and  also  those  who  were  doubt- 
ful, making  three  classes.  The  object  I  had  in  doing  this  was  to  find 
our  strength.  After  dividing  the  doubtful  ones  among  the  pro-slavery 
and  free  State  parties,  our  proportion  was  about  two  to  one.  And  we 
had  a  decided  majority  if  we  gave  all  the  doubtful  ones  to  the  free 
State  party.  I  do  not  recollect  precisely  the  number  of  actual  resi- 
dents in  that  precinct,  it  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  three  hundred,  a 
few  more  or  less.  This  I  made  out  as  near  as  I  could.  In  the  Cadue 
bottom  and  the  neighborhood,  I  should  judge  there  was  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  voters  ;  there  may  have  been  a  few  more.  All  that  I  know 
about  the  division  in  the  free  State  party,  is  what  I  heard  one  family 


336  KANSAS    AFFAIRS, 

say  who  were  called  freesoilers.  I  cannot  say  anything  except  in  this  • 
particular  instance.  My  opinion  is,  that  the  free  State  candidates  j 
could  not  have  got  the  full  strength  of  the  fresoil  party,  though  iti 
may  not  have  fell  short  much.  I  have  conversed  with  Charles  Slimerf 
a  number  of  times,  both  before  and  after  the  election,  and  he  has* 
always  expressed  himself  in  favor  of  the  pro-slavery  party.  I  did  nott 
see  him  vote  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  but  he  said  that  he  voted! 
the  pro-slavery  ticket.  I  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  appointed  byr 
Governor  Reeder  in  November,  1854,  and  held  the  office  until  the" 
.assembling  of  the  legislature.  I  went  in  company  with  those  elected  I 
in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct  to  Governor  Reeder  for  the  purpose  of  ob-- 
taining  our  certificates,  and  we  obtained  them  without  any  objections  a 
from  any  quarter.  Governor  Reeder  told  me  we  deserved  credit  forr 
the  manner  in  which  our  election  was  conducted. 

I  believe  that  on  our  way  down  we  did  not  meet  any  men  from  the 
east  who  had  been  here  in  the  Territory  and  voted  and  was  then  on  their 
way  back.     We  met  some  coming  in  the  Territory  who  told  me  that  I 
they  were  to  have  been  here  before  the  election,  and  appeared  to  bei 
very  much  out  of  humor  because  the  officers  of  the  boat  did  not  de-*-! 
liver  them  here  as  soon  as  they  had  promised.     I  was  not  acquainted i| 
with  any  of  them  ;   did  not  inquire  their  names.     A  large  portion  of>j 
what  I  saw  was  after  we  got  to  the  main  road  from  Kansas  City,  Mis-*| 
souri,  into  the  Territory,  between  there  and  the  Shawnee  Mission^ 
and  then  we  were  hardly  ever  out  of  sight  of  groups  of  from  two  owl 
three  to  half  a  dozen.     Nearly  all  we  met  were  men,  on  foot,  withi 
carpet  sacks  and  bundles  in  their  hands.     They  said  the  agreement'1! 
was  that  they  should  have  been  landed  here  before  the  election.     We 
rather  led  them  on  to  speak  by  saying'  they  were  too  late  for  the 
election,  and  they  said  the  agreement  was  that  they  should  have  beer 
before  the  election,  and  seemed  very  much  put  out  because  the  steam-i 
boat  had  not  got  up  sooner.     They  said  nothing  that  I  recollect  on 
about  voting  if  they  had  got  here  in  time.     I  asked  where  they  werr 
from,  and  they  said  from  Massachusetts.     I  do  not  recollect  that  the] 
said  anything  about  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  ;   whether  they  were 
sent,  or  came  of  their  own  accord.     We  remained  at  the  Mission  somu 
five  or  six  days,  and  as  we  returned  we  met  a  number  of  men  travel 
ling  in  a  similar  manner,  going  out  of  the  Territory.     I  made  no  in 
•quiry  of  them,  and  I  do  not  recollect  that  any  of  our  company  didil 
I  could  not  say  whether  they  were  the  same  men  or  not  that  we  mee 
going  in.     My  impression  was  that  they  were  eastern  men.     I  weif 
over  in  a  wagon  to  Willard  P.  Hall's,  with  Mrs.  and  Major  Richardsonr 
^at  the  time  we  started  down  to  see  the  governor,  some  day  or  two  afted 
the  election,  the  2d  of  April,  I  think,  though  I  may  be  mistaken  as  w 
the  time.     Willard  P.  Hall  was  not  in  company  wi+h  us  at  the  tim-ij 
«of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     Major  Richardson  resideoj 
in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct .     Only  two  days  before  the  election  I  was  aai 
his  house,  in  what  we  called  the  Richardson  bottom,  about  two  miletj 
•«ast  from  where  I  live.     Mrs.  Richardson  came  over  while  I  was  therr' 
in  a  two  horse  or  mule  wagon,  a  black  man  driving.     Major  Richardi 
son  has  a  double  log  cabin  as  good  as  most  of  us  have,  some  servant! 
there,  some  hands  employed,  and  all  carried  on  as  if  they  were  livin 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  337 

at  home.  I  think  it  was  in  October,  1854,  that  he  commenced  house- 
keeping there.  I  had  eaten  at  his  house-a  number  of  times  before  the 
election.  He  had  cleared  a  pretty  considerable  field  and  prepared  the 
o-round,  prior  to  the  election,,  for  planting.  Messrs.  Fee,  Harding,  and 
Larzalere  did  not  canvass  the  district  at  the  time  of  that  election  near 
as  much  as  we  did.  I  heard  of  them  once  in  the  Cadue  bottom,  and 
'once  in  the  Burr  Oak  bottom,  I  did  not  hear  that  they  had  been 
from  house  to  house  as  I  had.  The  Lawhorns  told  me  they  voted  the 
'pro-slavery  ticket,  but  they  had  intended  to  have  voted  the  free-State 
ticket  at  first,  but  after  they  heard  the  speeches  of  the  free-State  can- 
didates they  determined  to  go  for  the  pro-slavery  ticket. 

T.  W.  WATTERSON, 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.5  May  24,  1856, 


ALBERT  HEED  called  and  sworru 

I  live  about  four  or  five  miles  west  of  St.  Joseph's,  in  this  Terri- 
tory, in  the  town  of  Watheua,  arid  have  been  living  near  there  since 
July,  1854,  with  my  family,  and  without  my  family  from  April  to 
July,  1854.  I  was  raised  in  Ohio,  came  to  Missouri,  and  then  to  the 
Territory.  I  was  born  in  Virginia.  I  live  in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct, 
in  Doniphan  county,  and  have  been  since  July,  1854.  Governor 
Eeeder  appointed  me  to  take  the  census  of  the  fourteenth  district, 
which  I  did,  and  got  me  to  distribute  the  election  blanks  in  the 
district,  I  consider  I  was  pretty  well  acquainted  with  most  every 
person  in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th 
of  March,  1855.  I  had  considerable  conversation  with  Governor 
Eeeder  about  that  election,  when  I  was  down  there  and  made  the 
census  returns.  He  told  me  he  expected  a  great  many  emigrants  into 
the  Territory  before  the  election,  and  a  great  many  of  them  from  the 
east ;  he  came  to  speak  of  it  when  speaking  of  the  annoyance  he  had 
from  the  many  letters  of  inquiry  he  received  in  regard  to  the  Terri- 
tory. He  said  he  expected  a  great  many  into  the  Territory,  especially 
from  Pennsylvania.  I  had  been  in  Pennsylvania,  and  had  a  great 
many  connexions  there.  Some  he  knew,  and  that  is  the  way  the 
Conversation  came  up.  He  asked  me  for  information  in  regard  to 
laying  off  the  different  precincts  in  the  district,  which  I  gave  him. 
He  said  the  only  opportunity  he  had  of  getting  such  information  was 
rfrom  those  who  had  been  taking  the  census.  Burr  Oak  precinct  was 
laid  off  according  to  lines  recommended  by  me.  He  made  a  good  deal 
of  inquiry  in  regard  to  the  politics  of  those  in  the  district,  and  how 
they  stood  upon  the  slavery  question,  and  that  alone.  I  represented 
to  him  that  in  the  lines  of  the  Burr  Oak  precinct  I  proposed,  there 
was  a  free-State  majority;  this  was  while  we  were  laying  off  the 
district.  I  do  not  know  as  he  expressed  any  interest  in  having  a  free- 
State  majority  in  the  district  thus  laid  out.  I  asked  Governor  Reeder 
then  what  time  the  election  would  take  place.  He  said  he  did  not 
know  exactly,  as  there  was  one  census  return  that  had  not  come  in, 
and  he  could  not  appoint  the  time  until  the  census  returns  were  all 
H.  Rep.  200 22* 


338  KANSAS  APFAIES. 

in.  He  said  he  should  have  some  considerable  trouble  in  apportion- 
ing the  districts.  I  think  this  was  in  the  last  of  February  or  the 
first  of  March,  1855.  I  was  introduced  by  Governor  Keeder  to 
General  Pomeroy,  and  I  have  seen  him  but  once  since.  I  do  not 
know  what  his  business  was.  I  think  General  Pomeroy  told  me  the 
election  would  take  place  about  the  27th  or  28th  of  March  ;  this  was 
while  I  was  down  with  the  returns  to  Governor  Reeder.  I  think  I 
was  pretty  well  acquainted  with  most  of  the  actual  resident  voters  in 
the  Burr  Oak  precinct  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
During  the  time  I  was  taking  the  census  there  were  emigrants  coming 
in  almost  every  day.  There  were  some  few  who  had  got  in  at  the 
time  I  finished  the  census,  which  I  did  not  put  down.  I  noticed  that 
as  soon  as  I  began  to  take  the  census  they  began  to  come  in  so  as  to 
be  on  their  claims.  I  do  not  recollect  distinctly  the  number  of  voters 
in  that  precinct.  All  the  names  of  the  voters  for  the  district  were 
given  in  together.  I  think  the  number  in  Burr  Oak  precinct  was 
little  over  the  proportion  for  two  representatives  and  one  councilman—- 
that is,  215  ;  but  it  was  something  near  the  proportion,  so  far  as  I 
recollect.  I  do  not  know  how  many  was  there  at  the  time  of  the 
election  ;  there  was  more  than  when  I  took  the  census  ;  I  think  there 
were  about  300.  A  great  many  who  came  in — a  large  majority- — • 
were  pro-slavery  men  who  came  over  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri, 
who  had  made  cla'mg  and  improvements  previously,  and  who  moved  i 
on  their  claims  that  spring.  I  have  examined  the  poll-books  of  the 
30th  of  March,  1855,  and  find  there  the  following  names  that  I  know 
to  have  been  actual  residents  at  that  time : 

E.  Blackstone,  Thomas  H.  Baker,  Mr.  Dix,  Samuel  Montgomery, , 
F.  Ridge,  B.  D.  Hodgwood,  Wm.  N.  Irish,  F.  B.   Anderson,  E.  G, 
Robinson,    James    Sollers,    James   Watterson,    Thomas   Dolan,    W. . 
Thomas,  Joseph  Skinner,  George  Shaw,  Wm.  Jordan,  A.  A.  Hughes, 
Wm.  Deckord,  Wm.  Ridge,  A.  Larzelere,  Jerry  Lewis,  Peter  O'Roke, 
Matthias  Rapp,  Wm.  M.  Morgan,  J.  W.  Smith,  J.  M.  Morrill,  W, . 
H.  Allen,  Samuel  Piles,  J.  D.  Armstrong,  J.  M.  Fay,  John  Doyle, 
Anderson  Gladden,  Henry  Lewis,  Robert  Whitsett,  John  W.  Cope- 
land,  J.  D.  Lawhorn,  N.  Bell,  Matthew  Elliot,   R.  Nyax,  Hezekiabi 
Jackson,  H.  Thompson,  M.  F.  Swinny,  Wm.  Skelton,  L.  D.  Cooke,  I 
Charles  Eggers,  P.  Lowry,  O.  Hulan,  Joseph  Ashley,  J.  Coke,  E.J 
P.  Weaver,  L.  McLellan,  J.  Youder,  S.  L.  Sollies,  Wm.  Matthews,;,! 
Benjamin  Duncan,  L.   Copeland,  Wilson  D.  Moore,  H.  D.  Adams,! | 
H.  Smallwood,  J.  W.  Smith,  W.  B.  Shoupe,  J.  M.  Farmer,  Samuel 
Kirkpatrick,  F.  Trent,  B.  H.  Brock,  John  Copeland,   J.  Kendall,! 
Wm.  Palmer,  J.  Groomes,  John  Fee,  Philip  James,  James  0  Toole,  j 
Peter    Cadue,    Major    Adair,    Jarrett    Treble,    A.    Treble,    Charlew 
Cradier,  John  Trottman,  H.  L.  Creal,  Charles  Skinner,  Eli  Copeland,! 
J.  J.  Lovelady,  M.  E.  Bryant,  Win.  Laforge,  Frost  Snow,  Benjamimj 
Harding,  John  McCaiferty,  Joel  P.  Blair,  C.  M.  Stewart,  Newtonij 
R.  Carter,  Thomas  Blanherslap,  Francis  Torry,  Mathew  Toles,  W.j 
Dodson,  Joseph  Seliff,  James  0' Toole,  sen.,  A.  G.  Mansfield,  Thomas*' 
Stewart,  F.  M.  Morse,  A.  B  Groomes,  H.  H.  Churnley,  Noah  Vogan.fi 
Richard  Morris,  S.  E.  Morris,  R.  L.  Morris,  Bart.  McCall,  Wm.  P.JI 
Richardson,  Thomas  W.  Watterson,  Albert  Heed,  W.  Fee,  D.  O'Toolel 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  339 

James  B.  Whitehead,   0.   B.  Whitehead,  H.  J.   Johnson,  Wm.  A. 
Bill,  Wm.   Arthur,   Tapley   Ealph,   John  H,   Whitehead,   Roberts, 

— • — -  Howe,   -< Gilham,   Findle,  Pendleton,  Kincade,  Reed, 

Treble— 130  in  all. 

There  are  a  good  many  names  on  the  poll  books  I  cannot  make 
out.  I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election.  At  the  time  of  the 
election  I  was  pretty  well  acquainted  in  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri,  as  I 
had  lived  there  some  five  years.  I  find  upon  the  poll-books  :  Nathan 
Newly,  Nimrod  Duncan,  sen.,  William  Salley,  E.  Richardson, 
There  is  a  young  Himrod  Duncan  living  in  the  district,  and  an  old 
man  Nimrod  Duncan  lived  in  Missouri.  I  know  an  Evan  Richardson 
in  Missouri,  but  no  E,  Richardson  in  the  district.  I  thought  Wm. 
Salley  was  a  legal  voter  at  the  time  of  the  election,  but  now  I  think 
he  was  not.  There  were  other  legal  voters  in  the  precinct  I  did  not 
know  by  name,  or  did  not  know  their  first  names.  Some  few  in  the 
district  who  were  legal  voters  did  not  vote.  Major  Richardson  was  a 
resident  of  Burr  Oak  precinct  when  1  took  the  census,  and  I  took  din- 
ner with  him  ;  Mrs.  Richardson  was  there  and  sat  at  the  head  of  the 
table.  Mr.  Blackstone,  one  of  the  judges  of  election  appointed  by 
Governor  Reeder,  said  he  could  not  serve,  as  he  had  to  attend  to  his 
ferry  opposite  St.  Joseph's.  He  was  a  pro-slavery  man,  and  has  been 
ever  since  I  knew  him. 

ALBERT  HEED, 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856, 


JOEL  P,  BLAIR  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr,  Scott: 

I  reside  in   Doniphan  county,  and  in  what  was  formerly  the  Burr 
Oak  precinct,  in  the  fourteenth  district,  in  Kansas  Territory.     I  was 
,  <a  pro-slavery  candidate  in  that  precinct  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of 
March,  1855,  regularly  nominated  on  the  ticket  by  the  primary  meet- 
;  ings  in  the  precinct,     I  canvassed  the  precinct  three  days,  and  rode 
pretty  much  all  over  it.     My  business  was  to  learn  all  I  could  about 
j  the  strength  of  the  free  State  and  pro-slavery  parties,  and  I  went 
i  around  until  I  was  satisfied  that  there  was  a  majority  on  the  pro- 
slavery  side  of  nearly  two  to  one.     I  suppose  I  was  acquainted  with  a 
!  majority  of  the  voters  in  the  precinct.     Some  neighborhoods  I  was  ae- 
•quainted  in,  and  some  I  was  not. 

I  was  at  the  place  of  holding  the  polls  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855, 
and  was  there  when  the  announcement  was  made  of  the  withdrawal 
of  the  free  State  ticket.  I  saw  no  indication  of  hostility  between  the 
two  parties,  either  before  or  after  the  free  State  ticket  was  withdrawn. 
1  have  examined  the  poll-books  furnished  by  this  committee  ot  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  Burr  Oak  precinct,  with  a  view 
of  finding  what  names  of  legal  voters  of  that  precinct  I  could  find, 
in  addition  to  those  furnished  by  Mr.  Heed  in  his  testimony,  and  I 
found  some  twenty  or  so  that  are  not  on  Mr.  Heed's  list. 

Major  Richardson  live'd,  prior  to  and  at  the  time  of  the  election,  in 


340  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

what  was  called  the  Bontown  bottom.  I  was  at  his  house  in  the  win- 
ter previous  to  the  election  several  times,  and  spent  the  night  at  his 
house.  He  had  a  double  house,  living  as  men  do  elsewhere,  with  bed- 
ding, furniture,  &c.,  and  cattle  and  hogs  on  his  place,  and  some  dogs 
about  the  place.  He  has  been  residing  there  ever  since. 

I  went  down  to  Governor  Eeeder  to  get  my  certificate  of  election, 
He  told  me  his  family  was  in  Pennsylvania,  and  he  was  going  for 
them  in  a  few  days,  and  could  not  convene  the  legislature  for  some 
two  months.  He  did  not  say  that  his  family  had  ever  been  in  the 
Territory,  or  how  much  family  he  ever  had.  I  do  not  know  as  he 
ever  had  any  family  in  the  Territory.  I  knew  him  while  he  was 
boarding  at  the  Shawnee  Mission,  after  he  came  back,  which  was 
nearly  if  not  quite  all  the  time  the  legislature  was  in  session.  Gov- 
ernor Keeder  gave  me  a  certificate  of  election  to  the  legislature  without 
any  objection  being  made,  as  also  to  Major  Richardson  and  Mr.  Wat- 
terston. 

JOEL  P.  BLAIR. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856, 


JOHN  H.  WHITEHEAD  called  and  sworn. 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  the  fall  of  1854,  from  St.  Joseph^   \ 
Missouri,  and  settled  about  five  miles  northwest  of  St.  Joseph's,  in  the 
Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  fourteenth  district.     I  was  at  the  election  off 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Bryant's.     Myself,   Major  Richardson,  , 
and  Mr.  Harding  were  candidates  for  council,     Mr.  Blair  and  Mr, 
Watterson  on  one  side,  Mr.   Fee  and  Mr.  Larzelere  on  the  other,  or  free  • 
State  side,  were  candidates  for  house  of  representatives.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  election,  Messrs.  Fee,  Larzelere  and  Harding,  the  free  State  : 
candidates,  withdrew.     On  the  day  before  the  election  I  held  a  confer-  - 
ence  with  Mr.  Fee,  as  to  the  position  that  we  all  occupied  before  the- 
people  of  the  district,  and  our  conclusion  was,  that  Mr.  Harding  and! 
Mr.  Larzelere  were  not  strong  enough  to  carry  the  vote  of  the  free  State 
party,  consequently  there  was  no  chance  for  their  success.     He  prom-- 
ised  that  when  they  met  the  next  morning  on  the  ground  of  election,  J 
he  would  use  his  influence  with  those  men  to  withdraw  and  cast  theirrj 
suffrages  for  me.     It  was  generally  rumored  among  our  people  thattj 
the  people  of  Missouri  were  coming  over  to  vote  at  our  election.     I  do/I 
not  know  whether  it  was  generally  credited  or  not,  but  it  was  believed  ll 
by  some  and  not  believed  by  others.     Missourians  did  come  across  om| 
the  day  before  and  the  morning  of  election,  a  good  many  of  them — Hi 
should  suppose  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred.     I  think  ;j 
some  of  them  voted.     My  acquaintance  in  and  around  St.  Joseph's?! 
was  about  as  good  as  any  man  who  lived  there,  I  think,  as  I  had  lived!! 
there  pretty  much  since  1839.     I  was  present  at  the  polls  most  of  the*j 
time,  but   not  all — backwards   and   forwards  during  the  day.     My;^ 
memory  is  bad  as  to  names,  and  I  may  not  be  able  to  call  over  now*j 
those  I  saw  there.     I  saw  some  of  them  vote.     They  claimed  to  vote 
because  people  were  coming  to  vote  from  the  east  right  into  the 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS,  341 

ritcry  to  fhe  election,  and  their  voting  was  but  a  set-off  to  the  other. 
I  do  not  recollect  that  they  claimed  any  right  to  vote  because  of  the 
provisions  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill.  I  think  the  reason  I  have 

i  given  was  the  only  one  I  heard  given.  The  polls  opened  about 
eight  or  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  think  the  judges  ap- 
pointed by  the  governor  did  not  serve,  but  I  heard  them  assign  no 
reason  for  their  not  serving.  Mr.  0.  Huron  did  not  serve  that 
day.  He  was  on  the  ground  part  of  the  time,  I  do  not  recollect 
whether  he  was  on  the  ground  before  the  polls  were  opened  or  not. 
I  did  not  hear  them  say  why  he  did  not  serve.  Mr.  Blackston  and 
Mr.  Huron  did  not  serve,  and  I  do  not  recollect  the  third  man  ap- 
pointed by  the  governor  as  judge.  I  do  not  know  how  the  judges  who 
idid  serve  were  chosen,  for  it  was  not  done  in  my  presence.  Mr.  Heed, 
Mr.  Johnson,  and  Mr.  Whitehead,  my  brother,  served  as  judges  that 
day,  and  were  all  residents  of  the  district  at  that  time.  There  was 
some  objection  made  to  the  Missourians  voting  when  they  went  up  to 
vote.  I  challenged  one  man's  vote  myself,  the  vote  of  Mr.  Newby, 
who  lived  in  the  east  part  of  Buchanan  county,  Missouri.  I  think  he 
was  permitted  to  vote;  he  was  not  sworn,  to  the  best  of  my  recollec- 
tion. I  did  not  see  any  one  sworn  that  day  as  to  their  qualifications 
to  vote,  though  there  might  have  been.  When  I  challenged  his  vote, 
I  do  not  know  that  any  particular  reason  was  given  why  he  should 
vote,  and  we  stood  there  awhile,  and  I  asked  the  judges  if  they  were 
going  to  allow  him  to  vote,  and  no  answer  was  made  that  I  recollect 
of.  I  walked  away  then.  He  voted.  I  have  known  this  man  since 
he  was  a  small  boy,  and  he  is  a  man  of  family  now,  and  I  was  satis- 
fied he  had  not  moved  to  Kansas,  even  if  he  had  a  claim.  I  do  not 
recollect  now  whether  I  stated  to  the  judges  the  grounds  why  I  chal- 
lenged his  vote.  I  do  not  recollect  whether  or  not  he  stated  the 
grounds  why  he  claimed  to  have  a  right  to  vote.  I  challenged  no 
other  vote  that  day.  I  heard  Mr.  Groomes,  while  I  was  standing  a 
little  way  off,  challenge  a  vote,  but  I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of  the 

,  man  who  offered  to  vote,  or  the  disposition  of  it.  I  think  three  hun- 
dred and  three  votes  were  cast  that  day,  and  between  fifty  and  one 
hundred  votes  were  illegal,  and  I  thought  at  the  time  I  knew  that 
many  persons  there  were  not  residents.  There  were  many  strangers 
voted  there  that  day ;  probably  some  of  them  were  legal  voters,  though 
I  cannot  say  about  that.  Mr.  Fee,  one  of  the  candidates,  withdrew 
himself  the  morning  of  the  election,,  giving  as  a  reason  that  there 

;  was  not  a  union  among  the  party.  He  told  me  the  morning  of 
the  election  that  it '  was  the  understanding  that  the  free-State 
ticket  should  be  withdrawn  entirely.  I  do  not  think  the  presence 
of  non-residents  had  anything  to  do  with  it.  Mr.  Fee  expressed 
no  apprehension  of  danger  to  me,  and  I  apprehended  none  myself 
from  the  presence  of  non-residents.  I  do  not  know  who  these  non- 
residents voted  for  that  day.  I  believe  some  of  them  voted  for  me, 
though  I  requested  them  not  to  do  so.  I  do  not  think  the  free- 
State  men  voted  that  day  as  a  general  thing.  Some  of  them  did 
vote,  and  some  went  away  without  voting,  because  there  was  no 
ticket  of  their  party  in  the  field.  If  the  vote  had  been  confined 
to  the  actual  votes  of  the  district,  I  cannot  say  whether  the  result 


342  KANSA£   AFFAIRS. 

would  have  been  the  same.  If  the  lines  had  been  strictly  drawn, 
I  think  the  pro-slavery  party  would  have  beaten.  I  had  taken  a 
good  deal  of  pains  to  inform  myself  upon  that  point.  If  all  three 
of  the  candidates  for  council  had  run,  I  cannot  determine  what  the 
result  would  have  been,  but  I  think  it  would  have  resulted  as  it  did, 
for  it  would  have  driven  men  to  unite  on  the  candidates  of  their 
party.  I  was  running  as  a  pro-slavery  candidate.  I  cannot  explain 
why  the  votes  for  council  were  more  than  for  representatives.  I  cannot 
say  whether  the  free-State  men  who  voted,  voted  for  representatives 
or  not,  though  I  supposed  they  voted  a  full  ticket.  I  thought  the 
election  on  that  day  was  as  peaceable  an  election  as  I  ever  saw.  I 
never  saw  better  order  on  the  election  ground  in  my  life.  All  voted, 
so  tar  as  I  knew,  who  wanted  to.  The  contest  was  all  on  one  side, 
except  between  General  Kichardson  and  myself.  Some  of  the  free- 
State  men  asked  me  if  it  was  necessary  to  vote  for  me.  I  told  them 
to  use  their  own  pleasure,  but  cannot  say  whether  they  voted  for  me 
or  not.  The  free-State  men  were  very  greatly  in  the  minority  in  the 
crowd  about  the  polls,  though  there  appeared  to  be  a  great  many 
about  the  polls  the  first  part  of  the  day.  I  do  not  remember  the 
names,  or  that  I  saw  many  persons  there  on  the  day  of  election  that 
held  offices  in  Missouri.  Mr.  Scott  was  attorney  of  St.  Joseph's  at 
that  time,  and  was  there  on  the  day  of  election  at  our  precinct.  Mr. 
Stringfellow  was  there,  but  I  do  not  recollect  about  those  who  held 
offices  in  Missouri  at  that  time.  A  great  many  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  St.  Joseph's  were  there,  but  I  do  not  know  what  part  they  took  in 
the  election.  I  do  not  recollect  any  speeches  made  there  that  day, 
except  by  Major  Richardson  and  myself. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

I  understood,  when  I  had  a  consultation  with  Mr.  Fee  the  day 
before  the  election,  that  he  was  to  use  his  influence  with  the  free-  • 
State  candidates  to  withdraw,  and  have  the  free-State  men  vote  for  • 
me.  The  votes  to  be  given  by  Missoiirians,  I  think,  had  no  influence- 
with  either  Mr.  Fee  or  myself.  He  had  no  right  to  think  that  the  » 
citizens  of  Missouri  would  do  anything  to  injure  him,  as  he  had  longj 
been  a  citizen  of  Missouri  himself.  The  only  apprehension  seemed  to  > 
be  that  he  would  not  get  votes  enough  of  the  actual  residents  to  j 
secure  his  election.  Mr.  Fee  assigned  as  a  Veason  for  withdrawing,  ,j 
that  Harding  and  Larzelere  were  unpopular  in  their  party,  and  if  he  -j 
himselt  ran  he  would  have  to  carry  them,  and  therefore  he  thought  it  t 
best  for  all  to  resign.  When  he  announced,  on  the  morning  of  the  i 
election,  that  he  had  succeeded  in  making  this  arrangement,  I  under--! 
stood  it  to  be  in  consequence  of  our  arrangement  of  the  day  before,-  ,j 
and  not  in  consequence  of  the  presence  of  Missourians  there.  There  'i 
was  a  report  in  circulation  that  the  Missourians  came  over  there  that  fj 
day,  because  it  was  rumored  that  aid  emigrants  were  to  land  there u| 
that  day  and  go  to  the  polls,  but  I  do  not  know  where  the  rumor  rj 
came  from.  I  inferred  this  much,  that  if  the  reports  of  the  landing ;( 
of  these  emigrants  below  were  true,  they,  might  land  at  our  place,  but 
I  knew  nothing  about  the  truth  of  those  reports.  I  examined  the 
poll-books  afterwards  and  found  the  names  of  a  great  many  there 
I  knew  to  be  actual  residents  of  Missouri  at  that  time,  betvreen  fifty\ 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  343 

and  one  hundred,  but  I  do  not  recollect  their  names  now.  I  estimated 
the  actual  voters  of  that  district  at  that  time  as  between  150  and  200. 
There  might  have  been  a  few  more  or  a  few  less.  I  made  as  good  a 
calculation  as  I  could  when  I  canvassed  the  district,  and  I  was  satisfied 
that  we  had  a  majority  of  pro-slavery  men  in  the  district,  twenty-five 
or  thirty,  or  more.  Mr.  Fee  and  myself  had  a  great  deal  of  talk, 
and  we  concluded  that  the  ticket  could  not  have  been  elected  even  if 
the  free  State  men  had  a  majority,  because  they  were  not  united  on 
their  ticket.  •  I  reckoned  that  Major  Richardson  was  a  resident  of  this 
district  at  the  time  of  the  election,  and  I  so  regarded  him  when  I  ran 
against  him.  The  first  I  heard  of  anybody  being  shot  at  the  election 
was  when  I  was  told  that  Mr.  Jamison  had  so  testified  before  the 
committee.  I  saw  none  of  the  Missourians  armed  that  I  recollect  of; 
if  they  were,  they  had  them  concealed.  I  judge  they  were  not  more 
80  than  men  here  to-day.  I  do  not  think  that  Oeneral  Stringfellow 
acted  as  clerk  of  the  election  at  any  time  that  day  ;  if  he  did,  I  did 
not  know  it,  and  I  think  I  should  have  known  it  if  he  had  so  acted. 
£f  there  was  any  fighting  committee  appointed,  and  left  there  that  day, 
I  did  not  know  of  it,,  and  I  saw  no  necessity  for  it. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

There  was  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  majority,  each  party, 
the  pro-slavery  and  free-State  parties,  claiming  the  majority  in  that 
district.  No  eastern  aid  emigrants  landed  in  our  district  that  spring, 
that  I  know  of.  *  Ex-judge  Leonard,  of  Missouri,  was  there  that  day. 
In  the  evening,,  just  before  the  polls  were  closed,  as  the  people  were 
going  off  in  every  direction,  he  got  up  and  asked  them  to  stop  till  the 
polls  were  closed,  and  they  would  all  go  home  together ;  all  of  his 
own  company,  I  suppose. 

JOHN  H.  WHITEHEAD. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT — Doniphan  Precinct, 
RICHARD  TUCK  was  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  the  spring  of  1854,  and  settled  about  a 
mile  below  Doniphan.  I  came  from  Boone  county,  Missouri.  I  was 
at  the  election  at  Doniphan  on  the  30th  of  March.  I  got  to  the  polls- 
very  early  in  the  morning.  They  had  not  commenced  voting.  There 
were  about  200  or  300  around  the  polls  when  I  got  there.  The  crowd 
continued  there  during  the  day.  Most  of  them  were  strangers  to  me. 
I  knew  a  great  many  of  the  people  round  where  I  lived,  and  knew  the 
settlers  generally.  Perhaps  thirty  or  forty  of  the  men  around  the 
polls  were  settlers.  I  knew  some  of  these  used  to  live  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river  in  Missouri.  B.  O.  Wells,  W.  C.  Wells,  my  father- 


344  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

in-law,  Mr.  Moberly,  of  Kushville,  Missouri,  and  another  by  the  name 
of  Watson  M.  Starboard,  were  among  them.    I  was  in  their  camp  the    ; 
night  before  the  election.     It  was  at  the  crossing  of  Independence 
creek,  about  one  mile  and  a  half  below  Doniphan.     One  of  their  party 
told  me  there  were  near  200  of  them.     They  had  tents,  wagons,  and 
plenty  of  arms.     Their  arms  were  double-barrelled  shot-guns,  pistols, 
bowie-knives,  and  rifles.     Each  man  seemed  well  armed.     They  had 
plenty  of  provisions,  and  whiskey  and  brandy  together.     They  had 
either  three  wagons  of  provisions,  or  drove  up  one  wagon  three  timea  j 
I  talked  with  some  of  these  men  at  their  camp — some  five  or  six  of  j 
them.     They  were  free  in  talking  about  their  purposes.     They  said    i 
their  purpose  in  coming  was  to  vote  and  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  j 
They  did  not  tell  me  why  they  brought  so  many  arms.    Some  of  theqi 
said  they  were  from  Clay  county,  some  from  about  Weston,  and  sornb 
from  Buchanan  county.     I  supposed  that  some  of  them  had  claims  out 
back  in  the  Territory,  and  asked  them  if  they  had  claims,  and  theju 
said  they  had  taken  claims  as  they  were  coming  along  up  the  riverj 
by  driving  stakes  down  with  their  names  on  them.     I  asked  them  i( 
they  were  ever  coming  back  to  their 'claims,  and  they  said  they  mighili! 
and  they  might  not ;    they  didn't  know  as  they  ever  would.     They  ! 
said  nothing  to  me  about  any  other  inducements,  except  to  make  | 
Kansas  a  slave  State.     They  appeared  to  be  all  leaders;  there  was  no  H 
one  man  who  seemed  to  lead.     They  had  no  signs  or  ribbons  attached  1 
to  their  coats.     They  did  not  appear  like  settlers.     All  I  could  gather 
from  them  was,  that  they  were  going  to  vote,  and  going  back  home 
next  day.     I  saw  no  women  in  their  camp.     I  think  I  saw  trunks  and 
carpet  sacks.     I  saw  no  household  furniture  in  the  wagons.     They 
came  up  to  the  polls  very  early  next  morning.     I  live  within  three 
hundred  yards  of  where  they  camped,  and  went  up  to  the  polls  at  r.| 
same  time  they  did.     I  went  up  on  foot,  they  in  wagons,  and  had  no 
chance  to  converse  with  them.     I  noticed  no  flags.     They  had  drums, 
fifes  and  fiddles  along.     When  they  got  near  the  polls  they  all  got 
huddled  up  around  the  window  and  went  to  voting.     I  saw  them  vote,  i 
I  stood  right  there  and  watched  them  all  day.     Their  votes  were  re- 
ceived without  objection.     I  did  not  see  a  man  sworn  that  day  as  I! 
know  of.     They  stacked  their  arms  up  under  the  house  they  voted  in. . 
They  voted  in  Mr.  Foreman's  store.     It  was  a  frame  building,  a  foot! 
and  a  half  high  from  the  ground.     They  staid  there  all  day,  until  i1 
they  got  ready  to  go  home  in  the  evening.     They  commenced  stacking.1 
their  arms  under  the  building,  and  filled  the  space  so  well,  that  if1! 
there  was  any  more  room  there  I  did  not  see  it.     About  all  I  heard  i; 
the  settlers  say  was  that  it  was  not  worth  while  to  vote.     I  don'tt| 
know  whether  any  of  them  went  off  without  voting  or  not.     Theyvj 
commenced  leaving  tolerably  late  in  the  evening.     I  saw  several  vote1! 
more  than  onoe.     Sometimes  a  man  would  go  up  and  vote,,  and  then  »i 
go  back  and  change  his  hat  or  coat,  and  sometimes  both,,  and  then  gooj 
up  and  vote  again.     They  would  halloo  out  a  different  name  everyvj 
time.     I  saw  some  of  them  vote  as  many  as  eight  or  nine  times,  and! 
one  man  might  have  voted  a  dozen  times.     Some  three  or  four  menui 
were  pursuing  this  course  of  voting.     I  was  standing  close  by  where*] 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  345 

I  could  see.  I  don't  recollect  as  I  sat  or  laid  down  all  day.  These 
men,  in  the  evening  after  they  got  through,  said  they  had  voted  up 
all  their  tickets  and  they  would  go  home.  The  acquaintances  whose 
names  I  have  given  did  not  belong  to  this  party,  but  belonged  just 
across  the  river.  The  large  party  made  an  arrangement  in  the  even- 
ing, right  there  at  the  store-door,  where  they  would  cross  the  Missouri 
river.  Some  of  them  I  saw  cross  at  Doniphan,  and  some  were  to  cross 
at  Atchison,  and  some  were  to  come  to  Weston,  they  said.  Those 
who  were  to  cross  at  Atchison  left  that  evening  and  went  down  along 
the  river.  I  don't  know  that  I  have  ever  seen  any  of  those  men  since. 
If  they  had  been  settlers  in  the  country  about  there  I  should  have 
thought  I  would  have  known  them.  If  they  had  been  back  of  Doni- 
phan, they  would  have  come  in  from  the  west  a  different  road  from 
the  one  they  did  come.  I  was  in  Atchison  the  next  summer  after  the 
election.  I  know  that  a  protest  was  got  up  against  the  election,  and 
I  signed  it.  I  do  not  know  of  my  own  knowledge  why  it  was  not  pre- 
sented. Dr.  Stringfellow  was  there.  I  do  not  remember  of  seeing 
Mr.  Foreman  there,  the  candidate  for  Council. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

I  said  there  were  three  or  four  men  engaged  in  double-voting. 
They  would  stand  right  there  and  do  it  in  the  crowd  ;  sometimes  they 
would  change  their  hats  and  sometimes  their  coats,  and  sometimes 
both.  I  do  not  know  that  any  person  else  saw  it ;  but  if  they  had 
been  looking  at  them  they  might  have  seen  it.  Sometimes  these 
men  changed  their  hats  and  coats  with  men  who  did  not  double-vote. 
They  had  as  many  arms  as  they  could  well  carry  ;  some  of  them  had 
their  pockets  full  of  pistols.  I  don't  know  what  was  in  the  trunks. 
When  the  judges  were  selected,  I  may  have  been  sitting  round  about 
the  house  somewhere.  I  saw  no  line  formed  for  tellers  to  elect  judges. 
I  started  from  home  about  the  same  time  the  Missourians  did  to  go  to 
;  the  polls,  but  some  of  them  beat  me  there.  Parris  Dunning' was  one 
of  the  original  judges.  If  a  line  had  been  formed  to  elect  judges  by 
tellers,  I  think  I  should  have  seen  it.  I  did  not  see  any  judges 
elected,  and  don't  know  how  they  got  elected.  It  is  customary  for 
i  people  here  to  carry  arms.  I  had  very  little  acquaintance  at  Atchi- 
i  son.  I  know  nothing  at  all  about  where  those  men  came  from,  except 
what  they  told  me.  I  saw  Dr.  Stringfellow  there  from  Atchison, 
and  perhaps  one  or  two  more  that  I  knew  from  the  same  place.  John 
:  Hunter  was  one  of  them,  I  think.  Doniphan  was  the  only  place  for 
j  voting  by  the  people  of  Atchison,  and  down  as  far  as  Walnut  creek. 
There  was  a  newspaper  published  at  Atchison  at  the  time,  and  some 
seven  or  eight  houses  there.  I  never  heard  that  there  were  a  hundred 
or  a  hundred  and  fifty  voters  down  there,  or  anything  of  the  kind. 
I  have  heard  that  there  was  a  right  smart  of  voters  down  there — 
others  than  the  company  of  two  hundred.  I  saw  men  coming  as  men 
usually  do  at  elections,  and  I  recognised  some  of  them  as  settlers,  and 
some  of  them  I  did  not  know.  Part  of  the  wagons  were  driven  up  in 
front  of  the  store  that  day.  I  don't  know  whether  all  of  them  were 
or  not.  I  don't  know  whether  they  put  their  arms  in  their  wagons 


346  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

or  not.     They  put  their  shot-guns  ^and  rifles  under  the  house,   and  < 
filled  the  space  up  between  the  ground  and  sills  of  the  house.     There 
were  no  political  tights  or  disturbances  there  that  day.     I  don't  know  - 
but  what  the  settlers  all  voted. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  think  the  free-State  men  had  the  majority  of  actual  settlers  in  the^ 
Doniphan  precinct  at  the  time  of  that  election.  If  there  had  been  no> 
voting  except  by  the  actual  settlers,  the  free-State  men  would  havej 
carried  the  day.  Mr.  Foreman  had  no  opposition  at  that  election. ; 
My  information  relative  to  the  political  complexion  of  the  precinct  isi 
based  upon  what  I  have  heard  others  say. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  have  heard  people  say  that  the  actual  settlers  would  have  no> 
chance  with  the  Missourians.  I  have  heard  them  talking  about  the* 
strength  ot  parties.  I  may  have  heard  pro-slavery  men  say  that  they»r 
had  two  to  one  against  the  free-State  men  of  actual  settlers,  and  If 
have  heard  free-State  men  say  that  they  had  ten  to  one  against  thed 
pro-slavery  party. 

his 
RICHARD  +  TUCK. 

mark. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


ELI  HAMILTON  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  29th  of  May,  1854,  and  settled  ind 
the  Doniphan  precinct,  14th  district.     At  the  time  of  the  election  oil 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  clerking  for  Mr.  John  W.  Foreman  J 
then  a  candidate  for  the  council.     The  election  was  held  at  Mr.  Fore-»- 
man's  store-house.     Mr.  Tschudy  and  Parris  Dunning  were  the  only\ 
two  judges  of  election  I  knew  appointed  by  the  governor.     They  dicM 
not  serve  ;  but  one  of  them  (Tschudy)  was  there,   and   I  don't  know 
why  he  did  not  serve.     The  judges  were  then  selected  by  the  by^- 
standers.     The  new  judges  were  Mr.  Ireland,  Mr.  Alexander  Dun-i 
ning,  and  Mr.  Lamb.     Mr.   Tschudy  brought  the  poll-books  to  th«< 
store  and  left  them,  and  the  new  judges  got  them.     I  do  not  recol-i 
lect  of  seeing  either  of  the  new  judges  sworn.     I  do  not  recollect  o: 
seeing  anybody  sworn  that  day.     My  opinion  is  that  some  two  01 
three  hundred  were  around  the  polls  through  the  day.     I  did  noi» 
know  them  generally.     They  were  strangers  to  me.     I  was  not  mudtij 
acquainted  in  the  district.     I  had  been  in  the  store,  off  and  on.  evei 
since  I  was  in  the  Territory,  as  clerk,  and  was  working  for  Mr.  Fore^j 
man  nearly  all  the  time.     I  do  not  know  whether  many  ol  these  perrj 
sons  were  or  were  not  residents  of  the  Territory.     I  was  there  until 
the  polls  closed.     There  ivas  a  large  crowd  at  the  window  voting  mostf 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  347 

!  all  the  time.     I  saw  one  man  challenged.     His  name  was  Hall,  I 

; think,  arid  he  lived  in  the  Territory.  He  was  not  old  enough  to 
vote.  That  was  the  only  challenge  I  recollect  of  now. .  I  was  there 
when  the  votes  were  counted  out  after  the  election  was  over.  The 
tally-list  and  the  ballots  did  not  agree.  There  was  a  difference  of  be- 
tween five  and  fifteen  ;  the  precise  number  I  cannot  say.  The  num- 
ber of  tickets  were  greater  than  the  names.  I  saw  one  of  the  judges 

1  raise  his  hand  from  the  tickets  and  put  it  in  his  bosom.  I  saw  no 
tickets  in  his  hand  ;  it  was  half  closed.  This  was  Judge  Lamb.  I 
think  they  then  made  the  tally-list  and  ballots  correspond.  I  have 
since  examined  the  poll-list,  and  find  upon  it  some  six  names  of  men 
who  I  believe  to  have  resided  in  Missouri.  Their  names  are  W.  H. 
Hinchraan,  John  Martin,  William  Dunning,  R.  Smith,  B.  G-.  Wells, 
and  W.  C.  Wells.  I  moved  into  the  Territory  from  St.  Joseph,  and 
came  there  from  Athens,  Missouri.  I  was  born  in  Indiana  and  raised 

iin  Illinois.  I  have  taken  no  part  in  politics.  I  voted  that  day  for 
John  W.  Foreman,  Dr.  Stringfellow,  and  Dr.  Cutler.  The  men  I 
saw  at  the  polls  were  generally  armed  with  guns  and  pistols.  I  saw 
a  great  many  pistols.  They  came  very  early  in  the  morning.  I  saw 
them  go  back  the  way  they  came,  down  towards  Atchison.  I  saw  some 
crossing  the  river  to  Missouri.  They  were  generally  strangers  to  me. 
I  do  not  know  but  what  they  were  legal  voters,  except  those  I  have 
named.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  noise  and  confusion  there  that 
day.  There  was  a  good  deal  more  cursing  and  swearing  at  the 
election  than  I  have  been  accustomed  to  hearing.  There  was  some 
fighting  about  personal  difficulties,  not  political. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

Smith  was  there  at  Doniphan,  building  a  house,  about  the  time  of 

the  election,  and  keeping  a  grocery  in  Doniphan.     His  family  was  in 

I  Missouri,  and  he  ate  and  slept  in  that  State.     Previous  to  the  election 

I  sold  Hinchman  a  claim,  and  w,as  at  the  time  putting  up  a  house  for 

i  him  on  it,  and  he  boarded  with  me.     Hinchman  has  since  moved  into 

the  house,,  and  is  now  living  in  it.     He  staid  at  my  house  two  weeks. 

He  moved  his  family  into  the  house  a  year  ago  this  spring. 

ELI  HAMILTON. 
LEAVBNWO'RTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


JOHN  LANDIS  called  and  sworn  : 

To  the  Committee : 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  December,  1854,  and  into  the  Doni- 
phan precinct,  fourteenth  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since. 
I  came  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri.  At  the  time  of  the  first 
election  for  delegate  to  Congress,  I  resided  in  Missouri.  I  was  in  St. 
Joseph  the  day  before  that  election,  and  also  on  the  day  of  the  elec- 
tion. I  was  solicited  there  by  some  of  my  friends  to  go  over  into 


348  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Kansas  and  vote.  The  inducements  held  out  was  to  make  Kansas  a 
slave  State.  I  did  not  go.  I  knew  a  number  crossed  the  river. 
They  said  they  were  going  over  to  vote.  I  saw  them  when  they  re- 
turned. I  had  a  conversation  with  one  of  them  by  the  name  of 
Andrew  Dysert,  and  he  told  me  they  had  carried  ths  election.  Mr. 
Dysert,  James  Carson,  Johnson  Carson,  William  Carson,  Colby  Gor- 
don, Harding  Gordon,  and  Samuel  Gordon  severally  told  me  they 
were  over  the  day  before,  and  the  morning  of  the  election  ;  that  they 
were  going  over  to  vote.  I  went  as  far  as  St.  Joseph  with  them,  and 
after  their  return  from  the  Territory,  went  home  with  them.  Quite  a 
number  accompanied  them  whose  names  I  did  not  know,  perhaps  15 
or  20.  They  were  from  the  very  neighborhood  where  I  lived,  which 
is  six  miles  from  St.  Joseph.  I  have  examined  the  poll-books  of  that 
election,  and  have  seen  the  names  of  several  on  there  that  I  arn  ac- 
quainted with. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

I  suppose  I  could  give  the  names  of  all  that  went  if  I  could  think 
awhile.  I  don't  know  that  any  of  them  voted.  I  see  the  following 
names  on  the  poll-lists  of  my  neighbors  living  in  Missouri :  Colby 
Gordon,  George  Catlett,  Charles  Carson,  Andrew  Dysert,  James  Car- 
son, Johnson  Carson.  Those  are  all  I  recollect  at  present.  I  refused  i 
to  go  over  and  vote.  I  have  no  idea  how  many  crossed  the  river  that 
day,  and  don't  know  what  they  went  for,  except  what  they  told  me. 

JOHN  LANDIS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


JAMES  F.  FOREMAN  was  called  and  sworn. 

At  the  time  of  the  March  election  I  resided  in  the  Doniphan  pre- 
cinct, fourteenth  district,  and  was  present  at  the  30th  of  March  election. 
I  was  present  when  the  votes  were  being  counted  up,  after  the  closing 
of  the  polls.  There  was  a  discrepancy  between  the  poll-list  and  ballots 
of  one  vote.  The  judges  explained  it  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  all. 
If  there  had  been  a  discrepancy  of  from  five  to  fifteen  votes  between 
the  tally-list  and  ballots,  I  think  I  should  have  noticed  it,  for  there 
would  have  been  some  questioning  about  it,  but  I  heard  nothing  and ! 
saw  nothing  of  the  kind. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  feel  almost  positive  there  was  a  difference  of  only  one  vote  between  i 
the  tally-list  and  ballots  cast.  The  only  reasons  why  I  think  there  I 
was  not  more  is,  that  it  would  have  excited  attention. 

JAMES  F.  FOKEMAN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  349* 


LUTHER  DICKERSON  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  October,  1854.  I  came  from  Saline 
ounty,  Missouri,  and  settled  in  the  Doniphan  precinct,  14th  election 
istrict.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I 
aw  a  company  of  strangers  passing  my  house,  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
outh  of  Independence  creek  and  three  miles  north  of  Atchison.  It 
vas  between  three  o'clock  and  sundown  on  the  day  be  fore  the  election, 
e  company  were  in  wagons,  on  horeseback,  and  some  of  them  on 
oot.  I  did  not  count  them  ;  I  should  say  safely  that  there  were  one 
.undred.  I  did  not  count  the  wagons.  I  talked  with  them  late  at 
jfche  creek  after  they  encamped  ;  I  went  down  into  the  camp.  They 
ifcold  me  they  came  here  to  vote.  They  told  me  they  came  from  Mis- 
J9ouri  ;  they  said  they  were  from  Platte,  Clay,  Saline,  and  Lafayette 
•counties ;  they  said  there  was  a  large  emigration  from  the  east 
coming  to  the  Territory  to  vote,  and  they  wanted  to  balance  their  vote, 
land  outvote  them.  I  did  not  hear  one  of  them  claim  to  be  a  resident 
pf  the  Territory.  I  did  not  know  those  men  personally.  I  had  a 
(conversation  with  one  man  who  said  he  lived  in  Saline  county.  He 
knew  my  acquaintances  there.  I  do  not  remember  his  name.  He  said 
nothing  to  me  about  how  they  were  organized.  They  had  their  pro- 
ivisions  with  them  and  arms  ;  some  of  them  shot-guns,  pistols,  and 
some  few  I  saw  with  bowie-knives.  I  think  pretty  near  every  man 
had  revolvers  ;  they  were  trying  their  weapons  at  the  trees.  I  don't 
think  I  heard  them  say  that  they  would  make  any  disturbance  if  they 
were  resisted.  They  said  if  the  damned  fanatics  of  the  north  came 
there  to  vote  they  would  have  to  have  a  fight  before  they  voted.  I 
understood  them  to  allude  to  men  who  were  coming  up  the  river  to 
vote.  I  left  them  there  that  night  and  went  home.  I  saw  them  about 
eleven  o'clock  the  next  day.  A  portion  of  them  were  at  the  camp,  a 
portion  were  along  the  road,  and  a  portion  at  the  polls.  I  went  on  up 
to  the  polls  and  voted.  I  saw  a  portion  of  these  strangers  vote.  They 
were  constantly  running  back  and  forward  to  their  camp.  Sometimes 
new  persons  were  coming  up  to  the  polls  and  sometimes  the  same.  I 
saw  a  portion  of  their  arms  lying  under  the  sill  of  the  house  in  which 
the  election  was  held.  These  were  their  heavy  arms.  I  did  not  see 
any  double  voting  that  day.  I  heard  no  objection  made  to  any  of 
these  men  voting.  The  judges  did  not  swear  any  of  these  men  while 
I  was  at  the  polls.  I  don't  think  all  the  settlers  voted.  I  don't  know 
why.  I  never  heard  that  Missourians  were  coming  over  to  vote  until 
I  saw  them  coming.  I  did  not  see  any  eastern  emigrants  arrive.  So 
far  as  I  know,  these  strangers  voted.  I  am  acquainted  about  Atchison. 
I  am  tolerably  well  acquainted  between  the  two  creeks — Walnut  and 
Independence.  These  strangers  were  not  settlers  in  that  region  of 
country.  In  coming  up  from  Weston  to  Doniphan  the  usual  crossing 
place  is  Atchison.  They  told  me  they  crossed  at  Atchison.  Those 
who  would  come  from  Saline  and  Lafayette  counties  would  cross  the 
river  twice.  I  am  pretty  well  acquainted  in  the  middle,  eastern,  and 
southern  parts  of  that  precinct,  but  not  so  well  acquainted  in  the  ex- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

trerae  southern  parts.  The  usual  mode  of  making  acquaintances  inii 
the  Territory  is  by  helping  each  other  "by  building,  <fec.,  and  the  set-* 
tiers  generally  become  acquainted  with  each  other  as  I  did,  I  think: 
the  political  sentiment  iri  Doniphan  precinct  was  about  equally  divi-^ 
ded.  I  could  not  give  an  opinion,  satisfactory  to  myself,  which  would  I 
have  had  a  majority  at  that  election  if  there  had  been  a  fair  contest,  J 
and  none  but  actual  settlers  had  voted.  These  strangers  returned  the?! 
same'way  they  came.  I  have  never  seen  them  since.  They  said  theyr 
voted  the  pro- slavery  ticket. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

I  don't  know  when  they  crossed  the  river  from  Missouri.     They 
said  they  came  over  the  day  before  they  came  along  there.     The  citi- 
zens about  Atchison  came  to  the  polls  the  day  OL  election:     I  did  nott 
know  all  the  citizens  of  Atchison  at  that  time,  but  I  knew  them  nearly  i 
all.     Some  of  these  strangers  in  the  company  may  have  been  citizens  i 
of  Atchison,  but  if  so  I  did  not  know  them. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  voted  that  day  for  Mr.  Cutler  alone. 

LUTHER  DICKERSOJS". 
•LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


JOSEPH  W.  BEATTIE  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  August,  1854,  from  Missouri,  Buchanan^ 
county  ;  I  settled  in  the  Doniphan  precinct,  and  have  been  t  lie  re  even 
since.     There  was  a  party  of  men  encamped  near  me  on  the  evening 
of  the  29th  of  March,  the  day  before  election  ;  the  camp  wa*  near  myy 
home,  at  the  crossing  of  Indpendence  creek,  by  the  Doniphan  road. 
I  suppose  there  was   somewhere  near  a  hundred  of  these  strangers; 
there  were  sixteen  two-horse  wagon  loads,  and  some  oji  horseback.; 
They  applied  to  me  to  ferry  them  across,  and  I  did  so  ;  they  had  tents? 
and  provisions  along  with  them  ;  they  were  armed.     I  asked  them 
where  they  were  from,  and  they  said  they  were  from  Missouri  ;  1  askejillj 
them  where  they  were  going,  and  they  said  they  were  going  to  Doni-i 
phan  ;  they  said  they  were  going  there  to  vote.     They  remained  there 
all  night,  and  next  morning  went  up  to  Doniphan.     I  went  up  also* 
after  they  did.     I  did  not  see  any  of  them  vote,  as  I  did  not  go  to  the* 
polls  until  towards  evening,  when  nobody  was  around  the  polls.     They* 
poked  their  guns  under  the  sill  of  the  building  where  they  voted  J 
After  the  polls  were  closed  they  came  back  to  my  house,  crossed  the 
creek,  and  went  back  to  Atchison.     I  am  not  much  acquainted  about 
Atchison.     These  men  told  me  they  crossed  the  river  at  Atchison. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

I  knew  Mr.  Cutler  and  Mr.   Sanders  ;  I  do  not  hardly  think  theyj 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  351 

could  command  the  full  strength  of  their  party.  I  don't  know  whether 
Dr.  Stringfellow  and  Mr.  Kirk  would  command  the  strength  of  their 
party  OJT  not  I  don't  know  either  of  the  men  now. 

JOSEPH  W.  BEATTIE. 
LBAVBNWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


JAMES  LYNCH  called  and  sworn. 
To  Governor  King : 

I  landed  in  St.  Joseph  on  the  13th  of  March,  1855,  and  reached  the 
Doniphan  precinct  on  the  14th  of  March,  and  have  been  residing  there 
ever  since.  I  was  at  the  election  on  the  30th  of  March,  and  present 
every  hour  of  the  day  ;  I  saw  the  voting  going  on  ;  there  was  no  po- 
litical quarrel  or  excitement  going  on.  I  did  not  know  any  Missou- 
rians  there  except  Major  O'Driscall ;  I  took  them  all  to  be  actual 
residents,  as  I  was  myself.  I  heard  nothing  about  the  Missourians 
being  there  to  take  the  polls.  I  voted  myself  on  that  day  ;  I  saw 
no  one  prohibited  there  from  voting.  The  order  and  quietness  at  the 
election  was  better  than  I  had  been  in  the  habit  of  witnessing  in  Ken- 
tucky, where  I  have  been  residing. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  did  not  see  any  arms  under  the  sill  of  the  building  where  the 
election  was  held. 

JAMES  LYNCH. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26, 1856. 


DAVID  FIZER  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  August,  1854,  from  Missouri— from 
Buchanan  county,  Missouri — and  have  resided  here  ever  since.  I  set- 
tied  on  the  Doniphan  precinct,  fourteenth  district.  I  was  at  the  elec- 
tion of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  The  day  before  the  election,  about 
sundown,  about  one  hundred  men  or  upwards  encamped  near  my 
house  ;  they  came  in  wagons,  some  on  horseback,  and  some  came 
a- foot ;  this  was  one  mile  from  the  polls ;  they  were  armed,  from  double- 
barrelled  shot-guns  down  to  butcher-knives — all  of  them  had  more  or 
less  of  arms  ;  I  did  not  see  a  man  but  what  had  arms  ;  the  fact  is,  1 
was  astonished  to  see  it.  1  might  as  well  tell  the  thing  just  as  it 
was  ;  my  attention  was  first  called  to  them  when  they  were  about  half 
a  mile  off  from  my  house,  when  I  saw  the  wagons  ;  I  then  went  down 
to  where  they  had  encamped,  and  near  enough  to  see  them  stretching 
their  tents.  1  did  not  know  any  of  them — they  came  from  towards 


352  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

Atchison.  I  had  some  conversation  with  a  young  man  that  evening, 
and  next  morning  I  had  a  right  smart  chance  with  him.  They  "broke 
up  their  camp  about  9  or  10  o'clock  next  morning,  and  as  I  went  to 
the  polls  at  Doniphan  some  were  ahead  and  some  were  behind  me.  I 
had  some  conversation  that  morning  with  a  young  man — -I  do  not  re- 
member his  name  ;  he  said  he  was  the  cook  of  the  party.  He  asked 
me  if  I  knew  any  person  in  the  neighborhood  who  wished  to  hire  a 
hand  ;  I  told  him  I  expected  he  could  get  work  in  the  neighborhood. 
I  asked  him  if  he  lived  in  the  Territory  ;  he  said  he  did  not.  I  asked 
him  where  he  was  from ;  and  he  told  me  he  was  from  Missouri.  I 
asked  him  if  they  were  all  from  Missouri ;  and  he  said  they  were.  I 
asked  him  if  he  voted  ;  and  he  told  me  he  did.  I  had  no  talk  with 
any  other  as  to  their  purposes  in  coming.  I  went  to  the  polls  and 
voted.  The  same  men  that  I  had  seen  in  the  camp  were  there  ;  they 
went  as  I  did,  and,  and  put  into  the  ballot-box  a  little  piece  of  paper. 
I  staid  until  I  saw  fifteen  or  twenty  of  these  men  vote,  and  then  not 
feeling  well  I  went  off  and  sat  down.  I  was  at  the  polls  some  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  ;  there  was  a  pretty  smart  crowd  around  the  polls  ; 
there  was  a  right  smart  show  of  settlers  there,  but  the  great  body  were 
strangers  to  me  ;  no  objection  was  made  to  their  men  voting.  I  don't 
know  whether  they  claimed  to  vote  in  the  Territory  or  not.  Some 
three  or  Four  of  the  free  State  men  that  I  knew  went  off,  and  told  me 
they  would  not  vote  ;  I  do  not  know  that  they  were  hindered,  but  they 
said  that  there  were  so  many  Missourians  there  that  there  was  no  use 
in  their  voting.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Eph.  Falcull  and  a  Mr.  Page 
said  they  would  not  vote  ;  I  don't  know  whether  they  voted  or  not. 
I  got  home  the  after  part  of  the  day  ;  I  went  into  a  doctor's  shop  most 
part  of  the  time.  Some  of  them  crossed  '  Independence  creek  that 
evening,  and  some  left  the  next  morning.  I  saw  some  of  the  men  at 
the  creek  returning  ;  they  had  their  provisions  with  them.  I  helped 
one  wagon  through  the  mire  going  up  hill ;  I  looked  into  it,  and  saw 
bacon,  bread,  and  cooked  provisions  ;  they  did  not  look  to  me  like 
settlers  coming  over  to  settle;  I  never  saw  the  like  of  them,  all  armed 
so,  and  cutting  up.  They  were  all  pretty  well — as  we  would  call  ik— 
pretty  well  corned,  and  were  noisy  and  boisterous.  I  have  never  seen 
any  of  them  since — I  have  never  seen  any  of  these  men  before  nor 
since  ;  if  they  had  been  settlers  about  Atchison  I  think  I  would  have 
known  them  ;  I  live  within  about  three  miles  of  Atchison  and  2^  miles  i 
from  Doniphan,  and  am  some  acquainted  in  both  places,  but  better  in 
Doniphan  than  Atchison ;  my  trading  is  usually  done  in  Doniphan. 
I  was  in  Atchison  at  the  time  of  the  sale  of  lots  there,  but  I  can't  say 
when  it  was. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

I  know  nothing  about  where  they  came  from,  only  what  the  young  ; 
man  told  me.  The  road  they  came  was  the  one  leading  from  Atchi-  • 
son  to  Doniphan.  It  is  usual  for  new  settlers  to  camp  out,  but  I  never  ' 
saw  them  in  such  large  squads  ;  settlers  generally  bring  women  and  ! 
"babies.  Parties  of  men  frequently  come  to  seek  claims  in  numbers) 
of  seven  or  eight ;  it  is  usual  for  parties  of  men  to  come  into  the  • 
Territory  to  make  their  claims.  I  was  not  acquainted  with  the  in- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  353 

iabitants  about  Atchison  ;  I  believe  at  that  time  I  knew  two  below 
Vtchison  ;  I  knew  two  or  three  men  in  Atchison,  at  which  place  a 
lewspaper  was  published.  I  cannot  say  I  understood  that  there  was 
ji  considerable  number  of  inhabitants  below  Atchison. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Persons  crossing  the  river  from  Missouri,  from  Weston  and  below, 
sross  at  Atchison,  and  come  up  on  this  side  of  the  river. 

DAVID  FIZER. 
LEAVBNWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


K.  L.  KIRK  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  resided,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the  llth  representative 
listrict ;  the  pro-slavery  party  had,  in  rny  opinion,  a  majority  of  three 
;o  one.  The  llth  representative  district  was  composed  of  the  18th 
ind  parts  of  the  14th  and  15th  election  districts. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

The  whole  of  the  eighteenth  election  district ;  election  held  at  W. 
W.  Moore's;  the  Doniphan  and  Wolf  River  precincts  of  the  14th  elec- 
tion district,  election  of  the  Wolf  River  precinct  being  held  at  the 
bouse  of  Aaron  Lewis  ;  parties  of  the  voters  of  the  15th  district  were 
attached  to  the  Doniphan  precinct,  and  voted  then  at  Doniphan. 
These  together  formed  the  llth  representative  district.  My  acquaint- 
ance was  pretty  thorough  in  the  llth  district.  I  knew,  I  think,  two- 
thirds  of  the  voters  there.  I  think  some  60  odd  votes  were  polled  in 
the  18th  district.  I  think  there  were  some  150  to  200  voters  from 
the  15th  district  who  were  obliged  to  vote  at  Doniphan,  the  people 
of  the  town  of  Atchison  being  obliged  to  go  there.  I  do  not  recollect 
how  many  votes  were  polled  at  Doniphan.  I  think  some  60  or  65 
votes  were  polled  at  Wolf  River  precinct.  My  opinion  of  the  relative 
strength  of  the  parties  is  based  on  the  district  as  above  described. 

R.  L.  KIRK. 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


Dr.  JOHN  H,  STRINGFELLOW  was  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  Atchison,  Atchison  county,  Kansas  Territory.  I  moved 
to  Atchison  in  July,  1854,  and  I  took  my  family  there  in  the  fall  of 
the  same  year,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  The  district  was 
changed  at  the  30th  of  March  election  from  the  district  of  the  fall 
before,  according  to  which  the  census  was  taken  in  February,  when 
the  snow  was  probably  fifteen  inches  on  the  ground.  Most  of  our 
citizens  were  emigrants  from  the  adjoining  counties  in  Missouri, 
having  left  friends  and  comfortable  quarters  in  Missouri.  A  large 
H.  Rep.  200 23* 


354  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

number  of  our  citizens,  about  the  time  the' census  was  taken,  were' 
absent  from  their  open  cabins,  temporarily,  by  visiting  their  friends 
in  Missouri.     The  consequence  was,  that  a  large  number  of  our  citi- ; 
zens  were  omitted  from  the  census  returns.     Knowing  this  fact,  we 
had  the  census  taken  by  some  of  our  citizens,  which  showed  a  gain  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  voters  over  the  census  taken  by  Jolly, 
which  when  represented  to  Gov.  Reeder  induced  him  to  append  to 
the  census  returns  made  by  Jolly  upwards  of  fifty  votes.     The  rest. 
were  rejected,  because  the  persons  so  taking  the  census  would  not 
swear  that  the  persons  thus  rejected  were  on  their  claims  at  the  time. 
After  the  census  returns  were  made,  the  districts  were  re-arranged ;  ; 
so  that  the  old  district,  the  census  of  which  Jolly  took,  was  divided, 
part  in  the  Doniphan  district  and  part  in  the  Kickapoo  district.     The 
list  of  voters  furnished  by  Governor  Reeder  to  the  judges  of  the  DoniJ] 
phan  precinct,  purporting  to  be  a  correct  list  of  all  the  persons  enti-  j 
tied  to  vote  at  that  precinct,  did  not  contain  the  name  oi  any  person 
south  of  Independence  creek,  which  said  portion  of  territory  thus: 
omitted  contained  at  least  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hun-1 
dred  actual  voters.     This  portion  of  the  district  thus  omitted  enJ 
braced  the  town  of  Atchison,,  being  a  breadth  of  ten  miles  north  and 
south  on  the  Missouri  river,  and  running  back  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
miles.     The  consequence  was  that  a  much  larger  vote  was  polled  at 
the  Doniphan  precinct  than  would  have  been  supposed  from  the  list ' 
of  voters  furnished  to  justices  by  the  governor,  as  taken  from  the- 
census  returns  taken  by  Jolly. 

I  was  in  the  town  of  Doniphan  the  day  after  the  election  ;  there 
were  about  three  hundred  votes  polled  ;  there  was  no  disturbance  of 
any  kind  resulting  from  the  election.  I  was  one  of  the  candidates  for 
the  house  of  representatives  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  There  was 
no  effort  made  to  prevent  any  man  from  voting  because  of  his  political 
sentiments  ;  on  the  contrary,  urged  upon  Mr.  Sanders,  the  free-State 
candidate,  to  bring  up  all  his  friends  and  they  should  not  be  molested. 
He  brought  to  the  polls  a  number  of  free-State  men,  and  some  of 
them  came  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri.  The  last  vote,  I  think, 
that  he  brought  was  a  boy  about  seventeen  years  old ;  upon  being 
questioned  by  the  judges,  he  admitted  that  he  was  not  twenty-one 
years  old,  and  he  was  the  only  person  presented  by  Mr.  Sanders,  who 
did  not  vote.  Mr.  Sanders  owned  the  ferry  at  Doniphan,  and  his 
voters  who  crossed  the  river  were  known  to  be  free-State  men  in 
Missouri.  They  claimed,  however,  to  have  claims  in  the  Territory  ; 
but  their  families  were  living  in  Missouri,  and  were  allowed  to  vote*? 
I  knew  a  good  many  of  the  gentlemen  who  voted  there  to  have 
formerly  resided  in  Missouri ;  but  a  great  many,  if  not  all,  had  made 
claims  in  the  Territory,  and  many  of  them  are  now  on  those  claims 
with  their  families.  From  all  the  information  derived  from  my  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  the  Doniphan  district,  and  from  the  various 
elections  held  in  said  district,  I  am  disposed  to  think  that  four-fifths 
of  them  who  have  ever  voted,  have  voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket.  At 
that  election  I  received  some  free- State  votes  myself.  The  day  after 
the  election  I  started  down  to  the  Shawnee  Mission  in  company  with' 
a  good  many  other  members  elect  of  the  legislature  for  the  purpose  of 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  355 

protesting  against  the  power  claimed  by  Governor  Reeder  in  his  elec- 
iion  proclamation,  to  decide  contested  elections. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  protest  assigning  our 
reasons  for  this  denial.  A  committee  of  three  was  then  appointed  to 
ivait  upon  the  governor,  and  present  him  the  protest.  The  committee 
jonsisted  of  Gen.  Wm.  P.  Richardson,  Samuel  Williams,  and  myself. 
We  denied,  in  our  interview  with  the  governor,  that  he  had  any  power 
,o  decide  as  to  contested  elections,  and  contended  that  that  power  was 
with  the  legislative  body;  and  that  the  presentation  of  the  returns 
>f  the  election  formally  made,  were  prima  facie  evidence  of  the  right 
>f  members  to  their  seats  ;  and  to  these  propositions  the  governor 
issented.  We  further  contended,  in  our  interview  with  him,  that  he 
ad  no  right  to  order  a  second  election,  except  in  cases  provided  by 
he  organic  act.  To  this  last  proposition  the  governor  read  us  a 
ommunication  addressed  to  the  Attorney  General  of  the  United  States, 
sking  his  advice  as  to  all  the  matters  in  controversy  between  the 
egislature  elect  and  himself;  asserting  that  if  sustained  in  his  opinion 
y  the  Attorney  General,  he  would  order  new  elections  in  those  districts 
srhere  the  returns  were  informally  made.  But  if  not  sustained,  then 
e  would  grant  certificates  to  those  persons  who  had  received  the 
argest  number  of  votes,  or  who  had  been  returned  as  elected. 
Hiring  all  this  conversation  there  was  no  threat  of  any  kind  made 
gainst  Governor  Reeder,  and  no  angry  words  used;  but,  on  the  con- 
rary,  Governor  Reeder  was  treated  with  the  utmost  respect  due  to 
is  station,  and  to  the  last  day  upon  which  I  met  him  we  were  on 
micable  terms.  We  made  our  report  to  the  members  elect  of  the 
3gislatiire ;  and  I  assured  them  that  the  governor's  decision  would 
e  all  we  could  require  of  him,  as  I  was  satisfied  that  he  would  grant 
ertificates  of  election  to  a  majority  of  each  house,  and  recognise  in 
aat  house  their  right  to  go  behind  his  decision  and  investigate  the 
ntire  matter.  On  the  next  day  Governor  Reeder  made  his  decision 
nown  in  writing  to  the  members  present,  which  was  assented  to  by 
icm,  as  it  agreed  with  the  assurance  the  committee  made  them  on 
the  day  before.  And  on  this  last  occasion  no  insults  were  offered  to 
Governor  Reeder,  and  no  demonstration  was  made  by  him  of  anything 
Like  personal  difficulty ;  the  whole  affair  went  off,  so  far  as  I  could  see, 
in  the  most  amicable  and  friendly  manner. 

There  was  quite  a  large  number  of  citizens  of  Missouri  present  on 
the  day  of  election,  who  were  drawn  there  from  the  reports  which 
had  reached  us  that  large  numbers  of  persons  would  be  thrown  in  upon 
us  from  the  free  States  for  the  purpose  of  controlling  the  election. 
The  determination  of  the  Missourians  present  was,  to  resist  by  all 
means  this  operaton  of  free-State  men  upon  us ;  to  prevent  by  mild 
means,  if  possible,  this  forcible  control  of  our  internal  affairs,  or  by 
force  if  necessary. 

[  have  been  controlling  a  paper  ever  since  February,  1855,  and 
I  have  never  urged  any  biit  bonafide  settlers  to  emigrate  to  this  Ter- 
ritory, either  for  the  purpose  of  voting  or  for  any  other  purpose. 

There  were  numbers  of  Missourians  at  the  polls  on  the  30th  of 
March,  pro-slavery  men,  who  did  not  vote,  and  were  not  solicited  to 
vote.  I  don't  know  that  any  citizen  of  Missouri  voted;  but  some 


356  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

may  have  done  it,  and  I  not  know  it.     The  result  of  the  electi< 
would  in  no  manner  have  been  changed,  had  the  Missourians  voted 
or  not  voted. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  never  saw  a  circular  purporting  to  be  from  General  Stringfellow, 
or  any  circular  circulated  on  the  day  of  election,  advising  Missourians^ 
to  vote  at  that  precinct.  There  was  no  such  circular  published  at  my^ 
office.  I  saw  at  my  office  one  copy  of  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  re- 
view of  Governor  Keeder's  proclamation,  which  spoke  of  the  mannen 
of  conducting  the  election,  and  the  returns  thereof;  and  I  think  that! 
portion  of  his  proclamation  ordering  the  judges  of  election  to  destroys 
any  whiskey  that  might  be  on  the  ground  for  sale.  I  don't  know,  but! 
I  do  not  believe  that  General  Stringfellow  wrote  the  paper  referred  to., 

JOHN  H.  STKINGFELLOW. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


HENRY  ADDOMS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Governor  King: 

I  first  came  into  the  Territory  in  1847,  and  have  been  here  since* 
the  organization  of  the  Territory,  and  reside  at  Atchison.     So  far  as- 
I  have  heard  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Stringfellow  and  J.  W.  Foreman,  II 
concur  in  it  relative  to  the  several  elections  in  the  Doniphan  precinct. , 
I  was  born  and  raised  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  in  1838  came  ton 
Platte  county,  Missouri.     I  know  of  the  first  excitement  in  Weston, 
Missouri,  in  relation  to  the  settlement  of  Kansas   Territory  ;  which!* 
was  the  report  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Societies  which  had  been  formed; 
for  the  purpose  of  throwing  vast  quantities  of  men  into  this  Territory 
for  the  purpose  of  making  it  a  free-State.     The  report  was  that  there 
were  to  be  twenty  thousand  men  sent  forward,  and  the  Emigrant  Aid: 
Society  was  formed  by  the  principal  abolitionists,  who  had  been  agi- 
tating the  United  States  for  some  years  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State, 
and  thereby  to  make  it  an  entering-wedge  for  the  making  of  Missouri 
a  free  State ;  which  was  believed  by  the  people  when  they  first  saw  the* 
companies  coming  on  from  the  east. 

The  object  of  forming  organizations  in  Missouri  was  to  bring  per-1- 
sons  living  in  that  State  over  into  the  Territory  who  designed  to  emi- 
grate, and  to  counteract  the  movements  of  the  aid  societies.     And  II 
believe^  but  for  the  eastern  movements,  there  never  would  have  beeni 
any  more  excitement  in  the  Territory  than  is  ordinary  in  settling 
Territories. 

HENRY  ADDOMS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  357 

FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT — Wolf  River  Precinct. 
Dr.  G.  A.  CUTLER  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  February,  1854.  I  settled  in  the  four- 
teenth, district.  I  came  from  Andrew  county,  Missouri,  here,  and 
from  Tennessee  to  Missouri.  I  resided  in  the  fourteenth  district  until 
fche  4th  or  5th  of  March,  1856,  and  then  removed  to  Topeka.  I  was 
among  the  first  settlers  in  the  fourteenth  district,  and  practised  medi- 
cine there  for  fourteen  or  fifteen  months.  I  knew  most  every  person 
,in  the  Doniphan  portion  of  the  district,,  but  did  not  in  Wolf  River 
and  California,  or  what  was  subsequently  made  into  the  eighteenth 
district.  , 

The  day  previous  to  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,,  at  the 
Presbyterian  mission,  in  the  Wolf  River  precinct,  commonly  known 
as  the  Vandersluyce,  on  the  morning  of  that  day  a  large  body  of  men 
came  in  in  wagons,  &c.  ;  they  themselves  said  80  persons  in  number. 
There  was  considerable  whiskey  demolished  there.  They  were  all 
armed  to  the  teeth.  I  did  not  know  any  of  them.  While  there,  they 
held  a  convention  to  unite  on  two  men  for  the  assembly.  This  crowd 
was  under  the  command  of  General  Atchison.  The  pro-slavery  citi- 
zens there  wished  to  have  Mr.  Thomas  Vandersluyce  and  Joel  Ryans ; 
and  Atchison's  company  wanted  Stringfellow  and  Kirk  elected.  They 
could  not  agree  very  well.  A  man  got  up  and  made  a  speech,  and, 
as  near  as  I  can  recollect  his  words,  he  said:  "  Gentlemen,  we  want  to 
unite  on  one  ticket.  There  are  1,100  coming  over  from  Platte  county, 
and  if  that  ain't  enough  we  can  send  you  5,000  more.  We  came  to 
vote,  and  we  are  going  to  vote,  or  kill  every  God-damned  abolitionist 
in  the  district."  I  think  he  said  "  district;"  but  it  was  "  district" 
or  "territory."  I  asked  a  man  nigh  to  me,  a  stranger,  who  that 
was,  and  he  said  it  was  old  Davy  Atchison.  I  never  saw  Mr.  Atchi- 
son before  or  since.  The  Missourians  succeeded  in  uniting  on  String- 
fellow  and  Kirk.  The  majority  of  that  party  started  up  to  what  we 
called  California  or  Nemaha,  or  in  the  eighteenth  district,  which  I 
understood  was  afterwards  put  with  the  fourteenth  district  for  coun- 
cil. Some  of  this  party  remained.  The  next  day  the  election  com- 
menced at  Wolf  river  in  very  good  order,  and  everything  went  on 
right  for  about  two  hours.  The  ice  was  running  in  the  Missouri 
river,  and  none  could  get  across  till  ten  or  eleven  o'clock.  Finally, 
a  crowd  of  men  came  from  Missouri,  and  came  into  the  house  where 
the  election  was  being  held,  stepped  up  to  the  ballot-box,  and  one  of 
them  offered  to  vote.  His  name  was  Felix  Blakely.  He  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Missouri,  and  made  the  town  of  Atchison  his  home.  Mr. 
Richardson — I  do  not  know  his  first  name — one  of  the  judges  of  the 
election,  spoke  to  him  and  said :  "  Mr.  Blakely,  you  are  a  resident  of 
Missouri,  and  have  no  right  to  vote  in  Kansas,  and  I  cannot  take  your 
vote."  Blakely  told  him  that  he  was  as  much  a  resident  in  Kansas 
as  he  was,  and  that  he  had  come  there  to  vote,  and  would  vote.  Mr. 
Richardson  still  persisted  in  refusing  to  let  him  vote,  and  told  him 
he  had  to  take  the  oath  as  a  judge,  and  he  would  not  perjure  himself. 


358  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  disturbance  ;  Mr.  Kichardson  was  threatened 
considerably  ;  they  threatened  to  whip  him  if  he  would  come  out  oh 
doors,  and  wanted  to  do  it  in  where  he  was,  and  he  finally  resigned] 
As  soon  as  he  resigned  they  elected  in  his  place  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Mr.  Wilson,  a  pro-slavery  man,  but  I  don't  recollect  his  first  name.1 
After  that  they  took  all  the  votes  that  were  offered.  I  went  out,  and* 
advised  my  friends  to  go  home,  as  there  was  no  use  in  staying  here.1 
which  a  number  of  them  did.  I  was  a  candidate  for  the  assembly; 
I  started  home,  and  on  my  way  there  I  overtook  a  wagon  load  of  men 
going  back.  I  asked  them  where  they  were  from:  they  said  they 
were  from  Platte  county,  Missouri.  I  conversed  with  one  of  them.! 
and  he  told  me  that  he  had  voted,  and  a  number  of  his  friends  hadf 
also  voted;  that  he  did  not  live  in  Kansas,  and  never  expected  to.  Hci 
said  he  had  not  violated  the  organic  law  ;  that  Atchison  had  helped* 
to  make  the  bill,  and  had  told  them  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  and  hsi 
knew  a  God-damned  sight  better  than  I  did.  I  had  his  name  on  ai 
slip  of  paper,  but  have  lost  it.  I  had  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Thos.< 
J.  B.  Cooper,  judge  of  the  election  of  the  Nemaha  district — the  eigh-i 
teenth  district. 

[Mr.  Kees  objected  to  the  detail  of  this  conversation,  as  being  evi-i 
dence. 

Mr.  Keeder  stated  he  expected  to  prove  that  Mr.  Cooper  partici-f 
pated  with  a  large  number  of  Missourians  in  their  illegal  voting  ;  wa& 
elected  by  them  as  a  judge  of  the  election,  and  served. 

The  committee  overruled  the  objection  and  allowed  the  evidence,  witr.I 
the  distinct  understanding  that  the  declarations  of  Cooper  will  be  ex< 
eluded  and  erased,  unless  he  is  distinctly  connected  with  the  alleged 
combination.  From  which  Mr.  Oliver  dissented.] 

Witness  resumed  :  He  said  that  the  election  was  not  conducted  fairljj 
in  that  district,  but  excused  it  on  the  ground  that  the  Missourians  haci 
as  much  right  to  vote  as  the  pauper  emigrants  from  Massachusetts* 
He  said  that  there  were  about  eighteen  resident  votes  given,  of  which' 
all  but  two  or  three  voted  for  me.  He  said  it  was  his  firm  belief  that 
there  were  not  forty  legal  voters  in  the  district.  The  eighteenth  dis-v 
trict  lies  about  sixty  miles  west  of  the  Missouri  river,  and  runs  to  the< 
Nebraska  line — the  voting  place  being  about  six  miles  from  the  line/ 
There  is  a  large  prairie,  forty  miles  wide,  to  cross  before  getting  to 
the  voting  place.  I  am  confident  that  there  never  was,  up  to  thai' 
time,  in  the  fourteenth  and  eighteenth  districts,  an  emigrant  sent  outi 
by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  because  I  had  made  diligent  inquiries^ 
all  over  the  districts.  The  principal  part,  I  suppose  some  four-fifths, 
of  the  emigrants  there,  were  from  Missouri.  I  voted  before  these 
strangers  came  to  Wolf  river,  but  required  them  to  swear  me  before  II 
would  vote. 

I  did  not  continue  to  canvass  as  a  candidate,  and  advised  my  friends.' 
to  refrain  from  voting,  because  I  saw  citizens  of  a  neighboring  State* 
coming  over  in  sufficient  numbers  to  control  the  election.  I  heard  a; 
great  many  threats  in  regard  to  contesting  that  election.  Major  Gen- 
eral Eichardson  said,  in  a  crowd  in  Doniphan,  that  nc^self  and  office 
should  be  thrown  into  the  Missouri  river  if  I  contested  the  election  on 
sent  a  protest  against  it.  We  all  believed  that  if  a  second  electio: 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  359 

held  it  would  be  a  bloody  one.    I  afterwards  heard  threats  against 
governor  of  the  Territory — that  if  he  failed  to  sign  the  certificates 
should  not  live  two  hours.     I  heard  these  threats  in  Doniphan  and 
Missouri.     I  also  received  an  anonymous  letter,  stating  that  if  I 
ntested  the  election  I  should  be  put  out  of  my  misery,  or  something 
that  effect.     These  threats  were  frequent. 

I  have  examined  the  poll-list  of  Doniphan  for  the  30th  of  March, 
855.  I  find  on  that  list  about  fifty-five  names  that  live  there  now  ; 
but  a  number  of  those  have  come  over  since,  I  think.  I  cannot  tell 
how  many  of  the  fifty-five  have  come  since.  I  think  some  eight 
or  ten,  I  can  be  positive,  have  come  over  since,  but  there  are  others  I 
cannot  be  positive  about.  These  Missourians  professed  to  come  from 
E;  Platte  county,  in  which  county  I  am  not  acquainted.  I  find  on  the 
poll-lists  some  names  of  those  who  live  in  Missouri,  right  opposite,  as 
.follows:  J.  Christopher,  B.  G.  Wells,  William  Christopher,  W.  C. 
Wells  ;  Mr.  Norris,  whose  first  name  I  do  not  recollect ;  Mr.  Fenton, 
:  who  keeps  store  in  Rushville,  Missouri  ;  W.  Duning,  B.  0.  Driscol ; 
Dr.  Brown — I  think  his  name  is  A.  Brown  ;  a  Mr.  Mobley,  a  miller  in 
Rushville.  I  find  the  names  of  three  boys  on  the  poll-list — John 
Thomas,  Wm.  Smith,  and  Ely  Ward. 

To  Mr.  Rees : 

I  saw  no  violence  offered  to  any  voter,  except  doubling  up  of  fists, 
&c.  ;  no  blows  struck.  Everybody  voted  after  Richardson  resigned 
that  wanted  to,  so  far  as  I  know,  until  I  left,  which  was  a  few  min- 
utes afterward.  A  few  of  Mr.  Achison's  party  stopped  at  Wolf  river — 
a  half  dozen  or  more — for  I  went  back  with  a  wagon  load. 

Question.     You  speak  of  Missourians  voting  ;  do  you  know  they 
,  were  citizens  of  that  State  at  that  time  ? 

Answer. — Those  of  Doniphan  precinct  I  know  to  be  residents  of  Mis- 
souri. Those  at  Wolf  River  precinct  told  me  they  were. 

Question.  Do  you  know  that  the  same  names  you  have  spoken  of 
were  the  same  persons  you  knew  in  Missouri  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  may  be  mistaken  in  two  of  them,  Mr.  Fenton 
and  Mr.  Norris,  whose  first  names  I  do  not  know,  but  I  think  I  am 
not  mistaken. 

Question  Did  you  not  propose  to  run  on  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  in 
that  district,  as  a  candidate  for  the  legislature  ? 

Answer.  No  ;  being  from  the  South,  when  I  first  came  to  Kansas  I 
took  no  political  grounds.  In  a  conversation  on  the  subject  with  John 
W.  Foreman,  I  told  him  I  was  not  ultra  in  my  views,  and  gave  him 
to  understand  that  I  was  a  free-State  man,  but  not  ultra  in  those 
opinions,  which  I  was  not. 

Question.  Did  you  not  state,  .after  you  were  a  candidate,  that  you 
were  fooling  the  free-State  party,  and  that  you  were  all  sound  f 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  did  not. 

Question  ly  Mr.  Reeder.  Was  the  name  of  the  judge  of  the  18th 
district  Cooper,  or  Cramer  ? 

Answer.  I  find  the  name  of  the  judge  of  the  Doniphan  district  on 
my  memorandum  a  Thomas  J.  B.  Cooper.  Upon  hearing  the  name 
mentioned  I  am  positive  his  name  was  Cramer.  I  wrote  it,  I  think. 


360  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

on  my  memorandum  through  mistake  as  Cooper,  and  have 
thought  of  it  since.  He  told  me  he  was  judge  of  election  for  the  ISthl 
district ;  was  a  pro-slavery  man,  and  was  taking  the  returns  to  the 
governor.  At  the  time  I  had  this  conversation  I  was  not  acquainted 
with  Mr.  Cramer,  and  put  down  the  name  at  the  time  on  my  memo- 
randum-hook as  Cooper,  and  have  not  looked  at  it  since.  Since  ther 
I  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Cramer  in  Benicia,  at  Dr.  Brooks' s,  anc 
am  now  positive  that  it  is  the  same  man  I  put  down  as  Cooper. 

GEO.  A.  CUTLER. 
TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


JOHN  W.  FOKEMAN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  was  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  councillor  for  the  fan  council  disw 
trict,  embracing  the  Donipban  and  Wolf  River  precincts,  and  18th! j 
district.  I  had  no  opposition  that  I  ever  heard  of ;  I  was  a  pro-*- 
slavery  man,  and  known  as  such  over  the  district.  I  attended  thef 
Wolf  River  precinct  on  the  day  of  the  election  ;  I  was  well  acquainted! 
with  every  man  who  voted  that  day,  except  perhaps  one  or  two.  The1 
judges  were  James  M.  Irving,  E.  V.  Rogers,  and  William  Riehard-i- 
son,  all  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder.  Richardson  and  Irving  weret 
known  to  be  free-State  men  ;  Mr.  Rogers  was  known  to  be  a  pro-slavery* 
man.  The  election  was  conducted  very  quietly  and  orderly  through- 
out the  day.  There  were  a  number  of  gentlemen  there — some  five- 
or  six  from  Holt  county,  Missouri,  which'  lay  across  the  river — with1; 
whom  I  was  acquainted.  These  neither  voted  nor  attempted  to  vote* 
that  day,  nor  were  there  any  illegal  votes  given  that  day,  in  my. 
opinion,  except  two  ;  these  were  James  Williams  and  Charles  Blakely. 
It  was  said  that  Mr.  Williams  was  not  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,. 
and  had  not  filed  his  intention  to  become  such  ;  he  voted,  and  was  not; 
challenged  at  the  time;  he  was  recognised  as  a  free-soiler.  Mr.. 
Blakely's  vote  was  challenged  by  Mr.  Richardson,  and  he  was  sworn 
to  answer  questions;  and  upon  his  answering  was  admitted  by  two  of 
the  judges  to  vote,  whereupon  Mr.  Richardson  resigned.  Mr.  Wil- 
son was  appointed  in  his  stead,  after  which  but  few  votes  more  were; 
taken  that  day. 

There  was  a  general  attendance  of  the  voters  in  the  Wolf  River  pre- 
cinct that  day,  and  seventy-five  or  eighty  votes  cast,  of  which  number i 
the  pro-slavery  men  got  about  sixty  votes  ;  the  balance  of  the  votes' 
were  given  to  free-State  men. 

I  have  examined,  very  slightly,  the  poll-books  of  the  Doniphan 
precinct,  and  believe  that  a  large  majority  of  the  names  on  the  poll- 
book  were  then,  and  are  now,  residents  of  the  Doniphan  precinct.  I 
noticed  some  on  it  that  I  believed  were  residents  of  Missouri  and  not 
entitled  to  vote — Major  Rucker  and  Mr.  Moberly  were  among  them. 
There  were  a  number  of  names  on  the  poll-book  with  which  I  was  not 
acquainted,  and  do  not  know  whether  they  were  legal  voters  or  not,  as 
I  was  not  well  acquainted  in  the  Atchison  part  of  the  district.  With 


th< 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  361 


e  exception  of  the  neighborhood  of  Atchison  and  on  the  Nemaha,  I 
knew  nearly  every  man  in  the  district. 

The  vote  in  the  Wolf  Eiver  precinct  I  consider  a  fair  test  of  the 
strength  of  both  parties  ;  the  pro-slavery  ticket  may  have  overrun  its 

<  'Strength  a  little.  Including  the  Atchison  vote,  I  think  there  were 
fully  two  to  one  pro-slavery  men  in  the  Doniphan  precinct. 

I  was  postmaster  of  Doniphan,  and  got  through  the  post  office  north- 
ern and  other  newspapers,  by  which  we  were  led  to  expect  that  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Aid  Societies  of  the  east  a  very  large  emigration 
would  be  brought  into  the  Territory  prior  to  the  election  in  March. 
I  remember  distinctly  an  article  published,,  I  think,  in  the  New  York 
Tribune,  about  the  middle  of  March,  in  wlifeh.  it  was  stated  that  if 
the  elections  were  held  before  the  opening  of  navigation,  the  free- 
State,  men  would  be  routed  or  beaten  ;  but  upon  the  opening  of  spring 

;  (an  avalanche  of  free  men  would  be  poured  from  the  North  into  the 
Territory,  and  the  slaveocrats  would  be  routed.  I  recollect  distinctly 
that  I  was  excited,  as  were  my  neighbors,  \>y  the  obvious  efforts  of 

:  the  North  to  abolitionize  Kansas.  I  was  an  old  settler  in  the  Terri- 
tory and  a  slaveholder  in  a  small  way,  and  I  saw  no  reason  why  I  and 
my  neighbors  should  be  expatriated,  while  the  fanatics  of  the  North 
were  to  occupy  my  place.  The  excitement  was  general  on  both  sides 
of  the  river. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  was  not  on  the  30th  of  March  a  resident  of  the  Wolf  Kiver  pre- 
cinct, but  I  was  a  resident  of  the  Doniphan  precinct. 

JOHN  W.  FOREMAN. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


JOHN  LANDIS  testifies : 

I  moved  into  Kansas  Territory  in  December,  1854,  into  the  Doni- 
phan precinct,  14th  district,  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri.  I  was 
on  the  Nemaha  one  night  about  a  week  before  the  election  of  the  30th 
of  March,  and  stopped  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Moore.  Mr.  John  W. 
Foreman  was  there,  who  is  now  a  member  of  the  Council  from  the 
Doniphan  district.  We  had  some  conversation  relative  to  Mr.  Kirk. 
Mr.  Foreman  stated  to  Mr.  Moore  that  he  expected,  in  a  few  days, 
that  Mr.  Kirk  would  emigrate  into  the  18th  district.  My  understand- 
ing was,  at  that  time,  that  they  would  run  Dr.  Stringfellow,  from 
Doniphan,  and  Mr.  Kirk,  of  the  Nemaha,  as  representatives,  and 
Mr.  Foreman  as  councilman.  I  met  Gen.  Atchison  on  Wolf  river 
the  Monday  before  the  election,  which  was  held  on  Friday.  There 
were  from  six  to  twelve  wagons  in  his  party,  containing  six  or  eight  in 
each  wagon.  Some  were  on  horseback,  I  knew  Gen.  Atchison,  and 
he  was  the  only  one  of  the  party  I  did  know.  I  met  him  as  he  was 
going  to  the  crossing  of  Wolf  river,  and  told  him  that  he  would  have 
to  turn  back  and  take  the  other  road,  because  .the  bridge  had  washed 
away.  Pie  turned  back,  and  we  rode  half  or  three  quarters  of  a  mile 


362  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

together.  He  asked  me  several  questions  about  the  Neman  a  country/ 
He  wanted  to  know  whether  I  was  acquainted  there  or  not.  I  told 
him  I  had  been  up  there  and  learned  what  sort  of  men  they  wereaj 
He  asked  what  sort  of  people  they  were,  and  I  told  him  they  werei 
principally  Pennsylvania  Dutch.  He  made  no  reply,  but  some  ofc 
his  men  spoke  up  and  said  they  were  abolitionists,  and  they  would 
rout  them.  I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  March,  at  Doniphana: 
I  went  down  there  about  10  o'clock.  When  I  came  in  sight,  there! 
were  between  200  and  300  men  there,  probably,  electing  their  judge*! 
by  forming  a  line  and  taking  the  vote  by  tellers.  They  elected  a  man* 
by  the  name  of  Lamb,  ajpd  Ireland  and  Alexander  Dunning,  and  then? 
proceeded  to  receiving  votes.  The  great  body  of  those  there  werei 
strangers  to  me.  I  knew  a  few  of  them.  I  knew  B.  Gr.  Wells  and: 
another  Wells.  They  resided  in  Missouri,  across  the  river  from  Doni-i- 
phan,  and  they  were  the  only  ones  I  knew,  except  those  who  resided: 
in  the  Territory.  I  had  no  conversation  with  them.  I  did  not  see* 
the  two  Wells  vote.  I  voted  mygelf  that  (day.  I  remained  at  thet 
polls  until  late  in  the  evening.  I  was  a  candidate  for  representative! 
myself  that  day  on  the  free-State  ticket.  I  had  taken  some  means  t<x 
canvass  that  district.  At  that  time  there  were  about  200  actual  set-t- 
tlers  there  ;  of  that  number  about  50  or  60  resided  in  Doniphan  pre-'- 
cinct.  The  Atchison  precinct  was  attached  to  the  Doniphan  at  that! 
time,  and  contained  more  voters  than  the  Doniphan  precinct.  Myj 
opinion  is  that  the  majority  of  actual  settlers  in  my  district  are  "free-1- 
State  men,"  if  the  vote  had  been  confined  to  the  legal  resident  voters.*; 
I  did  not  think  the  body  of  men  I  saw  there  that  day  were  residents* 
of  the  Territory.  I  did  not  know  them  as  such.  I  saw  some  25  on 
50  of  them  returning  after  the  election,  going  across  the  river  to 
Missouri.  I  do  not  know  that  these  men  voted. 

I  saw  one  of  the  judges  beckon  to  a  man,  who  was  a  stranger  toi 
me,  and  he  came  up  to  the  polls,  and  I  heard  either  Judge  Ireland! 
or  Lamb  say  to  him,  that  all  he  had  to  do  was  to  say  that  he  was  aa 
citizen,  and  he  could  vote.  The  man  made  no  reply,  but  handed  ini; 
his  ticket.  He  was  asked  if  he  was  a  citizen,  and  answered  that  he^ 
was.  He  was  a  stranger  to  me,  and  I  don't  know  whether  he  was  a 
citizen  or  not,  nor  do  I  know  but  the  judge  knew  him  to  be  a  legal! 
voter. 

I  took  measures  to  contest  this  election.  Dr.  Cutler  and  myselfi 
got  up  a  petition  that  evening  and  got  signers  to  it.  It  was  agreed! 
between  us  that  he  was  to  go  down  to  the  governor  and  attend  to  the* 
matter  himself.  Then  I  returned  home,  supposing  he  would  attend! 
to  it.  I  came  down  a  few  days  afterwards,  and  he  told  me  why  he- 
had  not  pursued  the  contest.  No  threats  were  made,  that  I  heard! 
myself,  about  the  contest. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

From  information  I  got,  there  were  from  40  to  60  voters  on  theo 
ground.  I  knew  none  of  them  except  Moore  and  Baker.  I  do  not! 
know  that  the  200  or  300  men  I  saw  at  the  polls  were  not  citizens  oft 
the  Territory.  I  knew  but  two  men  in  the  Atchison  part  of  the  dis— 
trict  at  that  time.  I  don't  know,  from  my  personal  knowledge,  thatij 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  363 

f  of  tlie  votes  given  in  tlie  Doniplian  district  that  day  were  not 
al,  for  I  don't  know  their  residence.  I  "did  not  know  but  one  of 
judges  personally,  but  presume  they  all  lived  in  the  district.  I 
kaw  no  person  prevented  from  voting  that  day.  There  were,  accord- 
ing to  the  census,  247  legal  voters  at  the  time  of  taking  the  census, 
in  February,  1855,  in  the  14th  representative  district.  My  opinion 
is,  that  the  increase  of  population  between  the  census  and  the  election 
'was  about  one-fifth.  My  means  of  information  on  that  subject  was 
I  !by  inquiry  and  by  canvassing  the  district,  except  the  Atchisoii  dis- 
trict. I  know  nothing  of  the  increase  of  population  in  the  Atchison 
district. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  believe  I  have  looked  over  the  poll-book  of  that  district,  and  find 
upon  it  the  names  of  three  persons  I  know  to  live  in  Missouri.  Their 
names  are  William  Dunning,  B.  G.  Wells,  and  his  brother.  The 
other  names  en  the  list  are  generally  strangers  to  me.  The  free-State 
men  did  not  generally  vote  that  day.  Some  eight  or  ten  of  them  met 
there,  and  were  there  when  I  came,  and  declined  voting.  I  persuaded 
some  few  of  them  to  vote.  They  said  there  was  no  use  in  voting,  as 
they  were  overpowered  by  the  Missourians,  and  it  would  have  no 
effect.  As  far  as  I  can  judge,  about  ten  or  twelve  of  the  free-State 
party  voted  that  day ;  but  there  were  a  great  many  free-State  men  in  the 
district  I  did  not  know,  and  whether  they  were  there  or  not  I  do  not 
know.  I  heard  no  general  rumor  prevailing  that  Missourians  were 
coming  over  to  vote.  I  only  heard  one  man  say  so.  This  conversa- 
tion occurred  in  this  way :  I  was  arguing  that  we  had  a  majority  of 
free-State  men  in  that  one  district.  He  observed  that  if  we  had,  he 
would  beat  us  by  Missouri  votes.  At  that  time  I  had  heard  nothing 
of  eastern  emigrants.  This  was  Saturday  before  the  election.  The 
man's  name  was  Beeler  with  whom  I  had  the  conversation. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

All  that  I  know  about  the  free-State  men  not  voting  was  what  I 
got  from  Collins  and  others  on  the  morning  of  the  election  while  the 
voting  was  going  on.  I  don't  know  whether  these  men  voted  after- 
wards or  not.  Collins  was  one  of  the  men  I  induced  to  vote. 

JOHN  LANDIS. 

LBAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT — At  Hayes's. 

E.  B.  ZIMMERMAN  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  to  the  Territory  in  the  beginning  of  December,  1854,  from 
Beading,  Pennsylvania, 'and  settled  at  Kickappo,  and  have  resided 
there,  or  near  there,  ever  since.  This  is  the  fifteenth  district.  I  was 
at^  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Hayes's,  about  seven 
miles  from  Kickapoo,  on  the/  Fort  Laramie  road.  I  was  one  of  the 


364  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

judges  of  the  election.  I  went  there  the  afternoon  before  the  elec-> 
tion,  and  remained  there  all  night.  There  were  camp  fires  all  around 
there  of  persons  who  had  come  there  in  the  afternoon.  The  next 
morning  hut  one  other  judge,  Jef.  Thompson,  appeared.  Mr.  Fisk,j 
the  other  judge,  did  not  make  his  appearance  at  all. 

These  strangers  commenced  crowding  around  the  polls,  and  inn-i 
sisted  upon  having  the  polls  opened.  The  residents  left  when  thd 
crowd  came  up.  Mr.  Thompson  and  myself  agreed  upon  a  man  by}| 
the  name  of  Bailey  for  the  third  judge,  and  also  appointed  two  clerks/ 
whose  names  I  do  not  now  recollect.  I  had  considerable  difficulty  inr 
getting  the  other  judges  to  commence  the  election.  They  would  go  out 
and  whisper  to  the  crowd  outside;  both  of  the  other  judges  were  pro->j 
slavery  men.  I  finally  told  them  there  was  no  necessity  for  deferringcj 
the  matter  longer,  and  we  should  open  the  polls.  We  all  agreed  thatj 
it  was  not  necessary  to  examine  the  votes  much,  and  we  agreed  upond 
a  short  oath  to  be  taken  by  the  voters  before  they  would  be  allowed; 
to  vote.  The  first  man  who  came  up,  when  the  oath  was  put  to  him,, 
answered,  "  I'm  here."  The  other  judges  were  at  first  inclined  toe 
take  the  ticket,  but  I  would  not  agree  to  it ;  and  then  they  told  him;: 
lie  must  swear  he  was  an  actual  resident  of  the  fifteenth  district,  on 
his  vote  would  not  be  received.  After  some  grumbling,  he  took  the* 
oath.  A  number  would  come  up,  and  when  the  oath  was  put  to  themr 
would  say  they  had  a  claim,  or  held  a  claim,  or  owned  a  claim,,  on 
was  there,  or  something  of  that  sort.  But  all  who  voted  were  obliged 
to  take  the  oath.  As  they  came  up  from  their  wagons  they  had 
hemp  in  their  button-holes,  and  the  pass- word  that  day  was,  "All 
right  on  the  hemp."  A  greater  portion  of  the  time  there  were  meqi 
stationed  where  the  votes  were  received,  and  would  examine  the  mem: 
as  they  came  up,  and  would  announce  that  they  were  "  all  right  om; 
the  hemp."  I  do  not  recollect  that  a  man  voted  that  day  but  what; 
had  hemp  in  his  button-hole,  or  on  his  hat,  or  some  other  place- 
where  it  could  be  seen.  I  did  not  go  out  to  see  any  of  the  delega- 
tions coming  in,  but  I  heard  it  announced  that  delegations  were- 
coming  in,  and  I  would  hear  cheers,  &c.  Speeches  were  generally 
made  to  them  as  they  came  in  ;  but  I  did  not  go  out  to  hear  them. , 
There  was  a  great  deal  of  drinking  and  swearing  that  day  ;  curs- 
ing the  abolitionists ;  and  some  intimated  at  the  polls  that  II 
ought  to  be  taken  out,  but  none  interfered  with  me  further  than  byv 
threats.  There  were  no  regular  free-State  candidates  at  that  election. 
We  had  it  in  contemplation  to  nominate  a  free-State  ticket  ;  but, 
upon  hearing  that  the  Missourians  were  to  come  over  in  such  force, 
we  abandoned  it  as  useless,  although  I  am  confident  that,  at  a  fair 
election,  we  could  have  carried  that  district.  At  the  polls  I  had  a 
list  of  the  regular  voters  as  given  in  the  census  returns  ;  and  as  a  man 
gave  his  name,  I  would  look  on  the  list  for  it,  and  I  found  but  very, 
few  names  there  of  those  who  voted  that  day.  This  list  has  been 
destroyed  by  fire  since  then  at  Kickapoo,  at  the  time  of  the  invasion. 
Not  finding  any  abolitionist  to  fight  that  day,  having  expressed  & 
strong  desire  to  find  one  to  whip,  they  got  fighting  among  them- 
selves. I  saw  one  old  grey-headed  man,  about  fifty-five  or  sixty 
years  of  age,  and  a  boy  about  ten  years  of  age  by  his  side  crying. 
The  old  man  was  all  bloody,  having  been  beaten.  Those  men  there 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  365 

were  armed,  and  one  of  them  brandished  a  pistol  in  the  window  be- 
fore my  face.  The  man  was  drunk,  and  put  the  pistol  in  the  window, 
srith  pointing  it  at  me,  though  he  said  he  would  like  to  kill  an 
Abolitionist. 

I  heard  a  good  deal  of  talking  among  them,  but  do  not  recollect 
that  I  heard  them  say  where  they  came  from.  I  do  not  suppose  one- 
fourth  of  the  actual  residents  of  the  district  voted.  There  were  two 
pro-slavery  tickets  started  ;  but  on  the  morning  of  the  day  of  election 
the  ticket  the  Missourians  were  opposed  to  was  withdrawn.  Judge 
Freeland  for  council,  and,  I  think,  Kellogg  for  the  lower  house,  were 
on  the  ticket  withdrawn. 

I  heard  it  announced  publicly  where  the  delegations  came  from. 
Kellogg,  when  he  withdrew  his  name,  said  he  did  not  want  to  run 
when  Missourians  came  over  here  to  decide  the  elections.  He  was 
cheered,  but  I  heard  no  reply  made  to  him.  He  was  a  conservative 
pro-slavery  man. 

The  reason  the  election  was  not  contested,  was  because  there  was 
no  one  there  to  take  the  responsibility  of  doing  so  ;  and  we  thought 
if  we  had  another  election,  we  would  fare  no  better.  After  the  re- 
turns were  made  out,  the  officers  wanted  me  to  sign  a  certificate  to 
the  governor  that  the  election  was  fairly  conducted,  which  I  refused 
to  do.  The  other  judges  signed  the  certificate  to  that  effect.  Thomp- 
son was  the  return  judge  at  his  own  request. 

Cross-examined  by  J.  W.  Whitfield : 

D.  A.  N.  Grover  was  the  candidate  for  council,  and  Dr.  Harris  and 
Mr.  Weddell  for  the  lower  house  were  the  candidates  voted  for  on 
that  day.  There  were  no  other  candidates  run.  Some  withdrew 
their  names  in  the  morning  who  were  pro-slavery  men.  There  was 
no  opposition  to  Grover,  Harris,  and  Weddell.  I  did  not  see  any  one 
prevented  from  voting,  though  there  was  a  throng  about  the  polls  all 
day.  Grover,  Harris,  and  Weddell  did  not  get  a  majority  of  the  legal 
voters  of  the  district.  I  saw  Colonel  Burns  from  Missouri  there.  I 
have  been  in  the  Territory  since  December,  1854,  and  have  never 
attended  elections  in  the  western  country  except  in  Kansas.  We 
have  generally  been  very  peaceable  at  our  free-State  elections,  though 
when  we  had  an  invasion  the  elections  were  generally  pretty  stormy. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  did  not  consider  it  safe  to  contest  the  election.  As  the  delega- 
tions came  up,  I  heard  it  publicly  announced  that  they  came  from 
Missouri,  but  not  from  what  part. 

To  Mr.  J.  W.  Whitfield : 

No  threats  were  made  to  me  regarding  contesting  the  election  ;  nor 
did  I  hear  any  particular  threats  made.  I  did  not  consider  it  safe, 
judging  from  the  common  talk  in  the  streets  and  groceries  ;  though  I 
do  not  now  recollect  the  names  of  those  I  heard  talking  about  the 
matter. 

EDMUND  K.  ZIMMERMAN. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 


366  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

J.  B.  CRANE  testifies  : 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  attended  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Charles  Ha-« 
gis's,  about  six  miles  from  my  house.  I  think  a  Mr.  Fisk  was  one  of  j 
the  appointed  judges  ;  Mr.  Zimmerman  another  ;  the  other  I  do  not  * 
rememher.  Hagis's  is  a  little  out  of  Kickapoo.  Mr.  Grover  was  onee 
of  the  candidates  that  day,  but  I  do  not  remember  much  about  them;; 
I  did  not  vote  that  day,  because  the  party  I  belonged  to  had  no  candi-i 
dates  that  day.  I  saw  a  great  many  people  there  that  day,  and  saw* 
them  voting.  I  should  judge  that  from  the  time  I  went  there  until  If 
left,  there  were  at  least  four  hundred  there,  coming  and  going  all  the  % 
time.  The  greater  portion  I  saw  come,  came  up  the  Fort  Laramiei 
road  from  towards  the  river.  I  saw  no  encampment.  I  should  think  c 
there  were  more  strangers  and  non-residents  there  at  that  election! 
than  at  that  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  I  know  some  of  thesea 
non-residents  :  one  Alfred  Allen,  of  Platte  county,  and  a  Mr.  Hodges, , 
I  think,  lived  in  Platte  county,  Missouri ;  a  Mr.  Ray,  from  Mercer r 
county  ;  but  I  do  not  know  whether  these  people  voted,  though  Mr. , 
Allen  and  Mr.  Hodges  told  me  that  they  came  to  vote.  Mr.  Hodges* 
claimed  the  right  to  vote  because  he  had  a  claim.  Mr.  Allen  had  no  • 
claim  in  the  Territory,  and  did  not  say  what  right  he  had  to  vote. . 
The  most  of  these  strangers  were  armed  with  bowie-knives  and  pis- 
tols. I  heard  quite  a  number  of  persons  say  that  they  were  from  Mis-- 
souri.  There  were  some  speeches  made  there  that  day.  Mr.  Groveri 
made  a  speech.  A  gentleman  was  speaking  when  I  got  there  ;  they,' 
told  me  it  was  Mr.  Oliver.  I  heard  but  little  of  it.  I  did  not  know? 
what  was  going  on  all  the  time,  as  I  stood  pretty  well  back.  A  great  t 
many  of  these  strangers  had  little  wisps  of  hemp  on  their  arms  orr 
their  hats,  or  somewhere  about  their  persons.  I  cannot  say  that  li 
heard  anything  in  the  speeches  about  the  right  of  the  strangers  to  > 
vote,  though  I  heard  some  talking  there :  one,  who  said  that  he  cutfc 
a  few  poles  and  laid  them  in  the  shape  of  a  square,  and  that  made 
him  a  claim  ;  another,  that  he  had  cut  a  few  sticks  of  wood,  and  that  I 
made  him  a  claim  ;  and  others,  one  thing  and  another. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  saw  no  disturbance  until  just  about  the  time  I  left.  I  saw  none  j 
the  fore  part  of  the  day,  except  some  pretty  rough  talking.  'No  fight- 
ing ;  no  interruption  of  the  voting.  There  was,  as  I  understood,  one.) 
set  of  candidates. 

To.  Mr.  Howard : 

I  do  not  recollect  of  hearing  these  strangers  say  in  what  county  in 
Missouri  they  came  from.     I  should  think  one-half  of  the  people  on 
the  ground  had  hemp  on,  but  I  saw  no  one  I  knew  to  be  residents ; 
have  it  on.     I  should  judge,  from  what  I  saw  and  heard  that  day,  that , 
there  was  not  over  one-third  on  the  ground,  if  that  many,  who  resi-* 
ded  in  the  district.     I  know  of  no  free-State  men  in  the  district  who 
voted  that  day,  and  I  believe  that  the  free-State  party  generally  did 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  367 

lot  vote  at  that  election.     I  did  not  vote  because  I  was  a  free-State 
nan,  and  there  were  no  free-State  candidates.     A  good  portion  of  the 
ime  there  was  a  considerable  crowd  about  the  polls,  but  I  presume 
<here  would  have  been  no  difficulty  in  voting  for  the  candidates  who 
,vere  running.     The  word  was,  that  the  free-State  party  should  have 
10  candidates,  and  we  brought  none  out.     I  heard  the  pro-slavery 
,nen  say  that  the  free-State  men,  or  abolitionists,  as  they  called  us, 
ihould  not  run  a  candidate.     I  took  it  that  they  did  not  intend  that 
,he  free-State   men   should  run  a  candidate,  if  they  could  help  it. 
They  made  no  threats  to  me — merely  that  statement.     I  think  that 
jvas  the  reason  the  free-State  party  did  not  run  their   candidates.     I 
lid  not  hear  Mr.  Keller  resign.     I  heard  but  little  of  Maj.  Oliver's 
speech,  and  I  heard  nothing  from  him  about  free-State  men  not  being 
illowed  to  run  a  candidate.     I  heard  from  others  on  the  ground,  who 
,vere  strangers  to  me,  that  no  abolitionist  should  vote.     I  have  seen 
i  few  of  these  strangers — hemp  men — in  the  district  since.     Some 
:wo  or  three  have  moved  into  the  district  since  ;  Mr.  Hodges  is- one  of 
;hem.     I  think  one-half  or  two-thirds  of  those  who  voted  that  day  at 
Lhat  election  were  strangers  in  the  district.     I  do  not  know  of  a  free- 
State  man  in  the  district  who  voted  that  day.     According  to  my  best 
knowledge  and  information,  I  think  that  at  that  time  the  pro-slavery 
party  in  the  district  had  a  small  majority,  but  I  do  not  positively 
know  how  many,  perhaps  twenty-five.     I  presume  the  majority  has 
not  varied  much  since,  though  I  do  not  know. 

To  H.  Miles  Moore  : 

I  do  not  remember  that  in  the  speeches  I  heard,  I  heard  any  in- 
ducement held  out  to  strangers  to  vote. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  D.  A.  N.  Grover : 

I  live  about  six  miles,  nearly  south,  from  Hay's  house,  as  we  call  it, 
but  I  do  not  know  what  the  exact  distance  is.  I  saw  no  one  camping 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  house  where  the  election  was  held  the 
evening  before  the  election.  I  saw  the  day  of  the  election,  some  time 
about  noon,  or  after,  a  party  with  a  flag  coming  up  from  towards 
Kickapoo.  I  do  not  know  who  those  men  were,  or  where  they  came 
from,  though  I  heard  some  of  them  say  they  were  from  Missouri. 
They  did  not  tell  me  so,  but  I  heard  them  tell  others  so.  On  the  flag 
'was  a  design  of  a  negro  breaking  hemp,  and  was  carried  by  some  men 
in  a  wagon,  but  I  did  not  notice  what  was  written  on  it.  I  know  only 
from  what  I  heard  said,  that  those  persons  came  from  Missouri.  I  could 
not  be  positive  those  I .  heard  say  they  were  from  Missouri  were  that 
party,  though  from  all  appearances  I  judged  them  to  be  so.  They 
might  probably  be  of  some  other  party.  I  do  not  know  many  of  the 
citizens  who  live  in  and  around  Kickapoo.  I  know  there  were  a  good 
many  settlers  around  and  above  Kickapoo.  I  know  a  great  many  of 
them  by  sight,  and  where  they  live,  but  do  not  know  their  names.  I 
do  not  know  the  politics  of  those  men  as  a  general  thing.  Within 
three  miles  of  Kickapoo,  up  the  river,,  I  know  of  but  five  or  six  free- 
State  men.  Some  of  their  names  I  have  frequently  heard.  There  is 
a  Mr.  House.  I  do  not  know  that  House  has  voted  for  Whitfield,  but 


36g  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

he  has  represented  himself  to  me  as  a  free-State  man.     There  is  a  Mr. 
Jones  there,  a  free-State  man,  and  several  others  there,  whose  names 
I  cannot  tell.     I  know  from  their  conversation  that  they  are  free-State 
men.     I  do  not  know  how  many  free-State  men  there  are  in  my  neigh- 
borhood, though  there  are  a  considerable  number.     The  family  and 
residence  of  Mr.  Ray  were  in  Mercer  county,  as  I  understood  the  term 
residence.     He  has  been  over  here  frequently  a  week  at  a  time,  work- 
ing on  a  claim  ;  but  his  family  were  not  here.     He  has  been  contest- 
ing a  claim  with  Martin  Hefferton,  and  I  think  he  made  improvements 
on  the  claim,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  has  got  the  claim.    I  date 
my  residence  in  the  Territory  from  the  20th  of  August,  1854,  when  j 
landed  with  my  family.     People  generally  attempt  to  hold  their  claims », 
from  the  time  they  make  it,  and  some  pretend  to  claim  their  residence^ 
from  that  time,  but  I  do  not  think  that  is  the  general  doctrine  in  theej 
Territory.     I  think  what  constitutes  a  residence  is  when  a  man  movesfj 
on  to  a  claim  with  his  family  and  goods,  though  he  may  hold  a  claimns 
until  he  gets  a  chance  to  move  on  it.    In  regard  to  citizenship,  I  would <Sj 
relinquish  all  right  and  title  I  had  to  my  claim  before  I  moved  on  itl! 
with  my  family.     But  I  think  a  man  does  not  become  a  citizen  until! 
he  settles  permanently  on  his  claim.     I  think  that  a  man's  family,, 
when  he  has  one,  makes  him  a  citizen  ;  that  is,  where  his  family  is,i, 
there  his  home  is.     I  do  not  know  whether  that  is  free-State  doc--- 
trine.     According  to  what  I  have  stated  I  do  not  think  Lewis  Burns  * 
was  a  citizen  on  the  30th  of  March,   1855.     I  knew  he  had  a  claim, 
and  had  built  a  house  on  it,  but  I  did  not  know  that  he  had  lived 
there  with  his  family  before  that  time.     I  did  not  know  of  my  ownn 
knowledge  that  he  had  not  lived  there  with  his  family.     The  free-*! 
State  party  did  not  run  a  candidate,  so  far  as  I  know  anything  about!' 
it.     I  intimated  to  the  committee  that  the  pro-slavery  party  meant  l! 
to  intimidate  the  free-State  party,  so  that  they  should  not  run  a  can^ 
didate,  for  I  heard  persons  say  so  ;  but  they  were  strangers  to  me,  and 
I  did  not  know  where  they  were  from  ;  and  it  is  from  the  words  of  i 
those  strangers  I  inferred  that  the  pro-slavery  party  of  the  fifteenth! 
district  meant  to  intimidate  the  free-State  party.     I  cannot  say  that! 
I  heard  any  man  of  the  pro-slavery  party,  that  I  knew  personally}1 
to  live   in   the   ninth  coancil  district,  say  that  the  free-State  partyM 
should  not  run  a  candidate.     I  do  not  know  where  those  men  livedlj 
that  I  heard  say  so.     I  saw  no  one  prevented  from  voting  at  Hagis's^l 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     I  cannot  say  as  I  heard  any  one  threat- -j 
ened  if  he  attempted  to  vote.    I  saw  no  fighting  there  before  I  left.    I- 
heard  no  quarrelling  between  free-State  and  pro-slavery  men,  and  can- 
not say  that  I  saw  any  violence  in  any  way.     Hodgis  has  had  a  claimii! 
in  the  district,  and  was  over  occasionally  before  the  election,  but  did  no  ; 
work  except  to  move  an  old  Indian  cabin  from  an  old  farm  to  a  claim  he-j 
made,  and  put  it  up.    He  has  sold  his  claim  and  bought  another,  which'ij 
he  has  moved  on  since.     I  do  not  know  anything  about  Jolly  taking^ 
the  census  of  that  district  before  the  election.     I  think  he  went  out  to<j 
take  it  in  winter^  when  there  were  three  or  four  inches  of  snow  on  the*; 
ground.     I  do  not  know  of  any  one  in  my  neighborhood  who  made  &', 
claim  in  the  fall,  lived  there  until  the  cold  weather,  went  over  into* 
Missouri,  and  came  back  in  the  spring.     I  have  no  idea  of  the  number  ;• 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


369 


If  men  I  was  acquainted  with  in  the  district.  I  think  I  knew  one- 
burth  by  sight,  but  I  did  not  know  their  names.  I  was  not  well  ac- 
iuainted  above  Kickapoo  and  along  towards  Port  Williams,  though  I 
fave  frequently  rode  through  there  hunting  up  cattle,  and  conversed 
yith  some  I  saw  there.  There  were  many  men  in  Salt  Creek  valley 
vhose  faces  I  knew,  but  not  their  names.  I  do  not  know  how  many 
ree-soilers  I  could  point  out.  I  know  of  many  whose  names  I  do  not 
tnow.  I  knew  free-soilers  in  Salt  Creek  valley  at  that  time — one  was 
i.  Eiddle  ;  but  I  do  not  know  as  I  knew  others  at  that  time.  I  think 
jhere  was  a  majority  of  pro-slavery  men  in  the  district.  In  my  own 
Neighborhood  there  are  free-State  men  ;  Mr.  Nichols,  three  Mr.  Ro- 
binsons, Mr.  Wiley,  two  Mr.  Harrisons,  Mr.  Parks,  Mr.  Bucjmer, 
Mr.  Heath,  Mr.  G-ordney,  Mr.  Sutton,  Mr.  Foster,  Mr.  Klein,  Mr. 
3aker,  and  a  good  many  more. 

J.  B.  CRANE. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


JOSEPH  POTTER  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  in  Atchison  county,  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  from  thir- 
teen to  fifteen  miles  from  here.     I  have  lived  there  since  the  16th  of 
October,  1854,  and  came  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri.     I  was 
born  in  Kentucky.     I  was  at  the  election  at  Hagis's  on  the  30th  of 
March,  1855.     I  did  not  vote  there  that  day.     My  acquaintance  in  the 
fifteenth  district  was  quite  limited  at  that  time.     There  was  quite  a 
crowd  there  on  that  day ;  I  should  judge  from  300  to  500.     I  saw 
some  there  from  Buchanan  county  that  day,  and  who  lived  there  then, 
I  judged.     I  saw  Benjamin  Yocum,  James  and  Lafayette  Ellison,  and 
a  young  Mr.  Dunlap — Allen  Dunlap,  I  believe.     I  do  not  remember 
that  I  had  any  conversation  with  these  men.     I  judged  they  were  resi- 
dents of  Buchanan  county,  because  they  formerly  resided  there,  and 
were  my  neighbors,  and  have  resided  there  since.     I  did  not  hear  of 
any  there  from  Buchanan  county  that  I  did  not  know.     I  saw  some 
there  from  other  counties.     I  saw  Major  Oliver  there,  from  Ray  county, 
and  I  think  Laban  Withers,  from  Platte  county.     I  never  knew  of 
any  of  these  men  I  have  named  living  in  the  fifteenth  district.     I 
do  not  think  the  people  on  the  ground  were  generally  armed.     I  saw 
one  revolver,  a  bowie-knife   or   two,  and   some   rifles.      I  left   the 
ground  in  the  afternoon,  and  do  not  know  whether  these  men  voted 
or  not.     I  should  judge  from  all  I  saw  and  knew  of  the  people  of  the 
district,  and  of  Missouri,  at  least  one-half  of  those  on  the  ground  that 
day  were  not  residents,  perhaps  more  or  less.     There  were  many  resi- 
dents about  Kickapoo  i  did  not  know.     I  paid  but  little  attention  to 
what  went  on,  that  day.     Major  Oliver  made  us  a  fine  speech.     Col. 
Burns,  and  I  think  a  Daniel  Burns,  made  speeches.     I  do  not  know 
where  they  lived  ;  but  they  sold  goods,  and  I  think  lived  in  Weston. 
Major  Oliver  gave  us  some  grounds,  I  think  based  on  the  Missouri 
compromise,  in  regard  to  the  right  of  voting.     I  was  in  no  fix  to  listen 
H.  Rep.  200 24* 


370  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

to  a  speech  as  a  man  ought  to,  for  I  was  somewhat  sick  and  did  not* 
pay  much  attention.     . 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

The  first  position  Major  Oliver  took  on  that  occasion  was,  to  guar< 
anty  peace  to  us  all.  He  was  called  on  to  speak  by  a  number.  ] 
think  the  Major  urged  upon  all  present  to  use  no  harsh  words  ;  ex- 
pressed  the  hope  that  nothing  would  be  said  or  done  to  wound  the 
feelings  of  the  most  sensitive  on  the  other  side.  I  think  the  speech! 
was  a  first-rate  speech,  and  was  a  peace  speech.  I  voted  for  General 
Whitfield  at  his  first  election,  but  on  the  30th  of  March  I  fell  over  the<! 
fence  and  became  a  free-State  man.  I  took  no  exception  to  anything: 
the  Major  said  in  his  speech.  The  Major  made  a  very  fine  speech,  andij 
a  peaceable  speech ;  and  said  that  he  felt  that  all  were  brothers,  whether 
free-State  or  pro-slavery  men,  and  that  all  had  an  equal  right  to  vote:  i 
and  undertook  to  guaranty  that  if  there  were  free-State  men  there.)! 
they  would  be  protected  in  their  rights,  as  would  the  others. 

To  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  do  not  recollect  that  I  heard,  in  any  of  the  speeches,  about  whafcj 
constituted  residence  ;  I  think  Major  Oliver  excused  the  Missourianjii; 
for  voting,  but  I  do  not  recollect  upon  what  grounds.  Colonel  Burm.; 
said  to  the  men  there  all  to  vote,  as  they  had  all  come  to  vote,  anot 
he  hoped  none  would  go  home  without  voting.  I  do  not  recollect  ouj 
his  saying  anything  about  counteracting  the  eastern  emigrant  vot^u 
I  do  not  know  that  I  heard  any  one  who  lived  in  Missouri  say  any> 
thing  atout  that.  It  appeared  to  me  that  the  people  there  generally 
voted,  going  up  in  order  in  a  line  of  twenty  or  twenty-five.  I  go;ij 
over  the  fence  that  day  because  I  thought  we  had  men  enough  in 
Kansas  to  regulate  our  own  affair s,  and  would  have  preferred  to  d<l< 
so,  and  I  fell  over  the  fence  in  consequence  of  seeing  so  many  there  '. 
thought  were  non-residents.  I  do  not  know  of  any  free-State  men 
who  voted  that  day,  and  do  not  think  that  any  voted.  I  came  from 
Kentucky  to  Saline  county,,  Missouri,  in  1836,  then  to  Lafayettt 
county,  and  then  to  Buchanan  county. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Grover  : 

I  was  born  in  Lincoln  county,  Kentucky  ;  lived  some  years  in  Jeij 
ferson  county,  Kentucky.  I  never  lived  in  Indiana ;  merely  passes- 
through  that  State.  I  was  at  the  election  at  Hagis's  in  the  15th  dig 
trict,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  but  did  not  vote.  I  had  intendei 
to  vote  for  Grover,  Kellogg,  and  Harris  that  day.  I  was  not  pretj 
vented  from  voting  that  day.  I  saw  no  one  prevented  from  votings 
I  heard  no  threats  made  in  regard  to  voting.  I  was  at  the  election  | 
at  Pensenau's  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  and  voted  for  Generaaj 
Whitfield.  I  saw  some  strangers  there,  but  they  did  not  throw  mij 
over  the  fence,  as  the  sight  of  strangers  on  the  30th  of  March  did 
because  I  had  not  then  begun  to  study  into  matters  right.  I  do  ncx 
know  that  the  charge  was  made  that  I  was  a  free-soiler  before  thi 
30th  of  March,  though  I  must  say  I  began  to  get  pretty  tolerabll 
softened  on  that  subject  before  then.  I  had  begun  to  look  into  publi 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  371 

'affairs,  and  had  about  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  would  rather  live 
in  a  free  State  than  *a  slave  State.  I  had  come  to  that  conclusion 
pretty  much  before  I  went  to  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
though  I  had  not  fallen  over  the  fence  then.  I  do  not  suppose  the 
free-State  men  were  prohibited  by  the  pro-slavery  men  from  bringing 
out  a  candidate. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  heard  Mr.  Kellogg' s  speech  that  day,  in  which  he  declined  to  run 
as  a  candidate.  I  do  not  recollect  what  were  his  grounds  for  declining, 
'as  stated  in  his  speech. 

To  Mr.  Grover: 

I  was  one  of  the  supporters  of  Mr.  Kellogg,  and  was  somewhat  dis- 
;  satisfied  when  he  withdrew,  as  he  was  one  of  my  friends  I  had  known 
in  Missouri,  and  had  been  with  me  a  great  deal,  and  I  thought  a  heap 
of  him,  and  that  he  was  a  man  well  qualified  for  the  office.  If  Kel- 
logg had  run  as  a  regular  candidate  that  day,  I  reckon  I  should  have 
voted  for  him.  He  told  me  that  the  occasion  of  his  withdrawing  was, 
that  there  were  so  many  strangers  there  that  day.  I  did  not  vote, 
because  Kellogg,  whom  I  considered  our  regular  nominee,  did  not 
make  the  race  that  day  ;  and  one  cause  why  I  did  not  vote  was  his 
withdrawing.  I  was  not  generally  acquainted  through  the  district. 
My  acquaintance  was  quite  limited.  I  do  not  suppose  I  know  one- 
fourth  of  the  residents  in  that  district,  or  even  one-fifth.  A  great 
many  persons  I  saw  that  day  might  have  been  residents  of  that  dis- 
trict, and  I  supposed  that  all  or  the  greater  portion  of  those  that  came 
from  Kickapoo  were  residents,  and  many  there  that  I  took  to  be  resi- 
dents, were  strangers  to  me.  I  can  tell  a  resident,  generally,  when  I 
see  him  ;  they  are  generally  a  little  rougher  dressed  than  those  who 
come  across  the  river,  though  that  is  not  invariably  the  case.  I  do 
not  know  how  many  voters  there  were  in  the  district  at  that  time. 
Kickapoo  I  supposed  to  be  a  pro- slavery  place  ;  there  was  a  majority 
of  free-State  men  in  my  neighborhood.  It  may  have  been  that  there 
was  a  pro-slavery  majority  in  the  district ;  though,  in  my  opinion, 
there  was  not  far  from  a  tie  in  the  district  of  free-State  men  and  pro- 
slavery  men.  I  saw  several  there  that  I  supposed  to  be  from  Missouri, 
and  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  they  lived  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
and  I  have  good  reasons  to  suppose  they  were  residents  in  Missouri.  I 
think  I  saw  more  than  five  there  that  day  I  had  good  reasons  to  be- 
lieve were  residents  of  Missouri.  Mr.  Benjamin  Yocum  is  another 
family  from  those  who  lived  near  Atchison.  It  may  have  been  B.  F. 
Yocum,  but  he  was  called  Benjamin  Yocum  ;  and  if  he  had  a  claim 
on  the  Stranger  I  never  knew  it.  I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that 
all  the  names  I  have  given  were  residents  in  Missouri.  1  do  not 
recollect  whether  I  had  been  in  Missouri  that  spring  or  not.  I  had 
been  over  during  the  winter — some  time,  I  think,  in  January,  though 
it  might  have  been  in  February,  or  even  in  March.  I  saw  some  of 
those  men  when  I  was  there  in  Missouri,  but  not  all.  I  saw  James 
and  Lafayette  Ellison  there,  but  I  do  not  think  they  talked  with  me 
about  coming  over  into  the  Territory  that  spring,  and  do  not  recollect 


372  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

that  I  spoke  to  them.  I  saw  those  men  in  the  town  of  De  Kalb,  I 
think.  I  left  them  in  Buchanan  county,  and  found  them  there  when 
I  was  over  there  then,  and  also  this  spring ;  and,  therefore,  I  call 
them  residents  of  Missouri.  I  saw  one  revolver  in  the  hand  of  a 
young  man  who  got  up  on  a  wagon  to  make  a  speech.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect of  seeing  any  other  revolver.  I  think  the  men  were  not  generally 
armed  ;  if  they  were,  they  carried  them  ahout  their  persons.  The 
young  man  with  the  revolver  had  no  difficulty  with  any  one,  and 
made  no  threats  against  any  one  that  I  know  of.  I  think  he  held 
it  in  his  hand  during  a  part  of  his  speech,  and  then  put  it  away,  but 
did  not  notice  what  he  did  with  it. 

JOSEPH  POTTER, 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


THOMAS  HODGES  called  and  sworn, 

I  reside  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  seven  miles  from  Weston,  north- 
east ;  I  have  resided  there  nearly  seventeen  years.  There  were  a 
good  many  of  my  neighbors  made  preparations  to  come  here  on  the 
30th  of  March,  1855.  They  were  residents  there  and  owned  property 
there.  They  said  they  were  coming,  and  I  saw  them  going  and  com- 
ing. I  saw  Esquires  R.  Gr.  Baber,  Thomas  Stockwell,  Dr.  Samuel 
Rixey,  and  Wiley  English,  coming  or  making  preparations  to  come  ; 
I  do  not  know  that  they  had  provisions  with  them  when  they  came 
here.  I  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation  .with  some  of  these  men  ; 
Dr.  Rixey  said  he  would  give  me  five  dollars  if  I  would  come  over 
here  and  vote.  I  never  asked  or  heard  these  people  say  what  they 
voted.  Esquire  Baber  said  he  had  voted  ;  I  asked  him  how  he  felt 
over  it.  He  said  he  "did  not  feel  very  well ;  did  not  think  it  was 
right,  and  should  not  do  so  any  more." 

I  know  that  persons  were  going  and  coming  at  that  time ;  there 
were  a  number  of  persons  going  over  with  a  view  of  voting,  a  good 
many  of  them.  That  was  the  case  more  or  less  in  regard  to  other 
elections  had,  but  not  so  much  so  as  at  the  election  of  the  30th  March. 
They  claimed  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote  by  virtu©  of  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  bill ;  that  it  fixed  no  limited  time  for  acquiring  the  residence, 
but  they  were  merely  to  be  here  ;  and  that  such  was  the  interpreta- 
tion given  to  the  law  by  Mr.  Atchison.  They  said  they  wanted  to  make 
Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  that  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  vote  as  the 
people  of  the  north  who  were  coming  to  vote,  and  had  come.  These 
are  the  substantial  reasons  I  heard.  I  do  not  know  as  I  heard  these 
men  say  anything  about  means  or  organization  to  carry  out  their  ob- 
ject. I  do  not  know  of  any  secret  political  society  for  the  purpose  of 
making  Kansas  a  slave  State. 

I  never  came  over  here  to  vote  myself.  I  saw  Mr.  Baber  and  others 
return  the  day  after  the  election,  and  all  my  neighbors  returned  soon 
after  the  election,  and  are  now  residents  of  my  neighborhood. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  3Y8 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Grover  : 

I  have  lived  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  seventeen  years  next  fall ; 
was  originally  from  Tennessee  ;  to  Indiana,  and  then  Ohio,  where  I 
lived  ten  years,  and  then  I  came  to  Missouri.  I  did  not  volunteer  to 
come  here  and  give  my  testimony,  but  was  caught  here  in  town  to- 
day. I  live  six  or  seven  miles  northeast  from  Weston.  On  the  day 
of  election,  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  at  home,  and  the  day  be- 
fore I  did  not  see  the  persons  who  were  coming  over  here  across  the 
Missouri  river.  I  saw  them  on  the  road,  and  they  said  they  were 
coming.  I  did  not  see  them  come  over  the  river  to  Kansas  on  the  day 
of  election,  or  the  day  before. 

[Mr.  Grover  objects  to  the  testimony  as  to  what  was  said  by  those 
who  were  on  the  road  coming,  as  hearsay  testimony  ;  objection  over- 
ruled.] 

I  did  not  see  Esquire  Baber,  T.  Stockwell,  Dr.  S.  Rixey,  Wiley 
English,  cross  the  river  at  the  time  of  the  election.  I  saw  all  of  them 
but  Wiley  English  pass  Hughes' s  mill,  on  the  Weston  road,,  towards 
Weston.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  went  to  Weston,  or  where 
they  went.  I  don't  know  what  day  they  came  into  Kansas.  I  never 
saw  those  men  in  Kansas,  for  last  night  was  the  second  night  I  ever 
staid  in  the  Territory.  It  was  talked  of  freely  in  my  neighborhood, 
that  large  parties  were  coming  from  the  north  and  east.  I  have  heard 
Judge  Flannigan  spoken  of.  I  heard  it  said  that  Mr.  Eeeder  had  gone 
to  Pennsylvania  and  brought  out  Mr.  Flannigan  to  run  for  Congress, 
and  as  soon  as  the  election  was  over  he  returned  ;  but  whether  I  heard 
many  or  few  say  this,  I  cannot  tell. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  have  never  said  what  I  would  swear  before  I  came  on  the  stand. 
I  told  Mr.  Patrick  Orr,  in  private  conversation,  what  I  knew  about 
these  matters. 

THOMAS  HODGES. 

LBAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


M.  T.  BAILEY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Grover : 

I  live  on  what  is  called  the  Round  prairie,  Atchison  county,  in  this 
Territory,  on  the  military  road,  about  a  thousand  yards  from  Hays's 
house,  where  the  election  was  held  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I 
made  my  claim  in  June,  1854,  and  moved  there  in  September,  1854, 
and  have  lived  there  ever  since. 

I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  in  that  district,  and 
acted  as  one  of  the  judges,  the  other  two  being  Mr.  Zimmerman  and 
Mr.  Thompson.  I  thought  at  that  time  I  was  about  as  well  acquainted 
with  those  living  in  the  district  as  any  person  in  it.  I  knew  a  good 
many  in  the  district  when  they  lived  in  Missouri.  I  have  practised 
medicine  in  Missouri,  and  also  since  I  have  been  in  the  Territory,  and 
my  acquaintance  extends  over  portions  of  the  Territory  and  Missouri. 


374  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  had  generally  attended  the  meetings  of  the  squatter  associations 
in  our  district,  and  at  those  meetings  I  had  an  opportunity  of  becom- 
ing acquainted  with  a  large  portion  of  the  settlers  in  the  district.  I 
was  at  all  the  little  claim  disputes  and  neighborhood  quarrels.  It 
was  a  general  rule  for  persons  when  they  got  into  a  dispute  about 
their  claims  to  call  on  their  neighbors,  and  I  generally  attended  them, 
if  nothing  more  than  as  a  spectator.  I  thought  a  large  proportion 
of  the  voters  of  that  district  were  at  Hays' s  house  at  the  election  of 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  the  voting  was  conducted  regularly 
and  orderly,  as  far  as  I  ever  saw  at  any  election,  all  being  allowed 
to  vote  who  were  entitled  to  vote,  whether  pro-slavery  or  free-soilers, 
and  no  persons  tried  to  be  kept  from  voting,  and  no  threats  made,  as 
far  as  I  saw  and  heard. 

D.  A.  N.  Grover,  H.  B.  C.  Harris,  and  Jonah  Weddell,  were  the 
candidates  on  that  day.  Mr.  Kellogg  having  withdrawn,  there  was 
no  opposition.  I  never  heard  that  the  free-State  party  had  any  can- 
didates in  the  field,  because  I  suppose  they  thought  there  was  no  use 
in  it,  as  they  would  be  beaten.  I  never  knew  or  heard  of  any  pro- 
slavery  man  preventing  them  from  bringing  out  a  candidate.  At 
that  time  I  believe  the  pro-slavery  party  had  at  least  two-thirds  ma- 
jority in  that  district,  and  the  district  has  always  been  considered  one 
of  the  strongest  pro-slavery  districts  in  the  Territory. 

I  think  a  large  proportion  of  the  resident  voters  in  the  district 
voted  there  that  day.  Some  of  the  free-State  men  voted  the  pro- 
slavery  ticket  that  day.  My  house  is  in  plain  sight  of  Hays' s  house, 
where  the  election  was  held.  I  do  not  think  I  saw  any  wagons 
camped  about  Hays' s  house  the  night  before  the  election,  though  there 
may  have  been  and  I  not  noticed  it,  as  we  paid  but  little  attention  to 
such  things,  it  being  common  for  persons  looking  at  the  country  to 
camp  out.  I  do  not  know  anything  of  a  crowd  of  strangers  coming 
around  the  polls  and  insisting  upon  the  polls  being  opened,  and  did 
not  hear  of  such  a  thing  until  a  year  afterwards.  I  had  no  private 
conversation  with  any  one  with  regard  to  the  election  after  I  was 
appointed  judge  by  Mr.  Zimmerman  and  Mr.  Thompson,  in  the  place 
of  Mr.  Fisk,  one  of  the  judges  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernor and  declined  to  serve.  There  was  no  agreement  between  me 
and  the  other  two  judges  not  to  examine  those  who  offered  to  vote. 

Mr.  Zimmerman  came  and  brought  all  the  necessary  documents  with 
him,  and  instructed  us  throughout  according  to  the  instructions  of  the 
governor.  At  that  time  I  had  never  seen  or  heard  of  the  form  of  the 
election  law  until  Mr.  Zimmerman  showed  it  to  us.  Mr.  Zimmerman 
acted  as  foreman  until  we  opened  the  polls.  I  had  gone  to  the  polls 
very  early  in  order  to  take  a  table  for  the  judges  to  write  upon,  and 
Mr.  Zimmerman  was  there  when  I  got  there.  I  had  no  idea  of  serv- 
ing as  judge  until  I  returned  from  breakfast.  I  received  the  tickets 
of  the  men  voting  part  of  the  time,  and  so  did  Mr.  Thompson,  while 
Mr.  Zimmerman  sat  there  examining  the  census  returns  ;  I  turning 
over  the  leaves,  and  now  and  then  saying,  "that  man  is  right." 

I  heard  nothing  said  about  taking  Mr.  Zimmerman  out  of  the 
judge's  room,  or  any  threats  of  the  kind.  I  do  not  know  when  the 
canvass  was  taken.  I  heard  that  Mr.  Jolly  had  been  taking  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  375 

census,  but  I  never  saw  him  in  my  neighborhood.  About  three 
!  weeks  afterwards  Thompson  and  Weddell  came  round  and  took  a  cen- 
sus. I  think  it  was  in  the  winter  that  I  heard  Jolly  was  taking  the 
(census,  but  I  do  not  recollect  whether  there  were  any  more  on  the 
[ground  or  not.  There  were  many  settlers  in  my  district  who  had 
'gone  over  in  Missouri — some  to  bring  their  families  over  in  the  spring ; 
I  some  on  business,  and  were  prevented  from  returning  by  the  state  of 
the  river  ;  and  some  went  over  into  Missouri  for  the  purpose  of  gather- 
ing their  crops,  and  with  the  intention  of  staying  until  the  river 
opened.  I  think  a  perfect  census  return  could  not  have  been  made 
during  that  winter,  except  the  person  who  took  it  should  go  round 
the  district  and  inquire  for  all  who  really  belonged  in  the  district, 
but  happened  to  be  away.  I  know  of  more  than  a  dozen  men  who 
moved  before  the  election,  and  after  Thompson  and  Weddell  had 
been  round  into  the  district,  and  live  there  yet. 

I  heard  of  no  pass-word  used  on  the  day  of  election  by  any  person 
or  party.  I  think  on  the  30th  March,  1855,,  there  were  some  four  or 
five  hundred  actual  resident  voters  in  the  district,  and  a  large  portion 
of  the  settlers  were  from  Missouri,  because  it  was  right  on  the  border, 
and  people  could  easily  come  across.  I  think  the  heavy  settlements 
were  made  earlier  in  our  district  than  in  any  other  district  in  the 
Territory. 

M.  T.  BAILEY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


WILY  WILLIAMS  testifies : 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  have  lived  in  this  Territory,  in  what  was  the  fifteenth  district,  and 
now  Leavenworth  county,  since  June,  1854.  At  the  time  of  the  elec- 
tion of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  pretty  well  acquainted  in  and 
around  Kickapoo  for  some  two  or  three  miles,  and  I  should  judge  that 
in  that  distance  there  were  at  least  300  legal  voters.  I  should  think 
that  there  were  at  least  ten  pro-slavery  votes  to  one  free-State  vote. 
I  was  at  that  time  acting  as  constable  for  that  fifteenth  district  under 
t  commission  from  G-ov.  Keeder,  and  my  knowledge  of  the  setiments 
clthe  people  in  and  around  Kickapoo  was  acquired  by  the  opportuni- 
ties that  position  gave  me  to  associate  with  them.  I  was  not  at  the 
election  of  the  30th  March,  1855,,  on  account  of  sickness. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

My  opinion  in  regard  to  there  being  ten  pro-slavery  men  to  one 
free-State  man  had  reference  to  those  in  and  around  Kickapoo,  where 
my  acquaintance  was  principally  confined. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  have  been  living  in  this  Territory  since  June  15th,  1854,  on  the 
bank  of  the  Missouri,  at  Kickapoo  city,  in  what  was  formerly  the 
fifteenth  district,  and  now  in  Leavenworth  county,  and  have  never 


376  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

been  absent  from  there  at  any  one  time  more  than  ten  days.  I  know 
a  good  many  of  the  Missourians  who  are  residents  in  St.  Joseph^ 
Weston,  and  Lexington,  Missouri,  having  lived  in  all  those  places 
myself.  I  have  conversed  with  a  good  many  of  them  concerning 
eastern  emigration,  and  the  unlawful  voting  that  was  expected  of  thei 
eastern  emigrants.  We  had  heard  that  a  great  many  were  being  sent 
here  to  the  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  voting  and  making  Kansas  a 
free  State,  and  then  they  would  return  home.  I  frequently  told  theroi 
I  heard  they  were  coming  over  to  vote  in  the  Territory  at  our  elections,! 
in  case  these  eastern  emigrants  who  were  shipped  here  came  and 
voted  unlawfully,  and  asked  if  they  thought  it  would  be  right  for 
them  to  do  wrong  because  others  did.  They  generally  said,  in  reply, 
that  they  were  not  coming  to  vote,  but  they  had  a  right  to  come  herei 
and  prevent  eastern  emigrants  from  voting,  and  they  would  do  so  j 
but  they  would  not  vote  themselves  until  they  should  come  and  get 
themselves  claims^  and  stay  here  long  enough  to  make  themselves 
legal  voters.  I  did  not  know  of  any  emigrants  being  shipped  here, 
as  I  was  sick  part  of  the  time  during  the  principal  season  of  emigra- 
tion, and  never  knew  of  any  Missourians  voting  at  any  election  here. 
I  was  at  the  first  Congressional  election  on  the  29th  of  November, 
1854,  at  Pensenau's.  Gen.  Whitfield  was  the  pro-slavery  candidate, 
and  Judge  Flannegan  the  free-State  candidate.  I  voted  at  that  elec- 
tion and  saw  a  great  many  others  voting,  a  large  majority  for  Whit- 
field.  I  saw  some  voting  for  Flannegan.  I  saw  Flannegan 's  nephew 
there  electioneering  for  Flannegan.  He  seemed  to  be  considerably 
excited,  and  I  thought  considerably  intoxicated.  I  did  not  know  him, 
but  I  was  told  it  was  Flannegan' s  nephew.  He  was  very  solicitous 
and  a  little  overbearing  in  favor  of  Flannegan.  He  offered  me  a 
ticket,  and  said  that  Flannegan  was  the  man.  I  told  him  I  had  a 
ticket,  and  was  a  Whitfield  man,  and  everybody  had  a  right  to  vote 
as  he  pleased.  I  saw  him  approach  several  others  in  the  course  of 
the  day  with  tickets.  I  saw  no  person  do,  nor  heard  any  person  of 
the  pro-slavery  party  say,  anything  out  of  the  way  to  him  in  any  way. 
I  saw  no  difficulty  on  any  side.  Both  sides  voted  as  peaceably  and 
quietly  as  I  ever  saw  at  any  election.  I  remained  there  till  pretty 
near  night,  and  when  I  left  all  was  quiet.  I  saw  some  Missourians  at 
Pensenau's — Mr.  Douglass  and  his  son,  I  think,  and  a  Mr.  Johnson, 
and  others  I  do  not  now  recollect.  The  Missourians  did  not  interfere 
by  word  or  act,  that  I  saw.  I  saw  none  of  them  vote.  I  asked  one  or 
two  Missourians  if  they  came  to  vote,  and  they  said  no,  as  they  had 
no  right  to  vote. 

WILY  WILLIAMS. 
LEAVENWOBTH  CITY,  K.  Tv  May  29,  1856. 


S.  W.  TUBNNELL  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided  on  the  30th  March,  1855,  in  the  fifteenth  election  dis- 
trict, and  have  resided  there  since  the  6th  of  June,  1854.  I  was 
about  as  well  acquainted  with  the  people  of  that  district  as  almost  any 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  377 

man  in  it,  and  was  generally  acquainted  with  their  sentiments  upon 
the  subject  of  slavery.  I  took  no  particular  pains  to  find  out  their 
sentiments,  except  to  try  and  find  out  where  each  man  stood  on  that 
question,  and  at  the  time  of  that  March  election  I  should  judge  the 
pro-slavery  were  two  to  one  of  the  free-soil  party  in  the  whole  pre- 
'einct. 

Kickapoo  is  ahout  midway  on  the  river  in  that  district.  I  was  at 
that  election  that  day.  D.  A.  N.  Grover  for  council,  and  Dr.  H.  C. 
B.  Harris  and  Jonah  Weddell  for  the  house  of  representatives,  were 
the  pro-slavery  candidates.  Mr.  Kellogg  was  a  candidate  for  a  time, 
but  withdrew  the  morning  of  the  election.  Kellogg  claimed  to  be  a 
pro-slavery  man,  but  was  an  independent  candidate.  I  never  knew 
of  the  free-State  party  having  any  ticket  for  that  election.  I  heard 
Kellogg  announce  his  withdrawal,  but  I  do  not  recollect  the  reasons 
he  gave  for  withdrawing,  and  cannot  say  whether  he  gave  any  reason, 
though  I  think  he  did.  I  think  he  withdrew  before  there  was  any 
voting  done.  I  saw  no  sign  of  difficulty  about  the  election,  either  be- 
fore or  after  the  polls  were  opened,  and  no  indications  of  interference 
with  any  one  voting.  I  do  not  know  as  I  saw  more  than  three  or  four 
persons  vote.  I  saw  a  great  many  residents  there,  but  I  did  not  see 
them  vote,  though  I  think  they  did.  I  do  not  know  that  anybody 
was  prevented  from  voting.  In  the  morning  it  was  very  crowded 
about  the  polls,  and  persons  might  not  be  able  to  get  to  the  polls  when 
they  wanted  to,  but  in  the  afternoon  all  could  get  up.  I  do  not  think 
that  at  the  beginning  of  the  crowding  at  the  polls  there  was  a  free- 
State  man  among  them.  But  as  soon  as  the  first  crowd  got  to  vote, 
every  one  could  vote.  After  that,  and  during  the  day,  there  were  fre- 
quent calls  for  more  voters.  If  the  free-State  party  had  had  a  ticket 
in  the  field,  and  there  had  been  no  Missourians  there,  I  think  the  pro- 
slavery  men  could  have  elected  their  ticket  over  all  opposition  by  a 
considerable  majority. 

S.  W.  TUKNNELL. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


THOMAS  J.  THOMPSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  reside  some  three  or  four  miles  northwest  of  Kickapoo,  in  Atchi- 
son  county,  in  what  was  formerly  the  fifteenth  district  of  this  Terri- 
tory, and  have  resided  there  since  June,  1854.  At  the  time  of  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
residents^  that  district.  In  the  winter  of  1854  and  1855,  the  gover- 
nor appointed  Mr.  Jolly  to  take  the  census  in  our  district.  He  came 
into  the  district  in  the  very  coldest  of  the  weather,  and  seemed  to  be  in 
great^  haste,  and  we  thought  he  was  not  making  out  a  just  census  of 
the  district.  I  concluded  I  would  take  the  census  over  on  my  own  re- 
sponsibility, and  I  did  so,  and  made  the  returns  to  the  governor  on 
the  same  day  Mr.  Jolly  made  his  return.  Our  lists  did  not  correspond, 
I  having  made  out  some  fifty  to  one  hundred  voters  more  than  he  did. 


378  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

The  governor  took  my  returns  and  paid  me  for  my  services.  I  made 
it  my  business,  while  taking  the  census,  to  find  out  as  far  as  possible 
what  were  the  sentiments  of  the  people  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  and 
I  found  that  a  great  many  men  I  count  as  residents  of  the  Territory, 
who  had  no  other  homes  but  in  the  Territory,  had  gone  to  Missouri  to 
pass  the  season' of  cold  weather  there.  These  persons  generally  re- 
turned before  the  election.  I  did  not  include  these  names  in  the  census 
list.  The  district  was  largely  pro- slavery  ;  so  I  judged  from  all  the 
information  I  could  get.  People  were  all  the'  time  coming  into  the 
district  from  the  time  I  finished  the  census  to  the  time  of  election, 
and  thus  there  were  many  more  voters  there  at  .the  time  of  election 
than  when  the  census  was  taken  ;  and  there  was  a  general  complaint 
among  both  parties  that  the  census  should  have  been  taken,  and  the 
district  laid  off,  when  many  of  the  actual  residents  of  the  district  were 
absent  for  the  winter  in  Missouri,  with  the  intention  of  returning  in 
the  spring.  Mr.  Jolly  gave  as  an  excuse  for  not  having  all  the  resi- 
dents, that  he  was  not  acquainted  with  that  portion  of  the  country ; 
and  as  it  was  pretty  broken,  he  could  not  find  all  the  little  cabins  stuck 
round  in  the  hollows,  but  he  put  down  all  he  saw. 

I  was  acquainted  with  a  great  portion  of  the  residents  who  returned 
after  the  census  and  before  the  election,  and  I  was  acquainted  with  a 
great  many  settlers  who  were  from  Missouri,  as  I  had  lived  in  Mis- 
souri some  time  and  had  known  them  there  ;  and  pretty  much,  proba- 
bly two-thirds,  of  the  returning  residents  and  the  new  comers  were 
pro- slavery.  I  attended  the  election  at  that  precinct  on  the  30th  of 
March 3  1855,  and  was  one  of  the  judges  of  election  appointed  by  the 
governor.  The  other  judges  appointed  by  the  governor  were  Mr.  Fisk 
and  Mr.  Zimmerman.  Mr.  Fisk  did  not  attend.  Mr.  Zimmerman 
and  myself  were  on  the  ground  early  in  the  morning,  and  when  the 
hour  for  opening  the  polls  arrived,  which  was  9  o'clock,  Mr.  Fisk  was 
not  there,  and  we  waited,  according  to  our  instructions,  an  hour,  before 
we  proceeded  to  appoint  one  his  place.  At  10  o'clock  we  selected 
Mr.  Martin  T.  Bailey,  and  proceeded  to  open  the  polls  immediately, 
as  soon  as  we  could  be  qualified  and  choose  our  clerks.  H.  0.  B. 
Harris  and  Jonah  Weddell  for  representatives,  and  D.  A.  N.  Grover 
for  council,  were  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  There  were  no  free-State 
candidates  running.  Mr.  Kellogg,  for  the  lower  house,  withdrew 
about  the  time  the  polls  were  opened.  I  think  the  free-State  party 
had  not  at  any  time  a  full  ticket  for  that  election  ;  I  never  saw  nor 
never  heard  of  any.  Mr.  Kellogg  gave  some  reason  for  withdrawing, 
but  I  do  not  recollect  what  it  was.  I  think,  from  all  I  could  learn, 
that  he  had  brought  himself  out,  and  finding  none  of  the  free-State 
party  would  vote  for  him,  he  withdrew.  I  was  in  the  house,  and  I  did 
not  see  many  who  were  on  the  ground.  I  had  been  living  in  the  Ter- 
ritory for  nearly  a  year.  I  saw  some  men  who  had  lived  in  Missouri, 
but  I  did  not  know  whether  they  lived  there  then  or  not.  I  have  no 
knowledge  of  their  interfering  with  the  election  by  voting,  or  in  any 
way.  The  election  was  as  quiet  as  any  I  ever  saw,  and  there  seemed 
to  be  good  feeling  prevailing  on  both  sides,  so  far  as  I  saw.  I  did  not 
know  of  any  complaining  of  opening  the  polls  so  late,  and  leaving 
without  voting.  Some  said  they  wanted  to  vote  soon,  but  I  explained 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  379 

fhy  we  did  not  open  sooner.  I  told  them  that  we  would  open  at  the 
ime  fixed,  when  one  of  the  judges  was  ahsent.  I  knew  of  no  one 
hoing  away  on  that  account.  The  free-State  men  voted  without  any 
dndrance,  so  far  as  they  desired  to  vote.  Some  of  them  did  not  vote, 
because  they  had  no  ticket.  There  were  two  hallots  put  in  with  the 
fords  "  no  slavery,"  hut  with  no  names  of  candidates.  Even  if  Mis- 
lourians  did  vote,  the  pro-slavery  ticket  would  have  heen  elected  with- 
out their  votes.  There  may  have  heen  some  votes  given  by  Missouri- 
ins  who  had  claims  here,  and  were  working  on  them,  but  had  no 
amilies  here.  The  members  elect  called  on  us  for  certificates  of  elec- 
ion,  and  Mr.  Bailey  and  myself  granted  them,  Mr.  Zimmerman  say- 
ng  he  saw  no  use  in  it,  but  we  could  do  as  we  wished  ;  he  would  go,  as 
le  had  some  ways  to  talk.  The  poll-books  had  been  closed  and  cer- 
ified. 

THOMAS  J.  THOMPSON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


EDWARD  BOURNE  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  in  what  is  called  Atchison  county,  in  this  Territory,  and 
my  family  has  been  living  there  since  November,  1854.  I  was  at  the 
election  at  Charles  Hayes's  house,  on  the  military  road,  on  the  30th 
of  March,  1855.  I  was  there  a  good  portion  of  the  day,  but  I  did  not 
get  there  very  early.  I  did  not  vote.  I  went  there  for  the  purpose 
of  voting,  and  a  man  came  up  and  put  a  ticket  in  my  hand,  and  said 
if  I  did  not  vote  that  ticket  I  should  leave.  It  was  a  man  named 
Jonathan  Smith,  who  lived  in  the  district,  who  said  that  to  me.  The 
day  previous  to  the  election  I  had  been  across  in  Platte  county,  at  a 
lAace  called  latan.  Some  men  there  gathered  around  me,  and  wanted 
tcfind  out  my  political  opinions,  and  how  I  would  vote.  I  told  them 
that  I  did  not  exactly  know  ;  that  the  question  about  this  being  a 
slave  or  a  free  State  was  one  I  did  not  much  care  about.  One  or  two 
said  that  if  I  did  not  promise  to  vote  for  making  Kansas  a  slave  State 
they  would  throw  me  into  the  river.  One  of  them,  named  Creek 
Gum,  of  Platte  city,  a  son  of  one  who  keeps  a  hotel  in  Platte  city, 
pulled  off  his  coat,  and  wanted  to  get  a  party  to  throw  me  into  the 
Missouri  river.  I  came  across  the  river  that  day  safe  and  sound. 
There  was  an  immense  body  at  the  election,  and  as  I  was  going  to  the 
polls  I  met  considerable  bodies  coming  from  the  election  polls.  I  got 
there  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  man  who  attempted  to 
make  me  vote  made  me  angry.  The  crowd  was  then  around,  and 
shooting  off  their  revolvers,  and  making  a  great  noise.  I  knew  a 
number  of  the  men  in  the  crowd.  I  knew  most  of  the  residents  in  the 
crowd,  though  some  of  them,  probably,  I  did  not  know.  I  should  think 
there  were  three  hundred  men  in  a  body,  besides  those  who  were  coming 
away.  I  saw  a  good  many,  while  I  was  there,  go  up  to  the  window  and 
hand  in  tickets.  I  saw  several  there  I  knew  were  not  residents  of  the 
district ;  one  of  them  was  Captain  John  Reed,  from  Clinton  county, 
Missouri ;  Mr.  Brooks  ;  Mr.  "  Bungar,"  I  think,  from  Clay  county; 


380  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

Mr.  Cuck,  from  Clay  county,  I  think — I  do  not  know  his  first  namei 
Mr.  Gabbord,  deputy  sheriff  of  Platte  county  at  one  time  ;  N.  J.  Ales 
ander,  a  merchant  in  Platte  county  ;  Mr.  Turner,  a  magistrate  frcl 
Platte  county  ;  Mr.  Seward,  from  Platte  county  ;  Mr.  Ellaford,  from 
Platte  county,  I  think ;  G-eo.  W.  Smoothe,  from  Platte  county — ho 
made  a  claim  in  the  Territory,  but  never  lived  on  it ;  and  severa 
names  I  cannot  call  to  mind.  I  was  acquainted  in  three  or  foun 
counties  of  Missouri.  I  saw  Mr.  Brasspeard,  from  Platte  county ;  Johi 
and  Wm.  Forbes,  from  Camden  Point,  Missouri.  I  never  have  knows 
of  any  one  of  these  I  have  mentioned  who  had  ever  lived  in  the  dist 
trict.  Captain  John  Keed  said  he  had  a  perfect  right  to  come  here 
and  vote.  I  was  talking  with  him  about  his  making  his  claim,  and 
he  said  he  did  not  know  when  he  would  make  it.  There  were  HttW 
pamphlets  in  circulation  as  to  the  right  of  people  to  vote,  and  who 
would  have  a  right  to  vote.  Captain  Keed  seemed  to  think  that  the 
moment  he  landed  here  he  had  a  right  to  vote  ;  and  that  appeared  to 
be  a  somewhat  general  impression.  I  think  he  told  me  he  had  voted, 
and  I  think  Mr.  Brooks  told  me  he  had  voted.  I  cannot  now  call  tc 
mind  the  names  of  any  others  who  may  have  told  me  they  had  voted, 

To  Mr.  Propper  : 

I  think  I  know  a  good  many  persons  in  my  district,  but  I  do  no! 
know  any  James  Moore  in  my  district.  I  think  I  met  a  man  from 
Platte  county  there  of  that  name,  on  the  day  of  the  election.  I  do  nol 
know  a  Mr.  Oliver  Sweeny  in  my  district,  but  I  know  several  Sweeny* 
in  Platte  county.  I  do  not  know  a  Mr.  G.  W.  Calne  in  our  district, 
There  is  a  Calver  living  in  the  district.  I  do  not  know  whethei 
Thomas  Baker  was  living  in  the  district  or  not  at  the  time  of  tiu 
election,  but  I  think  not.  I  do  not  know  a  Mr.  E.  E.  By  waters  in  thf 
district.  I  know  some  Bywaters  in  Platte  county,  but  not  the  initial* 
of  their  names.  I  know  Enoch  Stoggs,  and  he  lives  in  Platte  county j 
I  saw  him  the  day  of  the  election.  I  do  not  know  Gr.  W.  Kyle  in  oui 
district  at  the  time  of  election.  Gr.  W.  Smoothe  lives  in  Platte  county, 
and  I  think  he  sold  his  claim  before  the  election.  A.  B.  Sesson  lives 
in  Platte  county,  and  I  saw  him  at  the  election.  I  never  knew  him 
to  live  in  the  district,  though  I  heard  of  his  making  a  claim  and  sell- 
ing it  again.  He  told  me  he  had  voted  that  day  for  peace.  I  kno'W 
a  Koss  in  our  district,  but  cannot  say  whether  there  is  a  B.  F.  Koss  01 
not.  I  know  a  Thomas  Scott,  and  I  think  I  saw  him  at  the  election : 
I  think  he  lived  in  Platte  county.  I  know  Lee  Olham,  but  I  nevei 
knew  of  his  living  in  the  Territory,  though  I  heard  he  made  a  claim 
near  Kickapoo.  I  should  think  about  one-third  of  the  crowd  I  saw  al 
the  polls  were  actual  settlers  of  the  district.  I  cannot  say  how  manj 
legal  votes  there  were  in  the  district  at  the  time  of  the  election.  I  wenl 
to  the  election  because  I  was  dared  to  go  there,  and  they  said  they 
would  duck  me ;  and  I  went  there  to  show  that  I  would  go.  I  am  a 
free-soiler  myself,  but  I  do  not  try  to  influence  others.  I  came  to 
Kansas  just  to  get  a  piece  of  land  cheap. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

When  they  threatened  to  throw  me  into  the  Missouri  river  at  Iatan; 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  381 

did  not  promise  to  vote  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  I  would  not  promise 
such,  thing.     They  did  not  throw  me  into  the  river.     One  stripped 
his  hat,  hut  did  not  attempt  to  do  it.     Mr.  Jonathan  Smith  put  a 
cket  in  my  hand,  and  said  if  I  did  not  vote  that  ticket  I  should  have 
leave  there.     I  did  not  vote  that  ticket,  and  I  did  not  leave  there 
mediately.     No  one  else  tried  to  make  me  vote  hy  coercion.     Others 
gued  with  me,  hut  no  one  prevented  me  from  voting.     I  got  mad 
hen  Mr.  Smith  said  that  to  me,  and  I  would  not  vote,  especially  as 
ere  was  only  one  set  of  candidates— the  pro- slavery  candidates.     I 
now  over  one-tenth  of  the  persons  who  live  in  the  district,  I  think, 
do  not  know  how  many  lived  in  the  district  at  that  time.     I  have 
ieen  nearly  over  the  whole  district.     I  cannot  state  the  exact  numher 
|f  persons  there  are  in  the  district.     I  know  two  hundred,  I  think,  of 
Jlne  residents  of  that  district,  and  I  think  there  are  more  there.     I  think 
here  were  persons  there  of  hoth  pro-slavery  and  free-State.     I  should 
hink  that  at  that  time  there  were  a  majority  of  free-State  men. 
There  were  two  men  hy  the  name  of  Logan,  and  a  Mr.  Koberts,  free- 
State  men.     If  I  am  obliged  to  tell  who  are  free-State  men,  I  will  tell; 
3ut  I  do  not  want  to  tell  the  names  of  men  who  do  not  want  their 
lames  known,  as  they  do  not  think  it  safe.     I  think  there  were  more 
:ree-State  men  there  than  now.     I  think  there  were  free-State  men 
there,  because  I  talked  to  them  at  different  times.     I  have  been  beaten 
ind  bruised  because  of  my  political  opinions,  and  had  to  show  my 
pistol  to  defend  my  life  ;  arid  I  think  I  am  in  danger  now,  when  I  tell 
what  I  do  here.     My  wife  has  scarcely  changed  her  clothes  for  the  last 
six  weeks,  and  a  mob  has  come  about  my  house  and  threatened  to 
hang  me  if  I  did  not  leave  in  ten  days,  and  called  me  an  abolitionist, 
which  I  am  not.     The  primary  cause  of  my  difficulty  may  have  grown 
out  of  a  disputed  land  claim  ;  but  politics  has  given  it  a  different 
complexion.     Only  one  of  the  persons  I  had  the  difficulty  with  had 
anything  to  do  with  the  claim.     The  man  who  struck  me,  and  the 
man  who  drew  the  pistol  on  me,  never  had  anything  to  do  with  the 
claim.     The  man  who  drew  the  pistol  on  me  I  never  spoke  to  in  my 
life.     This  difficulty  did  not  occur  on  the  claim,  but  at  Kickapoo, 
where  I  went  to  get  some  corn  ground. 

[Mr.  Scott  wishes  it  noted  that  he  did  not  call  out  the  account  of 
the  difficulty  on  cross-examination,  but  that  it  was  a  voluntary  state- 
ment of  the  witness.] 

One  of  the  Logans  is  on  the  same  claim  with  myself,  and  he  pointed 
me  out  to  the  Kickapoo  bully  that  they  might  beat  me.  He  is  not  a 
free-State  man  now,  but  he  told  me  at  one  time  that  he  would  not 
live  in  Kansas  if  it  was  a  slave  State. 

Captain  John  Keed  told  me  his  residence  was  in  Clinton  county, 
Missouri ;  that  he  came  over  to  vote,  and  was  going  back  home  the 
day  of  the  election.  Mr.  Benjamin  Brooks  came  up  to  me,  and  we 
had  some  talk  about  claims.  He  asked  me  if  I  knew  where  he  could 
buy  a  claim.  I  think  he  acknowledged  to  me  that  he  had  voted,  but 
had  no  claim  ;  he  owns  land  in  Clay  county.  My  understanding  of 
the  matter  is,  that  I  should  be  living  in  the  Territory  before  having  a 
right  to  vote,  but  I  can  live  in  the  Territory  without  having  a  claim. 
Brooks  was  on  his  way  back  to  Clay  county  when  I  met  him  ;  he  was 


382  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

in  Kansas  Territory  when  I  met  him,  hut  he  told  me  he  was  on  his 
way  hack  to  Clay  county,  Missouri.  I  think  the  residence  of  George 
G-abhord  was  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  at  the  time  of  the  election. 
I  have  never  been  there  since.  He  has  a  farm  and  placer  in  Platte 
county,  and  I  never  heard  of  his  coming  to  the  Territory  to  live, 
and  I  am  satisfied  he  never  lived  in  our  district.  M.  J.  Alexander 
was  and  is  a  merchant  in  latan.  I  saw  'Squire  Turner  on  his  way 
home  ;  he  was  then  acting  magistrate  in  Platte  county.  M.  Len- 
mud's  residence  is  near  Mr.  Turner's.  I  saw  him  coming  from  the 
election.  I  do  not  know  of  any  one  voting  except  those  who  told  me 
they  had  voted. 

To  Mr.  Grover: 

I  have  been  quite  frequently  in  Missouri  since  I  moved  to  the  Ter- 
ritory.    I  have  been  over  there  for  four  weeks  at  a  time. 

EDWAED  BOURNE. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  Tv  May  22,  1856. 


0.  H.  BREWSTER  called  and  sworn. 

I  have  resided  in  Lexington,  Missouri,  nearly  four  years,  and  came 
originally  from  New  York  State.  I  was  about  three  miles  from  town 
here  at  the  time  of  the  difficulties  at  Lawrence,  Kansas  Territory, 
last  fall,  working  for  Col.  Ewing  at  my  trade  of  carpentering.  I 
was  there  when  the  news  of  Governor  Shannon's  proclamation  first 
came.  Col.  Ewing  urged  his  hands,  just  as  soon  as  his  house  was 
finished,  to  go  up  to  Kansas.  He  stated  as  a  reason  that  Governor 
Shannon  in  his  proclamation  had  called  upon  the  citizens  of  Missouri, 
and  they  had  a  right  to  go  up  there  and  enlist  in  the  militia  of  the 
Territory,  and  that  Governor  Shannon's  proclamation  was  sufficient 
authority  for  them  to  do  so.  I  attended  a  public  meeting  afterwards, 
and  heard  speeches  made  by  citizens  of  this  place,  as  far  as  I  knew 
them.  Men  were  called  on  to  enrol  their  names,  and  I  saw  quite  a 
number  go  up  and  write  their  names  to  go  up  to  the  Territory.  It 
was  said  that  those  who  had  no  horses  should  be  furnished  with 
them,  and  that  provisions  should  be  furnished  them,  and  it  should 
cost  young  men  nothing  to  go  out  to  the  Territory  and  come 
back.  I  think  a  hundred  or  more  went  from  here  or  through  this 
place,  and  I  heard  a  large  number  state  that  they  intended  to 
burn  Lawrence  and  wipe  out  the  abolitionists.  I  heard  several 
of  them  converse  after  they  came  back,  and  one,  in  particular, 
(Captain  J.  Reese,  a  lawyer  of  this  place)  said  that  the  Missourians, 
with  the  militia,  would  have  rushed  into  Lawrence  and  destroyed  it 
if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Sharpe's  rifles.  I  heard  others  converse, 
but  it  amounted  to  about  the  same  thing. 

I  have  seen  Major  Oliver,  the  representative  to  Congress  from  the 
district  across  the  river.  I  heard  him  make  a  speech  at  the  pro- 
slavery  convention  for  the  State  of  Missouri,  held  in  Lexington, 
Missouri,  on  the  26th  of  June,  1855.  It  was  the  same  meeting  at 
which  President  Shannon,  of  the  State  University,  addressed  those 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  383 

)resent.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Samuel  Young,  from  Boone  county, 
ilso  made  a  very  strong  pro-slavery  speech.  Mr.  Young  argued  in 
lis  speech  that  it  would  he  right  to  drive  the  free-soilers  out  of  Kan- 
las  Territory  and  prevent  them  from  settling  there.  Mr.  Oliver 
•eplied  to  him,  and  in  the  commencement  of  his  speech  seemed  to 
sondemn  any  unlawful  movement ;  but  before  he  had  finished  he 
^tated  that  he  had  been  up  to  Kansas  Territory  and  voted  himself, 
uid  would  go  again  under  similar  circumstances.  He  went  on  then 
o  justify  his  voting  and  the  whole  proceeding,  on  the  ground  that 
he  northern  people  had  formed  an  Emigrant  Aid  Society  and  sent 
nen  out  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  He  went  on  to  describe  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  stated  that  hundreds  had  been  sent  out 
lere,  and  on  this  ground  he  justified  his  voting.  He  did  not  say  at 
what  election,  time,  or  place,  he  had  voted  in  the  Territory.  I  re- 
>member  very  distinctly  that  he  said  he  had  gone  to  the  Territory  of 
(Kansas  and  voted,  and  would  go  again  under  similar  circumstances. 

0.  H.  BEEWSTEE. 
LEXINGTON,  Mo.,  June  10,  1856. 
[See  affidavits  of  Mr.  King  and  Mr.  Shot  well.] 


JOHN  W.  MARTIN  testifies  : 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  resided  on  Plum  creek,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Kickapoo, 
in  the  fifteenth  district  of  this  Territory,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
I  was  born  in  Kentucky,  but  when  an  infant  was  brought  to  Mis- 
souri, where  I  was  raised  and  lived  until  the  12th  of  June,  1854, 
when  I  came  into  the  Territory,  and  have  resided  in  the  fifteenth 
district  ever  since. 

I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Mr. 
Hays' s  in  the  fifteenth  district.  There  was  but  one  set  of  candidates 
at  that  election :  the  pro-slavery  candidates,  Grover,  Weddell,  and 
Harris.  I  did  not  hear  of  any  free-State  candidates  there.  I  saw 
nothing  done  by  the  pro-slavery  party  to  keep  the  free-State  party 
out.  There  was  such  a  rush  among  our  party  to  the  polls  that  we 
would  crowd  one  another  out,  but  that  was  all  that  I  saw. 

There  were  Missourians  there,  and  some  of  them  may  have  voted, 
but  I  saw  none  of  them  vote.  I  was  tolerably  well  acquainted  with 
the  inhabitants  of  that  district,  and  there  was  a  general  turn  out  of 
the  voters  of  the  district  that  day.  We  have  very  few  free-State  men 
there,  I  think,  and  all  voted  who  desired  to.  I  never  heard  any  one 
complain  of  not  being  allowed  to  vote.  There  were  a  good  many 
men  from  Missouri  then  on  the  ground  at  that  election.  I  under- 
stood they  came  there  to  counteract  these  emigrant  aid  voters  who 
were  expected  there,  and  if  the  aid-emigrants  voted  they  intended  to 
vote  themselves.  I  did  not  see  any  of  them  vote,  and  I  did  not  hear 
any  of  them  say  they  would  vote,  except  in  the  case  of  aid-emigrants 
being  allowed  to  vote.  I  saw  many  of  the  legal  voters  of  the  district 
voting  that  day. 


384  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  suppose  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority  of  ten  to  one  in  thati 
district,  if  not  more.  There  were  but  one  or  two  free-State  men  scat-- 
tered  about,  who  were  quiet  men  and  did  not  care  to  take  any  part  in 
the  election.  Mr.  Kellogg  was  out  as  a  pro-slavery  candidate,  as  I 
understood,  hut  I  did  not  hear  him  decline  to  run  that  morning,  as 
that  took  place  before  I  got  to  the  polls.  The  pro-slavery  party  had 
no  fear  of  being  defeated  by  the  free-State  party,  except  by  some  such 
thing  as  the  Aid  Emigrant  Society  were  said  to  be  getting  up,  and 
we  heard  every  day,  and  were  told,  that  the  election  was  put  off  in 
order  to  allow  the  emigrants  time  to  get  here. 

Major  Mordecai  Oliver  made  a  speech  and  urged  the  Missourians 
not  to  vote,  as  there  was  no  necessity  for  it,  the  aid-emigrants  not 
having  come  in.  He  said  that  the  reason  for  the  Missourians  coming 
was  to  counteract  the  emigrant  aid  movement,  and  as  the  aid-emi- 
grants had  not  come  to  that  election  in  that  district,  there  was  no 
necessity  for  Missourians  voting,  and  they  ought  not  to  vote. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  have  known  the  boundaries  of  the  fifteenth  district,  but  I  cannot 
give  them  exactly  now.  It  embraced  the  upper  settlements  of  the 
Stranger  creek,  north  of  Fort  Kiley  military  road,  up  to  Walnut 
creek,  the  Kickapoo  settlement,  Port  William,  &c.  I  should  think 
that  in  and  about  Kickapoo  there  were  not  more  than  one  hundred 
and  twenty  voters  at  that  election  ;  in  the  Stranger  settlement  there 
were  about  thirty  or  forty  families,  and  about  that  many  voters  ;  in 
the  Walnut  neighborhood  there  were  from  eighty  to  one  hundred 
voters  ;  Port  William  I  have  included  in  Kickapoo  and  Walnut,  thus 
giving  from  two  hundred  and  forty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  voters 
in  the  district.  At  that  time,  if  the  free-State  men  had  had  a  ticket 
in  the  field,  I  could  not  tell  how  many  they  would  have  polled.  Sev- 
eral free-State  men  voted  the  pro- slavery  ticket  that  day  ;  but  there 
were  two  pro-slavery  men  on  the  ground  to  one  free-State  man,  let 
the  free-State  men  vote  as  they  may.  I  am  better  acquainted  about 
Kickapoo  than  other  portions  of  the  district,  but  I  have  estimated  th« 
relative  strength  of  the  two  parties  in  reference  to  all  the  district. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  had  been  over  the  district  once  or  twice  before  that  election,  and 
had  taken  a  great  deal  ol  pains  to  find  out  the  relative  strength  of 
parties,  and  I  know  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  very  large  ma- 
jority ;  that  there  were  very  few  free-State  men  at  all. 

J.  W.  MAKTIN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1866. 


M.  P.  EIVELY  testifies : 
To  Mr.  Matthias : 
I  have  resided  in  this  Territory  some  five  years,  and  came  here  from 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  385 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania  ;  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th 
of  March,  1855,  at  Mr.  Hays's,  in  the  15th  district.  The  pro-slavery 
candidates  were  D.  A.  N.  Grover  for  Council,  and  Dr.  H.  0.  B. 
Davis  and  Jonah  Weddell  for  the  House  of  Kepresentatives  ;  I  do  not 
recollect  whether  there  were  any  free-soil  candidates  or  not.  There 
was  not  much  of  a  contest  in  the  district ;  there  was  quite  a  number 
of  persons  at  the  polls,  and  voting  when  I  got  there  ;  there  seemed  to 
be  no  objection  to  any  one  of  either  party  voting.  Calls  were  made 
by  persons  on  both  sides  for  voters  to  come  up  and  vote;  I  was  pretty 
well  acquainted  in  the  district,  from  the  fact  that  I  had  a  store  there  ; 
and  many,  perhaps  a  majority  of  the  persons  in  the  district,  were  at 
my  store,  and  I  was  acquainted  with  the  political  views  of  most  of 
them.  I  think  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority  of  at  least  three 
to  one  ;  the  election  was  conducted  peaceably  and  quietly  while  I  was 
there  ;  I  saw  no  persons  armed  there.  I  do  not  know  why  the  free- 
State  party  took  no  decided  part  in  the  election  by  bringing  out 
candidates.  They  were  not  prohibited  in  any  way  from  doing  so.  I 
think  Governor  Reeder's  conduct  had  the  effect  of  making  the  people 
dissatisfied  here,  by  showing  a  decided  preference  for  making  a  free 
State  of  Kansas,  in  a  short  time  after  he  was  here,  by  choosing  free- 
soilers  to  do  what  business  he  had  to  be  done  ;  by  appointing  free-soil 
canvassers,  and  a  majority  of  free-soil  judges  of  election  ;  and  letting 
eastern  people  know  when  the  election  was  to  take  place  before  he  let 
us  know  it  here  ;  and  thus  leading  the  people  to  believe  he  would  make 
a  good  governor  for  the  free-soilers,  but  not  for  the  pro-slavery  men. 
Information  was  also  received  here  that  he  was  interested  in  the  East, 
in  importing  votes  from  Massachusetts  and  other  States  to  make  this 
a  free  State.  The  people  in  Missouri  became  aroused,  and  they  came 
over  here  to  the  election  to  counteract  the  votes  of  the  eastern  men  ; 
that  is  about  the  cause,  I  believe,  of  all  our  difficulties  here. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

It  was  a  general  rumor  that  Governor  Eeeder  was  interested  in 
bringing  voters  here  ;  I  had  no  specific  information  on  the  subject. 

To  Mr.  Matthias : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  some  five  years  ago  from  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
I  was  not  present  at  the  election  of  29th  November,  1854.  General 
Whitfield  was  the  pro-slavery  candidate,  and  Mr.  Flannigan  was  the 
free-soil  candidate  for  Congress  at  that  election.  I  was  introduced  to 
Judge  Flannigan  shortly  after  he  arrived  at  Fort  Leavenworth  ;  he 

pame  to  Fort  Leavenworth  with  Governor  Beeder.  Shortly  after  he 
irrived  Judge  Flannigan  came  out  to  Salt  Creek  valley,  where  I  then 
ived,  and  went  to  the  house  of  John  Cody,  and  announced  himself  as 
:he  free-soil  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress,  and  he  made  a  free- 
ioil  speech  to  a  number  of  free-soilers  at  Mr.  Cody's ;  this  was  pro- 
mbly  ten  days  after  his  arrival  in  the  Territory.  He  made  the  race, 
ind  was  defeated  by  General  Whitfield.  Some  three  or  four  days 

Ifefter  the  election  was  over,  Mr.  Flannigan  returned  to  Pennsylvania ; 

It  do  not  know  where  he  resides  in  Pennsylvania.    I  have  heard  he  had 

H.  Kep.  200 25* 


386  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

a  family  in  Pennsylvania  ;  he  had  none  with  him  here  in  the  Terri- 
tory. 

M.  P.  EIVELY. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT — Leavenworth. 
DAVID  BROWN  recalled. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  middle  of  September,  1854, 
from  Minnesota.  I  reside  in  Leavenworth  city  at  present,  and  have 
resided  in  this  district  since  the  27th  or  28th  September,  1854.  OE 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  in  this  place  in  the  forenoon  ;  I  was 
at  the  election,  but  did  not  vote.  I  had  been  appointed  as  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  election,  but  did  not  serve  ;  I  resigned.  I  was  here  the 
day  previous  to  the  election  for  the  purpose  of  making  some  prepara- 
tion for  holding  the  election  ;  and  that  evening  I  offered  my  resigna- 
tion to  the  other  two  judges,  and  told  them  they  might  fill  my  place 
with  some  one  else.  I  did  not  offer  my  resignation  publicly  until  the 
next  morning,  announcing  it  to  the  audience  present.  I  concluded 
that  violence  would  come  to  my  person  if  I  served,  and  that  I  should 
not  be  able  to  carry  out  the  election  as  my  instructions  required  me 
to  do.  There  was  a  difference  of  opinion  between  me  and  Mr.  Rees, 
one  of  the  other  judges,  in  regard  to  the  oath  to  be  taken  by  the 
judges.  He  stated  that  there  was  something  more  required  of  judges 
by  the  governor  than  he  would  subscribe  to.  I  thought  I  could  refer 
it  to  no  other  authority  but  the  governor,  and  if  I  acted  I  would  have 
to  subscribe  to  the  oath  prescribed.  He  stated  he  would  not  subscribe 
to  the  oath.  The  other  judge,  Mr.  France,  said  he  would  subscribe 
to  the  oath.  Mr.  L.  N.  Kees,  Mr.  M.  France,  and  myself,  were  the 
three  judges  appointed  by  the  governor.  A  Mr.  Panton  was  ap- 
pointed in  my  place.  I  concluded  that  there  was  a  portion  of  the 
people  present  who  wanted  to  vote,  who  wanted  judges  who  would 
not  ask  such  questions  as  I  would  have  asked;  and  Mr.  Rees  made  the 
preposition  that  we  should'  all  resign,  and  let  the  voters  choose  judges 
to  suit  themselves.  I  remonstrated  against  it.  Mr.  France  likewise 
remonstrated.  After  talking  some  time,  I  remarked  that  I  saw  no 
opportunity  to  get  a  house  for  the  election  ;  and  owing  to  excitement 
and  some  personal  prejudices  against  me  there,  I  said  I  would  resign, 
and  I  asked  them  to  fill  my  place.  He  remarked,  in  reply,  that  he  would 
a  little  rather  we  would  all  resign.  I  then  made  the  proposition  that 
we  should  take  our  seats  as  judges,  and  I  would  sit  unarmed  there 
until  the  crowd  should  take  me  and  sit  me  politely  down  in  the  street. 
I  had  been  interrogated  previously  in  different  matters  concerning 
the  oath,  and  what  I  considered  necessary  to  constitute  a  legal  voter. 
My  answers  had  been,  that  I  should  want  to  ask  a  man  if  he  was 
a  citizen  or  resident  of  the  Territory.  When  they  would  ask  me 
what  I  should  want  further,  I  said  if  I  doubted  a  man  was  a  citizen, 
I  should  ask  if  this  was  his  only  home,  believing  a  man  could  not 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  387 

have  a  home  in  New  York  and  here  at  the  same  time.  I  insisted  that 
I  should  ask  these  questions,  and  that  was  one  objection  to  me. 
Another  was,  that  Reeder,  acting  governor  then,  had  appointed  two 
free-State  and  one  pro-slavery  judge  here.  These  were  the  principal 
causes.  I  thought  they  would  want  to  get  another  man  in  my  place 
who  would  not  subscribe  to  the  oath  prescribed.  Oji  the  morning  of 
the  30th  March,  1855,  about  9  o'clock  or  after,  I  got  up  and  cried  out 
to  the  audience  that  I,  David  Brown,  being  appointed  by  Governor 
Eeeder  as  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election,  under  existing  circum- 
stances could  not  and  would  not  serve.  I  do  not  state  the  reasons. 
I  will  state,  that  when  I  proposed  to  Mr.  Kees  that  I  would  take  my 
seat  as  judge  unarmed  until  they  politely  took  me  off  it,  Mr.  Eees  re- 
marked, that  would  be  carrying  the  joke  too  far  ;  that  neither  he  nor 
any  other  man  could  control  the  people. 

I  remained  around  about  the  polls  until  somewhere  near -noon.  I 
was  but  little  acquainted  in  this  district.  From  the  time  I  came  into 
the  Territory  up  to  that  time,  I  do  not  think  I  had  seen  the  face  of  a 
man  I  had  seen  before.  The  people  I  met  here  at  the  election 
were  strangers  to  me,  except  some  I  had  got  acquainted  with  here 
and  in  Salt  Creek  valley.  I  should  think  there  were  from  300  to  500 
persons  in  the  forenoon  when  I  was  here,  to  make  a  rough  guess.  I 
saw  no  encampments  here.  On  two  nights  previous  to  the  election 
there  were  various  parties  camping  about  nay  neighborhood — Salt 
creek — some  in  tents  and  some  in  wagons  ;  three  or  four  wagons  to- 
gether sometimes.  I  do  not  know  where  they  came  from  or  where 
they  went  to.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  stir  and  fuss  around  town  ; 
some  pretty  much  in  liquor,  some  wanting  to  get  sight  of  an  aboli- 
tionist or  a  free-soiler.  When  they  got  up  to  the  polls,  a  rope  was 
stretched  from  one  corner  of  the  building  to  a  stake,  then  to  another 
stake,  and  then  back  again,  so  as  to  make  a  kind  of  square  lot  or  pen. 
I  could  hear  the  question  asked,  on  my  way  up  from  the  levee,  "How 
shall  we  vote,  by  messes  or  companies?"  Others  would  say  they 
did  not  know  how,  but  they  would  go  in  and  vote.  The  voting  was 
done  in  a  window,  and  there  were  few  about.  The  word  seemed  to 
be,  "  I  am  all  right  on  the  goose/7  As  I  belonged  to  the  ganders,  I 
had  but  little  chance.  Some  of  them  said  they  could  tell  an  aboli- 
tionist as  far  as  they  could  see  him.  I  heard  no  one  say,  while  voting, 
where  he  came  from,  that  I  recollect.  A  steamboat  arrived  here  while 
I  was  here  from  up  the  river,  but  I  do  not  know  her  name.  She  had 
a  crowd  of  men  on,  who  got  off,  and  the  boat  lay  here  some  time.  I 
saw  none  of  those  men  vote,  as  I  kept  away  from  the  polls  and  did 
not  notice  who  voted.  I  heard  some  men  say  that  day,  that  a  man's 
presence  constituted  a  residence  here  ;  others, -that  they  had  made 
claims,  or  staked  out  lots,  or  laid  out  a  town.  Some  two  or  three  in- 
dividuals were  here  that  day  that  I  considered  residents  of  Missouri. 
They  earnestly  urged  me  to  resign  in  the  morning,  saying  they  would 
offer  my  resignation  for  me.  I  told  them  I  had  a  tongue  of  my  own, 
and  would  offer  my  resignation  myself  when  the  proper  time  came 
around.  One  of  these  men  was  named  Malcolm  Clark,  the  one  shot 
by  McCrea  ;  another  was  Charles  Dunn.  The  reason  I  regarded  them 
as  citizens  of  Missouri  at  that  time  was,  that  I  had  been  to  Mr.  Clark's 


388  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

house  and  place  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  his  telling  me  that 
was  his  home.  This  was  a  monthvand  a  half  or  two  months  hefore 
the  election.  Mr.  Dunn  had  a  claim  adjoining  me,  and  was  frequently 
over  to  it.  I  had  seen  Mr.  Dunn  in  Weston,  and  he  had  told  me  that 
he  was  going  to  move  over  here.  He  moved  in  May,  1855,  on  his 
claim,  and  has  lived  here  since.  These  were  the  reasons  why  I  re- 
garded these  men  as  non-residents,  and  should  have  objected,  as  a 
judge  of  election,  to  their  voting. 

I  did  not  vote,  "because  I  thought  I  had  no  business  crowding  inside 
that  rope,  where  all  were  goose  men  ;  and  from  the  prejudice  about 
my  appointment,  and  other  circumstances,  I  did  not  think  I  would 
have  been  safe  in  going  up  there  to  vote.  I  saw  a  great  many  men 
with  pistols  and  knives  hanging  about  their  persons.  There  was 
rather  more  stir  about  the  election  than  I  have  been  accustomed  to 
see,  and  I  felt  it  was  my  place  to  say  but  little,  as  they  seemed  to  be 
considerably  excited  against  the  free-State  party.  ,1  went  home  about 
noon,  and  did  not  come  back  again  that  day.  Previous  to  the  elec- 
tion ,  for  some  days,  a  good  many  had  been  running  to  me  and  soli- 
citing me  to  resign  ;  and  one  gentleman  came  to  my  house,  who  said 
he  was  from  Missouri,  and  staid  over  night  with  me,  and  urged  me 
strongly  to  resign,  and  said  that  if  I  did  not,  the  consequences  would 
be  disagreeable.  My  family  had  heard  the  conversation,  and  as  my 
wife  was  much  frightened,,  I  concluded  I  would  be  better  at  home, 
after  I  had  got  through  my  business  here,  the  day  of  the  election. 

I  wish  also  here  to  state,  that  after  I  had  been  in  here  on  the  day 
before  the  election,  and  had  told  the  judges  I  would  resign,  and  I  had 
returned  home  about  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  Mr.  Charles  Dunn 
came  to  my  house,  and  urged  me  to  resign.  He  said  that  there  was  a 
company  of  some  four  hundred  men  below  Scragg's  mill,  at  the  mouth 
of  "  Three-mile"  creek,  and  that  they  were  twisting  a  rope,  and 
making  preparations  to  hang  me  if  I  did  not  resign,  and  he  asked  me 
to  authorize  him  to  say  to  these  men  that  I  would  resign.  I  told  him 
I  had  told  the  other  two  judges  to  fill  my  place.  He  afterwards  told 
me  that  that  communication  quieted  these  men. 

[Mr.  Oliver  objects  to  this  evidence,  in  regard  to  what  was  told  wit- 
ness by  Dunn.] 


To  Mr.  Oliver: 


I  had  concluded  to  resign  before  I  heard  this  of  Mr.  Dunn,  and  had 
authorized  the  judges  to  fill  my  place. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Rees . 

I  left  the  town  on  the  day  of  election,  somewhere  near  noon,  be- 
tween 11  and  12  o'clock.  I  saw  no  resistance  offered  to  men  voting. 
I  think  I  saw  none  I  knew  to  be  free-State  party  offer  to  vote.  1  saw 
no  further  opposition  to  the  voting  of  free-State  men,  except  the  con- 
versation I  heard  about.  I  did  not  hear  it  proclaimed  that  day  that 
there  should  be  free  voting.  I  heard  it  proclaimed  by  some  outside, 
"  Come  on,  we  have  the  right  kind  of  judges/'  The  rope  was  full 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  389 

when  I  came  away.     I  did  not  consider  that  necessary  to  afford  facili- 
ties for  voting  and  keep  the  crowd  away. 

DAVID  RROWK 
LEAVENWOKTH  CITY,  K.  T.3  May  IT,  1856. 


FRANCIS  A.  HART  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  Leaven  worth  county,  some  four  miles,  a  little  east  of 
south,  from  this.  I  emigrated  into  this  Territory  with  my  family  on 
the  20th  of  September,  1854,  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  and 
have  lived  here  ever  since.  I  was  here  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of 
March,  1855.  I  am  not  very  well  acquainted  out  hack  in  this  dis- 
trict. I  have  lived  from  the  9th  of  November,  1854,  till  the  17th  of 
September,  1855,  about  a  mile  west  of  this.  I  was  here  all  the  day 
of  election,  except  a  little  time  about  noon,  when  I  went  home  and 
then  came  back.  I  was  acquainted  with  many  in  this  district,  and 
many  I  sa^r  I  did  not  know.  I  estimated  the  number  on  the  ground 
here  the  day  of  election  and  the  day  before,  at  from  1,000  to  1,400. 
A  great  many  were  strangers,  and  a  great  many  had  hemp  tied  in  the 
button-hole  of  the  coat,  or  about  the  waist,  or  in  other  places. 

On  the  28th  and  29th  of  March  wagons  came  near  where  I  was 
living,  about  a  mile  from  here,  and  camped  on  both  forks  of  Three- 
mile  creek.     One  wagon  drove  up  to  a  shanty  there,  and  I  went  over 
to  see  about  it,  and  observed  to  them  that  I  had  supposed  probably 
Fayette  Mills  had  sold  his  claim,  and  they  were  commg  to  take  pos- 
session of  it.     They  said  they  had  not  bought  the  claim,  but  had  per- 
mission to  camp  there.     I  then  asked  them  where  they  were  from ; 
and  they  told  me  they  were  from  Chariton  county,  Missouri,  and  that 
there  were  about  three  hundred  in  their  company,  but  they  had  not  all 
got  in.     It  is  this  company  that  I  refer  to  as  having  encamped  on  the 
two  forks  of  the  creek.     They  did  not   tell  me  at  that  time  what 
they  came  for,  that  I  recollect.     On  the  29th  I  saw  a  good  many 
down  here,  where  the  candidates  were  speaking,  and  also  down  here 
,  onfthe  day  of  election.     I  do  not  know  that  I  saw  any  of  them  vote. 
I  did  not  vote  myself  at  that  election.      I  heard  something  about 
voting  from  some  of  these  men,  but  I  don't  recollect  what  it  was.    On 
the  day  of  election,  as  I  went  home  in  the  afternoon,  some  of  the 
wagons  that  came  down  to  town  did  not  come  back.     There  was  a 
new  party,  some  one  or  two  wagons,  and  from  twelve  to  fifteen  men, 
who  were  making  their  camp  in  the  road  to  my  house.     They  re- 
mained there  till  next  morning,  when  they  left.     Some  of  those  men 
who  were  there  pitching  their  tent  said  they  had  voted,  and  were 
from  Missouri ;  and  a  young  man,  whom  I  have  seen  before  and  since 
in  Missouri,  said,  as  I  came  up,  something  about  "  All  right  on  the 
goose  ;  "  to  which  I  responded,  "  All  right ;  "  and  then  he  said  some- 
thing about  voting,  and  said  that  they  had  come  over  to  vote  ^had 
made  claims,  and  he  reckoned  they  were  legal  voters.     I  told  him  I 
thought  it  was  hard  to  find  claims  near  here.     He  said  they  had  just 
gone  up  on  the  hill  here,  (pointing  to  Pilot  Knob,)  and  stuck  stakes, 


390  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

and  said  they  did  not  care  whether  the  claim  was  on  any  other  claim 
or  not.  Their  object  was  merely  to  make  a  claim  in  order  to  entitle 
them  to  vote,  and  they  had  done  so.  I  then  passed  them,  and  went 
towards  home.  There  were  a  good  many  persons  camped  around 
here  at  that  time.  It  was  a  season  when  there  are  generally  a  great 
many  persons  camped  about  here,  intending  to  go  across  the  plains. 
There  had  been  Mormons  here,  and  I  do  not  think  they  had  all  left  at 
that  time.  I  thought  that  three  hundred  men,  armed  with  bowie- 
knives  and  revolvers,  and  eight  hundred  or  one  thousand  more  with 
hemp  tied  in  their  button-holes,  came  from  Missouri,  and  that  Missouri 
had  run  the  thing  into  the  ground  that  time.  I  thought  all  those 
who  had  hemp  came  from  Missouri,  from  the  fact  that  I  knew  some 
men  from  there  that  did  have  it.  Malcolm  Clark  was  here,  and  took 
the  most  active  part  in  the  election  of  any  man  here.  He  lived  at  that 
time  opposite  the  fort,  in  the  bottom,  in  Missouri.  I  had  seen  him  at 
his  home  there,  but  had  never  heard  of  his  moving  over  here.  The 
greater  part  of  the  men  here  that  day  had  hemp  tied  about  them.  I 
do  not  recollect  that  any  residents  in  Kansas  had  hemp  tied  about 
them,  but  some  may  have  had. 

I  heard  a  great  deal  of  talking  as  I  was  passing  about.  I  was  fre- 
quently close  to  the  house  in  which  the  election  was  held.  They  had 
a  rope  fastened  to  the  building,  or  close  to  it,  on  each  side  of  the 
window,  and  run  back  some  forty  feet,  widening  out,  and  I  saw  the 
hemp  men  crowding  the  lane.  I  saw  tickets  handed  in  and  heard 
names  called,  but  I  did  not  notice  anything  about  voting.  After 
they  had  voted  they  passed  usually  on  the  west  side  of  the  lane,  and 
I  saw  some  men  come  out  at  the  end  by  the  window,  go  round  and 
get  in  the  lane,  and  come  up  again. 

During  the  canvass  there  was  nothing  said  about  what  constituted 
a  residence  here.  There  was  difference  of  opinion  among  squatters 
about  that  matter.  The  pro-slavery  party  generally  contended  that 
if  a  man  had  landed  here  but  half  an  hour  he  was  entitled  to  vote ; 
that  his  mere  presence  here  made  him  a  voter.  I  did  not  consider 
that  as  right.  The  greater  part  of  the  day  there  was  considerable  of 
a  crowd  about  the  polls,  but  not  so  much  in  the  after  part  of  the  day. 
I  did  not  vote  myself,  because  I  considered  squatters  directly  in- 
sulted by  Missouri,  by  taking  our  rights  in  voting  away  from  us  ;  I 
thought  if  I  went  up  to  vote  I  would  be  insulted,  therefore  might  get 
into  difficulty.  I  saw  no  fuss,  or  anything  of  that  kind,  except  a 

§reat  pressure  about  the  polls.  I  think  there  was  a  majority  of  free- 
tate  men  in  this  district ;  some  from  the  west  end  of  the  district, 
that  I  knew  to  be  free-State  men,  did  not  come  in.  Most  every  man 
that  had  the  hemp  had  bowie-knives  and  one  or  two  revolvers.  They 
all  seemed  to  think  they  had  a  right  to  vote  ;  said  that  the  candidates 
and  the  papers  had  told  them  so.  I  saw  no  fighting  that  day,  or  any 
one  prohibited  from  voting.  I  saw  a  boat  that  was  lying  here  that 
had  come  down  the  river,  and  she  went  up  the  river.  I  saw  it  coming 
down,  but  do  not  recollect  as  I  saw  it  land.  I  saw  a  great  many  men 
on  it,  but  I  do  not  recollect  as  I  saw  any  women  on  it.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect as  I  saw  any  hemp  on  the  boat.  I  think  more  went  up  on  the 
boat  than  came  down  on  it.  I  had  lived  in  Buchanan  county,  Mis- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  391 

souri,  but  about  twelve  months,  and  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any 
from  tbere  over  here.  I  do  not  recollect  of  having  any  conversation 
with  any  men  who  represented  themselves  as  Missourians,  except 
those  I  have  referred  to  on  the  creek.  I  saw  considerable  many  of 
my  acquaintances  of  the  district  here  that  day.  I  think  there  were 
not  many  who  went  into  the  line  the  second  time,  so  far  as  I  saw  at 
the  time  of  voting.  I  saw  some  try  to  crawl  under  the  rope,  but  they 
were  prevented,  and  told  to  take  their  time.  I  would  estimate  the 
resident  voters  in  this  district,  at  that  time,  at  some  four  hundred  or 
five  hundred,  letting  the  district  extend  out  as  the  governor  prescribed 
it  in  his  proclamation.  The  candidates  that  day  were  Captain  Eastin, 
Mr.  Kichard  Rees,  for  council  on  pro-slavery  ticket ;  Mr.  Twombly 
and  another  I  do  not  recollect,  candidates  for  council  on  free-State 
ticket.  Mr.  Mathias,  Mr.  Payne,  and  Mr.  McMeekin,  pro-slavery 
candidates  for  house  of  representatives  ;  and  Mr.  France,  Mr.  Braden, 
and  another  I  do  not  recollect,  free-State  candidates  for  house  of  rep- 
resentatives. Mr.  Braden  withdrew  his  name,  in  the  midst  of  great 
acclamation,  before  the  hour  for  voting.  I  should  judge  twenty-five 
or  thirty,  or  forty,  or  fifty,  came  down  in  the  boat  on  the  day  of  the 
election.  It  remained  here  till  tolerably  late  in  the  afternoon. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Rees  : 

I  was  here  the  greater  part  of  the  day  of  election.  The  crowd 
around  the  polls  the  after  part  of  the  day  was  not  so  large  as  in  the 
forenoon.  I  think  I  heard  some  one  call  out  for  more  votes,  at  which 
time  I  did  not  see  anything  to  obstruct  the  polls  ;  and  from  about 
two  hours  by  sun  there  did  not  seem  to  be  many  about  the  polls.  I 
heard,  in  the  fore  part  of  the  day,  something  said  about  letting  all 
vote  who  desired  to  vote.  I  do  not  know  of  any  having  been  prevented 
from  voting  on  account  of  his  political  principles.  I  did  not  vote, 
but  I  saw  no  violence  or  resistance  to  any  one's  voting.  I  thought 
that  the  crowd  with  bowie-knives  and  pistols,  and  hemp  about  them, 
would  knock  down  a  man  they  did  not  want  to  vote.  I  did  not  see 
anything  the  after  part  of  the  day  to  prevent  any  one  from  voting. 
I  do  not  know  as  there  was  anything  to  prevent  any  one  from  voting 
the  after  part  of  the  day.  I  suppose  all  could  have  voted  who  wished 
to  vote.  I  think  I  saw  John  Wells,  of  Rialto,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  river,  here,  and  Mr.  Washburn,  who  was  concerned  with  him. 
I  do  not  recollect  the  names  of  any  others,,  and  I  do  not  know  that 
these  men  voted.  I  do  not  know  as  I  should  judge  the  crowd  with 
hemp  with  them  were  Missourians,  except  that  some  told  me  they 
were,  and  that  I  had  seen  some  in  Weston.  Weston  was  not  the 
principal  trading  point  for  the  settlers  for  this  part  of  the  country, 
and  I  do  not  know  of  any  who  traded  there.  This  town  was  the  prin- 
cipal trading  place.  There  were  some  here  who  I  considered  Missou- 
rians who  had  claims  here,  and  who,  I  understand,  now  live  on  their 
claims,  with  their  families  in  Missouri.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of 
the  men  who  came  down  on  the  steamboat  voted  that  day.  I  do  not 
know  how  many  votes  were  polled  after  3  o'clock  that  day.  I  do  not 
know  as  I  could  say  I  saw  any  Missourians,  whom  I  knew  to  be  such, 
vote  that  day.  I  do  not  know  how  many  revolvers  and  bowie-knives 


392  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  saw  that  day,  but  I  saw  a  great  number.  Men  wbo  said  tbey  were 
free-State  men  bave  carried  bowie-knives  and  revolvers  ;  and  it  is  a 
common  thing  for  men  of  all  parties  to  carry  tbem  here.  I  knew 
Malcolm  (Clark)  had  had  a  house  built — a  house  on  a  lot  in  town 
here,  as  I  was  told  ;  but  I  do  not  know  as  he  had  refused  to  rent  it. 

F.  A.  HAKT. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.?  May  1Y,  1856. 


F.  A.  HART  recalled. 

I  saw  Judge  Almond  here  on  the  day  of  election,  whom  I  under- 
stood to  live  in  Platte  county,  Missouri.  I  saw  him  on  horseback 
riding  round  giving  directions  as  to  how  the  ropes  should  be  placed 
at  the  polls.  I  do  not  know  that  he  lives  in  Platte  county,  but 
judged  so  from  what  I  heard  him  say.  I  saw  persons  I  had  seen  in 
Missouri  go  up  to  the  polls  with  tickets,  and  heard  names  called,  but 
did  not  myself  see  their  votes  given  in. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

According  to  the  color  of  the  tickets  these  men  .gave  in,  I  judged 
they  were  pro-slavery  tickets,  because  in  the  morning  Mr.  Panton, 
who  had  been  appointed  judge  of  election  in  the  place  of  David  Brown, 
observed  to  the  voters  to  hold  on,  because  the  abolition  tickets  were 
of  the  same  color  as  theirs,  (the  pro-slavery  tickets,)  and  in  a  short  t 
time  they  would  have   tickets  of  a  different  color.     In  a  short  time  : 
after  this  other  tickets,  of  a  different  color,  were  printed  and  brought  I 
on  the  ground,  and  the  men  I  spoke  of  had  tickets  of  that  color.     1 1 
do  not  know  that  I  read  the  tickets,  and  cannot  tell,  from  my  own  \ 
knowledge,  what  side  they  were  for.     I  do  not  know  of  any  Missou-  • 
rians  voting  the  free-State  ticket.     I  know  several  from  Missouri  that  j 
live  here  and  are  free-State  men,  and  vote  the  free-State  ticket.     I  do  > 
not  know  of  any  free-State  men  from  Missouri  on  that  day,  except  : 
those  who  live  here.     I  saw  H.  Miles  Moore  here  that  day,  or  the  day  ' 
before,  and  heard  him  make  a  pro-slavery  speech. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  understood  Mr.  Moore  lived  in  Weston  at  that  time.  I  did  not 
know  that  he  lived  here,  though  I  heard  he  was  interested  in  town  i 
lots.  I  did  not  know  that  he  was  not  a  pro-slavery  man,  until  the  ; 
nomination  of  delegates  to  the  State  convention  here.  I  came  here  < 
myself  a  pro-slavery  man,  and  voted  for  Gen.  Whitfield  at  his  first  t 
election. 

F.  A.  HART. 

LEAVENWORTE,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


T.  A.  MINARD,  testifies  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  August,  1854,  and  have  resided  here 
since.     I  was  at  the  election  at  Leavenworth,  in  the  16th  district,  on 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  393 

the  30th  of  March.      There  was  a  large  crowd  here,  600  or  TOO  men. 
[  knew  a  good  many  of  the  residents  of  the  district.    These  were  nearly 
frll  strangers.     When  I  came  into  town,  I  unhitched  my  horses  and 
fastened  them  to  the  wagon,  and  started  towards  the  place  where  the 
election  was  held — the  building  of  Mr.  Wood,  I  think.     I  came  up, 
md  there  were  two  ropes  fastened  to  stakes  near  the  building,  and 
3arried  out  so  as  to  form  a  lane,  some  fifteen  or  twenty  yards  long, 
and  that  was  crowded  with  men.      I  passed  along  outside   of  the 
lane,  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  lane  I  met  a  couple  of  men  I  was 
icquainted  with — Mr.  Cole  Brown  and  his  father  ;  I  do  not  recollect 
iis  first  name.     They  live  'about  three  miles  back  of  Parkville,  Mis- 
souri.    I  have  been  at  their  house,  and  bought  cattle  of  them.     I 
rpoke  to  them.      I  remarked  "  You  have  come  over  to  help  us  to-day 
with  the  election?"      They  said  they  had.     I  inquired  of  them  if 
many  of  their  neighbors  had  come,  and  they  said  200  or  300  had  come 
Tom  their  section.      I  then  asked  if  they  had  voted  ;  they  said  they 
aad  not,  but  they  intended  to  vote,  and  were  waiting  for  the  crowd  to 
yet  through.     I  passed  on  down  there,  to  see  what  was  the  intention 
>f  our  candidates.     I  met  Mr.  Twombly,  candidate  for  council,  and 
Mr.  Browning,  candidate  for  house  of  representatives.     I  inquired  of 
them  what  they  intended  to  do,  and  Mr.  Twombly  stated  that  his 
idvice  was  not  to  vote  at  all ;  that  there  was  no  need  of  our  voting, 
md  there  would  probably  be  difficulty  if  we  did  vote.    I  did  not  vote, 
Decause  of  this  advice.     I  never  attempted  to  vote,  but  did  not  see  or 
aear  of  any  hindrance  by  violence.     The  men  about  the  polls  seemed 
:o  be  voting  as  fast  as  they  could.     There  was  one  man,  I  think  Mr. 
Panton,  who  stood  at  the  door  where  they  were  receiving  votes,  and 
nen  came  up  and  handed  their  votes  to  him,  giving  their  names  at 
;he  same  time,  and  he  took  their  ballots  and  handed  them  in,  repeat- 
ng  their  names.     I  saw  a  number  of  votes  given  in  this  way,  and 
;hat  is  the  way  the  votes  seemed  to  be  taken.     I  think  Mr.  Panton 
Aras  one  of  the  judges.     I  could  not  say,  positively,  that  it  was  Mr. 
Panton,  though  he  has  been  pointed  out  to  me  several  times  as  Mr. 
Panton.    There  were  probably  100  to  150  about  the  polls.    The  ropes 
were  crowded  full,  and  there  were  little  groups  standing  about.     I 
ihink,  probably,  but  10  in  100  were  citizens.    Mine  had  been  one  of  the 
Irst  white  families  settled  in  the  district,  and  I  had  ridden  all  over 
.t,  and  had  become  pretty  well  acquainted  in  the  district.     The  only 
nan  I  recognised  as  a  resident  was  Mr.  Hyatt,  who  lived  on  Five- 
mile  creek  then,  but  now  on  Salt  creek,  and  Mr.  Panton.     There 
might  have  been  more  there,  but  the  majority  of  these  I  did  not  know. 
There  were  several  persons  I  had  seen  in  Missouri,  and  recognised  at 
the  time  ;  but  the  only  names  I  could  give  were  the  two  Browns.     I 
recollect  of  seeing  a  boat  land  here,  shortly  after  this,  somewhere 
towards  noon ;  I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of  the  boat,  but  my  im- 
pression is,  that  it  was  the  Clara.     There  was  a  young  man  from  our 
neighborhood,  named  John  Scott,  who  stood  on  the  levee  and  handed 
the  men  tickets  as  they  got  off  the  boat.     I  recognised  some  of  my 
acquaintances  from  Weston,  Missouri,  and  spoke  to  and  shook  hands 
with  them.     The  boat  was  pretty  well  loaded— between  100  and  200 
men  on  it.      There  was  music  playing  on  the  boat  while  she  was 


394  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

lying  at  the  levee.  The  boat  came  down  the  river,  and  I  recognisec 
Mr.  Wood,  Mr.  Walker,  and  Mr.  Conger,  who  were  citizens  of  Wea 
ton  at  that  time.  I  presume  they  are  yet.  I  saw  none  of  them  votej 
as  I  did  not  go  to  the  polls  again.  These  men  took  the  tickets  Scoti 
handed  them  as  they  came  on  shore ;  and,  after  stopping  awhile,  soxad 
one  said,  Let  us  go  up  and  see  how  the  election  goes,  and  they  started 
off  towards  the  polls.  I  left  the  city  that  day  between  2  and  3  o'clock! 
I  think,  and  I  think  the  boat  was  here  when  I  left.  A  platform  wan 
raised  down  on  the  river,  and  several  speeches  were  made  there^ 
John  Doniphan,  who  was  the  representative  from  Platte  county,  Mi& 
souri,  to  the  Missouri  legislature,  made  a  speech.  Another  mam 
whom  I  was  told  to  be  Judge  Almond,  said  that  they  had  carried  tint 
polls,  and  they  could  do  it  again,  and  that  Missouri  would  wade  knee« 
deep  in  blood  before  Kansas  should  be  a  free  State.  Mr.  Doniphan 
made  rather  a  mild  speech.  H.  Miles  Moore  also  made  a  speech  of  £ 
moderate  character,  but  a  pro-slavery  speech.  He  lived  in  Missouri 
at  that  time,  I  think,  though  he  had  an  interest  in  this  town,  CoL 
Johnson,  who  lived  here,  also  made  a  speech.  All  those  men  seemed 
to  take  it  for  granted  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  because,  if  a  man 
was  actually  in  the  Territory  on  the  day  of  election,  he  had  a  right  tct 
vote.  The  general  expression  was,  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote,< 
There  was  no  violence  here.  There  seemed  to  be  a  general  good  feel' 

ing.     I  saw  no  here,  more  than  is  usual  in  this  county.    ]\ 

thought  we  had  a  respectable  majority  of  free-State  men  in  this  dis-^ 
trict,  judging  from  what  I  had  heard.  I  thought  it  would  be  a  pretty 
close  vote,  but  still  that  the  free-State  party  had  a  majority. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

I  saw  but  two  persons  at  the  polls  from  Missouri  that  I  can  name 
now,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  they  voted  or  not,  for  I  did  not  see 
them.  At  that  time  we  had  no  town  or  villages  in  the  Territory,; 
It  was  about  the  15th  of  September,  1854,  that  I  saw  the  Browns  at 
their  home  in  Missouri,  and  I  believe  they  live  there  to-day.  I  do  not 
know  myself  where  these  men  have  resided  since  September,  1854.^ 
In  September,  1854,  I  lived  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  Stranger  creeki 
about  a  mile  west  of  Stranger  creek,  on  the  Fort  Riley  road.  I  know 
one  person  who  lived  here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  who  lived  in 
Missouri  in  September,  1854 — Mr.  Langley  ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  there 
were  a  good  many  of  these,  as  they  were  coming  all  the  time  at  that 
time.  My  impression  was  that  the  actual  votes  of  the  district,  at  thati 
time,  were  between  300  and  400,  not  to  exceed  450  at  all  events.  I 
live  twelve  miles  from  here.  I  was  nearly  all  over  the  district,  in  two* 
months  before  the  election,  hunting  up  my  cattle,  which  had  strayed* 
away.  There  was  considerable  emigration  coming  in  before  the  ele<x 
tion,  but  few  by  steamboats,  so  far  as  I  saw.  I  do  not  know  positively] 
that  any  man  I  can  name  voted  on  that  day.  The  votes  I  saw  handed'<j 
in  to  the  one  I  thought  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election,  were-i 
handed  in  by  persons  I  do  not  know,  or  cannot  recollect.  I  was  difr*! 
gusted  at  the  election,  because  I  was  satisfied,  as  soon  as  I  came  up,»| 
that  Missouri  had  carried  out  her  threat,  and  had  come  over  to  carry  I 
the  election.  I  did  not  know  those  persons  by  name,  except  someJ 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  395 

^w  I  could  have  named  at  the  time ;  but  the  two  Browns  are  all  I  can 
all  by  name  now.  My  knowledge  of  the  district,,  and  the  members 
ssembled  here,  and  their  appearance  and  language,  convinced  me 
bat  they  were  not  residents  of  the  district.  They  said  they  had  come 
ver  here  to  carry  the  election  ;  it  seemed  to  be  a  generally  understood 
hing  in  the  crowd.  It  was  not  the  free-State  men  I  heard  make  these 
ssertions.  I  did  not  see  any  man  positively  vote ;  and  I  do  not  know 
hat  any  citizen  of  Missouri  voted,  except  from  their  own  assertions. 

have  heard  residents  of  Missouri  say  they  voted  on  that  day  at  that 
lection.  The  men  I  knew  from  Weston,  Missouri,  Mr.  Wood,  Mr. 
/onger,  Mr.  Walker,  Mr.  Neil  Burgess,  Mr.  Dick  Murphy,  (now  a 
esident  of  this  place,)  told  me  they  had  voted.  I  believe  I  knew  that 
Ir.  Conger,  Mr.  Burgess,  and  Mr.  Walker,  lived  in  Missouri  at  that 
me,  because  I  have  been  backwards  and  forwards,  and  knew  them  to 
e  residents  of  Missouri.  I  was  in  the  habit  of  going  to  Weston 
weekly  almost,  and  might  have  been  there  three  days  before  the  eleo- 
ion  ;  but  I  cannot  tell  exactly  how  many  days  before  the  election  I 
ras  up  there.  I  saw  some  of  them  land  from  the  boat  which  came 
own  the  river  ;  but  Mr.  Burgess  came,  I  think,  on  horseback.  They 
light  have  come  from  Kickapoo,  or  Atchison,  perhaps. 

THOS.  A.  MINARD. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  22,  1856. 


GEORGE  F.  WARREN  called  and  sworn. 

I  emigrated  from  New  Hampshipe  three  years  ago  last  November. 

came  into  the  Territory  March,  1855.  I  was  running  as  carpenter 
n  board  a  steamboat  between  St.  Louis  and  New  Orleans,  prior  to 
oming  here.  I  first  came  into  the  Territory  at  Leavenworth  city.  I 
ras  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March  in  that  district.  It 
fas  held  in  a  small  building  west  of  the  Leavenworth  hotel.  The  day 
Before  the  election  people  began  to  come  up  the  river  and  down  the 
iver  from  Weston,  Independence,  Lexington,  and  other  parts  of  Mis- 
ouri.  I  was  then  clerking  at  the  Leavenworth  hotel.  The  house 
^as  very  much  crowded  by  these  strangers.  They  said  they  came 
here  to  vote.  They  said  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  were  send- 
ng  out  men,  and  they  had  as  much  right  to  come  as  they  had,  and 
srere  entitled  to  vote  under  the  Nebraska  bill.  They  did  not  deny 
hat  they  came  from  Independence  and  other  places  in  Missouri. 
They  were  armed  with  bowie-knives,  revolvers,  shot-guns,  and  rifles 
--principally  small  side-arms.  One  man  I  noticed,  from  Platte 
mmty,  had  a  double-barrelled  shot-gun,  bowie-knife,  two  pistols,  and 
i  large  clever,  such  as  butchers  use.  The  morning  of  the  election 
:he  polls  were  opened  between  9  and  10  o'clock.  There  was  some 
lelay  on  the  part  of  the  judges.  Only  one  of  the  judges  that  were 
Appointed  served.  There  were  about  1,200  people  at  the  polls  at 
;hat  time.  They  put  a  rope  round  the  polls  at  different  places.  A 
lumber  of  men  came  forward  and  introduqed  several  men  as  captains 
)f  companies.  They  sang  out,  "  Platte  county  boys,  come  this  way," 


396  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  "Clay  county  boys,  come  this  way."  They  did  not  vote  bjj 
companies.  They  rushed  in  together.  I  could  not  say  that  tl 
crowd  all  voted.  Some  of  the  free-State  men  got  together  about  1 
o'clock,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  not  to  vote  any  more.  .1  thrjjjj 
some  50  or  60  votes  had  then  been  polled  by  them.  I  saw  no  viq 
lence.  The  polls  continued  open  until  about  dark.  They  were  votii^j 
all  day.  These  men  voted  for  L.  J.  Easton  and  R.  R.  Rees  for  couu 
cdl,  and  Mathias  McMeekin  and  A.  Payne  for  representatives 
Three  of  these  candidates,  Rees,  Eastin,  and  Mathias,  resided  ¥ 
Leaven  worth.  McMeekin  and  Payne  resided  in  Weston,  as  they  toll 
me  before  they  came  down.  I  had  made  charges  against  them  at  thi 
hotel.  One  or  both  afterwards  moved  into  the  Territory.  The  fr|j 
State  men  withdrew  because  they  were  intimidated,  and  because  thft 
deemed  the  voting  illegal  in  the  presence  of  the  force  from  Missouri 
We  contested  the  election  afterwards.  A  protest  was  got  up  by  tj 
citizens,  addressed  to  Governor  Reeder.  The  steamer  "  New  Lucg 
came  down  from  Weston  with  a  large  crowd  of  strangers  on  boarf$ 
and  colors  flying.  I  think  there  were  200  or  250  on  board.  The) 
claimed  to  reside  in  different  parts  of  Missouri.  A  great  many  o 
them  voted.  Don't  know  whether  they  all  did  vote  or  not.  The;, 
declared  their  purpose  to  vote  under  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act.  Thd 
returned  after  dinner  in  the  same  boat.  Other  boats  came  up  tbli 
river  on  the  morning  of  the  election,  and  one  came  up  the  night  ba 
fore,  late  at  night.  People  were  on  board  from  points  in  Missoujj 
down  on  the  river.  They  said  they  were  going  to  vote,  and  some  (i 
them  I  saw  vote.  A  portion  of  the  party  that  came  the  evening  bei 
fore  stopped  at  our  hotel,  and  it  was  so  crowded  that  we  had  to  poj 
thirty  in  one  room.  At  that  time  there  were  but  few  buildings  i: 
Leavenworth.  It  was  laid  out  the  fall  before  the  election.  The|j 
were  about  twenty  frame  buildings  at  the  time  of  election.  It  I 
situated  on  what  is  called  the  Delaware  lands.  There  were  but  fl 
settlers  there  then ;  but  emigrants  were  coming  in  fast.  I  kneiaj 
most  of  the  settlers  in  the  town.  If  none  but  residents  had  voted 
the  day  of  election,  the  free-State  party  would  have  had  a  largj 
majority. 

G.  F.  WARREN. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


RICHARD  R.  REES  re-called. 


To  Mr.  Oliver 


I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  do  now 
recollect  of  being  present  when  Mr.  David  Brown  resigned  as  judged] 
the  election.  I  do  not  think  I  can  state  the  relative  strength  01  tl 
free-State  and  pro-slavery  parties  in  this  district  at  that  time.  I  re 
collect  at  about  the  time  and  prior  to  the  election,  we  were  making  csik 
dilations  as  to  our  chances  of  success,  and  we  felt  satisfied  we  hacH 
clear  and  decided  majority  here,  but  I  cannot  now  say,  from  my  own 
observation/  that  there  was  a  majority  one  way  or  the  other.  I  TCW| 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  397 

rtisfied  there  was  a  pro-slavery  majority  at  that  time  of  citizens  living 
ere,  judging  from  the  usual  tests  applied  by  candidates  in  canvassing 
ae  strength  of  parties.  From  consultations  we  had  together,  we 
ime  to  the  conclusion  that  there  were  from  Y5  to  100  majority  in  the 
to-slavery  party.  Mr.  McAuley  had  a  memorandum  at  that  time, 
ad  from  that  and  other  estimates ,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  I  have 
sated.  The  election  for  this  district  for  the  members  of  the  house  of 
ipresentatives  was  contested,  and  an  election  was  held  on  the  22d  of 
lay  following.  I  was  not  a  candidate  at  that  election,  and  don't 
jcollect  of  estimates,  but  presumed  that  the  relative  strength  of  par- 
;es  here  remained  about  the  same.  The  estimate  I  made  in  rela-  . 
'on  to  the  relative  strength  of  parties,  was  of  persons  who  resided  in 
le  Territory  prior  to  the  election.  It  was  a  general  rumor  and  report 
fe  that  time,  spoken  of  generally  and  published  in  the  papers,  that 
le  abolition  aid  societies  were  sending  out  large  crowds  to  abolitionize 
lis  Territory,  and  that  they  were  to  reach  here  before  the  election, 
ad  that  the  boats  were  crowded  with  such  persons.  I  saw  a  great 
lany  men — large  numbers  of  them — here  on  the  day  of  election,  whom 
recognised  as  having  been  citizens  of  Missouri,  and  a  great  many  of 
lem  I  have  recognised  since  as  citizens  of  Missouri.  I  talked  with  a 
reat  many  of  them,  who  were  my  old  acquaintances.  I  heard  reasons 
>r  their  coming  here  given  about  that  time,  and  I  think  on  that  day, 
nd  these  reasons  were  that  an  effort  had  been  made  by  a  forced 
migration  to  abolitionize  this  Territory,  and  they  felt  justified  in 
sing  the  same  means  to  counteract  it.  The  prevailing  sentiment 
mong  those  from  Missouri  was,  that  they  came  to  that  election  merely 
)  counteract  the  abolition  movement,  and  that  but  for  that  they 
rould  not  have  come  over  here.  I  read  some  papers  when  I  could  get 
hem,  though  we  did  not  get  papers  very  frequently  at  that  time,  as 
his  was  a  new  country,  and  mail  facilities  were  not  as  good  as  at  this 
ime.  The  men  who  were  over  from  Missouri  in  companies  and  par- 
ies, seemed  to  be  actuated  by  the  apprehension  that  this  Territory 
/ould  be  controlled  by  this  abolition  emigration,  as  they  stated  to  me 
Q  conversation.  It  was  rumored  generally  that  the  day  of  election 
7as  known  in  the  northern  States  before  it  was  known  here.  These 
umors  I  believed  myself,  and  those  with  whom  I  conversed  who  were 
com  Missouri  said  they  believed  it;  the  rumor  was  general. 

I  think  the  electiqn  here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  could  have 
>een  carried  for  the  pro-slavery  party  without  assistance  from  Mis- 
ouri.  It  Was  generally  rumored  here  that  there  was  a  large  number 
rf  emigrants  at  St.  Louis,  waiting  to  get  here  by  the  day  of  the  elec- 
ion.  I  was  not  a  great  deal  at  the  polls  on  the  day  of  election.  I 
vas  near  enough  to  notice  how  it  was  conducted,  and  I  noticed  that 
.here  was  less  fighting  and  confusion  than  I  had  been  accustomed  to 
jee  at  elections.  There  was  a  large  crowd  on  that  day,  and  upon  con- 
jultation  it  was  thought  that  the  facilities  for  voting  would  be  increased 
}y  stretching  ropes  from  the  window  out,  so  that  the  voters  could  go 
n  to  the  polls  in  regular  order  and  then  pass  out.  I  am  satisfied  that 
ivas  done  not  to  prevent  persons  from  voting,  but  aid  them  in  voting. 
[  was  around  in  the  crowd  and  saw  no  resistance  whatever,  or  force 
employed,  or  threats  against  any  man  who  wanted  to  vote.  There 


• 


3  8  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

were  pretty  hard  things  said  against  abolitionists,  but  that  was 
In  the  after  part  of  the  day  the  polls  were  clear,  and  I  heard 
judges  calling  out  for  more  votes,  and  anybody  could  have  voted 
wished  and  was  entitled  to  vote,  whether  he  was  an  abolitionist  01 
not. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

I  received  a  certificate  of  election  as  a  member  of  the  council  from 
Governor  Eeeder,  and  took  my  seat  there  without  any  contest.  W^ 
were  informed  by  the  governor,  that  Mr.  Eastin  and  myself  got  ou) 
certificates  as  councilmen  on  account  of  the  votes  at  Hickory  Point, 
and  not  on  account  of  the  votes  here.  The  affidavit  of  Phillips  wan 
sent  up  as  a  contest,  but  did  not  cover  Hickory  Point  precinct.  Ther< 
were  two  representative  districts  in  our  council  district — the  16th  anc 
a  part  of  the  13th  constituting  the  10th  council  district.  Mr.  W.  H 
Tibbs,  a  representative  from  the  13th  district,  got  his  certificate  on 
the  Hickory  Point  vote. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  H.  Miles  Moore:         > 

Of  those  who  were  here  from  Missouri  on  that  day,  I  do  not  recollect 
of  seeing  any  one  vote.     The  position  I  took  as  one  of  the  candidates 
and  which  was  assumed  by  a  good  many  others,  both  on  the  stumj 
and  on  the  ground,  was,  that  any  man  who  was  present  at  the  election! 
was,  under  the  Kansas -Nebraska  bill,  a  legal  and  competent  voter  ij 
that  by  the  act  of  voting,  he  expatriated  himself  from  the  State  froni! 
which  he  came ;  and  I  proclaimed  it,  that  any  man  who  held  any! 
other  doctrine  was,  in  my  opinion,  either  a  knave  or  a  fool.     Prior  tell 
that  time,  I  knew  Abel  Gilbert  to  be  a  citizen  of  Weston,  and  I  have 
known  him  to  be  a  citizen  of  Weston  since.     The  following  names  1 
gee'  on  the  poll-books  are  in  the   same  position.,  as  regards  Plattef 
county,  Missouri :    Dr.  Thomas  Baumont,  A.   T.   Guthrie,   George 
Quimby,  now  a  citizen  here,  Wm.  Dicky,  Wm.  J.  Norris,  K.  W. 
China,  now  a  citizen  of  this  Territory,  Wm.  B.  Almond,  W.  Chris- 
terson,  now  a  citizen  of  this  Territory,  Smith  Calvert,  N.  A.  Wilkin- 
son, Jesse  Vineyard,  George  W.   Dye,   John  D.   Harper,  Wm.  A.\ 
Galbott,  Jacob  Pitts  ;  I  know  Captain  Conolly,  of  the  New  Lucy,  but 
not  his  first  name;  Joseph  Holliday,  Harvey  Bunch,  Michael  Bunch, 
and  John  B.  Wells.     I  think  there  were  altogether  1,000  or  1,200, 
perhaps  more,  men  on  the  ground  that  day ;  and  some  from  Platte 
county,  Clay  county,  and  Chariton  county.     I  saw  a  crowd  here  who 
claimed  to  be  from  Chariton  county ;  Squire  Hyde  was  here  from 
Chariton  county.    I  think  there  were  some  here  I  had  known  in  Clin- 
ton county,  and  also  from  Carroll  county,  and  from  Ray  county.  'U 
saw  companies  of  men  here  who  claimed  to  have  come  from  Missouri,  •. 
who  had  their  tents,  wagons,  and  provisions  with  them.     I  think 
that  within  this  district,  and  living  here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855, 
upon  a  rough  estimate,  there  were  from  400  to  500  ;  there  may  havi 
been  more,  and  there  may  have  been  less. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  think,  from  the  best  information  I  could  get,  there  were  from  75 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  399 


to  100  majority  in  the  pro-slavery  party  who  lived  in  this  district  prior 
ito  that  time.  It  was  generally  understood,  that  if  our  friends  would 
pome  over  here  from  Missouri  and  help  us  to  counteract  the  movement 
of  the  aid  societies  of  the  North,  they  would  he  very  kindly  received. 
[  do  not  recollect  of  any  circular  for  that  purpose,  though  there  may 
have  "been ;  I  recollect  we  kept  our  friends  in  Missouri  pretty  well 
advised  so  far  as  we  knew,  hut  I  do  not  recollect  any  special  person 
gent  over  for  that  purpose.  I  recollect  of  a  boat  coming  down  from 
Weston  on  that  day  with  some  men,  hut  I  do  not  recollect  her  name  ; 
[  know  of  no  William  Connolly,  who  resides  in  this  district,  though 
there  may  be.  I  think  that  the  Missourians  who  came  here  came  in 
consequence  of  counteracting  the  abolition  movement  of  the  North, 
%nd  those  who  voted,  voted  with  that  understanding.  I  know  that 
Mr.  McAuley  was  over  at  the  circuit  court  in  the  year  1855,  but  I  do 
not  know  what  he  went  for.  I  think  I  heard  several  Missourians  state 
}hat  they  had  voted  on  that  day,  and  for  the  reasons  I  have  stated ;  I 
lo  not  recollect  of  hearing  any  other  reason  assigned.  I  think  there 
^ere  but  two  or  three  boats  here  from  St.  Louis  by  the  30th  of  March, 
1855 ;  but  I  do  not  recollect  of  there  being  a  large  number  of  eastern 
Bmigrants  landed  here,  and  I  did  not  see  many  eastern  emigrants 
lewly  arrived  her e* by  the  day  of  election  ;  and  as  far  as  this  district  is 
joncerned,  I  do  not  think  many  were  here.  We  understood  they  were 
Doming,  and  expected  them  at  every  point ;  I  cannot  say  how  many 
lad  arrived  here  at  that  time.  I  heard  many  of  the  Chariton  county 
nen  say  that  they  intended  to  vote,  for  the  reason  that  they  construed 
;he  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  as  I  did  ;  some  of  them  said  they  came  here 
;o  vote. 

By  Mr.  Oliver : 

The  Chariton  men  said  they  came  here  to  vote  to  counteract  the  in- 
luences  brought  to  bear  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Societies,  as  they  un- 
ler stood  many  to  be  on  their  way  here  to  be  at  the  election.  The 
lames  given  by  me  from  the  poll-books  I  do  not  know  as  being  the 
>ersons  I  knew  in  Missouri,  though  the  names  are  the  same.  I  can- 
lot  undertake  to  say  that  they  voted  at  this  election  except  from  the 
)oll-books.  The  name  of  C.  M.  Burgess  is  on  the  poll-books.  Mr. 
Burgess  claimed  his  residence  here  as  early  as  the  fall  of  1854.  I 
inderstood  he  had  a  farm  and  negroes  in  Platte  county,  but  he  had  a 
laim  in  the  Territory,  I  am  not  aware  whether  his  family  are  here 
»r  not. 

By  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

I  saw  no  one  vote  here  that  day  I  did  not  consider  a  legal  voter.  I 
Lo  not  recollect  of  seeing  any  free-soilers  here  from  Missouri.  I  can- 
tot  say  that  I  saw  persons  here  from  the  eastern  States  whom  I  did 
tot  recognise  as  living  here  before. 

[Whitfield  objects  to  the  question  propounded  to  K.  K.  Bees  in  ref- 
rence  to  the  residence  and  right  of  the  named  persons  to  vote,  for 
he  reasons — 

1st.  That  witness  does  not  know  that  any  one  of  the  persons  named 
•oted  at  all. 


400  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

2d.  Witness  does  not  know  them  to  be  the  identical  persons  whos« 
names  are  upon  the  roll  before  the  committee. 

3d.  They  are  competent  witnesses  themselves ,  and  are  within  read 
of  the  process  which  the  committee  have  a  right   to  issue.] 

RICHARD  R.  BEES. 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


ALEXANDER  RUSSELL  called  and  sworn. 
To  Governor  King  : 

I  came  here  on  the  9th  of  June,  1854,  and  have  resided  here 
since.  I  was  judge  of  the  last  election,  at  which  Whitfield  was  elected* 
October  1,  1855.     I  was  present  at  all  the  elections  since  I  removes 
here.     At  the  October  election  the  voting  was  conducted  legally,  and 
so  far  as  I  know,  no  illegal  votes  were  given.     I  was  present  on  th 
30th  of  March  election,  and  the  character  of  that  election  was  abou 
like  all  other  elections  that  ever  I  attended,  and  was  as  quiet  as  any  !|i 
have  ever  been  at  anywhere.  I  did  not  see  men  voting  who  I  thought 
were  not  entitled  to  vote.     There  were  a  good  many  people  here  thai) 
day,  and,  in  order  to  promote  the  voting,  they  made  a  passage  in  fromi; 
of  the  window  by  the  use  of  ropes,  to  prevent  crowding,  and  the  vote™ 
passed  through  in  single  line.     I  went  up  to  vote  several  times,  ano| 
in  consequence  of  other  men,  some  of  whom  I  knew  to  be  resident 
citizens,  I  gave  way  until  they  had  voted.     I  saw  no   disposition  w 
crowd  to  the  polls.     Tolerably  late  in  the  evening  I  heard  some  pert 
sons  at  the  windows  calling  for  more  votes.     At  this  time  the  crowc' 
of  voters  had  generally  dispersed.     I  have  an  extensive  acquaintance 
in  the  district,  being  one  of  the  first  in  it.     If  any  illegal  votes  wer<r| 
given  that  day,  I  feel  confident  that  the  result  would  have  been  th«| 
same,  and  I  do  not  know  as  any  illegal  votes  were  given.     It  has  ak! 
ways  been  my  impression  that  the  pro-slavery  men  had  a  large  mat 
jority  in  this  district.     I  have  frequently  made  estimates  which  haw 
satisfied  me  of  this  fact.     The  census  taken  by  Dr.  Leib  was  in  veryj 
cold  weather.     At  the  time  it  was  taken  it  may  have  been  correct,  but 
after  the  census  was  taken,  and  prior  to  the  election,  a  great   many 
settlers  came  in,  and  who  have  lived  here  ever  since. 


To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  saw  a  good  many  of  the  citizens  of  Missouri  over  here  on  the  dayi 
of  election.  I  do  not  know  whether  or  not  any  of  these  men  votedy 
but  I  heard  some  of  them  say  they  had  not  and  would  not  vote.  There  | 
may  have  been  some  voted,  but  I  did  not  see  them. 

ALEXANDER  RUSSELL. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  401 


PATRICK  R.  ORR  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  about  fifteen  miles  from  here  on  the  west  side  of  Stranger  creek, 
in  this  district.  I  moved  my  family  here  to  the  Territory  on  the  15th 
March,  1855,  from  Platte  county,  Missouri,  where  I  had  lived  about 
ten  years. 

I  attended  an  election  in  this  town  on  the  30th  March,  1855.  On 
the  day  of  election,  and  some  two  or  three  days  previous,  I  had  been 
over  the  river  in  Missouri,  on  business.  I  reached  here  about  twelve  or 
one  o'clock,  and  crossed  the  ferry  at  Kialto,  between  Weston  and  the 
Fort.  There  seemed  to  be  a  good  deal  of  business  done  by  the  ferry 
in  the  evening.  I  crossed  over  there  in  the  evening,  nearly  at 
twelve  o'clock. 

I  was  around  the  polls,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  polls,  after  I  arrived 
here.  I  voted  the  free-State  ticket  that  day.  At  the  time  I  voted, 
there  was  not  a  large  crowd.  When  I  came  in  here,  it  was  about  dinner 
time,  and  there  were  a  number  of  groups  of  persons  that  appeared  to 
have  their  meals  spread  on  the  grass,  and  were  eating  their  dinners. 
There  were  hardly  any  persons  about  the  polls  then,  and  I  think  the 
polls  were  not  open  when  I  came  in  here.  I  was  absent  some  two 
hours,  to  a  house  of  a  friend,  who  lived  some  two  miles  from  here. 
I  then  came  back,  voted,  and  returned  to  Platte  county,  to  attend  to 
business  there  which  was  unfinished.  I  recollect  of  seeing  a  boat 
lying  at  the  landing  just  below  Weston,  but  do  not  recollect  of  seeing 
it  here.  I  was  in  Weston  just  before  I  started  to  come  down  here,  and 
[  saw  a  number  of  gentlemen  who  said  they  were  fixing  to  come  down 
to  this  election  here,  and  the  boat  was  just  coming  out  as  I  left ;  but  I 
lo  not  recollect  of  seeing  it  when  I  got  here. 

There  appeared  to  be  considerable  of  a  crowd  on  the  boat  when  I 
left.  I  do  not  recollect  the  names  of  those  I  heard  say,  in  Weston, 
they  were  coming  here.  I  saw  many  persons  here,  I  thought  were 
citizens  of  Platte  county,  on  that  day,  and  I  had  some  conversation 
with  some  of  them  about  voting — but  little,  however.  I  think  there 
were  probably  five  gentlemen  in  a  group,  acquaintances  of  mine,  whom 
[  asked  how  the  election  was  going,  and  they  said  it  was  going  finely. 
{  asked  them  if  they  had  voted,  and  they  said  all  but  Mr.  James 
Rees,  and  he  could  not  be  screwed  up  to  it,  and  they  thought  his 
conscience  had  got  a  little  tender,  and  they  could  not  get  him  to  vote. 
They  did  not  express  themselves  as  to  their  right  to  vote,  as  I  now 
becollect.  These  gentlemen  were  Mr.  Stockwell,  Mr.  Cavenaugh, 
ind  Mr.  Rees.  The  others  I  do  not  now  remember.  Mr.  Stockwell 
ind  Mr.  Cavenaugh  lived  northeast  of  Weston,  some  six  or  seven 
miles.  I  never  heard  of  these  men  residing  in  this  district,  and  I 
have  seen  them  living  on  their  farms  in  Missouri  since  that  time. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott : 

My  family  were  residing  at  the  time  of  the  election  about  fifteen 
niles  west  of  this,  and  near  Stranger  creek.  I  do  not  recollect  the 
lumber  of  days  I  had  been  in  Missouri  previously  to  the  election  ;  but 
H.  Eep.  200 26* 


402  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

it  was  some  days,  to  settle  up  some  business,  and  IMudnrs    ie-trtou 
souri  on  the  day  of  election. 

I  do  not  know  how  long  it  had  been  since  I  saw  Mr.  Stockwell  and 
Mr.  Cavenaugh  actually  residing  in  Missouri.  I  know  that  these 
men  lived  there  on  the  day  of  election,  exactly  where  they  live  nowy 
and  I  know  that  of  my  own  knowledge.  I  knew  it,  because  I  hadj 
seen  them  from  time  to  time,  before  and  after  the  election,  working  on 
their  farms  and  about  their  buildings.  1  do  not  know  which  way  the 
boat  went  from  Weston  that  day,  for  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  iti 
after  it  started.  I  know  the  ferry  had  a  good  deal  of  custom  in  the 
evening,  because  I  saw  a  crowd  of  men  there,  and  saw  them  go  over.r 
I  saw  about  one  hundred  men  and  horses,  and  about  nine  wagons — 
as  many  men,  horses  and  wagons  as  could  conveniently  get  on  the 
ooat — cross  over  when  I  did.  I  saw  no  other  load  go  over  except 
when  I  went.  I  did  not  see  and  do  not  know  of  any  other  loadsl 
going  over  that  evening.  There  were  but  few  persons  about  the  polls! 
when  I  voted,  and  no  one  objected  or  offered  any  hindrance  to  my 
voting. 

PATRICK  R.  ORR. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  22,  1856. 


LUCIAN   J.  EASTIN  testifies: 

To  Governor  King  : 

I  reside  in  Leavenworth  city,  and  have  done  so  since  October,  1854/ 
and  was  present  at  the  30th  of  March  election,  in  1855,  for  member? 
of  the  Territorial  legislature,  and  was  a  candidate  at  that  election  foi 
the  council.  I  was  not  much  about  the  polls  on  that  day.  Every 
time  I  was  at  the  polls,  or  in  sight,  the  election  was  going  on  quietlji 
and  persons  voting  without  difficulty.  There  were  frequent  calls 
during  the  day  for  more  voters.  I  saw  a  good  many  Missourians  hercr 
at  that  election.  I  do  not  recollect  whether  they  had  hemp  badges  oi< 
not.  I  think  I  saw  one  man,  a  wild,  rattling,  drinking  fellow,  witbl 
a  piece  of  hemp  around  his  hat.  I  did  not  see  any  votes  given  in  Qfl 
that  day  but  such  as  were  legal,  so  far  as  my  knowledge  extends,  buii 
I  do  not  pretend  to  say  that  illegal  votes  were  not  given.  Being  a! 
candidate,  I  was  all  over  the  county,  and  in  the  district.  I  was  very] 
conversant  with  the  voters  of  the  district,  and  think  I  know  pretty! 
near  about  the  strength  of  parties.  Our  estimate  was  about  two! 
to  one  in  the  tenth  council  district  in  favor  of  the  pro-slavery  party.] 
In  the  sixteenth  representative  district  we  made  it  about  one  and  a 
half  to  one.  There  was  a  protest  filed  against  the  election  in  this 
district,  setting  forth  that  the  free-State  men  were  deterred  from  voting;! 
I  believe  there  was  no  ground  for  it.  I  believe  that  no  one  v/as  de-j 
terred  from  voting,  either  by  force  or  violence  ;  and  Mr.  Phillips,  one?! 
of  the  signers  of  the  protest,  and  the  man  who  made  the  oath,  ex- 
plained it  to  me,  that  he  was  not  afraid  of  violence  or  force,  but' 
believed  that  Missourians  would  carry  the  election,  and  that  was  what 
he  meant  by  being  deterred.  The  conduct  of  the  Missourians  and 


KANSAS    AFFAIKS.  403 

;  pro-slavery  men  was  of  a  character  to  prevent  no  one  from  voting  who 
wished  to,  whether  legal  or  illegal.  I,  as  a  candidate,  (nor  do  I  know 

i  of  any  others  who  did,)  did  not  invite  or  procure  Missourians  to  come 

i  here  on  that  day  to  vote.  I  did  not  want  them  to  come,  for  I  believed 
and  said  we  were  strong  enough  to  beat  the  free-State  men  easy,  with 

'  the  legal  voters  of  the  district.  I  heard  a  great  many  of  the  Mis- 
sourians who  were  here  at  that  election  say  that  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society  was  importing  voters  into  the  Territory  to  abolitionize  it,  and 
that  they  were  determined  to  fight  the  devil  with  fire  ;  and  that  their 
object  in  coming  here  was  to  counteract  the  efforts  of  what  they  under- 
stood to  be  the  aid  societies.  The  general  rumor,  both  in  the  Terri- 
tory and  in  the  border  counties  of  Missouri,  was  that  voters  were  to 
be  imported  here  into  the  Territory,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  the 
elections  in  favor  of  the  free-State  party.  It  was  reported  the  night 
before,  arid  on  the  morning  of  the  election,  that  there  were  300  voters 
from  the  northern  States  who  would  be  here  that  day. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

It  is  my  opinion  that  a  good  many  of  the  votes  cast  at  that  election 
were  cast  by  non-residents.  I  don't  know  whether  or  not  all  the  free- 
State  men  voted  that  day.  There  were  about  sixty  or  sixty-three  free- 
State  votes  cast  at  that  election,  and  there  were,  in  my  opinion,  more 
than  that  number  in  the  district.  I  think  one  of  the  free-State  candi- 
dates declined.  He  was  here,  and  I  heard  him  give  some  reasons  for 
declining,  but  I  forgot  what  they  were  ;  but  I  do  not  think  the  reasons 
he  gave  were  that  he  had  been  unfairly  dealt  by.  The  300  emigrants 
I  have  alluded  to  did  not  arrive,  nor  any  portion  of  them.  I  have  a 
list,  made  before  the  election,  of  voters  in  the  district.  I  think  there 
are  nearly  400  names  on  the  list.  This  included  some  who  had  made 
claims  in  the  district,  but  had  not  moved  on  to  them,  and  of  these  I  think 
the  pro-slavery  party  had  about  one  and  a  half  to  one.  Mr.  France, 
Lewis  N.  Rees,  and  George  B.  Panton  were  the  judges.  Upon  refer- 
ence to  the  proclamation,  there  were  France,  Posey,  and  Brown,  but  1 
think  Rees'  name  was  substituted  for  Posey  by  the  governor.  I  do  not 
think  France  signed  the  returns.  I  don't  think  he  challenged  a  voter  ; 
he  told  me  he  did  riot,  and  gave  some  reason,  that  it  was  no  use, 
:or  words  to  that  amount.  I  don't  remember  exactly,  but  he  remained 
there  during  the  whole  time  of  taking  the  votes.  I  remember  seeing 
the  " New  Lucy"  coming  down  that  day  from  Weston,  Missouri, 
with  a  large  number  of  persons  on  board,  and  returned  the  same  day. 
The  list  I  speak  of  as  having,  may  be  of  the  first  election.  I  will 
look  for  the  list  and  produce  it,  if  I  get  it. 

L.  J.  EASTIN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


A.  T.  KYLE  called  and  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  June  or  July,  1854.     I  came  from  Platte 


404  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

county,  Missouri,  since  1839.  I  settled  in  this  city,  and  have  resided' 
here  ever  since.  When  I  first  came  here  I  was  one  of  the  keepers  oi 
the  Leavenworth  hotel.  The  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855J 
was  held  near  my  house.  1  have  seen  H.  J.  Wolfe,  clerk  of  the  courj 
of  common  pleas  in  Weston,  Missouri.  The  following  persons  I  know 
to  live  in  Missouri:  John  B.  Wells,  Franklin  Yocum.  James  Doni-i 
phan,  who  I  think  is  a  lawyer  ;  Wm.  Dicky,  Joseph  Nowers^  0.  E! 
Woolfolk,  Jesse  Vineyard,  Joseph  Murphy,,  George  W.  Dyer,  J.  0' 
Cockrill,  Samuel  Fernandis,  Frank  Gilbert,  Harvey  Bunch,  H.  Mile* 
Moore,  N.  B.  Brooks,  John  B.  Harper,  W.  T.  Woods,  Joseph  Holli^ 
day,  and  W.  A.  Newman.  These  men,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge! 
lived  in  Weston  at  the  time  of  the  March  election,  1855.  I  think  thti 
steamboat  New  Lucy  carne  down  the  river  that  day.  I  saw  some  of 
the  men  I  have  named  here  that  day,  but  whether  they  came  on  thei 
boat  or  not  I  do  not  know.  I  did  not  vote  myself  that  day,  because  I  wai 
very  busy,  and  1  saw  many  persons  here  that  I  thought  had  no  riglrf 
to  vote,  and  I  thought  I  would  not  vote.  I  don't  know  whether  thej 
voted  or  not.  There  were  a  great  many  here  who  were  not  citizens* 
to  the  best  of  my  knowledge.  They  came  around  the  polls.  I  know 
Samuel  J.  Finch,  editor  of  the  Weston  Eeporter.  He  has  neveii 
resided  in  this  Territory,  as  far  as  I  know.  There  are  names  on  thi 
poll-books,  and  I  know  persons  living  in  Missouri  whose  family  name* 
are  the  same,  but  whose  first  names  I  do  not  know,  and  I  have  no\ 
included  them  in  the  list  above. 

To  Governor  King  : 

I  did  not  pay  much  attention  to  the  election  that  day  ;  was  but  littl 
about  the  polls,  and  not  at  them  at  any  time. 

Q.  How  is  it  that  you  saw  persons  around  the  polls  who  were  n$ 
citizens  when  you  were  not  there,  and  when  you  state  that  you  do  no 
know  at  what  place  the  election  was  held  on  that  day  ? 

A.  I  never  went  right  up  to  the  polls  to  vote,  but  I  was  where  • 
could  see  the  polls,  and  see  persons  around  the  polls.  To  the  best  oj 
my  knowledge  the  polls  were  held  at  the  Leavenworth  hotel,  in  thii] 
place.  The  window  where  the  votes  were  received  at  the  Leaveriwortl 
hotel  was  at  the  south  end  of  the  building.  This  was  the  30th  c 
March  election. 

A.  T.  KYLE. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


A.  T.  KYLE  recalled. 

I  wish  to  correct  my  testimony  in  this  particular  :  The  election  o 
the  30th  of  March  was  not  held  at  the  Leavenworth  hotel,  but  at  ; 
little  building  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  hotel.  It  was  tfo 
election  of  the  29th  of  November  that  was  held  at  our  hotel.  Conr 
to  think  of  it,  they  applied  to  hold  the  election  at  our  hotel,  but  w<v 
declined,  as  -ve  feared  some  disturbance. 

A.  T.  KYLE 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  405 


ADAM  FISHER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  October,  1854,  and  settled  in  this 
town.  I  came  from  the  State  of  Illinois.  I  was  here  at  the  election 
'of  March,  1855,  and  at  that  time  was  well  acquainted  with  the  citi- 
zens of  the  town.  I  first  noticed  the  gathering  of  strangers  here  the 
evening  before  the  election.  I  was  merchandising  at  that  time,  and 
did  not  go  out  around  much  to  see  what  was  going  on,  but  some  men, 
who  said  they  belonged  to  companies  that  were  outside  of  town,  came 
into  my  store.  I  did  not  converse  particularly,  except  with  one  gen- 
tleman, and  he  told  me  that  he  had  come  over  from  Cooper  county, 
Missouri,  to  vote.  He  asked  me  what  my  politics  were,  and  I  told 
him  I  was  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State.  Then  he  asked 
if  I  wasn't  afraid  they  would  kill  me,  and  I  told  him  I  guessed  not. 
Then  I  told  him  what  my  policy  was,  and  he  told  me,  if  that  could  be 
the  case  he  would  go  in  with  me.  He  then  bought  some  little  articles 
and  went  out.  He  gave  me  to  understand  that  they  had  companies, 
but  I  did  not  ask  him  how  many  there  were  in  them.  There  were  a 
great  many  men,  apparently,  around  town  that  night ;  they  were 
firing  pistols  and  guns,  &c.,  all  night.  I  heard  of  no  fights  and 
troubles  that  night.  The  place  of  voting  was  about  one  hundred 
yards  from  my  store,  and  I  lived  on  the  adjoining  lot  to  my  store. 
The  evening  of  the  election  there  was  a  large  crowd  of  people  in  town. 
I  don't  recollect  of  seeing  a  very  large  crowd  of  people  collected 
around  the  polls,  but  they  were  around  in  the  neighborhood.  I  did 
not  think  at  the  time  they  were  unusually  noisy.  Malcom  Clark 
told  me  that  the  captains  of  the  companies  said  they  had  done 
everything  in  their  power  to  keep  order,  and  we  relied  a  good 
deal  upon  him.  I  understood  that  Clark  lived  in  Missouri.  He 
had  an  interest  in  the  town  ;  he  had  dealt  with  me  and  had  been 
friendly.  I  am  not  positive,  but  I  think  I  voted  that  day.  After  the 
election  this  crowd  dispersed.  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  saw  them 
afterwards.  I  don't  know  whether  these  strangers  voted  or  not,  as  I 
was  not  about  the  polls.  I  am  not  acquainted  in  Missouri.  I  did 
recognise  the  people  about  the  polls  as  citizens  of  the  Territory ;  I 
had  not  seen  them  before ;  they  were  strangers  to  me.  I  was  not 
well  acquainted  outside  of  this  town,  and  these  strangers  may  have 
been  residents  of  the  district ;  if  so,  I  have  never  seen  them  since. 

To  Governor  King  : 

I  believe  Malcom  Clark  is  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  the 
town.  He  built  a  house  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  He  was  here 
off  and  on,  looking  after  his  interests.  He  said  he  was  going  to  move 
here  and  make  this  his  home.  As  far  as  I  knew,  everybody  was 
allowed  to  vote  that  wanted  to.  My  impression  is  that  I  voted  that 
day  ;  but  if  I  did  not,  it  was  not  for  the  want  of  opportunity. 

ADAM  FISHER. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY.  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


406  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

J.  H.  DAY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Matthias : 

I  came  into  this  Territory  on  the  llth  of  October ,  1854,  from  St. 
Paul's,  Minnesota  Territory.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  March 
30, 1855,  at  this  place.  I  was  about  the  polls  and  town  the  most  of  the 
day.  The  polls  were  held  on  Cherokee  street.  They  were  opened  inr 
the  morning.  There  was  considerable  of  a  crowd  here,  and  some  persons* 
acted  as  a  kind  of  committee  to  arrange  for  the  voting  to  he  carried  onr 
as  quietly  as  possible.  Eopes  were  carried  out  from  each  side  of» 
the  window  so  as  to  form  a  lane,  in  order  to  prevent  the  polls  fromr 
being  too  much  crowded,  as  I  understood,  at  the  time.  I  attempted': 
to  vote  myself  the  fore  part  of  the  day,  and  got  into  the  lane  and  upi 
to  the  window,  but  found  I  was  on  the  outside  and  could  get  no  chance' 
to  vote.  I  slipped  out  under  the  rope  without  voting,  and  did  not  till 
the  after  part  of  the  day  ;  and  when  the  polls  were  clear,  I  saw  no  fuss 
or  riot,  and  saw  no  men  prevented  from  voting,  except  by  the  crowd' 
in  the  morning.  The  election  passed  off  quietly ;  more  so  than  I  have< 
seen  at  elections  before.  I  heard  the  judges  crying  out  in  the  after-- 
noon for  more  voters.  The  polls,  I  think,  were  closed  in  the  evening/ 
and  the  people  went  home  without  any  unusual  excitement.  I  wasij 
tolerably  well  acquainted  with  the  people  in  this  portion  of  the  district;' 
and  from  all  the  knowledge  I  had  upon  the  subject,  and  from  a  pretty<i 
close  count  that  we  made  at  that  time,  I  should  judge  we  had  some- 
thing over  three  hundred  voters  in  this  district.  There  was  consider- 
able difference  of  opinion  between  the  pro-slavery  and  free  State'! 
parties,  as  to  who  had  the  majority.  The  matter  was  considerably^ 
canvassed  ;  and  from  reports  I  saw,  the  district  was  shown  to  contain?! 
something  over  three  hundred  voters,  of  which  the  pro-slavery  party ^ 
had  from  sixty  to  ninety  majority.  That  was  before  the  March  elee-* 
tion.  From  that  time  to  the  election  quite  a  large  number  of  settlers 
came  into  the  district. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard: 

I  have  no  idea  how  many  settlers  came  into  the  district  before  th*j 
election.     Public  rumor  was,  that  an  immense  crowd  were  to  be  her6"] 
by  the   election.     I   cannot  tell   how  much   this   district   increased,  j 
Many  from  Missouri,  who  had  claims  here,  had  been  in  Missouri  to 
pass  the  cold  weather,  and  returned  in  the  spring.     This  list  I  have 
referred  to  was  being  made  up  to  within  a  few  days  of  the  election, 
and  was  the  one  that  Mr.  McAuley  testified  about  here. 

To  Mr.  Matthias : 

Actual  settlers  came  into  the  district  up  to  the  time  of  the  election  > 
and,  I  suppose,  by  that  means  the  pro-slavery  majority  was  increased- 

J.  H.  DAY. 
LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  407 

D.  J.  JOHNSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  William  Gr.  Matthias  : 

I  came  to  this  Territory  on  the  17th  of  February,  1855,  from  the 
State  of  Georgia,  and  have  resided  in  Leavenworth  ever  since.  I  wa 
i present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  The  polls  were 
opened  at  the  usual  hour;  and  when  they  were  first  opened  there  was 
iquite  a  crowd  around.  Ropes  were  stretched  out  from  the  road,  so  as 
,to  form  a  lane  for  voters  to  come  up  in,  that  voting  might  be  facili- 
tated. To  draw  off  the  crowd,  public  speaking  was  proclaimed  to  take 
place  on  the  levee.  After  that  there  was  no  time  in  the  day  when  the 
polls  were  again  crowded,  and  the  election  passed  off  in  an  orderly  and 
quiet  manner.  I  saw  no  arms  more  than  usual.  I  saw  none  but  some 
side  arms,  which  were  usual  here  at  that  time.  Most  of  men  in  this 
community  carry  side  arms  on  all  occasions.  I  never  saw  in  the  old 
States  a  more  quiet  election  than  that  was.  If  any  persons  had  any 
hemp  badges  on  that  day  it  escaped  my  notice.  I  was  about  the  polls 
and  among  the  crowd  all  day.  If  any  man  of  either  party  failed  to 
vote  that  day,  it  must  have  been  from  choice  or  false  timidity.  I 
heard  calls  for  all  who  were  desirous  to  vote  to  come  up  and  vote.  I 
was  tolerably  well  acquainted  with  the  voters  in  the  district,  and  had 
made  it  my  business  to  become  acquainted  with  them,  and  learn  their 
political  views.  Most  of  the  residents  I  knew  here  voted ;  though  some 
in  town  did  not  vote,  I  think.  At  that,  I  think,  in  this  district,  the 
pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority  of  some  eighty  votes.  When  my 
estimate  was  made,  it  was  about  the  time  of  the  nomination — some 
ten,  fifteen,  or  twenty  clays  before  the  election.  After  that  estimate 
was  made,  I  think  there  were  twenty,  perhaps  more,  increase  of  pro- 
slavery  majority.  Kichard  B.  Kees  and  Captain  Eastin  for  council, 
and  William  Gr.  Matthias,  Mr.  Payne,  and  Mr.  McMeekin  were  the 
pro-slavery  candidates  for  the  house  of  representatives.  I  do  not  re- 
collect the  different  candidates  of  the  free  State  ticket.  Mr.  Braden 
and  Mr.  Twombley,  I  think,  were  candidates.  Mr.  Braden  declined 
running  that  day ;  but  I  do  not  recollect  of  hearing  any  reason  for  so 
doing.  The  polls  were  held  on  Cherokee  street,  in  this  city. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

^  At  the  time  of  the  pro-slavery  nomination  there  was  a  majority  of 
eighty,  I  think,  and  some  one  hundred  by  the  time  of  the  election. 
Some  men  in  town  took  pains  to  find  out  the  names  and  political  oen- 
timents  of  the  minority  of  this  district.  I  think  this  was  done  with  a 
great  deal  of  care  and  thoroughness  by  Mr.  McAuley,  with  the  assis- 
tance of  others.  This  was  some  fifteen  or  twenty  days  before  the  elec- 
tion. Men  in  Missouri  had  claims  here,  and  moved  over  here  before 
the  election  to  settle  on  their  claims,  and  I  judge  that  by  the  weans 
the  majority  of  the  pro-slavery  party  here  was  increased  about  one  hun- 
dred. This  is  my  opinion  merely,  and  is  not  based,  like  the  other 
estimate,  on  any  calculation. 

To  Mr.  Matthias: 

I  knew  H.  Miles  Moore  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  am  pretty 
certain  he  claimed  to  be  a  resident  of  the  Territory,  and  so  represented 


408  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

himself  to  me  at  the  nominating  convention,  some  two  or  three  week* 
before  the  election,  and  received  the  nomination.  I  myself  was  tho 
president  of  that  nominating  convention. 

D.  J.  JOHNSON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K,  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


MATT  FRANCE  called  and  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  November,  1854,  from  Indiana,  and 
settled  in  this  place.  I  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges  of  election 
of  the  30th  of  March,  1855 ;  L.  N.  Kees  and  Mr.  Brown  were  also 
appointed.  There  were  persons  who  tried  to  persuade  me  not  to  act 
as  judge  on  that  day.  C.  Cockrell,  of  Platte  county,  Missouri,  wagi 
one,  and  several  others  spoke  to  me.  I  don't  remember  that  any 
other  residents  of  Missouri  spoke  to  me  except  Cockrell;  he  said  ] 
had  a  brother  who  was  a  candidate,  and  it  wouldn't  look  well ;  I  told 
him  I  wouldn't  resign  on  that  account ,  and  he  replied  that  threats 
were  made,  and  he  thought  it  would  be  dangerous  for  me  to  serve ;  1 
told  him  I  could  not  help  it,  and  would  serve  now  any  how.  Mr/ 
Kees  proposed  that  we  should  all  resign,  as  we  could  not  go  on  withi! 
the  election  unless  we  let  all  vote  who  came  here.  The  idea  he  ex- 
pressed was  that  we  would  have  to  let  them  vote  or  they  would  use* 
violence.  I  concluded  not  to  resign,  and  Rees  said  he  would  not  re-si 
sign  unless  I  did.  Brown  resigned  the  morning  of  the  election. 

The  conversation    I  have  referred  to  was  the  evening  before  the 
election.     Mr.  Eees  and  myself  met  at  Mr.  Keller's  hotel,  the  place'] 
appointed  for  the  election.     Mr.  Keller  objected  to  its  being  held  therer| 
and  we  adjourned  to  WoodVsaddler  shop,  a  short  distance  off.     I  took: 
the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor.     Mr.  Eees  declined  to  take  that 
oath,  but  took  one  of  a  different  character.     We  appointed  George  B.J 
Panton  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Brown. i 
He  took  the  same  oath  that  Rees  took,  refusing  to  take  the  oath  pre-'j 
scribed  by  the  governor.     We  op3ned  the  polls  and  proceeded  to  take 
votes.     I  think  I  challenged  the  third  vote  offered  that  day,  on  thei 
ground  that  I  did  not  think  him  a  resident.     I  asked  him  where  he 
resided:  he  replied  that  his  family  resided  in  Saline  county,  Missouri,!! 
that  he  came  into  the  Territory  the  day  before,  and  intended  to  goi 
back   home   immediately   after   the  election.     I   then   insisted  upon;! 
swearing  him  before  I  took  his  vote.     The  other  judges  decided  that! 
we  had  no  right  to  swear  any  man,  that  every  person  on  the  ground  ! 
was  a  legal  voter.     They  would  not  administer  the  oath,  and  received  | 
the  vote.     I  objected,  and  told  them  that  I  should  insist  upon  every ) 
man  being  sworn  whom  we  did  not  know.     They  objected  to  it,  and 
continued  to  take  votes  over  my  head.     Everybody  who  applied  to 
vote  that  day  voted,  except  some  Delaware  Indians.     The  Wyandotts 
voted.     There  were  a  great  many,  probably  several  hundred,  who 
voted  that  day  that  I  did  not  know  and  believed  them  to  be  residents 
of  Missouri.     Panton,,  one  of  the  judges,    seemed  to  be  acquainted 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  409 

with  a  good  many  of  them,  would  talk  to  them  as  an  old  friend,  and 
would  ask  them  where  they  came  from,  and  they  would  mention  from 
different  counties  in  Missouri.  Mr.  Panton  tKen  resided  at  the  fort  on 
one  of  the  farms.  I  think  the  free  State  men  generally  that  day  did 
not  vote.  I  was  acquainted  with  them  generally.  There  was  a  large 
crowd  around  the  polls  in  the  forenoon,  but  in  the  afternoon  the  polls 
were  clear,  and  any  one  could  have  voted  who  wanted  to  after  three 
o'clock  that  afternoon,  when  the  crowd  commenced  to  disperse.  I  did 
not  vote.  I  did  not  consider  anything  legal  about  it,  but  remained  to 
see  the  thing  through.  I  signed  the  return  after  scratching  out  the 
words  " lawful  resident  voters."  After  counting  out  the  votes,  we 
proceeded  to  make  out  the  return  list.  I  objected  to  signing  the 
return  unless  those  words  were  stricken  out.  After  some  discussion 
between  the  judges,  we  all  signed  the  return  in  the  same  way.  They 
decided  that  all  who  were  on  the  ground  were  resident  voters.  Lewis 
N.  Eees,  the  judge,  is  a  brother  of  Kichard  E.  Eees,  the  councilman 
elect.  About  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  the  steamer  New  Lucy  came  down 
from  Weston.  There  seemed  to  be  a  crowd  come  to  the  polls  soon 
after  her  arrival,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  they  came  from  the  boat 
or  not.  That  crowd  all  voted.  The  New  Lucy  was  billed  to  return 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Did  not  notice  when  she  left,  but 
she  was  gone  in  the  evening  when  we  adjourned  the  polls.  I  saw  a 
number  of  camps  below  the  town  the  night  before  the  election.  A 
number  of  the  persons  on  the  day  of  the  election  had  small  bunches 
of  raw  hemp  either  in  their  button-hole  or  on  their  hat,  twisted  in 
their  beards  or  around  their  waists.  Most  of  them  wore  the  hemp  in 
their  button-holes.  I  noticed  a  great  many,  but  I  cannot  say  how 
many.  There  were  no  disturbances  that  day  except  the  crowding. 
Eopes  were  stretched  to  facilitate  voting,  and  no  one  was  allowed  off 
the  ropes,  except  in  two  or  three  instances  where  the  crowd  would 
point  out  some  one  as  their  captain,  and  request  that  his  vote  be  taken 
outside  the  ropes.  The  total  number  of  votes  cast  that  day  964,  over 
30  of  them  were  Wyandott  Indians. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  held  on  as  judge  of  the  election  after  I  found  that  the  election 
was  not  to  be  conducted  according  to  the  instructions  of  the  governor, 
because  I  wanted  to  see  how  it  was  conducted,  and  such  I  believed  to 
be  my  duty.  I  told  them  at  the  time  that  I  would  not  sign  the  re- 
turns. The  men  with  badges  wore  different  kinds  of  hats.  I  carried 
the  returns  to  Governor  Eeeder,  and  told  him  verbally  the  facts  I 
have  stated. 

MATT   FEANCE. 

LEAVENWOKTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


WILLIAM  H.  ADAMS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Governor  King  : 

I  came  from  Missouri  to  the  Territory,  and  settled  in  Leavenworth 
City  in  August,  1854  ;  I  was  among  the  first  here  and  knew  a  great 


410  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

many  of  the  settlers,  and  was  here  at  the  election  on  the  30th  of 
March,  1855  ;  I  saw  several  Missourians  here  on  that  day,  and  think 
I  know  the  inducements  which  brought  them  here.  For  about  a 
month  or  six  weeks  previous  to  the  election  a  general  rumor  pre- 
vailed among  the  free  State  men  in  this  place  that  a  large  number  of 
eastern  emigrants  would  be  at  the  election — this  before  we  knew 
when  the  election  would  be,  and  before  the  proclamation  was  pub- 
lished. It  was  rumored  that  it  was  known  in  the  east  that  the  elec- 
tion would  take  place  here  before  we  knew  it  ourselves ;  and  that  there 
would  be  a  sufficient  number  of  emigrants  here  to  elect  the  free  State 
ticket.  It  was  also  rumored,  and  believed  by  the  people  here  and  by 
the  people  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  that  this  was  the  work  of  regu- 
lar organized  societies  in  the  eastern  and  northern  States.  Owing  to 
those  rumors,  as  they  said,  they  came  over  at  that  election,  or  about 
that  time.  I  never  heard  any  threat  that  they  intended  to  take  con- 
trol of  polls,  or  to  take  the  election  out  of  the  hands  of  the  bona  fide 
residents.  They  said  that  they  came  over  here  to  offset  the  votes  that 
might  be  shipped  up  here  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  The  first 
notice  that  ever  I  saw  giving  the  time  of  the  election  was  in  the  Bos- 
ton Atlas.  I  stated  that  it  would  be  on  the  22d  of  March.  We  re- 
ceived the  notice,  and  gave  it  to  the  public  through  the  Kansas 
Weekly  Herald  about  two  weeks  previous  to  the  election.  I  think  we 
had  some  three  or  four  hundred  majority  in  this  election  district  if  no 
Missourians  had  voted.  I  think  trie  election  was  conducted  orderly. 
I  saw  no  badges  except  one  or  two  hemp  badges  on  the  hat ;  one  of 
whom  was  a  Wyandott,  and  one  was  a  white  man.  I  was  here 
when  Felix  Gr.  Braden  declined  being  a  candidate  of  the  "  free  State 
party."  He  said  he  was  in  favor  of  making  this  a  free  white  State, 
but  that  he  had  made  the  canvass  of  this  district  and  was  thoroughly 
convinced  that  it  would  be  utter  folly  for  him  to  run  ;  that  the  pro- 
slavery  party  had  a  large  majority  in  the  district.  He  said  he  would 
prefer  seeing  it  a  "  free  white  State,"  but  that  he  did  not  want  to  see 
it  an  abolition  or  a  free  soil  State,  that  he  was  neither  himself.  He 
said  by  running,  it  would  cause  fathers  and  sons  to  have  hard  feel- 
ings, and  cause  contention,  and  for  that  reason  he  would  not  run.  H. 
Miles  Moore,  whose  name  is  said  to  be  on  the  poll  book,  and  who  was 
said  to  be  a  Missourian,  voting  here,  was  in  the  Territory  at  the  time 
of  the  election  and  before ;  he  was  a  shareholder  here  in  this  town, 
said  this  was  his  home,  was  here  at  our  nominating  convention,  made 
a  speech,  and  sought  a  nomination  as  candidate  for  a  legislative  office, 
but  was  not  nominated.  I  heard  no  one  dispute  the  legality  of  his 
citizenship.  I  looked  upon  him  in  the  same  way  that  I  looked  upon 
many  others  who  had  property,  and  lived  here  most  of  the  time.  He 
had  no  family  or  property  that  I  know  of  in  Missouri.  He  staid  at 
Weston  a  portion  of  the  time  ;  said  he  intended  to  move  here  and  stay 
here  all  the  time  as  soon  as  he  could  get  an  office  here. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

Mr.  Braden  withdrew  the  day  before  the  election  at  about  eleven 
o'clock.     He  made  a  short  speech  at  the  Kansas  house  ;  he  said  h 
•did  not  want  to  run  as  a  candidate,  and  wanted  his  name  off.     There 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  411 

were  a  good  many  people  in  the  town  at  that  time,  say  250  ;  there 
was  public  speaking  by  the  candidates  in  the  town  that  day.  It  was 
rumored  that  there  would  be  several  hundred  emigrants  at  our  polls 
on  the  30th  of  March,  and  this  induced  the  Missourians  to  come  over. 
The  eastern  emigrants  did  not  arrive  that  day.  I  cannot  explain 
why  the  Missourians  voted,  and  I  do  not  know  how  many  did  vote. 
I  know,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  a  great  many  of  those  eastern  emi- 
grants came  up  in  a  few  days.  They  told  they  were  eastern  men,  and 
were  generally  Massachusetts  emigrant  aid  men.  They  returned  a 
few  days  afterwards,  and  told  me  that  they  came  here  just  to  vote, 
and  did  not  intend  to  settle.  They  did  return.  I  was  one  of  the  pro- 
prietors of  the  "Kansas  Weekly  Herald"  at  that  time,  and  am  now. 
I  was  here  at  the  time  Phillips  was  taken  across  the  river  in  May.  I 
decline  to  sav  what  occurred  there  on  the  ground  that  it  may  impli- 
cate me. 

WILLIAM  H.  ADAMS. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


A.  MACAULEY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  23d  day  of  November,  1854,  from 
Iowa.  I  know  Frank  Marshall,  member  of  the  legislature  from  Ma- 
rysville,  as  I  understood.  I  am  acquainted  with  a  man  known  as 
Judge  Almond,'  living  in  Platte  City,  Missouri.  I  never  was  in  Mis- 
souri to  induce  people  to  come  here  to  vote,  unless  they  had  a  right  to. 
A  number  of  persons  had  claims  in  this  immediate  vicinity,  and  were 
temporarily  absent  in  Missouri.  Shortly  before  the  census  was  taken 
ordered  by  Governor  Beeder,  I  notified  persons  who  I  thought  ought 
to  have  been  taken  in  that  census  that  I  thought  they  had  better  be  on 
their  claims,. so  as  not  to  be  overlooked  by  the  assessors.  This  notice 
was  without  regard  to  party.  I  was  in  Missouri  at  another  time,  be- 
fore the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  and  at  Platte  City  during  the 
sitting  of  the  circuit  court.  On  that  occasion  there  was  a  meeting  of 
citizens,  and  several  speeches  were  delivered  ;  among  the  rest,  I  was 
called,  and  gave  them  the  best  turn  I  could. 

The  object  and  purpose  of  that  meeting  was  to  discuss  the  affairs  of 
Kansas.  The  subject  discussed  in  that  meeting  bore  upon  the  subject 
of  the  coming  election  and  the  affairs  of  Kansas  generally.  I  did 
make  a  list  of  what  I  considered  to  be  legal  voters  in  this  district,  and 
took  a  good  deal  of  pains  with  it,  prior  to  the  election  of  the  30th  of 
March.  I  included  in  this  list  none  but  those  that  I  considered  set- 
tlers on  the  soil.  It  was  for  the  purpose  of  giving  information  to  the 
pro-slavery  party  and  to  satisfy  my  mind.  I  now  have  in  my  posses- 
sion, and  in  my  hands,  the  list  of  voters  made  by  me. 

Question.  Please  either  furnish  a  copy  of  that  list  or  allow  one  of 
our  clerks  to  copy  it. 

[The  witness  desires  time  to  determine  whether  he  will  allow  it  to 
be  copied.] 


412  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Witness  resumes :  The  number  of  names  on  the  list  is  305 .     I  esti- 
mated 112  to  be  free  State  men  and  192  to  be  pro-slavery  men.     I 
fave  general  information  of  these  facts  to  my  party  and  friends,  and 
called  in  others  to  assist  me,  and,  among  others,  Mr.  Payne,  one  of 
the  candidates.     I  have  made  on  the  list  my  own  private  marks,  to 
designate  the  two  parties.     In  this  list  there  are  a  great  many  who 
are  doubtful,  and  all  those  I  have  put  on  the  free  State  side. 

By  Mr.  King : 

At  the  meeting  of  Platte  City  subjects  were  discussed  of  the  affairs 
of  Kansas  and  opposition  to  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  It  was  gen- 
erally the  belief,  as  expressed  in  the  speeches,  that  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society  was  importing  paupers  into  Kansas  to  control  elections  in  an 
unjustifiable  and  extraordinary  manner,  and  to  make  Kansas  a  free 
State.  The  majority  of  the  speakers,  and  I  think  myself  among 
others,  took  the  ground  that  the  object  of  the  Aid  Society  was  to  make 
a  thrust  at  the  institutions  of  Missouri.  This  was  the  pro- slavery 
sentiment  of  the  people  at  the  meeting.  They  expressed  themselves 
that,  if  Kansas  was  made  a  free  State,  it  would  be  through  these  so- 
cieties, and,  if  they  succeeded,  they  might  as  well  give  up  every  nig-  • 
ger  they  had  in  the  State. 

This  list  I  have  was  the  best  one  I  could  make.  It  was  taken 
about  the  time  the  census  was  taken,  and  about  the  time  I  notified  the-' 
settlers  that  they  had  better  be  on  their  claims.  After  this  list  was  < 
made,  and  before  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  a  great  many  ad-  - 
ditional  settlers  moved  into  the  district,  and  how'^many  I  have  no  - 
means  of  knowing. 

I  was  present  in  this  place  on  the  30th  of  March.  That  election  t 
was  a  good  deal  like  other  elections.  I  am  satisfied  that  no  person  i 
was  prevented  from  voting.  I  was  satisfied  of  the  strength  of  parties  Ij 
before  the  election  as  well  as  afterwards,  and  think  that  the  pro-  • 
slavery  party  increased  considerably  before  that  election,  and  after  my  I 
list  was  made.  I  do  not  believe  there  has  ever  been  a  time  when  the 
pro-slavery  majority  has  been  less  than  one  hundred  in  the  district.  , 
At  the  polls  on  the  day  of  election  the  ropes  spoken  of  by  the  wit-  - 
nesses  were  drawn  to  give  men  an  opportunity  to  vote  at  the  polls  in  i 
two  diverging  lines,  so  as  to  afford  an  easy  access  for  voters.  Men  i 
were  appointed  to  see  that  voters  should  be  admitted,  and  to  keep  » 
order. 

[The  witness  here  states  that  he  will  furnish  a  copy  of  the  list. 
The  marks  designating  the  political  opinions  of  men  will  be  explained  i| 
in  the  copy.] 

At  the  meeting  at  Platte  City  it  was  a  cause  of  complaint  that 
Eeeder  was  delaying  the  elections  to  give  the  eastern  emigration  time 
to  arrive,  and  I  think  it  was  also  charged  at  that  meeting  that  Greeley,  , 
of  the  New  York  Tribune,  knew  when  the  election  would  come  off  be-  - 
fore  we  here  in  the  west  did,  and  this  had  a  tendency  to  produce  ex- 
citement among  the  people. 

A.  MACAULEY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  413 

List  of  Voters  in  the  Sixteenth  District,  by  A.  Hacauley. 


JPli^rinpl 

D. 
F.  S. 

F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 

Joel  Walker  

P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  8. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
D. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
D. 
D. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
D. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
D. 
F.  S. 
D. 
P.  S. 
P.  8. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
D. 
D. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 

Win.  Walker  

Math.  Walker  

Mr.  Daphelmyer  

Rue  Dennis  

Mr.  Suyhr  

Mr   Henderson 

John  Randero      

J   M    Turner 

F.  Hicks  

Chas  H   Allen                               

P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 

Mr.  McClane  

F   A    Roberts 

Q.  McClane  

Wra   Bohart 

John  Anderson  

John  Pancake 

Mr.  Huggins  - 

Thomas  Hickman 

N.  Kirk      

Mr   Syinpho 

F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 

Alex.  Russell 

John  Scott 

J.  Russell       ... 

A  J   Scott 

J.  Thomas 

J  Moore 

Mr   Mize 

Mr   "Narville 

Mr    Mize 

Mr    Hoppur           

Isaac  Cana  

Mr   Dawson                 

G.  X.  Young.  

Minard                         _    

J.  Young  

Unknown                          -        

Z.  Gruning  .. 

^Neighbor                        .          _  .      

P.  Taylor  

S   Sparks                                         

H.  D.  McMeekin 

N  Sparks 

Passom  Smith 

S   Sparks 

Cole  McCrea 

J   Sparks 

J.  Bickum 

Mr  Elliott 

Mr.  Bickum 

Neighbor 

James  Chance 

C.  Cruch  

Mr   Rum 

John  Eight 

Samuel  Burgess  

C.  Mondu  

John  Burgess  -    

C.  M.  Burgess  

Win.  Borden    _  . 

J.  Rice  

Col.  Brown  

P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P  S 

Hyats  Naud  

Miles  Shannon  

—  Carman  

F.  Shannon  

Hippie 

G.  Segin. 

H.  Lang 

C.  Hammond 

F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F  S 

L  Hurds 

J.  Renfroe 

S   McCray 

G.  Thompson 

John  Usry 

John  Renfro 

Mr  Stafford 

J.  Pyhs 

Lyman  Astor 

Pyhs 

Riley  Ladd 

Mr.  Stewart 

J    Barbor 

Mr.  Syms 

Mr  Drummond 

Mr.  Syms 

Peter  McGill 

Jim  Thompson  

J.  Hurt 

Mr.  Thompson  

P.  H.  Biddies 

R.  C.  Briggs 

James  Blakely 

James  Wells 

D  Robison 

H.  Staffor...., 

Jacob 

Mr.  Willis.... 

P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P  S 

Peter  Maainer 

J.  Finly  

J.  Mundy_  

Mr.  Gunter  

Walk 

Mr.  Garrett  

P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 

C.  Garrett  

E.  A.  Lang  

H.  C.  Lang  

•  Thomas 

J.  N.  Lang  

James  Lang 

Clark 

•  •  Churchill 

Wm.  Osborn  

Dickey 

414 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
List  of  Voters — Continued. 


Green  D.  Todd     

P.  S. 

Mr  Baker 

D 

Thompson  Muller  

P.  S. 

Mr  Lain 

D 

George  Graham  

P.  S. 

James  Y   Hook 

P  S 

H   Noland 

P  S 

P  S 

B  M   Crust 

P   S 

D 

D   Crust 

P   S 

D 

C   Shaw 

P   S 

J  Lusk 

D 

B  Dallas 

F  S 

Mr   Lane 

D 

C.  Harrison  

P.  S. 

Old  Dr   France          .  _   _  - 

P.  S 

Mr.  Cummings  

F.  S. 

J.  M.  Alexander           _     

P.  S. 

John  Keefer  

P.  S. 

J.  B.  Quim            _    .   _ 

P.  S. 

Mr.  Howell  

F.  S. 

Foster  _         

F.  S. 

G.  B.  Panton  

P.  S. 

E.  H.  Rankin            

P.  S. 

Dr.  Phillips  _  

P.  S. 

J.  L.  McAleer          

P.  S. 

Wm.  Mathias  _  

P.  S. 

T.  F.  Slocum             

P.  S. 

Leandes  Kerr  

P.  S. 

Young,  at  Mrs.  Noble's  

P.  S. 

Col.  Rich  

P.  S. 

J.  M.  Saylar      -    

P.  S. 

James  Rich  

P.  S. 

J.  Campbell             

P.  S. 

Wm.  S.  Yoke  

P.  S. 

F.  S.  Abny,  (shoemaker)  

P.  S. 

J.  C.  S.  Foss  

P.  S. 

Y.  S.  Abny,  (blacksmith)  .   

P.  8. 

B  Becke 

D 

Mr   Thompson 

P  8 

B.  C.  Card  

P.  S. 

Old  Hart                               .  .      .  . 

F.  S. 

Theodore  Mix 

P   S 

Mr  Tanner 

F  S 

Wm.  S.  Murphy  

P.  S. 

Wm.  Henderson         

P.  S. 

Julius  Tromel 

F   S 

Lyne  Hart 

F  S 

John  Daily  

P.  S. 

Joseph  Hyatt      .         _    

P.  S. 

Old  Gould  

F.  S. 

W.  0.  Webster  

P.  & 

J.  Wallace  

D. 

Mr.  Stoddard  

P.  S. 

Mr.  Parker       -      

D. 

J.  Hick  

P.  S. 

Mr.  Michell  

D. 

D.  J.  Smith  

F.  S. 

Mr.  Boles      

P.  S. 

Mr.  Daily,  (shoemaker)  

F.  S, 

B  Markam  

P.  S. 

Mr.  Dunning  

P.  S. 

Mr   Arterbury 

P   S 

Twombly 

F^S. 

J.  Sirat  .   .             .   .. 

P.  S. 

Englishman  

D. 

C.  Harris  -      .          

P.  S. 

John  C.  Gist  

D. 

Mr.  Large  -   - 

F.  S. 

George  Russell  

F.  5. 

Matt  France 

F   S 

S   D   Picker 

P  S. 

James  Davis  

P.  S. 

A.  Payne  

P.  S. 

G  Davis 

P   S 

Mr   Wallace 

D. 

Neighbor 

F  S 

George  Walker 

P.  S. 

H.  B.  Kelley  

P.  S. 

Dr.  Few  

P.  S. 

Benj.  McCrary  

P.  S. 

R.  E.  Saunders  

P.  S. 

W   Carum 

P  S 

Daniel  Lon0" 

P.'S. 

Wm   Sparks 

F   S 

James  Skinner 

F.  S. 

James  Zanes 

P  S 

Frank  Silkman 

F.  S. 

I    Zanes 

P   S 

H   M   Hook 

F.'S. 

N   Zanes 

P  S 

N   Sao-e 

F-  S. 

Af  Bateman 

F  S 

Bird 

F.  S. 

Mr  Kightman 

D 

R   B   Roberts 

F-TL 

Mr   Wolf 

D 

J  R  Edsell 

F.  S. 

C    Neff 

D 

Bowers 

F.  S. 

Jacob  Kehm 

D 

N   J.  Bateman 

P.  8. 

C   F   Millar 

D 

James  M.  White                         .   ... 

F.  S. 

W  Turnell 

P  S 

Samuel  Farr                              

P.  S. 

Tusler  Turnell 

P  S 

Wm.  Pur                

F,  R. 

Amos  Rees 

P   S 

Mumford               

P.  S. 

Mr   Gilbert 

P   S. 

A.T.Patty.                  

P  S, 

W   G   Wood 

P.  S. 

W.H.  Long  

P.  S. 

W   A  McDowell 

P.  S. 

Thomas  Bishop     

D. 

Nathan.  Roberts 

P   S 

A  Willson 

P.  S. 

Rid1  °  !'•'  '  (  'ookley 

D 

Eli  Moore 

P.  S," 

R   N    Rogers                       -  -  -  - 

P.  S. 

Wm.  H.  Hipsley  

D. 

Mr.  Luice_- 

D. 

Wm.  Cune.. 

P.  S.- 

KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 
List  of  Voters — Continued. 


415 


P.  S. 
D. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 

John  Bentz  

P.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 

Adam  Fisher  

A       rp     Kvlp 

George  Fisher  ,._ 

T    T?    Grant 

S.  Scruggs  .   .   

MTC>llv 

J.  Williams 

Furgerson 

Ta  HIPS  M    Svle 

J.  Hall 

Col  Johnson 

A.  Macauley  _ 

Posy 

J.  H.  Day  - 

J    Cunningham 

F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 
P.  S. 

Ames 

Ma°°inty 

James  Kirpatrick 

Irish  stone-  mason  at  Keller's 

Henry  Brubaker 

Irish  stone-mason  at  Keller's 

John  Brubaker 

L  N  Kees 

J   P  Richardson 

R  R   Rees     

Jerry  Clark  

Wm   Saunders  

Dr.  Fackler  _  

L  J    Eastin  

A.  Hood.  

Wm  H   Adams  

P.  S. 
P.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
F.  S. 
P.  S. 

Adam  Deits  ._     .     

J  S  Grun              .               

B.  L.  Sellers 

John  Owens           •_.__   .   _. 

Wm.  Phillips 

Wm  Engleman 

Eddings 

F  Engleman 

Edin^s 

George  Stephenson 

Dr   France 

1 

Pro-slavery  .  .  .                                   187 

Free  State  and  doubtful-.                                                                                 Ill 

Pro-slavery  majority _ 76 


Those  marked  P.  S.  are  Pro-slavery. 
Those  marked  F.  S.  are  Free  State. 
Those  marked  D.  are  doubtful. 


You  ask  this  account  of  me, 
And  sure  enough  you've  got  it ; 
But  unless  you  have  the  key, 
It's  of  no  use — drot  it ! 

You  also  want  the  key 
To  spread  wide  op'n  the  lock, 
By  which  to  let  the  Dashes  see 
Which  way  the  Gander  hops. 

The  right-hand  hooks, 

All,  are  for  the  Goose — 

The  left  are  for  the  Gander  ; 

The  side  which  all  the  straight-outs  chose, 

I've  left  in  doubt  to  wander. 


A.  MACAULAY. 


ADAM  T.  PATTIE  testifies. 
To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  came  from  Virginia  into  this  Territory  in  September,  1854,  and 
resided  in  the  sixteenth  district  until  after  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
I  attended  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  this  district.  I 
should  think  there  were  eight  hundred  if  not  more  voted  in  this  dis- 
trict then.  I  was  pretty  generally  acquainted  with  the  voters  here  at 
that  time.  I  think  there  were  one  hundred  persons  on  the  ground 


416  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

the  day  of  election.     I  was  most  of  the  day  at  the  polls.     All  facili- 
ties for  voting  were  furnished,  and  all  voters  urged  to  come  up  and 
vote.     I  think  that  Malcolm  Clark,  Captain  Pitcher,  and  others  were 
appointed  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  way  to  the  window  clear.     I 
saw  Missourians  over  here  then,  many  of  whom  I  was  acquainted  with. 
I  saw  nothing  more  of  arms  than  is  usual  in  the  western  country, 
pistols  and  Bowie  knives,  hut  not  out  except  in  a  difficulty  about  some 
liquor.     I  saw  no  guns  here  that  I  recollect  of,  though  there  may  and 
I  not  have  noticed,  as  it  was  not  unusual  to  see  that  here.     The  citi-  . 
zens  and  strangers  were  alike  in  regard  to  arms.     I  saw  no  violence, 
and  heard  no  threats  in  regard  to  voting.     The  election  passed  off  as  ; 
peaceably  as  in  the  older  States,  and  more  so  than  some  elections  I  have  • 
known  in  my  native  town.     Mr.  Rees,  Mr.  Eastin,  for  council,  and 
Mr.  Matthias,  Mr.  Payne,  Mr.  McMeekin,  for  house  of  representatives,  > 
were  the  pro-slavery  candidates.     I  forgot  the  free  State  candidates,  t 
as  I  cannot  separate  their  candidates  at  the  two  elections  last  spring. , 
I  was  personally  acquainted  with  all  the  candidates  of  the  pro-slavery  ' 
and  free  State  party,  and  they  were  all  residents  of  the  district.    I  knew  t 
all  the  free  State  candidates  except  one,  whom  I  only  knew  by  sight; 
I  never  heard  how  many  votes  the  pro-slavery  ticket  got,  but  I  think  t- 
that  it  got  about  eight  hundred.    The  highest  vote  the  free  State  ticket  t 
got  was  sixty-one.     The  pro-slavery  party  was  gaining  strength  all] 
the  time  from  the  first  election,  and  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  a 
30th  of  March  it  had  a  large  majority,  and  on  that  day  they  polled  ail 
large  majority  of  legal  votes.     I  saw  no  hemp  or  other  badge  that  I; 
day  used,  either  by  Missourians  or  citizens.     I  saw  persons  voting  4 
during  the  day,  and  I  saw  a  great  many- 1  knew  to  be  residents  heretj 
vote.    I  knew  nothing  personally  of  any  secret  society  of  the  free  State ti 
party  at  that  time,  but  I  have  learned  something  since.     There  is  an 
secret  society  in  the  town  in  which  I  live,  but  I  do  not  know  what  isi[ 
the  gbject.     There  is  a  free  State  man  living  in  my  house  for  seven 
months  past,  named  Peter  Taylor,  an  honest  freesoiler.     Mr.  Taylor 
went  to  one  election  in  this  district,  the  first  one,  and  he  then  said  he 
never  would  vote  again,  because  the  free  State  men  and  abolitionists J 
were  working  together.     He  went  so  far  in  the  society  as  he  told  me, 
and  then  drew  back  and  would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  it.    The 
motives  of  the  society  he  communicated  to  me  in  confidence,  and  I  de-j 
cline  telling  what  it  is. 

I  reside  now  at  Grasshopper  Falls,  in  this  Territory,  about  thirty] 
miles  from  here,  and  have  resided  there  some  time  past.  I  have  un-i 
derstood  that  Patrick  Laughlin  started  this  secret  society. 

The  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  here  was  contested,  and  the 
representative  election  ordered  for  the  22d  of  May  following,  by  Gov-v| 
ernor,  Reeder.  The  free  soil  candidates  had  been  changed  for  thftl 
second  election ;  one  was  Mr.  Gould,  and  another  Mr.  France,  I  fhinkl 
I  am  sure  that  Mr.  Gould  was  in  the  second  election.  The  pro-slavery] 
candidates  were  Matthias,  McMeekin,  and  Payne,  for  the  lower  house,t| 
and  no  council  election.  I  was  present  at  that  election.  It  was  contj 
ducted  orderly  and  quietly.  There  was  a  steamboat  arrived  here  thato 
day,  and  votes  were  polled  off  the  boat,  but  I  do  not  know  what  he* 
name  was,  or  where  she  came  from,  except  from  rumor ;  said  to  bi 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  417 

from  Pittsburg.  I  saw  Mr.  Gould  down  on  the  boat,  and  tbose  per- 
sons on  the  boat  came  up  to  vote  with  him,  he  saying  they  had  as 
much  right  to  vote  as  any  one.  Nothing  was  said  about  it,  as  we 
knew  we  were  too  far  ahead  for  that  to  affect  us.  They  voted  the 
free  State  ticket.  Mr.  Matthias,  Mr.  McMeekin  and  Mr.  Payne  were 
elected  by  a  large  majority.  I  did  not  see  as  many  Missourians  here 
that  day  as  at  the  March  election. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

I  think  there  were  from  eight  hundred  to  nine  hundred  resident 
voters  in  this  district  on  the  30th  of  March,,  1855 ;  so  I  judged  from 
what  I  had  seen  of  the  district  and  knew  of  the  town.     I  do  not 
know  the  limits  of  the  district,  and  I  judge  $nly  from  the  settlements 
I  knew  here  in  the  district.     Leavenworth,  and  between  that  and 
Alexandria,   and  Alexandria,  the  Stranger,   and  down  beyond  the 
Stranger,  towards  the  Kaw  river.     On  the  Stranger  I  include  Alex- 
andria, about  northwest  of  here,  and  then  up  the  Stranger  to  Dawson's, 
or  Eastin,  as  I  believe  it  is  called.     There  were  a  great  many  persons 
coming   in  and   looking   for   land.     I  think  the   population  nearly 
doubled  between  the  1st  of  February  and  30th  of  March,  1855,  mostly 
from  Missouri — some  from  Kentucky  and  Indiana.     There  were  boats 
up  before  that  election,  with  a  great  many  emigrants  who  got  off  here, 
but  I  do  not  know  how  many.     A  good  many  had  got  off  at  Kansas 
City  and  came  up  by  land.     Two  men  who  said  that  they  had  come 
out  under  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  had  got  off  at  Parkville,  Mis- 
souri, came  to  me  for  work.     I  was  then  carrying  on  the  carpenters' 
business.     I  think  there  were  fully  six  hundred  in  the  district  at  the 
time  of  election,  and  there  might  have  been  eight  or  nine  hundred, 
and  on  the  30th  of  March,  I  have  no  doubt  there  were  eight  hundred 
voters.     I  cannot  say  how  many  were  here  who  lived  here  and  had  no 
other  homes,  but  I  suppose  that  all  who  lived  here  at  the  time  were 
about  eight  hundred  voters.     I  should  suppose  there  may  have  been 
one  hundred  Missourians  on  the  ground  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855, 
those  who  lived  in  Missouri  at  that  time,  perhaps  more  or  less.     I  do 
not  know  of  one  who  voted.     I  suppose  I  saw  some  two  or  three  hun- 
dred go  up  to  the  window  to  vote,  and  heard  their  names  called.     At 
one  of  the  elections  that  spring  there  was  a  boat  down  here  from 
Weston.     I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of  the  boat,  but  I  think  it  was 
the  New  Lucy.     I  saw  some  of  the  citizens  of  Weston  who  said  they 
had  come  on  it,  and  I  saw  other  persons  after  they  got  off,  but  I  can- 
not tell  whether  a  great  many  came  on  her  or  not.     I  do  not  know 
how  long  the  boat  stayed  here.     She  was  here  about  one  o'clock,  but 
I  did  not  see  her  when  she  left.     There  were,  I  should  think,  one 
hundred  Missourians,  more  or  less,  here  that  day,  but  I  saw  none  vote. 
I  heard  them  say  they  did  not  intend  voting  as  long  as  the  emigration 
•  from  the  east,  they  were  expecting,  did  not  get  here.     I  have  not  got 
my  opinion  of  the  number  of  voters  in  the  district  from  the  number 
of  votes   polled,  instead  of  what  I  knew  of  resident   voters.     The 
county  was  pretty  thickly  settled.     I  saw  no  illegal  votes  polled  on 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  though  there  might  have  been.     Malcolm 
Clark  was  building  in  town  here  and  his  children  stayed  just  across 
H.  Kep.  200 27* 


418  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

from  the  Fort  on  some  property  he  had  there.  I  have  heard  him  sta* 
that  as  he  did  not  vote  in  Missouri,  he  had  a  right  to  vote  here.  I  d 
not  see  him  vote.  Mr.  Gould  is  living  in  this  city  yet.  I  do  o 
recollect  the  name  of  the  boat  from  which  the  hands  came  and  votet 
She  came  from  down  the  river.  I  took  them  to  be  hands  from  the 
appearance.  I  think  there  were  eight  or  ten  of  them  who  vote* 
there  might  have  been  more  or  less.  I  do  not  know  where  these  mi 
lived.  I  went  up  to  the  edge  of  the  ring  and  saw  them  cast  tht 
votes.  They  voted  by  ballot,  I  believe,  and  their  ballots  were  difif 
ent  from  ours  in  color — a  red  color.  They  stood  around  some  tin 
before  they  did  vote.  I  do  not  recollect  the  color  of  the  pro-slave 
ticket,  but  I  think  they  had  two  colors  of  pro-slavery  tickets.  I  km 
these  men  said  they  were  going  to  vote  for  the  man  they  were  gob 
up  with.  What  I  mean  by  ballot,  is  a  ticket  with  the  names  I  vo 
for,  which  are  read  off  when  my  name  is  recorded,  and  that  I  think< 
the  way  it  was  done  at  that  election.  I  believe  Jolly  made  his  hoi 
at  Grasshopper  Falls,  which  I  think  was  in  this  district  at  that  tim 
The  district  took  in  Osawkee,  a  town  on  the  Grasshopper,  and 
about  nine  or  ten  miles  beyond  Hickory  Point.  I  call  it  thirty  rni/| 
to  Grasshopper  Falls.  This  district  extended  beyond  the  Strangr 
towards  the  Kaw  river,  some  eight  or  ten  miles,  so  far  as  I  was  f  j 
quaint ed,  and  I  think  it  extended  further  than  that,  and  I  think ; ; 
extends,  up  the  river,  to  some  little  creek  in  Salt  creek  valley,  abet 
three  or  four  miles  beyond  Fort  Leavenworth. 

I  think  it  was  in  the  spring  or  winter  of  1855,  that  I  first  hea> 
about  the  secret  societies  of  the  free  State  parties  ;  before  the  Mart| 
election  I  think.  I  cannot  say  that  I  ever  heard  from  any  one  wVi 
belonged  to  this  secret  society  what  its  object  was,  but  rumor  saysH 
is  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State  at  all  hazards,  even  at  the  point  of  if 
knife,  and  to  work  together  for  one  another's  interests^  and  help  &:•' 
aid  each  other  in  every  way  and  form.  This  I  have  heard  from  prew 
reliable  men  who  were  free  soilers  and  who  now  say  they  will  not  vo<>| 
I  judge  from  the  meetings  held  out  our  way  that  those  secret  societfj 
still  exist.  I  know  persons  who  are  not  Odd  Fellows  or  Masons  m 
attend  those  secret  meetings.  I  am  a  Know-nothing,  and  that  is  rii 
such  a  society.  I  was  in  favor  of  a  counter  lodge  in  this  city  to  cod 
teract  the  one  that  was  exposed  here.  But  I  never  heard  of  any  secij 
society  in  Missouri  or  Kansas  Territory  to  make  this  Territory  a  slai 
State. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  found  out  on  the  day  of  election  that  the  tickets  were  to  be  of  d<! 
ferent  colors;  the  pro-slavery,  I  think,  using  buff  or  yellow,  and  tj 
free  State  some  other  color.  In  the  first  voting  I  had  some  tickets! 
distribute  to  my  friends,  and  some  of  my  friends  came  to  me  and  t0<| 
them  all  away,  and  said  the  other  side  had  the  same  colored  ticket 
and  in  a  short  time  tickets  of  another  color  were  given  to  me.  I  hai! 
forgotten  whether  the  names  of  candidates  were  read  off  the  tick! 
when  they  were  handed  in  or  not.  I  could  tell  who  a  person  vot  1 
for  in  some  way  besides  the  color  of  the  ticket,  as  it  was  a  gene*i 
thing  at  the  window  to  call  out,  "here  is  a  free  State  ticket,"  a 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  419 

"here  is  a  pro-slavery  ticket."     I  think  Captain  Pitcher  held  the 
rope  at  the  side  as  they  came  up,  and  let  them  out  after  they  voted. 

A.  T.  PATTIE. 
LBAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


H.  MILES  MOORE  testifies. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  to  reside  in  September,  1854,  from,  Wes- 
ton, Missouri,  where  I  had  been  residing  for  five  years,  practising  as 
an  attorney  at  law.     For  seven  weeks  previous  to  the  election  in  the 
Territory,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  meetings  of  the  Platte  county 
self-defensive  association  were  held  in  Platte  county.     I  also  learned 
that  like  meetings  were  being  held  in  all  the  border  counties  of  Mis- 
souri, to  make  arrangements  to  come  over  to  the  Territory  to  attend 
the  election  for  members  of  the  legislature  and  vote.     I  know  that 
iSecret  meetings  of  what  was  called  the  Blue  Lodge  were  held  in  the 
Masonic  Lodge  room  in  Weston.   I  saw  persons  going  up,  and  I  learned 
from  members  of  the  association  that  their  objects  and  plans  were  to 
come  over  to  the  Territory  and  vote  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     I 
did  not  myself  belong  to  that  association.     From  what  I  have  heard 
said,  I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  nominations  for  the  pro- 
slavery  party  for  members  of  the  legislature  were  decided  upon  at 
these  secret  meetings  at  Weston  and  Platte  City,  so  far  as  the  fifteenth 
and  sixteenth  districts  were  concerned.     For  two  or  three  days  pre- 
vious to  the  election  large  companies  formed  through  the  City  of  Wes- 
ton, en  route  for  the  Territory,,  from  Platte,   Clinton,  Clay,  Eay, 
Chariton,  Carrol,  and  some  from  Howard  and  Harrison  counties,  Mis- 
souri, bringing  with  them  tents,  forage  and  provisions.     These  men 
were  generally  armed,  some  with  guns,  and  others  with  revolvers  and 
t>owie  knives.     Some  of  these  men  were  on  horseback,  and  some  of 
them  were  in  wagons.     Among  those  from  the  back  counties,  that  I 
recognized  particularly,  were  Squire  Hyde,  of  Chariton  county,  who 
said  he  had  about  seventy  or  eighty  men  with  him,  and  several  men 
From  Brunswick,  Chariton  county,  who  were  not  of  his  party,  whose 
names  I  do  not  now  recollect.     I  also  saw  several  from  Howard  county 
and  from  the  counties  above  mentioned.     Most  of  the  parties  from 
^latte  county  and  those  near  by  went  to  the  back  districts  of  the  Ter- 
ritory, as  the}''  told  me  after  they  returned,  to  Hickory  Point,,  Marys- 
pille,  Nemaha,  and  Wolf  river  precincts,  and  that  they  made  a  clean 
ihing  of  it.     I  saw  a  company  under   David  K.  Atchison  as  they 
passed  through  Weston,  and  some  of  them  told  me  they  were  going 
:o  Nemaha  or  the  eighteenth  district.     I  also  learned  that  they  were 
?rom  the  counties  of  Missouri  on  the  north  side  of  the  Missouri  river, 
»vere  to  go  to  the  district  on  the  north  side  of  the  Kaw  river,  and  those 
)n  the  north  side  went  to  the  north  side.     Companies  were  formed 
Tom  Platte  county  and  went  over  to  Nemaha,  and  then  to  Hickory 
Point,  and  then  to  Marysville,   &c.     Squire  Hyde's  company  from 
Jhariton  county  came  to  Leaven  worth,  together  with  a  large  number 


420 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


of  citizens  from  in  and  about  Weston.     Some  from  Weston  came  i 
carriages  and  some  on  horseback. 

The  steamboat  New  Lucy  was  lying  at  the  levee  at  Weston,  an 
we  chartered  her  to  bring  down  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  for  $2  5C 
round  trip,  meals  included.  I  think  each  man  paid  his  own  fare  ci 
the  boat,  as  this  was  considered  rather  a  luxurious  way  of  travellicj 
here.  As  regards  the  other  companies,  money  was  raised  to  pay  the 
expenses,  or  a  portion  of  them,  to  buy  their  provisions  and  outfit,  1 
voluntary  contributions  from  those  who  could  not  come,  but  w# 
friendly  to  the  cause.  The  captain  of  the  New  Lucy  was  Captai 
William  Conolly.  The  boat  started  from  Weston  and  got  down  he 
in  the  course  of  an  hour.  I  should  think  there  were  one  thousan 
men  on  the  ground  here,  armed  with  bowie  knives  and  revolvers  ge< 
erally,  some  few  guns  among  them.  The  citizens  of  Missouri  we 
generally  distinguished  by  a  badge  of  hemp  in  the  button  hole,  > 
elsewhere  about  their  persons.  A  very  large  crowd  was  gathered  a  bo 
the  polls.  Ropes  were  carried  back  from  the  window  so  as  to  formj 
lane,  up  which  persons  went  to  vote  and  then  passed  out.  Duriiil 
the  forepart  of  the  day  there  was  a  great  deal  of  crowding  about  tj 
polls.  The  free  State  men,  I  think,  did  not  take  much  part  in  thj 
election.  I  voted  that  day  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  as  the  rest  of  tj 
Missourians  did.  The  pro-slavery  ticket  were  Rees  and  Eastin  1 
council,  Matthias,  Payne,  and  McMeekin  for  house  of  representative 
I  have  carefully  examined  the  poll  books  for  that  election  and  find  I) 
it  the  names  of  persons  I  knew  to  have  been  then  citizens  of  Missour 
as  follows : 


Thomas  Baumont, 

J.  M.  Guthrie, 

James  H.  Hall, 

John  B.  Wells, 

George  Grimsby, 

William  H.  Spatt, 

William  H.  Nems, 

John  Venemon, 

Judge  William  B.  Almond, 

Joseph  Guynard, 

B.  W.  McGee, 

N.  A.  Wilkinson, 

R.  M.  Gordon, 

Robert  Pents, 

J.  M.  Summers, 

A.  T.  Guthrie, 

R.  B.  Chinn, 

E.  F.  Pierce, 
John  Many, 
Jackson  Summers, 
R.  W.  Chinn, 
John  W.  Beding, 

F.  Marshall, 
Samuel  B.  Offutt, 


B.  W.  Mitchell, 
A.  P.  Walling, 
Franklin  Yocum, 
Jeremiah  Crabb, 

D.  S.  Leech, 
James  Saunders, 
T.  R.  Buckhart, 
James  Doniphan, 
William  Dickey, 
W.  A.  Wilson, 
John  B.  Camp, 
W.  Christiana, 
Smith  Collant, 
Joseph  Nowers, 

C.  E.  Woolfolk, 
R.  H.  Stewart, 
Josse  Vineyard, 
W.  S.  Offut, 
James  Barber, 
William  A.  Gabbet, 

E.  H.  Pierce, 
David  Large, 
Isaac  Archer, 
L.  P.  Stiles, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


421 


W.  A.  Guthrie, 

G.  W.  Robins, 

W.  L.  Dameal, 

Joseph  Murphy, 

John  Gunsollis,  captain  of 

steamboat  Golden  State, 
William  Conolly,  captain  of 

steamboat  New  Lucy, 
George  W.  Peirce, 
H.  J.  Woolf,  clerk  of  Wes- 
ton  court  of  common  pleas, 
William  C.  Kimber, 
H.  Miles  Moore, 
John  B.  Wells, 
D.  A.  Johnson, 
N.  B.  Brooks, 
John  R.  Congers, 
John  T.  Owens, 
George  W.  Dye, 
G.  U.  Baumont, 
W.  W.  Woods, 
D.  S.  Gordon, 


Israel  Dougherty, 
A.  Gilbert, 
J.  C.  Cockrill, 
R.  F.  Fisk, 
Samuel  Fernandis, 
Frank  Gilbert, 
Harvey  Burch, 
D.  J.  Pence, 
John  D.  Harper, 
P.  K.  Wagoner, 
Jacob  Pitts, 
John  Moor, 
W.  T.  Barbee, 
W.  T.  Woods, 
Edward  Duncan, 
Am.  Owens, 
John  W.  Corser, 
Joseph  Holiday, 
G.  W.  Robins, 


George  Kimper, 
W.  A.  Newman, 
Michael  Burch.  (89  in  all.) 
I  should  think  there  were  500  or  more  votes  cast  that  day  by  Mis- 
ourians,  at  the  election  at  Leavenworth  city.  Several  speeches  were 
aade  by  gentlemen  from  Missouri,  and  the  candidates  exhorting  the 
icople  to  vote,  that  they  had  a  perfect  right  to  vote  under  the  princi- 
»les  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill.  My  opinion  that  most  of  those 
eho  came  from  Missouri  to  the  Territory  to  vote  were  induced  to  do 
o  from  representations  made  to  them  that  there  were  large  numbers 
f  emigrants  coming  from  the  north  and  east,  under  the  auspices  of 
he  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  for  the  purpose  of  voting  to  make  Kansas 
.  free  State,  and  then  returning.  Such  statements  were  published  in 
he  papers  through  western  Missouri,  together  with  statements  that 
hese  eastern  emigrants  threatened,  after  making  Kansas  a  free  State, 
o^come  over  into  Missouri  and  interfere  with  slavery  there,  and  I 
pink  that  very  few  of  the  free  State  men  voted  at  Leavenworth  at 
his  election .  I  had  conversation  with  several  free  State  men  who  re- 
ided  in  Leavenworth  city  and  its  vicinity,  in  which  they  stated  that 
hey  were  disgusted  with  the  manner  in  which  the  election  was  being 
onducted,  and  that  the  free  State  men  would  not  vote,  but  would 
ontest  the  election.  I  tried  to  persuade  them  to  vote,  and  their  re- 
ly was,  that  the  people  of  Missouri  were  controlling  the  election,  and 
hey  would  not  take  part  in  it.  I  know  those  free  State  men  I  con- 
ersed  with  were  citizens  of  Leavenworth  and  vicinity  from  that  I 
.ad  been  one  of  the  town  proprietors  from  its  inception,  and  I  was 
he  first  secretary  of  the  town  association,  and  these  free  State  men 
rere  some  of  those  who  had  bought  shares  and  lots  in  the  town,  which 
had  transferred  to  them  as  secretary.  I  had  attended  all  the  public 
ales  of  lots  as  secretary  of  the  association,  and  had  been  here  nearly 
-  very  week  on  business  connected  with  the  association,  as  well  as  on 
ly  own  business.  The  free  State  men  generally  had  nothing  to  do 


422  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

with  the  election.  I  did  not  see  any  attempts  to  prevent  any  oni 
from  voting.  The  polls  were  very  much  crowded  during  the  fore  pan 
of  the  day.  In  the  afternoon  the  polls  were  clear,  and  at  times  calll 
were  made  for  more  voters,  and  I  think  any  one  could  have  voted  whu 
had  so  desired.  Just  before  sundown  the  "New  Lucy  returned  tf 
Weston,  there  being  more  persons  going  back  on  the  boat  than  carni 
down  on  her  in  the  morning.  For  several  days  after  the  election 
many  persons  passed  through  Weston  back  into  Missouri,  arnona 
whom  I  saw  most  of  those  I  knew,  and  had  seen  going  into  the  Ten 
ritory,  and  they  stated  to  me  the  several  precincts  they  had  been  ttj 
and  voted,  and  said  they  had  made  a  clean  sweep  that  time. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  to  reside  in  September,  1854.  Shortli 
after  that  an  election  for  locating  the  county  seat  was  held  in  thi 
county,  at  which  large  numbers  of  Missourians,  from  Platte  countyy 
Weston,  and  Platte  city,  came  to  Delaware  city  and  Kickapoo  ano 
voted  at  that  election.  I  had  believed  that  the  Missourians  had  ha<i 
some  justification  for  endeavoring  to  come  and  control  the  territorial 
legislation,  in  order  to  afford  more  security  to  their  slave  property  ii 
Missouri,  and  for  that  reason  I  had  come  with  them ;  but  their  cours-i 
with  regard  to  the  mere  local  election  for  county  seat  was  so  highn 
handed  an  outrage  upon  the  rights  of  the  people  of  the  Territory,  cxJ 
whom  I  had  then  become  one,  that  I  came  to  the  resolution  that  i 
would  no  longer  act  with  a  party  so  regardless  of  the  rights  of  othertj 
that  they  would  interfere  in  a  matter  in  which  they  could  have  m 
personal  or  political  interest,  I  determined  to  act  with  the  free  Stati 
party  so  long  as  they  were  actuated  by  what  I  considered  proper  mod 
tives,ihough  I  would  have  continued  to  act  with  the  pro-slavery  parti; 
had  they  not  acted  as  they  did.  I  therefore  concluded  to  act  with  thnj 
free  State  party  so  long  as  they  were  willing  to  act  consistently  witl 
the  principles  of  the  organic  act,  and  submit  to  the  territorial  law?) 
while  in  force.  At  the  election  for  county  seat,  Delaware  county,  witl 
a  population  of  not  more  than  forty  voters,  polled  nearly  a  thousand 
votes.  A  large  majority  of  the  votes  polled  at  Kickapoo  were  b; 
Missourians.  The  people  of  Leavenworth  polled  between  500  an* 
600  votes,  all  given  by  actual  residents,  so  far  as  I  was  able  to  fine 
out. 

In  consequence  of  my  determination  at  this  time  to  act  thereafter 
with  the  free  State  party  I  became  obnoxious  to  the  pro-slavery  menj 
both  in  Missouri  and  in  the  Territory.     My  person   and  property  had 
been  frequently  threatened  with  violence  and  destruction  by  them  fo< 
six  months  or  more  past.     I  was  elected  at  the  election  for  State  offiij 
cers,  under  the  Topeka  State  constitution,  attorney  general  of  th^ 
State  of  Kansas.     In   March  last  I  took  the  oath  of  office,  with  th«ij 
express  understanding  that  it  should  not  be  binding  on  me,  and  !| 
should  not  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  my  official  duties  until  Kansas 
had  been  admitted  into  the  "Onion  as  a  State  by  Congress.     On  Wed< 
nesday,  May  28,  1856, 1  was  arrested  while  standing  at  my  office  door 
about  noon,  by  Major  Warren  D.  Wilkes,  who  had  a  posse  with  him! 
of  some  twenty  or  twenty-five  men,  armed  with  United  States  musketi 
and  bayonets.     At  the  time  of  the  arrest  I  was  conversing  with  Marcii! 
J.  Parrot  and  Hon.  John  Sherman,  a  member  of  the  Kansas  investi 
tigating   committee   of  the   House   of  representatives.     This  possr 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  423 


r,  marched  down  the  street  in  column  in  platoons  of  four,  and  when 
m  they  reached  my  office  they  faced  about  and  formed  in  a  line,  with 
shouldered  muskets.     A  man  by  the  name  of  Eli  Moore,  who  has  been, 
and  I  think  is  now,  deputy  sheriff  of  this  county,  approached  with 
* Major  Wilkes,  and  pointed  out  to  him  Mr.  Parrot  and  myself.     Major 
-j  Wilkes  said  to  us,  "  Gentlemen,  I  have  to  arrest  you  temporarily/' 
,  ftLr.  Parrot  said  to  Mr.  Sherman,  "What  shall  we  do  ?"     Mr.  Sherman 
.said,  "I  can  do  nothing  ;  I  am  powerless  in  this  matter."     Mr.  Sher- 
*;  man  then  turned  to  Major  Wilkes,  and  asked  him  if  he  had  a  warrant 
for  our  arrest,  and  he  said  he  had  not.     Mr.  Sherman  then  asked  him. 
by  what  authority  he  made  the  arrests,  and  he  said,  "By  an  authority 
t|  higher  than  my  own  ;  Iain  not  acting  on  my  own  responsibility;" 
V  ind  then  holding  out  his  hand  with  a  crumpled  piece  of  paper  in  it, 
;.  lie  said,  "  I  have  a  list  of  names  here  for  arrests."     I  then  went  into 
,;  my  office,  locked  up  my  desk,  got  my  hat,  and  came  out  and  locked 
~  my  office.     I  then  inquired  of  Major  Wilkes  by  what  authority  he 
jj  irrested  me,  or  if  he  had  a  warrant  from  anybody  for  my  arrest. 
;  Major  Wilkes  replied,  "  I  have  no  time  to  parley  ;  take  your  place  in 
,.  :he  ranks;"  which  Mr.  Parrot  and  myself  did.     Martin  F.  Conway 
•  md  Mr.  Weibling  were  then  prisoners  as  we  were.     Mr.   Sherman 
;hen  approached  Mr.  Conway,  and  inquired  when  he  was  taken.     Just 
.  is  he  spoke  the  word  of  command  was  given  to  "forward,  march." 
is  we  started  Mr.  Conway  turned  to  Mr.  Sherman  and  said,  "I  have 
eft  the  papers  I  was  copying  with  Mrs.  Sherman."     We  were  then 
y  mrriedly  marched  down  and  placed  in  a  warehouse  of  Captain  Clark- 
ion,  and  kept  there,  under  a  strong  guard,  until  the  next  morning, 
vhen  I  was  sent  for  by  the  commissioner.     A  guard  went  up  to  the 
iommittee  room  with  me.     The  committee  refused  to  examine  me 
vhile  I  was  under  guard,  unless  some  legal  authority  was  shown  for 
ny  detention.     I  was  then  taken  back.     Subsequently,  and  while  i 
yas  in  custody,  I  was  informed  by  Captain  Clarkson  that  a  secret 
:ouncil  had  been  held,  and  had  determined  that  I  must  leave  the  Ter- 
ritory.    I  asked  him  what  were  the  charges  against  me,  and  if  I 
night  not  go  before  the  congressional  investigating  committee  and 
bake  some  explanation.     He  said  that  I  had  taken  a  prominent  part 
n  the  free  State  movement,  and  had  accepted  an  office  under  the  State 
irganization,  and  therefore  I  had  become  obnoxious,  and  with  other 
ree  State  men,  a  list  of  whose  names  they  had,  must  leave  the  Terri- 
ory.     I  expostulated  with  him,  but  it  was  insisted  upon  that  I  should 
eave  the  Territory.     I  explained  to  him  that  I  had  great  interest  in 
nis  town,  and  I  should  be  pecuniarily  ruined  if  obliged  to  leave  so 
ummarily,  and  that  I  expected  my  wife  here  shortly,  and  looked  for 
ier  to  arrive  on  each  boat.     He  said  that  under  those  circumstances  I 
rould  be  allowed  a  little  longer  time  than  otherwise,  but  I  must  leave 
he  Territory  in  a  very  short  time,  at  all  events,  and  his  orders  were 
tnperative. 

Being  compelled  thus  to  leave,  I  have  been  requested  by  Messrs, 
toward  and  Sherman,  who  deem  my  evidence  important,  to  give  it 
bus  in  private,  believing  as  I  do  that  my  person  and  life  would  be 
ndangered  at  this  time  should  I  give  it  in  public. 

H.  MILES  MOORE. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


424  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

SAMUEL  KIXEY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  am  acquainted  with  Thomas  Hodges,  of  Platte  county,  Missouri 
He  lives  one  mile  above  me  on  Bee  creek.  I  have  never  had  any  con 
versation  with  Mr.  Hodges  in  regard  to  any  election  in  this  Territory. 
I  have  never  countenanced  him  in  any  way,  as  I  have  always  regardeo 
him  as  an  abolitionist,  and  never  regarded  him  except  with  contempt! 
and  I  declare  the  statement  made  by  him,  that  I  offered  him  fivt 
dollars  to  come  over  and  vote,  or  for  anything  connected  in  any  wa: 
with  coming  to  this  Territory  to  vote,  at  any  time,  is  false.  I  hav- 
not  seen  him  since  I  understood  that  he  was  here  testifying  before  thi 
committee.  I  never  heard  of  his  testifying  in  regard  to  my  offering 
to  bribe  him  until  this  morning.  I  have  no  recollection  of  eve 
soliciting  him  to  come  to  any  election  in  the  Territory.  Mr.  Thoma; 
Hodges  I  refer  to  is  the  one  I  understood  has  testified  before  this  com 
mittee. 

SAMUEL  EIXEY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


WILLIAM  G-.  MATTHIAS  testifies. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  of  Kansas  and  settled  at  Leavenwortl 
City  on  the  23d  of  November,  1854.  I  was  present  at  the  election  cc 
the  30th  March,  1855,  at  Leavenworth.  The  candidates  at  that  elec< 
tion  were  L.  J.  Eastin  and  K.  K.  Kees  for  council,  pro-slavery,  an<w 
A.  J.  Whitney  and  Mr.  Twombley,  free  State,  for  council;  H.  DJ 
McMeekin,  A.  Payne,  and  myself,  pro-slavery,  Felix  Braden,  Dn 
France,  and  Mr.  Browning,  free  State,  were  the  candidates  for  thi 
house  of  representatives.  During  this  spring  I  was  boarding  at  Foil 
Leavenworth.  There  was  a  ferry  at  the  Fort,  and  there  was  also 
ferry  above  the  Fort  on  government  land,  and  all  crossing  at  botl 
ferries  were  necessarily  compelled  to  pass  along  the  public  road  alonji 
by  the  Fort.  During  the  month  of  March  there  was  a  great  deal  c< 
emigration,  wagons  and  people  coming  across  the  ferries  into  the  Ten 
ritory,  so  that  I  concluded  that  the  resident  voters  of  our  district) 
which  extended  out  as  far  as  Soldier  creek,  had  increased  very  conr 
siderably. 

We  were  anxiously  looking  for  the  proclamation  of  the  governor 
so  as  to  find  out  when  the  election  was  held.  About  the  early  pan 
of  March,  about  the  first  week,  we  heard  a  rumor  that  the  election 
was  to  be  held  on  the  23d  of  March,  and  therefore  the  pro-slaverr 
party  called  a  convention  on  the  10th  of  March.  At  that  time  w\ 
had  not  learned  positively  when  the  election  was  to  be,  but  I  thinli 
a  messenger  came  there  that  night  with  the  proclamation  of  thh 
governor.  We  had  given  but  four  or  five  days'  notice  to  the  people  o< 
the  district  to  meet  in  mass  convention.  There  were  over  one  hundrec 
pro-slavery  voters  there  at  the  convention  of  the  10th  of  March.  Oil 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

the  first  ballot  for  candidates  there  were  one  hundr.  McM^s  given, 
and  there  were  a  numher  of  pro-slavery  men  who  were'S  ;  ^inere  when 
the  hallotting  was  going  on,  and  T  do  not  remember  of  "seeing  a  man 
there  who  lived  further  than  Stranger  creek.  I  was  therefore  satis- 
fied that  not  half  the  pro-slavery  men  of  the  district  were  there.  It 
was  always  my  impression,  from  all  I  could  learn,  that  we  had  a  large 
majority  in  that  district. 

On  the  day  of  election  there  were  a  great  many  persons  present 
whom  I  did  not  know,  but  several  hundreds  I  did  know,  having  met 
them  in  convention  and  in  canvassing  the  district.  I  was  about  the 
polls  a  good  deal,  but  I  could  not  tell  that  I  saw  more  than  one  man 
lli!vote  besides  myself.  There  were  two  ropes  extended  back  from  each 
a?'  side  of  the  window  some  twenty  or  thirty  yards,  and  there  was  a  sort 
C!  of  police  to  keep  men  from  crowding  on  and  breaking  the  rope  down, 
but  near  the  window  there  were  a  great  many  persons,  both  inside  and 
outside  of  the  ropes  to  watch  the  voting.  Our  tickets  were  red  tickets, 
and  the  crowd  I  suppose  had  ascertained  that  and  were  standing  there 
to  see  the  red  tickets  go  in.  Before  many  votes  were  cast  some  of 
those  who  were  acquainted  with  free  State  men  of  Leaven  worth  dis- 
covered they  were  voting  red  tickets  also.  It  was  proclaimed  in  the 
crowd,  by  several  men  who  got  up  in  the  crowd,  that  all  pro-slavery 
men  who  had  red  tickets  should  destroy  them  and  not  vote  them.  We 
then  had  yellow  tickets  printed,  and  I  remained  at  the  printing  office 
until  we  had  what  we  supposed  were  enough  of  yellow  tickets.  There 
were  sixty-one  free  State  tickets  polled  that  day ;  I  saw  some  of  them 
go  inside  the  ropes,  but  I  did  not  see  them  vote.  I  was  acquainted 
with  thirty  or  forty  free  State  men  in  town,  and  I  called  on  several 
who  were  near  the  polls  to  come  up  and  vote,  as  several  of  them  had 
indicated  they  would  vote  for  me,  as  they  boarded  at  the  same  house  I 
did.  A  few  of  them  have  since  told  me  they  voted  for  me.  I  saw 
i)i  t  some  of  those  I  spoke  to  go  between  the  ropes  and  go  up  to  the  win- 


dow, and  I  suppose  they  voted ;  but  several  of  those  I  spoke  to  said 
they  would  not  vote ;  I  asked  the  reason ;  they  said  they  thought 
their  party  was  badly  beaten  and  there  was  no  use  in  their  voting. 
The  election  passed  off  as  orderly  and  peaceably  as  elections  I  had 
attended  in  Carroll  county,  Maryland ;  I  knew  of  but  one  fight  there 
that  day,  and  that  I  think  was  between  two  pro-slavery  men.  In 
Maryland,  where  I  came  from,  we  frequently  had  half  a  dozen  bruised 
faces  during  the  day.  In  mixing  with  the  crowd  at  Leavenworth  on 
the  day  of  election  I  noticed  that  most  of  them  had  belts  on,  and  I  saw 
in  some  of  them  pistols  and  Bowie  knives,  but  that  was  the  custom  of 
the  country.  The  citizens  of  the  town  I  think  were  not  armed.  I 
saw,  I  suppose,  all  the  people  who  were  about  that  day^  and  I  do  not 
think  I  saw  three  men  in  the  whole  crowd  there  of  one  thousand  and 
upwards  with  hemp  about  them ;  I  did  see  one  man  who  had  a  hempen 
cue  fixed  to  his  hair  and  hanging  down  behind. 

I  think  we  made  four  appointments  to  address  the  people  while  we 
were  canvassing  the  district;  one  at  Alexandria,  on  Stranger  creek,  one 
at  Somerville,  on  Little  Stranger,  near  Mr.  Minard's,  one  at  Salt 
Creek  Valley,  and  one  at  Leavenworth  city.  There  were  but  few  people 
present  at  Alexandria ;  they  were  all  pro-slavery  men,  and  we  made 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

The  candidates  of  both  sides  went  round  the  dis- 
The  next  day  we  went  to  Somerville,  where  we 
fc  Mr.  Twombley  opened  the  discussion  that  day.  We 
g  about  the  time  the  speaking  commenced  some  forty  or 
^persons.  Mr.  Twombley  continued  speaking  some  three 
,.  In  the  mean  time  a  fight  occurred  between  a  free  State  and 

pro-slavery  man,  and  the  free  State  man  was  cleaned  out,  and  from 
the  sides  the  people  took  we  discovered  many  more  there  on  our  side 
than  we  thought  we  had.  We  did  not  discuss  any  ourselves  that  day, 
as  there  was  not  much  time  for  it.  Mr.  Kees  made  some  few  remarks 
just  after  Mr.  Twombley  closed,  and  while  speaking  made  some  refer- 
ence to  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  some  one  in  the  crowd  cried  out, 
"  Don't  you  say  anything  against  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  for  they 
sent  me  out  here."  The  next  day  we  had  a  discussion  at  Salt  Creek 
Valley :  at  that  place  I  think  there  must  have  been  some  sixty  per- 
sons present.  There  was  good  feeling,  as  far  as  the  candidates  were 
concerned,  all  the  canvass  through. 

I  was  not  much  acquainted  in  the  district  until  I  commenced  can- 
vassing it;  and  from  what  I  learned  in  every  way  during  the  canvass, 
I  concluded  we  had  a  large  majority  of  actual  residents  in  the  district. 
The  election,  I,  think,  was  on  Friday,  and  on  the  day  before  we  spoke 
at  Leavenworth  to  a  crowd  of  several  hundred.  Many  of  them  I 
knew  to  have  been  residents  of  the  Territory,  and  I  have  recognized 
many  others  since  as  residents.  I  do  not  think  there  were  many 
Missourians  there  at  that  public  speaking.  I  think  I  must  have  seen 
three  or  four  hundred  resident  voters  in  the  canvass  in  the  district, 
and  there  were  some  pro-slaverr  men  who  were  not  at  the  election. 

The  crowd  who  were  at  the  polls  on  the  day  of  election  did  not 
interfere  with  the  voting  of  any  one;  and  by  three  o'clock  the  bulk 
of  the  crowd  were  gone,  and  during  the  day,  a  good  portion  of  the 
time,  the  bulk  of  the  crowd  were  down  on  the  levee  listening  to  the 
speeches  that  were  made  there. 

The  judges  told  me  that  I  lost  several  votes,  as,  in  cutting  the 
tickets  apart,  my  name  being  on  the  bottom  was  cut  in  two,  and  they 
would  not  count  those  tickets  for  me.  The  pro-slavery  party  were 
united  on  their  ticket,  and  I  think  I  never  saw  more  union  in  any 
party  at  any  election.  I  think  I  must  have  been  acquainted  with 
probably  four  hundred  resident  voters  on  the  ground  that  day,  and 
there  were  many  there,  I  am  confident,  I  was  not  acquainted  with.  I 
think  there  were  three  pro-slavery  to  one  free  State  man  on  the 
ground. 

That  election  was  contested  and  a  new  election  was  ordered  by 
Governor  Reeder.  I  think  on  the  3d  of  April  the  Doniphan, 
Atchison,  Kickapoo,  and  Leavenworth  members  elect  left  for  Shawnee 
Mission,  and  found  most  of  the  members  elect  in  Westport,  Missouri. 
The  next  day  we  went  to  Shawnee  and  found  a  protest  filed  against 
our  election  signed  by  some  ten  or  a  dozen  persons.  Governor  Reeder 
set  the  representatives  elect  aside  in  our  district,  and  ordered  a  new 
election,  which  was  held  on  the  22d  of  May  following.  The  same 
pro-slavery  candidates  for  representatives  ran  again.  There  were  six 
or  seVen  hundred  votes  polled  that  day.  But  there  was  not  much 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  427 

interest  taken,  as  far  as  our  side  was  concerned.  Mr.  McMeekin  and 
myself  declared  that  day  that  we  were  not  candidates  ;  that  we  did 
not  believe  Governor  Keeder  had  a  right  to  set  aside  the  first  election ; 
that  we  had  heen  elected  before,  and  intended  to  claim  our  seats  under 
the  first  election.  I  had  a  conversation  with  some  of  the  free  State 
men  that  day,  and  they  acknowledged  that  that  election  was  all  fair, 
and  they  had  been  beaten  fairly. 

I  saw  Governor  Keeder  several  times  before  the  legislature  met  at 
Pawnee,  and  he  said  he  would  give  us  our  certificates  at  any  time. 
No  one  appeared  to  contest  our  seats,  and  there  were  no  persons  in 
Pawnee  claiming  seats  for  any  districts  except  in  those  Governor 
Reeder  had  set  aside. 

WILLIAM  G.  MATHIAS. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  6,  1856. 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. 


Rev.  THOMAS  JOHNSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  have  lived  in  Kansas  Territory  for  nineteen  years.     I  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  council  of  the  territorial  legislature,  in  the  first 
council  district.     I  was  present  at  the  election  on  the  30th  of  March, 
1855,  at  the  Shawnee  Methodist  meeting  house,  in  the  seventeenth 
district.     Governor  Reeder  and  Judge  Lecompte  were  both  present  at 
that  election.     Mr.  Chouteau,  one  of  the  judges  of  election  appointed 
by  the  governor,  asked  me  a  few  days  before  the  election  about  the 
nature  of  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor,  and  I  told  him  I  pre- 
:  sumed  it  was  substantially  correct,  and  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in 
taking  it.    But  I  informed  him  at  the  same  time  that  Judge  Lecompte 
| would  be  at  the  election,  and  he  could  consult  with  him  about  the 
;oath.     On  the  day  of  election,  at  the  place  where  the  polls  were  held, 
[  heard  the  judges  speak  to  Judge  Lecompte  about  the  oath  prescribed 
by^the  governor.     I  did  not  hear  all  that  passed  between  them,  for  I 
,paid  but  little  attention  to  it,  but  I  understood  that  Judge  Lecompte 
i  would  and  did  make  some  slight  verbal  alterations,  which  met  their 
objections,  but  did  not  materially  change  the  effect  and  nature  of  the 
oath.     He  administered  that  oath  to  the  judges  of  election,  and  after 
that  I  asked  Governor  Reeder  if  the  changes  in  the  oath  affected  its 
validity.    He  told  me  that  it  did  not,  that  he  did  not  see  any  necessity 
for  making  any  change,  but  still  he  considered  it  a  good  oath.     I  be- 
lieve I  was  acquainted  with  all  but  three  or  four  voters  there  on  the 
ground.     [  had  no  knowledge  of  there  being  any  illegal  voting  that 
day,  and  those  three  or  four  I  did  not  know  were  free  State  men,  and 
there  were  some  questions  passed  between  them  and  the  judges  as  to 
how  long  they  had  resided  in  the  district,  and  then  their  votes  were 
allowed  and  received. 


428  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Question.  Will  you  state  what  conversation  you  had  with  Governor 
Keeder  prior  to  the  meeting  of  the  territorial  legislature  at  Pawnee, 
and  after  the  governor  had  issued  his  proclamation  convening  them 
there,  concerning  the  propriety  of  calling  them  there,  and  the  absolute 
necessity  of  the  legislature  when  they  met  there,  removing  to  some 
other  place,  and  what  the  governor  said  as  to  the  power  of  the  legis- 
lature to  remove,  and  his  co-operating  with  them  in  whatever  they 
should  decide  to  do  in  reference  to  that  matter? 

[Mr.  King  here  states  that  he  proposes  to  prove  that  after  the  gov- 
ernor issued  his  proclamation  convening  the  legislature,  the  witness 
had  a  conversation  with  him,  in  which  the  witness  objected  to  the  pro- 
priety of  calling  the  legislature  together  at  Pawnee,  stating  that  there 
were  no  accommodations  there  that  would  be  at  all  suitable  for  the 
legislature,  and  that  if  the  legislature  was  convened  there,  they  would 
certainly  have  to  remove  to  some  other  place,  where  they  could  get ;! 
suitable  accommodations.     Also  that  Governor  Reeder  admitted  thatJ 
there  were  no  suitable  accommodations  at  Pawnee  at  that  time,  but  ij 
said  he  had  made  arrangements  for  having  suitable  accommodations  i 
prepared,  and  that  if,  upon  the  meeting  of  the  legislature,  those  accom-  • 
modations  were  not  to  be  obtained  there,  it  would  be  the  right  of  the  i 
legislature  to  Adjourn  to  some  other  place  where  they  could  be  suitably 
accommodated,  and  that  he  would  co-operate  with  the  legislature  and  1 
acquiesce  in  whatever  they  might  do  in  regard  to  that  matter,  admit-  • 
ting  the  right  of  the  legislature  to  adjourn  to  any  point  they  pleased. 
Also,  that  the  governor  stated  that  if  he  could  be  satisfied  before  the  ;- 
meeting  of  the  legislature  that  preparations  could  not  be  made  for  them  i 
at  Pawnee,  he  would  call  them  together  at  some  other  point.    He  also  > 
proposes  to  prove  further,  that  on  the  same  evening  after  the  above  \ 
conversation  took  place  between  Governor  Reeder  and  the  witness,  a  i 
messenger  came  to  the  governor  from  Pawnee  and  informed  him  that  i 
it  would  be  impossible  to  make  suitable  preparations  for  the  accoinmo-  •: 
dation  of  the  legislature  by  the  time  they  would  convene,  and  that  i 
the  governor,  instead  of  complying  with  the  promise  he  had  justi 
made  to  the  witness,  still  persisted  in  calling  the  legislature  together 
at  Pawnee,  and  never  undertook  to  give  any  explanation  to  the  wit-  • 
ness  as  to  the  reasons  for  his  course.    Mr,  King  also  proposes  to  prove  $ 
further  by  the  witness,  that  upon  the  meeting  of  the  legislature  at ; 
Pawnee  there  were  no  sort  of  accommodations  there  for  the  legislature,  , 
and  they  were  therefore  compelled  to  abandon  the  performance  of  their  • 
duties  or  to  adjourn  to  some  other  place.     Also,  to  prove  that  when  i 
the  legislature  assembled  there  the  members  had  to  make  their  own  i 
camps  and  camp  out,  and  do  their  own  cooking,  unless  they  were  for-  * 
tunate  enough  to  get  others  to  do  it  for  them ;    that  there  were  no 
boarding  houses  around  in  the  country  anywhere,  except  two  little  ' 
log  shanties  erected  at  the  place,  with  no  doors   or  partitions  but 
clothes  hung  up,  and  not  sufficient  to  accommodate  one  tenth  of  those  : 
who  were  necessarily  obliged  to  be  there  during  the  sitting  of  the  leg- 
islature.    Mr.  King  also  offers  to  prove  further  that  the  cholera  was  * 
raging  at  Pawnee  at  that  time,  and  that  a  man  died  of  the  cholera  at  , 
one  of  these  shanties  before  the  legislature  removed  from  them,  and 
that  several  members  had  strong  symptoms  of  cholera,  and  were  \ 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  429  ' 

prostrated  by  the  disease.  Mr.  King  states  that  his  object  in  offering 
this  testimony  is  not  to.  show  that  the  legislature  had  the  right  to  ad- 
journ from  Pawnee,  because  Governor  Keeder  admitted  it,  but  to  ex- 
hibit Governor  Keeder 's  conduct  in  the  whole  affair  in  what  Mr.  King 
considers  the  proper  light. 

A  majority  of  the  committee  overrules  the  question  and  excludes 
the  evidence  offered;  Mr.  Oliver  dissenting.] 

To  Mr.  King: 

My  council  district  was  composed  of  the  1st,  4th,  and  l*7th  election 
districts.  I  did  not  canvass  the  district,  and  know  nothing  about  the 
vote  at  Lawrence,  and  did  not  go  there  until  after  the  election.  I 
objected  to  be  a  candidate,  but  was  brought  out  by  the  party. 

THOS.  JOHNSON. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  3,  1856. 


CYPRIAN  CHOUTEAU  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

On  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  a  resident  of  Kansas  Territory, 
and  have  lived  in  it  some  twenty  or  twenty-two  years.  I  was  one  of 
the  judges  of  election,  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder,  for  the  seven-8 
teen  th  district,  and  served  as  such  on  the  day  of  election,  taking  an 
oath,  administered  by  Judge  Lecompte,  in  the  presence  of  Governor 
Eeeder.  I  heard  nothing  to  lead  me  to  suppose  the  judge  and  the 
governor  did  not  acquiesce  in  the  oath  administered.  I  knew  a  great 
many  of  the  legal  voters  of  the  district  at  that  time.  I  allowed  no 
man  to  vote  except  those  who  lived  in  the  Territory.  In  judging  of 
the  qualifications  of  voters  we  applied  the  rule  laid  down  in  the 
instructions  of  the  governor.  There  was  no  disposition  to  prevent  any 
men  from  voting,  and  all  whom  we  considered  legal  voters,  and  who 
presented  themselves,  were  allowed  to  vote.  I  know  of  no  reason  whj 
any  person  in  the  district  should  not  have  voted  that  day;  and  I  know 
of  no  free  State  man  in  the  district  who  did  not  vote.  The  pro-slavery 
party  had  a  majority,  not  very  large,  in  the  district  at' that  time.  I 
think  the  vote  on  the  poll  books  is  a  pretty  correct  exhibit  of  the  rela- 
tive strength  of  the  two  parties  in  that  district  at  that  time. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman: 

We  had  the  printed  form  of  the  oath  prescribed  by  Governor  Reeder 
before  us.  There  was  something  in  that  oath  to  which  the  judges  of 
election  objected,  but  I  do  not  recollect  what  it  was.  We  applied  to 
Judge  Lecompte  in  reference  to  it;  we  told  him  we  did  not  like  to  take 
the  oath,  and  he  said  he  would  put  it  in  a  different  shape  and  it  would 
answer  just  as  well.  Some  of  the  judges  of  election  noted  our  objec- 
tion to  the  oath,  as  prescribed  by  the  governor,  to  Judge  Lecompte,  but 
he  expressed  no  opinion,  that  I  know  of,  in  regard  to  our  objection,  but 
wrote,  at^  the  request  of  Mr.  Bowles,  a  different  form  of  oath,  which 
was  administered  to  us.  I  am  unable  to  say  what  was  the  objection 


430  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

taken  to  the  prescribed  oath,  or  whether  it  was  to  the  words,  uby  law 
ful  resident  voters,,"  being  in  it.  Mr.  Bowles  and  Mr.  Donaldsoi 
were  the  two  judges,  beside  myself.  I  do  not  think  a  different  form 
of  oath  was  administered  to  the  clerks  from  the  one  prescribed  by  thd 
governor.  The  election  was  held  at  the  Shawnee  Methodist  meeting 
house.  Governor  Keeder  was  present  at  the  time  the  oath  was  admin-i 
istered  to  us,  though  he  may  not  have  been  present  when  we  statec 
the  objection  to  Judge  Lecompte.  I  saw  him  and  the  judge  talking, 
together,  but  did  not  hear  what  they  said,  though  I  understood  it  waa 
about  the  oath  to  be  taken  by  the  judges. 

To  Mr.  King: 

It  was  not  the  intention  of  the  judges,  in  objecting  to  the  oath  ar 
prescribed,  to  get  any  other  form  under  which  we  could  allow  non-ij 
residents  to  vote,  for  we  allowed  none  but  legal  resident  voters  to  vote  3 
and  when  Judge  Lecompte  was  applied  to  by  us,  being  a  judge  of  the 
United  States  court,  he  told  us  he  could  put  the  oath  in  a  different 
shape  and  it  would  accomplish  the  same  purpose. 

CYPRIAN  CHOUTEAU. 

WESTPOKT,  MISSOURI,  June  2,  1856. 


JOHN  A.  HALDEMAN  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Mathias: 

I  first  came  into  this  Territory  in  year  1854,  from  Kentucky.     I 
returned  in  July,  1854,  to  Kentucky,  and  then  came  back  to  the] 
Territory  again,  reaching  here  about  November  !_,  1854.     About  two 
or  three  weeks  afterwards  Governor  Reeder  tendered  me  the  post  of 
private  secretary,  which  I  accepted.     On  March  30,  1855,  I  was  aii 
what  is  known  as  Gum  Springs  or  Shawnee  Missionary  House,  in  thigi 
Territory,  about  five  miles  from  the  Shawnee  Mission,  where  the  polls! ! 
were  held  for  that  precinct,  according  to  the  proclamation  of  the  gov- 
ernor.    I  was  found  at  the  polls  during  the  day.      There  was  no« 
disturbance  or  fuss  of  any  kind  that  I  recollect.     It  is  so  long  since- 
that  I  do  i\ot  think  I  could  name   five  persons  there.      I  was  ac- 
quainted with  but  few  of  the   inhabitants  of  that  precinct,  not  ai 
majority.      There  were  not  many  persons  there,  among  whom  wast 
Governor  Reeder.      That  precinct  comprises  a  great  portion  of  the- 
Shawnee  reserve.     I  do  not  know  whether  Governor  Reeder  voted 
that  day  or  not.     I  left  the  polls  after  they  were  closed  and  returned 
to  Shawnee  Mission.      I  was  not  in  Leaveuworth  making  a  speech ' 
according  to  the  testimony  of  some  persons  before  this  committee,  j 
Governor  Reeder  and  myself  had  been  up  upon  the  half-breed  Kaw  j 
lands,  and  we  got  to  Shawnee  Mission  on  March  29,  1855.     I  do  not; 
recollect  of  making  a  speech  during  that  canvass.     I  had  riot  been! 
in  Leavenworth  before  or  after  the  30th  of  March  for  some  weeks. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  was  not  in  Leavenworth  at  the  election  of  November  29,  1854?i 
or  the  election  of  May  22,  1855. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  431 

\ 

To  Mr.  Mathias ; 

I  knew  Judge  Flannigan  before  November  29,  1854,  but  do  not 
now  what  induced  him  to  come  out  here  to  run  as  candidate  for 
Congress.  Judge  Flannigan  reached  the  Territory  about  the  first  of 
November,  1854,  perhaps  before,  I  am  not  certain.  He  ]eft  in  a  few 
days  after  the  election  of  November  29,  1854,  and  I  have  never  heard 
of  his  being  back  in  the  Territory  afterwards.  I  do  not  know 
whether  he  was  a  man  of  family  or  not.  Governor  Keeder  has  told 
me  he  himself  had  a  family  in  Easton,  Pennsylvania.  No  one  of 
his  family  has  been  in  the  Territory  to  my  knowledge.  I  think  if 
any  one  of  his  family  had  been  here  1  would  have  known  it.  I  acted 
as  the  private  secretary  of  Governor  Keeder  till  about  the  middle  of 
June,  1855.  The  following  candidates  at  Gum  Springs  were  Thomas 
Johnson  and  Edward  Chapman  for  council,  and  Alex.  Johnson  for 
house  of  representatives.  I  think  S.  N.  Wood  was  one  of  the  candi- 
dates of  the  free  State  party  for  council ;  the  other  candidates  I  do 
not  recollect.  I  think  the  free  State  party  had  a  full  ticket.  After 
the  returns  of  the  election  of  March  30,  1855,  were  made  to  the  gov- 
ernor, I  think  certificates  were  given  to  the  pro-slavery  candidates  in 
the  Shawnee  Mission  district.  He  also  gave  certificates  to  General 
William  P.  Kichardson,  John  W.  Forman,  L.  T.  Eastin,  K.  K.  Kees, 
D.  A.  N.  Grover,  William  Barbee,  Mr.  Lykins,  Mr.  Coffee,  Martin 
F.  Conway,  for  council  for  other  parts  of  the  Territory;  to  Alex. 
Johnson,  Mr.  Younger,  Mr.  Heiskell,  Mr.  Scott,  Allen  Wil- 
kison,  Mr.  Anderson,  Mr.  Williams,  Dr.  Tebbs,  Dr.  Stringfellow, 
Mr.  Kirk,  Mr.  Waterson,  Mr.  Blair,  Mr.  Houston,  Mr.  Marshallr 
A.  J.  Baker,  for  the  house  of  representatives.  There  may  have 
been  others  who  received  certificates  whose  names  I  do  not  recol- 
lect. There  were  protests  filed  in  some  cases,  and  new  elections 
ordered.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  whether  all  the  protests  received 
were  received  before  the  certificates  were  issued  to  the  persons  I  have 
named  above.  I  think  protests  were  so  filed  in  the  sixteenth  repre- 
sentative district,  in  the  first,  second,  and  third  districts.  I  do  not 
remember  about  the  Fort  Kiley  district,  whether  Governor  Keeder 
appointed  a  day  to  hear  the  case  of  Conway  and  Donaldson  or  not. 
The  certificate  was  issued  to  Conway  I  know.  I  think  the  matter 
of  some  districts  for  new  elections  was  held  in  abeyance  by  Governor 
Keeder  for  some  days,  and  I  do  not  know  whether  any  protests  were 
received  after  the  certificates  had  been  issued  or  not.  I  do  not  know 
of  any. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

There  was  a  time  fixed  by  the  proclamation  issued  previous  to  the 
election  for  protests  to  be  received.  I  do  not  know  whether  any  pro- 
tests were  received  after  that  time  or  not.  None  to  my  knowledge. 

JOHN  A.  HALDEMAN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.;  May  31,  1856. 


432  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

EIGHTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Moorestoivn. 


D.  H.  BAKER  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  July  10,  1854,  from  Indiana,  an- 
settled  on  the  Nemaha,  at  the  crossing  of  the  California  road  from  SHj 
Joseph's,  in  what  is  now  called  the  Nemaba  county,  in  the  eighteen! 
district.     I  was  present  at  the  election  of  March  30,  1855.     The  ele( 
tion  was  held  at  W.  W.  Moore's  at  what  was  called  Moorestown. 
was   there  between  eight  and   nine   o'clock,   before   the  polls  werij 
opened,     Thomas  Cramer,  Mr.  Belew,  and  Elijah  Adamson  were  tMj 
judges.     I  think  there  were  about  seventeen  or  eighteen  settlers  <i| 
the  district  at  the  election,  and  I  thought  I  knew  all  in  the  district 
Some  persons  there  told  me  they  were   from    Missouri  looking  fc 
claims,  and   had  a  camp  about  two  miles  off,  but  I  was  not  in  rij 
They  told  me  there  were  about  sixty  of  them.     All  I  saw  there  wen! 
armed  with  shot  guns,  bowie  knives,  and  pistols.     I  should   thin 
about  forty  voted.     They  said  they  were  hunting  claims,  and  the* 
said  Cramer  said  that  all  who  were  on  the  ground  had  a  right  to  voU 
Some  of   those  told  me  they  were  from    Missouri.     They  said   the< 
came  to  hunt  claims  and  vote.     Some  said  they  had  taken  claims,  hi 
I  do  not  know  as  I  have  seen  a  man  of  them  since.     I  was  not  preset 
when  the  voting  commenced.     I   think   there  were   some  sixty  vote; 
cast  at  that  election.     I  did  know  the  number  for  I  was  there  when  tb 
polls  closed.     I  heard  no  threats  used  or  saw  any  resistance.     Afte- 
these  men  voted  they  went  to  the  camp,  and  I  did  not  see  anythinr 
more  of  them.     They  did  not  claim  to  be  residents  of  the  district- 
They  agreed  that  their  residence  was  there  at  that  time,  and  the 
had  a  right  to  vote.     But  they  did  not  claim  to  be  citizens.     I  di 
not  know  any  of  those  men.     I  did  not  see  General  Atchison  thii 
-day,  or,  if  I  did,  I  did  not  know  him.     The  following  names  on  tti 
poll  books  are  settlers:  S.  J.  Cramer,  George  H.  Baker,   John  Bat 
lou,  S.   Ji  B.   Cramer,  Samuel  Crozier,  Greenberry  Keys,  Benjami 
Winkles,   H.  M.  Newton,  Thomas    Newton,  Isaac  B.  Miller,   Jes^ 
Adamson,   Nath.  D.  Beals,  Richard   Clancy,   W.   W.   Moore,   Jaim 
0.  Laughlin.     There  is  one  more  citizen  who  voted  whose  name  I  d 
not  recognize  on  the  list,  making  seventeen  in  all.     The  others  aw 
not  settlers  of  that  district,  and  I  have  never  seen  them  there  sim 
that   day.     The   arms   they  carried  were  not   concealed.     There  an 
two  crossings  on  the  California  road,  about  half  a  mile   apart. 
live  on  one  and  Mr    Moore  on  the  other.     I  saw  some  companies, 
few  days  before  the  election,  who  said  they  were  going  out  to  the  Biv 
Blue  to  take  claims.     One  company  had  about  fifteen  men  in  i! 
They  raid  ncthi?i£  about  voting,   and  I  did  not  see   them  returr: 
They  had  guns  with  them.     The  election  at  the  Big  Blue  was  i\ 
Marysville  where  the  crossing  is. 

Cross-examined  by  J.  W.  Whitfield : 

Some  few  of  these  men  told  me  they  were  from  Missouri.     The- 
said  they  were  60  in  number,  but  there  were  not  that  many  that  voted 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  433 

Some  who  told  me  they  were  from  Missouri  I  saw  vote.  There  had 
been  none  along  so  early  in  the  year  before  to  look  up  any  claims,  as 
it  was  most  too  cold  for  that.  They  had  arms.  A  great  many  who 
go  out  on  the  prairie  carry  arms,  and  a  good  many  do  not.  I  came 
down  here  without  any.  All  of  them  I  saw  had  arms.  Mr.  John 
W.  For  man  was  candidate  for  council,  and  I  think  got  all  the  votes 
that  were  cast,  for  all  parties  voted  for  him.  I  heard  no  threats  made; 
I  saw  no  violence  ;  no  one  was  prevented  from  voting  that  I  know  of. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  thought  the  judge  of  the  election,  Thomas  Cramer,  was  the  leader 
of  these  men,  and  he  went  out  and  called  for  more  votes.  They  came 
up  in  a  body  and  stacked  arms,  and  then  voted  one  after  another.  I 
do  not  know  that  any  were  deterred  from  voting  in  consequence  of 
threats.  I  think  not  exceeding  three  or  four  staid  away.  Our  district 
was  attached  to  the  district  down  towards  St.  Joseph's  at  that  election. 

To  Mr.  J.  W.  Whitfield : 

Mr.  Cramer,  the  judge  of  the  election,  was  a  citizen  of  the  district. 
I  did  not  go  with  these  men  when  they  went  away.  I  do  not  know 
that  they  went  to  Missouri.  Sometimes  men  go  from  one  part  of  the 
Territory  to  another  for  claims. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler  and  John  Landis  were  the  free- State  candidates 
for  the  house  of  representatives ,  and  J.  H.  Stringfellow  and  Mr.  Kirk 
were  the  pro-slavery  candidates.  The  settlers  who  voted  that  day 
were  generally  free-soil,  all  but  three  or  four  of  them.  Our  settlers 
are  from  Virginia,  New  York,  Indiana,  and  Missouri,  the  majority  of 
them  from  the  western  States. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

Some  of  the  free-soilers  told  me  they  had  come  from  Missouri  and 
settled  in  that  district. 

G.  H.  BAKER. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  14, 1856. 


JOHN  BELEW  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  April,  1854,  from  Illinois  to  St.  Joseph's, 
and  thence  to  this  Territory  and  settled  in  the  18th  district,  commonly 
called  the  Nemaha  district.  I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  election  for 
March  30,  1855,  appointed  by  the  governor,  and  served  as  such. 
There  were  but  few  settlers  in  my  district,  some  twenty  or  twenty-two, 
I  think.  I  believe  I  knew  nearly  all  about  there  by  being  around 
with  them,  helping  them  to  raise  houses,  &c.  Some  of  them  were 
from  Iowa,  some  from  Illinois,  who  had  lived  in  Missouri.  They 
were  generally  from  the  western  States.  There  was  no  village  there. 
The  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  W.  W.  Moore.  I  think  nearly 
all  the  settlers  voted  that  day.  Others  voted  also,  who  came  up  on 
the  day  of  the  election  just  about  the  time  the  polls  were  opened. 
H.  Rep.  200 28* 


434  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

There  were  a  little  over  forty  of  them,  from  forty  to  forty-five, 
were  armed  with  pistols  and  bowie-knives,  but  I  do  not  recollect  OD 
seeing  any  guns.     They  came  generally  on  horseback.     They  saia 
they  had  taken  claims  round  through  the  Territory  and  came  there  it* 
vote.     They  said  that  some  of  them  had  done  work  on  their  claimssj 
and  others  intended  to  come  back  to  work  upon  them.     I  never  sa\* 
one  of  these  men  after  the  day  of  election  about  our  place.     I  do  no" 
know  as  they  said  upon  what  grounds  they  claimed  the  right  to  vote 
They  took  the  oath   prescribed  by  law,  and  all  were  sworn.     N« 
objections  were  made  to  taking  the  oath.     The  judges  had  all  beerr 
sworn.     After  they  voted  they  all  disappeared,  and  I  saw  nothing- 
more  of  them.     The  following  are  the  names  of  those  on  the  poll-book^ 
I  know  to  have  been  residents  at  that  time :  S.  J.  Cramer,  Geo.  Hi 
Bohn,  John  Belew,  S.  J.  B.  Cramer,  Samuel  Crozier,  Grimburg  Key, 
Benjamin  Winkle,  H.  M.  Newton,  Thomas  Newton,  Isaac  B.  Miller. 
Jesse  Adamson,  Walter  D.  Beeler,  Kichard  Claney,  W.  W.  Moore, 
James  0.  Laughlin,  John  0.  Laughlin.     K.  L.  Kirk  came  to  my  housei 
about  a  week  before  the  election,  and  boarded  there  until  the  day  aften! 
the  election.     He  said  he  had  bargained  for  a  claim  and  intended  to! 
settle  on  it.     I  do  not  know  where  he  lives ;  I  have  not  seen  him  since:  j 
I  do  not  know  the  residence  of  any  of  these  men.     I  have  not  seeno 
them  anywhere  to  know  them.      Mr.   Owen  and  Mr.   Davis,   who 
remained  at  my  house  the  second  night  before  the  election,  told  m&j 
they  were  just  over  from  Missouri  and  had  taken  claims.     They  leftl! 
the  next  day,  but  were  there  on  the  day  of  election  and  voted.     I  haven 
not  seen  them  there  since. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  do  not  know  exactly  the  size  of  my  district.  I  was  one  of  ther 
judges  of  the  election.  I  regarded  no  vote  I  received  as  illegal,  as  II 
went  by  the  oath  that  was  taken  by  them.  The  election  was  generally^ 
peaceable  and  quiet,  more  so  than  at  some  elections  I  have  seen.. 
There  has  been  a  good  deal  in  Kansas  of  men  coming  and  taking;) 
claims  and  then  never  coming  back.  I  do  not  know  where  all  theses) 
people  live;  they  may  live  in  Kansas  now  for  what  I  know.  I  wassj 
subpoenaed  at  Iowa  Point  by  a  man  named  Weaver.  I  have  under- - 
stood  that  he  lives  near  Lawrence.  I  have  never  voted,  or  had  any-- 
thing  to  do  at  any  election  but  the  one  in  March,  1855,  and  the  » 
1st  of  last  October.  It  is  very  common  lately  to  see  men  passing; 
through  the  Territory  armed.  In  speaking  of  taking  claims,  they 
named  Four  Mile  creeek  and  Big  Timber  or  Walnut  creek  as  where ' 
they  had  taken  claims,  but  I  do  not  know  to  this  day  whether  it  was  » 
in  our  district  or  not. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  do  not  know  that  it  is  usual  for  armed  bodies  of  men — 40  or  50  > 
men — to  come  together  to  take  claims.     I  was  at  the  election  of  the 
1st  of  October  last,  and  I  do  not  know  of  more  than  eight  or  ten  who 
voted.     As  far  as  I  know,  Nehama  county  is  pretty  much  the  same  as  > 
the  eighteenth  district.     W.  W.  Moore's  house  in  Nehama  county  is 
back  in  the  country,  about  60  miles  from  Iowa  Point,  and  between  80 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  435 

90  miles  from  St.  Joseph's.    I  was  subpoenaed  to  go  to  Lawrence, 
and  went  there,  and  then  came  here. 

By  Mr.  Whitfield: 

I  saw  no  man  take  claims,  and  do  not  know  when  these  men  took 
their  claims  that  they  said  they  had  taken.  I  did  not  see  40  or  50 
men  go  to  the  polls  together.  I  saw  them  ahout  the  polls,  but  do  not 
know  that  many  came  together. 

By  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  think  the  largest  number  I  saw  come  together  was  about  15  or  20  ; 
about  the  first  who  came. 

By  Mr.  Whitfield : 

At  the  last  October  election  I  did  not  understand  that  there  was  any 
opDOsition  to  the  election  of  Gen.  Whitfield. 

JOHN  BELEW, 

LEAVENWOETH,  K:  T.,  May  16,  1856. 


AENET  GEOOMES  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  to  the  Territory  in  April,  1854  ;  I  settled  in  the  Burrdoch 
precinct  in  the  14th  district,  and  have  lived  there  since.     On  the  Sun- 
day night  before   the   election,  which  was  on  Friday,  General  David 
E.  Atchison  stopped  with  me  to  stay  over  night.     A    partner  of  Mr. 
Johnson,  of  Platte  City,  a  General  Dorris,  introduced  me  to  General 
Atchison.     One  of  them  asked  to  stay,  and  I  refused  ;  he  said  he  had 
a,  company  of  men  and  had  lost  them,  &nd  wanted   to  stay  all  night. 
I  said  I  was  not  fixed  to  do  so.     He  said  he  would  let  his  horses  stay 
in  the  lot  without   anything  to  eat,  and   he  would  lay  down  on  his 
blanket.     I  then  said  he  could  get  down,  and  I  would  let  him  have 
what  little   I   had.     Both  persons  were  present   at  the  time.     After 
they  came  into  the  house  both  were  particular  in  their  inquiries  as  to 
whether  their  wagons  had  passed.     I  said  that  I  had  been  to  St.  Jo- 
seph's and  had  seen  them  cross,  and  supposed  they  were  on  the  Kan- 
sas side  up  about  the  widow  Briggs'  claim.     He  said  he  had  been  to 
Blackstone's   and  Thompson's,   and  could  not  make  out  where  the 
wagons  had  taken  off.      Mr.  Dorris  then  got  up  and  introduced  me  to 
General  Atchison,  and   also  to  himself.     General  Atchison  took  me 
with  a  candle  to  look  in  his  blankets  for  a  Bowie  knife  he  said  he  had 
lost,  and  while  he  was   looking  for  that  I  saw  the  handles  of  two  or 
three  Bowie  knives  and  some  revolvers.     They  were  not  on  his  person, 
but  in  his  blankets,  and  he  said  he  had  lost  one  of  his  Bowie  knives. 
I  turned  away  when  I  saw  that,  as  I  was  surprised  to  see  a  man  with 
more  than  one   knife  or  pistol.     The  next  morning  we  had   another 
conversation   about   the  wagons,  which  General  Atchison  seemed  to 
think  were  ahead.     He  said  he  had  about  eighty  men  and  twenty- 
four  wagons.     I  asked  him  where  he  was  going  with  them.     He  said 
John  Bold  had  sent  for  him  to  come  up  above,  as  there  were  persons 
coming  over  there  all  the  nime  to  take  the  polls.     I  asked  what  he 


436  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

was  taking  so  many  men  up  there  for  ;  and  one  of  them  said,  I  do  not 
know  which  one,  that  they  were  going  up  there  to  guard  the  polls, 
and  not  let  certain  persons  vote.     I  asked  him  if  they  were  not  going 
to  see  a  little  town  called  Atchison,  and  he  said  he  might  and  he  might 
not,  but  he  did   not  know.     About  that  time   some  of  his  men  and! 
wagons  came  up.     I  did  not  see  as  many  men  or  wagons  pass  at  thatd 
time  as  I  had  understood  from  him  there  was.     I  went  to  the  electioni 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Mr.  Bryant's,  in   the  14th  district ;  lij 
saw  one  illegal  vote  given,  and  I  objected  to  it  very  strongly.   It  wassj 
a  man  by  the   name  of  Charles   Gilmor;  when  I   objected,  Colonel! 
Craig  was  sitting  in  place  of  one  of  the  judges  or  clerks  who  was  gone  • 
to  dinner  I  supposed.     I  objected  to  Cary  Whitehead,  one  of  the 
judges.     They  took  the  vote,  and  said  I  had  no  right  to  object.     I 
asked  them  to  swear  him,  and  they  said  they  had  no  right  to  swear 
him.     This  Gilmor  was  not  a  citizen,  and  I  never  heard  of  his  being: 
a  citizen  of  the  Territory  since. 

Cross-examined  by  M.  Scott : 

I  judged,  from  what  General  Atchison  said,  that  the  persons  refer-  • 
red  to  by  John  Boler  were  coming  over  from  Iowa,  but  I  do  not  know r  j 
as  that  was  so.  I  do  not  know  as  I  saw  more  than  two  Bowie  knives *i 
and  four  pistols  at  the  time  General  Atchison  was  looking  for  the- 
Bowie  knife.  Gilmor  said  at  the  polls  that  he  had  no  claim,  andtj 
that  he  had  come  from  Illinois  to  get  a  claim,  and  would  have  one.  II 
was  born  in  Virginia,  married  in  Kentucky,  and  raised  a  family  ittkj 
Missouri. 

his 

AKNET  x  GKOOMES 

mark, 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  437 


Copies  of  the  returns  of  the  election  held  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  on 

the  30th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855,  taken  from  the  official  returns  on 

file  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Territory^  in  Lecompton,  on 

the  ISth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1856,  by  the  special  committee  of  the 

House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States. 

FIKST  DISTRICT. 

Form  of  oath  to  be  taken  by  the  judges  of  election,  taken  from  printed 
form  filled  up  and  on  file. 

I,  Hugh  Cameron,  do  swear  that  I  will  perform  my  duties  as  judge 
of  the  election  to  be  held  this  day  at  the  house  of  William  H.  E. 
Lykins,  in  the  first  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  to  the 
best  of  my  judgment  and  ability  ;  that  I  will  keep  a  true,  correct,  and 
faithful  record  or  list  of  all  persons  who  shall  vote  at  said  election  ; 
that  I  will  poll  no  ticket  from  any  person  who  is  not  an  actual  inhab- 
itant and  resident  of  said  Territory  on  the  day  of  election,  and  whom 
I  shall  not  honestly  believe  to  be  a  qualified  voter  according  to  the 
provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress  organizing  said  Territory ;  that  I 
will  reject  the  votes  of  all  non-residents  who  I  shall  believe  have  come 
into  the  Territory  for  the  mere  purpose  of  voting ;  that  in  all  cases 
where  I  am  ignorant  of  the  voter's  right,  I  will  require  legal  evidence 
thereof  by  his  own  oath,  or  otherwise ;  and  that  I  will  truly  count 
and  record  the  votes  received,  and  make  a  true  and  faithful  return 
thereof  to  the  governor  of  said  Territory. 

HUGH  CAMERON, 

Sworn  and  subscribed  March  30,  1855,  previous  to  opening  the 
polls,  before  me, 

J.  S.  EMERY, 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Each  judge  will  subscribe,  at  the  right  hand,  two  of  these  oaths, 
and  the  person  who  administers  it  will  sign  on  the  left.  One  copy 
of  which  will  be  deposited  in  the  ballot-box,  and  the  other  three  en- 
•closed  with  the  returns  of  election. 

[Similar  separate  affidavits.,  subscribed  by  Robert  A.  Cummins  and 
James  B.  Abbott,  and  sworn  to  before  J.  S.  Emery,  and  also  one  sub- 
scribed by  Theodore  E.  Benjamin  and  sworn  to  before  Hugh  Cameron, 
as  judge  of  election,  are  on  file.] 

List  of  voters — First  district, 

1  Robert  A.  Cummins  8  James  Christian 

2  Hugh  Cameron  9  J.  A.  Fenly 

3  J.  B.  Abbott  10  C.  H.  Thornton 

4  C.  S.  Pratt  11  Geo.  N.  Talbott 

5  J.  H.  Page  12  Geo.  N.  Bryant 

6  Samuel  A.  Young  13  C.  C.  Mann 

7  Wm.  C.  Jones  14  Geo.  Young 


433 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 


15  W.  F.  Stewart 

16  Thos.  Campbell 

17  Luke  Corlud 

18  John  W.  Clark 

19  Win.  B.  Cockrell 

20  E.  P.  Gordon 

21  E.  Crooke 

22  M.  B.  Waddle 

23  S.  N.  Warren, 

24  W.  S.  Parr 

25  J.  A.  Smith 

26  Jesse  Noland 

27  John  Ferguson- 

28  E.  F.  Rucher 

29  John  J.  Lowry 

30  J.  F.  V.  Thompson* 

31  Geo.  W.  Allen 

32  J.  W.  Wayland 

33  A.  F.  Henley 

34  James  McSullivac, 

35  Wm.  Grimes 

36  Wm.  Varible 

37  Hezekiah  Muir 

38  Thos.  C.  Gordon 

39  P.  L.  Peake 

40  Jams  V.  Lyon 

41  W.  T.  McGlassor> 

42  John  Hicks 

43  F.  C.  Virian 

44  Henry  Lamite 

45  Jere.  R.  Rippey: 

46  David  Clifton 

47  Joseph  Allen 

48  Stephen  Lacey 

49  Smith  B.  New 

50  Wade  Moseley 

51  Taylor  Cave 

52  Peter  Virian 

53  Reuben  Samuels. 

54  J.  H.  Hewins 

55  D.  Purington . 

66  Dudley  Hopper 

67  A.  Jones 

58  Norman  Allen 

59  C.  R.  Schull 

60  Colos  Day 

61  Samuel  Barker, 

62  Joseph  Wolf 

63  Benj.  Vaughn 

64  John  Price 

65  S.  W.  Long 

66  C.  C.  Rumbly 

67  G.  R.  Page 

68  W.  A.  Withers 

69  Geo.  Quisinburyr 

70  R.  G.  Irvine 

71  John  Peratt 

72  Jas.  H.  Reed 

73  Geo.  Lechlan 

74  Sol.  Wildes 

75  Alfred  King 

76  L.  W.  Roberts 

77  M.  T.  Harrison- 

78  N.  B.  Lewis 

79  Peter  Withers, 

80  L.  Clafflin 


81  0.  R.  Burns 

8-2  Clay  S.  Cunningham 

83  Wm.  Davis 

84  Jas.  A.  Hawley 

85  R.  H,  Coutts 

86  L.  P.  Wills 

87  Lewis  R.  Harrison 

88  W.  C.  Schuck 

89  Thacker  B.  Webb 

90  F.  N.  Davis 

91  J.  P.  Powell 

92  Michael  McGill 

93  Jefferson  Morrow 

94  Nathan  Baker 

95  W.  Halbert 

96  R.  S.  Crystal 

97  Wm.  H.  Oliver 

98  Wm.  F.  Harris 

99  N.  M.  McClellan 

100  Joseph  Chancellor 

101  S.  C.  Harrington 

102  Wm.  Hale 

103  Geo.  Go-when 

104  L.  J.  Pratt 

105  Stephen  A.  Walker 

106  Thos.  J.  Slade 

107  Jos.  S.  Carlisle 

108  Jos.  N.  Hargess 

109  C.  H.  Loyd 

110  Jos.  G.  Foller 

111  R.  S.  Wildes 

112  R.  Crawford 

113  C.  H.  Carpenter 

114  J.  B.  Taft 

115  Wm.  Drake 

116  J.  M.  Neff 

117  James  Crawford 

118  John  J.  Barker 

119  Allen  McGee 

120  Elick  Leasson 

121  Ed.  R.  Fitch 

122  L.  M.  Maxey 

123  Michael  Hunt 

124  N.  C.  Ewing 

125  F.  N.  Paine 

126  M.  H.  Mitchell 

127  Albert  Wright 

128  John  B.  Nichols 

129  Eram  Price 

130  N.  J.  Burgamer 

131  John  S.  Jones 

132  W.  J.  Patten 

133  Higgins  Bothom 

134  John  Z.  Matthews 

135  Wm.  Mulky 

136  Stillman  Andrews- 

137  Geo.  Muer 

138  Samuel  Merrill 

139  Meredith  Fowler 

140  T.  M.  Lewis 

141  F.  M.  Smith 

142  John  A.  Porter 

143  Harvey  McHadden 

144  Young  Gwin 

145  Andrew  Kilgora 

146  J.  Riddle 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


439 


147  Monroe  F.  Matthew 

148  Wm.  Martin 

149  Wm.  L.  Smith 

150  John  H.  Price 

151  John  M.  Gwin 

152  Robert  Anderson 

153  Chatham  L.  Gwin 

154  Charles  M.  Dennis 

155  John  R.  Willis 

156  Henry  Anderson 

157  Thomas  Emery 

158  Lewis  Wilbert 

159  Thomas  E.  Fristor 

160  Christo.  Estell 

161  Philip  Warren 

162  B.  J.  Collins 

163  John  H.  Birch 

164  John  Lothing 

165  Henry  Rhodes 

166  William  Cirtly 

167  John  Yager 

168  J.  Campbell 

169  Alex.  McCansby 

170  Joshua  Cummings 

171  G.  R.  Christian 

172  Geo.  Wm.  Johnson 

173  Patent  Huatt 

174  D.  J.  Cunningham. 

175  Wm.  Campbell 

176  L.  W.  Ficklin 

177  C.  Dillard 

178  J.  W.  Liftwick 

179  R.  F.  Dunwiddie 

180  William  Foster 

181  John  J.  Simmons 

182  Samuel  M.  Salter 

183  Jos.  M.  McDowell 

184  John  Gallagher 

185  F.  M.  Tucker 

186  Jas.  F.  Robertson 

187  Iron  Hunter 

188  Thomas  Nelson 

189  Alfred  McDaniels 

190  John  Speer 

191  Thomas  Stark 

192  Newton  Mallaiy 

193  G.  H.  Gordon 

194  John  J.  Holliday 

195  Isaac  A.  Luaddy 

196  J.  J.  Hickison 

197  Jas.  E.  Corbitt 

198  Jas.  R.  Anderson 

199  Robert  Nelson 

200  Thomas  Shelby 
201 1 

202  Bosely  Powers 

203  N.  Knight 

204  W.  W.  Fiend 

205  James  Scott 

206  John  Neff 

207  F.  E.  Knight 

208  J.  W.  Fleece 

209  Reuben  F.  Humes 

210  Wm.Edmundson 

211  W.  W.  Wills 

212  H.  Smith 


213  W.  Goode 

214  Jas.  Fitzpatrick 

215  John  Grider 

216  Marshall  W.  Houston 

217  George  Lewis 

218  G.  W.  Rening 

219  James  H.  Lynck 

220  Hampton  Green 

221  John  F.  Woodsoa 

222  Wm.  Hocker 

223  Thos.  Hudson 

224  Thos.  Callagan 

225  John  F.  Houston 

226  L.  N.  Pile 

227  J.  F.  Swatroa 

228  E.  R.  Barnet 

229  C.  L.  McGrue 

230  John  Lee 

231  Rudolph  A.  Manger 

232  James  Woodson 

233  Jas.  H.  Cooper 

234  Wm.  Harrison 

235  John  Duncan 

236  Jos.  Whitlock 

237  Randall  Sullivan 

238  Jas.  G.  Moore 

239  R.  M.  Patton 

240  Michael  Groogon. 

241  R.  Caskins 

242  M.  D.  Ramsay 

243  Peter  Spenakle 

244  Anderson  Hadley 

245  Jas.  H.  Moore 

246  E.  J.  Lanchart 

247  George  W.  Carr 

248  Henry  C.  Fen-imam 

249  E.  P.  Armstrong 

250  John  Runell 

251  C.  T.  Wood 

252  Charles  Smith 

253  L.  H.  Ballew 

254  Clifton  Tonley 

255  William  Grinon 

256  N.  Grant 

257  Berry  man  Brown. 

258  Thomas  J.  Murray 
255  Samuel  Drysler 
260  J.  Walker 

261 

•262  John  Belt 

263  L.  R.  Swader 

264  H.  N.  Bent 

265  John  Sims 

266  Henry  M.  PoweD. 

267  Thomas  Field 

268  Jos.  Roberts 

269  Daniel  W.  Roberts 

270  J.  L.  Jenkins 

271  Gustavus  Brown. 

272  Hendley  Cooper 

273  E.  D.  Ladd 

274  James  Mangon 

275  Thomas  J.  Jones 

276  J.  R.  Campbell 

277  J.  H.  Edward 

278  Berry  Tager 


440 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


279  C.  C.  Catron 

280  W.  B.  C.  Brown 

281  Levi  Gates,  jr. 

282  G.  W.  Dietzler 

283  J.  L.  Price 

284  Zenas  Kirkpatricfe 

285  H.  P.  Mitchell 

286  John  Hutcheson 

287  Horace  W.  Faber 

288  James  Wither 

289  H.  H.  Pearson 

290  J.  H.  Kimbali 

291  F.  O.  Jolles 

292  N.  Thomas 

293  Francis  A.  Abbott 

294  C.  C.  Kemp 

295  J.  C.  Mossman 

296  R.  M.  G.  Price 

297  Simon  Hill 

298  Lashell  Carson 

299  John  W.  Hubbar<$ 
300 

301  John  "W.  Barker 

302  H.  R.  Bledsoe 
303;  H.  R.  Toban 

304  Lyman  Allen 

305  Andrew  Winn 

306  Brown  Chancellor 

307  W.  L.  Halsley 

308  J.  J.  Fleming 

309  Samuel  Bell 

310  John  Levi 

311  Daniel  L.  Crigler 
312'  J.  W.  Page 
31£SetkW.  Tucker 

314  Charles  Dicksou> 

315  Isaac  Neal 

316  F.  M.  Colman 

317  O.  P.  Ripatoe 

318  Thomas  Route 

319  William  P.  Goodsois 

320  Zach,  Johnson 

321  Josh.  Lewis 

322  B.  E.  Evans 

323  F.  M.  Adams 

324  G.  F.  Wood,  jr. 

325  Job  Van  Winkle 

326  Milton  Hull 

327  John  Powell 

328  William  Saundera 

329  James  Harris 

330  Samuel  B.  Mago 

331  Thomas  Mago 

332  Newton  Duncan- 

333  John  Milligan 

334  A.  Lambert 

335  J.  E.  Staples 

336  James  F.  Kemp 

337  Jonah  Wagoner 

338  John  A,  Lowry 

339  John  Bishop 

340  William  Kitchenmaiu 

341  William  Marshall 

342  Richard  Andrew 

343  William  Brady 

344  Nimrod  Miller 


345  Thomas  B.  Rogers 

346  William  J.  Barker 

347  A.  C.  Smith 

348  S.  F.  Tappan 

349  David  Nail 

350  John  Smith 

351  H.  S.  Crane 

352  John  Hagan 

353  Thomas  E.  Jorberft 

354  W.  L.  Glove* 

355  James  Shelton 

356  William  Gores 

357  James  D.  Carpenter 

358  J.  B.  Chouteau 

359  A.  N.  Johnson 

360  Elbridge  G.  Ross 

361  D.  H.  Barney 

362  G.  W.  Cunningham 

363  William  Evans 

364  E.  W.  Bennett 

365  Simeon  Cook 

366  Newman  J.  MitcheB 

367  Clark  S.  Crane 
£68  William  Allen 

369  John  Wood 

370  James  E.  Drake 

371  Ellick  Collins 

372  J.  G.  Price 

373  Andrew  J.  Kason 

374  Lewis  Koon 

375  John  B.  Clayton 

376  Stephen  Stafford 

377  William  RobiusoD 

378  John  Miller 

379  'Jonathan  Roberts 

380  J.  F.  Withart 

381  R.  Woodson 

382  Samuel  Stewart 

383  James  Neff 

384  Henry  S.  McClellaa 

385  Edward  Gray 

386  E.  B.  Johnson 

387  James  E.  Page 

388  J.  H.  Wilder 

389  L.  S.  Bacon 

390  J.  H.  Samson 

391  E.  S.  Simms 

392  H.  E.  Babcock 

393  James  T.  Chapman 

394  John  Doherty 

395  Samuel  MufEan 

396  William  Cummings 

397  A.  N.  Wilbright 

398  J.  A.  Price 

399  George  Neff 

400  Laden  Maneueld 

401  Joseph  P.  Webo 

402  Charles  F.  Mago 

403  George  Long 

404  M.  B.  Collins 

405  John  Snoddy 

406  W.  J.  Hewes 

407  William  N.  Baldwin* 

408  J.  F.  Baker 

409  Jackson  Schizen 

410  C.  E.  Cole 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


441 


411  J.  N.  Bledsoe 

412  A.  G.  Tncker 

413  A.  J.  Hendrick 

414  C.  W.  Fristoe 

415  R.  S.  Dinwiddie 

416  Henry  Humphreys 

417  Thomas  H.  Browning 

418  Alonzo  Morrow 

419  Hiram  Crocker 

420  Harrison  Grouse 

421  Leven  S.  Dockin 

422  Hendley  Cooper 

423  N.  C.  Finch 

424  Wm.  Weeden 

425  Leroy  Davis 

426  James  Dysart 

427  F.  M.  Sappington 

428  E.  W.  Lane 

429  David  McLane 

430  Wm.  Smallwood 

431  Wm.  M.  Owen 

432  J.  M.  Hines 

433  Wm.  McKeever 

434  John  Eoland 

435  B.  C.  Brown 

436  S.  L.  Carey 

437  J.  P.  Lay 

438  J.  Turner 

439  W.  H.  Holmes 

440  Albert  Walder 

441  Jas.  G.  Baker 

442  J.  Lee 

443  John  Early 

444  Eli  Miles 

445  Robt.  Allen 

446  Wm.  T.  Anan 

447  Thos.  E.  Carlisle 

448  Wm.  H.  Cooper 

449  John  A.  Barker 

450  Wm.  A.  Jones 

451  Adam  Meinzelger 

452  W.  Chin 

453  Jas.  Fleming 

454  Robt.  Edgar 

455  J.  R.  Johnson. 

456  R.  Retter 

457  E.  D.  Lucas 

458  W.  S.  George 

459  Thos.  Angell 

460  Wm.  Boatwright 

461  Wm.  D.  Cox 
46"2  John  Austin 

463  Thos.  Russell 

464  Jas.  F.  Samples 

465  W.  C.  Buffington 

466  Simon  Hoffer 

467  Frank  Girard 

468  J.  W.  Hudson 

469  Lucien  Earles 

470  John  R.  Chandler 

471  Silas  Woods 

472  F.  A.  Bush 

473  John  W.  Golden 

474  James  H.  Hayden 

475  L.  H.  Karon 

476  Lewis  Criggler 


477  C.  H.  Stewart 

478  T.  W.  Robinson 

479  Samuel  Scott 

480  Samuel  F.  Hickan 

481  George  W.  Virian 

482  James  R.  Chipley 

483  David  Russell 

484  A.  L.  Graves 

485  Jeff.  R.  Howard 

486  L.  G.  Higgins 

487  Lysander  White 

488  Ryland  Dillard 

489  Wm.  H.  Drummond 

490  James  Adams 

491  Wm.  Delainey 

492  Ambrose  Callo way 

493  George  B.  Tollson 

494  B.  W.  White 

495  Solon  Shephard 

496  James  R.  Myers 

497  Lindley  F.  Pettre 

498  James  H.  Pitts 

499  Jas.  C.  Ban 

500  Wm.  C.  Yerby 

501  Chas.  F.  Overstreet 

502  John  Cooper 

503  Samuel  Bonham 

504  Richard  Patten 

505  Wm.  Lay 

506  A.  J.  Fort 

507  Wm.  Lansbell 

508  Geo.  Graves 

509  J.  Ragsden 

510  Wm.  Curry 

511  John  Crump 

512  Joel  Morris 

513  C.  M.  Neat 

514  John  F.  Renwick 

515  Lafayette  Watts 

516  Abner  Davidson 

517  R.  C.  Johnson 

518  Jas.  A.  Davidson 

519  Wm.  Thorp 

520  Edward  Walker 

521  Calvin  Adams 

522  Stephen  Campbell 

523  Francis  Anderson 

524  James  Zorh 

525  J.  F.  Snoddy 

526  Henry  Burnett 

527  Walter  H.  Wilrnot 

528  J.  J.  Whitson 

529  Thos.  Burge 

530  Geo.  W.  Shoemaker 

531  M.  Beall 

532  Geo.  W.  Parker 

533  David  S.  Rice 

534  G.  D.  Duroir 

535  Jas.  A.  Hall 

536  Geo.  Young 

537  Jona.  Morse 

538  Saml.  Chickskall 

539  John  0.  Talbert 

540  John  B.  Fletcher 

541  James  H.  Crooks 

542  Thos.  N.  Gosney 


442 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


543  James  H.  Overstreet 

544  Chas.  Selby 

545  Thos.  Hopkins 

546  Alonzo  Boone 

547  Wesley  Forney 

548  Wm.  T.  Reed 

549  Benj.  Cornelius 

550  M.  P.  McGore 

651  Marcus  Kentfro 

652  F.  M.  Poindexter 

553  C.  R.  Campbell 

554  C.  M.  Callahan 

555  Robt.  C.  Duncan 

556  Thos.  H.  Cooley 

557  Geo.  L.  Hodges 

558  Philip  Linehart 

559  Wm.  Wallace 

560  Thos.  H.  Morse 

561  Hamilton  Thornhill 

562  John  Kinkade 

563  James  Digby 

564  Jackson  Crowley 

565  James  McCrorey 
666  Sumpter  Suddard 
567  Zadoc  Llewellyn 
568 

569  Wm.  Stanley 
670  John  Broadhurst 
571  Parkerson  Hopper 
672  N.  H.  McQuirk 

573  Henry  D.  Keaton 

574  David  Thompson 

575  Milford  Jennings 
676  Gilbert  Jennings 
577 

578  Henry  Enson 

579  John  Aberbach 

580  John  Honk 

581  David  Stewart 

582  Thos.  Still 

583  F.  P.  Vaughn 

584  Wm.  C.  Griffin 

585  J.  B.  Thomanson 

586  E.  S.  Ballow 

587  J.  R.  Saltonstall 

588  Cyrus  W.  Ballow 

589  James  Jackson 

590  Carter  Dale 

591  John  W.  Kinkaid 

592  R.  T.  Gorham 

593  Wm.  Willard 
694  C.  W.  Cline 
595  G.  W.  Coffee 
696  George  Bopet 

597  Wm.  Groove 

598  Jos.  Warden 

599  John  Peters 

600  Jas.  Jackson 

601  Jas.  H.  Vicehart 

602  Laskell  F.  Cooper 

603  John  Wallace 

604  Jesse  Cornelius 

605  A.  J.  Barnard 

606  A.  B.  Hill 

607  Wm.  Alexander 

608  John  Stewart 


609  JohnF.  Bristoe 

610  Benj.  Thorp 

611  A.  P.  Thompson 

612  C.  Coleman 

613  Lewis  George 

614  Horatio  Owens 

615  Thos.  Swearringgin 

616  F.  N.  Moore 

617  John  Smith 

618  F.  Smoot 

619  R.  F.  Wagland 

620  J.  W.  Christian 

621  N.  T.  Sullivan 

622  Marcellus  Care 

623  Geo.  Morris 

624  R.  Fisher 

625  J.  T.  Dysert 

626  Benjamin  Bedford 

627  Daniel  Nulley 

628  T.  S.  Firman 

629  Edward  Smith 

630  G.  L.  Taylor 

631  J.  S.  Percival 

632  J.  W.  Winn 

633  W.  W.  Thornton 

634  Eli  Murray 

635  James  Moseley 

636  R.  M.  Steiff 

637  H.  F.  Moore 

638  John  Wood 

639  Wm.  Wood 

640  Wm.  Griffin  Tates 

641  Isaac  Allen 

642  Alexander  C.  Rogers 

643  Wm.  Musgrove 

644  J.  J.  Waddle 

645  James  A.  Calloway 

646  Lucius  Miller 

647  Philip  H.  Pitts 

648  Jackson  F.  Bunham 

649  Benjamin  H.  Tollner 

650  P.  P.  Colt 

651  T.  D.  Smart 

652  M.  Mitchell 

653  M.  Mitchell 

654  

655  G.  S.  Elgin 

656  Erias  Payne 

657  Win.  T.  Gordon 

658  Wm.  S.  Lynch 

659  John  C.  Neal 

660  John  R.  Rayner 

661  R.  A.  Cornelius 

662  Mathew  Arnand 

663  T.  G.  Lowry 

664  John  P.  Sebree 

665  H.  C.  Hawley 

666  Miles  Baldrich 

667  C.  M.  Oliver 

668  James  Howard 

669  P.  W.  Walton 

670  Wm.  H.  Bush 

671  Wm.  W.  White 

672  John  M.  Watts 

673  James  Williams 

674  Morgan  A.  Taylor 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


443 


675  James  C.  Ross 

676  Robert  Doherty 

677  Warren  Smith 

678  Thomas  R.  Graves 

679  J.  0.  Shelby 

680  T.  L.  Edgar 

681  George  G.  Allen 

682  J.  F.  Haskell 

683  John  M.  Jager 

684  R.  J.  Southard 

685  Judson  Cockran 

686  George  Smith 

687  Samuel  Hardin 

688  John  Rogers 

689  Geo.  Bruchere 

690  John  J.  Price 

691  Reese  B.  Mathews 

692  Wm.  C.  Jackson 

693  Wm.  Arnold 

694  Ebram  Sparer 

695  Charles  Martin 

696  James  C.  Ellis 

697  Nathan  Herrick 

698  Mallory  Cove 

699  Leander  Holt 

700  John  Groom 

701  John  A.  Robinson 

702  L.  F.  Robinson 

703  Wm.  F.  Thomson 

704  Benj.  F.  Barnes 

705  Stephen  Clement 

706  Thos.  Barker 

707  Green  B.  Ellis 

708  John  Cleringer 

709  J.  F.  Becket 

710  Adam  Gutsier 

711  Douglas  Patterson 

712  J.  H.  Kinkaid 

713  Geo.  H.  Viley 

714  N.  M.  Moore 

715  John  M.  Brown 

716  D.  A.  Graves 

717  W.  H.  Mendenhall 

718  Wm.  Hotchkiss 

719  David  Hudson 

720  Wm.  Snow 

721  Alison  Vanvirder 

722  Charles  Niely 

723  Wm.  Sherf 

724  Henry  Luse 

725  J.  C.  Roy 

726  M.  H.  Kee 

727  David  R.  Hooper 

728  John  L.  Hopper 

729  Robert  Allen 

730  Conrad  Fifer 

731  Wm.  W.  Randolph 

732  Jas.  W.  Briggs 

733  Wm.  Harmon 

734  B.  Lee 

735  Robert  Cobb 

736  Wm.  C.  Berry 

737  Henry  Curl 

738  Imilar  Franklin 

739  Richard  Sherman 

740  Chas.  Preston 


741  Frederick  Donnely 

742  Patrick  Donelly 

743  N.  0.  Clayton 

744  S.  H.  Davis 

745  Francis  Edrics ' 

746  John  C.  Davidson 

747  H.  A.  Gallagher 

748  Victor  Dunoff 

749  Clark  Stearns 

750  Addison  John 
751 . 

752  Samuel  Brown 

753  David  Muncas 

754  Wierd  Wells 

755  Stephen  H.  Folsom 

756  Albert  Hastings 

757  Jordan  Davidson 

758  Ira  Luddard 

759  John  F.  Wilson 
.760  Thos.  Mallochs 

761  Ambrose  J.  Burk 

762  N.  D.  Short 

763  Jas.  Sharp 

764  B.  F.  Wood 

765  B.  F.  McDonald 

766  Oscar  Harlow 

767  0.  A.  Hanscom 

768  J.  D.  Wisely 

769  J.  J.  Fort 

770  Howny  W.  Lewis 

771  G.  C.  Thompson 

772  Benj.  Cooper 

773  Samuel  McMahon 

774  D.  0.  Carver 

775  Wm.  E.  Radford 

776  J.  C.  Fore 

777  A.  Wilhelm 

778  I.  W.  Ackley 

779  James  M.  Clay 

780  John  Fry 

781  N.  F.  Herrick 

782  John  Scudder 

783  Charles  Jordan 

784  John  W.  Robinson 

785  D.  M.  K.  Barnett 

786  Wm.  A.  Holmes 

787  Wm.  W.  Austin 

788  S.  Y.  Lum 

789  H.  S.  Major 

790  A.  Payne 

791  J.  J.  Payne 

792  Joel  Grover 

793  J.  Ligon 

794  Thomas  Johnson 

795  James  Coyle 

796  C.  G.  Hoyt 

797  J.  S.  Nott 

798  E.  F.  White 

799  John  Ritchie 

800  Horatio  F.  Archer 

801  John  E.  Stewart 

802  George  H.  Wallace 

803  Martin  Adams 

804  E.  Munroe 

805  Henry  W.  Gilhart 

806  F.  R.  Long 


444 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


807  James  Miller 

808  J.  Chin 

809  John  Mash 

810  E.  A.  Landon 

811  J.  B.  Smith 

812  J.  A.  Corlew 

813  L.  W.  Plumb 

814  Hiram  Dunbar 

815  J.  I.  Foster 

816  John  Alexander 

817  E.  A.  Colman 

818  Hugh  Pettingill 

819  Joseph  Law 

820  J.  A.  Lewis 

821  Edward  Picket 

822  Anthony  Howell 

823  David  Morris 

824  Abram  Still 

825  A.  Hyde 

826  Thomas  Conner 

827  Wm.  D.  Wells 

828  Locke  Adkins 

829  C.  Willes 

830 

831  Henry  Roff 

832  John  L.  Gordon 

833  David  Pate 

834  Henry  S.  Everhart 

835  Henry  D.  Graves 

836  Edward  Dickinson 

837  Wm.  Lyon 

838  Lewis  J.  Everhart 

839  Michael  Grover 

840  John  W.  Carlton 

841  A.  T.  Bassitt 

842  0.  D.  Smith 

843  John  Ester 

844  F.  Hill 

845  C.  W.  Rensall 

846  George  Churchill 

847  George  W.  Reid 

848  F.  B.  Ackley 

849  Lysander  Oliver 

850  Reuben  Cornelius 

851  M.  Gilmore 

852  Thomas  Reed 

853  Thomas  Garvin 

854  James  Richmond 

855  James  Campbell 

856  Samuel  Anderson 

857  William  Herris 

858  Oliver  Hayes 

859  Ira  Jones 

860  James  Garvin 

861  Samuel  H.  Davidson 

862  Edward  Jones 

863  Jonathan  Bigelow 

864  Daniel  Sayre 

865  John  L.  Crane 

866  Austin  Cristman 

867  Charles  A.  Haskell 

868  Robert  Maddock 

869  J.  W.  Hague 

870  G.  S.  Leonard 

871  W.  D.  Atwood 

872  C.  F.  Doy 


873  John  Howard 

874  John  Derby  (oath) 

875  G.  W.  Hutchinson 

876  J.  S.  Emery 

877  S.  B.  Sutherland 

878  Jona.  Matthews 

879  Hiram  Clark 

880  Charles  Harrington 

881  William  Yates 

882  J.  F.  Jalen 

883  S.  G.  Johnson 

884  G.  W.  Kent 

885  R.  H.  Waterman 

886  G.  F.  Earle 

887  F.  Haskell 

888  S.  N.  Wood 

889  A.  D.  Searles 

890  C.  Teft 

891  N.  Snyder 

892  N.  Snyder 

893  A.  S.  Potter 

894  H.  A.  Hancock 

895  M.  Lewis 

896  A.  F.  Ricard 

897  John  M.  Bank 

898  C.  P.  Farnsworth 

899  G.  W.  Burgess 

900  S.  0.  Pomeroy 

901  Thomas  Bond 

902  B.  G.  Livingston 

903  Edward  Clark 

904  Samuel  Kimball 

905  B.  Johnson 

906  John  Davis 

907  Charles  Robinson 

908  Daniel  Low 

909  F.  J.  Locke 

910  J.  A.  Ladd 

911  S.  J.  Willis 

912  M.  M.  Hammond 

913  Ellis  Bond 

914  John  H.  Deane 

915  L.  D.  Hubbard 

916  H.  Bronson 

917  J.  H.  Miller 

918  J.  H.  Eliason 

919  B.  W.  Gannt 

920  E.  H.  Dermett 

921  Increase  Whitcomb 

922  0.  H.  Bineham 

923  A.  A.  White 

924  C.  C.  Preston 

925  John  Baldwin 

926  A.  B.  Wade 

927  John  Hutchinson 

928  J.  F.  Morgan 

929  E.  W.  Goss 

930  J.  H.  Firman 

931  Dorril  Merrill 

932  Jas.  S.  Curran 

933  Asaph  Allen 

934  George  Perrine 

935  J.  P.  McCogee 

936  A.  B.  Perrine 

937  T.  C.  Webb 

938  Elnor  Allen 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


445 


939  Hermann  Williams 

940  J.  C.  Gordon 

941  C.  W.  Babcock 

942  Harrison  Nichols 

943  Geo.  A.  Gordon 

944  S.  N.  Simpson 

945  Wrn.  B.  Lee 

946  Z.  F.  Reynolds 

947  Lemuel  Reynolds 

948  John  Haynes 

949  E.  W.  Brown 

950  J.  L.  Baldwin 

951  S.  B.  Dudley 

952  Charles  Munroe 

953  David  Conger 

954  Frederick  KimbaH 

955  J.  T.  Grant 

956  Curtis  F.  Keyes 

957  Abram  Wilder 

958  Thos.  J.  Stone 

959  George  Gilbert 

960  Joshua  Smith 

961  D.  C.  Buffum 

962  0.  H.  Lamb 

963  William  Cheny 

964  Edward  Winslow 
965 

966  John  Day 

967  Charles  Campbell 

968  Samuel  Kennedy 

969  Jacob  E.  Stewart 

970  J.  L.  Merrill 

971  D.  L.  Wells 

972  Adam  Wilbart 

973  J.  A.  Brown 

974  James  Carll 

975  B.  F.  Hoffar 

976  William  Carll 

977  Win.  B.  Burke 

978  John  Floyd 

979  Samuel  Gray 

980  Loyd  McHerrindin 

981  B.  R.  Hubbard 

982  Josiah  Abbott 

983  Albert  Irish 

984  N.  E.  Ridder 

985  William  Marshall 

986  George  Ballinger 

987  S.  Hollister 

988  George  French 

989  William  Gookin 

990  Jos.  W.  Emerson 

991  AmosTrott 

992  William  R.  Rutter 

993  James  C.  Disney 


994  George  G.  Kimball 

995  A.  F.  Whiting 

996  Orlando  Rawlinson 

997  G.  L.  Crosby 

998  N.  C.  High 

999  L.  Litchfield 

1000  H.  M.  Severance 

1001  H.  C.  Harman 

1002  Parsons  Haskell 

1003  Edmund  Jones 

1004  Charles  Liscom 

1005  Jos.  P.  Lockey 

1006  Anson  Abrason 

1007  John  W.  Luce 

1008  Converse  L.  Greaves 

1009  James  McGubaums 

1010  Francis  Davis 

1011  Moses  Hubbard 

1012  Arthur  Mecan 

1013  Wm.  W.  Henderson 

1014  Charles  L.  Wilber 

1015  H.  F.  Fisher 

1016  D.  H.  Moore 

1017  Wm.  H.  Brown 

1018  Edward  Plummer 

1019  J.  M.  Fogg 

1020  Z.  P.  Page 

1021  Samuel  Hall 

1022  H.  C.  Gardner 

1023  David  F.  Richer 

1024  E.  S.  Scudder 

1025  Josiah  Reed 

1026  Charles  Hathaway 

1027  G.  H.  Folsom 
1028 

1029  Province  McDaniel 

1030  Luther  Dame 

1031  Jos.  C.  Miller 

1032  Rufus  Learey 

1033  Geo.  W.  Ryner 

1034  Gordon  F.  Carrier 

1035  David  Ambrose 

1036  Geo.  A.  Willard 

1037  H.  F.  Fort 

1038  Theo.  E.  Benjamin 

1039  Noah  Cameron 

1040  Jas.  P.  Wood 

1041  Holland  Sumner 

1042  P.  Richmond  Brooks 

1043  David  Brown 

1044  Thomas  Brooke 
10  less  for  errors 

1034  total. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  W.  H.  E.  Lykins,  in  the  first 
election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  the  council  and  of  the 
louse  of  representatives,  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify 
;hat  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at 
mch  election,  [by  lawful  resident  voters,]*  viz  : 


The  words  in  brackets  were  erased  from  printed  form. 


446  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

For  members  of  Council.  For  members  of  House  Representatives-! 

Thomas  Johnson 780  James  Whitlock 78n 

Edward  Chapman 783  A.   B.   Wade 78i 

Joel  K.  Goodwin 254  John  M.  Banks 78| 

Samuel  N.  Wood 255  John  Hutchinson 25  I 

Charles  Garrett 1  E.  D.  Ladd 25^ 

Noah  Cameron 1  P.  P.  Fowler ....  25 

Samuel  C.  Pomeroy 

D.  L.  Crogsdale 

A.  F.  Powell 

Wm.  D.  Atwood 

K.  G.  Elliott 

HUGH   CAMERON. 
ROBERT  A.  CUMMINS. 
THEODORE  E.  BENJAMIN. 


MARCH  30,  1855. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  for  the  second  representative  distrid 
in  Kansas  Territory,  do  certify,  that  pursuant  to  a  proclamation  issue* 
hy  Governor  A.  H.  Reeder,  dated  8th  day  of  March,  1855,  the  electio 
was  called  to  order  by  Hugh  Cameron  and  James  B.  Abbott,  two  t| 
the  judges  appointed  by  said  proclamation.  A.  B.  Blanclon  not  beinf 
present,  the  said  two  judges  filled  his  place  by  appointing  Robert  Aj 
Cummins  to  fill  the  vacancy ;  and  James  B.  Abbott  resigning,  tl'ij 
other  two  judges  filled  his  place  by  appointing  Theodore  Benjamin  1] 
fill  the  vacancy.  The  election  was  then  called  to  order  by  said  judge* 
and  proceeded  to  receive  votes. 

James  Whitlock  received  for  representative 780  vote* 

A.  B.  Wade  "  i(  781     "  «l 

JohnM.  Banks  "  "  781      "  <J 

E.  D.  Ladd  "  "  253     " 

John  Hutchison  "•  i(  252      " 

P.  P.  Fowler  "  254     " 

James  Whitlock,  A.  B.  Wade,  and  John  M.  Banks  receiving  tfr| 
largest  number  of  legal  votes  for  representatives,  are  declared  dulij 
elected. 

Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  this  30th  day  of  March,  A.  I 
1855,  at  the  house  of  W.  H.  R.  Lykins,  in  the  town  of  Lawrence. 

ROBERT  A.  CUMMINS. 
THEODORE  E.  BENJAMIN. 


To  Ms  excellency  Andrew  H.  Reeder,  governor  of  Kansas  Territory : 
We,  the  undersigned,  residents  of  the  first  district,  Kansas  Terr! 

tory,  being  duly  sworn,  would  respectfully  submit  the  following  fact™ 
We  have  resided  for  several  months  in  the  above  district,  and  knoij 

most  of  the  present  residents  in  said  district. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  447 

On  the  29th  and  30th  days  of  March,  A.  D.  1855,  according  to  our 
best  judgments  and  estimation,  between  six  and  seven  hundred  armed 
men,  to  us  unknown,  came  on  the  road  leading  from  Kansas,  Mo.,  to 
this  place,  and  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of  the  polls  for  this  district. 
On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  before  any  voting,  most  of  the  above 
number  collected  around  the  polls  and  kept  them  in  their  possession 
until  late  in  the  afternoon,  preventing  nearly  every  citizen  of  this 
place  from  voting  before  about  four  o'clock  p.  m.,  thus  occupying  the 
time  in  casting  their  own  votes. 

During  the  day,  violence  was  threatened  to  the  citizens  of  this  place 
by  these  strangers,  and  as  we  understand  and  believe  many  were 
thereby  put  in  fear,  left  the  polls  and  did  not  vote.  During  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  day,  and  during  the  ensuing  night,  the  whole  com- 
pany started  back  towards  Missouri. 

We  heard  several  of  the  most  prominent  among  their  number  say 
that  they  had  come  from  Missouri  for  the  purpose  of  voting,  and  that 
they  should  not  take  the  oath  required  by  your  excellency,  and  they 
intended  after  voting  to  return  to  Missouri.  And  we  further  under- 
stand and  believe  that  two  of  the  judges  of  election,  officially  ap- 
pointed, resigned,  and  that  their  places  were  filled  by  men  selected 
by  the  leaders  of  the  crowd  of  foreign  voters.  We  believe  that  Joel 
K.  Goodwin  and  S.  N.  Wood  for  the  council,  and  John  Hutchinson, 
Erastus  D.  Ladd,  and  Philip  P.  Fowler  for  the  assembly,  were  elected 
by  a  majority  of  the  legal  votes  cast  in  this  district,  and  should  they 
not  receive  a  certificate  of  election  from  your  excellency,  we  would 
hereby  petition  that  the  election  of  E.  Chapman,  Thomas  Johnson, 
James  Whitlock,  A.  B.  Wade,  and  John  M.  Banks,  in  this  district, 
be  declared  void,  and  therefore  set  aside. 

Samuel  F.  Tappan  J.  C.  Gordon 

Harrison  Williams  Samuel  C.  Harrington 

0.  A.  Hanscom  G.  F.  Earles 

C.  H.  Carpenter  G.  W.  Hutchinson 

Edward  P.  Fitch  John  W.  Denis 

J.  S.  Emery  S.  Y.  Lum 

A.  D.  Searl  G.  W.  Brown 

Norman  Allen  A.  H.  Mallory 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me  this  2d  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1855. 

JOHN  SPEER,  J.  P. 

A.  Allen  J.  H.  Gleason 

Joshua  Smith  John  Doy 

H.  Nichols 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me  this  2d  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1855. 

JOHN  SPEEK,  J.  P. 

UNITED  STATES,       ) 
nerritory  of  Kansas,    \  ss ' 

N.  B.  Blandon  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says,  that  after  his 
ppointment  as  a  judge  of  election  for  district  No.  1,  and  immediately 


448  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

preceding  the  election -lield  on  the  30th  inst.,  he  was  accosted  by  cer 
tain  individuals  who  represented  themselves  as  citizens  of  Missouri- 
and  then  on  their  way  to  Lawrence  to  vote  ;  and  he  was  asked  if  h|j 
should  permit  them  to  vote,  and  upon  his  saying  that  he  could  note 
upon  his  oath,  allow  citizens  of  Missouri  to  exercise  the  right  of  fram 
chise  in  Kansas  Territory,  the  said  individuals  attempted  to  bribj 
this  deponent,  offering  him  money  and  other  inducements  to  disregard 
his  oath  as  a  judge  of  election. 

And  deponent  further  says,  that  the  persons  aforesaid  threatened 
to  kill  him  if  he  would  not  allow  them  the  privilege  of  voting  at  th>h 
said  election  ;  and  through  fear  of  them  and  their  threats  made  ai 
above,  this  deponent  did  not  dare  to  act  as  a  judge  of  election  on  thl 
30th  instant ;  and  deponent  says,  upon  his  information  and  belieJf 
the  said  individuals  were  present  and  voted  at  the  said  election. 

NAPOLEON  B.  BLANTON. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  before  me  this  31st  day  of  March,  1855. 

J.  S.  EMERY,  J.  P. 


I,  Harrison  Nichols,  of  Lawrence,  district  No.  1,  Kansas  Territory 
of  lawful  age,  being  duly  sworn,  say  that  I  am  constable  for  the  Id 
district,  and  that  I  was  present  at  the  polls  all  the  time  of  voting  o« 
the  30th  instant,  except  about  one  hour ;  that  I  have  lived  in  thft 
district  several  months,  and  know  by  sight  or  name  nearly  all  tfoj 
residents  in  this  district.     I  saw  nearly  every  person  who  cast  hlj 
vote  while  I  was  present,  and  should  say  that  over  six  hundred  persoi>j 
that  I  never  saw  until  the  day  of  the  election,  or  the  day  previoui| 
voted.     I  saw  several  who  I  think  came  into  this  place  on  the  dai 
previous  to  the  day  of  election,  vote  without  answering  any  question! 
and  without  being  questioned  by  the  judges  of  election.     That  a  mn 
jority  of  those  unknown  to  me  did  not  take  the  oath  required  by  yomj 
excellency,  but  only  said  they  were  residents  of  the  Territory  an 
district.     I  heard  Mr.   Cummins,  one  of  the  judges,  say  he  did  nir 
regard  the  oath  required  by  the  governor,  and  that  he  should  nc 
carry  out  his  instructions. 

I  saw  on  the  30th  and  29th  instant  some  eight  hundred  person 
come  into  this  place,  who  remained  until  the  afternoon  or  night  afV 
election,  and  then  started  back  towards  Missouri. 

H.  NICHOLS. 


Sworn  before  me  this  31st  day  of  March,  1855. 

J.  8.  EMERY,  J.  P. 


I,  David  Conger,  of  Lawrence,  Kansas  Territory,  being  duly  swon 
say,  that  I  was  present  at  a  meeting  of  a  company  of  several  hundre 
persons,  who  came  into  this  place,  as  I  understand,  on  the  29th  day  \ 
March,  A.  D.  1855.  That  I  heard  a  man  called,  I  believe,  one  Gran 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  449 

from  Liberty,  Missouri,  state,  in  a  speech,  that  they  came  here  to 
establish  squatter  sovereignty.  That  they  would,  on  the  morrow, 
defend  this  principle,  if  need  be,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  and 
bowie-knife.  That  they  had  some  three  hundred  more  voters  than 
would  be  required  to  carry  the  election,  and  that  two  hundred  could 
foe  spared  for  Tecumseh  ;  and  he  called  upon  that  number  to  volun- 
teer for  that  point.  That  a  large  number  did  march  out  for  some 

point, 

DAVID   CONGEE. 

•Sworn  to  before  me  this  31st  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855. 

J.  S.  EMERY,  J.  P. 

Further  verified  by  the  affidavits  of  Edwin  Bond  and  Samuel  Jones. 


SECOND  AND  EIGHTH  DISTRICTS. 

This  is  to  certify  that  the  returns  of  the  election  held  on  the  30th 
day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855,  in  the  2d  and  8th  election  districts  in  the 
Territory  of  Kansas,  together  with  the  poll-books,  were  delivered  with 
fche  other  returns  of  said  election  to  a  committee  of  the  Territorial 
legislature  in  July  last,  and  that  they  were  mislaid  or  lost,  and  are 
not  now  OR  th«e  files  of  the  executive  of  said  Territory. 


THIRD  DISTRICT. 

1,  James  M.  Small,  do  swear  that  I  will  perform  my  duties  as  judge 
rf  the  election,  to  be  held  this  day  at  the  house  of  Thomas  N.  Stin- 
son,  in  the  third  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  to  the 
best  of  my  judgment  and  ability  ;  that  I  will  keep  a  true,  correct,  and 
faithful  record  or  list  of  all  persons  who  shall  vote  at  said  election  ; 
bhat  I  will  poll  no  ticket  from  any  person  who  is  not  an  actual  in- 
labitant  and  resident  of  said  Territory  on  the  day  of  the  election  ; 
*  *  *(1)  and  that  I  will  truly  count  and  record  the 
,rotes  received,  and  make  a  true  and  faithful  return  thereof  to  the 
governor  of  said  Territory. 

JAMES  M.  SMALL. 


Sworn  and  subscribed,  March  30,  1855,  previous  to  opening  the 
Dolls,  before  me, 

JOHN  HOMER, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 


(l)A.t  this  point  the  following  language  is  erased  with  a  pen  : — "  and  whom  I  shaU  no 
ortex&y  believe  to  be  a  qualified  voter,  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  ad  of  Congress  organizing  said 
^erritory  ;  that  I  wiU  reject  the  votes  of  all  non-residents  who  I  sfiall  believe  have  come  into  the  Terri- 
yryforthe  mere  purpose  of  voting  ;  that  in  all  cases  where  lam  ignorant  of  the  voter's  right,  I  wiU 
equire  legal  evidence  thereof,  by  his  own  oath  or  otherwise." 

H,  Eep.  200 29* 


450  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

For  Council.  For  Representative. 

H.  J.   Strickler 370  D.  L.    Croysdale 3 

Andrew  McDonald 1  C.  K.    Hollidy 

G.  W.   Ward 

The  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  held  on  the  30th  day 
March,  1855,,  at  the  house  of  Thomas  W.  Stinson,  in  the  town: 
Tecumseh,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  according  to  the  proclarnati 
and  instructions  of  the  governor  of  said  Territory,  certify,  that  1 
judges  of  said  election,  appointed  by  said  governor,  did,  on  said  3C' 
of  March,  and  after  the  hour  of  9  o'clock  a.  m.,  each  severally  reft 
to  join  in  holding  said  election  ;  and  that  after  said  refusal,  the  votl 
on  the  ground  did,  by  tellers,  select  the  undersigned  as  judges  of  s; 
election  ;  and  they  further  certify,  that  the  above  is  a  true  and  perj 
tally-list  made  out,  according  to  the  instructions  of  said  governi 
from  the  list  of  votes  polled  on  that  day  at  said  election. 

JAMES  M.  SMALL  j 
HOEATIO  COX. 
JOHN  HOBNER. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30tl 

March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Thomas  N.  Stinson,  in  the  th 

election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  of  j 

house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  <  i 
tify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  i  ji 

true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election  by  lavi 
resident  voters,  viz : 

1  Smallwood  Noland  28  E,  F.  Stegers 

2  John  Dane  29  L.  Ruffner 

3  D.  Richmond  30  W.  Houx 

4  John  C.  Anderson  31  M.  Groverer 

5  John  Bland  32  J.  A  McBride 

6  David  Milton  33  T.  Phelps 

7  W.  H.  Linam  34  G.  Long 

8  0.  F.  Dougherty  35  W.  Riley 

9  R.  Jones  36  D.  Payne 

10  G.  W.  Withers  37  S.  Chandler 

11  G.  W.  Hall  38  C.  B.  Lawe 

12  John  Jones  39  J.  McGuire 

13  L.  L.  Bennett  40  Otho  Hall 

14  Gilson  Thomas  41  A.  Daniel 

15  John  W.  Johnson  42  J.  M.  Adams 

16  George  Remick  43  Thomas  Pernberton 

17  L.  Tillery  44  J.  F.  Beman 

18  W.  H.  H.  Candiff  45  H.  S.  Kelley 

19  T.  A.  Hollo  way  46  G.  Clevenger 

20  Reuben  Johnston  47  J.  M.  Baber 

21  H.  H.  Ratliff  48  R.  Groutt 

22  Emett  Allen  49  A.  N.  B.  Hughes 

23  J.  S.  Journey  50  0.  C.  Steward 

24  W.  P.  Reeder  51  J.  L.  Whittington 

25  G.  L.  Withers  52  J.  N.  McBride 

26  J.  R.  Hanson  53  T.  Proctor 

27  T.  W.  Johnson  54  R.  Strouse 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


451 


55  M.  McConnaii 

56  H.  Waterhouse 

57  J.  P.  Bird 

58  B.  Cherry 

59  C.  N.  Robinson 

60  C.  Linsey 

61  J.  W.  Lawrence 

62  W.  H.  Euple 

63  L.  Disert 

64  G.  P.  Johnson 

65  W.  Hall 

66  R.  Tompson 

67  R.  H.  Robinson 

68  L.  H.  Shedd 

69  R.  Mayberry 

70  C.  Carter 

71  C.  Duncan 

72  G.  T.  M.  Harrison 

73  G.  Bowls 

74  C.  M.  Palmer 

75  H.  L.  Routt 

76  D.  C.  Patterson 

77  J.  Com 

78  W.  W.  White 

79  J.  P.  Henry1 

80  W.  M.  Clark 

81  J.  M.  Cavanaugh 

82  W.  Penn 

83  J.  Estes 

84  J.  Gooden 

85  S.  L.  McKinney 

86  L.  Dunham 

87  P.  D.  Pollard 

89  M.  Nolan 

90  T.  Windsor 

91  R.  S.  Dukes 

92  W.  S.  Poindexter 

93  A.  W.  Lawe 

94  Thomas  Smith 

95  J.  H.  Combs 

96  A.  J.  Mapes 

97  W.  Houston 

98  R.  O.  Steel 

99  R.  J.  Long 

100  J.  R.  F.  Hooft 

101  F.  A.  Wentworth 

102  J.  C.  Louse 

103  W.  A.  Sublett 

104  Philip  Chisman 

105  G.  M.  Wright 

106  J.  M.  Liddle 

107  J.  B.  Davenport 

108  J.  McMurry 

109  R.  D.  Wood 

110  G.  M.  Halloway 

111  J.  C.  Ervin 

112  L.  N.  Ross 

113  J.  M.  Pitcher 

114  J.  R.  Warner 

115  A.  C.  Overstreet     * 

116  E.  A.  Hickman 

117  Jacob  Sevabargh 

118  M.  Wilson 

119  M.  J.  Collins 

120  J.  Shelton 

121  W.  L.  Farrah 


122  J.  Michenor 

123  A.  Campton 

124  John  Little 

125  L.  Hays 

126  S.  Smith 

127  J.  Journey 

128  W.  B.  Howard 

129  E.  Y.  Shields 

130  E.  A.  Wile 

131  L.  Madocks 

132  G.  A.  Yeste 

133  Joseph  Vaughn 

134  W.  H.  Matocks 

135  J.  A.  Barton 

136  R.  P.  Matocks 

137  T.  J.  Carter 

138  J.  Strother 

139  J.  Piles 

140  J.  Collson 

141  H.  Morton 

142  N.  Hays 

143  C.  H.  Buzzard 

144  E.  P.  Smith 

145  P.  Woods 

146  D.  Colston 

147  J.  McConnell 

148  D.  D.  White 

149  J.  McConnell 

150  J.  J.  Fox 

151  J.  L.  Wyatt 

152  E.  G.  Vaughan 

153  J.  C.  Mason 

154  J.  F.  Thomas 

155  John  Crud 

156  Thomas  Warren 

157  H.  Kerley 

158  F.  McCruan 

159  R.  Barren 

160  Beal  Green 

161  A.  N.  King 

162  J.  V.  Emerson 

163  J.  Piles 

164  W.  S.  Rodgers 

165  L.  Scott 

166  H.  Stickhall 

167  W.  Riley 

168  L.  W.  Swarengen 

169  C.  A.  More 

170  H.  Hamilton 

171  T.  L.  Fogle 

172  G.  W.  Smith 

173  S.  J.  L.  Porter 

174  W.  S.  Shortridge 

175  W.  Salerwhite 

176  J.  CoUins 

177  L.  Steel 

178  James  Hunter 

179  Charles  Coward 

180  T.  N.  Stinson 

181  D.  W.  Hunter 

182  W.  Smith 

183  J.  Smith 

184  W.  Botts 

185  R.  H.  Levuggs 

186  John  Book 

187  R.  Flornay 


452 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


188  J.  C.  Riggs 

189  G.  W.  Hinckle 

190  E.  W.  Donaldson 

191  R.  H.  Mathews- 

192  R.  Stone 

193  S.  West 

194  J.  Laston 

195  A.  McGruddy 

196  J.  T.  Wesley 

197  J.  Stavestreet 

198  B.  Wills 

199  N.  M.  Hedrick 

200  A.  D.  M.  Hand 

201  J.  Acres 

202  H.  A.  Chancellor 

203  N.  R.  McMurry 

204  J.  A,  Laneheart 

205  J.  W.  West 

206  J.  S.  Wood 

207  U.  G.  Reese 

208  J.  Mecum 

209  W.  Dowen 

210  B.  F.  Wallace 

211  H.  A.  Hunter 

212  Jaines  Herron 

213  H.  N.  Watts 

214  G.  B.  Warfieldl 

215  James  S.  Piles- 

216  J.  H.  Weaver 

217  J.  Imkerson 

218  C.  Copeland 

219  John  Homer 

220  Samuel  D.  McCutchera 

221  James  M.  Small 

222  T.  W.  Hays 

223  Horatio  Cox 

224  A.  G.  Douglass 

225  A.  B.  Earl 

226  W.  B.  Sterrett 

227  L.  B.  Kerr 

228  W.  Mattenny 

229  M.  Rule 

230  W.  Coker 

231  Thomas  Strode 

232  George  Parker 

233  J.  Leddle 

234  J.  K.  Waysman 

235  W.  C.  Staples 

236  G.  W.  Berry 

237  J.  H.  Warton 

238  W.  Hill 

239  J.  M.  B.  Mauss 

240  L.  Liagarden 

241  J.  B.  Clark 

242  E.  K.  Atterberry 

243  B.  W.  Brown 

244  L.  L.  Kingsbury 

245  F.  M.  Grimes 

246  J.  H.  Hughes 

247  Solomon  Coker 

248  A.  E.  Tyne 

249  D.  C.  Baggs 

250  R.  A.  Edwards 

251  G.  W.  A.  Patterson 

252  R.  Brown 

253  Peter  Croco 


254  A.  G.  Brown 

255  J.  C.  McCoy 

256  T.  C.  Coons 

257  G.  H.  Brown 

258  A.  J.  Kelley 

259  J.  T.  Vance 

260  J.  W.  Young 

261  W.  F.  Gorden 

262  G.  C.  Beck 

263  M.  Morton 

264  Ed.  Updegraff 

265  James  Robinson 

266  Timo.  Malie 

267  W.  M.  Aikens 

268  W.  R.  Boggs 

269  Peter  Simmona 

270  W.  Haines 

271  A.  G.  Mosely 

272  Ed.  Byrnes 

273  T.  Pichar 

274  J.  Ellis 

275  J.  T.  Rickets 

276  F.  Jackson 

277  Thomas  P. 

278  James  Price 

279  M.  George 

280  J.  Anderson 

281  B.  F.  Thompson 

282  R.  H.  Hicks 

283  Eli  Nolan 

284  C.  S.  Stark 

285  James  G.  Adkins 

286  Thomas  Strickland 
,  287  A.  H.  Cravens 

288  George  Brown 

289  E.  C.  Strode 

290  W.  H.  Brady 

291  Thomas  Hough 

292  James  Hollen 

293  L.  Jemmerson 

294  R.  J.  Lamb 

295  B.  S.  P.  Xley 

296  M.  A.  Chuslear 

297  B.  M.  Leach 

298  W.  Presby 

299  C.  H.  Vincent 

300  L.  Haugh 

301  B.  J.  Thompson 

302  J.  H.  Payne 

303  J.  M.  Allen 

304  J.  N.  Nelson 

305  J.  Dunlap 

306  J.  Wallas 

307  L.  B.  Slateler 

308  James  Waland 

309  Thomas  Johnson 

310  Jas.  Dyer 

311  James  R.  Leach 

312  J.  Murris 

313  W.  S.  Henry 

314  James  Caragili 

315  W.  H.  Abbott 

316  J.  B.  Wiley 

317  James  Young 

318  Charles  Alexander 

319  John  Ward 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  453 

320  Francis  Grassmuck  349  W.  Stanley 

321  Thomas  Johnson,  jr.  350  John  A.  Winn 

322  H.  J.  Walker  351  James  H.  Cowherd 

323  H.  A.  Hutchersoa  352  E.  J.  McClannehan 

324  J.  M.  Dunkland  353  J.  M.  Edwards 

325  Jos.  Jeffers  354  J.  A.  Lobby 

326  Hugh  Brent  355  Samuel  H.  Woodson 

327  Thomas  Aringtom  356  W.  Daley 

328  W.  H.  Henry  357  William  Sumer 

329  M.  Steward  358  A.  D.  Mallery 

330  John  Sailing  359  Frank  Moon 

331  -Fisher  Pruett  360  Richard  Steward 

332  Samuel  Hayes  361  James  Brant 

333  W.  H.  Maug  362  Thomas  J.  Crusve 

334  George  Ward  363  Jos.  Drennen 

335  A.  T.  Byler  364  William  Mateny,  sen. 

336  Thomas  H.  Hendricks  365  J.  H.  McMurry 

337  John  Waller  366  L.  D.  Chilson 

338  John  R.  Price  367  John  R.  Ageh 

339  Robert  Collins  368  Thomas  Guesenbery 

340  W.  C.  Price  369  W.  W.  Sellery 

341  Thomas  J.  Shaw  370  Richard  Hunter 

342  J.  F.  Stonestreet  371  H.  G.  Guesenbery 

343  E.  H.  McLanaham  372  H.  J.  Strickler 

344  J.  H.  Hockaday  373  D.  L.  Croydale 

345  James  Jackson  374  William  Pickerel! 

346  L.  Mason  375  Win.  A.  M.  Vaughan 

347  David  Anderson  376  George  Holmes. 

348  L.  ToUiner 

JAMES  M.   SMALL. 
HORATIO  COX. 
JOHN  HOMER. 


FOURTH  DISTICT. 

Ve,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of 
Irch,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Dr.  J.  Chapman,  in  the  4th 
lotion  district,  first  council  and  representative  district  for  the  elec- 
4  of  members  of  council  and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the 
'critory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of 
il  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the 
ois  polled  at  said  election. 

For  Councilman.  For  Representative. 

homas  Johnson *78  A.S.Johnson "77 

..  Chapman T8  A.  F.  Powell 3 

IN.  Wood 2 

«.  EL  Goodin 2  80 

160 

DAVID  PULTZ,  ) 

THOMAS  MOCKBEE,  [  Judges. 
J.  B.  DAVIS,  ) 

Poll  List. 

1  B.  T.  Kezer  3  Reuben  Hacket 

2  John  Johnson  4  W.  W.  Mitchell 


454 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


5  Wm.  P.  Rally 

6  J.  H.  Price 

7  J.  0.  Bangs 

8  J.  F.  Lock 

9  Sam'l  W.  Hamilton 

10  J.  H.  Lockridge 

11  John  Thompson 

12  Wm.  Care 

13  John  Homer 

14  George  Rhodes 

15  Milton  Row 

16  W.  R.  Hamilton 

17  John  H.  Sanders 

18  Wm.  P.  Bruce 

19  P.  W.  Holly 

20  J.  B.  Cracker 

21  B.  B.  Brown 

22  J.  C.  Sherman 

23  C.  Martin 

24  J.  Wilson 

25  Ben.  T.  Brown 

26  W.  H.  N.  Daniel 

27  Daniel  Cushenbery 

28  Rees  B.  Young 

29  W.  W.  McFartere 

30  B.  M.  Steele 

31  John  Johnson 

32  E.  T.  Douglass 

33  S.  E.  Thompson 

34  Sam.  Kimsy 

35  John  Ball 

36  J.  T.  Eezer 

37  J.  M.  Wells 

38  David  Tate 

39  R.  Ball 

40  Joel  Liscomb 

41  George  Harper 

42  H.  C.  Harper 


43  E.  Poage 

44  A.  H. 

45  G.  W.  Pool 

46  S.  Hamilton 

47  Joseph  Bradbury 

48  Joel  Crumton 

49  J.  D.  Basy 

50  William  Goraut 

51  John  Cutleet 

52  F.  H.  Lane 

53  T.  J.  Lockridge 

54  D.  J.  Kezer 

55  A.  R.  White 

56  Ebenezer  Dixon 

57  David  Pultz 

58  Thomas  Mockbee 

59  T.  B.  Davis 

60  C.  M.  White 

61  Joseph  M.  Bernard 

62  W.  G.  Collins 

63  C.  C.  Hamilton 

64  Henry  0.  Lowdry 

65  Thomas  J.  Linch 

66  Elizer  Hill 
€7  John  Edie 

68  Alfred  Dale 

69  Wm.  G.  Lucket 

70  Thomas  Essicka- 

71  R.  B.  Harris 

72  C.  J.  Hartly 

73  Wm.  Essicks 

74  S.  Writter 

75  Chas.  Haming 

76  Richard  McCamrnish 

77  A.  S.  Johnson 

78  Henry  Kuntz 

79  Robert  Acles 

80  J.  Chapman. 


We,  David  Paltz,  Thomas  Mockbee,  and  J.  B.  Davis,  do  s« 
that  we  will  perform  our  duties  as  judges  of  the  election  to  be<ji 
this  day  at  the  house  of  Dr.  J.  Chapman,  in  the  4th  election  diiii; 
of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  to  the  best  of  our  judgment  and  ab:J; 
that  we  will  keep  a  true,  correct,,  and  faithful  record  or  list  c<|l 
persons  who  shall  vote  at  said  election  ;  that  we  will  poll  no  1 
from  any  person  who  is  not  an  actual  inhabitant  and  resident  of> 
Territory  on  the  day  of  election,  and  whom  we  shall  not  honest!  : 
lieve  to  be  a  voter,  according  to  the  provisions  of  an  act  of  Coor 
organizing  said  Territory  ;  and,  further,  that  we  will  deliver,  asi 
as  possible,  the  papers  to  the  governor  of  said  Territory. 

DAVID  PALTZ. 
THOMAS  MOCKBI 
J.  B.  DAVIS. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  me,  this  30th  day  of  March,  A.D. 

KEUBEN  HACKETT,  J.r 


FOURTH  DISTRICT,  K.  T.,  March  31,  1855. 
Pursuant  to  a  call,  we,  the  actual  residents,  met  at  the  ho 
Silas  H.  Moore,  in  said  district.     On  motion,  John  F.  Javin^ 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  455 

called  to  the  chair  ;  B.  Mayfield,  secretary.  On  motion  of  the  house, 
the  president  stated  the  object  of  the  meeting  to  he  to  contest  the 
^lection  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  On  motion,,  a  jjommittee  was 
appointed  to  draught  the  cause  of  complaint.  On  motion,  Mr.  J.  C. 
Carpenter,  Silas  H.  Moore,  S.  T.  Shore,  Samuel  Workman,  John 
Wilson,  C.  Hill,  Charles  Clark,  Peter  Barringer,  A.  B.  Gilliland,  and 
J.  W.  M.  Shore,  were  the  committee. 

The  committee  brought  in  the  following  report:  We,  the  com- 
mittee, set  forth  the  cause  of  complaint  to  be,  that  we  assembled  at 
the  house  of  Dr.  J.  Chapman,  in  the  4th  district  of  Kansas  Territory, 
the  place  designated  by  the  proclamation  for  the  election  to  be  held 
for  the  offices  of  council  and  representative,  at  the  hour  appointed. 
The  doors  of  said  house  were  closed,  and  no  persons  assembled  at  the 
said  house.  And  we,  Perry  duller  and  E.  W.  Moore,  the  appointed 
judges  for  holding  said  election,  were  informed  that  the  polls  were 
opened  some  half  mile  above  by  David  Paltz,  James  B.  Davis,  and 
Thomas  Mockbee  ;  that  said  polls  were  opened  about  8  o'clock  a.  m., 
and  that  there  were  some  fifty  or  more  non-residents  voting  indiscrim- 
inately, without  questioning  or  oath,  with  their  fire-arms  surrounding 
the  polls  ;  and  we,  the  residents  and  actual  settlers,  did  not  consider 
the  election  legal,  consequently  did  not  vote  at  said  polls,  and  retired 
to  our  homes. 

We,  the  citizens,  do  hereby,  in  witness  hereof,  annex  our  names, 
without  reference  to  party. 

John  F.  Javens,  President.  William  B.  Hogden, 

K.  May  field,  Secretary.  David  Hendricks, 

A.  F.  Powell,  James  Scott, 

D.  A.  Barker,  J.  E.  Carpenter, 
James  J.  Moore,  Perry  Fuller, 

John  S.  Soil,  E.  W.  Meire,  % 

Franklim  Barnes,  John  Wilson, 

Thomas  Ditez,  P.  Baringer, 

Thomas  Shurlez,  J.  W.  M.  Shore, 

Mansfield  Carter,  A.  B.  Gilliland, 

William  Moore,  Samuel  Wortmain,  sr. , 

William  Grace,  Jamuei  T.  Shore, 

E.  Hill,  Charles  Clark, 
Samuel  T.  Shore,  Silas  H.  Moore, 
E.  H.  Berginger,  E.  Hill. 
Christopher  Ward,, 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA, 
Territory  of  Kansas. 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  the  undersigned,  an  acting  justiee 
of  the  peace,  on  the  31st  day  of  March,  1855,  Perry  Fuller  and  E. 
W.  Moore,  and  stated  that  the  within  cause  of  complaint  is  true  and 
correct,  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and  belief. 

PERKY  FULLER. 

E.  W.  MOORE. 


456 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  me,  this  31st  day  of  March,  1855. 

REUBEN  RACKETT, 
,  Justice  of  the  Peace, 


JIFTH  DISTRICT. 

Returns  of  Little  Sugar  Creek  Precinct* 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  c< 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  D.  Stockton,  at  Little  SugaJ 
creek,  in  the  fifth  election  district,  far  the  election  of  members  of  COUM 
cil  and  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  da 
hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  fol>] 
lowing  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  electiosi 
by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz : 


For  Council. 

A.  M.  Coffee 

David  Lykins 

Mahlon  T.  Morris 

James  P.  Fox.. 


f  1  S.  W.  Bbwton 

2  Andrew  Tyler 

3  Charles  Polk 

4  Thomas  Sears 

5  Enoch  Estep 
8  John  Estep 

7  Thomas  Wine 

8  James  Adams 

9  Zachariah  Rowe 
JO  M.  M.  Martin 

11  G.  W.  Joyner 

12  Charles  Waggoner 

13  Julius  Willhote 

14  Harden  Goodall 

15  Andrew  Owens 

16  Ambrose  Ripley 

17  David  C.  Finley 

18  Surges  Wright 

19  Calvin  Ford 

20  William  Griffith 

21  John  H.  Dwill 

22  Abner  Hargus 

23  William  Hargas- 

24  G.  R.  Sands 

25  T.  W.  Folk 

26  Alexander  James 

27  William  Doolm 


For  Representatives. 

31  William  A.  Heiskell 3:' 

34  Allen  Wilkinson 3!' 

62  Henry  Younger... 3: 

TO  Samuel  Scott 3: 

John  Surpell 6f 

Adam  Pore 6* 

Samuel  H.  Houser 6f 

William  Jennings 6 

William  Dyer 

J.  D.  STOCKTON,  > 

WM.  PAKK,  (  Judges. 

HIRAM  HOWDESHELL,  > 

28  Thomas  Hargas 

29  Nathaniel  Vestill 

30  Lemuel  Vestill 

31  John  Brown 

32  James  G.  Ray 

33  William  Hobson 

34  Lemuel  Medling 

35  William  Medling 

36  B.  F.  Ford 

37  F.  E.  Mans 

38  PhineasT.  Glove? 

39  Hiram  Smith 

40  James  B.  Pile 

41  J.  P.  Ford 

42  Abraham  Gardner 

43  Hiram  J   Dingus 

44  Francis  Medlin 

45  John  Medlin 

46  Clayton  Ellis 

47  James  M.  Howel 

48  Benjamin  Bunch 

49  Asher  P.  WyckofF 

50  Henry  A.  Gibbs 

51  Thomas  R.  Julian 

52  William  Murrey 

53  Samuel  Nichols 

54  Daniel  N.McQuickly 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  457 

•* 

55  Nathaniel  Lamarr  81  Isaac  Hargis 

56  James  M.  Hagins  82  C.  W.  Hargis 

57  P>  J.  McHenry  83  Francis  D.  Ford 

58  John  Fonts  84  G.  J.  W.  Holland 

59  J.  B.  Reece  85  William  Young 

60  John  C.  Jameson  86  William  Williams 

61  A.  F.  Jackson  87  James  Osborne 

62  Henry  Eidsoii  88  Henry  Miller 

63  Matthew  Kirk  89  Allen  James 

64  Levy  Ward  90  BenjammJ&rtmoss 

65  Thomas  Duncan  91  John  Michiel 

66  John  Field  92  Isaac  Bledsoe 

67  Martin  B.  Reece  93  John  Beckett 

68  Barney  Richardson  94  L.  H.  Grimes 

69  B.  F.  Thomson  95  Adam  Pore 

70  Jesse  McNew  96  John  0    Starr 

71  L.  C.  Susnange  97  John  B.  Hedelson 

72  Wiley  B.  Pengry  98  Thomas  Reece 

73  Daniel  T.  Ficklin  99  Samuel  Scott 

74  William  T.  Ficklin  100  James  P.  Fox 

75  Philip  Copple  101  Hiram  Howdeshell 

76  Leandren  Fowts  102  William  Parks 

77  Alexander  Fowts  103  Isaac  D.  Stockton 

78  Peyton  Williams  104  David  W.  Carmon 

79  McCailel  Canovan  105  E.  H.  Hutchinson. 

80  C.  F.  Peecket 

(No  affidavit  of  the  judges  of  Little  Sugar  creek  is  on  file.) 

Returns  of  Pottawatomie  Greek  Precinct. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Henry  Sherman,  in  Pottawatomie 
creek,  in  the  fifth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of 
council  and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kan- 
sas, do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,,  that 
the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  vote  polled  at  'such 
election,  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz  : 

For  Councilman.  For  Representatives. 

A.  M.  Coffee 199                William  A.  Heiskell...'..  198 

David  L.  Lykins 199                Allen  Wilkinson 198 

Mahlon  T.  Morris 65                 Henry  Younger 198 

James  P.  Fox 63                Samuel  Scott 198 

JohnSurpell 61 

Adam  Pore 54 

Samuel  H.  Houser 64 

William  Jennings 62 

J.  Shuff .-  11 

Scattering 6 

SAMUEL  C.  WEAK, 
W.  S.  FUKaUSON, 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  an  election  opened  and 
held  at  Henry  Sherman's,  in  the  fifth  district  of  Kansas  Territory,  as 


458  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

well  as  the  voters  in  said  district,  do  hereby  certify  that  the  usual  oath'! 
was  administered  in  due  order  to  William  Chesnut,  one  of  the  judged 
of  said  election,  (who  was  appointed  by  his  excellency,)  who  acted] 
through  said  election  as  one  of  the  judges,  and  boasted  that  the  saidj 
election  was  conducted  with  quietude  and  harmony,  and  that  he  OD-VJ 
jected  to  but  one  vote,  which  was  set  aside  by  the  judges.  Previous  tc«i 
which  time  he  had  furnished  this  same  voter,  Mr.  Devitlers,  with  aa 
free- soil  ticket,  thinking  he  would  use  it,  but,  upon  seeing  this  voteiij 
offer  a  pro-slavery  ticket,  he  challenged  his  vote,  and  it  was  set  aside,  j 
Testified  by  us  this  30th  day  of  March,  1855. 

SAMUEL  C.  WEAK. 

W.  S.  FURGUSON. 

L.  P.  BARNEBEY,  Clerk. 

0.  ANDERSON. 

0.  S.  HEATH. 

A.  CAENES. 
(No  oath  or  other  certificate  on  file.) 


A  list  of  voters  taken  at  Pottawatomie  Creek  precinct.,  in  the  Fifth 
trictj  Kansas  Territory. 

1  W.  L.  Boyce  37  N.  Carder 

2  G.  J.  Morce  38  D.  Cockerill 

3  F.  Austin  39  J.  Walker 

4  A.  Wilkinson  40  J.  Hinton 

5  J.  Calaway  41  W.  L.  Harris 

6  J.  Callaway  42  J.  M.  Smith 

7  T.  F.  Shortridge  43  J.  Goodwin 

8  W.  Austin  44  G.  0.  Washman 

9  T.  Neal  45  L.  G.  Fulton 

10  Edward  Robinson  46  J.  F.  Brockhart 

11  B.  Brown  47  J.  L.  Merill 

12  R.  Samuel  48  H.  P.  Callaway 

13  W.  Benton  49  W.  R.  P.  Poston 

14  B.  West  50  H.  Whalley 

15  J.  M.  Young  51  James  Wyhat 

16  J.  N.  Willett  52  J.  R.  Williams 

17  Wm.  Hutchins  53  N.  H.  Reader  .j 

18  A.  W.  Moiri  54  J.  E.  Atchison 

19  R.  Brayton  55  F.  M.  Scott 

20  J.  Hamilton  56  J.  M.  Hamilton 

21  J.  Baker  57  L.  M.  Berven 

22  Wm.  H.  Williamson  58  J.  F.  Webb 

23  J.  Bryant  59  J.  E.  Fulton 

24  J.  Dorcev  60  J.  H.  Meanche 
23  E.  Fox  61  J.  Hogin 

26  W.  Giffin  62  J.  M.  Taylor 

27  C.  Scott  63  W.  F.  Brown 

28  C.  A.  Brown  64  T.  Green 

29  A.  Patterson  65  J.  Robinson 

30  H.  C.  Boostlast  66  J.  Easton 

31  F.  Leyvanee  67  H.  Ronalds 

32  F.  Collins  68  A.  Castle 

33  W.  C.  Bounds  69  R.  W.  Ranghoyle 

34  J.  McFaden  70  J.  Collins 

35  E.  Corder  71  T.  Wilcox 

36  J.  Young  Sherman  72  A.  Corden 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


459 


73  A.  J.  Willson 

74  E.  B.  Smith 

76  W.  R.  Maxwell 

77  W.  E.  Bosworth 

78  A.  Whitsit 

79  S.  McCallem 
70  A.  Jackson 

81  A.  Bemberton 

82  T.  Green 

83  J.  D.  Haker 

84  L.  Bemberton 

85  Wm.  Mills 

86  J.  Bemberton 

87  J.  Martin 

88  C.  Blackburn 

89  E.  Haskell 

80  C.  P.  Payne 

91  A.  Ervin 

92  J.  A.  Harris 

93  H.  Ansberry 

94  W.  H.  Earlin 

95  W.  D.  Payne 

96  J.  F.  Yokehim 

97  W.  Bullock 

98  W.  Woods 

99  T.  Elsie 

100  H.  Sassifer 

101  H.  Shepin 

102  H.  Mills 

103  P.  Longnice 

104  J.  P.  Goodwin 

105  E.  Farmer 

106  D.  G.  Water 

107  A.  D.  Farmer 

108  J.  Preston 

109  T.  Good 

110  R.  L.  Bell 

111  F.  Smith 

112  S.  T.  Sabbin 

113  W.  Burford 

114  J.  Foster 

115  J.  P.  Macer 

116  J.  W.  Warrens 

117  J.  Austin 

118  F.  Walker 

119  S.  Swatto 

120  I.  J.  Smith 

121  K.  Austin 

122  C.  Dailey 

123  W.  H.  Blanton 

124  J.  C.  Brooks 

125  W.  S.  Bauldwin 

126  J.  Bristo 

127  J.  A.  Green 

128  J.  Ment 

129  A.  D.  Bearson 

130  S.  Vanmeter 

131  Wm.  Yellow 

132  T.  F.  Freeman 

133  D.  Brookhart 

134  H.  Asher 

135  R.  Maxwell 

136  T.  Parker 
131  C.  Christin 

138  M.  Adams 

139  L.  B.  Ellis 


140  G.  W.  Henry 

141  B.  L.  Burbege 

142  T.  P.  Scamans 

143  Minor  Childs 

144  L.  W.  Frazier 

145  J.  Preston 

146  J.  Frazer 

147  C.  F.  Thompson 

149  J.  Bufford 

150  C.  Muffler 

151  J.  Anderson 

153  F.  M.  Thomas 

154  S.  Tucker 

155  C.  Jackson 

156  J.  H.  Houser 

157  J.  H.  Morse 

158  A.  B.  Jackson 

159  J.  B.  Hook 

160  H.  Bleedso 

161  J.  F.  Smith 

162  J.  W.  Green 

163  F.  Horde 

164  F.  Mori 

165  Roldin  Girth,  (oath) 

166  W.  Long,  (oath) 

167  T.  Thrinle 

168  T.  Atchison 

169  W.  H.  Day 

170  E.  Elliott 

171  N.  Williams 

172  A.  Finch 

173  S.  J.  Chaffee 

174  C.  G.  Grout 

175  J.  S.  Haffort 
1'76  W.  W.  Jones 

177  A.  G.  Stompall 

178  P.  E.  France 

179  W.  R.  Willmott 

180  J.  R.  Underwood 

181  J.  Grant 

182  J.  Ragan 

183  S.  M.  Hays 

184  J.  Rayold 

185  W.  Eberhard 

186  J.  Hitchings 

187  0.  F.  Oleaveland 

188  A.  Laros 

189  H.  Dace 

190  R.  Tovey 

191  H.  Cock 

192  T.  Crawford 

193  W.  H.  Pinnell 

194  J.  Denn 

195  J.  R.  Ferris 

196  S.  L.  Adair 

197  J.  Yockum 

198  L.  Shields 

199  W.  Tayling 

200  J.  Rose 

201  H.  P.  Morse 

202  C.  N.  Arroll 

203  W.  C.  Melborn 

204  Adam  Curran 

205  A.  Carpenter 

206  A.  Carr 

207  W.  H.  Kincade 


460  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

208  T.  B.  Morse  238  H.  Humphrey  "i 

209  N.  T.  Morris  239  J.  P.  Barnaby 

210  A.  D.  Carey  240  Wakeman  Partridge 

211  J.  Stotis  241  J.  Lesem 

212  J.  E.  Yokeuin  242  H.  Taylor 

213  J.  Jackson  243  A.  Taylor 

214  J.  D.  Swift  244  J.  Smilie 

215  0.  C.  Swift  245  N.  Billinaby 

216  T.Jones  246  C.  Mellet 

217  J.  Yelton  247  C.  Heath 

218  S.  M.  Merrit  248  J.  Hughes 

219  L.  N.  Burt  249  S.  Gleason 

220  E.  E.  Franklin  250  S.  H.  Honser 

221  H.  Bice  251  J.  Swingane 

222  G.  W.  Patridge  252  W.  Bradley 

223  S.  Sarmond  253  J.  Burr 

224  W.  Cromphite  254  H.  Walton 

225  E.  Vanorbike  255  B.  F.  Harris 

226  J.  M.  Hayes  256  D.  E.  Mclnney 

227  T.  Blair  257  J.  McCulloch 

228  E.  Moodie  258  T.  Ewbanks 

229  W.  Moodie  259  H.  Sherman,  (oath) 

230  T.  G.  Blair  260  T.  Whitsit 

231  Dudley  261  W.  Chesnut 

232  J.  Callaway    '  262  S.  C.  Weare 

233  P.  Carrens  263  W.  S.  Furguson 

234  J.  Whiteman  264  H.  Harmon 

235  P.  Woodbury  265  E.  Clayton 

236  H.  Evans  266  E.  W.  Sturgeon. 

237  J.  Heckland 


Poll-book  of  an  election  held  at  Bull  Creek  precinct,  in  the  fifth  election 
district ,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  at  the  house  of  Baptiste  Peoria, 
on  the  3Qth  March,  1855,  for  the  election  of  four  representatives  and 
two  members  of  the  council  for  said  Territory,  begun  at  9  o'clock  a.  m. 

1  William  King  28  Howell  Lewis 

2  Enos  McDaniel  29  Joseph  Saunders 

3  LotCoffman  30  Eichard  Marshall 

4  G.  Thomason  31  Isaac  Vanbibber 

5  John  Wells  32  Alex.  Griffith 

6  W.  C.  Hall  33  Smith  Keith 

7  Ed.  McPherson  34  Walker  John 

8  C.  Caniso     -  35  H.  L.  Trunell 

9  A.  Harris  36  Thomas  Carter 

10  Ed.  West  37  Alby  Edgar 

11  Wm.  Templeton  38  Albert  Williams 

12  Jonas  Alford  39  M.  Graham 

13  G.  W.  Willson  40  H.  T.  Young 

14  P.  T.  Eeynolds  41  John  Harper 

15  J.  W.  Campbell  42  William  Eyan 

16  John  Coonse  43  H.  G.  Plunkett 

17  Thomas  Sharp  44  Jo.  Kimberly 

18  Henry  Alico  45  John  Taylor 

19  William  McKinney  46  H.  C.  Taylor 

20  Henry  Melville  47  E.  S.  Eichie 

21  J.  Eobin=on  48  Elijah  Doman 

22  Jacob  Hicklan  49  Charles  Woods 

23  Hugh  Dickinson  50  Hyram  West 

24  James  Barrett  51  John  M.  Gentry 

25  Humphrey  Dobbins  52  John  Strong 

26  Marcus  Gill  53  J.  C.  Christian                       4 

27  John  Hicklin  54  N.  Byllingsle.v 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


461 


55  T.  J.  Smarchigin 

56  William  Saunders 

57  E.  White 

58  Kobert  St.  Clair 

59  William  Spain 

60  John  Wilson 

61  Jer.  Morgan 

62  Thomas  Clayton*3 

63  C.  S.  Thornton 

64  William  Davis 

65  W.  Lewis 

66  Mark  Lasum 

67  Dewit  Williams 

68  T.  V.  Ellis 

69  Thomas  Annut 

70  Jacob  Everhart 

71  A.  M.  Nelson 

72  James  Atkinson 

73  W.  T.  Eubanks 

74  J.  Dobbins 

75  N.  Dix 

76  G.  Jones* 

77  J.  Hackersmith 

78  Sam.  Blackburn 

79  C.  W.  Dickley 

80  E.  Marrion 

81  W.  W.  Dunkon 

82  William  Junkins 

83  G.  C.  Pulliam 

84  C.  J.  Drake 

85  T.  G.  Curtis 

86  Abner  Hicks 

87  Shelby  Carter 

88  James  McFarland 

89  J.  North 

90  James  Sydnor 

91  J.  Smiley 

92  C.  Mullett 

93  G.  W.  Zion 

94  James  Marshall 

95  J.  M.  Adams 

96  Thomas  Cummins 

97  D.  0.  Glasscock 

98  Thomas  Milan 

99  J.  Snyder 

100  T.  H.  Wilson 

101  George  Jackson 

102  W.  Payne 

103  James  Scroggina 

104  H.  L.  Barksdale 

105  T.  Williams 

106  Thomas  Peyton 

107  J.  M.  McCulloch 

108  A.  G.  Nugent 

109  T.  Myers 

110  William  Bridgwater 

111  Calvin  Powell 

112  Henry  Chilton 

113  E.  Triplett 

114  J.  P.  Jackson 

115  H.  W.  Davidson 

116  Charles  Tracey 

117  J.  D.  Walker 

118  J.  Charles 


119  William  Walker 

120  William  Glasscock 

121  Henry  France 

122  J.  H.  Warren 

123  Harris  Jackson 

124  F.  M.  Green 

125  Thomas  Hall 

126  C.  Mockaby 

127  Samuel  Wade 

128  P.  W.  E.  Winston 

129  R.  Winston 

130  W.  W.  Britt 

131  James  Landers 

132  0.  P.  Thompson 

133  Thomas  Hilton 

134  P.  Tyree* 

135  J.  W.  Reynolds 

136  Horace  Humphreys 

137  J.  S.  Whitsett* 

138  Jesh.  Kyle 

139  Noah  Redford 

140  Nat.  Hunter 

141  A.  Bradley 

142  R.  McCord 

143  Thomas  Emmerson 

144  David  Hinkle 

145  F.  Young 

146  A.  Carter 

147  W.  M.  Ervin 

148  William  Rice 

149  Noah  Shaw 

150  J.  A.  Armstrong 

151  F.  R.  Fields 

152  Thomas  Loman 

153  J.  C.  Dinwidie 

154  W.  R.  McBride 

155  A.  W.  Pipes 

156  George  McBride 

157  William  Parker 

158  Lewis  Ward 

159  John  Cox 

160  W.  T.  Gillinwater 

161  Jo.  Dart 

162  W.  G.  Bifs 

163  T.  Toliver 

164  G.  T.  Bohon 

165  S.  J.  Robinson 

166  George  Shelton 

167  James  McFadden 

168  S.  Butts 

169  Stephen  Hobkins 

170  John  Brady 

171  A.  Young 

172  Wildie  McKinney 

173  Jo.  D.  Campbell 

174  P.  J.  Potts 

175  Jo.  F.  Brooks 

176  J.  C.  Plunkett 

177  Green  Beats 

178  James  Cushingthoy 

179  William  K.  Jones 

180  F.  G.  Staples 

181  L.  P.  Scroggins 

182  J.  E.  Lightner 


*  Rejected,  refusing  to  swear. 


462 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


183  James  Potts 

184  Daniel  Bryant 

185  M.  B.  Lankford 

186  W.  Branden 

187  T.  J.  Hawkins 

188  D.  P.  Cook 

189  B.  K.  Bowles 

190  Dav.  Wright 

191  Henry  Calvin 

192  Chas.  St.  Clair 

193  Wilson  Smith 

194  Joseph  Dougherty 

195  Alex.  Gregor 

196  J.  L.  Jackson 

197  A.  G.  Hayden 

198  Pat.  Woods 

199  E.  F.  Nettle 

200  Aimer  Ward 

201  Anderson  Warren* 

202  John  Fauntleroy 

203  Mark  Cole 

204  Jas.  Wadef 

205  Kobert  Gryer 

206  John  Dillard 

207  Martella  Ferrill 

208  Ed.  Price 

209  V.  M.  Brady 

210  John  Fulkerson 

211  Henry  Shields* 

212  JohnTocum 

313  J.  B.  Hogdon 

314  M.  D.  Warren 

215  James  White 

216  G.  W.  Williams 

217  T.  J.  Hughes 

218  Jesse  Hargrave 

219  William  Shaw 

220  A.  B.  Taylor 

221  John  Jackson 
222- W.  M.  Brown 

223  John  Westerhouse 

224  Hyrara  Stephens 

225  B.  Hall 

226  Thomas  Mclvey 

227  James  French 

228  Brah  Cooper 

229  William  Fields 

230  H.  Palmer 

231  C.  Shaw 

232  Ben.  Eice 

233  James  Nichols 

234  J.  Colier 

235  J.  P.  Dodd 

236  James  Martin 

237  James  Earl 

238  S.  W.  Asherry 

239  A.  Carder 

240  James  Sweet 

241  M.  T.  Wells 

242  ST.  McKinney 

243  O.  C.  Gann 

244  John  Childress 

245  Levin  Merrill 

246  Albert  Maxwell 


247  Thomas  Glover 

248  John  Bell 

249  William  Baker 

250  N.  Morgan 

251  W.  L.  Freeman 

252  B.  P.  Campbell 

253  Lewis  Porter 

254  Samuel  Smith 

255  David  Lyons 

256  T.  T.  Young 

257  Jesse  Smith 

258  Kichard  Kirby 

259  A.  Woodfin 

260  W.  Sch water 

261  W.  A.  Moberly 

262  J.  McCord 

263  J.  J.  Pool 

264  E.  Edwards 

265  H.  N.  Bullock 

266  Samuel  T.  Thistle 

267  James  E.  Davis 

268  Thomas  Simpson 

269  James  Youngl 

270  T.  Dicks 

271  J.  Alison 

272  Spencer  Barton 

273  W.  Sanford 

274  S.  B.  Williams 

275  Thomas  McMillan 

276  William  Jones 

277  Jeremiah  Farmer 

278  L.  B.  Pellitt 

279  John  Blaxstun 

280  John  Atkinson 
28 1'Elsey  Triplet  t 

282  T.  F.  Price 

283  Alex.  Ferly 

284  Miles  Griffin 

285  James  McHenry 

286  William  Artman 

287  W.  H.  Finley 

288  Thomas  Boyce 

289  Joshua  Stewart 

290  John  Cook 

291  J.  H.  Barton 

292  J.  McKeaton 

293  E.  M.  Sellers 

294  Vance  Johnson 

295  Eobert  Walker 

296  Charles  Sprinkle 

297  J.  A.  Hicks 

298  W.  T.  Mitchell 

299  J.  M.  Gearheart 

300  S.  G.  Hopkins 

301  Hiram  Yeary 

302  A.  H.  Mitchell 

303  William  Fleming 

304  Silas  Seward 

305  W.  T.  King 
"  306  John  Bogan 

307  James  Shew 

308  E.  Howerton 

309  David  Lykens 

310  J.  D.  Kedd 


Rejected,  refusing  to  swear. 


f  9  or  10  years  old. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


463 


311 
312 
313 
314 
315 
316 
317 
318 
319 
320 
321 
322 
323 
324 
325 
326 
327 
328 
329 
330 
331 
332 
333 
334 
335 
336 
337 
338 
339 
340 
341 
342 
343 
344 
345 
346 
347 
348 
349 
350 
351 
352 


Hamilton  Warren 
T.  C.  Warren 
James  Skeggs 
J.  S.  Hartman 
J.  C.  McDaniel 
J.  H.  Arbuckles 
James  Brame 
William  Bush 
Henry  Snyder 
J.  L.  Farris 
Isaac  Jacob 
James  S.  Ball 
G.  W.  Stillwell 
John  Vanhorn 
Jackson  Black 
John  Hinkle* 
H.  L.  Lyon 
J.  H.  Falkerson 
Harrison  Standerford 
James  0.  Packard 
Eli  Miller 
J.  A.  Tugle 
Madison  Marshall 
Joseph  Beats,  jr. 
W.  L.  Ballard 
W.  P.  Tym 
T.  J.  Hanmon 
J.  C.  Christopher 
J.  R.  Jones 
Henry  Bracken 
James  L.  Childress 
Ben.  Johnson 
J.  W.  Wilson 
G.  W.  Bradbury 
W.  C.  Childress 
James  Shelton 
James  B.  Hart 
Alex.  Houston 
Ben.  Kingcaid 
Israel  Standiford 
Leonard  Bradbury 
Thomas  Jefferson 


353  Alfred  Jones 

354  J.  G.  McDaniel 

355  James  Beats 

356  B.  F.  Payne 

357  B.  C.  Westfall 

358  John  J.  Park 

359  John  H.  Clayton 

360  P.  N.  Smith 

361  John  Webb 

362  Samuel  Webster 

363  J.  C.  Coleman 

364  John  Benmisey 

365  William  Wade 

366  W.  M.  Cooper 

367  Harrison  Standifer 

368  R.  P.  Ellis 

369  Josiah  Atkinson 

370  Peter  Charles 

371  E.  C.  Robertson 

372  James  Moore 

373  Robert  Hale 

374  Samuel  Williams 

375  L.  A.  Scott 

3,76  A.  H.  McFadden 

377  Edwin  Goodall 

378  Charles  White 

379  James  Black 

380  L.  Washburn 

381  H.L.Newman 

382  J.  W.  Goodwin 

383  F.M.Thomas 

384  Samuel  Henderson 

385  George  Wilcox 

386  Samuel  Shannon 

387  George  Burtis 

388  A.  P.  Sprinkle 

389  Arch.  Oliver 

390  N.  E.  Harrison 

391  Robert  B.  Hiley 

392  W.  F.  Barker 

393  Lewis  Peckham. 


That  the  above  is  a  true  and  correct  list  of  the  votes  polled  at  the 
election  as  mentioned  in  the  caption  hereof,  we  hereto  set  our  hands 
this  30th  day  of  March,  1855. 

J.  J.  PAKK,  Judge. 

B.  C.  WESTFALL,  Judge. 

B.  F.  PAYNE,  Judge. 

J.  J.  Park,  B.  C.  Westfall,  and  B.  F.  Payne,  judges  of  election, 
were  sworn  by  Adam  Games,  justice  of  the  peace,  according  to  printed 
form. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Baptiste  Peoria,  in  the  fifth  elec- 
tion district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  of  the  house 
of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon 
our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and 
correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election  by  lawful  resident 
voters,  viz : 


*  Rejected,  refusing  to  be  sworn. 


464  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

For  members  of  the  Council.  For  members  of  House  of  Representatives \ 

A.  H.  Coffee 377  W.  A.  Haskell 3V! 

D.  Lykins 376  A.  Wilkinson 3V! 

M.  T.  Morris 9  H.  Younger Stf 

J.  P.  Fox 9  Sam.  Scott 3V, 

Jno.    Surfell 

A.  Pore 

S.  H.    Houser 

W.  Jennings 

Witness  our  hands  this  30th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855. 

J.    J.  PARK,  ) 

B.  F.  PAYNE,          C  Judges. 
B.  C.  WESTFALL,  } 

At  an  election  held  at  Bull  Creek  precinct,  in  the  fifth  election  diij 
trict,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  at  the  house  of  Baptiste  Peoria,  « 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  for  the  election  of  representatives  and  men 
bers  of  the  councillor  said  Territory,  J.  J.  Clark  and  Stephen  Whitt 
two  of  the  judges  of  said  election,  appointed  hy  the  governor  of  saa 
Territory,  heing  absent  at  nine  o'clock  a.  m.  of  said  day,  no>\ 
therefore,  I,  John  J.  Park,  a  judge  appointed  by  said  governor  fi] 
said  election,  being  the  only  one  present,  do  hereby  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  absence  of  said  Clark  and  White,  by  appointing  B.  ]1 
Payne  and  B.  C.  Westfall  judges  of  said  election,  and  they,  sat' 
Payne  and  Westfall,  are  by  me  hereby  appointed  such  judges. 

Given  under  my  hand,  at  9  o'clock  a.  m.,  this  30th  day  of  Marc  ] 
A.  D.  1855. 

J.  J.  PARK,  Judge.  \ 


KANSAS  TERRITORY,  April  3,  1855.. 

We,  the  undersigned,  legal  voters  of  Kansas  Territory,  respectfo 

ly  represent  to  your  excellency,  that  at  the  election  held  in  Bull  Cree* 

precinct  of  this  Territory,  on  Friday,  March  30,   1855,  for  membee 

of  council  and  assembly,  the  persons  who  acted  as  judges  of  said  elei 

tion  were  not  duly  sworn  in  accordance  with  your  excellency's  instrunl 

tions,  and  were  not,  therefore,  competent  to  act  as  judges  of  the  saw 

election  ;  they  therefore  pray  that  no  certificate  of  election  for  sari 

precinct  may  be  granted,  and  that  the  said  election  may  be  set  asidl 

And  we  furthermore  represent,  that  one  of  the  persons  who  actdj 

as  judge  at  said  election  was  not  a  resident  of  the  Territory. 

James  B.  Abbott  Lyman  Allen 

George  W.  Deitzler  George  F.  Earl 

P.  Grover  John  C.  Gordon 

Richard  Mendenhall  A.  D.  Searl 

George  L.  Osborn  Francis  Barker. 

S.  N.  Wood 

James  B.  Abbott  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says  the  withi* 
statements  are  true  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief. 

JAMES  B.  ABBOTT. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


465 


Sworn  this  3d  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1855,  before 

SAML.  D.  LECOMPTON, 
County  Justice,  Kansas  Territory. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Elisha  Tucker,  in  Big  Sugar 
Oreek  precinct,  in  the  fifth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  mem- 
bers of  council  and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory 
)f  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify  upon  our  oaths,  as  judges  of  said  elec- 
ion,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled 
it  such  election  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz  : 


For  Councilmen. 

1  Fames  P.  Fox 16 

. Mahlan 17 

i;A.  M.  Coffee 74 

3  David  Lykins v....  74 


For  Kepresentatives. 

John  Surple IT 

Adam  Poce 16 

Samuel  H.  Hanson 17 

Wm.  Jennings IT 

Wm.  A.  Haskill 74 

Allen  Wilkinson T4 

Henry  Younger T4 

Samuel  Scott T4 

JOHN  E.  BKOWN, 
ELISHA  TUCKER, 
A.  H.  SMITH, 

Judges  of  Election. 

John  E.  Brown  and  Elisha  Tucker,  judges  of  election,  were  each 
worn  by  the  printed  form  before  James  M.  Arthur,  as  he  certifies, 
iefore  opening  the  polls,  March  30,  1855 ;  A.  M.  Smith  and  James 

..  Arthur  by  John  E.  Brown. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  present  election,  do  certify  this 
be  a  true  poll-book  of  the  present  election  at  the  house  of  Elisha 
ucker,  in  Big  Sugar  Creek  precinct : 


1  A.  M.  Smith 

2  Richard  Goldon 

3  L.  B.  Wilson 

4  Rubin  Noel 

5  James  E.  Wadkins 

6  Thomas  Smith 

7  Wm.  L.  Farman 

8  Henry  Littlejohn 

9  Silas  Young 

10  William  Cash 

11  William  Perry 

12  Thomas  J.  Goodman 

13  John  G.  Robinson 

14  William  Clark 

15  William  H.  Gibbin 

16  Robert  Osburn 

17  J.  B.  Fleming 

H.  Kep.  200 30* 


18  James  M.  Freeman 

19  T.  B.  Crowder 

20  Ervin  Parker. 

' '  I,  James  M.  Arthur,  have  served  to  take 
down  the  first  twenty  names,  and  could  not 
take  the  twenty -first,  by  reason  of  illegality, . 
and  resigned." 

21  T.  J.  Baley 

22  D.  P.  Fleming 

23  G.  C.  McMich 

24  C.  S.  Fleming 

25  Josiah  Dan  el 

26  Richard  Simpson 

27  W.  C.  McMich 

28  Reuben  Dunnels 


466 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


29  J.  M.  Arthur 

30  R.  M.  Danel 

31  Jonah  Danel 

32  B.  F.  Wall 

33  J.  M.  Wall 

34  W.  A.  Hinkel 

35  Allen  Stewart 

36  Jesse  Davis 

37  A.  J.  Steel 

38  J.  W.  Hylton 

39  J.  M.  Hampton 

40  J.  W.  Hyton 

41  John  Overstreet 

42  Ignatius  Freeman 

43  Lewis  Thomas 

44  David  Thomas 

45  H.  W.  Younger 

46  James  Murry 

47  Robert  Hargrave 

48  J.  J.  Reynolds 

49  John  B.  Robinson 

50  Henry  Makiney 

51  Jesse  Siero 

52  A.  J.  Long 

53  S.  H.  Moore 

54  Charles  Therby 

55  Andrew  Smith 

56  Clabern  Burnett 

57  Patrick  Ryons 

58  Ransom  Eliot 

59  James  Walker 

60  Lewis  Smart 


61  John  Eliot 

62  Wm.  M.  Smith 

63  L.  M.  Eliot 

64  J.  W.  Ragon 

65  John  Mikel 

66  George  Mikel 

67  William  Yealock 

68  Thomas  Jackson 

69  James  Jackson 

70  James  Priskel 

71  Edmund  Bradford 

72  George  Bolan 

73  Nimrod  Fohson 

74  Wm.  T.  Hensley 

75  Stedman  Smith 

76  Benjamin  Linch 

77  James  Winsor 

78  Elisha  Smith 

79  Adam  Ortman 

80  James  demons 

81  Samuel  Clark 

82  Claborn  Booth 

83  John  Perkins 

84  Milton  Cruh 

85  Wm.  B.  .Long 

86  David  A.  Wakins 

87  M.  C.  D.  Osborn 

88  L.  M.  Love 

89  L.  S.  Bridgewater 

90  J.  E.  Brown 

91  Elisha  Tucker. 


SIXTH  DISTRICT. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  the  30th  day 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  hospital  building  at  Fort  Scott,  in  t) 
sixth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  I 
the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  here! 
certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  folio wii 
is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election,  1 
lawful  resident  voters,  viz : 


For  Council. 

William  Barbee 


343 


For  Representatives. 

Joseph  C.  Anderson 3 

S.  A.Williams $ 

John  Hamilton 

William  Margrave 


JAMES  BAY, 
WILLIAM  PAINTER, 
WILLIAM  S.  GODFREY, 


Judges; 


Oaths  of  the  foregoing  judges  according  to  printed  form  in  distil 
No.  1,  before  William  Margrave,  justice  of  the  peace. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


467 


List  of  votes  polled  at  the  hospital  building  at  Fort  Scott,  in  the  sixth 
district  of  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  30th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855. 


1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 

10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
61 
62 


Win.  Barber 
G.  Oldham 
G.  G.  Roland 
G.  W.  Oldham 

B.  T.  Wilkinson 
W.  T.  Oldham 
T.  Oldham 

H.  Martin 
R  Beth 
P.  Zeal 
Wm   Breeze 
J.  N.  Cottrell 
Jno   Baker 
M   H.  Lourie 
Jno.  C.  Seal 
A.  H   Gilkasen 
David  A.  Jones 
James  Miller 
W   W.  Craig 

C.  Mitchell 
Jas.  Hysart 

A.  Kirkpatrick 

Geo.  W.  Morris 

H.  C.  Stevens 

P.  D.  Fulkison 

J.  N.  Rogers 

J.  N.  Ward 

R.  L.  Negle 

Wm.  Rogers 

J.  M.  Newman 

A.  M.  Perry 

Wm.  D.  Davenport 

E.  B.  Conway 

P.  Carmichael 

M   Houx 

R.  W.  Houx 

J.  D.  Davis 

A.  Ingland 

T.  M.  Windron 

L.  S.  Broyles 

T.  B.  Arnett 

E.  Gilkeson 
S.  H.  Haynes 
L.  Fickas 

A.  P.  F.  Davis 
A.  Carpenter 
Wm.  Kirkpatricfc 
T.  Watkins 

F.  Divers 
T.  Findley 

J.  S.  Mitchell 
E.  J.  Donahue 
Wm.  Force 
J.  S.  Jones 
O.  W.  Houx 
H.  Davenport 
J.  L.  Hall 
T.  D.  Houx 
R.  B.  Dawson 
T.  T.  Huff 
C.  L.  Bomar 
J.  R.  Courtney 


63  W.  B.  Major 

64  W.  Morrow 

65  C.  F.  Mercer 

66  J.  S.  Collins 
€7  R.  R.  Mayers 

€8  W.  F.  Alexander 

69  A.  Spuyer 

70  J.  H.  Royston 

71  Chas.  Tyler 

72  C.  H.  Collins 

73  F.  Dunn 

74  S.  McKenn 

75  A.  M.  Riding 

76  Jas.  McKeebau. 

77  J.  B.  Logan 

78  T.  A.  Wyatt 

79  Wm.  G.  Buckner 

80  A.  Snow 

81  Wm.  J.  Rogers 

82  Jas.  McGraw 

83  G.  M.  Tucker 

84  Jas.  Marr 

85  Jas.  Moye 

86  Lewis  Parker 

87  F.  De  Witt 

88  J.  B.  Smith 

89  Geo.  Greer 

90  Preston  Tucker 

91  T.  F.  C.  James 

92  J.  B.  Ford 

93  C.  M.  Haynes 

94  E.  Allison 

95  H.  C.  Weire 

96  Jas.  Greer 

37  E.  C.  Roystoa 

98  J.  W.  Davis 

99  T.  J.  Whitlocfc 

100  Win.  Davis 

101  H.  Grimshaw 

102  J.  T.  Barker 

103  S.  J.  Russell 

104  R.  S.  Young 

105  E.  Fly 

106  S.  D.  Garth 

107  Wm.  Kendrick 

108  Jas.  Sandy 

109  J.  G.  Ogden 

110  D.  Gillas 

111  Jno.  Guthree 

112  G.  C.  Bright 

113  A.  B.  Foster 

114  Wm.  Stevenson 

115  Thos.  Jacob 

116  Wm.  Gilhart 

117  W.  J.  Dunn 

118  E.  B.  Cook 

119  W.  F.  Foster 

120  Wm.  F.  Carpenter 

121  L.  H.  Clowers 

122  H.  S.  Cornneford 

123  S.  Jackson 

124  H.  Watkins 


468 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS, 


1W  R.  W.  Potts 

126  M.  Johnson 

127  W.  H.  Davis 

128  Jno.  W.  Stevens- 

129  W.  C.  Epperson 

130  H.  Logan 

132  J.  A.  Stollings 

133  S.  Thompson 

134  H.  Vartal 

135  P.  McKeehan 

136  J.  H.  Webster 

137  W.  F.  Jame& 

138  D.  Scott 

139  Jno.  Briggs 

140  S.  B.  Kinder 

141  Jas.  Moseby 

142  T.  A.  Huff 

143  S.  J.  Huff 

144  Jno.  Huff 

145  W.  H.  Finch 

146  J.  Moodey 

147  T.  P.  Halley 

148  E.  Bailey 

149  G.  Kirkpatricfc 

150  M.  Calliver 

151  W.  S.  Malcomb 

152  J.  M,  Duke 

153  Jno.  January 

154  Wm.  January 

155  W.Ainett 

156  B.  Owen 

157  Joseph  Price 

158  0.  Owen 

159  J.  W.  Sharp 

160  E.  Endrix 

161  F.  Alexander 

162  G.  B.  Oaks 

164  Wm.  J.  Hawie 

165  J.  B.  Hancock 

166  M.Eeutch 

167  S.  Hornspuckle 

168  Geo.  Bledsoe 

169  Wm.  Howard 

170  M.  Doyle 

171  D.  Hampton- 

172  J.  Harrington! 

173  Jno.  Knight 

174  M.  Sellars 

175  J.  M.  Foster 

176  N.  G.  McKinzie- 

177  J.  N.  Wilson. 

178  S.  Potter 

179  A.  Ward 

180  J.  Weller 

181  S.  P.  Ashbey 
182.  H.  Ashbey 

183  Wm.  Robinson? 

184  J.  Groom 

185  A.  Copushratte 

186  Jno.  Harrison 

187  W.  J.  Middletois 

188  M.  McCann 

189  Wm,  Warwick 

190  E.  Baily 

191  G.  B.  Grees 

192  S.  Divers 


193  A.  Divers 

194  G.  P.  Lowrl© 

195  Jno.  White 

196  M.  Wickles 

197  Jno.  Wickles 

198  A.  J.  Jones 

199  A.  Grinstead 

200  J.  T.  Gillam 

201  T.  A.  Cookley 

202  C.  T.  Oglesby 

203  Wm.  Ray 

204  H.  Scybot 

205  J.  C.  Rothwell 

206  J.  Thyrman 

207  A.  T.  Blanton 

208  J.  Harrison 

209  Thos.  H.  Fox 

210  Jesse  Ray 

211  H.  Coates 

212  G.  T.  Jones 

213  W.  P.  Mayers 

214  B.  Smith 

215  Jno.  Crook 

216  Jas.  H.  Flemming 

217  Jno.  B.  Flemming 

218  J.  T.  Ray 

219  B.  R.  Coneyres 

220  Jno.  Handerson 

221  Wm.  A.  Randolph 

222  Geo.  H.  Simmons 

223  W.  P.  Hubble 

224  D.  S.  Harden 

225  W.M.Cogswell 

226  Thos.  Owsley 
227'  J.  S.  Hawkins 

228  H.  Smith 

229  Thos.  Taylor 

230  J.  Bohanom 

231  H.Bledsaw 

232  Jas.  Waldron 

233  G.  W.  Depp 

234  Geo.  Sivels 

235  D.Buckhardt 

236  Geo.  Brecker 

237  N.Godfrey 

238  J.A.Lew 

239  E.  Dean 

240  S.C.  Blevings 

241  James  Warson 

242  C.S.Harris 

243  B.  C.  Ridge 

244  A.  H.  Major 

245  T.S.Foster 

246  W.  W.  Rentsh 

247  J.H.  McNeil 

248  S.Reed 

249  Geo.  W.  Renrick 

250  Lewis  Davis 

251  Thos.  Norr 

252  J.  Irving 

253  S.  Sharp 

254  N.H.Bennett 

255  A.  Moodey 

256  B.F.Hill 

257  B.Parker 

258  Jno.  Graves 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


469 


259  S.  Webber 

260  J.  A.  Russell 

261  M.  Dawson 

262  W.A.  Wortham 

263  Jas.  Sharp 

264  Wm.  Swindel 

265  A.  V.  Bradley 

266  Jas.  H.  Hudson 

267  Henry  Cor  win 

268  "Wm.  Thornton 

269  J.  G.  Callison 

270  G.  W.  Cortney 

271  A.  Mickles 

272  L.  Flocker 

273  G.  C.  Paine 
.274  S.  W.  Dodge 

275  Alex.  Halstead 

276  Saml.  Beaver 

277  J.  Parrick 

278  Wm.  D.  Lynd 

279  Saml.  Moore 

280  P.S.Moor 

281  J.  Field 

282  J.H.Adams 

283  S.  T.  Williams 

284  W.Bledsaw 

285  H.  Sharvers 

286  R.  P.  Bradley 

287  Chas.  Bartlett 

288  D.  L.  Bradley 

289  Jno.  Culton 

290  J.  Houssinger 

291  Jas.  Ray 

292  Wm.  Marchbanks 

293  Wm.  J.  Godfrey 

294  J.  J.  Adams 

295  T.  J.  Coldwell 

296  Wm.  Bartlett 

297  F.  F.  York 

298  A.  Raney 

299  H.Pitts 

300  F.  A.  Taylor 

301  Wm.  C.  Mitchell 

302  D.  Greenlee 

303  E.  Poge 

304  J.  W.  Canton 


305  D.  Guthree 

306  W,  M.  N.  Smallwood 

307  Z.aMorriss 

308  K  W.  Walker 

309  Jno,  Hamilton 

310  Wm.  Painter 

311  S.  A.  Williams 

312  P.  D.  Cummings 

313  Levi  Krie 

314  J.C.  Anderson 

315  J.Cottrell 

316  R.S.  Bradley 

317  D.  H.  Lesser 

318  Jno.  Grant 

319  J.  Catling 

320  J,  B.  Sorting 

321  R.  A.  Davis 

322  W.D.Cefuss 
223  Thos.  Graves 

324  Wm.  Watkins 

325  Chas.  Passmore 

326  Wm.  Bowling 

327  Thos.  P.  Wood 

328  A.  H.  Wood 

329  J.  W.  Arnett 

330  Chas.  Hard 

331  S.  H,  Leving 

332  H.T.  Wilson 

333  Wm.Erving 

334  Jno.  Brown  | 

335  Wm.  Merrick 

336  Chas.  Milan 

337  Thos.  Summers 

338  H.  W.  Hudson. 

339  A,Hadson 

340  RHandcock 

341  J.Jefferis 

342  Wm.  Harris 

343  E.  C.  Scaley 

344  Wm.  Humphrey 

345  Allen  Dogal 

346  V.  Adams 

347  Jno.  W.  Bradley 

348  John  W.  Fly 

349  Wm.  Margrave 

350  G.  Wood. 


Tatty-List. 


For  Council. 


Wm.  Barhee 343 


For  Representatives. 

Joseph.  Anderson 315 

John  Hamilton 35 

S.  A.  Williams 313 

Wm.  Margrave 16 


SEVENTH  DISTRICT. 


tne  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on   the  30th  day 
ol  March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  ol  I.  B.  Titus,  in  the  seventh  elec- 


470 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


tion  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  of  the  houn 
of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upo< 
our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  ami 
correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  said  election  by  the  lawful  voter ii 


L.  H.  CHIVINGTON, 
ANDKEW  JOHNSON, 
ELI  SNYDER, 
Attest :  HIRAM  LIGHTNER,  Clerk. 

WILLIAM  W.  DEDHAM,  Clerk. 


1  Strother  Eeniefc 

2  Jno.  P.  Smith 

3  David  Keeney 

4  Wm.  Searcey 

5  John  Dinsey 

6  G.  W.  Kimfer 

7  Levi  Bradley 

8  W.  F.  Deering 

9  Jno.  S.  Hour 

10  C.  J.  Barclay 

11  J.  D.  Scoggs 

12  J.  W.  Hudspetb 

13  A.  M.  Noland 

14  M.  B.  Hadding 

15  Wm.  B.  Oldharn 

16  J.  H.  Cox 

17  Wm.  Parish,  sen. 

18  E.  N.  Rice 

19  E.  McHenry 

20  W.  P.  Tucker 

21  J.  B.  Griffith 

22  W.  A.  K'arrish 

23  T.  J.  Hickman, 

24  Geo.  Scimmons 

25  H.  S.  Jones 

26  Reuben  Clay  tars 

27  H.  M.  Senxcort 

28  W.  C.  Teate 

29  R.  L.  Green 

30  H.  C.  Parish 

31  F.  M.  McKee 

32  Jas.  F.  Mure 

33  J.  H.  Brown 

34  B.  G.  Jeans 

35  D.  D.  Burgess 

36  Wm.  E.  Franklirj 

37  E.  F.  Ferrel 

38  Chas.  Griffith 

39  Jas.  L.  Jeans 

40  Wm.  0.  Thompson 

41  Finis  F.  Renick 

42  Wm.  Cabe 

43  Jas.  R.  Hickman 

44  H.  E.  Shafer 

45  Wm.  C.  Cook 

46  L.  H.  Spanhoer 

47  R.  B.  Chiles 

48  Jas.  Johnson 

49  C.  L.  Parrish 

50  J.  T.  Bartleson 

51  E.  L.  Bowler 

52  J.  W.  Gilbreath 


Judges. 


53  J.  S.  Huff 

54  W.  L.  Cottingham 

55  N.  B.  Brush 

56  Sam.  P.  Sanders 

57  John  R.  McKinney 

58  G.  W.  Shoemaker 

59  Wm.  Hampton 

60  R.  A.  Hudspeth 

61  J.  D.  Bagley 

62  Geo.  Pole 

63  J.  J.  Balwer 

64  V.  C.  Cushingberg 

65  J.  F.  Ray 

66  Jesse  Morrow 

67  Jno.  M.  Dixon 

68  Jno.  Buckner 

69  Wm.  J.  Douglass 

70  S.  Franklin 

71  Wm.  A.  Young 

72  Jno.  L.  Gregg 

73  Thos.  Smith 

74  J.  D.  Hunter 

75  Dan'l  A.  Mure 

76  J.  W.  Dorton 

77  W.  McKinn.  y 

78  Thos.  Keeney 

79  H.  H.  Rice 

80  G.  B.  Webb 

81  J.  H.  Stevall 

82  C.  C.  Chiles 

83  .Jno.  Keeney 

84  W.  E.  Hanson 

85  S.  M.  Webb 

86  Caste  B.  Griffin 

87  Jno.  Bung 

88  Thos.  i.  Brewer 

89  Jno.  W.  Watts 

90  Chas.  A.  Linkinanger 

91  R.  S.  Price 

92  Founlain  Keeney 

93  B.  B.  Bravghwan 

94  Wm.  Johnson 

95  Jno.  L.  Sease 

96  F.  M.  McKinney 

97  E.  J.  Cevley 

98  Jas.  S.  Snow 

99  W.  C.  Hockensmith 

100  Drias  Gregg 

101  Wm.  H.  Kenick 

102  Chas.  S.  Easby 

103  Archibald  Handle}    i 

104  Collins  Walker 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


471 


105  Thos.  Wolfe 

106  Jno   Russell 

107  Wm.  H.  Franklin 

108  T.  M.  Walton 

109  Jno.  W.  May 

110  C.  B.  McRoberts 

111  Nelson  Shull 

112  S.  D.  Mure 

113  Jno.  G.  Holloway 

114  David  Oasley 

115  Jas.  S.  Nowland 

116  Jos.  Sutrell 

117  Stephen  J.  Snow 

118  John  Taylor 

119  B.  B.  Cave 

120  P.  P.  Hall 

121  Geo.  Tosh 

122  J.  Bennett 

123  Isaac  Winfrey 

124  L.  W.  Colcord 

125  J.  Howls  Lee 

126  Wm.  R.  Creasen 

127  Isaac  L.  Coltin 

128  A.  Coger 

129  C.  M.  Lee 

130  B.  D.  Scribner 

131  L.  M.  Webb 

132  Jas.  H.  Douglass 

133  T.  H.  Chiles 

134  S.  J.  Smith 

135  R.  B.  Fulkinson 

136  Riley  Jones 

137  C.  C.  Coutes 

138  Jas.  J.  Murphy 

139  Martin  R.  McDowell 

140  Wm.  J.  White 

141  Jno.  W.  Clark 

142  Jno.  W.  Sharp 

143  Jas.  A.  Bolley  Jack 

144  Jas.  C.  Easl>y 

145  Jno.  D.  Scidmon 

146  E.  C.  Rice 

147  Jas.  H.  Daniel 

148  Geo.  W.  Priddey 

149  Geo.  W.  Case 

150  Sam' I  Robinson 

151  Chas.  Duncan 

152  Geo.  W.  Redman 

153  Wm.  Mure 

154  Wm.  F.  Snow 

155  A.  J.  Levgacre 

156  Henry  Hughes 

157  Jacob  Gregg 

158  Wm.  M.  Harris 

159  Jas.  Watson 

160  F.  M.  Hambright 

161  Elijah  Spainham 

162  Isaac  Chatham 

163  S.  S.  Martleson 

164  J.  W.  Cox 

165  E.  Carriger 

166  Jno.  R.  Franklin 

167  R.  Snow 

168  H.  W.  King 

169  Asbury  Humphrey 


170  Ed.  T.  Noland 

171  Amos  Noland 

172  W.  W.  Cox 

173  Wm.  Ish 

174  Wm.  M.  King 

175  Warham  Barley 

176  Rolley  Williams 

177  Rob't  W.  Buckner 

178  M.  A.  Reed 

179  Chas.  G.  Brockman 

180  Minor  T.  Smith 

181  D.  W.  Williams 

182  David  L.  Hunter 

183  E.  M.  McKee 

184  Wilson  McTaylor 

185  Milton  McMurray 

186  Thos.  White 

187  T.  J.  Bradley 

188  Win.  J.  Tucker 

189  Jas.  S.  Cogswell 

190  Wilbur  Cunningham 

191  Jas-  Johnson,  sen. 

192  Joseph  Howard,  juft- 

193  Wm.  C.  Estes 

194  Rufus  King 

195  C.  C.  King 

196  B.  C.  Moore 

197  L.  Cottingham 

198  Andrew  Jackson. 

199  Atheiel  Strite 

200  David  Condit 

201  L.  S.  Axslel 

202  Johnson  Mclntre 

203  Wm.  A.  Stewart 

204  Wm.  F.  Harvey 

205  Lotan  Smith 

206  John  Smith 

207  Isaac  B.  Eree 

208  J.  B.  Titus 

209  D.  Wright 

210  Absalom  Hover  ' 

211  Geo.  W.  Brattan 

212  Geo.  M.  Barnes 

213  Warren  M.  Haven 

214  Wm.  Grayham 

215  Joseph  McEntre 

216  M.  W.  McKee 

217  Allen  Crowley 

218  John  Stevenson 

219  Francis  M.  Crowley 

220  John  W.  Freel 

221  John  Walking 

222  Henry  Smith 

223  Thomas  Russell     . 

224  Wm.  J.  Tillinghast 

225  James  Stewart 

226  H.  G.  Wood 

227  Hollom  Rice 

228  A  J.  Hyder 

229  Andrew  Johnson 

230  Eli  Snider 

231  L.  H.  Chivington 

232  W.  W.  Dedham 

233  H.  Lightner 

234  Oliver  Philip 


472  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

COUNCIL  CITY,  March  31,  1855.   j 
To  his  Excellency  A.  H.  EEEDBR,  Governor  of  Kansas  Territory: 

We,  the  undersigned,  citizens  of  the  7"th  election  district,  do  herebtj 
protest  against  the  election  of  H.  J.  Stickler  for  councilman,  and  W 
W.  McGee  for  representative,  for  the  following  reasons,  viz  :    We  be»| 
lieve  there  was  a  sufficient   number  of  voters  from  the  State  of  MIJ 
souri,  who  elected  the  above  named  persons  in  opposition  to  the  will 
of  the  legal   voters  of  the  district.     Our  reasons  are,  on  the  day  b€^ 
fore  the  election,  about  fifty  wagon-loads,  besides  quite  a  number  ox 
horseback,  came  in  and  camped  near  the  house  of  Mr.  Titus,  and  soo); 
after  voting,  they  returned  back  the  way  they  came.     Besides,  w 
heard  quite  a  number  acknowledge  that  they  lived   in  Missouri,  ant 
did  not  intend  to  live  in  Kansas.     There  was  but  one  of  the  origina 
judges  present,  and  one  of  those  appointed  by  the   remaining  judg 
was   a  resident  of  Missouri,  by  his  own  acknowledgment,  and  froDi| 
the  best  information  we  can  get,  and  our  asseveration  is  that  the  judge*! 
were  not  sworn  in.     Nor  was  an  oath  or  affirmation  required  of  anjij 
voter. 

Hallom  Kice  Wm.  T.  Tillinghast 

J.  B.  Stewart  Isaac  D.  Earl 

David  Condit  Absalom  Hoover 

Joseph  Mclntire  Jas.  H.  Young 

P.  S.  Axtell  Edward  C.  Johnson 

Johnston  Mclntire  Ithiel  Strict. 


THE  TERRITORY  OF  KANSAS, 
United  States  of  America.   }  ss' 

Before  me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  the  fan  district! 
of  said  Territory,  personally  appeared  Hallam  Kice  and  James  Ei| 
Stewart  above  named,  who  being  duly  sworn  according  tolaw_,  dotlij 
depose  and  say,,  that  the  facts  set  forth  in  the  above  protest  are  tru«J 
to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and  belief. 

HALLAM  EICE. 
J.  E.  STEWAET. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me,  this  31st  day  of  March,  A.  Di 
1855.  MAECUS  H.  EOSE,  J.  P. 


NINTH  DISTRICT. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  oi< 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Eobert  Klotz,  in  Pawnee,  Kansas 
Territory,  in  the  ninth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  oi 
council  and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  oi 
Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  oaths,  as  judges  of  said  election, 
that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at 
such  election  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz  : 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


473 


1  C.  E.  Mobley 

2  E.  Conley 

3  W.  A.  Hammond 

4  Fox  Booth 

5  Chs.  E.  Hammond 

6  E.  A.  Hammond 

7  Jno.  A.  Dyer 

8  C.  Albright 

9  M.  F.  Conway 

10  Wm.  Cuddy 

11  A.  J.  McConnel 

12  G.  W.  Marsten 

13  J.  H.  Loder 

14  Wm.  H.  Moore 

15  F.  G.  Lovimaker 

16  John  0.  Long 

17  Abram  Barry 

18  Eichard  D.  Wilson 

19  John  Hamilton  Scott 

20  S.  N.  Bradford 

21  Horace  Bucklin 

22  Chs.  Werdknecht 

23  Jacob  Sheir  (sworn) 

24  Joseph  C.  Welfelt 

25  Stephen  L.  Horn 

26  Warren  Becwith 

27  Benj.  F.  Green 

28  James  Lowery 

29  Joreb  Cutcher 

30  Jacob  Shelling 

31  John  Ochel  (sworn) 

32  Eeuben  Klintop 

33  John  S.  Price 

34  William  Bring 

35  Aaron  Dutret 

36  George  Taylor 

37  Wm.  Mellman 

38  S.  K.  Mills 


39  L.  Sanders 

40  Benj.  Dickerson 

41  J.  E.  Sands 

42  James  Fleming 

43  Eobert  Wilnn 

44  E.  W.  Sweet 

45  A.  Eldridge 

46  Jacob  Schoonmaker 

47  Samuel  Billings 

48  Nelson  Morris 

49  H.  A.  Lowe 

50  G.  F.  Gordon 

51  Jaris  Mott 

52  Lemuel  Knapp 

53  Jacob  Swartwout 

54  Ira  Cobb 

55  W.  W.  Carr 

56  E.  N.  Tripp 

57  Henry  Schup 

58  Thos.  Merriman 

59  Ulyssus  McCoy 

60  Joseph  Seals 

61  George  B.  Vanasdale 

62  John  Eeynolds 

63  S.  A.  Treat 

64  Thomas  Eeynolds,  sr. 

65  D.  E.  Perry 

66  Thomas  Eeynolds,  jr. 

67  S.  B.  White 

68  A.  D.  Gibson 

69  G.  W.  Hubble 

70  John  Dixon  (sworn) 

71  John  Macluckiar 

72  John  Westover 

73  E.  S.  Gardner 

74  A.  J.  Dolph 

75  William  Erskin. 

S.  B.  WHITE,  ) 

A.  D.  GIBSON,         } 
EOBEET  WILSON,  ) 


Judges. 


NINTH  DISTRICT— City  of  Pawnee,  K.  T. 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentative. 

:John  Donaldson 23  S.  D.  Houston 56 

M.F.  Conway.         50  E.  Garrit 18 

In  council  box  there  was  one  blank. 

We,  the  undersigned,  hereby  certify  that  the  above  is  a  true  tally 
of  the  votes  in  the  9th  district  of  Kansas  Territory. 

S.  B.  WHITE,         ) 

A.  D.  GIBSON,        }  Judges. 

EOBEET  WILSON,  ) 

Eobert  Wilson,  J.  B.  White,  and  A.  D.  Gibson  were  sworn  a« 
judges,  according  to  the  printed  form. 


474  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

TENTH  ELECTION  DISTRICT. — Rock  Creek  Precinct. 

James  Wilson,  Francis  Bergeron,  and  Henry  Rammelt,  sworn  tj 
judges  according  to  printed  form. 

List  of  Voters. 

1  J.  W.  Leland  13  Joseph  A.  Myers 

2  Kobert  Berger  14  Michael  Rapp 

3  Wm.  D.  Wickes  15  Gabriel  Cellar 

4  James  Wilson  16  Francis  A.  Dakel 

5  Henry  Ramwell  17  Theophilus  Dakel 

6  Francis  Bergeron  18  Michael  Flois 

7  J.  D.  Adams  19  J.  B.  D.  Frapp 

8  Robert  Wilson  20  Julius  Berger 

9  Win.  Seymour  21  John  Clark,  (sworn) 

10  Andrew  Noll  22  Hjnry  Rodicks 

11  J.  H.  Hait  23  Henry  Rodicks,  jr. 

12  Matthias  Flois 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Kobert  Wilson,  in  Rock  Creej 
precinct,  in  the  tenth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  <  j 
council  and   of  the   house  of   representatives   for   the   Territory 
Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election' 
that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  Votes  polled  i  j 
auch  election  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz  : 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

Martin  F.  Con  way 21         Samuel  D   Houston...' $| 

John  Donaldson . .  2        Russell  Garrett. . , 


Witness  our  hands  this  30th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855. 

JAMES  WILSON, 
HENRY  RAMWELL, 
FRANCIS  BERGERON. . 


TENTH  DISTRICT — Big  Blue  Precinct. 

March  30,  1855,  Marshall  A.  Garrett,  William  C.  Dyer,  Josepj 
Stewart,  sworn  as  judges,  by  S.  C.  Dyer,  according  to  printed  form  i 
oath. 

List  of  names  supposed  to  be  poll-list. 

1  Nathaniel  R.  Wright  12  Aseph  Browning(oath) 

2  Luke  T.  Lincoln  13  James  Bishop  (oath) 

3  S   S.  Hascall  14  Jerome  E.  Wood 

4  J.  F.  Goodnow  15  Joseph  Winterworth  (oath) 

5  Z.  Avey  16  David  Gorman  (oath) 

6  Newel  Trafton  17  John  Soupine  (oath) 

7  John  Fla^g  (oath)  18  S.  D.  Dyer 

8  Abraham  ()    Dyer  19  Lewis  Soupine 

9  W.  J.  Osborn(oath)  20  W.  F.  Moses 

10  A.  Leroy  Prentiss  21  Malacha  Glenn  (oath) 

11  John  Hoar  (oath)  22  T.  R.  Burney  (oath) 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


475 


23  J.  L.  Sledman  (oath) 

24  W.  S.   Dykes  (oath) 

25  Faulkner  Kennedy  (oath) 

26  Abraham  C.  Martin 

27  John  Alexander  (oath) 

28  John  McYntire 

29  Cyrus  Garritt  (oath) 

30  Isaac  P.  Walker  (oath) 

31  S.  R.  McElvain  (oath) 

32  Joseph  White 

33  Wm.  Walker 

34  E.  G.  Hinton 

35  H.  P.  Cutting 

36  George  Frasier 

37  John  Dial 

38  David  Hays 

39  S.  D.  Houston 

40  Wm.  Karl 

41  Wm.  Hannah 

42  Henry  Green 

43  C.  E.  Blood 

44  S.  Whilehorn 

45  J.  Stewart 

46  J.  P,  Brayton 


47  John  Wilbur 

48  D.  A.  Russell 

49  Alden  Babcock 

50  W.  D.  Clardy 

51  M.  A.  Garrett 

52  S.  J.  Childs 

53  C.  H.  Lovejoy 

54  Geo.  W.  Lockwood  (oath) 

55  J.  Edgar  Bissell 

56  Geo.  W.  Eubank 

57  A.  A.  Garritt  (oath) 

58  Wm   C.  Dyer 

59  G.  Jilton 

60  A.  G.  Allen 

61  E.  M.  Thurston 

62  M.  B.  Gowers 

63  A.  Gowers 

64  S.  Hayes 

65  John  Hayes 

66  T.  Blackler 

67  G.  W.  Debots 

68  Henry  B.  Gage 

69  Hatch  Hall 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  S.  D.  Dyer,  Blue  River  precinct, 
in  the  10th  election  district,  for  the  election  of  memhers  of  council 
and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do 
hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the 
following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  elec- 
tion by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz: 


For  Council. 

Whole  number  votes  cast  69 

iMartin  F.  Conway 42 

John  Donaldson  .  27 


For  ^Representatives. 

Whole  number  votes  cast     64 

Samuel  D.  Houston. c 43 

Kussell  Garrett 21 

JOSEPH  STEWART. 
.      M.  H.  GARRETT. 
WM.  C.  DYER. 


ELEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

George  W.  Pence,  Wm.  P.  McLane,  and  S.  K  Spratt,  severally 
sworn  as  judges  according  to  printed  form. 

The  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  of  March, 
A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Marshall  &  Woodward,  in  the  eleventh 
election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  of  the 
house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  cer- 
tify, upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a 
true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election  by  lawful 
resident  voters,  viz : 


476 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


For  Council. 


John  Donaldson 328 

M.  F.  Conway 3 


For  Eepresentative. 

Francis  J.  Marshall., 


WM.  P.  McLANE,  ) 

S.  N.  SPRATT,         V  Judges. 

G.  W.  PENCE,        ) 


List  of  votes  polled  at  an  election  held  at  the  trading  house  of  MarsJm 
&  Woodward,  in  the  eleventh  election  district,  Kanzas  Territory,  o\ 
Friday,  March  30,  1855,  in  pursuance  of  a  proclamation  of  A.  .Bj 
Reeder,  governor  of  said  Territory,  for  the  election  of  a  member  c 
council  and  delegate  to  the  house  of  representatives. 


Council. 

Ho.  of 
Reps. 

Council. 

Ho.- 
Rep 

j 

Conway. 

Marshall. 

Donaldson. 

Conway. 

"3 

1 
S 

i 
i 
.... 

i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 

i 

i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 

i 
i 
i 

i 
i 
i 
i 

| 

i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 

i 

i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 

1    Samuel  Smith 

50    John  T.  Greenwood  
51    A  S.Clark  

1 

52 

1 
1 



4    Philip  Wimbarger  

53    Geo.  F.  Hubbard  

5    John  Boyd.                      .  . 

54    Robt  C  Brown        ...  .  . 

55    H.'  G.  Wodard  

7    J.  G.  Blue  

8    N.  B.  Tompkins  

57    B.  F.  Bell  

58    Wm.  Brunder    

59    John  G  Clark 

1 

60    Lewis  Riney  

I 



61    Samuel  Weldon    

62    James  Fulks 

, 

14    Richard  Jacks  

63    John  Kennedy  

, 

64    Michel  Stubbs  

I 

66    John  Covis  

18    Wm.  F.  Tolston  . 

1 



1 
1 
1 
1 

68    R.  C.  Bishop  

69    Rufus  Hoy  

1 

21    Geo.W.  Bates  

71    G.  M.  Hunt  

j 

26    Jesse  Bailie  

75    John  Winn      

1 

76    J.  F.Allen,  jr  

1 

28    B.  C.  Clark  

78    James  McCaller    

79    John  Reed                .  .  . 

1 



80    John  F.  Allen,  sen  

32    F.  L.  Michell 

1 
1 

.'.'.'.'.. 

33    Thos.  Clark  

82    Wm.  B.  Hubbard  

34    Wm.  Holt  

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

83    A.  Dolson  

35    Willis  Grimes  . 

84    G  Hunt.             

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

.... 

36    Lewis  Mooders  

85    Thos.  B.  Awl...  <  

37    J.  Tolbert   . 

86    W.Reid  

38    Wm.  Miller  

89    Samuel  Adams  

88    S.M.Knox  

40    S   F   Binum                     . 

92    Elijah  Silbers  

1 
1 



A.  S  Brown  

94    W.  F.  Cowton  

'.'.'.'.'. 

46    JohnNorris  

1 
1 
1 
1 

47    Thos.  Mackey  

96    S.  C.  Brown  

48    J.  C   Owens                 .  ... 

97    Wallace  Kirkwood  

49    Richard  Taney..., 

98    Wm.  Hendlers.  „ 

KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
List  of  votes — Continued. 


477 


• 

Council. 

Ho.  of 
Reps. 

Council. 

Ho.  of 

Reps. 

Donaldson. 

t 

Marshall. 

Donaldson. 

O 

S 

S 

99    Robl  Hoy                       

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

173    John  P.  Stonmanar  

1 
1 



i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 

174    John  Dawson  

175    John  N.  Pervis  

1 

02    S    Mitchell                       •  •« 

176    D.B.Allen  

1 

03    R  Field                            • 

177    Alex.  Lanch  

1 

04    L    tl   Moore 

I 

178    Wm.  James 

1 

05    Elisha  Witt                       •  •  «  • 

1 

179    John  James  

1 

180    Thos.  J.  Wilkerson. 

1 

j 

181    Jos  K  Hardy 

1 

08    S   Owen                           .  • 

1 

182    R.  Dowkens  

1 

183    Wm   Strattham 

1 

1 

184    John  Huston  

1 

1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

185    F.D.Perkins  

1 

12    H  D  Goldman         

1 

186    Daniel  Gilmer  

1 

1 

187    Wm.  Townsend 

1 

14    J.  R.  Vance         

1 

188    John  Flinch  

1 

15    A  D   Hamilton                . 

I 

189    Richard  Clark 

1 

16    Wm.  C.  Webb  

1 

190    Smith  Younts  

1 

17    James  Welch  .                .... 

I 

191    Chris.  Carpenter  ..  . 

1 

1 

19    James  Savage  

I 

1 

JO    Geo.  M.  Pirth  

194    John  Lovel  

1 

11    Joseph  W.  La  Fare  

I 

195    George  Leviet  

1 

32    A.  K.  Lambs  

1 

33    Willis  Cole  

I 

197    J.  Leviet  

1 

34    James  Ransdall 

I 

198    John  Hocks.  . 

1 

55    John  Spencer  

I 

1 

J6    J.  Bullard    

1 

200    Charles  Wool... 

1 

!7    H.  G.  Smith  

201    Wm.  Bucks  

1 

{8    Samuel  McCall  

1 

202    N.  F.  Todd  .... 

1 

!9    H.  N.  Beacum  

203    Wm.  Craig  

1 

10    J.McDill  

1 

204    Aaron  Gates  

1 

tl    B.  Bremer  
12    M.  Bogin  

I 

205    Jerry  Yatman  
206    Henry  A.  Bailey  

1 
1 

.... 

!3    Ralph  Amen  

1 

14    T.  C.  Aaron  

208    John  W.  Cox  

1 

(5    John  Crabb  

I 

1 

210    Daniel  Witler  (?)  

1 

!7    PaulKish  

1 
1 
I 



211    John  Handcock  

1 

'8    Marion  Franklin 

212    John  View.  .  .  . 

1 

:9    J.R.  Black  

213    Wm.  Baker  

1 

SJohn  Henry  

214    A.P.Dow  

1 

215    Wm.  Smith  

1 

2    James  Lumens  

I 

1 

217    Samuel  Hargus  

1 

4    B.  S.Hart  

1 



218    John  Heels  

1 

5    N.  C.  Boone  

219    Benj.  Wallace  \  

1 

6    Jesse  Scrock  

1 
1 

. 

220    Richard  H.  Wallace  

1 

7    James  Shadcock  

1 
1 



J    Wm.  Cook  ,  .... 

222    John  H.  Perkins  

9    Jacob  Thadis  

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

j  : 

223    H.  McLean  ..  .. 

1 

)    David  Shelton  

224    John  S.  Mothershead  

1 

L    M.C.Robinson... 

225    B.L.Jackson  

1 
1 



a    Wm.  Head... 

1 

1 
1 



#    Abraham  Hicks... 

228    Thos.  T.  Mullins 

5    James  E.  Sage  . 

B    Jacob  Butts  .  .  . 

230    T.  S.  Brown  

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

..'.'.'.' 

7    John  Ramsey  

231    Philip  Bridges 

B    Johnson  Merryfield  

232    Joseph  Davidson  . 

9    Stephen  Hancock.... 

233    Milton  Farrier  

D    C.  Butcher  

234    R.  G.  Bagby  

U    James  Beitler  

235    Wm    Hockston 

B    Jeflerson  Lands  

236    John  G.  Brick  

J    Moses  Shoemcher  

237    D  Bowine.          . 

Wm.  Vaugn  

238    Nelson  Woods 

>    Stephen  Fieling  

239    C.  Lynch          

>    Silas  Parvan  

240    Thos    Berry 

John  H.  Dobson  

241    Wilson  Tinson 

James  Goodman  

242    Robt.  Webster  

Hern  Van  Helt  

243    John  Tinner  
244    J  N  Bruton 

M.F.Carrol  

i    T.  Fowler  

246    David  McQuitty.  •  

478 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
List  of  votes — Continued. 


Council. 

Ho.  of 
leps. 

Council. 

Ho.   1 

Hep 

i 

a 
Q 

| 

Marshall. 

1 

Conway. 

1 
1 
1 



1 
1 
1 

1 
1 

1 
1 
1 



M 

|j 
! 

1 
T 

j 
1 

1! 

1 
1 

248    Robt  Bucher 

291     W  T  Jackman 

249    N  Tyer        

292    Silas  Bur  on 

250    C.  M.  Woods,  jr  

293    Joseph  Brown  

094    g  p   Jacks               .       ... 

252     Henry  Nailor  

296    Richard  King  

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

254    C   M.  Darby       

297    Francis  Woods  

255    Thos  Moore 

298    Thos  Carter 

257    E   N   Price   jr                 .   . 

300    George  Wassaman  .       . 

258    Sidney  Douglass  

301     Charles  West  

259    Wm.McCon.  

302    Peter  Higgins  

1 

260    F.B.Browning  

303    Henry  Gearhart  

1 



262    H  Clay  Cunningham  

i 
i 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

305    P  R  Mitchel.           .       .  . 

1 

306    Thos.  Radcliff.  

1 

264    Cyrus  Bridges  

i 

307    Clark  Warren  

1 

265    James  Crigh                    . 

i 

1 

266    John  Ci*by  

i 

309    John  Stone  

1 

267    Thos.  Kellers 

i 

310    John  Asher  

1 

268    J.  L.  Prior  

i 
i 

311    John  H.  Fennison  

1 

269    Ham  Martin     

312    A.  McClelland  

1 
1 

270    Wash  Higgins 

i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 
i 

313     i  hos    Caldwell 

271    John  MoMichel  

314    Wm.  Rowland  

1 

272    Peter  Strun^.            . 

315    R.  M.  Clark   

1 

273    O  M   Brock  man 

316    George  Codey 

1 
1 



274    J.  Walpscale  

317    W.P.Hamilton  

318    John  Jones,  jr  

1 

276    Washington  Berry  

319    Oliver  Burtchett  

1 

277    Wm  McMutlin 

320    Sampson  Levy  

1 

278    David  Wise 

321     B    Wilson. 

1 

279    Martin  F.  Fisher.            ... 

322    John  Pierce  

1 

280    Jonathan  Frost 

323    Jeremiah  Sweat  ...   . 

1 

281     John  Wallace  
282    T.  W.  Thornsbury  

324    J  T  Jenks 

1 
1 

325    J.  Muby  

283    L.  Church 

326    A.  J.  Mackey 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

'.'.'.'.'.'. 

284    Launer  Woodward  

i 
i 
i 
i 

!:! 

327    J.W.Johnston  

328    Ace  Wiggins 

286    Moses  Wilbut 

329    Wm.  P  McLure 

287    John  Stone  

330    George  W.  :'ence  

288    A.  J.  Johnston      .   . 

i 
i 

•• 

331    S.  Neal  Spratt             

289    F.  M.  Woodward  

S.  N.  Spratt  and  George  W.  Pence,  sworn  according  to  printed  form? 
as  in  district  No.  1,  before  Wm.  P.  McLure,  judge  and  J.  P.,  and  Wnn 
P.  McLure,  before  S.  N.  Spratt,  judge,  as  judges  of  the  election,  held  £ 
the  house  of  Marshall  &  Woodward,  in  the  eleventh  election  distric* 


TWELFTH  ELECTION  DISTRICT. — Silver  Lake  Precinct. 

John  H.  Welles,  E.  K.  Kennedy,  and  N.  K.  Winegardner,  swori 
as  judges  according  to  printed  form. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  of  Marcbll 
A.  D.  1855,  at  the  store  of  Sloan  &  Bobean,  in  Silver  Lake  precinct] 
in  the  1 2th  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  counckj 
and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  dt 
hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  fol' 
lowing  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election 
by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz : 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  479 

For  members  of  Council. 

Martin  F.  Conway  received 17  votes. 

John  Donaldson  received 12     " 

For  members  o  f  the  House  of  Representatives. 

Homan  McCartney  received 19  votes. 

S1.  J.  Marshall  received 12     " 

Witness  our  hands  and  seals  this  30th  day  of  March,  1855. 

N.  K.  WINEQARDNER,    [L.  s.l 
JOHN  H.  WELLES,  FL.  s.l 

E.  K.  KENNEDY,  [L.  s.] 

List  of  voters. 

1  H.  Wild  17  Robert  Aims 

2  E.  Stephens  18  G.  W.  Benker 

3  D.  J.  Thomas  19  John  H.  Welles 

4  Job  P.  Abkert  20  N.  R.  Wyangardner 

5  Joseph  Ogee  21  E.  Kennidy 

6  John  G.  Ogee  22  T.  Denevan 

7  Trugett  Allin  23  John  Murphy 

8  Robert  McNown  24  Wilburn  A.  Eby 

9  E.  L.  Young  25  Thomas  Fogarty 

10  M.  B.  Bolien  26  Charles  Coyle 

11  L.  H.  Ogee  27  Charles  H.  Bololier 

12  B.  T.  Anscum  28  Robert  Sheehy 

13  B.  N.  Harris  29  P.  Fogarty 

14  R.  M.  Jones  30  M.  Birch 

15  E.  W.  Finch  31  F.  H.  Cimtryman 

16  M.  A.  G.  Bistick 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT. — St.  Mary's  precinct. 

Palmer  McCartney,  Luther  K.  Palmer,,  and  Alvah  Higbee  were 
sworn  as  judges  of  election,  according  to  printed  form. 

Poll  list. 

1  J.  D.  Lusley  7  C.  Milot,  (sworn) 

2  A.  Higbee  8  0.  H.  P.  Polk 

3  Basil  Greenore  9  Thomas  Quigley,  (sworn) 

4  L.  R.  Palmer  10  Philip  Wymer 

5  G.  Booth  11  J.  L.  Wilson 

6  P.  McCartney 

[Signed  by  judges.] 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  store  of  B.  H.  Bertrand,  in  St.  Mary's 
precinct,  in  the  twelfth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members 
)f  council  and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of 
Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election; 
ihat  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at 
such  election  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz  : 

For  member  of  Council. — The  whole  number  of  votes  given  for 
;ouncil  was  eleven  :  John  Donaldson  received  four  votes  for  council, 
linth,  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  districts  ;  and  Martin  F,  Conway 
•eceived,  for  council,  seven  votes, 


480  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

For  member  of  the  House  of  Representatives. — Palmer  McCartney! 
received  seven  votes  for  representative. 

F.  J.  Marshall  received  three  votes  for  delegate,  eleventh  anc.| 
twelfth  districts  ;  and  Frank  J.  Marshall  one  vote  for  the  same. 

L.  R.  PALMER. 
PALMER  MCCARTNEY. 
ALVAH  HIGBEE. 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  selected  by  tellers,  this  the  30th  day] 
of  March,  1855,  do  solemnly  swear  that  we  will  act  as  judges  of  th(<| 
election  to  he  held  at  Hickory  Point,  in  the  thirteenth  district,  ODI 
the  above-named  day,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  members  of  thdj 
council  and  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas  >| 
and  that  we  will  conduct  this  election  impartially  and  to  the  best  oj 
our  ability  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  Congress  organizing  thd 
Territories  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas. 

RICHARD  CHANDLER. 

N.  B.  HOPEWELL. 

WM.  M.  GARDINER. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me  the  day  and  year  above  namedu 

0.  B.  TEFF,  J.  P. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  of  Marchli 

A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Charles  Heard,  of  the  Territory  of  Kami 
sas,  in  the  thirteenth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  o> 
council  and  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  d<i 
hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  foil 
lowing  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election 
by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz  : 

R.  R.  Rees,  for  council... 233  votes* 

D.  J.  Eastin,  for  council 233  " 

W.  H.  Tibbs,for  representative 23*7  " 

B.  H.  Tombly,  for  council 6  " 

A.  J.  Whitney,  for  council 6  " 

C.  Hard,  for  representative 3 

Two  blanks  in  the  ballot-box. 

N.  B.  HOPEWELL,  ) 

WM.  M.  GARDINER,        V  Judges. 

RICHARD  CHANDLER,) 

List  of  voters. 

0.  G.  McDonald  Edward  Williams 

G.  C.  Clendy  G.  Adkins 

J.  S.  Barbee  W.  E.  Collins 

J.  T.  Graven  H.  W.  Marshall 

F.  Jackson  J.  Harriss 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


481 


J.  W.  Pate 
D.  Kockholt 
J.  C.  Hawkins 
M.  Lee 
T.  J.  Gurddy 
G.  K.  White 
J.  McDaniel 
W.  H.  Arnold 
J.  Parr 
R.  Thompson 
T.  L.  Parrish 
A.  Whitlock 
J.  Lord 
F.  Walker 
J.  Duncan 

C.  G.  Whitlock 
W.  W.  Arnold 
W.  C.  Baker 
W.  Thompson 
L.  Likins 

J.  Weekly 
W.  Moutre 
E.  Henshaw 
J.  L.  Miller 
A.  Everett 
A.  Gregg 
P.  Keith 
W.  F.  Walkup 
W.  Thatcher 
H.  C.  Arnold 
A.  C.  Woods 

D.  Gentry 
W.  R.  Davis 
J.  Williams 
J.  T.  Wilson 
Jno.  Wilson 
Jno.  Cook 

E.  Colegrove 
G.  L.  Marret 
W.  M.  Gardner 
W.  Rogers 

A.  Crane 

J.  W.  Parrish 

C.  Marin 
H.  Whitlaw 
A.  Chesterson 

D.  Hunt 
J.  Walkup 
W.  H.  Brown 
R.  C.  Ewing 
J.  S.  Malotte 
T.  Chinn 

S.  Almot 

T.  Gregg 

J.  Belcher 

W.  P.  Judy 

J.  Hammond 

J.  W.  Woods 

J.  W.  Mitchell 

W.  Brightwell,  (oath) 

J.  Thatcher 

A.  T.  Young 

J.  B.  Cox 

J.  T.  Gardiner 

J.  F.  Gregg 

A.  J.  Lawrence 

H,  Eep.  200- 


-31' 


S.  J.  Brooks 

E.  W.  Mason 
J.  Duncan 
W.  S.  Carr 
W.  C.  Snail 
M.  Anderson 
W.  Walter 
P.  Bradley 
T.  Kenedy 

J.  S.  Dorsey 
W.  B.  Mitchell 

F.  Sprague 

J.  Brackenridge 
D.  S.  Wood 
T.  J.  Richards  • 
R.  Whitehead 
J.  W.  Gow 
H.  Banfield 
<X  Storer,  (oath) 
O.  Smith 
8.  Tolson 
W.  Crown 
A.  Wills 
A.  Pemberton 
O.  W.  Grason 
J.  White 

A.  Ecten 
J.  Estis 

J.  N.  Wilardson 
W.  D.  Kimsey 
F.  N.  Gardner 
O.  Parrott 

C.  Vincent 

J.  Kurkendall 
M,  B.  Menier 
J.  Falkner 
W.  Pemberton 
E.  D.  Neely 
W.  Booth 
L.  Hinckle 
W.  T.  Parker 
J.  Tipton 

D.  Conway 

B.  Prather 
J.  Bretz 
L.  B.  Hoy 
H.  Powell 

A.  Hammond 
W.  A.  Burton 

C.  Moulton 
J.  Brooks 

O.  F,  Clemens 
W.  Faulkner 
W.  White 
R.  S.  Jones 
G.  T.  Hughes 
Jackson  Vivion 
A.  A.  Ross 

D.  Thatcher 
T.  Ashes 

T.  Marshall 

E.  Fox 
J.  Morris 
W.  Hoy 

W.  M.  Jenkins 
J,  W,  Thompson 


482 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


D.  Johnson 
J.  C.  Lillard 

J.  W  Rickman 
W.  Sprague 
J.  W.  Jones 
W.  P.  Cox 
R.  F.  Allen 
C.  Hedvicks 
G.  W.  Bridges 
J.  Gallaway 
H.  Waller 
T.  J.  Fielding 

E.  Marshall 
J,  W.  Young 
J.  Homer 

J.  Miles 
J.  Williams 
J.  B.  V.  MgCall 
A.  R.  Murray 
P.  Fleshman 

A.  Lanehart 
R.  Parker 
J.  Peters 

T.  J.  Jones,  (oath) 

B.  Bugby 
J.  A.  Reed 
A.  L.  Darby 
T.  Marshall 
G.  W.  Dyer 
W.  Carpenter 
H.  Holder 

G.  H.  Holbert 
L.  Sheppard 
J.  Davis 
D.  Gregg 
M.  Christerson 
J.  Chandler 
L.  Cobb 
P.  J.  Collins 
P.  Clem 
J.  Berry 
A.  Judy 
R.  Rauge 
S.  Gotleff 
R.  K.  Grant 
J.  Yoacum 
James  Gardner 
W.  A.  Fox 
M.  Thomas 
M.  Woods 


J.  Busby 

T.  Crone 

S.  S.  Crosswhite 

J.  W.  Duncan 

R.  R.  Coram 

A.  Hollyclaw 
H.  W.  Jinks 

C.  H.  Larmar 
W.  R.  Wanton 

B.  Brinton 
A.  Clark 

R.  J.  Fulton 
P.  Elington 

D.  F.  Tibbs 

Q.  F.  Broadhurst 

P.  Dufer 

J.  R.  Beagle 

D.  T.  Jones 

W.  Meridith 

T.  Huntington 

J.  Ecton 

W.  G.  Berry 

N.  B.  Lamar 

S.  Hudson 

J.  W.  Winston 

W.  F.  Dyer 

A.  Estis 

A.  J.  Morrow 

N.  Humber 

J.  L.  Graves 

L.  M.  Graves 

W.  G.  Graves 

R.  Grant 

T.  P.  Chandler 

W.  T.  Smidtson 

C.  Alson 

C.  B.  Tibbs 

R.  H.  Dyer 

A.  B.  Sharp 

R.  Chandler 

W.  M.  Gardiner,  sen. 

N.  B.  Hopewell 

W.  H.  Tibbs 

John  Bradshaw 

Antout  Poss 

Chas.  Harris 

John  Myers 

John  Jeffries 

R.  M.  Carter 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Second  return. 


H.   C.   Cory,  S.  B.  Boss,  and  J.  Atkinson,  were  duly  sworn  :i 
judges,  according  to  the  printed  form. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  appointed  to  hold  an  election  in  1 
thirteenth  district,  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Charles  Heard,  in  si»| 
district,  after  having  met  at  the  place  and  time  appointed,  and  havi'! 
taken  the  oath  prepared  for  said  judges,  we  proceeded  to  open  m 
election,  and  to  receive  votes.  But  on  account  of  the  vast  number 
citizens  who  had  come  over  from  the  State  of  Missouri,  and  assemb.ii 
themselves  together  for  the  purpose  of  illegally  changing  the  res ! 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  483 

said  election  by  their  illegal  votes,  and  also  by  assembling  in 
great  numbers  in  and  around  the  window  when  the  legal  voters 
wished  to  deposit  their  votes,  to  the  great  prevention  of  the  citizens 
of  the  Territory,  which  caused  many  of  the  said  legal  voters  to  leave 
said  election  without  voting,  on  account  of  the  little  respect  shown 
them  by  the  citizens  of  Missouri,  which  we,  the  said  judges,  appointed 
by  your  excellency  to  hold  said  election,  seeing  the  strong  determina- 
tion on  the  part  of  citizens  from  Missouri  to  vote,  and  no  citizens  of 
said  district  voting  or  offering  to  vote,  we  thought  it  our  duty  to 
lecline  sitting  as  judges  at  said  election  on  account  of  said  illegal 
roters. 

We,,  the  undersigned  judges,  certify  that  this  is  a  true  return  of  the 
"acts  and  proceedings  of  this  day,  in  a  very  brief  manner,  to  the  best 
>f  our  knowledge  and  belief. 

Yours,  truly, 

S.  B.  BOSS. 

H.  C.  CORY. 

J.  ATKINSON. 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT — Burr  Oak  Precinct* 

Albert  Heed,  H.  J.  Johnson,  and  Gary  B.  Whitehead,  judges,  were 
luly  sworn  according  to  printed  form,  in  district  No.  1,  before  Thos. 
vV.'Watterson,  J.  P. 

List  'of  the  voters  of  Burr  Oak  precinct  at  an  election  held  at  the  house 
of  Milton  E.  Bryant,  on  the  30th  of  March,  A.  D.  1855,  before  the 
undersigned  judges,  duly  qualified  and  sworn  by  Gary  B.  Whitehead \ 

Albert  Heed,  and  //.  J.  Johnson, 

1  E.  Blackston  26  J.  Lewis 

2  Thomas  H.  Baker  27  Peter  A.  Eoke 

3  M.  Die  28  Wm.  M.  Morgan 

4  Samuel  Montgomery  29  Mathias  Rapp 

5  F.  Ridge  30  J.  W.  Smith 

6  B.  D.  Hazel  wood  31  J.  H.  Merrill 

7  B.  E.  Lowen  32  W.  H.  Allen 

8  Wm.  N.  Irish  33  Samuel  Pills 

9  F.  B.  Anderson  34  J.  D.  Armstrong 

10  E.  G.  Robinson  35  J.  Peters 

11  James  Sellers  36  John  M.  Tracy 

12  James  Watterson  37  John  Doyle 

13  Thomas  J.  Dowlen  38  Anderson  Gladder*. 

14  John  Edmonson  39  Henry  Lewis 

15  William  Thomas  40  H.  Joyl 

16  Oly  Evans  41  Robert  WhitseH 

17  James  Graham  42  John  W.  Copeland 

18  Jackson  Thornton  43  J.  D.  Lawhorn 

19  Josepii  Shurn,  (oath)  44  N.  Bell 

20  Georjrc  Shum  45  Mathew  Elliotte 

21  William  Jordan  46  R.  Myers 

22  Andrew  A.  Hare  47  H.  Jackson 

23  William  Decherd  48  H.  Thompson 

24  William  Ridge  49  M.  T.  Sweeney 
2J  A.  Li-;:.h:n  50  E.  K.  Kinq; 


484 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 
65 
66 
67 
68 
69 
70 
71 
72 
73 
74 
75 
76 
77 
78 
79 
80 
81 
82 
83 
84 
85 
86 
87 
88 
89 
90 
01 
192 
03 
;94 
:$.!> 
'9,6 
97 
98 

9;9 

ilOO 
101 
102 
103 
105 
106 
107 
108 
109 
110 
111 
112 
113 
114 
115 
116 
117 


James  Roberts 
Theod.  Longtour 
William  Shelton 
James  Loughton 
L.  D.  Cook 
E.  Eggans 

E.  Smith 

C.  L.  Parker 
P.  Lowrie         • 
R.  Todd 
Wm.  A.  Tubble 
S.  M.  Gordon 
J.  Denoble 
0.  Herlen 
Joseph  Ashley 
J.  Coke 

J.  W.  Stephens 
Edward  Snider 

F.  Beausun 
K.  Asborn 

E.  P.  Weaver 
Leander  McClellan 
Jacob  Sender 
James  Loud 
S.  L.  Sellers 
W.  Matthews. 
S.  P.Blair 
Pael  Meumon 
Presteii  Riones 
Benjamin  Duncan 

E.  Mason 
S.  G.  Floyd 
Wm.  J.  Roland 
L.  Copeland 

J.  H.  Parker 
J.  C.  Copeland 
W.  D.  Moore 
M.  Osbun 

B.  Kern 

H.  D.  Adams 

F.  Mowrie 

H.  Smallwood 
W.  H.  Gillispie 
Wm.  McGreu 
W.  Chapman 
W.  Ayers 
Isaac  Thornton 
Daniel  Morrow 
Merrill  Willis 

C.  Mowrie 

J.  W.  Smith,  jr 
Wm.  B.  Shoupe 
C.  H.  Rodgers 
P.  Y.  Roberts 
J.  M.  Pormer 
S.  Kirkpatrick 
John  F.  Bradley 
John  Pecan 
T.  Reed 
T.  Trunt 
B.  H.  Brock 
John  Arnold 
John  Henderson 
John  Copeland 
J.  Kendall 
W.  Palmer 


118  J.  M.  Grooms 

119  N.  Holmes 

120  Q.  Ball 

121  E.Merrill 

122  F.Duval 

123  J.  Randolph 

124  J.  C.  Stuneff 

125  John  Fee 

126  E.  F.  Wells 

127  Dona  James 

128  Jacob  Cogdell 

129  H.  G.  Gorden 

130  John  P.  Munch 

131  Philip  James 

132  J.  R.  Gibson 

133  Thomas  Chaffee 

134  Steward  Cameron 

135  H.  H.  Woodson 

136  Andrew  Cowen 

137  Levi  Lynn 

138  J.  P.  Ewin 

139  A.  D.  Dougherty 

140  J.  Couffin 

141  J.  Craft 

142  William  Davis 

143  John  Daugherty 

144  H.  G.  McClintock 

145  Benj.  Sprouse 

146  James  O'Toole 

147  Sam.  Gordon 

148  L.Teagarden 

149  Peter  Cadue 

150  Major  Adair 

151  JohnKelley 

152  Lont  Tribble 

153  G.    Kelley 

154  S.  K.  Cambell 

155  A.  Tribble 

156  Chiles  Cravein 

157  Levi  Shepherd 

158  John  Trotman 

159  H.  L.  Creal 

160  John  Truman 

161  F.  Larun,  (oath) 

162  C.  Slemmer 

163  Alex.  Newby 

164  Thomas  Howel 

165  James  Taylor 

166  Isaac  Legar 

167  Count  Forien 

168  Robert  Reed 

169  Doct.  T.  Pierce 

170  G.  W.  Gillespie 

171  H.  A.  McClintock 

172  R.  B.  Agee 

173  Ely  Copeland 

174  J.  Welch 

175  Johnson  Carson 

176  J.  W.  Collins 

177  J.  J.  Lowelady 

178  Moses  McMahafi 

179  Wni.  J.  Copeland 

180  S.  H.  Roscoe 

181  C.  M.  Gilmore 

182  W.  H.  Burns 

183  W.  Stuneff 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


485 


184  M.  E.  Bryant 

185  George  Kincade 

186  Win.  Laforge 

187  Ed.  Walto 

188  Joseph  Baker 

189  J.  F.  Dezeal 

190  J.  Morris 

191  D.  A.  Pugh 

192  Horace  Lyon 

193  Frost  Snow    • 

194  Chas.  B.  Weightman 

195  Henry  Root,  (oath) 

196  Francis  Murphey 

197  John  Wise,  (oath) 

198  Casper  Lorman 

199  Benjamin  Hordenly 

200  G.  W.  Davis 

201  A.  F.  Burns 

202  A.Armstrong 

203  John  Beattee 

204  0.  H.  P.  Craig 

205  E.  M.  William 

206  James  Howel 

207  Benjamin  Samuell 

208  John  McCafferty 

209  Joel  P.  Blair 

210  C.  W.  Stewart 

211  Newton  R.  Carter 

212  Nimrod  Duncan,  sr. 

213  E.  M.  Gilliam 

214  G.  W.  Baker 

215  G.  W.  Davis 

216  Thomas  Bloukenship 

217  Francis  Young 

218  D.  B.  Tendal 

219  J.  P.  Hopman 

220  Mathew  Ibis 

221  William  H.  Davis 

222  Franklin  Kune 

223  William  Salley 

224  William  Dodson 

225  James  Shaw 

226  M.  Moupin 

227  T.  B.  Gorden 

228  M.  M.  C.  Williams 

229  Joseph  Succliff 

230  James  Otval,  sr. 

231  S.  H.  Pendleton 

232  Yarnig  Owen 

233  Allen  G.  Mousfield 

234  Thomas  C.  Stewart 

235  C.  L.  Hardy 

236  T.  A.  West 

237  John  K.  Jo'hnson 

238  W.  Craig 

239  James  Gillespie 

240  John  S.  Tisdale 

241  Charles  V.  Bird 

242  M.  Ashhurn 

243  M.  B.  Wood 


244  E.  Campbell 

245  H.  B.  Sparks 

246  W.  K.  Richardson 

247  James  M.  Teagarden 

248  T.  M.  Moss 

249  A.  D.  McDaniel 

250  Frank  Kensler 

251  E.  Richardson 

252  W.  R.  Roberts 

253  Peter  Munroe 

254  S.  W.  Woodcock 

255  Samuel  Vincent 

256  W.  M.  Drake 

257  William  Nichols 

258  Wm.  P.  Richardson 

259  T.  W.  Waterman 

260  William  Robertson 

261  Emmet  Fulkerson 

262  E.  M.  France 

263  H.  C.  Wrose 
2*64  L.  F.  Carpenter 
265  Absalom  Grooms 
2€6  Elig  Gilliam 

267  JohnHobain 

268  A.  J.  Bouson 

269  H.  H.  Chamley 

270  E.  Taylor 

271  DavidToddj  " 

272  Philip  Korlen  j 

273  Hyram  Karam 

274  S.  D.  Cowen 

275  Mark  Vaughan 

276  MmrodBachele 

277  B.  Dodd 

278  Samuel  Anderson 

279  Jacob  Osenburger 

280  James  Wichel 

281  Abram  Lynch 

282  John  C.  Wood 

283  William  Authine 

284  James  W.  Davis 

285  James  McGraffc 

286  E.  S.  Stutson 

287  Richard  Morris 

288  S.  W.  Morris 

289  S.  E.  Morris 

290  R.  L.  Morris 

291  Hiram  Davis 

292  G.  B.  Groomer 

293  W.  J.  Palmer 

294  Burtes  McCaul 

295  William  G.  Fee 

296  William  Gregor 

297  J.  R.  Whitehead 

298  D.  Otval 

299  Tapley  Ralph 

300  Albert  Herce 

301  Gary  B.  Whitehead 

302  H.  L.  Johnson 

303  Wm.  A.  Hill 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day 
>f  March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Milton  E.  Bryant,  in  the 
Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  fourteenth  election  district,  for  the  election  of 
nembers  of  council  and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Ter- 


486  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

ritory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oath  as  judges  of  SE 
election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  votes  poll! 
at  such  election  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz : 

For   Council.  For  Representatives. 

Wm.  P.  Kichardson 234  Joel  P.  Blair 2S 

JohnH.  Whitehead 68  Thos.  W.  Watterson...  2', 

John  Fee 

Which  were  all  the  votes  polled  on  the  day  and  year  above  me- 
tioned. 

CAKY  B.  WHITEHEAD,  ) 

H.  J.  JOHNSON,  \  Judges* 

ALBERT  HEED,  ) 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT — Doniphan  Precinct. 

N.  J.  Ireland,  judge  of  Doniphan  precinct,  subscribed  and  SWCK 
to  the  oath,  per  printed  form,  before  William  P.  Lamb,  anotrlj 
judge  of  election,  and  then  administered  the  same  oath  to  Willie;' 
P.  Lamb  and  A.  H.  Dunning. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  dayvj 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  J.  W.  and  J.  F.  Foreman,  Doi»| 
phan  precinct,  in  the  fourteenth  election  district,  for  the  election^ 
members  of  council  and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territc 
of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  el; 
tion,   that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return    of  the  vo 
polled  at  such  election  by  lawful  resident  voters3  viz  : 

1  W.  H.  Hinckman  27  Nath.  C.  Squier 

2  George  Mitchel  28  Wm.  Bro  vu 

3  W.  E.  Ruckei  29  Wm.  Button 

4  Jesse  Elliott  30  N.  H.  Jacobs 

5  John  Phelps  31  J.  Newman 

6  John  N.  Johnson  32  A.  J.  Pluiners 

7  R.  E.  Stuttard  33  F.  B.  Davidson 

8  W.  E.  Golden  34  John  A.  Thomas 

9  Isaac  T.  Lewis  35  F.  G.  Oxley 

10  Richard  P.  Haw  36  L.  L.  Bowles 

11  Wm.  Robiason  37  W.  C.  Geter 

12  Thos.  A.  Morris  38  John  W.  Harris 

13  Geo.  A.  Morris  39  N.  R.  Green 

14  Adam  Needles  40  Wm.  K.  Alexander 

15  James  M.  Holland  41  Wm.  L.  Davis 

16  JohnG.  Downing  42  J.  T.  Reed 

17  Thos.  P.  Knight  43  John  E.  Ball 

18  W.  N.  Bragg  44  B.  Crabb 

19  E.  J.  Ray  45  Jas.  J.  White 

20  B.  F.  Lucas  46  M.  A.  Lovelady 

21  J.  0.  Bywaters  47  Henry  Deer 

22  W.  S.  McDaniel  48  John  H«:rris 

23  Robt.  M.  Offutt  49  John  Christopher 

24  John  Crum  50  David  Frank 

25  Allen  Favue  51  Henry  C.  Grove 

26  P.  W.  By  waters  52  James  Jacobs 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


487 


53  Robt.  Cobbell 

54  John  M.  McCormack 

55  F.  Scanlin 

56  W.  D.  Adams 

57  And.  Chenowith 

58  John  Bennett 

59  W.  H.  Martin 

60  Congrave  Warden 

61  Leonardo.  Crabb 
(52  James  H.  Davis 

63  Amos  Crutchfield 

64  Wm.  Isaachs 

65  Jesse  Shepherd 

66  B.  R.  Wilmott 

67  S.  T.  Harper 

68  D.  W.  Martin 

69  W.  Simons 

70  John  H.  Farmer 

71  H.  J.  Cowes 

72  W.  W.  Reynolds 

73  Albert  Fletcher 

74  W.  F.  Martin 

75  Sidney  S.  Canter 

76  J.  K.  Dixon 

77  M.  B.  Wilson 

78  John  H.  Briscoe 

79  Luther  Bartlett 

80  John  Ingram 

81  John  Doyle 

82  Alfred  Dodson 

83  W.  S.  Hughes 

84  Wm.  Bywaters 

85  B.  M.  Bradford 

86  Calvin  Wilkison 

87  James  V.  Cross 

88  Wm.  Powell 

89  Noah  Pincher 

90  R,  B.  Slaton 

91  Thomas  Murphy 

92  Geo.  T.  Chalice 

93  D.  H.  P.  Hammons 

94  James  Wallace 

95  W.  H.  Cook 

96  Absalom  Tagart 

97  C.  W.  Spencer 

98  EH  Hamilton 

99  Mathew  Hall 

100  Wm.  Moore 

101  Win.  E.  Thomas 
10?  Hugh  Garnett 

103  Ocohuell  Smith 

104  R.  N.  Darr 

105  Chas.  S.  Nevley 

106  L.  F.  Hume 

107  M.  A.  Clemens 

108  Robt.  H.  Stephenson 

109  Thos.  J.  Plummers 
James  Plumers 

11,0  Thos.  Faulkner 

111  E.  F.  Perkins 

112  J.  M.  Plumers 

113  Wm.  H.  Miller 

114  Leonidas  Oldham 

115  A.  W.  Hughes 

116  John  Robinson 

117  Clinton  Right 
118 


119  PaytonTydus 

120  S.  K.  Wagers 

121  Joseph  Taylor 

122  A.  C.  Johnson 

123  J.  M.  Hazard 

124  W.  V.  Odus 

125  J.  B.  Regney 

126  John  Wiser 

127  H.  Taylor 

128  John  Taylor 

129  Wm.  Ninemens 

130  V.  Thomasson 

131  Alfred  Fentoa 
S.32  Daniel  Smoot 

133  S.  T.  Walters 

134  Thomas  Rhea 

135  R.  S.  McCubbin 

136  Matkew  Wills 

137  Samuel  Taylor 

138  James  Carter 

139  Charles  Place 
5.40  Geo.  A.  Ringo 

141  C.  Newma-a 

142  Isaac  B.  Williams 

143  Thos.  C.  Doxy 

144  F.  M.  McVey 

145  Albert  Krira 

146  J.  H.  Blassingame 

147  Coleman  Riddle 

148  E.  S.  Mitchell 

149  Geo.  W.  Carp 

150  H.  W.  Hudnell 

151  Jesse  Mercer 

152  Jesse  Morin 
3.53  Samuel  Collins 
a 54  A.  Merrill 

155  S.  J.  Garter 

156  Geo.  V.  Little 

157  Geo.  Million 

158  Thos.  J.  Stratton 

159  H.  W.  Cross 

160  Wm.  Doxr 

161  Jos.  B.  Stockton 

162  Alfred  Rocker 

163  Joseph  Crumwcll 

164  Jonson  Congrove 

165  Joshua  Sanders 

166  Uriah  Miller 

167  W.  G.  Tate 

168  Drake  McDowell 
3.69  Wm.  Young 

170  Abm.  Blinker 

171  W.  F.  Tate 

172  Isaac  Martin 

173  Richard  J.  Williams 

174  Daniel  Sharpe 

175  Etam  Emerson 

176  Ira  Nor r is 

177  JohnGalbray 

178  Noah  Gore 

179  G.  Page 

180  G.  L.  Gore 

181  John  Martin 

182  Dudley  McVay 

183  D.  C.  Judy 

184  Jas.  Mitchell 

185  LeroyBean 


488 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


186  B.  S.  Whorton 

187  Wm.  Black 

188  Pat.  McVey 

189  Geo.  M.  Waller 

190  W.C.  McVey 

191  Thomas  Sweeton 

192  J.  H.Robinson 

193  J.  A.  McVey 

194  J.  F.  Pendleton 

195  E.  Watson 

196  Wm.  Jackson 

197  John  B.  Mobley 

198  John  Grace 

199  R.  Black 

200  Wm.  Smith 

201  Wm.  Galbreth 

202  John  Wisehart 

203  Charles  Gumming* 

204  W.  Stewart 

205  W.  Black 

206  John  Satmders 

207  F.  Pepper 

208  A.  Taylor 

209  E.  B.Dixon- 

210  H.B.  Watson 

211  Richard  Vosfc 

212  J.  H.  Canlee 
213"  I>.  S.  Young 

214  Josh.  McQueen* 

215  L.  A.  Rutledge 

216  H.  Zutt 

217  Jas.  Black 

218  David  Fiser 

219  Geo.  Holinswortb 

220  John  Snydeir 

221  H.  Adams 

222  Thomas  PlimBaoa& 

223  Josiah  Howard 

224  Wm.  McGinnis 

225  Jerry  McCune 

226  Francis  Mitchell 

227  E.  C.  Mason 

228  Sam.  Dixon 

229  James  Cornell 

230  Wm.  Irvia 

231  Geo.  Cate* 

232  Eli  Ward 

233  C.  W.  Hubbard? 

234  Henry  Williams 

235  W.  H.  Elliott 

236  John  Cnmmings 

237  Alex.  Vineyaid 

238  R.  Hudson 

239  B.  Brady 

240  S.  Hudson 

241  B.  0.  Driscoll 

242  D.  B.  Hart 

243  Wm.  Christopher 

244  Geo.  W.  Ledingtoc 

245  Wm.  Ager 

246  R.  Bly 

247  J.  H.  Gilbert 

248  Wm.  Twedell 

249  John  Hammer 

250  Wm.  Thomas 

251  Norman  Alexander 


252  John  Barker 

253  B.  M.  Hancock 

254  Smith  Kennell 

255  P.  M.  Lucas 

256  J.  B.  Black 

257  E.  Harris 

258  Samuel  Swinney 

259  W.  S.  Pennington 

260  Robt.  English 

261  Aaron  Stanton 

262  Isaac  Cheniworth 

263  Joseph  Bath 

264  Geo.  Sumner 

265  J.T.Hinton 

266  A.  Brown 

267  W.C.  Barker 

268  Eli  J.  H.  Russell 

269  John  McNamee 

270  George  Buck 

271  H.C.Davisj 

272  J.Carson 

273  C.J.Yeary 

274  H.  B.  Yeary 

275  J.H.  Yeary 

276  J.C.Marion 

277  C.W.  Barker 

278  A.  Cox 

279  David  P.  Ringo 

280  William  Denning 

281  J.M.Perce 

282  J.  P.  Cordonia 

283  Andrew  Abbott 

284  Richard  Hisell 

285  Daniel  Lamb 

286  John  Silverthorn 

287  Robert  Ewing 

288  John  Allcorn 

289  Pettis  Wade 

290  Wm.  Vineyard 

291  R.  Smith 

292  Robert  Davis 

293  J.  L.  Campbell 

294  Robert  Shortridge 

295  Henry  Chubb 

296  Squire  Wade 

297  W.  Allen 

298  Thomas  Saunders 

299  Wilhelm  Poppys 

300  James  F.  FormaQ 

301  Joel  Snider 

302  George  Wilson 

303  G.  T.  Noxley 

304  Henry  Judah 

305  Jacob  Goshor 

306  William  Moore,  jr. 

307  H.  J.  Johnson 

308  R.  T.  Gillespie 

309  J.  H.  Stringfellow 

310  Andrew  Jackson 

311  L.  Dickerson 

312  E.  Falwell 

313  B.  W.  Jones 

314  Henry  McCune 

315  Robert  H.  Newton 

316  George  Gheeter 

317  Henry  Stapert 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  489 

318  James  Lynch  333  Thomas  H.  Covington 

319  D.  D.  Hendricks  334  Rohert  Hockey 

320  Matthew  Fitzpatrick  335  William  Chamberlain 

321  James  M.  Crawford  336  J.  N.  Snyder 

322  Allen  M.  Baker  337  Wm.  C.  Wells 

323  Richard  Tuck  338  Wm.  Roberts 

324  John  Chandler  339  Joel  Ryan 

325  B.  G.  Wells  340  George  Wells 

326  John  McQueen  341  W.  P.  Lamb 

327  Aaron  McQueen  342  M.  J.  Ireland 

328  Phineas  B.  Page  343  Alex.  H.  Dunning 

329  John  Landis  344  J.  A.  Vanarsdale 

330  William  T.  S.  Chudys  345  R.  S.  Kelley 

331  J.  J.  Graves  346  John  Burns 

332  J.  B.  Griffin 

And  we  further  certify  that,  on  the  day  aforesaid,  none  of  the  judges 
of  the  above-named  election  being  present  at  9  o'clock,  a.  m.,  at  the 
above-named  precinct,  the  undersigned  were,  by  the  voters  of  the 
aforesaid  precinct,  duly  elected  judges  of  said  election. 

WILLIAM  P.  LAMB,  > 

N.  J.  IRELAND,          V  Judges. 

ALEX.  H.  DUNNING,  ) 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  held  at  Doniphan  pre- 
cinct, hereby  certify  the  whole  number  of  votes  received  to  be  346. 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

James  M.  Forman 343  J.  H.  Stringfellow 313 

Richard  L.  Kirk 292 

G.  A.  Cutler 30 

T.  Yanderslice 4 

John  Landis 25 

Joel  Ryan 18 

S.  K.  Miller 2 

Given  under  our  hands  this  the  80th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855. 

WILLIAM  P.  LAMB,   ) 
N.  J.  IRELAND,  V  Judges. 

ALEX.  H.  DUNNING,  ) 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT — Wolf  Creek  Precinct. 

^  Emerson  V.  B.  Rogers,  Granderson  R.  Wilson,  and  James  M.  Ir- 
vin  severally  subscribed  the  printed  form  of  oath,  but  no  signature  is 
attached  to  the  jurat. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Aaron  Lewis,  in  the  Wolf  River 
precinct,  14th  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council 
and  of  the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do 
hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election 
by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz : 


490 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


For  Council. 

John  W.  Forman.. 


For  Representatives. 

J.  H.  Stringfellow.. 


Kichard  L.  Kirk 

G.  A.  Cutler 

J.  Kyan 

T.  J.  Vanderslice 

John  Landis 

E.  V.  B.  ROGEKS,  > 

G.  K.  WILSON,       V  Judges 

J.  W.  IRWIN,        ) 


List  of  voters. 


1  Daniel  Priehard 

2  Daniel  Graves 

3  Anderson  Sharp 

4  Henry  Welsh 

5  A.  Q.  Kice 

6  John  Freeman,  (oath) 

7  Samuel  Yerkley 

8  George  W.  Delamore 

9  Wm.  B.  Dunking 

10  H.  W.  Foreman 

11  W.  B.  Beeler 

12  D.  Vanderslice 

14  Nelson  Eogers 

15  Richard  Leach 

16  Aaron  Lewis 

17  Isaac  E.  Craig 

18  George  Brown 

19  J.  S.  Pemiton 

20  Peter  Minbeer 

21  Wm.  Vickers 

22  Amos  Critchfield 

23  Harding  Critchfield 

24  F.  M.  Tufts 

25  Jas.  Vanderslice 

26  Laban  Prichard 

27  Wm.  Vanderslice 

28  P.  A.  Hooper 

29  Silas  Stone 

30  H.  O'Neal 

31  Thos.  Martin 

32  G.  A.  Culer,  (oath) 

33  Wm.  Hammer 

34  Samuel  Berright 

35  R.  Dunkin 

36  S.  G.  Fish 

37  Geo   E.  Glass,  (oath) 

38  W.  W.  Jugg 

39  Aaron  P.  Gyrick 

40  David  Bogard 


41  Isaac  Buster 

42  John  Acord 

43  W.  Lewis 

44  Daniel  Johnson 

45  Alfred  Gillmore 

46  G.  W.  Gay 

47  John  Allpey 

48  John  P.  Johnson 

49  Milton  Ult 

50  Rhanalph  Stallard 

51  Thos.  Allen 

52  David  E.  Martin 

53  George  Jesse 

54  Jas.  Martin 

55  C.  Serls 

56  Harden  Riddle 

57  R.  M.  Gillmore 

58  Josephus  Ult 

59  W.  M.  Gillmore 

60  G.  R.  Willson 

61  Thos.  Fitzhugh 

62  Lewis  Davis 

63  Samuel  Williams 

64  James  Williams 

65  Jackson  Becker 

66  Chas.  Blakelay,  (oath) 

67  E.  B.  Richardson 

(Judge  resigned) 

68  Jonathan  Springer 

69  Henry  Embry 

70  E.  V.  B.  Rogers 

71  James  M.  Ervin 

72  A.  F.  Ansburn 

73  Eli  Gabber d 

74  Joseph  Rice 

75  A.  J.  Rice 

76  Robert  G.  Maxwell 

77  C.  McCain 

78  Morgan  Jones 


FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

V^e,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  thirtiet 
day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Charles  Hayes,  in  the  filij 
te'  nth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  c  i 
the  house  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereb^ 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


491 


certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is 
a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election,  by  law- 
ful resident  voters,  viz : 

For  Councilman. 

D.  A.  N.  Grover 411 

J.  Freeland 1 

For  Representative. 

H.  B.  C.  Hams ..412 

J.  Weddle 412 

In  testimony  whereof,  we,  as  judges  of  said  election,  have  hereunto 
set  our  hands  and  seals,  this  30th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855. 

E.  R.  ZIMMERMAN. 
T.  J.  THOMPSON. 
M.  T.  BAILEY. 

Oaths  of  the  foregoing  judges,  according  to  printed  form,  in  district 
No.  1,  before  E.  R.  Zimmerman  and  T.  J.  Thompson. 


1  S.  W.  Tunnel 

2  M.  J.  High 

3  John  Eldridge 

4  F.  F.  Couch 

4  Win.  Logan 

5  B.  A.  Jones 

6  J.  H.  Gant 

7  Thomas  Vizinli,  S 

8  Win.  Bumel 

9  E.  Palmer,  S 

10  Henry  Weathers,  S 

11  G.  D.  Gant 

12  W.  S.  Gant 

14  J.  L.  Johnson,  S 

15  Isaac  Palmer 

16  W.  H.  Midleton 

17  G.  Jones,  S 

18  J.  H.  Ricks,  S 

19  T.  J.  Medingly 

20  G.  W.  Spenser 

21  D.  B.  Kenshel 

22  Lewis  Warner 

23  Andrew  Baydson 

24  J.  T.  Baley 

25  C.  C.  Brodman 

26  J.  T.  Moore 

27  Benjamin  Dunkin 

28  J.  W.  Man 

29  J.  Dean 

30  J.  W.  Foster 

31  S.  K.  Hays 

32  Wm.  Jackson 

33  Wm.  Lacy,  S 

34  J.  B.  Dean,  S 

35  Robert  Kid,  S 

36  R.  C.  Combs 

37  J.  M.  Mayo,  S 

38  George  Kitctoin 

39  J.  Steel 


40  George  Shotridge,  S 

41  H.  W.  Lyon,  S 

42  Benjamin  Smith,  S 

43  J.  M.  Bradley 

44  J.  Dillard,  S 

45  Thomas  Barber,  S 

46  Thomas  Godard 

47  James  Hodges 

48  James  M.  Owen,  S 

49  E.  E.  By  waters 

50  John  Devenport 

51  D.  A.  Stout 

52  A.  B.  Mitchel 

53  G.  W.  Culver 

54  J.  Dunneyhoe 

55  Isaac  McOwin 

56  J.  Holmon,  S 

57  K.  Woods,  S 

58  Samuel  Smith 

59  B.  Griffin,  S 

60  John  Jones 

61  J.  W.  Smith 

62  John  H.  Hightown 

63  John  M.  Browning 

64  F.  C.  Hercey 

65  J.  Covington,  S 

66  Israel  W.  Swon 

67  0.  H.  Jackson,  S 

68  J.  W.  Mcore 

69  W.  J.  Furgeson,  S 

70  J.  B.  Byeistaff 

71  A.  M.  Creek,  S 

72  John  Weathers 

73  B.  J.  Chapman 

74  J.  W.  Chester 

75  M.  M.  Winmer 

76  J.  B.  Gurnett 

77  B.  F.  Browin 

78  J.  L.  Hall,  S 


492 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


79  Warren  Saball 

80  Samuel  Thomas 

81  H.  Sweny,  S 

82  JolmFurney 

83  P.  T.  Easby 

84  J.  J.  Alexander 

85  G.  S.  Farmer 

86  W.  C.  Sinnford 

87  Peter  Orsion,  S 

88  H.  M.  Crumbo,  S 

89  Kobert  Hooks,  S 

90  James  Atkins 

91  Perry  Collins 

92  Thompson  Monuel 

93  J.  Basfield 

94  W.  White,  S 

95  Loson  Maser,  S 

96  John  Pankie 

97  James  Moore,  S 

98  Oliver  Swinney 

99  H.  Block,  S 

100  Madison  Alison 

101  George  Jones 

102  B.  S.  Guitan,  S 

103  T.  W.  Long 

104  D.  C.  Farron 

105  F.  T.  Godard 

106  S.  M.  Hale,  S 

107  J.  M.  Lewis 

108  Isaac  Dale 

109  J.  D.  Long 

110  Thomas  Onley 

111  W.  W.  Blond 

112  D.  W.  Rusel 

113  S.  M.  Bomon 

114  L.  Leach 

115  J.  M.  Pendleton,  S 

116  Wm.  Hanson,  S 

117  John  Covington,  S 

118  C.  C.  Perkins,  S 

119  N.  Mapin,  S 

120  B.  F.  Moore,  S 

121  J.  Black,  S 

122  A.  Loward,  S 

123  J.  W.  Shotwell,  S 

124  N.  Walker,  S 

125  0.  Ramsey 

126  Wm.  Grooms 

127  James  Cooley 

128  John  Ramsey 

129  T  J.  Bohanan 

130  M.  V.  Thomas 

131  D.  Johnson 

132  W.  S.  Jordon 

133  H.  J.  Baley,  S 

134  W.  Paton 

135  J.  Telery,  S 

136  A.  B.  Owen,  S 

137  J.  H.  Richardson,  S 

138  John  Lewis,  S 

139  Charles  Patten,  S 

140  Henry  Essex,  S 

141  J.  Packer,  S 

142  Wm.  Mugonson,  S 

143  Thomas  Henderson,  S 

144  James  Johnson,  S 


145  James  Douglas,  S 

146  A.  S.  Fry 

147  B.  Cuck 

148  J.  F   Spears 

149  H.  B.  Colehan 

150  C.  S.  Kilman 

151  C.  M.  Hays 

152  Jamer  Blake 

153  J.  Slanmon 

154  Jos.  Hamlet 

155  A.  Allen 

156  J.  H.  Bradley 

157  George  Croosey 

158  J.  M.  Chrismon 

159  James  Lewis 

160  John  Welch 

161  John  Keller 

162  J.  A.  Henderson 

163  B.  G.  Brooks 

164  John  Goff 

165  G.  M.  Tilford 

166  Joseph  Henderson 

167  H.  Gilbert 

168  David  Ross 

169  Samuel  Ross 

170  C.  Jones 

171  E.  Monzier 

172  W.  G.  Mosh 

173  E.  F.  Persons 

174  A.  C.  Alexander 

175  J.  M.  Lacy 

176  J.  M.  Robinson 

177  J.  McCracken 

178  M.  Anims,  S 

179  Charles  Rutherford 

180  P.  C.  Flerney,  S 

181  W.  Ashcroft,  S 

182  W.  G.  Noble,  S 

183  Wm.  Baley 

184  Benj.  Yakmon 

185  James  Elson 

186  Charles  Mensend 

187  John  Butledge 

188  W.  W.  Beckman 

189  C.  H.  Shotwell 

190  J.  S.  Bosley 

191  T.  S.  Helm 

192  C.  Ray 

193  D.  Shanks 

194  James  Kane 

195  John  Newton 

196  W.  J.  Wilcox 

197  J.  F.  Clenox 

198  John  Reed 

199  William  Turner 

200  J.  W.  Martin 

201  J.  W.  Freeland 

202  E.  Hathety 

203  S.  Waller 

204  J.  W.  Fisher 

205  R.  D.  Davis 

206  S.  H.  Serums 

207  R.  S.  Merchant 

208  P.  Smell 

209  F.  B.  Mitchell 

210  B.  F.  Freeland 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


493 


211  L.  Burns 

212  R.  B.  Hall 

213  S.  T.  Ray 

214  G.  Henderson 

215  H.  Welch 

216  K  W.  Hodges 

217  N.  C.  White 

218  M.  Freeland 

219  Joseph  Lipscomb 

220  F.  M.  Stenaly 

221  J.  L.  Datson 

222  G.  W.  Thompson 

223  F.  P.  Penister 

224  J.  L.  Cotter 

225  R,  L.  Smith 

226  A.  Steavens 

227  J.  Meteror 

228  John  Freeland 

229  S.  Huntsacker 

230  G.  W.  Mayers 

231  E.  C.  Thomas 

232  L.  Elson 

233  A.  Kirkpatrick 

234  A.  Perlin 

235  C.  H.  Mayers 

236  Jacob  Mayers 

237  Joseph  McBride 

238  A.  H.  Durlap 

239  J.  P.  Ermgton 

240  James  Welch 

241  Geo.  W.  Jacobs 

242  W.  Eliot 

243  C.  Taylor 

244  J.  T.  Brush 

245  T.  H.  Mayers 

246  P.  Worner 

247  Lewis  Seadorel 

248  P.  S.  Lumkins 

249  H.  Debord 

250  A.  Snider 

251  S.  T.  Preston 

252  L.  J.  Boles 

253  N.  Newby 

254  W.  Thompson 

255  Charles  Byington 

256  A.  M.  Price 

257  J.  C.  Cook 

258  Geo.  W.  Davis 

259  J.  A.  Beekner 

260  J.  B.  Stokes 

261  J.  M.  Steavens 

262  G.  W.  Gates 

263  D.  L.  Steavens 

264  T.  L.  Fortune 

265  A.  G.  Whitington 

266  W.  B.  Stonaly 

267  Jaines  Boatman 

268  William  Welch 

269  John  M.  Hays 

270  C. H.  Grover 

271  P.  H.  Calvert 

272  H.  H.  Hary 

273  Jefferson  Dyer 

274  D.  Hamilton 

275  J.  A.  Miller 


276  J.  M.  B.  Smith 

277  J.  L.  Page 

278  Calvin  Mayers 

279  M.  M.  Blonn 

280  Benj.  Bonefont 

281  J.  B.  Low 

282  G.  W.  Smoote 

283  G.  W.  Kile 

284  W.  Browley 

285  E.  B.  Bishop 

286  W.  Dogney 

287  B.  W.  Calvert 

288  A.  B.  Sesson 

289  T.  Gladen 

290  E.  S.  Dorington 

291  Samuel  Hodges 

292  Thomas  Deermin 

293  J.  H.  Keninger 

294  P.  McMannanna 

295  Joseph  Smith 

296  William  Calvert 

297  Jefferson  Rows 

298  N.  V.  Stevens 

299  J.  Elliot 

300  George  Steavens 

301  N.  J.  Alexander 

302  J.  Smith 

303  C.  Hemson 

304  W.  W.  Dorherty 

305  E.  J.  Johnson 

306  Daniel  Goser 

307  R.  B.  Mitchel 

308  Thomas  Donohoo 

309  Geo.  W.  Gabbord 

310  James  Hunley 

311  Lewis  Calvert 

312  A.  Richards 

313  B.  J.  Johnson 

314  R.  B.  Toler 

315  R.  S.  Graham 

316  E.  F.  Slaggs; 

317  F.  Thomas 

318  A.  Bufford 

319  B.  F.  Ross 

320  B.  Wallace 

321  G.  W.  Sharpe 

322  Johnson  Adams 

323  E.  J.  Cotton 

324  T.  W.  Dowell 

325  T.  J.  Kelly 

326  S.  Willis 

327  D.  Haladozer 

328  B.  F.  Marron 

329  Thomas  Scott 

330  S.  H.  Morsterson 

331  J.  R.  Sheps 

332  E.  Downs 

333  E.  M.  Brown,  S 

334  Daniel  Kets 

335  H.  E.  Bishops 

336  John  Graham 

337  J.  G.  Bollard,  S 

338  John  Collins 

339  John  Meyers 

340  W.  G.  Shorpe 


494 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


341  Win.  Brown 

342  0.  Brown 

343  B.  K.  Jacobs,  S 

344  Wm.  Moore 

345  T.  A.  Duval,  S 

346  A.  Groves 

347  E.  J.  Honey 

348  J.  E.  Season 

349  Wm.  Callery 

350  T.  J.  Stockwell 

351  J.  Wedale 

352  W.  J.  Young 

353  W.  J.  Baley 

354  W.  Martin 

355  A.  B.  Hazard 

356  P.  Grimes 

357  James  Morten 

358  J.  K.  Cassel 

359  John  Turner 

360  A.  Warner 

361  F.  L.  Duglas 

362  G.  F.  Shipherd 

363  Daniel  Hicken 

364  Thomas  Bonas 

365  D.  Penick 

366  S.  Adkins 

367  H.  B.  C.  Haris 

368  Samuel  Wallace 

369  Jesse  Johnson 

370  Wm.  Penick 

371  John  Davis 

372  Jefferson  Carter 

373  W.  H.  Welle,  S 

374  M.  P.  Kevils 

375  J.  Maxwel 

376  B.  E.  Eevely 

377  H.  Glum 

378  W.  M.  Hays 

379  A.  J.  Dorsen 


380  John  Thomshuger 

381  John  Wedale 

382  Samuel  Fuller 

383  J.  L.  Eldridge 

384  P.  L.  Thomshuger 

385  W.  B.  Fulton 

386  D.  K.  Anderson 

387  W.  J.  Aliphant 

388  W.  J.  Bell 

389  John  Dale 

390  John  C.  Elece 

391  Felix  Brown 

392  J.  H.  Wallace 

393  L.  Oldham 

394  J.  L.  Carter 

395  J.  T.  Simpson 

396  Thomas  Snody 

397  James  Weathers 

398  N.  Pi.  Grun 

399  Jacob  Eyler 

400  John  Hart 

401  A.  W.  Hughs 

402  Washington  Hays 

403  Unson  Jones 

404  W.  C.  Finley 

405  James  Sego 

406  B.  T.  Thompson 

407  T.  S.  Kobins 

408  J.  S.  Thompson 

409  D.  G.  Short 

410  S.  G.  Peerson 

411  C.  B.  Hodges 

412  E.  K.  Zimmerman 

413  T.  J.  Thompson 

414  H.  B.  Hendond 

415  K.  W.  Thompson 

416  M.  T.  Bailey 

417  H.  F.  Roach. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  at  the  house  o< 
Charles  Hayes,  in  the  fifteenth  election  district,  Kansas  Territory,  or 
the  30th  day  of  March,  1855,  for  councilmen  and  representatives,  dd 
certify,  that  the  above  is  a  true  list  of  the  names  of  voters  taken  a« 
said  house,  on  this  the  30th  day  of  March,  1855. 

P.  S. — The  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  certificate  on  tally  list,  bun 
not  signed  by  any  of  the  judges.  A.  T. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT — Leavenworth . 

Matt.  France  was  sworn  as  judge  of  the  election,  according  to  the 
printed  form,  before  George  Kussell,  justice  of  the  peace. 

Lewis  N.  Rees  and  G-eo.  B.  Panton  subscribed  the  following,  to  wit: 
We,  Lewis  N.  Eees  and  George  B.   Panton,  do  solemnly  sweau 
that  we  will  support  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  thai 
we  will  faithfully  demean   ourselves  in  the  office  of  judge  of  the  elec- 
tion for  the  sixteenth  district  of  Kansas  Territory,  and  faithfully  carry 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  495 

out  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress  organizing  the  Territories  of 
Kansas  and  Nebraska,  to  the  best  of  our  knowledge  and  ability. 

LEWIS  N.  KEES, 
G.  B.  PANTON. 
Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me — 

GEO.  RUSSELL,  J.  P. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  d'iy  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  (called)  at  the  house  of  Keller  and  Kyle,  an  I  ad- 
journed to  the  house  of  B.  Wood,  in  the  sixteenth  election  district, 
for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  of  the  house  of  represe  ita- 
tives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths 
as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  re- 
turn of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election : 

R.  R.  Bees candidate  for  council,  received 896  votes. 

L.  J.  Eastin  do  do  do 893     " 

B.  H.  Twombly         do  do  do 60     " 

A.  J.  Whitney          do  do  do 59     " 

James  Kirkendall     do  do  do 1     " 

And  of  the  candidates  for  representatives — 

William  Gr.  Matthias  received 899  votes. 

H.  D.  McMeekin  do 897     " 

A.Payne  do 895     " 

Felix  J.  Braden  do 59     " 

gamuel  France  do 59     " 

Francis  Browning          do 58     " 

LEWIS  N.  REES,  ) 

G.  B.  P ANTON,   }  Judges. 

MATT.  FRANCE,  ) 

Poll-books  of  an  election  held  at  the  town  of  Leaven  worth,  on  the 
|30th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855,  for  the  election  of  two  members  of 
fthe  council  from  the  tenth  council  district,  and  three  members  of  the 
house  of  representatives  from  the  sixteenth  representative  district,  in 
jthe  Legislative  Assembly  of  Kansas  Territory. 

lPoll-book  of  an  election  at  Leavenworth — House  of  Representatives  of 

the  Legislature. 

1  Asa  Smith  13  Eli  More 

2  Jeremiah.  Clark  14  Green  D.  Todd 

3  C.  C.  Brown  15  Travis  Sterner 

4  G.  B.  Redman  16  Edward  N.  Drodson 

5  William  Hodge  17  Samuel  Paul 
Francis  Brown  18  Jeremiah  Eice 

7  Josiah  Brown  19  w.  L.  Blanton 

P.  C.  Grinter  20  Thomas  Boyle 

Thomas  C.  Bishop  21  W.  W.  Brown 

10  William  Cummins  22  T.  P.  L.  Taylor 

Holland  Vanderhoor  23  Laschel  Brown 

12  Floyd  Shannon  24  Hiram  Frugate 


496 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


25  John  McConn 

26  Denis  0' Kief 

27  Horris  Elliot 

28  C.  M.  Burgess^ 

29  William  Todd 

30  N.  Morrison 

31  James  Reding 

32  JohnKeyes 

33  Morris  Ames 

34  Thompson  Mullins 

35  Jesse  Carter 

36  Martin  Darrell 

37  Louis  Marshall 

38  Thomas  Letch  worth 

39  Alpheus  Keyes 

40  N.  A.  Kirk 

41  J.  P.  Gee 

42  L.  Miles 

43  A.  G.  Davis 

44  Arthur  Wythers 

45  Thomas  Baumont 

46  W.  S.  West 

47  Robert  Pence 

48  Thomas  Grubs 

49  Frank  Yonem 

50  J.  M.  Guthrie 

51  J.  M.  Sumners 

52  E.  H.  Lee 

53  Riland  Shackleford 

54  T.  T.  Jones 

55  John  Bryant 

56  Matt.  R.  Walker 

57  Jeremiah  Crabh 

58  E.  G.  Winchester 

59  George  Bottom 

60  William  S.  Carroll 

61  James  H.  Hall 

62  A.  H.  Burgess 

63  Benjamin  F.  Hickey 

64  George  R.  Wood 

65  W.  Thornhill 

66  G.  B.  Nuzum 

67  George  H.  Rose 

68  J.  J.  Smith 

69  A.  P.  Rooker 

••  70  James  L.  Taylor 
[,71  A.  T.  Guthrie 

72  George  F.  Lickenbury 
;  73  Houston  Long 
Q74  James  M.  Iddings 

75  D.  S.  Leech 

76  W.  T.  Henderson 
?  77  A.  T.  Pattir 

78  Thomas  Steward 

79  Samuel  Runey 

80  William  Runey 

81  Jas.  W.  Littlejohn 

82  John  E.  Wells 

83  William  H.  Stone 

84  John  C.  Carr 

85  Wm.  W.  Pullings 

86  Dudley  Thomas  ' 

87  James  Scrimrey 

88  H.  S.  Butts 

89  William  R.  Evens 

90  Oscar  S.  Thomas 


91  William  B.  Thomas 

92  Jacob  Snowden 

93  Wesley  S.  Davidson 

94  Simeon  Marshall 

95  John  Smith 

96  F.  Arnold 

97  Benjamin  Robuc 

98  Edward  Sanderson 

99  James  Fox 

100  C.  L.  Robberts 

101  Lindsey  Greening 

102  Joseph  Denigan 

103  John  M.  Taylor 

104  Robert  L.  McCaskey 

105  Matthew  M.  Gun 

106  William  Sanderson 

107  J.  K.  France 

108  A.  Russell 

109  Leban  Phillips 

110  G.  W.  Barrus 

111  Andrew  Gusten 

112  JohnTalbert 
118  0.  Griffith 

114  Adam  Talbert 

115  James  Sportsman 

116  James  Kincaid 

117  B.  G.  Frazer 

118  William  Freeman 

119  John  Freeban 

120  James  Stone 

121  Louis  B.  Chinn 

122  James  Sanders 

123  George  Quimby 

124  Newton  Beardon 

125  Landon  T.  Carter 

126  William  N.  Baldwin 

127  George  W.  Baker 

128  John  Gibbs 

129  E.  H.  Talbert 

130  E.  T.  Pense 

131  T.  R,  Buckhart 

132  H.  Garrett 

133  H.  C.  Williams 

134  LeviBras*her 

135  Ephraim  Clark 

136  J.  Zane 

137  Noah  Caton 

138  James  E.  Dysart 

139  William  R.  Redding 

140  A.  P.  Leary 

141  Alphonso  More 

142  David  McCullum 

143  Daniel  Stuart 

144  G.  W.  Jones 

145  Walter  Kunckels 

146  John  Anderson 

147  D.  P.  Lewis 

148  D.  H.  Peterman 

149  William  Spratt 

150  A.  N.  Clarkson 

151  N.  R.  Perkins 

152  E.  R.  Williams 

153  Thomas  E.  Waugh 

154  John  D.  More 

155  John  W.  Williams 

156  Thomas  H,  Williams 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


497 


157  Richard  Dicken 

158  Eleazar  G.  Stephenson 

159  J,  C.  Hutchingson 

160  John  Applegate 

161  J.  Murray 

162  John  R.  Fridley 

163  Leander  Kerr 

164  Robert  Scarce 

165  James  Dempsey 

166  Rob.  Wise 

167  John  T.  Burnet 

168  Moses  Foss 

169  Andrew  Quince 

170  William  Pickering 

171  Milton  Darnold 

172  John  L.  Brents 

173  John  J.  Grinstead 

174  Benjamin  E.  Horn 

175  Garnold  E.  Mappin 

176  John  Vincent 

177  John  Bentz 

178  Alpheus  Cellars 

179  H.  S.  Havings 

180  Louis  N.  Best 

181  James  L.  Hickman 

182  John  Venemon 

183  N.  J.  Rucker 

184  William  N.  Cannon 

185  Michael  McCaif 

186  James  N.  Hands 

187  William  H.  Adams 

188  E.  D.  Porter 

189  D.  S.  Collier 

190  John  D.  Chapman 

191  William  Dickey 

192  Benjamin  Kinsey 

193  Robert  Harris 

194  John  Drew 

195  John  Thomas 

196  James  M.  Smith 

197  Mace  Rust 

198  Jackson  Summers 

199  J.  V.  Chance 

200  H.  C.  Long 

201  D.  D.  Brown 

202  William  J.  Norris 

203  R.  C.  White 

204  J.  F.  Lawson 

205  H.  F.  Rogers 

206  Charles  Shannon 

207  John  J.  Ewing 

208  David  Tombs 

209  William  H.  Letcher 

210  R.  W.  Chinn 

211  William  L.  Large 

212  Silas  Armstrong 

213  John  McNevin 

214  Francis  Vanderpcol 

215  William  Webster 

216  Isaac  Long 

217  R.  P.  Smith 

218  W.  A.  Wilson 

219  William  Hanley 

220  B.  F.  Woods 

221  Francis  P.  Garret 

222  Jesse  W.  Clark 

H.  Eep.  200 32* 


223  J.  H.  Horton 

224  Arthur  M.  Nicholson 

225  Samuel  H.  Burgess 

226  David  W.  Reynolds 

227  S.  W.  Harper 

228  Benjamin  R.  Bell 

229  William  B.  Almond 

230  Francis  Carter 

231  Warner  J.  Miller 

232  John  W.  Redding 

233  M.  B.  James 

234  A.  Landree 

.    235  Ellis  Brooks 

236  L.  G.  Patrick 

237  William  H,  Arnold 

238  H.  C.  Loflin 

239  E.  McD,  Coffee 

240  James  M.  Long 

241  William  D.  Long 

242  J.  L.  Guillet 

243  Thomas  Shirnmin 

244  Daniel  C.  Ames 

245  W.  Brockman 

246  William  Cox 

247  James  Burnett 

248  Thomas  Stone 

249  John  Randall 

250  Charlton  Frey 

251  W.  C.  Applegate 

252  Henry  Godsey 

253  John  Stone 

254  J.  C.  Clark 

255  John  C.  Berry 

256  William  Bussay 

257  J.  W.  Morland 

258  Thomas  N.  Smith 

259  Thomas  Smith 

260  James  M.  Scott 

261  William  Beal 

262  John  P.  Williams 

263  George  W.  Graham 

264  William  M.  Edwards 

265  John  Nursery 

266  L.  F.  Hollingsworth 

267  Ed  ward  M.  Wood 

268  Reason  Wilcoxon 

269  J.  S.  Burgess 

270  William  G.  Hardin 

271  John  B.  Camp 

272  Joseph  Grinnard 

273  N.  B.  Hedges 

274  F.  Marshall 

275  Rub.  Sutton 

276  JohnKincaid 

277  John  Barnett 

278  John  T.  Hardy 

279  William  R.  Franklin 

280  Louis  Pippin 

281  Michael  Russell 

282  J.  I.  Clark 

283  James  K.  Vanderpool 

284  A.  J.  Norwood 

285  W.  Christerson 

286  William  C.  Davis 

287  James  Swan,  (Wyt.) 

288  John  R.  Courtney 


498 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


289  B.  W.  Magee 

290  L.  B.  Carter 

291  John  Merchant 

292  Lance  Woodward 

293  William  H.  Marlon 

294  Samuel  R.  Offend 

295  W.  P.  Gibson 

296  C.  H.  Kelsey 

297  W.  N.  Thompson 

298  Andrew  Craig 

299  R.  H.  Hyde 

300  William  Guess 

301  Willis  J.  Kaimes 

302  G.  M.  Pryor 

303  Burrell  Lee 

304  JoabLann 

305  George  Callihan 

306  Smith  Calvert 

307  Jackson  Hanley 

308  James  T.  Bohanon 

309  N.  A.  Wilkenson 

310  H.  C.  Dunn 

311  Joseph  Courtney 

312  Luke  Jefferson 

313  Thomas  Kinsley 

314  Allen  Crowd  er 

315  J.  F.  Minter 

316  I.  C.  Nicholson 

317  F.  G.  Montgomery 

318  William  H.  Good 

319  F.  Brown,  jun. 

320  B.  Lampton 

321  M.  R.  Granton 

322  Ransom  Henry 

323  John  G.  Miller 

324  T.  C.  Berryman 

325  A.  H.  Conley 

326  C.  F.  Bredan 

327  John  H.  Berryman 

328  Nathan  Ames 

329  Sam'l  T.  Brookin 

330  Jno.  W.  Greason 

331  John  J.  Arnold 

332  John  Kinnon 

333  Hugh  More 

334  Payton  T.  Smith 

335  B.  W.  Mitchell 

336  H.  R.  Pollard 

337  Matthew  Splitlog 

338  JoelHockins 

339  Kaleb  W.  Right 

340  Ellen  Williams 

341  John  Adkin 

342  Newton  Head 

343  R.  G.  Bever 

344  R.  A.  Owens 

345  John  Cokely 

346  R.  F.  Dunkin 

347  Milton  Adkinson 

348  John  G.  Pratt 

349  N.  N.  Neagles 

350  John  T.  Plummer 

351  A.  E.  Chitham 

352  H.  Carpenter 

353  Joseph  Norvens 

354  Thomas  Dorris 


355  Jefferson  Park 

356  William  Hammack 

357  R.  M.  Gordon 

358  Amos  Lewis 

359  Chisley  Brastfield 

360  James  S.  Cushmberry 

361  Washington  Bennett 

362  Thos.  Scott 

363  W.  L.  Wolford 

364  Jas.  H.  Melopin 

365  John  L.  Dagley 

366  A.  McClure 

367  Wm.  Smith 

368  Jeptha  Woodward 

369  D.  C.  Hollingsworth 

370  Wm.  M.  Douglass 

371  David  C.  Bogy 

372  Z.  M.  Auford 

373  John  J.  Winn 

374  John  E.  Stone 

375  Andrew  J.  Scott 

376  Ambrose  Murray 

377  John  H.  Dennis 

378  B.  S.  Powall 

379  J.  H.  Hollingsworth 

380  A.  P.  Walling 

381  Joseph  Simpson 

382  J.  R.  Stephenson 

383  C.  E.  Walfork 

384  J.  M.  Hawkins 

385  Howard  Conlay 

386  H.  Downing 

387  John  S.  Swinegine 

388  C.  H.  Pinock 

389  W.  M.  Samuel 

390  J.  B.  Dunkin 

391  M.  L.  Walton 

392  M.  S.  Twoman 

393  T.  J.  Carson 

394  C.  B.  White 

395  C.  D.  Chance 

396  William  Williams 

397  I.  S.  Townsand 

398  Wm.  Peters 

399  Sam'l  F.  Few 

400  Wm.  N.  Davis 

401  A.  Wilson 

402  David  Willis 

403  Thomas  Cuming 

404  Thomas  Warren 

405  Robert  Young 

406  Eze  Downing 

407  Mortimer  C.  Park 

408  Lemuel  H.  Evans 

409  Jeremiah  Johnson 

410  Vance  Woodward 

411  John  Ramsay 

412  J.  C.  Richardson 

413  I.  Welch 

414  Milton  Dale 

415  Newton  Denny 

416  T.  J.  McClelland 

417  Sam'l  Duncan 

418  Thomas  R.  Moppins 

419  Sydney  Willey 

420  John  C. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


421  Wm.  Wallace 

422  Wm.  N.  Phillips 

423  Marion  Todd 

424  Henry  Varner 

425  Jos.  Hicks 

426  Sterling  Swinegin 

427  Joseph  Stygers 

428  Dan'l  Allen 

429  Wm.  Sanders 

430  I.  Albright. 

431  Geo.  Brown 

432  N.  C.  Norton 

433  S.  Lanning 

434  Jos.  M.  Long 

435  K.  H.  Stewart 

436  C.  C.  McKinney 

437  A.  T.  Harper 

438  Lewis  Jones 

439  J.  R.  Tanner 

440  E.  Taney 

441  Louis  Clark,  (Wyt.) 

442  J.  G.  More 

443  Absolem  Wallon 

444  C.  Starnes 

445  I.  T.  Kobberts 

446  Dan'l  M.  Francis 

447  Wm.  J.  McLoney 

448  John  W.  Davidson 

449  H.  S.  Parton 

450  A.  C.  Powell 

451  E.F.Hix 

452  J.C.Griffith 

453  E.  B.  Jacks 

454  W.W.Vincent 

455  James  G.  Hack 

456  John  Flint 

457  Louis  Minch 

458  Eph  Bailey 

459  David  Nichol 

460  J.  E.  Davidson 

461  Nicholas  Hedrick 

462  Wm.  Kince 

463  Geo.  W.  Anderson 

464  H.  T.  Dagley 

465  Anson  Dolen 

466  David  Churchill 

467  D.  J.  Morgan 

468  And.  J.  McClure 

469  G.  W.  McClure 

470  J.  E.  Thompson 

471  Henry  Busey 

472  W.  Myers 

473  Thos.  Starnes 

474  D.  Gellespie 

475  Wm.  Johnson,  (Wyt.) 

476  Jason  Cyane,  (Wyt.) 

477  Mason  Hall 

478  Chas.  Hunt 

479  Wm.G.Raney 

480  Wm. E.Oliver 

481  A.  G.  Williams 

482  Matthew  Murditor,  (Wyt.) 

483  Eli  Sweet 

484  James  McKinster 

485  Geo.  B.  Dunkin 

486  Henry  Miller. 


487  G,  R.  Conhan 

488  R.  H.  Stephenson 

489  J.  R.  Congers 

490  Nathan  Crawford 

491  R.  E.  Sanders 

492  Traverse  Brown 

493  Isaac  Simpson 

494  John  Y.  Owens 

495  Wm.  Vineyard 

496  Jesse  Vineyard 

497  Graham  Turner 

498  James  Bruce 

499  Thos.  H  Turner 

500  C,A.  Perrin 

501  C.  M,  Hooker 

502  Alex.  Baker 

503  John  Buckham 

504  Elias  Jacks 

505  Joseph  H.  Thompson 

506  Evin  Timberlick 

507  James  Tate 

508  James  C,  Turner 

509  George  W.  Dye 

510  Geo,  I.  Clark 

511  Calvin  Norville 

512  John  C.  Posey 

513  Thomas  Coneyhack,  (Wyt.) 

514  Noel  McGuire 

515  A.  J.  Ouden 

516  Dan'l  Baker 

517  Bolin  Baker 

518  Thos,  Baker 

519  J.S.  Gates 
320  James  Coy 

521  Thos.  Herndon 

522  Hugh  Archy 

523  Nat  Hays 

524  Jas.  Foster 

525  Barnabus  Gubille 

526  W.S,Offutt 

527  J,  R.  Faulkner 

528  AmosRees 

529  John  Timberlick 

530  John  Herndon 

531  Jacob  Heck 

532  KD.  Long 

533  John  Allen 

534  John  Lewis,  (Wyt.) 

535  R.M.  Maggot 

536  J.  Harper 

537  A.J.  Leney 

538  Geo.  W.-Conley 
639  Geo,  E.  Craft 

540  James  Pearce 

541  A.  Boon 

542  John  Comstock,  (Wyt ) 

543  John  Creamer 

544  M.  D.  Gough 

545  A.  T.  Force 

546  George  Rathburn 

547  Wm.  Birch 

548  J.  W.  Simmons 

549  And.  A.  Downing 

550  C.  H.  Jones 

551  E.  W.  Brown 
&52  W.  Browa 


500 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


553  John  K.  Frey 

554  John  C.  Gist 

555  David  Bransfield 

556  Saml.  H.  Ferguson 

557  Sol.  Buxton 

558  G.  N.  Bomont 

559  Jas.  Maine 

560  John  W.  Williams 

561  H.  W.  Frey 

562  Saml.  E.  Jacobs 

563  S.  E.  Phar 

564  William  Yates 

565  G  W.  Craven 

566  John  Maggett 

567  Jos.  H.  Conley 

568  Geo.  Brassfield 

569  Wm.  Jacks 

570  Asbury  Wilson 

571  Amos  D.  Martus 

572  John  J.  Throgmartoa 

573  H.  M.  Hook 

574  N.  Timberly 

575  J.  W.  Carter 

576  J.  L.  Condrell 

577  Isaac  N.  Brockmais 

578  Nat.  Shrewsbury 

579  Willis  Cartwright 

580  Chesley  Foot 

581  L.  J.  Eastin 

582  Ambrose  B.  Jones 

583  Wm.  A.  Gabbiot 

584  G.  Sprague 

585  Jacob  Pitts 

586  Benj.  W.  Marsh 

587  F.  S.  Anterberry 

588  Wm.  K.  Fisher 

589  Jesse  C.  Stovald 

590  John  C.  Scott 

591  W.  W.  Woods 

592  G.  W.  Allbright 

593  Nat.  J.  Conley 

594  Geo.  W.  Taylor 

595  Wm.  Thomas 

596  Fontin  P.  Bradly 

597  Jas.  Barber 

598  Wm.  Black 

599  John  Boyd 

600  Wm.  Wings 

601  Jas.  A.  Harrison 

602  Thos.  S.  Owens 

603  T.  R.  Manson 

604  James  Ringold 

605  R.  C.  Thompson 

606  Thos.  H.  Porter 

607  W.  M.  Scott 

608  P.  R.  Wagner 

609  D.  S.  Boyle 

610  C.  F.  Robinson 

611  Geo.  Woodhouse 

612  W.  D.  Short 

613  E.  K.  Goviet 

614  W.  S.  Chuk 

615  G.  W.  Frederick 

616  J.  M.  Love 

617  W.  H.  Wite 

618  Wm.  A.  Clapp 


619  S.  A.  McCreary 

620  D.  S.  Gordon 

621  Jos.  Hulin 

622  T.  L.  Johnson 

623  B.  F.  Young 

624  W.  Hyde 

625  A.  McAnley 

626  A.  R.  Lasley 

627  W.  E.  Cunningham 

628  Wm.  C.  Briskey 

629  John  More 

630  F.  W.  Johnson 

631  Joseph  Todd 

632  Bristin  Pierce 

633  G.  W.  Ray 

634  W.  H.  Long    , 

635  Clinton  C.  Morgan 

636  Squire  Grier  (Wyt.) 

637  Nelson  Hanley 

638  J.  C.  Thompson 

639  Geo.  Staggers 

640  E.  H.  Pence 

641  E.  E.  M.  Rankin 

642  A.  J.  Damascus 

643  John  Elliott 

644  Wm.  Thompson 

645  James  McDonald 

646  Morgan  Kay 

647  Wiley  M.  English 

648  Allen  Sloan 

649  H.  B.  Kelley 

650  A.  W.  Mason 

651  E.  T.  Johnson 

652  James  Drais 

653  Wm.  T.  Scott 

654  Marion  Burkett 

655  J.  H.  Withers 

656  M.  Daring 

657  John  Doss 

658  James  Larrett 

659  Hugh  McCowan 

660  Geo.  Spybuck  (Wyt.) 

661  Chopelark 

662  J.  P.  Dunham 

663  J.  I.  Long 

664  Jim  White 

665  Wm.  Boyd 

666  F.  E.  Hulen 

667  Wm.  Phillips 

668  Richard  H.  Lawson 

669  Wm.  M.  Common 

670  C.  B.  Garrett 

671  I.  Munday 

672  Wm.  Yokum 

673  C.  H.  Allen 

674  H.  C.  Hollaway 

675  Israel  Dorrity 

676  J.  Rogers 

677  W.  T.  Barbee 

678  T.  B.  Wright 

679  D.  Large 

680  J.  L.  Lamnel 

681  H.  F.  Powers 
C82  S.  Cates 

683  Jer.  Short 

684  R.  Redding 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


501 


685  D.  B.  Kellog 

686  B.  M.  Crust 

687  M.  Smith 

688  A.  Wilson 

689  J.  P.  Russel 

690  J.  Hoyt 

691  J.  Spratt 

692  Wm.  L.  Stephens 

693  W.  Moley 

694  James  O'Toole 

695  A.  W.  Harvey 

696  A.  S.  Parker 

697  F.  A.  Eobberts 

698  A.  J.  Porter 

699  Nat.  Campbell 

700  C.  McCrey 

701  L.  T.  Olliver 

702  Win.  Hedrick 

703  Sam  E.  Frazer 

704  James  L.  Thompson 

705  John  R.  Miller 

706  Isaac  Anher 

707  H.  H.  Harrison 

708  I.  K  Henderson 

709  W.  H.  Piere 

710  John  S.  Prat 

711  R.  M.  Johnson 

712  Wm.  G.  Matthias^ 

713  Jos.  Booles 

714  Steph.  Hedrick 

715  J.  R.  Coffman 

716  M.  L.  McDonald 

717  W.  T.  Woods 

718  Henry  Herndon 

719  John  C.  Stephenson 

720  Wm.  Holt 

721  David  McCollum 

722  A.  Gilbert 

723  B.  D.  Spenser 

724  Abel  Henderson 

725  W.  P.  Loan 

726  W.  L.  Blair 

727  B.  S.  Richards 

728  Ed.  O'Riley 

729  P.  Frederick 

730  Lewis  Wilkes 

731  J.  F.  Pitts 

732  W.  H.  Golden 

733  J.  B.  Eldred 

734  J.  Chana 

735  J.  F.  Clarkson 

736  J.  M.  Alexander 

737  James  B.  Craig 

738  J.  C.  Cockerell 

739  A.  Brady 

740  Martin  Hefferlin 

741  C.  C.  Coon 

742  J.  C.  Clarkson 

743  E.  Forsythe 

744  Sam  Stable 

745  John  Stanton 

746  R.  M.  Prather 

747  James  Hall 

748  Jas.  M.Davis 

749  W.  Redding 

750  Ethen  A.  Long 


751  A.KChii 

752  Jo.  Sanders 

753  Edwin  Rawson 

754  Joel  Basham 

755  W.A.  Guthrie 

756  Patrick  Hall 

757  John  Roe 

758  Ed.Garrett 

759  Amt.  Owens 

760  KD,Cord 

761  R.F,Lisk 

762  G.  L,  Brown 

763  J.  C.  Gentry 

764  Lucius  Chafers 

765  J.  H.  Brown 

766  Myron  Phillips 

767  J.W.Todd 

768  J.  P.  Crosswhite 

769  Moses  Whitsoa 

770  J,  W,  Brown 

771  L.P.  Stiles 

772  Edward  Duncan 

773  J.  McGuire 

774  Q.  C,  Tritt 

775  G.  W.  Gobie 

776  G.  Wood 

777  Jno.  Watson 

778  W.  F.  Dodge 

779  J.  Flemmings 

780  David  Bevens 

781  Alfred  Stoker 

782  Jas.  S.  Gillin 

783  George  Smith 

784  R.  C.  Miller 

785  David  Sprat-fc 

786  D.  B.  Craddock 

787  N.  M.  Miller 

788  Alex.  Kelley 

789  Sam'l  Fernandes 

790  Rub.  Snellgrove 

791  James  Finley 

792  J.  W.  Corser 

793  A.  H.  Scott 

794  G.  W.  Ring 

795  James  M.  Rothwell 

796  W.  D.  Hickson 

797  Win.  Cornelius 

798  L.  D.  Pitcher 

799  A.  Dawson 
300  R.  R.  Rees 
£01  G.  W.  Roberts 
802  Jacob  Whitecron 

803,  'Battiste 

804  John  Lerriearst 
S05  F.  Gilbert 

806  James  McGintee 
#07  John  L.  True 
,808  George  Evang 
509  John  Arms 

810  Jacob  Colnian 

811  Aug.  Smith 

812  John  S.  Wilkinson 

813  William  Callahan 

814  Joseph  Halliday 

815  Charles  Hanley 

816  J.  H.  McBride 


502 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS, 


817  L.  W.  Holland 

818  Sam'l  Phillips 

819  C.  C,  Harrison 

820  A.  F.  McAffee 

821  8.  Leach 

822  A.  Lanter 

823  W.  S.  Durneal 

824  John  S.  Slaughter 

825  Joel  Hiat 

826  Isaac  Carver 

827  Harry  Burnett 
&28  William  S.  Yoke 

829  William  Lillie 

830  G.  F.  Warren 

831  William  McLean 

832  Samuel  Finley 

833  Michael  Kelley 

834  Simeon  Scroggs 

835  A.  J.  Bowers 

836  Thomas  McLan.® 

837  Ed.  MeLane 

838  J.  H.  Day 

839  Aug.  White 
84.0  W.  S.Boone 

841  H.  C.  Pence 

842  G.  W.  Copely 

843  Maleom  Clark 

844  Greenberry  White 

845  William  Giffias 

846  William  F.  Murphjr 

847  Lawrence  Kennedy 

848  George  H.  Keller 

849  B.  B.  Boberts 

850  William  Pents 

851  Geo.  W.  Bobbins- 

852  John  Dailey 

853  B.  McCreary 

854  Samuel  Polk 

855  Eneas  Curnininga 

856  L.  T.  Doolittle 

857  Jos.  Murphy 

858  James  K.  Edsel 

859  John  Petit 

860  John  M.  White 

861  F.  E.  Bird 

862  James  McGower* 

863  D.  J.  Pence 

864  Edward  Dunn 

865  G.  S.  W.  Jessie 

866  G.  J.  Pence 

867  L.  D.  McLeaa 

868  G.  B.  Panton 

869  L.  A.  Bees 

870  Joseph  S.  MeAlee?» 

871  James  M.  Lyle 

872  Bandolph  Moxley 

873  Michael  Birch 

874  Matthew  Doyle 

875  Henry  J.  Williams 

876  James  Beswick 

877  J.B.  Ewell 

878  John  Foster 

879  John  Dunn 

880  James  Foster 

881  Perry  Yocum, 

882  George  Froze* 


883  Thomas  Brown 

884  Willey  Williams 

885  E.  W.  Hathaway 

886  R.  M.  Davenport 

887  W.  A.  Newman 

888  William  Conley 

889  John  Gunsollis 

890  Smith  Turner 

891  Bobert  Grant 

892  George  Kimper 

893  Alexander  Hamilton 

894  John  M.  Feckler 

895  ClisbyCox 

896  Isaac  Williams 

897  H.  I.  Wolf 

898  Gilbert  Scott 

899  Malhone  Bullock 

900  B.  H.  Foster 

901  Buren  Anderson 

902  William  McKenney 

903  William  C.  Kimber 

904  H.  M.  More 

905  Jacob  Sears 

906  Benjamin  Hugin 

907  Samuel  Brown 

908  John  W.  Wallace 

909  J.  E.  Glines 

910  James  Biche 

-911  George  McCalligher 

912  Lewis  Webber 

913  Caleb  Dunham 

914  Joseph  Kelley 

915  H.  L.  Lee 

916  W.  F.  Boyd 

917  John  B.  Wells 

918  Clark  Tritt 

919  Levi  Furguson 

920  Nat.  Henderson 

921  B.W.  Budd 

922  P.  B.  Orr 

923  Abraham  Hellem 

924  Samuel  Campbell 

925  James  W.  Baker 

926  Aaron  Groover 

927  A.  Payne 

928  D.  A.  Johnston 

929  John  W.  Hendley 

930  G.  W.  Walker 

931  W.  W.  Counn 

932  L.  F.  Mills 

933  P.  G.  Low 

934  Jonathan  Hall 

935  Noel  B.  Brooks 

936  H.  D.McMeekin 

937  George  Carson 

938  Willis  Hughes 

939  John  Boles 

940  B.  F.  Smith 

941  W.  B.  Holdman 

942  Charles  Levere 

943  John  Frazer 

944  John  Keeffer 

945  Lester  Tennal 

946  Benjamin  T.  Luce 

947  John  J.  Luce 

948  Benjamin  Wycoff 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  508 

949  W.  Saunders  957  Jonas  Screach 

950  Sam'l  Fryar  958  William  R.  Hall 

951  Robt.  N.  Rogers  959  Rob.  Ranson 

952  E.  Oldhauser  960  Wm.  A.  McDowell 

953  Israel  Gibson  ^961  Rob.  D.  Mahain  » 

954  B.  Peck  962  James  Glenning  \ 

955  Jefferson  Copeland  963  W.  F.  Wyant 

956  Joshua  Copeland  964  J.  E.  Grant. 

PROTEST. 

We,  the  undersigned,  citizens  of  the  sixteenth  election  district  of 
Kansas  Territory,  hereby  protest  against  certificates  of  election  being 
given  to  the  following  named  persons  to  the  legislature  of  Kansas 
Territory  :  For  council,  E.  E.  Eees  and  L.  J.  Eastin  ;  for  represen- 
tative, Win.  G.  Mathias,  H.  D.  McMeekin,  and  A.  Payne ;  and  for 
the  following  reasons  :  That  two  of  the  judges  of  the  election  did  not 
take  the  oath  of  office  required  by  your  excellency.  That  residents 
of  Missouri  came  here  on  the  29th  and  30th  of  March  ;  that  they  voted 
for  the  above  named  individuals,  and  then  immediately  returned. 
That  the  New  Lucy,  a  boat,  on  the  morning  of  the  day  of  election, 
started  for  Leaven  worth  from  Weston,  with  citizens  of  Missouri ;  that 
the  citizens  of  Missouri  on  said  boat  did  vote  at  the  polls  of  the  six- 
teenth district,  and  then  immediately  returned  on  said  boat  to 
Missouri;  that  many  citizens  of  said  district  were  deterred  from 
voting  by  the  conduct  of  citizens  of  Missouri. 

We  therefore  pray  that  your  excellency  will  appoint  a  day  on 
which  a  hearing  can  be  had. 

Wm.  Phillips  T.  A.  Hart 

James  K.  Edsale  N.  Fays 

E.  B.  Eobe,rts  Aaron  Foster 

Cyrus  Austin  Geo.  Brubaker 

Jonathan  Kelly  G.  B.  White 

Geo.  Woodhouse  N.  Adams 

J.  E.  E.  Howald  H.  D.  Streeter. 
2b  His  Excellency  A.  H.  EEEDER,  Governor  of  Kansas  Territory. 

William  Phillips  being  duly  sworn,  makes  affidavit  that  the  above 
statement  is  true,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief. 

WM.  PHILLIPS. 
GEO.  EUSSEL,  J.  P., 
Sixteenth  District,  Kansas  Territory. 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of 
March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  Shawnee  Methodist  church,  in  the  seventeenth 
election  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  of  the 
louse  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify 
ipon  our  oaths,  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true 
tnd  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election,  by  lawful 
esident  voters,  viz : 


504 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


For  the  council :  Thomas  Johnson  received  forty-two  (42)  votes 
E.  Chapman  received  forty -three  (43)  votes  ;  Samuel  N.  Wood  received 
sixteen  (16)  votes  ;  Joel  A.  Gooden  received  sixteen  (16)  votes. 

For  representatives :    Alexander  S.    Johnson  received  forty-thre 
(43)  votes;  V.  F.  Powel  received  sixteen  (16)  votes. 

CYPKIAN  CHOUTEAU. 
C.  B.  DONALDSON. 
CHAKLES  BOLES. 


Poll-book  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  day  of  March,  1855,  at  till 
Shawnee  Methodist  church,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  for  the  pun 
pose  of  electing  two  councilmen  and  one  representative  to  the 
ture  of  said  Territory. 


1  Stephen  F.  Payne 

2  Samuel  Garrett 

3  Hopson  Perry 

4  Samuel  D.  Lecompte 

5  Andrew  Monroe 

6  Daniel  Doffirmune 

7  John  Tole 

8  Wm.  Donaldson 

9  Samuel  F.  Hoffaker 

10  John  A.  Hildermon 

11  William  Arnold 

12  Joseph  Porks 

13  Christopher  Deskims 

14  H.  A.  Davis 

15  Isaac  Parish 

16  Joseph  McDowel 

17  Kobert  Brown 

18  Isaiah  Hadley 

19  Peter  Shunberry 

20  B.  T.  Kobinson 

21  Augustus  Charles 

22  William  P.  Johnson 

23  George  Buchhomnam 

24  T.  P.  Bailey 

25  F.  B.  Dreper 

26  Frederick  Chatian 

27  John  Dunoth 

28  John  Owens 

29  Frederick  Booker 

30  ElihuOsens 


31  Henry  Coffrnan 

32  Joseph  Frazer 

33  L.  C.  Mathews 

34  Charles  Chrudur 

35  B.  F.  Johnson 

36  Coyfemar  Chouteau 

37  Samuel  Paul 

38  Eichard  Menderihall 

39  Samuel  M.  Cornatzer 

40  Thomas  Johnson 

41  C.  B.  Donaldson 

42  C.  Bowls 

43  J.  K.  Johnson 

44  Felen  L.  Ferrell 

45  Phillip  Cook 

46  W.  Shinhurg 

47  A.  Gueone 

48  M.  P.  Randall 

49  J.  C.  Pollard 

50  Joseph  West 

51  Daniel  Wodson 

52  Eli  Wilson 

53  James  Bowles 

54  Milton  Woodey 

55  Isaac  Hencha 

56  Siras  Rogers 

57  W.  H.  Byrnes 

58  John  Loman 

59  John  Montgomery. 


Tally  papers  of  an  election  held  on  the  30£A  day  of  March,  A.  D.  185F. 
at  the  Shawnee  Methodist  church,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  for  flJ\ 
purpose  of  electing  two  councilmen  and  one  representative  to  the  legit] 
lature  of  said  Territory. 


For  Councilmen. 


Thomas  Johnson 42 

E.  Chapman 43 

Samuel  N.  Wood.. 16 

JoelH.  Goodin..  .  16 


For  Representative. 

A.  S.  Johnson 43 

A.  T.  Powell.,         .  16 


I,  John  Montgomery,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  perform  tfc 
duties  of  clerk  of  the  election  of  the  l*7th  district  of  the  Territory  < 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  505 

i  Kansas  according  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and  according  to  the  law  ; 
i»nd  that  I  will  strictly  endeavor  to  prevent  fraud,  deceit,  and  abuse 
in  conducting  the  same. 

JOHN  MONTGOMERY. 

I,  Richard  Mendenhall,  do  solemnly,  sincerely,  and  truly  declare 
and  affirm  that  I  will  perform  the  duties  of  clerk  of  the  election  in 
the  17th  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  according  to  law, 
and  to  the  best  of  my  ability  ;  and  that  I  will  studiously  endeavor  to 
prevent  fraud,  deceit,  and  abuse  in  conducting  the  same. 

RICHARD  MENDENHALL. 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  )     . . 
Territory  of  Kansas.        ) 

I  hereby  certify  that  John  Montgomery  and  Richard  Mendenhall, 
clerks  of  the  election  held  in  the  17th  election  district  of  the  Territory 
of  Kansas,  on  the  thirtieth  (30th)  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855, 
(eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-five,)  were  severally,  the  first  named 
sworn,  and  the  last  named  affirmed,  as  the  law  directs,  previously  to 
entering  upon  the  duties  of  their  office. 

SAMUEL  D.  LECOMPTE, 

Chief  Justice,  Territory  of  Kansas. 

We,  Cyprian  Chouteau,  C.  B.  Donaldson,  and  Charles  Boles,  do 
solemnly  swear  that  we  will  severally  perform  the  duties  of  a  judge 
>f  an  election,  in  and  for  the  17th  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas, 
iccording  to  law,  and  to  the  best  of  our  abilities  ;  and  that  we  will 
studiously  endeavor  to  prevent  fraud,  deceit,  and  abuse  in  conducting 
the  same. 

CYPRIAN  CHOTEAU. 

C.  B.  DONALDSON. 

CHARLES  BOLES. 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  )     . 

Territory  of  Kansas.        J  S( 

I  do  hereby  certify  that  Cyprian  Chouteau,  C.  B.  Donaldson,  and 
Jharles  Boles,  judges  of  the  election  held  in  and  for  the  17th  district 
xf  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  on  the  30th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1855, 
Vere  severally  sworn,  as  the  law  directs,  previously  to  entering  on 
.he  duties  of  their  office. 

SAMUEL  D.  LECOMPTE, 

Chief  Justice,  Territory  of  Kansas. 


EIGHTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

Jesse  Adamson,   Thomas  J.    B.  Cramer,  and  John  Bellew  were 
worn  as  judges— printed  form  of  oath. 
Adamson  administered  oath  to  Cramer,  and  he  toother  two  judges. 


506 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


Pott  books  of  election  at  the  house  of  Wm.  W.  Moore,  on  the  Nemeha. 


1  S.  J.  Cramer 

2  Geo.  H.  Baker 

3  Joseph  H.  Walker 

4  Robert  Sate 

5  Wm.  Cain 

6  G.  Dorriss 

7  Jeremiah  Vardeman 

8  William  Hayter 

9  Benjamin  Raton 
.10  Bluford  Adkins 

11  Jesse  Hodges 

12  Wm.  Baldwin 

13  James  C.  Gwynn 

14  Wm.  Sandy 

15  Joseph  Stone 

16  A.  K.  Head 

17  P.  Cooper 

18  James  Simpson 

19  W.  Owen 

20  R.  L.  Kirk 

21  John  Johnson 

22  John  Hay  den 

23  James  S.  Durnall 

24  Clay  Cook 

25  James  Clancy 

26  Joel  W.  Moore 

27  John  Wilson 

28  John  Belle  w 

29  S.  J.  B.  Cramer 

30  Elbert  0.  Walker 

31  John  Jott 


32  Edward  Homer 

33  Samuel  Crozier 

34  Greenberry  Key 

35  Benjamin  Winkles 

36  Hiram  H.  Lanham 

37  H.  M.  Newton 

38  Thomas  Newton 

39  John  W.  Brown 

40  Jesse  Miller 

41  Daniel  Yolt 

42  Jonathan  Berry 

43  Sampson  Park 

44  Thomas  Edwards 

45  R.  C.  Cain 

46  Thomas  Lincoln 

47  John  Cain 

48  John  Fry 

49  Richard  Garths 

50  Edward  Layton 

51  Jesse  Adamson 

52  Melchior  Biown 

53  Henry  Coons 

54  Walter  D.  Beales 

55  Isaac  B.  Miller 

56  Richard  Clancy 

57  George  W.  Wait 

58  James  Dryden 

59  Amos  Porter 

60  W.  W.  Moore 

61  James  O'Laughlin 

62  John  O'Laughlin. 


JUDGES'  RETURNS. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  30th  da* 
of  March,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  W.  W.  Moore,  in  the  eighteenti 
election  district,  for  the  election  of  memhers  of  council  and  the  houa 
of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  herehy  certify,  upo* 
oar  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  au-i 
correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election  hy  lawful  resides 
voters,  viz : 

For  Representative. 

J.  H.  Stringfellow 4 

R.  L.  Kirk 5 

Joel  Ryan 

a.  A.  Cutler 

John  Landis 1 

Witness  our  hands  this  30th  day  of  March,  1855. 

JESSE  ADAMSON. 
THOMAS  J.  B.  CRAMER. 
JOHN  BELLEW. 


For  Council. 

John  W.  Forman  .............     61 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  507 


EXTRACT  FROM  THE  EXECUTIVE  MINUTES  OF  THE  TERRITORY   OF  KANSAS. 

April  5,  1855.  —  The  governor,  with  D.  Woodson,  secretary  of  the 
Territory,  and  J.  A.  Halderman,  executive  clerk,  proceeded  to  open 
md  examine  the  returns  of  election  for  members  of  council  and  house 
)f  representatives  in  the  several  districts  of  the  Territory,  held  on 
;he  30th  day  of  March  last,  when  it  appeared  that  the  following  re- 
turns and  other  papers  had  been  received  : 


Council  District.  —  Second  Representative  District. 
jist  of  voters  ..................................................................  1,044 

Oaths  of  J.  B.  Abbott,  Hugh  'Cameron,  Theodore  E.  Benjamin, 
nd  Eobert  A.  Cummins,  in  form^rescribed. 

Tally  List. 

For  Council.  For  Representative. 

'homas  Johnson  .............  780  James  Whitlock  .............  780 

1.  Chapman  ..................  783  A.  B.  Wade  ..................  781 

L  K.  Goodin  .................  254  J.  M.  Banks  ..................  781 

i.  N.  Wood  ..................  255  John  Hutehinson  ............  252 

E.  D.  Ladd  ...................  253 

P.  P.  Fowler  ..................  254 

S.  C.  Pomeroy  ...............     1 

D.  L.  Croysdale  .............     1 

A.F.Powell  ..................     1 

W.  P.  Atwood  ...............     1 

K.  G.  Elliott  ..................     1 

;  Return  of  Hugh  Cameron,  Robert  A.  Cummins,  and  Theodore  E. 
lenjamin,  in  form  prescribed.,  with  an  erasure  of  the  words  "by  law* 
11  resident  voters,  '  '  showing  — 

For  Council.  For  Assembly. 

r.bomas  Johnson  .............  780  James  Whitlock  .............  780 

award  Chapman  ............  783  A.  B.  Wade  ..................  781 

oelK.  Goodin  ...............  254  John  M.  Banks  ..........  .....  781 

fcmuel  N.  Wood  ............  255  John  Hutchinson  ............  252 

Garles  Garrett  ..............     1  E.  D.  Ladd  ...................  253 

bah  Cameron  ...............     1  P.  P.  Fowler  ..................  254 

Samuel  C.  Pomeroy  .........     1 

D.  L.  Croysdale  .............     1 

A.  F.  Powell  .................     1 

P.  Atwood  ....................     1 

R.  G.  Elliott  ..................     1 

Second  Representative  District.  —  Fourth  Election  District. 
I$b  of  voters  ..........  ,  ................  80 


508 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


Oaths  of  David  Pultz,  Thomas  Mockabee,  and  J.  B.  Davis,  omi 
ting  as  follows:  "That  I  will  reject  the  votes  of  all  non-residen 
who  I  shall  believe  have  come  into  the  Territory  for  the  mere  purpoj 
of  voting  ;  that  in  all  cases  where  I  am  ignorant  of  the  voter's  righ 
I  will  require  legal  evidence  thereof  by  his  own  oath  or  otherwis< 
and  that  I  will  truly  count  and  record  the  votes  received,  and  make 
true  and  faithful  return  thereof  to  the  governor  of  said  Territory."^ 

And  adding  in  lieu  thereof  the  words:  "That  we  will  deliver, ; 
goon  as  possible,  the  paper  to  the  governor  of  the  said  Territory/' 


Tally  List. 


For  Representative. 

A.  S.  Johnson 

A.  F.  Powell.. 


For  Council. 

Thomas  Johnson 78 

E.  Chapman 78 

S.  N.Wood 2 

J.  K.  Goodin..  .  2 


Eeturn  of  same  judges  in  form  prescribed,  omitting  the  words 
lawful  resident  voters,"  showing — 


For  Council. 

Thomas  Johnson 78 

E.  Chapman 78 

S.  N.  Wood 2 

J.  K.  Goodin..  .  2 


For  Eepresentative. 

A.  S.  Johnson 

A.  F.  Powell.. 


Seventeenth  Election  District. 


List  of  voters 


Oaths  of  Judges  C.  B.  Donaldson,  Charles  Boles,  and  Cyprian  Chlj 
teau,  that  they  "will  perform  the  duties  of  judges  of  election  in  i  \ 
for  the  seventeenth  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  according) 
law  and  the  best  of  our  abilities,  and  will  studiously  endeavor  to  ]]• 
vent  fraud,  deceit,  and  abuse,  in  conducting  the  same." 


Tally  List. 


For  Representative. 

A.  S.  Johnson 
A.  F.  Powell.. 


For  Council. 

Thomas  Johnson 42 

E.  Chapman 43 

S.  N.  Wood 16 

JoelK.  Goodin..  ..16 


Keturn  of  said  judges  in  form  prescribed  by  proclamation^  shl 
ing— 


For  Council. 

Thomas  Johnson 42 

E.  Chapman 43 

S.  N.  Wood 16 

Joel  K.  Goodin 16 


For  Representative. 

A.  S.  Johnson .'. 

A.  F.  Powell.. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  509 

Protest  of  Samuel  F.  Tappan  and  twenty  others,  claiming  to  be 
residents  of  the  first  election  district,  to  declare  void,  to  set  aside  the 
returns  and  election  in  said  district,  or  that  certificates  he  given  to 
Joel  K.  Goodin  and  S.  N.  Wood  lor  council,  and  to  John  Hutchin- 
son,  E.  D.  Ladd,  and  P.  P.  Fowler  ;  for  the  reason  that  six  or  seven 
hundred  armed  men  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of  the  polls  on  the  29th 
and  30th  of  March,  collected  around  said  polls  and  kept  them  in  their 
possession,  on  the  day  of  the  election,  till  late  in  the  afternoon,  and 
who  left  the  district  during  the  afternoon  and  the  ensuing  day.  Said 
persons  were  strangers,  helieved  to  come  from  the  State  of  Missouri; 
Citizens  of  the  district  were  threatened  with  violence  and  prevented 
From  voting.  Affidavit  hy  all  the  signers,  together  with  affidavits  of 
Harrison  Nichols,  Edwin  Bond,  David  Conger,  N.  B.  Blanton,  and 
Samuel  Jones,  tending  to  prove  threats,  violence,  and  non-resident 
noting. 

Protest  of  Perry  Fuller,  E.  W.  Moore,  judges  appointed  to  hold 
ihe  election,  and  twenty-nine  other  persons,  claiming  to  he  residents, 
complaining  that  the  said  election  was  opened  hy  unauthorized  judges 
it  eight  o'clock  a.  m.,  and  at  a  place  different  from  that  prescribed 
n  the  proclamation,  and  that  non-residents  surrounded  the  polls  with 
ire-arms  and  voted  indiscriminately. — Affidavit  of  Benjamin  Fuller 
ind  E.  W.  Moore. 

Second  Council  District. — Third  Representative  District. 
List  of  voters 341 

Oaths  of  F.  E.  Lehay,  Paris  Ellison,  and  Sherman  J.  Waful,  in 
form  prescribed.  Affidavit  before  G.  W.  Taylor. 


i  Eeturn  of  same  judges,  showing  the  following  result : 

.For  Council.  For  ^Representative. 

&,  McDonald 318  G.  W.  Ward 318 

f.  A.  Wakefield 12  0.  H.  Brown 318 

Isaac  Davis 12 

E.  G.  Macy 12 

Keport  of  Harrison  Burson  and  Nathaniel  Ramsey,  under  oath, 
,tated  that  they  entered  upon  their  duties  as  judges  of  election  and 
iolled  some  few  votes,  when  they  were  driven  from  the  room  by  a 
ompany  of  armed  men  from  the  State  of  Missouri,  who  threatened 
heir  lives  and  commenced  to  destroy  the  house  and  beat  in  the  door, 
lemanding  the  right  to  vote  without  swearing  to  their  place  of  resi- 
.ence  ;  that  having  made  their  escape  with  the  poll-books  and  certifi- 
'ates,  they  were  followed  by  said  persons  and  the  said  papers  taken  by 
brce. 

Protest  by  A.  B.  Woodward  and  nineteen  other  persons,  claiming 
o  be  citizens  of  said  district,  against  the  election  in  said  district  of 
L  McDonald,  0,  H.  Brown,  and  G.  W.  Ward,  for  the  reason  that 
everal  hundred  men  from  the  State  of  Missouri  presented  themselves 
:>  vote  at  said  election,  and  upon  being  required  by  the  judges  to 


510  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

swear  to  their  place  of  residence,  they  threatened  to  take  the  lives  o 
the  judges  and  tear  down  the  house,  and  prepared  to  demolish  thi 
house.  One  of  said  judges  ran  out  of  the  house  with  the  ballot-box* 
and  the  other  two  were  driven  from  the  ground  ;  that  the  citizens  c 
the  district  then  left,  and  the  persons  from  Missouri  proceeded  to  elec; 
other  judges  and  hold  an  election ;  with  affidavit  of  J.  C.  Archbol 
and  G.  W.  Umburger,  with  an  additional  affidavit  of  Jos.  N.  Mace* 
tending  to  prove  violence  and  threats  of  the  death  to  (of?)  any  votet 
swearing  to  his  residence,  and  that  he  was  dragged  by  force  from  tB: 
window  and  prevented  from  voting. 

Third  Council  District. — Fourth  Representative  District. 

List  of  voters 31l 

Tally  list. 

For  Council.  Ror  Representative. 

H.  J.  Stickler 310  D.  L.  Croysdale 3( 

A.  McDonald 1  C.  K.  Holliday 

G.  W.  Ward 

With  certificate  annexed  that  the  judges  appointed  by  the  proclaim! 
tion  did,  after  the  hour  of  9  a.  m.,  severally  refuse  to  join  in  holdmj 
said  election  ;  and  the  subscribers,  James  M.  Small,  Horatio  Cox,  aiti 
John  Homer,  were  selected  through  tellers,  by  voters  on  the  groumj 
to  act  as  judges  of  said  election,  and  that  the  same  is  a  true  and  pej 
feet  tally  list  made  out  according  to  the  instructions  of  the  governs 
from  a  list  of  votes  polled  at  said  election. 

Oaths  of  James  M.  Small,  Horatio  Cox,  and  John  Homer,  judge 
in  form  prescribed  by  proclamation,  except  the  following  erasun 
"  And  whom  I  shall  not  honestly  believe  to  be  a  qualified  voter  a 
cording  to  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress  organizing  said  Td 
ritory ;  that  I  will  reject  the  votes  of  all  non-residents  who  I  sh* 
believe  have  come  into  the  Territory  for  the  mere  purpose  of  votin 
that  in  all  cases  where  I  am  ignorant  of  the  voter's  right,  I  will  i 
quire  legal  evidence  thereof  by  his  own  oath  or  otherwise. 

Fifth  Representative  District. 

List  of  voters , 2 

Tally  list. 

For  Council.  For  Representatire. 

H.  J.  Strickler 211  M.  W.  McGee 2 

Wm.  F.  Johnson 23  E.  Baker 

H.  Kice , 

With  certificate  of  L.  H.  Whittington,  Andrew  Johnson,  and  3 
Snyder,  as  judges,  in  form  prescribed  by  proclamation,  omitting  t 
word  "  resident." 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  511 

Eighth  Election  District. 
List  of  voters * 37 

Tally  list. 

For  Council.  For  Representative. 

Strickler 17  Baker 25 

Rice 17  McGee 12 

F.  McGee 2 

Oaths  of  Emanuel  Mosier,  Thos.  S.  Huffacker,  and  Samuel  B. 
Smith,  in  form  prescribed.  Keturn  of  same  judges,  in  form  pre- 
scribed, showing — 

For  Council.  For  Representative. 

[lice 17  A.  J.  Baker 25 

Strickler 17  M.  McGee 12 

Protest  of  T.  J.  Thornton  and  fifteen  other  persons,  claiming  to  be 
^oters  of  said  Territory,  and  third  council  district,  complaining  that 
udges  appointed  in  said  district  failed  to  organize  the  board  in  con- 
equence  of  two  of  them  refusing  to  take  the  oath  prescribed,  and  that 
hrough  fear  of  personal  violence  the  said  judges  were  compelled  to 
-acate  their  seats  and  permit  the  people  assembled  on  the  ground  to 
hoose  a  board  of  their  own  number,  and  that  the  actual  residents 
pere  either  driven  from  the  polls  or  intimidated  from  offering  their 
•otes  by  from  three  to  six  hundred  persons,  actual  residents  of  other 
Itates,  and  that  few,  if  any,  of  the  votes  were  cast  by  citizens  of  the 
^erritory,  and  praying  that  the  election  may  be  set  aside  as  illegal 
nd  void  ;  with  affidavit  of  A.  G.  Adams,  Daniel  H.  Home,  H.  B. 
>urgess,  and  F.  E.  Foster. 

Protest  of  Hallam  Rice  and  eleven  other  persons,  claiming  to  be  cit- 
sens  of  the  seventh  election  district,  protesting  against  the  election  of 
I.  J.  Strickler  and  M.  W.  McGee,  for  the  reason  that  they  were  elected 
y  a  number  of  voters  from  the  State  of  Missouri,  who  arrived  the 
ay  before  in  about  fifty  wagons,  and  on  horseback,  and  returned  after 
oting — they  lived  in  Missouri,  and  did  not  intend  to  live  in  Kansas, 
nd  that  one  of  the  judges  appointed  on  the  ground  was  a  resident  of 
lissouri,  and  that  the  judges  were  not  sworn  ;  that  no  oath  or  affir- 
mation was  required  of  any  voter  ;  with  affidavit  of  Hallam  Kice  and 
E.  Stewart, 


forth  Council  District.— Fifth  Representative  District.— Bull  Creek 

Precinct. 

list  of  voters 393 

Tally  list. 

For  Council.  For  Representative. 

M.  Coffee 379  Wm.  A.  Heiskell 377 

Lykens , ,,376  A.  Wilkinson 375 


512  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

M- Gr.  Morris 9  Henry  Younger ....37! 

Jas.  P.  Fox 9  Samuel  Scott 37;! 

John  Serpell 

Adam  Poore 

S.  H.  Houser 

Wm.  Jennings 

Oaths  of  B.  F.  Payne,  B.  C.  Westfall,  and  J.  J.  Parke,  in  for:i 
prescribed.  Certificate  of  J.  J.  Parke,  judge,  that  two  of  the  judgj 
appointed  by  proclamation  being  absent  at  9  o'clock,  a.  m.,  ]j 
had  filled  the  vacancies  by  appointing  B.  F.  Payne  and  B.  C.  Wea>j 
fall. 

Keturn  of  same  judges,  in  form  prescribed,  showing — 


, 


For  Council.  For  Representath  e. 

A.  M.  Coffee 377  W.  A.  Heiskell ,. 

D.  Lykens 376  A.  Wilkinson 3!i 

M.  T.  Morriss 9  Henry  Younger 3 

J.  P.  Fox 9  SamuelScott 3 

John  Serpell j 

A.  Poore ;i 

S.  A.  Houser ! 

Wm.  Jennings i 

Pottawatomie  Creek  Precinct. 
List  bf  voters '. 2, 

Oaths  of  Samuel  C.  Wear,  W.  S.  Furguson,  and  Wm.  Chesnut,!  j 
form  prescribed. 

Tally  list,  with  certificate  of  return  prefixed,  showing — 

For  Council.  For  Representative. 

A.'M.  Coffee 199  Wm.  A.  Heiskell 1 

D.  Lykens 199  A.Wilkinson ] 

M.  T.  Morriss 65  Henry  Younger 1 

Jas.  P.  Fox 63  Samuel  Scott 1 

John  Serpell 

A.  Poor 

Samuel  H.  Houser 

Wm.  Jennings 

J.  Huff. 

Cronklitt 

C.  H.  Craul 

Oscar  C.  Brown.., 


Big  Sugar  Creek  Precinct. 
List  of  voters 


Oaths  of  Jas.  M.  Arthur,  A.  H.  Smith,  JohnE.  Brown,  andEE 
Tucker,  judges,  in  form  prescribed* 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  513 

Tally-list. 

Coffee  ...........................  T4  Houser  .........................  ^ 

_,ykens  .........................  T6  Jennings  ....  .....  .  ............  IT 

?"ox  ..............................  16  Heiskell  ........................  T4 

IT  Wilkinson  ...........  ...;;;....   T4 

11  Younger  .......................   T4 

ore  ............................  lb  bcott  ....................  :  .......  T4 

;  Keturn  of  John  E.  Brown,  Elisha  Tucker,,  ,  and  A.   H.  Smith, 
udges  of  election,  in  form  prescribed,  showing  — 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatives. 

"as.  J.  Fox  ...................   16  John  Serpell....  .....  .........  IT 

lorriss  .........................   IT  A.  Pore  ........................  16 

L  M.  Coffee  ..................  T4  S.  H.  Houser  .....  .............  IT 

).  Lykens  .....................  T4  Wm.  Jennings  ...............  IT 

Wm.  A.  Heiskell  ............  T4 

.,<\  Allen  Wilkinson  ............  T4 

Henry  Younger  ..............  T4 

Samuel  Scott  ..........  ........  .JT4 

o  JoH  t  t>-ii  riW  .  8  fau 

Little  Sugar  Creek  Precinct. 

Oaths  of  Wm.  Parks,  Isaac  D.  Stockton,  and  Hiram  Howdeshelly 
idges,  in  form  prescribed. 

1st  of  voters  ...................................................  v.  ......  ,-;••  ........  105> 

/r  77    7-  j.  ?>&     ............  flofeblfinod  rnJoT, 

lally-list.  Ofl     ; 


as.  P.  Fox TO  Samuel  Scott... 


For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

.  M.  Coffee  ..................  31  'Wtn.?  Heiskell  ................  33 

1  Lykens  .....................  34  Allen  Wilkinson  ...u..^>>>/32 

I.  T.  Morriss  ................  62  Henry  Younger  ..............  ;&§i 

10    ™~  ^  .Samuel  Scott  ......  ,  ...........  ,3^r 

John  Serpell..  ................   62 

Adam  Pore  ....................  62 

S.  H.  Houser  Ih.fjyi.vi.v%«  ......  64 

Win.  Jennin 
Wm.  Dyer.v. 

'Return  of  same  judges,  in  form  prescribed,  showing-—  , 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatives.  ™^lll 

4  M.  Coffee  ..................  31  W.  A.  Heiskell..  .......  ......  33 

L  Lykens  .....................  34  Allen  Wilkinson  XfcV.W&.^3SK 

T.  T.  Morriss  ...............  62  Benry  YottngeflQ&W&GaCl  Jff4tfE» 

Jls.  P.  Fox  ...................  ^0  Adam  Pore  ...................  62 

John  Serpell  ..................  62 


H.  Kep,  200- 33* 


514  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Protest  of  James  B.  Abbott  and  ten  others,  claiming  to  be  legs 
voters  of  Kansas  Territory,  alleging  that  the  persons  who  acted  al  j 
judges  at  the  Bull  Creek  precinct  were  not  duly  sworn,  and  praying 
that  the  election  be  set  aside. 

Fifth  Council  District. — Seventh  Representative  District. 

Oaths  of  James  Eay,  Wm.  J.  Godfrey,  and  Wm.  Painter,  judget 
of  election,  in  form  prescribed. 

List  of  voters.... r 35  > 

Tally-list. 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

Wm.  Barbee 343  Joseph  C.  Anderson.......  31! 

S.  A.  Williams 31,1 

John*  Hamilton 3! 

Wm.  Margrave l! 

Sixth  Council  District. — EigWi  Bepy-esentative  District. — Ninth  Elect 

tion  District. 

Oaths  of  S.  B.  White,  Robert  Wilson,  and  A.  D,  G-ibson,  in  forcr 
prescribed. 

List  of  voters 71 

Tally-list,  iviih  Certificates  of  judges,  showing — 

For  Council.  For  Kepresentatives. 

John  Donaldson 23  S.  D.  Houston 5' 

M.  F.  Conway 50  E.  Garrett ,.... ...     M 

Tenth  Election  District. — Blue  Biver  Precinct. 

Oaths  of  Joseph  Stewart,  Wm.  C.  Dyer,  and  M.  A.  Garrett,  in 
form  prescribed. 
List  of  voters 6$ 

Tally-list. 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

John  Donaldson 27  Russell  Garrett 2:j 

M.  F.  Conway 42  S.  D.  Houston 4Jlj 

Return  of  above-named  judges,  according  to  form  prescribed,  show] 
ing — 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

M.  F.  Conway 42  S.  D.  Houston 4iij 

John  Donaldson 27  Russell  Garrett I 

Bock  Creek  Precinct. 

Oaths  of  Henry  Rammelt,  James  Wilson,  and  Francis  Bergerow^ 
according  to  form  prescribed. 
List  of  voters .....,,...,.,....    2S 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  515 

Zally-list* 

For  Council.  For  representatives. 

I.  F.  Conway 21  S.  D.  Houston 21 

John  Donaldson 2  Russell  Garrett 2 

Eleventh  Election  District. — Ninth  Representative  District. 
Oaths  of  Wm.  P.  McClure,  S.  W.  Spratt,  and  George  W.  Pence, 
jdges,  according  to  form  prescribed. 

1st  of  voters , 331 

Tally-list. 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

ttfm  Donaldson 328  F.  J.  Marshall 328 

I.  F.  Conway 3 

Eeturn  of  same  judges,  in  form  prescribed,  showing — 

For  Council,  For  Representatives. 

Jhn  Donaldson 328  F.J.Marshall 328 

IF.  Conway 3 

St.  Mary's  Precinct. 

Oaths  of  L.  E.  Palmer,  P.  McCartney,  and  Alva  Higbee,  judges,  in 
fern  prescribed. 

1st  of  voters 11 

Tally-list, 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

IF.  Conway 7  F.  J.Marshall 4 

tJihn  Donaldson 4  P.  McCartney 7 

Beturn  of  same  judges,  according  to  form  prescribed,  showing — 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

Jhn  Donaldson 4  Palmer  McCartney 7 

&'  F.  Conway 7  F.  J.  Marshall 4 

Silver  Lake  Precinct. 

>  baths  of  E.  E.  Kennedy,  John  H.  Wells,  and  W.  K.  Windgardner, 

jifges,  according  to  form  prescribed. 

•1st  of  voters 31 

Beturn  of  same  judges,  according  to  form  prescribed,  showing — 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

MP.  Conway 19  Solomon  McCartney 19 

Jhn  Donaldson.. 12  F.J.Marshall..  ....     12 


Tatty-list* 

For  Council,  For  Representatives. 

Jan  Donaldson „     12  F.J.Marshall 4 

MF.  Conway...., .,.     19  S.  McCartney 19 


516  KANSAS  AFFAIRS 

» 
Protest  of  M.  F.  Conway  and  ten  others,  claiming  to  be  qualified] 

voters  of  the  Territory,  against  the  election  of  John  Donaldson  anc 
Thomas  J.  Marshall,  complaining  that  upwards  of  300  votes  wer(; 
given   by  non-residents  of  the  Territory  at  the  Marysville  precinct  | 
and  that  the  ballots  received  at  the  said  precinct  were  opened  anc; 
read  by  the  judges  before  they  were  deposited  in   the  ballot-box 
together  with  the  oath  of  M.  F.  Conway  in  support  thereof,  with  the 
affidavit  of  Col.   McCrea,  that  upwards  of  200  non-residents  of  tin 
Territory  passed  west  on  the  Leavenworth  and  Eiley  road  Wednes  i 
day  and  Thursday  next  preceding  the  election,  declaring  that  tliej 
intended  to  vote  at  the  Marysville  precinct,  and  then  returned  to  tliei: 
residence  in  Missouri;  and  that  on  the  following  Sunday  and  Monday 
he  saw  many  of  the  same  persons  returning  towards  Missouri  river-  1 
some  of  whom  stated,  in  the  presence  of  their  associates,  that  the; 
had  voted,  and  done  the  thing  up  right. 

Seventh   Council  District.  —  Eleventh   Representative    District.  —  Wol 

River  District. 

Oaths  of  G-.  K.  Wilson,  James  M.  Irvine,  and  E.  Y.   B.  Eogersrj 
judges,  according  to  prescribed  form. 


List  of  voters  ...................................................................... 

Tally-list. 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatives. 

John  W.  Foreman  ............  74  J.  H.  Stringfellow  ............  5: 

E.  L.  Kirk  .....................  5, 

a.  A.  Cutler  ...................  1 

J.  Kyon  .......................... 

T.  J.  Vanderslice  ............. 

John  Landis  .................... 

Eeturn  of  same  judges  in  form  prescribed,  showing  — 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatives. 

John  W.  Foreman  ............  T4  J.  H.  Stringfellow  ............  5  | 

E.  L.Kirk  ......................  5 

G.  A.  Cutler  ...................  l! 

J.  Eyen 

T.  J.  Vanderslice 

John  Landis 

Doniphan  Precinct. 

Oaths  of  A.  H.   Dunning,  K"  J.  -Ireland,  and  William  P.  Laml 
judges,  according  to  form  prescribed. 

......  ,.,..     JflifBlJjM   ,1,   .1  8T 

List  of  voters,.  ., 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  517 

Tally-list — none . 
Return  of  same  judges,  showing— 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatives. 

Tohn  W.  Foreman 343  J.  H.  Stringfellow 313 

R.L.Kirk 292 

G.  A.  Cutler 30 

T.  Vanderslice 4 

John  Landis 25 

J.  Ryon 18 

S.  K.  Miller 2 

Eighteenth  Election  District. 

Oaths  of  Jesse  Anderson,  Thomas  J.  B.  Cramer,  and  John  Belew, 
idges,  according  to  form  prescribed. 

i'dst  of  voters 62 

Tally-list. 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

ohn  W.  Foreman 61  J.  H.  Stringfellow 48 

Kirk 50 

Ryon 1 

Cutler 14 

Landis 13 

Return  of  same  judges  in  form  prescribed,  showing —  ' 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

)hn  W.  Foreman 61  J.  H.  Stringfellow 48 

R.  L.  Kirk 50 

Joel  Ryon  1 

G.  A.  Cutler 14 

John  Landis 13 

lighth  Council  District. — Twelfth  Representative  District. — Burr  Oak 

Precinct. 

_  Oaths  of  H.  J.  Johnson,  Cary  B.   Whitehead,  and  Albert  Head, 
jdges,  in  form  prescribed. 

1st  of  voters 303 

Tally-list. 
For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

fniliam  P.  Richardson.... 234  Joel  P.  Blair 256 

fthn  W.  Whitehead 68  Thomas  W.  Waterstm 258 

John  Fee 2 


518  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

Keturn  of  same  judges  in  form  prescribed,  showing — - 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatives. 

William  P.  Richardson....  234  Joel  P.  Blair 2J 

JohnH.  Whitehead 68  Thomas  W.  Waterson 2,;] 

John  Fee . . 


Ninth  Council  District. — Thirteenth  Representative  District. 

Oaths  of  M.  T.  Baily,  E.  R.  Zimmerman,  and  Thomas  J.  Thom?| 
son,  judges,  according  to  prescribed  form. 

List  of  voters 4- 

Tally-list. 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatives. 

D.  A.  N.  Grover 411  H.  B.  C.  Harris.., 


Freeland 1  J.  Weddell 


Return  of  same  judges,  showing — 

For  Council.  For  Eepresentatires. 

D.  A.  N.  Grover 411  H.  B.  C.  Harris 4, 

J.  Freeland 1  J.  Weddell 4 

Tenth  Council  District. — Tenth  Representative  District. 

Oaths  of  H.  B.  Cory,  J.  B.  Ross,  and  J.  Atkinson,  judges,  aceoi<: 
ing  to  form  prescribed. 

Return  of  same  judges,  stating  that,  having  been  sworn,  they  pr| 
ceeded  to  open  said  election  and  receive  votes,  but  that  a  vast  numl ! 
of  citizens  from  Missouri  assembled  on  the  ground  for  the  purpose 
illegal  voting,  who  surrounded  the  window  and  obstructed  the  citize 
of  the  Territory  from  depositing  their  votes,  and  caused  many  of  i 
said  legal  voters  to  leave  without  voting ;  and  that  the  said  judges, 
consequence  of  the  determination  of  citizens  from  Missouri  to  vo 
and  no  voters  of  said  district  voting  or  offering  to  vote,  they  left  1 
ground. 

Oaths  of  Richard  Chandler,  N.  B.  Hopewell,  and  Wm.  M.  Ga: 
ner,  judges,  that  they  will  act  as  judges  of  the  election,  and  will  c( 
duct  said  election  impartially  and  to  the  best  of  their  ability,  in  i; 
cordance  with  the  act  of  Congress  organizing  the  Territory. 

List  of  voters S 

Tally-list,  with  certificate  of  return  prefixed,  showing — 

For  Council.  "        For  Eepresentatives. 

R.  R.  Reese 233  W.  H.  Tebbs 2 

L.  J.  Eastin 233  C.  Hart 

B.  H.  T^mbly 6 

A.  J.  Whitney 6 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  519 

Fourteenth  Representative  District. 

Oaths  of  Lewis  N.  Beese  and  George  B.  Panton,  that  they  will  sup- 
port the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  will  faithfully  demean 
themselves  as  judges  of  the  election,  and  will  faithfully  carry  out  the 
provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress  organizing  the  Territory. 

Oath  of  Matt.  France,  in  form  prescribed. 

List  of  voters , 964 

Tally  list, 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

Eeese..       896  W.  ft.  Mathias 899 

Eastin 893  H.  D.  McMeekin 896 

Kuykendall 1  A.Payne 894 

B.  H.  Twombly 60  Felix  a.  Braden 59 

A.  J.  Whitney 59  Samuel  France 59 

F.  Browning 58 

Keturn  of  same  judges,  omitting  the  words  "  by  lawful  resident 
voters, "  showing — 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

B.  B.  Beese 896  Wm.  &.  Mathias 899 

L.  J.  Eastin 893  H.  G.  McMeekin 89T 

B.  H.  Twombly 60  A.Payne 895 

A.  J.  Whitney 59  F.  G-.  Braden 59 

las.  Kuykendall 1  S.France 59 

F.  Browning 58 

Protest  of  Wm.  Phillips  and  thirteen  others,  claiming  to  be  citizens 
)f  the  sixteenth  election  district,  against  the  election  of  B.  B.  Beese, 
L.  J.  Eastin,  Wm.  Gr.  Mathias,  H.  D.  McMeekin,  and  A.  Payne,  for 
;he  reasons  that  the  judges  of  election  did  not  take  the  required  oath 
)f  office  ;  that  residents  of  Missouri  came  to  the  same  district,  voted, 
tnd  immediately  returned  to  Missouri ;  that  many  of  the  citizens  of 
said  district  were  deterred  from  voting  by  the  conduct  of  citizens  from 
Missouri,  supported  by  the  affidavit  of  Wm,  Phillips. 

Protest  of  Andrew  McDonald  and  others,  against  the  governor's 
3ower  to  hear  and  decide  between  contestants  for  seats  in  the  legisla- 
ive  assembly,  as  a  usurpation  of  power  not  granted  by  the  act  of 
Congress  organizing  the  Territory,  and  founded  upon  a  misconstruc- 
;ion  of  the  said  act ;  that  the  governor  is  bound  to  recognise  as  legal 
rotes  all  those  received  under  the  restrictions  imposed  by  the  organic 
tct  of  the  Territory  and  the  proclamation  ;  and  that  illegal  votes  are 
hose  where  the  returns  show  a  non-compliance  with  those  restrictions, 
md  claiming  from  the  governor  certificates  of  their  election. 
^  Communication  from  A.  M.  Coffee  and  David  Lykens,  claiming  cer- 
ificates  as  members  of  the  council  from  the  fifth  election  district,  and 


520  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

claiming  that  they  were  elected  by  a  majority  of  the  legal  voters  c 
the  district. 

April  6,  1855.     Decision  of  the  governor  upon  the  returns  of  elecl 
tion  held  30th  March,  1855. 

First  Council  District. 

Besides  the  protest  filed  against  the  election  at  Lawrence  for  imr 
portation  of  voters,  there  is  a  defect  in  the  return.  The  words  "lav? 
fill  resident  voters"  are  stricken  out.  The  Lawrence  election  is  there 
fore  set  aside,  and  a  new  election  must  be  had  for  representatives. 

Fourth  Election  District. 

Besides  the  protest  filed  in  this,  there  are  material  omissions  in  oatl 
and  return  purposely  made.  This  must  also  be  set  aside. 

.... 

Seventeenth  Election  District. 

The  form  of  return  is  correct  as  prescribed,  and  no  protest  for  illd; 
gal  voting.     The  form  of  oath  differs  from  that  prescribed,  but  is    I 
searching  one,  and  nearly,  if  not  quite,  equivalent  to  that  prescribed 
and  perhaps  ought  to  be  sanctioned.     If  so,  this  district  will  elec 
Thomas  Johnson  and  Edward  Chapman  to  the  council,  and  A.  £ 
Johnson  representative. 

Their  election  is,  however,  not  declared  at  present,  but  held  unde 
advisement. 


M 

r  r 


Second  Council  District. 
.... 

The  judges  were  sworn  by  G-.  W.  Taylor,  who  had  no  authority 
administer  the  oath.     In  addition,  there  is  a  protest  complaining  o 
importation  of  voters  and  violent  expulsion  of  the  original  judges 
For  want  of  sufficient  oath,  the  election  is  set  aside,  and  a  new  e!eo-j 
tion  for  council  and  representative  ordered. 

Third  Council  District. 

Besides  the  protest  for  violent  expulsion  of  the  judges  at  the  Te 
cumseh  polls,  and  for  illegal  votes,  there  are  material  erasures  in  tfol 
oath  purposely  made  ;  return  in  form  prescribed.  This  is  held  undei 
advisement  for  the  present,  but  will  probably  be  set  aside  ;  and  if  so 
a  new  election  will  be  ordered  for  representative. 


Seventh  Election  District. 

Besides  the  protest  complaining  of  a  large  number  of  illegal  votes 
the  judges  do  not  appear  to  have  been  sworn  at  all.  This  poll  i 
therefore  set  aside. 

Eighth  Election  District. 

No  protest  is  filed,  and  the  proceedings  in  regular  prescribed  formij 
A  majority  of  votes  for  members  of  the  house  of  representatives  ar 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  521 

3ast  for  A.  J.  Baker,  esq.,  and  lie  is  declared  elected  in  the  fifth  rep- 
resentative district.  For  council  the  vote  is  a  tie  between  H.  J. 
Strickler  and  H.  Kice,  so  that  as  to  council  the  result  still  depends 
ipon  the  Tecumseh  poll. 

Fourth  Council  District. 

i  Of  the  four  precincts,  Bull  creek  is  the  only  one  contested,  that 
rrom  Pottawatomie  creek  being  withdrawn.  Suppose  the  complaint 
co  be  true,  if  successful  it  cannot  alter  the  result.  The  remaining 
>hree  precincts  are  uncontested,  and  in  form,  and  gave  a  majority  to 
A..  M.  Coffee  and  David  Lykens  for  council  ;  W.  A.  Heiskell,  Allen 
Wilkinson,  Henry  Younger,  and  Samuel  Scott,  for  the  house  of  rep- 
-esentatives,  and  they  are  declared  elected. 

Fifth  Council  District. 

The  returns  are  all  in  due  form,  and  no  protest.  William  Barbee 
or  council,  and  Joseph  0.  Anderson  and  S.  A.  Williams  for  house  of 
•epresentatives,  are  declared  elected. 

Sixth  Council  District. 

The  ninth  and  tenth  election  districts  are  in  form  as  to  their  re- 
iurns  ;  no  protest.  S.  D.  Houston  is  declared  elected  representative 
n  the  eighth  representative  district. 

In  addition  to  the  protest  against  the  eleventh  election  district, 
'being  the  poll  at  Marysville,)  the  returns  show  a  fatal  defect.  In- 
itead  of  conducting  the  election  by  ballot,  it  must  have  been  held 
riva  voce,  as  the  manner  in  which  each  person  voted  is  recorded  at 
mce  opposite  his  name.  As  the  proclamation  required  the  election 
;o  be  by  ballot,  and  the  tickets  to  be  counted  after  closing  the  polls, 
t  is  impossible  to  sustain  this  return.  It  is  acordingly  set  aside. 
The  residue  of  the  district  gives  M.  F.  Conway  a  majority  for  council, 
tnd  he  is  declared  elected. 

In  the  ninth  representative  district,  the  Marysville  poll  being  set 
iside,  the  returns  of  St.  Mary's  and  Silver  Lake  give  Solomon 
McCartney  19,  F.  J.  Marshall  16,  Palmer  McCartney  7,  and  Solomon 
\IcCartney  is  declared  to  be  elected.  It  is  alleged  there  is  no  such 
nan,  and  that  the  vote  for  him  was  cast  under  mistake  of  the  name 
if  Palmer  McCartney.  A  slight  difference  in  names  should  always 
)e  disregarded  to  carry  out  the  will  of  the  voter,  but  the  difference 
lere  is  too  great  to  be  reconciled.  If  these  facts  are  shown  as  alleged, 
he  vote  for  Solomon  McCartney  is  a  nullity,  and  the  certificate  will 
>e  granted  to  Francis  J.  Marshall. 

Seventh  Council  District. 

/ 

^  The  returns  in  form,  and  no  protest.  John  W.  Foreman  for  coun- 
il,  and  J.  H.  Stringfellow  and  E.  S.  Kirk  for  house  of  representa- 
ives,  are  declared  elected. 


522  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Eighth  Council  District. 

The  returns  in  form,  and  no  protest.  William  P.  Richardson!  fc 
council,  and  Joel  P.  Blair  and  Thomas  W.  Watterson  for  house  « 
representatives,  are  declared  elected. 

Ninth  Council  District. 

Keturns  in  form,  and  no  protest.     D.  A.  N.  Grover  for  the  council 
and  H.  B.  C.  Harris  and  J.  Weddle  for   house  of  representatives, 
declared  elected. 

Tenth  Council  District. 

Besides  the  protest  filed  against  the  Leavenworth  poll  for  ille 
voting,  it  appears  that  the  judges  purposely  struck  out  a  materi,- 
part  of  the  prescribed  form  of  return,  to  wit:  that  the  votes  wei 
polled  "  by  lawful  resident  voters."  This  poll  is  set  aside,  and  1 
new  election  for  representative  becomes  necessary. 

In  the  13th  election  district,  the  protest  filed  has  been  withdra 
and  the  result  stands  upon  the  return  of  the  judges  who  conductor, 
the  election  and  a  counter  statement  of  the  judges  appointed  by  tif 
proclamation,  who,  after  having  taken  the  oath  and  entered  upon  thj 
performance  of  their  duties,  abandoned  the  polls  and  left  the  ground 
because,  as  they  say,  a  large  number  of  non-residents  were  on  tK 
ground  demanding  to  vote  and  obstructing  the  polls,  and  because  ri 
lawful  votes  were  presented.  This  is  not  a  protest  as  provided  for  r 
the  proclamation,  and  even  if  regarded  as  a  report  or  return  by  the>j 
relative  to  the  performance  of  their  official  duties,  does  not  diseloic 
sufficient  reason  for  vacating  their  posts.  They  were  not  drawn  awa 
by  force.  If  illegal  votes  were  offered,  it  was  their  duty  to  remai» 
and  reject  them.  If  the  polls  were  obstructed,  it  was  their  busines: 
at  least,  to  endeavor  to  clear  them,  and  at  all  events  to  endeavor  T 
remain  at  their  posts,  in  the  performance  of  their  duty,,  until  tb 
time  for  closing  the  polls,  unless  driven  away  by  violence.  TF 
place  they  left  was  filled  by  other  judges,  appointed  according  to  tli 
proclamation,  and  their  return,  which  is  in  form,  and  no  protest  bji 
fore  me,  shows  a  majority  for  L.  J.  Eastin  and  K.  R.  Eees  for  council 
and  W.  H.  Tibbs  for  house  of  representatives,  who  are  according!, 
declared  elected. 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  > 
Territory  of  Kansas.        J 

I,  Andrew  H.  Reeder,  governor  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  d 
r  -,  hereby,  under  and  by  virtue  of  the  act  of  Congress,  passed  tb- 
J  30th  day  of  May,  1854,  entitled  "An  act  to  organize  the  Tei  j 
ritoriesof  Nebraska  and  Kansas,"  proclaim  and  direct  that  the  legit) 
lative  assembly  of  the  said  Territory  of  Kansas  will  convene  at  tbl 
town  of  Pawnee,  in  the  9th  election  district  of  said  Territory,  on  tb 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  523 

first  Monday  of  July  next,  in  the  building  which,  will  be  provided  for 
that  purpose. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  the  seal  of  said  Territory,  this  sixteenth 
day  of  April,  A.  D.  1855. 

A.  H.  KEEDER,  Governor,  &c. 
By  the  Governor : 

DANIEL  WOODSON,  Secretary. 


MAY  29,  1855. — Returns  received  from  the  elections  held  on  the 
22d  May,  in  pursuance  of  the  governor's  proclamation  of  the  16th  of 
April,  to  fill  vacancies,  and  filed  away  for  the  action  of  the  governor 
upon  his  return  to  the  Territory. 

JUNE  25,  1855. — The  governor  declares  John  Hutchinson,  Erastus 
D.  Ladd,  and  Philip  P.  Fowler  to  be  duly  elected  to  the  house  of 
representatives  from  the  second  representative  district ;  John  A. 
Wakefield  to  be  duly  elected  a  member  of  the  second  election  district, 
and  Augustus  Wattles  and  William  Jessee  to  be  duly  elected  mem- 
bers of  the  house'  of  representatives  from  the  same  district ;  Jesse 
D.  Wood  to  be  duly  elected  a  member  of  the  council  from  the  third 
council  district;  William  G,  Mathias,  A.  Payne,  and  H.  D.  McMeekin 
to  be  duly  elected  members  of  the  house  of  representatives  from  the 
fourteenth  representative  district;  and  C.  K.  Holliday  to  be  duly- 
elected  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives  from  the  fourth 
representative  district. 

AUGUST  16,  1855. — Governor  Reeder  announces  to  the  legislative 
assembly  his  removal  from  office. 

AUGUST  10,  1855. — Wilson  Shannon,  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  is  com- 
missioned governor  of  the  Territory  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States. 

SEPTEMBER  7,  1855. — Governor  Shannon  takes  the  oath  of  office. 


LECOMPTON,  KANSAS  TERRITORY, 

Secretary's  Office,  May  8,  1856. 

At  the  request  of  the  Committee  of  Investigation  of  Kansas  affairs, 
[  hereby  certify  that  the  returns  of  the  30th  of  March  election,  held  in 
;  1855,  for  the  2d  and  8th  election  districts,  have  been  misplaced  or  lost. 
They  were  handed  over  to  the  committee  on  credentials  at  Pawnee, 
in  July,  1855,  and  I  have  not  seen  them  since.  It  is  believed  that 
they  were  misplaced  by  the  committee,  as,  upon  examination  after- 
wards, they  were  not  found  among  the  papers  that  were  returned  by 
the  committee. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  there  were  no  suitable  places  or  rooms  at 
Pawnee  for  the  committee  to  hold  their  sittings  or  keep  their  papers ; 
hence  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  some  of  them  were  mislaid  or 
lost. 

DANIEL  WOODSON, 

Secretary  Kansas  Territory. 


524  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

ELECTION  OF  MAY  22,  1855. 

MATT.  FRANCE  testifies: 


To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  1854,  and  settled  in  Leavenworth  city 
I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  special  election,  held  on  the  22d  of  Ma,} 
1855,  for  three  representatives  of  the  Territorial  legislature.     Tt 
other  judges  were  J.  M.  Lyle  and  Adam  Fisher.     There  was  som 
excitement  here  at  that  time  on  political  suhjects.     It  was  just  aftt 
the  mohhing  of  Phillips.     The  election  was  at  the  hack  part  of  the  Byrod 
saloon,  at  the  house  of  George  Leegadder.     Every  one  voted  on  tht.i 
day  who  wished  to.     The  question  was  talked  of  "between  the  judge; 
The   decision  was,  as  made  "by  Lyle  and  Fisher,  that  we  could  da 
nothing  else  but  take  all  the  votes  that  were  offered.     No  man  warf 
challenged  that  day,  and  whoever  wanted  to  vote,  voted.      Fishc 
gave,  as  a  reason,  that  we  should  he  mobbed  unless  we  took  all  til 
votes  offered.     There  were  a  great  many  persons  that  voted  that  daj] 
that  I  believe  were  non-residents  of  the  Territory.     I  was  well  a"< 
quainted  with  the  men  of  this  district,  and  I  have  not  seen  those  peri 
sons  since,  and  had  not  seen  them  before.     There  was  a  boat  came  il 
that  day,  the  name  of  which  was  "Kate  Kassel."     There  were  soml 
men  came  to  the  polls  soon  after  and  voted.     Some  voted  one  ticket 
and  some  another.     There  were  different  colored  tickets  used  thf 
day  by  the  different  parties,  so  that  we  could  distinguish  them.     Til 
other  strangers  voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  which  I  think  was  of  1 
green  or  bluish  tint.     The  free-State  ticket  was  white.     Nothing  wsj 
said  about  the  residence  of  voters  when  they  came  up,  at  all.     Thl 
election  passed  off  quietly.     There  was  some  fighting  in  the  evening 
but  it  was  not  of  a  political  character.     The  free-State  men  did  n< 
all  vote  that  day.     There  were  some  in  town  that  I  know  did  not  votiij 
I  voted  that  day.     We  all  signed  the  return. 

Question.  Why  did  you  sign  the  return  of  that  election  witho 
erasing  the  words,  "  by  lawful  resident  voters?" 

Governor  King  objects. 

The  witness  resumes :  I  was  under  the  impression  that  the  w 
were  scratched  off  when  I  signed  it.     I  had  scratched  it  off  of 
blaok  certificate,  and  handed  it  over  to  the  other  judges  to  be  fi 
up,  and  they  or  the  clerk  filled  up  a  certificate  and  handed  it  to 
to  sign,  and  I  did  so  without  further  examination,  and  did  not  no 
that  it  was  not  the  same  one  from  which  I  had  erased  the  words,  ' 
lawful  resident  voters,"  until  some  two  months  afterwards. 

The  above  answer,  by  a  decision  of  a  majority  of  the  commit 
being  allowed  to  be  made,  it  is  objected  to  by  Governor  King,  on 
ground  that  it  is  in  effect  allowing  the  witness  to  stultify  him 
falsifying  the  certificate,  and  that  he  has  no  right  to  do  this  unless 
was  signed  upon  duress. 

The  majority  of  the  committee  allow  the  witness  to  make  the 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  525 

planation,  solely  for  the  purpose  of  showing  why  the  certificate  differs 
from  his  testimony. 

Witness  resumed  :  I  took  an  oath  of  office  at  the  election  onjthe 
22d  of  May.  as  one  of  the  judges  of  election,  as  prescribed  by  the  gov- 
ernor. The  other  judges  took  the  same  oath.  I  consider  myself  a 
conservative  man.  Myself  and  Mr.  Fisher  were  in  favor  of  making 
Kansas  a  free  State.  The  reason  why  we  took  so  many  illegal  votes 
was,  because  I  was  overruled.  The  other  judges  must  explain  their 
own  conduct  themselves.  Mr.  Fisher  and  I  never  spoke  about  admit- 
ting votes  until  we  got  into  the  room  where  the  poll-books  were. 
The  question  was  sprung  upon  me  when  we  were  in  the  room  taking 
votes,  and  it  was  decided  against  me  by  the  other  judges.  This  de- 
cision was  made  upon  a  challenge,  but  whether  by  me  or  somebody 
else  I  do  not  know.  The  pro-slavery  men  all  voted,  or  generally  so. 
There  were  no  political  fights,  but  there  was  some  political  excite- 
ment, but  I  do  not  know  that  there  was  more  than  usual  on  days  of 
election.  I  saw  nothing  there  to  deter  me  from  doing  my  duty  as 
a  judge  of  the  elections. 

MATT.  FRANCE. 

LEAVEXWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.5  Hay  31,  1856. 


J.  H.  DAY  testifies: 

To  Mr.  Matthias  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  llth  of  October,  1852,  from  St. 
Paul's.  Minnesota  Territory,  and  settled  in  Leavenworth  city,rand 
have  lived  here  ever  since.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  22d  of 
May,  1855,  in  this  city.  The  candidates  of  the  pro-slavery  party 
considered  that  the  governor  had  no  right  to  set  aside  the  election  o 
:he  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  order  a  new  election;  and  they  took 
but  little  interest,  and  left  the  people  to  do  as  they  pleased  about  it. 
[  do  not  recollect  as  I  voted  that  day.  There  was  no  crowd  of  stran- 
zers  here  on  that  day,  and  the  election  passed  off  quietly.  I  do  not 
recollect  of  hearing  an  angry  word  that  day.  I  never  heard  the 
legality  and  fairness  of  that  election  questioned  by  any  one,  unless  in 
this  way — that  the  governor  had  no  right  to  ord'er  it.  I  think  the 
number  of  legal  voters  was  larger  on  the  22d  of  May  in  this  district 
than  at  the  previous  March  election  ;  and  my  opinion  is,  that  the 
majority  of  the  pro-slavery  party  had  increased.  I  could  not  desig- 
nate any  legal  voters  of*the  district  who  were  not  present  at  the  elec- 
ion  of  the  22d  of  May,  because  my  memory  is  not  clear  on  that  point, 
Dn  account  of  the  number  of  elections  that  have  been  held  in  this  city 
since  then.  When  I  first  came  into  the  Territory  I  brought  a  letter 
)f  introduction  to  Governor  Reeder,  which  I  presented  to  him  in  a 
jhort  time  after  I  arrived ;  and  at  that  time,  and  also  afterwards, 
when  I  was  appointed  by  him  a  justice  of  the  peace,  I  endeavored  to 
earn  from  him  what  time  the  Territory  would  be  probably  organized 
ind  the  legislature  called  together,  but  I  could  get  no  satisfactory 
inswer  from  him ;  and  by  the  time  of  the  March  election  there  was  a 


526  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

feneral  dissatisfaction  at  the  delay  in  organizing  the  Territory,  and  j 
have  no  doubt  if  the  Territory  had  been  organized  as  soon  as  theij 
Territory  of  Nebraska  was,  there  would  have  been  no  difficulty  here,  i 
I  think  the  primary  cause  of  the  difficulty  in  the  Territory  was  thej 
operation  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  Subsequently  to  that  Governor/ 
Beeder  seemed  to  co-operate  with  them — so  the  general  impression] 
seemed  to  be  ;  by  keeping  the  elections  back  from  fall  to  spring  was  tot 
produce  a  different  result.  It  is  my  opinion  that  if  the  governments 
had  been  organized  immediately  after  the  governor  had  arrived  hereyi 
there  would  have  been  no  difficulty,  as  parties  could  not  have  had  times] 
to  be  got  up  to  raise  excitement  on  the  political  questions  of  the  day.i'j 
The  people  were  also  dissatisfied  in  regard  to  the  time  when  the 
census  was  taken,  which  was  in  mid-winter,  when  many  of  the  actuali 
residents  were  in  Missouri,  to  pass  the  cold  weather  and  settle  up  their*  j 
business,  intending  to  return  into  the  Territory  in  the  spring  ;  andV 
those  persons  were  not  enumerated  in  the  census  that  was  taken,; 
because  the  census  takers  said  the  governor  had  ordered  them  to  take- 
the  names  of  none  but  those  then  in  the  Territory.  The  people  werei 
frequently  consulting  and  conversing  about  doing  something  to  im-sl 
portune  and  induce  the  governor  to  proceed  and  organize  the  Terri-ij 
tory.  I  became  so  much  dissatisfied  at  the  delay  myself,  that  I  sent ! 
in  my  resignation  to  the  governor  as  justice  of  the  peace,  about  thoJ 
1st  of  March,  1855. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

I  think  that  the  operations  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  is  generally^ 
regarded  as  the  primary  cause  of  the  difficulty  here.     My  understand- ! 
ing   of  the   operations  of  the  society,   formed   from   the  New  York  | 
Tribune  and  some  publications  purporting  to  be  from,  the  society/ 
were,  that  they  formed  an  association  to  assist  emigration  in  the  west, 
and  through  this  emigration  to  obtain  valuable  possessions,  property, 
&c.,  in  the  Territory,  to  make  Kansas  Territory  a  free  State ;  and  then 
the  emigrants  were  to  pull  up  stakes  and  move  to  other  places  to  doii 
likewise.     The  Tribune,  I  think,  said  that  when  they  had  employed- 
their  operations  here  they  would  carry  the  war  into  Africa  ;  meaning,' 
I  suppose,  that  they  would  commence  operating  in  Missouri.     This  I 
understood  to  be  the  case  before  I  came  into  the  Territory.     If  I  had 
proof  conclusive  that  such  was  not  the  object  and  operations  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Society,  then  I  should  say  that  the  general  belief  that 
such  was  the  case  was  still  the  primary  cause  of  the  difficulty  here. 

J.  H.  DAY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


WILLIAM  H.  ADAMS,  testifies  : 

To  Governor  King : 

I  was  residing  here  at  the  May  election,  and  had  resided  here  since 
August  1854.  At  that  election,  the  same  candidates  which  had  been 
elected  at  the  30th  of  March  election,  and  which  election  had  been 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  527 

St  aside  by  the  governor,  were  re-elected  on  that  day,  though  they 
lid  not  proclaim  themselves  as  candidates,  from  the  fact  that  they 
Dnsidered  their  previous  election  legal.  I  never  heard  a  charge  that 
fie  election  of  the  22d  of  May  was  carried  by  illegal  voters.  They 
iave  it  up,  considering  that  they  were  in  a  minority  in  this  district ; 
tiat  the  pro-slavery  party  was  the  strongest.  I  did  not  see  many 
lissourians  here  on  the  22d  of  May.  Some  few  of  them  I  saw  vote, 
ut  some  of  them  said  they  considered  themselves  residents  of  this 
istrict,  and  had  property  here.  I  think  we  had  five  hundred  nia- 
>rity  in  this  district  at  that  time. 

On  the  day  of  the  election,  I  saw  a  steamboat  called  Kate  Kassell. 
;saw  one  of  the  free-State  candidates  on  the  boat.  I  couldn't  tell 
rhat  he  was  doing.  He  was  on  the  lower  deck  among  the  hands. 
Jter  that,  some  twenty  or  thirty  of  the  deck  hands  came  up  and 
bted  the  free-State  ticket.  From  my  knowledge  of  the  Missourians, 
'ho  voted  here  that  day,  I  think  it  was  about  a  fair  stand  off.  That 
as  always  been  my  impression. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  was  on  the  "  Kassel"  that  day  myself.  I  know  those  men  voted 
le  free-State  ticket,  by  the  color  of  their  ticket.  I  do  not  know  why 
ley  were  not  challenged.  I  was  present  at  the  time.  I  do  not  know 
uat  any  one  was  challenged  that  day.  We  did  not  consider  that 
lection  as  a  legal  election,  as  the  candidates  had  before  been  elected, 
icannot  say  whether  there  were  more  than  fifty  illegal  votes  that  day, 
lore  or  less. 

WM.  H.  ADAMS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31 ,  1856. 


GEO.  H.  KELLER  testifies  : 
i  To  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  was  here  in  Leavenworth  city  at  the  called  election  of  the  22d  of 
lay,  1855,  for  members  of  the  legislature.  I  do  not  now  recollect 
d  the  judges  of  elections  that  day.  Mr.  France  was  one,  I  think. 
%.Q  pro-slavery  candidates  were  Mr.  McMeekin,  Mr.  Mathias,  and  Mr. 
.ayne.  I  was  so  very  busy  in  my  hotel  at  that  time,  that  I  cannot 
•ill  to  mind  all  the  particulars  about  these  elections.  I  think  Mr. 
.ranee  was  one  of  the  judges  at  the  May  election,  though  it  may  have 
"ben  the  March  election.  I  do  not  think  I  voted  on  the  22d  of  May. 
Jwas  not  around  among  the  voters  much,  but  I  noticed  as  I  passed 
trough  the  streets,  that  the  crowd  was  very  great,  and  perhaps  as 
lany  as  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  A  great  many  persons  from 
latte  and  Clay  and  Bay  counties  whom  I  knew,  and  who  told  me  they 
^ere  from  those  counties,  were  here.  I  lived  in  Platte  county  for 
ateen  years.  ^  The  election  looked  very  much  like  old  elections  I 
"Bed  to  attend  in  Platte  county,  as  there  were  so  many  familiar  faces 
f  me.  I  did  not  see  any  of  these  persons  vote.  A  gentleman  by  the 
Erne  of  Gaitin  came  to  my  house  in  the  morning,  and  said  he  had 


528  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

brought  over  a  pretty  good  company,  some  sixteen  or  seventeen,  j 
think  he  said,  to  vote.  He  was  from  Clay  county,,  near  Liberty,  M 
souri.  I  recollect  of  talking  to  another  man,  who  told  me  he  ^ 
from  Ray  county,  here,  and  I  do  not  recollect  his  name.  He  said 
had  brought  along  a  pretty  good  company;  but  I  do  not  recolW 
that  he  told  me  how  many  he  had  with  him.  I  do  not  know  as  M 
Graitin  told  me  on  that  day  what  induced  him  to  come  here  to  vot 
or  in  regard  to  their  right  to  vote.  He  told  me  that  it  was  the  caltf 
lation  to  come  here  and  vote,  and  to  have  those  with  him  vote.  I  di 
not  attend  the  polls,  and  cannot  say  whether  any  of  these  men  vot> 
or  not. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of  the  person  who  told  me  his  pan 
came  from  Ray  county.     I  think  he  said  he  came  from  somewhe 
near  Richmond,  Ray  county.     I  should  recollect  the  man  if  I  show 
see  him ;  but  I  cannot  tell  his  name,  and  do  not  know  as  I  could  i 
collect  his  name  if  I  heard  it.     I  do  not  think  he  told  me  how  maul 
he  had  with  him,  but  he  said  he  had  a  company  with  him.     I  haa 
seen  the  man  here  since  this  committee  came  here.     I  do  not  kno« 
that  he  lived  in  Ray  county,  except  that  he  told  me  so,  and  that 
intended  to  come  to  the  Territory.     If  I  am  not  mistaken,  he  s»t 
something  about  having  a  claim  in  the  Territory.     I  do  not  recolldj 
whether  he  said  anything  about  the  others  having  claims  here.      Qppj 
hearing  the  name  of  Wilkinson,  I  think  it  sounds  something  like  t't|, 
name  of  that  man,  though  I  cannot  be  at  all 'positive  about  it.     I  < 
not  know  that  any  persons  from  Missouri  voted.     I  noticed  no  di 
turbance,  or  effort  to  control  the  vote  of  any  one.     I  was  not  at  t!ft 
polls  at  all.     I  know  but  little  of  what  was  going  on.     I  did  not  vot* 
not  because  I  was  afraid,  but  I  did  not  want  to  push  myself  throng 
the  crowd ,  and  take  up  so  much  time  in  voting,  and  because  I  undeh 
stood  Missourians  were  there.     No  one  from  Missouri  told  me  he  vottl 
the  free-State  ticket,  that  I  know  of.     I  do  not  recollect  of  any  ge't 
tlemen  coming  down  from  Weston,  Missouri,  and  saying  they  woui 
vote  the  free-State  ticket,  if  they  voted  at  all.     I  did  not  see  any  mo 
from  Missouri  I  knew  to  be  free-State  men. 

G.  M.  KELLEY. . 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.;  May  31,  1856. 


ADAM  FISHER  called  and  sworn. 
By  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  came  to  the  Territory  in  October,  1854,  and  have  resided  he* 
ever  since.  My  occupation  is  that  of  merchant. 

I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election  in  May,  1855,  for  the  electkt 
of  three  representatives ;  and  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder.  The]' 
was  considerable  excitement  in  the  community  at  that  time. 

There  had  been  different  constructions  put  upon  who  were  leg! 
voters  and  who  were  not.  On  the  morning  of  the  election  the  judg<; 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  529 

appointed  by  the  governor  met  at  the  place  of  election.  The  question 
,  was  not  raised  before  the  opening  of  the  polls.  The  question  was 
raised  along  as  the  vote  proceeded  frequently,  but  at  what  stage  it 
,was  first  raised  I  do  not  know.  France  frequently  made  the  ob- 
jections. My  own  opinion  was,  from  what  I  heard  and  from  the  ex- 
planations of  lawyers,  that  a  man  having  a  claim  or  interest  here,  and 
intending  to  move  here  in  future,  had  a  right  to  vote.  I  cannot  be 
positive  as  to  whether  anybody  was  refused  the  right  to  vote.  No 
challenges  were  made  outside.  For  my  part,  I  allowed  no  man  to 
vote  but  such  as  I  have  described.  I  know  that  Mr.  France  made 
frequent  objections  ;  but  whether  we  overruled  him  or  not  in  every 
case,,  I  cannot  say.  I  don't  think  I  ever  held,  that  merely  because  a 
man  was  here,  he  could  vote.  He  must  have  some  show  of  interest. 
My  impression  is  that  we  did  not  administer  an  oath  that  day  that 
I  recollect  of,  but  we  were  asked  many  questions,  and  in  many  cases 
the  friends  of  the  voters  would  tell  what  interest  they  had,  and  we 
would  take  it  so,  and  allow  them  to  vote.  I  do  not  know  that  we 
allowed  any  people  that  came  up  in  a  steamboat  that  day  to  vote.  I 
don't  know  that  we  took  the  vote  of  any  total  strangers  without  ask- 
ing them  some  questions.  I  do  not  know  but  we  received  the  votes 
of  some  men  who  had  homes  in  Missouri,  as  the  ground  I  took  was,  that 
3very  man  who  had  any  interest  here  had  a  right  to  vote.  There 
were  many  citizens  of  Missouri  who  had  interests  here — at  least  they 
said  so,  and  I  believed  it ;  and  in  all  such  cases  Lyle  and  I  received 
their  votes,  France  in  many  cases  objecting.  I  cannot  state  what 
proportion  or  number  of  persons  voted  that  day  who  had  interests 
here,  who  resided  elsewhere.  I  can't  state  what  number  of  free-State 
oaen  refused  to  vote  that  day,  but  I  know  that  some  of  them  did  not 
vote,  and  would  not  vote. 

At  night,  when  we  were  making  up  our  return,  Mr.  France  con- 
tended that  the  words  "by  lawful  resident  voters"  should  be  stricken 
>ut.  I  did  not  take  any  interest  in  that  question,  and  do  not  re- 
nember  distinctly  whether  it  was  done  or  not.  I  know  that  he  con^ 
-ended  for  it  at  night,  and  differed  with  us  in  many  cases  as  to  who 
/vere  legal  resident  voters  during  the  day.  I  did  not  feel  frightened 
nyself,  but  if  we  had  excluded  the  Missourians  from  voting  I  do  be- 
ieve  there  would  have  been  a  fuss.  I  mean  by  Missourians  snch  men 
is  claimed  to  have  an  interest.  I  thought  they  would  have  insisted 
ipon  their  Toting  strongly.  I  don't  know  that  this  influenced  me  in 
ny  opinion.  I  acted  upon  my  own  opinion — upon  what  was  law — 
ipon  what  I  heard  other  men  say. 
- 

To  Governor  King: 

Myself  and  Mr.  "France  were  what  were  called  free-State  men.  I 
lo  not  know  of  any  free-State  men  being  deterred  from  voting  that 
.ay  on  account  of  his  political  views,  and  if  they  had  wanted  to  vote 
hey  had  an  opportunity  to,  so  far  as  I  know.  I  don't  know  that  any 
rowd  that  came  off  of  a  boat  voted  that  day.  I  don't  remember 
hat  any  crowd  of  twenty  or  thirty  men,  distinct  in  their  appearance 
rom  other  men,  voted  a  mixed  ticket  or  otherwise ;  and  as  far  as 

can  now  remember,  I  cannot  state  whether  there  were  different 
H.  Hep.  200 34* 


530  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

colored  tickets  that  day  or  not.     I  let  no  man  vote  that  day,  hy  ir;j 
decision,  whom  I  did  not  consider  to  be  entitled  to  vote.     I  was  satin' 
fied  with  the  certificate  of  election,  as  prescribed  by  the  governor, 
the  time  I  signed  it. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  don't  know  whether  the  words  "by  lawful  resident  voters : 
in  the  certificate  or  not.     I  don't  remember  whether  they  were  in 
not.     I  did  not  allow  any  one  to  vote  unless  he  had  some  interest 
the  Territory.     Many  never  voted  whom  we  did  not  ask  any  question! 
When  we  would  ask  a  question  the  voter  would  either  say  he  haduj 
claim,  a  town  lot,  or  some  interest,  and  we  would  believe  it, 
allow  him  to  vote.     The  reason  why  I  thought  there  would  be  a 
if  we  excluded  the  persons  I  speak  of,  was,  that  I  heard  men  swearir^ 
they  would  vote,  and  from  their  motions  outside.     Those  men 
voted,  and  of  whom  we  asked  no  questions,  I  cannot  state  whetl 
knew  or  not. 

To  Governor  King : 

We  supposed  that  those  men  whom  we  let  vote  without  asking  qi 
tions  were  such  as  had  a  right  to  vote  without  the  necessity  of) 
question.  The  certificate  of  election  appended  to  the  poll-books: 
the  possession  of  the  committee  seems  to  be  like  the  one  I  signe 
do  not  know  whether  I  objected  to  or  consented  to  an  alteratic 
the  certificate — I  did  not  care  to  have  it  altered  myself  or  not. 

ADAM  FISH: 

LEAVENWOKTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,1856. 


AMOS  EEES  testifies : 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  in  July,  1855,  and  have  lived  in 
souri  since  1818,  and  am  a  practising  lawyer.     I  was  present  at 
election  held  at  Leavenworth  on  the  22d  of  May,  1855,  for  three1' 
presentatives.     My  impression  is  that  I  did  not  vote  at  that  electii 
The  slave  party  took  no  interest  in  it,  thinking  that  Keeder  had 
right  to  set  aside  the  former  election,  and  took  but  little  interest  in  ;. 
and  I  may  and  may  not  have  voted  myself.     I  know  a  great  m* 
citizens  who  voted.     I  know  the  following  persons  to  have  lived 
Missouri  at  that  time:    Ex-Judge  Wm.  B.  Almond,  Kobert  Ka 
William  K.  Kane,  Malcolm  E.  Green,  Joseph  Cocrill,  M.  Pemberi •], 
Daniel  P.  Lewis,  L.  Shepherd,  John  Venoman,  James  H.  Heac  , 
(now  clerk  of  the  court  of  Atchison  county,  K.  T.,)  S.  P.  Styles,  Wl- 
By waters,  Isaac  House,  (now  in  Kickapoo,  K.  T.,)  A.  W.  Hughs, ,  |- 
ner  Dean,  John  Wilson,  Edward  P.  Duncan,  Hugh  Sweeney,  Wind 
Norris,  Samuel  E.  Orfutt,  Wm.  H.  Bell.     The  last  named  has  a  cL-p 
in  the  Territory  with  improvements.     He  has  two  sons  here  living 
the  claims.     I  know  George  Quirnby.     He  had  previously  lived  ji 
Missouri.     His  family  was  still  there.     He  was  largely  interestecjJ 
the  town  of  Delaware. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  531 

He  had  a  house  built  here,  and  kept  a  grocery-store  and  livery- 
stable,  and  was  interested  in  the  ferry.  He  professed  to  be  trying  to 
dispose  of  his  property  in  Platte  city,  to  move  to  Delaware.  He  has 
isince  sold  it  and  now  lives  there.  I  looked  upon  him  as  a  settler,  in 
the  same  light  that  I  did  myself  before  I  moved. 

The  John  Wilson  whom  I  know,,  I  am  satisfied  never  voted  at  any 
election  in  the  Territory.  W.  G.  Bonnell  is  in  the  same  condition  of 
Quimby.  Francis  J.  Marshall,  who  was  a  member  of  the  legislature, 
f  understand  lives  in  Marysville,  in  the  eleventh  district.  I  am  satis- 
fied that  a  great  many  men  who  were  here  from  Missouri  at  that  elec- 
tion did  not  vote.  I  cannot  state  how  many  did  vote.  I  don't  know 
that  any  single  man  voted.  I  did  not  watch  the  polls,  or  pay  much 
attention  to  the  matter. 

AMOS  KEES. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


LUCTAN  J.  EASTIN  testifies : 

To  Governor  King : 

I  have  resided  in  Leavenworth  city  since  October,  1854,  and  was  a 
candidate  for  the  council  at  the  30th  of  March  election,  1855.  Gov- 
srnor  Keeder  set  aside  the  election  for  representatives  in  the  sixteenth 
election  district,  and  ordered  a  new  election,  which  was  held  the  May 
following.  The  candidates  at  this  election  were  the  same  as  at  the 
March  election,  and  whose  elections  were  set  aside  by  the  governor. 
[  suppose  there  were  about  715  votes  polled  at  that  election.  I  believe 
they  were  mostly,  if  not  all,  legal  voters.  The  free-State  candidates 
\vere,  Edsall,  Gould,  and  Pennock.  I  saw  a  number  of  votes  given  for 
their  candidates  by  deck-hands  and  others  from  the  steamer  Kate 
Oastle,  lying  at  the  levee.  Some  of  them,  I  think,  went  up  with  Mr. 
{jould,  one  of  the  free-State  candidates,  or  they  seemed  to  be  along  with 
trim.  I  saw  probably  about  six  or  seven  M.issourians  on  the  ground. 
There  was  no  voting,  or  attempting  to  vote,  that  I  know  of.  They 
believed  the  election  to  be  illegal,  and  therefore  took  no  interest  in  it. 
[  heard  one  of  the  pro-slavery  candidates  say,  on  the  morning  of  the 
alection,  that  he  was  not  a  candidate,  and  this  was  the  expression  of 
\11  three  of  the  candidates — -that  they  did  not  recognise  the  right  of 
(jrovernor  Keeder  to  set  aside  that  election,  and,  therefore,  they  con- 
kidered  the  election  was  invalid.  The  legal  voters  here  determined  to 
50  into  the  election,  believing  they  had  the  strength.  I  think  the 
najority  was  from  three  to  four  hundred  for  the  pro-slavery  party, 
oelieve  that  the  poll-books  show  about  the  strength  of  parties,  for  I 
saw  about  five  or  six  Missourians  and  the  deck-hands  I  spoke  of,  about 
;he  polls.  I  never  have  examined  the  poll-books  to  know  whether  the 
voters  were  residents  or  not.  I  could  not  say  whether  or  not  the  num- 
)er  of  votes  in  the  district  was  seven  hundred. 

L.  J.  EASTIN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


532 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


Returns  of  an  election  held  in  the  first,  second,  third,  seventh,  eight'* 
and  sixteenth  districts  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  on  the  22d  day 
May,  A.  D.  1855. 

[Joel  Grover,  William  Yates,  and  Josiah  Miller  were  sworn 
judges,  according  to  printed  form.] 

FIRST  DISTRICT — Lawrence. 


1  Beekman  Mead 

2  Solomon  Wildes 

3  Michael  Albin 

4  Hiram  Shields 

5  James  Sawyer 

6  John  Hutchinson 

7  ErastusD.  Ladd 

8  Hiram  Dunbar 

9  Morris  Hunt 

10  W.M.Patterson 

11  E.  D.Lyman 

12  John  E.  Stewart 

13  R.T.  Elliott 

14  Asaph  A.  Faxon,  (oath) 

15  William  A.  Holmes 

16  Edward  Jones 

17  S.N.Wood 

18  S.J.  Willis 

19  H.Stevens 

20  Samuel  Anderson 

21  John  Doxey 

22  Charles  Dickson 

23  John  L.  Crane 

24  Levi  Gates 

25  Turner  Sampson 

26  C.A.Haskill 

27  Leonard  Litchneld 

28  Lyman  Allen 

29  F.  O.Folles 

30  George  Cary 

31  Norman  Allen 

32  George  W.  Hunt 

33  William  Esterbrook 

34  George  W.  Dietzler 

35  William  Benson 

36  Samuel  G.  Ladd 

37  Ernest  Smith 

38  C.  S.  Pratt 

39  R.  P.Mooro 

40  0.  A.  Hanscom 

41  R.  M.  Wilkinson 

42  W.  A.  Gentry 

43  Joseph  Cracklin 

44  Charles  Campbell 

45  0.  D.  Smith 

46  Henry  D.  Graves 

47  John  W.  Stevens,  (oath) 

48  Samuel  Merrill 

49  Ransom  Calkins 

50  Horace  C.  Manning,  (oath) 

51  Jeremiah  Spencer 

52  Philip  S.  Huff 

53  E.  A.  Coleman 

54  Eben  Goddard,  (oath) 


55  Paul  Jones 

56  Nelson  Eagle 

57  Hugh  Pettingall 
Oren  Pettingall 

58  Samuel  Kimball 

59  S.  N.  Simpson 

60  Henry  S.  McLelland 

61  Allen  Ham 

62  L.  D.  Colman 

63  Lewis  Farley 

64  D.  H.  Wright,  (oath) 

65  Increase  Whitcomb 

66  Zeno  B.  Page 


68  E.  Jones 

69  James  J.  Brown 

70  John  R.  Griffith 

71  David  S.  Morris 

72  Charles  Robinson 

73  Otis  Potter 

74  William  Lyon 

75  Wilder  Knight 
-76  James  Jamison 

77  Thomas  Little 

78  J.  E.  Rice 

79  Calvin  G.  Hoit 

80  B.  Johnson 

81  W.  H.  Hovey 

82  David  Harmon 

83  J.  M.  Jones 

84  T.  Clemens 

85  Ezra  Pierce 

86  J.  R.  Ladd 

87  John  Stanton,  (oath) 

88  Geo.  W.  Gingrich,  (oath) 

89  Henry  S.  Everheart 

90  John  Bigelow 

91  M.  M.  Hamaron 

92  Lewis  J.  Everheart,  (oath) 

93  Joseph  W.  Russell 

94  James  D.  McLain,  (oath) 

95  J.  L.  Spice 

96  Daniel  W.  Palmer 

97  Charles  Jordan,  jr.  ,  (oath) 

98  Stephen  Ogden 

99  J.  L.  Merrill 

100  L.  S.  Bacon 

101  A.  E.  Claverson 

102  S.  T.  Lum 

103  R.  J.  Horton 

104  Lewis  Howell 

105  Henry  Atherton 

106  George  Gilbert 

107  John  Ogden 


! 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


533 


108  Samuel  Gill,  (oath) 

109  N.  F.  Herrick 

110  Ira  W.  Ackley 

111  Fred.  J.  Locke 

112  James  Lain,  (oath) 

113  Thomas  J.  Stone 

114  Stillman  Andrew 

115  Franklin  Haskill 

116  E.  F.  Mayo 

117  Simeon  Gilson 

118  A.  S.  Addis 

119  C.H.Thomas 

120  N.  B.Howland 

121  John  Pike 

122  Edward  Clark 

123  Charles  Harrington 

124  Samuel  Phillips 

125  Edwin  Bond 

126  Ferdinand  Fuller 

127  M.  S.  Wright 

128  S.B.  Smith 

129  John  Wild,  (oath) 

130  John  S.  Mott 

131  James  Clark 

132  N.W.Maxwell 

133  E.D.Maxwell 

134  David  Burton 

135  A.  D.  Searl 

136  William  Robbing 

137  KH.Mobray 

138  J.F.Morgan 

139  G.  W.  Goss 

140  John  Michael  Ecalhap,  (oath) 

141  Leverett  Haskcll 

142  James  Fuller 

143  Charles  Pettingall 

144  0.  H.  Lamb 

145  S.  L.  Lapham 

;    146  V.  L.  Purse,  (oath) 
;    147  E.  A.  Landon 
148  J.  W.  Wayne 
i    149  John  Derby 

150  L.  W.  Plum 

151  James  Whaley 

152  Francis  Killam 

153  J.  D.  Heald 

;    154  M.  J.  Parrott 
:    155  G.  W.  Brown 

156  Enoch  Rowland 
;  157  James  Clark,  sr. 
;  158  G.  W.  Nichols 

159  F.  A.  Bailey 

160  Albert  F.  Bercall 

161  George  Churchill 

162  Amora  Soule 

163  F.  P.  Vaughan 

164  L.  H.  Bascomb 

165  J.  H.  Gleason 

166  J.  S.  Cowan 

167  N.  H.  Smith 

168  Philip  P.  Fowler 

169  Josiah  G.  Fuller 

170  John  H.  Wildes 

171  Edward  Windon 

172  Charles  Garrett 

.173  W.  J.  E.  Blackmail,  (oath) 


174  E.  Gray,  (oath) 

175  Joseph  Boges 

176  G.  K.  Smith 

177  H.  F.  Landas 

178  W.  D.  Atwood 

179  S.  M.  Saltus 

180  M.  L.  Gaylord 

181  John  Roe 

182  D.  W.  Bentley,  (oath)) 

183  Thos.  Chapman,  (oath 

184  H.  N.  Bent 

185  David  Brown 

186  Charles  Legge 

187  J.  C.  Gordon 

188  John  Armstrong 

189  Daniel  Low 

190  William  "Meains 

191  J.  D,  Barnes 

192  Thomas  Wells 

193  Carlos  Hall 
£94  Ezra  A.  Potter 

195  George  Earl 

196  William  Gibbons 

197  James  A.  Dale 

198  J.  W.  Junkins 

199  Henry  Newman 

200  J.  T.  Cummings 

201  James  M.  Fuller 

202  Henry  Hurd,  (oath) 

203  Abijah  White 

204  William  Marshall 

205  B.  S.  Richardson 

206  Hamson  Nichols 

207  William  Whitlock 

208  George  H.  Croches 

209  Charles  W.  Hanley 

210  W.  D.  Jennerson 

211  John  G.  Croelen 

212  James  M.  Gillis 

213  A.  D.  Todd 

214  Robert  Vanwinkle 

215  Seth  Roderbough 

216  Salem  Gleason 

217  Jacob  E.  Strout 

218  S.  B.  Dudley 

219  D.  G.  Vanwinkle 

220  F.  M«D.  Hunt 

221  Bryce  W.  Miller 

222  G.  W.  Fitz 

223  Samuel  C.  Smith 

224  John  Spear 

225  C.  Hornsby 

226  William  Mathews 

227  George  Mathews 

228  Joseph  Savage 

229  H.  J.  Tadder 

230  Wm.  Hornsby 

231  David  Penington 

232  Curtis  H.  Keyes 

233  Reuben  Randall 

234  Oscar  Burroughs 

235  Charles  M.  Docknew 

236  J.  B.  Abbott 

237  B.  W.  Wood 

238  Clark  Stearns 

239  H.  A.  Hancock 


534 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


240  Paul  R.  Brooks 

241  C.  W.  Babcock 

242  H.  Clark 

243  Eobert  McFarland 

244  Thos.  McFarland 

245  Wm.  Hutchmson 

246  John  Fry 

247  Thomas  Garvin 

248  Henry  E.  Babcock 

249  A.  Wilder 

250  Daniel  Mailey 

251  P.  B.  Harris 

252  Amory  Wetherbe© 

253  0.  Harlow 

254  T.  Johnson 

255  Henry  B.  Gage 

256  S.  S.  Snyder 

257  John  Gingerick 

258  John  Wise 

259  S.  J.  Pratt 

260  Levi  Ferguson 

261  John  Anderson 

262  Homer  Hoges 

263  G  W.  Hutchinson 

264  R  H.  Pierce 

265  K.  G.  Livingston 

266  John  K.  Longhead 

267  Thos.  S.  Weeds 

268  John  A.  Lowry 

269  G.  W.  Kent 

270  Francis  M.  Littlefield 

271  Wm.  Savage 

272  John  P.  Wood 

273  Harvey  Jones. 


274  Robert  Garvin 

275  J.  M.  Graham 

276  Joshua  Smith 

277  Wm.  Worriker 

278  C.  W.  Peasall 

279  Asaph  Allen 

280  A.  B.  Wade 

281  T.  E.  Benjamin 

282  Harvey  N.  Street 

283  Martin  Adams 

284  Caton  Adams 

285  Willard  Colburn 

286  John  G.  Richer 

287  Wm.  Cleland 

288  JohnClery 

289  Wm.  J.  Schaeff 

290  James  Garvin 

291  Robert  Ervin 

292  Henry  Bronson 

293  P.  0.  Conner 

294  G.  W.  Reed 

295  Alfred  Payne 

296  John  Mack 

297  Joel  Groves 

298  Josiah  Miller 

299  William  Yates 

300  J.  S.  Emery 

301  L.  B.  Kerns 

302  Silas  Green 

303  Noah  Cameron 

304  E.  S.  Scudder 

305  A.  C.  Harrington 

306  Wm.  Blair 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  22d  of  Mdj 
A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Wm.  H.  E.  Lykins,  in  the  first  electiH 
district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  the  house  of  representatives  r 
the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges-j 
said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  1 
votes  polled  at  such  election,  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz  : 


Philip  P.  Fowler.. 288 

John  Hutchinson 283 

Erastus  D.  Ladd 286 

G.  W.  Brown 16 

.  N.  Simpson 10 


Edwin  Bond. 
Samuel  Hoyt.... 
0.  A.  Hanscom, 
Peter  Farley.... 
John  Lowry — 
H.  N.  Bent... 


10 
2 
1 
1 
3 
1 


G.  W.  Kent 

E.  T.  Horton 

John  Biglow 

Dr.  John  Day 

S.  N.  Wood 

Mrs.  C.  J.  H.  Nichols. 

Orville  D.  Smith 

Wm.  Lyon 

Lyman  Allen 

Blank.. 


WM.   YATES, 
JOEL  GEOVEE, 
JOSIAH  MILLEE, 


Judg\ 


Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  this  22d  day  of  May,  1855. 

J.  S.  EMEEY,  -J.  Pi 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 
SECOND  DISTRICT. 


535 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  22d  day  of 
May,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Harrison  Burson,  in  the  second 
election  district,  for  the  election  of  memhers  of  council  and  of  the 
louse  of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certi- 
y,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a 
;rue  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election^  by  lawful 
•esident  voters,  viz : 

For  Council.  For  Representatives. 

John  A.  Wakefield 127  Augustus  Wattles 124 

Wm.  Jessee 127 

H.  BUKSON,         J 

N.  KAMSEY,        V  Judges. 

WM.  SIMMONS,  ) 

Poll-look  of  an  election  held  in  the  second  judicial  district,  in  Kansas 
Territory,  for  the  election  of  one  councilman  and  two  representatives, 
May  22,  1855. 


1  G.  W.  Cossley 

2  John  H.  Woods 

3  T.  M.  Pierson 

4  Thos.  Barber 

5  J.  J.  Miller 

6  T.  W.  Barber 

7  Henry  Pauf 

8  G.  W.  Chafin 

9  J.  B.  Swain 

10  D.  C.  Buffune 

11  J.  B.  Choat 

12  Thos.  B.  Wolverton 

13  J.  G.  Snodgrass 

14  Wm.  Tackett 

15  N.  Ramsey 

16  Augustus  Wattles 

17  Harrison  Benson 

18  Wm.  M.  Haseltine 

19  Thos.  Bickerton 

20  Alex.  Love 

21  E.  B.  Haseltine 

22  Lewis  Duffee 

23  T.  E.  Herd 

24  Isaac  Stull 

25  John  A.  Wakefield 

26  J.  H.  Firman 

27  J.  H.  Lyon 

28  J.  H.  Mussey 

29  E.  B.  Night 

30  Owen  T.  Basset 
M  G.  W.  Purse 

32  Dennis  C.  Blakely 

33  H.  R.  Rawson 

;  4  lludolph  Thommen 

35  Hen.  W.  Fick 

36  Wm.  B.  Lewis 

37  Jas.  H.  Thompson 

38  Henry  Learned 

39  E.  W.  Smith 

40  Horris  Hobbs 

41  Hugh  Gaston 


42  Owen  Taylor 

43  J.  M.  Tuton 

44  Alfonso  C.  Jones 

45  J.  L.  Hardin 

46  Edward  Oakley 

47  A.  J.  Smith 

48  A.  Hilfelt 

49  Samuel  Smith 

50  Joseph  Oakley 

51  Jas.  M.  Duna 

52  T.  W.  Sletter 

53  W.  W.  Hall 

54  H.  T.  Wakefield 

55  0.  L.  Spradling 

56  J.  N.  Mace 
67  Wm.  Draper 

58  Jos.  Bryant 

59  Peter  V.  Whiteneck 

60  George  W.  Zinn 

61  Isaac  Shurley 

62  Dudley  Bryant 

63  H.  C.  Muzzy 

64  Chas.  W.  Smith 

65  Wm.  Glenn 

66  Geo.  Taylor 

67  Robt.  Huse 

68  Wm.  Wilbensherry 

69  Andrew  White 

70  J.  S.  White 

71  F.  A.  Mussey 

72  M.  E.  Grimes 

73  Milan  Grout 

74  Able  Yates 

75  John  Moss 

76  Madison  Clayton 

77  H.  C.  Alderman 

78  Abr.  Hendricks 

79  Stephen  Dunken 

80  Jackson  Roberts 

81  G.  H.  Snyder 

82  N.  Snyder 


536 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS, 


83  Henry  H.  Conner 

84  Henry  L.  Baldwin 

85  Andrew  S.  Baldwin 

86  A.  J.  Corbitt 

87  F.  Barker 

88  Saml.  Jones 

89  David  Ward 
9ft  Saml.  Comer 

91  J.  W.  Hamilton 

92  Saml.  Coffin 

93  Nathan  Herric 

94  J.  C.  Dunn 

95  Wm.  Watson 

96  Wm.  Biesly 

97  Henry  Hine 

98  Alfred  Peak 

99  G.  W.  Umberger 

100  Joseph  Anderson 

101  David  Kenzie 

102  John  Scott 

103  David  Jackson  Casafoere- 

104  J.  B.  T.  McFerson 

105  Robt.  Allen 


106  Saml.  Casebene 

107  John  C.  Archibald 

108  R.  J.  Haseltine 

109  Ebenezer  Archibald 

110  Saml.  Walker 

111  Thos.  Burnett 

112  George  Anderson 

113  Thos.  J.  Nichols 

114  Benj.  Stowe 

115  Warren  Stowe 

116  Allen  C.  Platt 

117  Jared  Carter 

118  Ebenezer  Dishro 

119  Jos.  Gardner 

120  Chas.  R.  Smith 

121  E.  J.  Macy 

122  Edwin  Gardner 

123  Wm.  Gansen 

124  E.  Huddleson 

125  John  Macy 

126  Wm.  Reikett 

127  Aaron  Sims 


Nathaniel  Ramsey  and  Wm.  Simmons  sworn,  according  to  prin 
form,  as  in  district  No.   1,  (first  election,,)  before  H.  Burson,  justice 
of  the  peace,  and  H.  Burson  before  N.  Ramsey,  as  judges  of  election! 


THIRD  DISTRICT, 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  22d  day  c«i 
May,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  T.  N.  Stinson,  in  the  third  eleetioi 
district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  the  council  and  of  the  hous 
of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upo: 
our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  an< 
correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election  by  lawful  residen 
voters,  viz :  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  councilman  was  om 
hundred  and  forty-six,  of  which  Jesse  D.  Wood  received  one  hundre^ 
and  forty-six. 

The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  representatives  was  one  him 
dred  and  forty-eight,  of  which  Cyrus  E.  Holliday  received  one  hun 
dred  and  forty-seven,  and  F.  W.  Giles  received  one. 

DANIEL  H.  HORNE, 
JOHN  RITCHEY, 
AMOS  G.  ADAMS, 

Judges  of  Elections. 

List  of  votes  polled  at  the  election  held  in  the  town  of  Tecumseh,  in  th 
third  election  district,  on  the  twenty-second  day  of  May,  A,  D.  on 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-five. 


1  D.  W.  Cleveland 

2  Daniel  Sayer  (?) 

3  H.  B.  Coles 

4  Joshua  Ahbott 

5  S.  J.  Case 


6  Henry  Stofiel 

7  Jos.  C.  Miller 

8  A.  Swift 

9  Timothy  Fessenden 
10  David  Stofiel 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


11  Kinsey  Stofiel 

12  Sanford  Henry 

13  George  F.  Brown 

14  James  McKenarry 

15  J.  P.  Perin 

16  Elnathan  Trask 

17  Alexander  Leslie 

18  Israel  Zimmerman 

19  D.  W.  Home 

20  Robert  L.  Mitchel 

21  Wm.  H.  Brown 

22  Hy.  P.  Waters 

23  J.  N.  Frazier 

24  Andrew  S.  Waters 

25  Thomas  G-.  Thornton 

26  Ambrose  W.  Ford 

27  George  Davis 

28  William  R.  Miles 

29  Philip  Briggs 

30  Samuel  Gray 

31  J.  T.  Jones 

32  Charles  Jordan 

33  L.  Y.  Cook 

34  G.  H.  Pool 

35  W.  W.  Philips 

36  John  M.  McBride 

37  James  Tegart 

38  Enoch  Chase 

39  C.  G.  Howard 

40  C.  N.  Gregg 

41  Jonas  E.  Greenwood 

42  Jos.  C.  Wollfelt 

43  E.  S.  Dexter 

44  Samuel  Hall 

45  Lewis  C.  Wilmath 

46  William  F.  Crites 

47  Charles  Crites 

48  George  B.  Freness 

49  McC.  Martin 

50  Abner  Dow 

51  Timothy  Mclntire 

52  Orlando  Bawson 

53  Charles  A.  Sexton 

54  A.  F.  Hartwell 

55  P.  R.  Hubbard 

56  Francis  Davis 

57  Moses  Hubbard 

58  F.  W.  Giles 

59  Robert  Wileman 

60  J.  F.  Meriam 

61  D.  H.  More 

62  Hiram  H.  Wentworth 

63  Edward  F.  CaUan 

64  E.R.Moffatt 

65  J.  W.  Emerson 

66  William  R,  Dyer 

67  A.  W.  More 

68  J.  C.  Colter 

69  John  A.  Wirt 

70  Jos.  H.  Weaver 

71  A.  G.Adams 

72  John  Ritchey 

73  Alexander  Bliss 

74  George  W.  Hathaway 

75  William  W.  Johnson 
7G  Daniel  H.Horric 


77  William  Scales 

78  L.  Farns worth 

79  L.  G.  Cleveland 

80  L.  P.  Haskell 

81  J.  G.  Thompson 

82  Charles  Moiiey 

83  Charles  L.  Wilbur 

84  William  E.  Bruker 

85  Parsons  Haskell 

86  H.  G.  Young 

87  Robert  M.  Luce 

88  Leonard  WendaU 

89  Edward  Plummer 

90  Samuel  A.  Wynn 

91  S.  E.  Martin 

92  Edward  Seagrave 

93  Jesse  Stone 

94  Andrew  Wynne 

95  Albert  Wish 

96  Charles  Morland 

97  Barney  Miller 

98  H.C.Coole 

99  H.  B.  Burgess 

100  L.  C.  Atwater 

101  Isaac  Wynn 

102  Augustus  H.  Bernard 

103  James  G.  Bolles 

104  Benjamin  Getchell 

105  William  H.Weymouth 

106  M.  C.  Drinkwater     • 

107  H.  Fletcher 

108  Robert  Todd 

109  Samuel  Cavender 

110  James  M.  Hammond 

111  Charles  C.  Preston 

112  Daniel  Turner 

113  George  S.  Holt 

114  David  P.  Hammond 

115  J.  W.  Brown 

116  Etiomn  Bollette 

117  Gilbert  Billiard 

118  Claud  Chambonnion 

119  Eugene  Dumey 

120  M.  AntoniaCampdoraa 

121  William  F.  Johnston 

122  James  Pierce 

123  Orlando  Mofiatt 

124  Hy.  Griffin 

125  James  Goodrich 

126  Hy.  Hanson 

127  David  P.  Leonard 

128  Jos.  N.  Fogg 

129  W.  Y.  Roberts 

130  A.  J.  Acklin 

131  Joseph  Morton 

132  A.  J.  Kelley 

133  Samuel  Updegraff 

134  William  Jones 

135  Jesse  B.  Ramsey 

136  William  Riley 

137  Theodore  Porter 

138  BarnetFoyle 

139  Merril  Thulkeld 

140  Solomon  G.  Riffle 

141  George  S.  Ramsey 

142  George  W.  Gilmore 


538  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

143  Thomas  B.  Bush  147  M.  C.  Dickey 

144  A.  Brower  148  George  F.  Boyd 

145  W.  K.  Frost  149  Osborn  Naylor 

146  Caleb  Aubram 

Amos  Gr.  Adams  and  John  Ritchey  sworn  according  to  the  printed 
form,  as  in  first  election  district,  (1st  election,)  before  Daniel  H.  Home, 
judge,  and  D.  H.  Home  before  A.  G.  Adams,  judge. 


SEVENTH  DISTRICT. 

Tally  of  votes  cast  for  councilman  for  the  third  council  district 
the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  the  seventh  election  district,  May  22, 1855: 

Jesse  D.  Wood 66  votes. 

Charles  H.  Worthington 8      " 

C.  H.  Worthington '. 2     " 

Jesse  B.  Wood 2     " 

C.  H.  Witherington 1     " 

We  certify  that  the  foregoing  tally-list  is  correct,  and  that  Jesse 
Wood  received  sixty-six  votes,  Charles  H.  Worthington  receivec 
eight  votes,  TJ.  H.  Worthington  received  two  votes,  and  C.  H.*  With 
erington  received  one  vote,  for  the  office  of  councilman  in  the  thirc 
council  district  in  the  seventh  election  district,  the  whole  number  o 
votes  cast  being  seventy-nine. 

Dated  May  22,  1855. 

JOSEPH  McINTYRE, 

HENRY  HARVEY, 
JOSEPH  MCDONALD, 

Judges  of  the  Election. 
ISAAC  D.  EAND, 
GEOROE  M.  HARVEY, 

Clerks. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  22d  day  o 
May,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  B.  Titus,  in  the  seventh  elec 
tion  district,  for  the  election  of  members  of  council  and  of  the  hous* 
of  representatives  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify! 
upon  our  oaths  or  affirmations  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  th 
following  is  a  true  and  correct  return,  of  the  votes  polled  at  suci 
election  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz : 

JOSEPH  McINTYRE, 

HENRY  HARVEY, 
JOSEPH  MCDONALD, 

Judges  of  Election. 

1  Joseph  Brown  5  Win.  Lord 

2  Marcus  H.Rose  6  David  Condit 

3  Ithel  Strier  7  Marcus  C.  Rose 

4  Samuel  Scott  8  Lucian  Fish 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


539 


9  Thomas  Russell 

10  Alex.  Millison 

11  Jas.  J.  Miller 

12  Johnson  Mclntyre 

13  John  W.  Frul 

14  Isaac  Chatham 

15  Hy.  Hardy 

16  Isaac  D.  Earle 

17  Edward  C.  Johnson 

18  Geo.  M.  Harvey 

19  Darius  W.  Harold 

20  Thos.  Crabtree 

21  Wm.  J.  Tillinghast 

22  Hy.  Williams 

23  Jos.  Mclntyre 

24  Fred.  C.  Upton 

25  Jos.  McDonald 

26  John  Smith 

27  Isaac  B.  Titus j 

28  Warren  N.  Haven 

29  Alphonso  Prentiss 

30  Jas.  E.  Stewart 

31  Ami  Smith 

32  Joseph  McKenn 

33  Sam'l  A.  Allison 

34  John  Drein 

35  Lovredge  S.  Axtell 

36  Sam'l  B.  Hardy 

37  Geo.  S.  Young 

38  Wm.  Graham 

39  John  Miller 

40  Thos.  Armour 

41  Stephen  D.  Smith 

42  Hiram  Graham 

43  Elijah  A.  Bunker 

44  Oliver  Philips 


45  Abel  Polly 

46  Absalom  Hover 

47  David  Hoover 

48  James  Bostrel 

49  John  E.  Cazier 

50  John  W.  Akin 

51  Hy.  Stanley 

52  Josiah  Stanley 

53  Wm.A.  Kerr 

54  De  Witt  Wright 

55  Geo.  Bralton 

56  John  C.  Gould 

57  James  H.  Young 

58  Wm.A.  Smith 

59  Fred'k  Serini 

60  Wm.  Howard 

61  Hy.  Smith 

62  John  D.  Scidmore 

63  Chas.  H.  Linkenangen 

64  Wm.  M.  Harris 

65  Chas.  W.  Fish 

66  Edmund  Fish 

67  Solomon  Wyatt 

68  Lewis  Wyatt 

69  Eli  C.  Maxwell 

70  Hy.  Morrill 

71  Victory  McDonald 

72  John  G.  Morrill 

73  Picking  T.  Cook 

74  Wm.  Stuart 

75  Henry  Epinon,  (sworn.) 

76  Henry  Martin,  (sworn.) 

77  Eob't  Smith 

78  Thos.  Black 

79  Emery  P.  Lockhart 

ISAAC  D.  EAND, 
GU30.  M.  HAKVEY, 

Clerks. 


Joseph  Mclntyre,  Henry  Harvey,  and  Joseph  McDonald  sworn  ac- 
cording to  the  printed  form,  as  in  first  district,  (1st  election,)  before 
Marcus  H.  Eose,  justice  of  the  peace,  as  judges  of  the  election. 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  22d  day  of 
May,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  the  Council  Grove  Mission,  in  the 
eighth  election  district,  for  the  election  of  a  member  of  council  for  the 
Territory^  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of 
said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the 
votes  polled,  by  lawful  resident  voters,  at  said  election,  viz : 

Charles  H.  Washington  has  received 33  votes. 

THOMAS  J.  ADDIS. 
THOMAS  S.  HUFFAKER. 
J.  W.  RATLIFF. 


540  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


List  of  voters. 

1  John  B.  Addis  18  James  Connell 

2  N.  D.  Trimble  19  Lawrence  Bradley 

3  J.  A.  Dunegar  20  John  Connell 

4  T.  J.  Addis,  jr.  21  A.  Crowley 

5  S.  W.  Eowe  22  G.  M.  Suncock 

6  William  Delaney  23  T.  R.  Furbay 

7  George  McJulord  24  T.  S.  Hamilton 
9  Joseph  Hearn                    *  25  C.  Columbia 

10  E.  M.  Sewell  26  John  Goodale 

11  A.  T.  Hyder  27  C.  F.  Parish 

12  F.  F.  Hoffaker  28  Robert  Gillespie 

13  T.  J.  Addis,  sr.  29  Thomas  W.  White 

14  J.  W.  Rodleff  30  John  Kelley 

15  A.  J.  Baker  31  C.  T.  Gillman 

16  Morgan  Delacy  32  Henry  Parish 

17  H.  T.  Halmon  33  A.  G.  Hyden 

Thomas  S.  HufFaker,  John  W.  RatlifF,  and  Thomas  J.  Addis,  sworn  j 

according  to  the  printed  form,  as  in  first  district,  (first  election,)  be«j 
fore  J.  L.  Baker,  justice  of  the  peace,  as  judges  of  the  election. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. 

Messrs.  James  Lyle,  Adam  Fisher,  and  Matt.  France,  several!^ 
took  and  subscribed  to  the  oath  of  office,  as  judges  of  the  election  heir 
on  the  22d  day  of  May,  1855,  at  the  house  of  G.  Luzadder,  in  the  six* 
teenth  election  district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  according  to  th<i 
printed  form. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  22d  day  O'l 
May,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  George  Luzadder,  in  the  sixteenth! 
election  district,  for  the  election  of  the  house  of  representatives  fo:< 
the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oaths  as  judge 
of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  tht 
votes  polled  at  such  election,  by  lawful  resident  voters,  viz : 

W.  G.  Mathias 55? 

A.  Payne 56(' 

H.  D.  McMeekin 56) 

James  K.  Edsall 14(> 

J.  E.  Gould 131 

H.  L,  Pennock , 141 

JAMES  M.  LYLE. 
ADAM  FISHER. 
MATT.  FBANCE. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


541 


Pott-list  of  an  election  field  at  Leavenworth  May  22, 185 5,  for  three 
representatives  to  the  Territorial  legislature  of  Kansas  Territory. 


1  Asa  Smith 

2  M.  T.  Quarrells 

3  Robert  Tate 

4  James  Walker 

5  Thomas  Turner 

6  Thomas  C.  Bishop 

7  Jefferson  Park 

8  E.  B.  Hamer 

9  John  Cain 

10  Jacob  Honk 

11  William  Furnish 

12  Eobert  White 

13  Daniel  Cairy 

14  Jeremiah  Cockner 

15  John  Swinney 

16  R.  T.  Darnell 

17  Jesse  Hodges 

18  Jackson  Miller 

19  Archelus  Hughes 

20  Samuel  Wineton 

21  Joseph  Settle 

22  Daniel  Stewart 

23  William  B.  Almon 

24  F.  Marshal 

25  John  Rice 

26  Robert  Cain 

27  William  R.  Cain 

28  John  English 

29  William  Highter 
SO  Moses  Miner 

31  C.  C.  Brown 

32  Nicholas  R.  Green 

33  J.  Hollingworth 

34  J.  Sidner 

35  E.  D.  Nelly 

36  L.  W.  Barnard 

37  James  L.  McAleer 

38  H.  Clark 

39  J.  Mitchell 

40  Josiah  Brown 

41  V.  C.  Hollingsworth 

42  John  A.  Thompson 

43  William  Lewis 

44  L.  B.  Hoy 

45  William  Toltston 

46  William  Nash 

47  J.  G.  Hayden 

48  Thomas  C.  Ball 

49  J.  Cockrell 

50  StraherHoy 

51  T.  H.  Starnes 

52  S.  M.  Gorden 

53  Barnabas  Gable 

54  L.  H.  Whittakei' 

55  William  Stergis 

56  M.  H.  Winston 

57  Ely  Moore 

58  Jesse  Miller 

59  William  H.  Brown 

60  John  S.  Dawson 

61  John  Wallace 


62  L.  F.  Hollingsworth 

63  M.  Pemberton 

64  G.  C.  Cockrell 

65  William  H.  Adams 

66  Joseph  M.  Cresman 
jS£^    67  D.  J.  Johnson 

^     68  Henry  E.  McCee 

69  J.  C.  Green 

70  George  Quimby 

71  William  L.  Murphy 

72  F.  M.  Mason 

73  J.  W.  Jones 

74  E.  K.  Stephens 

75  W.  D.  Clardy 

76  Thos.  C.  Hugehes 

77  Charles  T.  Crawford 

78  Bluford  Adkins 

79  Peter  Dupy 

80  G.  M.  Smith 

81  William  T.  Marvin 

82  John  C.  Posey 

83  L.  D.  Pitcher 

84  Edmund  G.  Curd 

85  James  M.  Norton 

86  William  H.  Starks 

87  William  G.  Bonnell 

88  William  G.  B.  Rainy 

89  Jacob  McMendors 

90  William  D.  Bull 

91  H.  F.  Rogers 

92  Charles  Venible 

93  Thos.  Bishop 

94  G.  B.  Redman 

95  John  E.  Bird 

96  Floyd  Shannon 

97  Ervin  Timberlick 

98  James  Pierce 

99  B.  C.  Vivion 

100  J.  C.  Hughes 

101  James  Saire 

102  Daniel  P.  Lewis 

103  Francis  Brown 

104  John  H.  McBride 

105  William  F.  Mahn 

106  Carrington  Harrison 

107  G.  F.  Warren 

108  C.  F.  Brede 

109  L.  J.  Eastin 

110  James  Davis 

111  Charles  Bennett 

112  Benjamin  Jennings 

113  Joe  T.  Moore 

114  John  Tumblin 

115  John  W.  Barber 

116  Christopher  Gisler 

117  C.  J.  Rager 

118  Aaron  Foster 

119  Abt.  Title 

120  B.  J.  Murphy 

121  Philip  Frederick 

122  Alexander  Russell 


542 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


123  Chestley  Brasfield 

124  G.  Donis 

125  James  Huson 

126  William  Tanner 

127  J.  E,  Edsall 

128  F.  A.  Hart 

129  M.  J.  Emmitt 

130  G.  Honwath 

131  A.  Gates 

132  Asa  Stewart 

133  George  A.  Morris 

134  L.  Shepherd 

135  J.  S.  Townsend 

136  T.  Hemden 

137  Ealph  Hast 

138  John  Vernemon 

139  Adam  Lenhart 

140  James  Frost 

141  G.  C.  Smith 

142  William  Baker 

143  Wm.  Lockim 

144  B.  T.  Luce 

145  Lewis  Johnson 

146  John  J.  Luce 

147  W.  S.  Blair 

148  James  H.  Headley 

149  W.  K.  Brien 

150  Wm.  Butler 

151  Amos  Eeese 

152  Jeremiah  Johnson 

153  Z.  M.  Offutt 

154  Geo.  Walker 

155  William  Wallace 

156  W.  W.  Eunnells 

157  E.  F.  Dunkin 

158  O.K.  Carter 

159  Henry  Howe 

160  J.  M.  Alexander 

161  Simon  Scruggs 

162  John  F.  Grant 

163  F.  B.  Mitchell 

164  James  McGarvin 

165  Samuel  Phillips 

166  John  J.  Moore 

167  James  Wallace 

168  Granville  Atkins 

169  Joel  Hiatt 

170  Finley  Furgurson 

171  Frederick  Emory 

172  James  Bruce 

173  Wm.  Bevin 

174  Lewis  Carter 

175  M.D.  Short 

176  Miles  Shannon 

177  G.  D.Todd 

178  Win.  Craigg 

179  F.  S.  Ottaberry 

180  Lewis  Walter^ 

181  J.  W.  Todd 

182  Weston  Pierce 

183  L.  W.  Holdred 

184  M.  H.  Comstock 

185  Marion  Todd 

186  Joseph  B.  Lockey 

187  F.  E.  Barre 

188  John  Olvis 


189  Aaron  Grovin 

190  Wm.  M.  Line 

191  G.H.  Folsom 

192  C.  Shendollar 

193  J.  K.  Miller 

194  James  S.  Taylor 

195  John  McCoron 

196  Joel  Moore 

197  Isaac  Vanvecton 

198  Elbert  0.  Waller 

199  G.  A.  Shields 

200  M.  C.  Park 

201  John  Alexander 

202  Joseph  Todd 

203  John  J.  Fulton 

204  Thos.  Stewart 

205  Thos.  E.  Short 

206  David  E.  Burton 

207  John  Currens 

208  Wm.  C.  Berry 

209  Wm.  Connan 

210  Wm.  Powers 

211  Henry  Delphkey 

212  Nehemiah  Sage 

213  A.  S.  Downey 

214  Samuel  F.  Few 

215  A.  H.  Scott 

216  Charles  Hendley 

217  Wm.  Baldwin 

218  Simpson  Park 

219  Jackson  Dearing 

220  Wm.  Eedman 

221  Wm.  McGee 

222  John  S.  Skinner 
•223  David  Dodge 

224  David  Brown 

225  John  S.  Nubold 

226  Leander  Ker 

227  H.  H.  Johnson 

228  Bailey  Marms 

229  John  Scott 

230  S.  B.  Pankake 

231  James  M.  Davis 

232  David  Brasfield 

233  Thomas  Eeed 

234  W.  W.  Corane 

235  Simon  Brown 

236  J.  Wescott 

237  J.  Mulendore 

238  James  Hickey 

239  Travis  Brown 

240  John  L.   Webster 

241  John  McNevin 

242  Hugh  McCorone 

243  Wm.  Brunsur 

244  Wesley  S.  Davidson 

245  J.  D.  Pennebacker 

246  Wm.  G.  Mathias 

247  Benj.  F.  Simmons 

248  John  J.  Kerr 

249  David  S.  Erwin 

250  James  Adams 

251  J.  E.  McMuller 

252  J.  E.  Grant 

253  Adam  Himbook 

254  Wm.  Eight 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


543 


255 
256 
257 
258 
259 
260 
261 
262 
263 
264 
265 
266 
267 
268 
269 
270 
271 
272 
273 
274 
275 
276 
277 
278 
279 
280 
281 
282 
283 
284 
285 
286 
287 
288 
289 
290 
291 
292 
294 
295 
296 
297 
298 
299 
300 
301 
302 
303 
304 
305 
306 
307 
308 
309 
310 
311 
312 
313 
314 
315 
316 
317 
318 
319 
320 
321 


Frank  Lumner 
Michael  Kelly 
David  Z.  Smith 
Peter  Keitzeker 
W.  Christonson 

B.  L.  Sellus 

K  E.  Saunders 
L.  P.  Styles 
F.  M.  Johnson 
Joshua  Eshum 
James  Pratt 
Thomas  F.  Hustin 

D.  L.  Cooper 
Thos.  E.  Miller 

C.  M.  Burgess 
Alexander  Baker 
Wm.  Hippel 

R.  S.  Watkins 
A.  Dean 
A.  W.  Hughes 
Wm.  Large 
H.  Carpenter 
Isaac  House 
Wm.  G.  Sharp 
Houstin  Long 
James  Rich 
A.  McCauley 
Wm.  By  waters 
T.  G.  Cockrier 
Oscar  By  waters 

E.  D.  Bishop 
Wm.  H.  Elliott 
John  Thomas 
Henry  W.  Sisby 
Richard  Thomas 
John  Vardiman 

A.  T.  Scott 
Henry  Embry 
M.  P.  Reiby 

D.  Snell 
James  Brooks 
Wm.  A.  McDowel 
Thomas  Smith 
Wm.  0.  Webster 
Samuel  Gilbert 
Dennis  O'Keef 

E.  T.  Better 
H.  C.  Watson 
Jos.  Simpson 
Robert  S.  Jones 
Joe  Hooper 
Thos.  Moore 
H.  D.  McMekin 
James  Sirrett 
W.  L.  Camell 
Geo.  W.  Sharp 
John  Tumberick 
John  Manning 
W.  T.  Berry 

P.  W.  Roberts 
John  Moore 
Richard  Kitchen 
J.  Sash 

B.  Willerspoon 
Wm.  Alexander 
John  Harden 


322  Wm.  Guess 

323  Madison  West 

324  Sanford  Fenney 

325  Alfred  Williams 

326  A.  T.  Pattie 

327  Samuel  H.  Burgess 

328  R.  E.  Stallard 

329  David  Scott 

330  Patrick  Kafinall 

331  Robert  Garvey 

332  Porter  Fleming 

333  Moses  Foss 

334  John  Stouffer 

335  R.  Loan 

336  R.  Covington 

337  Albert  Burgess 

338  John  Davidson 

339  Francis  Sutton 

340  Peck  A.  Chaplte 

341  Joel  Lediken 

342  James  Tate 

343  Edwin  Ross 

344  John  Wilson 

345  James  Henderson 

346  Hood  Craven 

347  Thos.  McGruder 

348  Wm.  Camron 

349  Wm.  Toltston 

350  James  Quinn 

351  J.  P.  Dunham 

352  C.  C.  Harrison 

353  A.  G.  Street 

354  Thomas  Scott 

355  Peter  Yeaney 

356  Ed.  P.  Duncan 

357  Joseph  Dawson 

358  F.  A.  Roberts 

359  James  Thompson 

360  Hugh  Swaney 

361  Perry  Collins 

362  Frederick  Webber 

363  C.  H.  Allen 

364  Joel  Lamb 

365  Thomas  Stearnes 

366  David  Bevins  ^ 

367  Wm.  Groom  ^ 

368  Henry  C.  Briskey 

369  Ezekiel  Downing 

370  Thompson  Mullins 

371  John  C.  Downing 

372  Carvin  Norvillej 

373  James  Bureaut 

374  C.  L.  Burge 

375  Martin  A.  Rorix 

376  Milton  Stanley 

377  Thomas  Hickman 

378  Isaac  Hoover 

379  Thomas  Gamble 

380  Wm.  Cassell 

381  W.  W.  Williams 

382  Charles  Starnes 

383  Wm.  Zebriska 

384  K.  C.  Earl 

385  Nathaniel  Henderson 

386  T.  S.  Lake 

387  H.  C.  Bishop 


544 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


388  Wm.  Sharp 

389  George  Graham 

390  Josa  Humphries 

391  John  Bray 

392  C.  Neff 

393  E.  Inshan 

394  Frank  Walker 

395  James  McGoun 

396  JohnBoyd 

397  Orgis  Kessler 

398  Joseph  Greenwell 

399  Wm.  White 

400  James  Patton 

401  James  Nevin 

402  Daniel  Heath 

403  Reason  Wilcocks 

404  Samuel  Paine 

405  Henry  Smith 

406  George  Williams 

407  L.  F.  Mills 

408  L.  H.  Dolison 

409  James  Finley 

410  R.  S.  Martin 

411  James  Weaver 

412  John  Borhes 

413  Wm.  Gist 

414  Jos.  Thompson 

415  J.  W.  Wheeler 

416  Larance  Barrester 

417  William  Hawkins 

418  Ed.  Mellain 

419  John  Rickner 

420  Wm.  J.  Norris 

421  Washington  Hays 

422  Ed.  0.  Reiley^ 

423  Joseph  Pennock 

424  J.  W.  H.  Goldin 

425  Thomas  O'Reiley 

426  Paul  Dowland 

427  Win.  H.  Long 

428  Beverly  Bick 

429  Alexander  Reed 

430  John  Stone 

431  Henry  Dill 

432  Berry  Harrison 

433  John  Smith 

434  Solomon  Buxton 

435  A.  C.  Martin 

436  Isaac  Beeler 

437  Wm.  Clark 

438  Peter  Black 

439  C.  W.  Hauberroy 

440  Hugh  Archer 

441  T.  J.  Harper 

442  J.  P.  Russell 

443  Nathan  Campbell 

444  J.  V.  Chance 

445  W.  S.  Rider 

446  Geo.  Cubage 

447  C.  Scider 

448  Wm.  Corinth 

449  John  Critchfield 

450  John  F.  Wilcockg 

451  N.  D.  Brooks 

452  James  Dorall 

453  James  Lamb 


454  James  McMekan 

455  John  M.  Damall 

456  Morgan  Wright 

457  W.  M.  Tenable 

458  J.  Dunham 

459  N.  B.  Sharp 

460  B.  Jerry 

Isaac  Williamson 

461  D.  B.  Cradock 

462  G.  E.  Bishop 

463  James  Maur 

464  James  Beding 

465  David  Creek 

466  A.  S.  Parker 

467  R.  S.  Merchant 

468  Robt.  Todd 

469  Lewis  J.  Moore 

470  L.  B.  Simmons 

471  John  Reed 

472  Robt.  M.  Shearer 

473  Samuel  Hall 

474  William  Caugher 

475  E.  C.  Nailor 

476  James  McDaniel 

477  John  C.  Gist 

478  James  Higgins 

479  W.  Lane 

480  J.  M.  Hickson 

481  Thomas  Faulkner 

482  Robt.  Offut 

483  Jonathan  Kelley 

484  W.  J.  Green 

485  Siras  Austin 

486  E.  M.  Koffee 

487  B.  Collon 

488  Charles  Bee 

489  Thos.  Morgan 

490  Reuben  Leeton 

491  J.  J.  Hope 

492  Samuel  M.  Lyon 

493  Wm.  Morgan 

494  A.  J.  Bishop 

495  Benj.  Tolson 

496  Albro  Pemberton 

497  Thomas  Flanery 

498  Isaiah  Umphreys 

500  C.  J.  Wilkinson 

501  Isaac  Baker 

502  JohnBurris 

503  J.  W.  Comstock 

504  JohnBoyd 

505  Thos.  Gregg 

506  W.  A.  Lash 

507  F.  M.  Lowe 

508  D.  H.  Glover 

509  Tibbs  Parker 

510  Wm.  Phillepron 

511  A.  W.  McDonnell 

512  Chas.  McDonnell 

513  H.  M.  Hook 

514  J.  E.  Gould 

515  Isaac  Henderson 

516  Christian  Beck 

517  Joseph  Thomas 

518  W.  Falkner 

519  Solomon  Bishop 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


545 


520  A.  C.  Quinn 

521  G.  W.  Hollis 

522  Suris  Veix 

523  Jacob  Reden 

524  Joseph  Wial 

525  Martin  Sutler 

526  Davis  Pe  Be  Thorum 

527  H.  Kendall 

528  John  Leach 

529  James  Renfro 

530  George  Shuer 

531  W.  T.  Barbe 

532  E.  C.  Cockrill 

533  H.  C.  Bradley 

534  Wm.  W.  Walker 

535  George  Russell 

536  Adam  Deitz 

537  P.  W.  Cowell 

538  Theo.  Gash 

539  J.  W.  Ford 

540  Thomas  Johnson 

541  Isaac  Russell 

542  Cooper  Stuck 

543  J.  Richardson 

544  E.  C.  Boye 

545  James  F.  Wardea 

546  John  B.  Moore 

547  John  Hanekan 

548  Levin  N.  Lewis 

549  James  G.  Heck 

550  W.  S.  Vower 

551  Griggby  B.  Metzkar 

552  U.  T.  Shipp 

553  John  A.  Sawyer 

554  A.  T.  Homer 

555  W.  H.  Fulkison 

556  Robt.  Downs 

557  Frank  Sterling 

558  P.  A.  Mourer 

559  Wm.  George 

560  Alexander  Mann 

561  John  Clint 

562  Marion  Henderson 

563  A.  G.  Reed 

564  Samuel  Brown 

565  J.  C.  R.  Howell 

566  May  Berton 

567  William  Beeving 

568  Augustus  Storm 

569  John  Fuss 

570  Samuel  Griffith 

571  Wm.  McGluffin 

572  Patrick  Woods 

573  C.  G.  Hicock 

574  Andrew  Edington 

575  Charles  Dixon 

576  Augustus  Nicholas 

577  S.  R.  Offert 

578  John  Hornan 

579  J.  B.  Penrick 

580  James  P.  Salsberry 

581  J.  C..Stallard 

582  H.  S.  Pennock 

583  John  Wien 

584  Levi  Mitchell 

585  T.  J.  Abshire 


H.  Kep.  200 35* 


586  Samuel  France 

587  Thomas  Irvin 

588  Nicholas  Lockeman 

589  John  Beasley 

590  R.  E.  Dugan 

591  H.  C.  Gardner 

592  Harrison  Collins 

593  Daniel  Wilson 

594  James  Fergurson. 

595  John  J.  Bentz 

596  Charles  Johnson 

597  Frank  Robinson 

598  E.  S.  Berthond 

599  Robert  Manegfee 

600  John  Maloney 

601  Wm.  P.  Shockery 

602  George  Burbaker 

603  John  Johnson 

604  R.  G.  Baber 

605  N,  S.  Prentiss 

606  J.  H.  Day 

607  Wm.  Beckum 

608  Daniel  Comstock 

609  William  Pennock 

610  John  A.  Lindsay 

611  R.  R,  Rees 

612  C.  H.  Pennock 

613  John  Farry 

614  George  B.  White 

615  William  Englishman 

616  Mason  Hoard 

617  M.  C.  Early 

618  R.  H.  Pheland 

619  B.  F.  Barnard 

620  Samuel  Dawson 

621  James  Davidson 

622  Lewis  Sheller 

623  F.  Englisman 

624  L.  M.  Burchenow 

625  J.  Quinn 

626  J.  F.  Wiat 

627  R.  B.  Roberts 

628  Daniel  C.  Ames 

629  Wm.  Berchnell 

630  H.  B.  Herndall 

631  W.  H.  Clark 

632  James  Kirkpatrick 

633  John  Reefer 

634  Henry  Blickner 

635  Riley  Blevins 

636  F.  M.  Bell 

637  James  Cooper 

638  Thomas  Bay 

639  George  M.  Myers 

640  George  W.  Luzetta 

641  B.  M.  Crust 

642  John  Lawson 

643  L.  P.  Pathy 

644  David  Henderson 

645  Dennis  0' Sullivan 

646  J.  N.  Bradley 

647  H.  Reves  Polland 

648  Joel  Pennington 

649  M.  H.  Walker 

650  John  Dailey 

651  Joseph  Goodin 


546 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


652  Lewis  N.  Rees 

653  James  Thomas 

654  Jacob  Haynes 

655  Wm.  Fracker 

656  Wm.  Saunders 

657  Thomas  Ruble 

658  W.  H.  Goodwin 

659  H.  C.  Fields 

660  George  Scott 

661  J.  Hampton 

662  Benjamin  Morton 

663  Morgan  Kay 

664  Wm.  Wilkinson 

665  L.  E.  Angle 

666  James  P.  Downey 

667  Henry  Brown 

668  John  M.  Lockney 

669  Miles  B.  Locknaney 

670  E.  W.  Trowbridge 

671  J.  P.  Errickson 

672  R.  James  H.  Brown 

673  M.  B.  Tompkins 

674  George  Stevenson 

675  Feeling  Bevins 

676  W.  T.  Nicholson 

677  J.  Critchfield 

678  E.  M.  Lyon 

679  T.  W.  Davis 

680  George  Cresman 

681  J.  W.  Renick 

682  George  Lenard 
'683  J.  L.  McAlee 


684  W.  H.  Bell 

685  Henry  Kitchen 

686  John  Allen 

687  A.  Payne 

688  W.  G.  Smith 

689  Jeremiah  Rice 

690  W.  Phillips 

691  W.  F.  Dodd 

692  J.  Phillips 

693  L.  B.  Snow 

694  Frederick  Sprigg 

695  R.  Shadd 

696  J.  Kruer 

697  J.  H.  Stovall 

698  H.  Rich 

699  D.  W.  Scott 

700  James  Rickens 

701  J.  M.  Lyle 

702  M.  France 

703  A.  Fisher 

704  J.  G.  Rieson 

705  D.  S.  Boyle 

706  James  Pitts 

707  Joseph  Pitts 

708  Pete  Burns 

709  F.  Seybolt 

710  H.  Godsin 

711  S.  Walden 

712  E.  M.  Rankin 

713  Adam  Kuier 

714  W.  R.  Butter 

715  G.  H.  Underwood. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  547 


ELECTION  OF  OCTOBER  1,  1855. 


EGBERT  MORROW  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  reside  in  this  district.  I  was  in  Kansas  City  on  the  1st  of  October 
last,  and  started  with  a  load  of  goods.  I  was  at  Westport  probably 
about  9  o'clock  in  the  morning,  where  I  saw  a  good  many  persons 
corning  this  way  and  getting  ready  to  come.  I  was  passed,  I  should 
fchink,  by  forty  or  fifty  people  within  the  next  six  or  eight  miles.  As 
far  as  I  could  see,  these  people  who  passed  me  all  stopped  at  a  place 
called  Gum  Springs,  or  the  Council  House,  a  place  from  six  to  eight 
miles  from  Westport.  I  was  probably  a  couple  of  hours  driving  from 
Westport  to  that  place.  After  passing  by  Gum  Springs,  coming  this 
way,  I  do  not  think  anybody  passed  me  during  the  day.  There  was 
i  crowd  of  about  one  hundred,  I  should  think,  about  11  o'clock,  around 
the  place  where  they  were  voting  at  Gum  Springs,  and  as  many  horses 
hitched  to  the  fence.  I  did  not  know  any  of  these  persons.  They 
travelled  principally  in  buggies  and  on  horses  and  mules.  When 
they  were  on  horses  they  generally  travelled  three  or  four  in  com- 
pany. This  place  of  election  was  on  the  Shawnee  reserve,  but  I  do 
aot  know  in  what  county.  Upon  looking  at  the  map  I  find  that  it 
ivas  in  Johnson  county. 

By  Mr.  Woodson: 

Westport  is  some  two  or  three  miles  from  the  Kansas  line,  but  I  do 
aot  know  particularly  how  far.  The  people  of  the  Territory  about 
3ruin  Springs,  I  should  think,  did  their  trading  at  Westport  or  Kansas 
pity.  I  have  been  at  Westport  but  two  or  three  times. 

By  Mr.  Reeder: 

I  do  not  know  of  any  white  people  about  Gum  Springs.  The  popu- 
.ation  is  principally  Shawnee  Indians.  I  have  understood  that  white 
men  are  not  allowed  to  settle  there. 

By  Mr.  Woodson : 

All  the  white  settlers  that  I  know  of  are  about  the  Mission  houses. 

ROBERT  MORROW. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


ANDREW  WHITE  recalled. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  was  at  the  election  at  Willow  Springs  on  the  first  of  last  October. 
.  saw  the  voting  going  on  there.  I  am  not  so  well  acquainted  with 
•hat  district  as  I  am  with  my  own.  I  do  not  think  there  was  much 


548  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


voting  by  the  citizens.  Many  of  the  citizens  who  were  pro-slaver 
men  would  not  vote,  as  they  did  not  like  the  arrangements.  BiJ 
those  who  came  from  Missouri  paid  their  dollar  and  voted  pretty  freely 
Some  of  them  told  me  they  were  from  Missouri,  that  they  lived  ther- 
then.  They  came  up  in  companies  of  three,  four,  five,  and  perhapj 
a  dozen  together.  I  would  walk  away  to  them  and  inquire  what  pan 
of  .Missouri  they  lived  in,  and  they  would  tell  me.  While  I  wa 
there  I  think  there  were  at  least  fifty  who  lived  in  Missouri  who  votedi 
I  came  away  in  the  evening  before  the  voting  was  done. 

By  Mr.  Woodson: 

My  information  was  from  these  men  in  conversation,  hut  I  did  no 
see  an}''  there  I  knew.  Most  every  company  that  came  up  I  Avould  IE; 
quire  of  two  or  three,  and  they  would  tell  me  they  were  from  Missouri 

his 

ANDREW   x  WHITE. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856, 


THOMAS  WOLVERTON  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  llth  of  April,  1855,  from  Ohio.     I  settle'! 
in  the  second  district,  near  Bloomington.     I  was  from  Preble  count}  j 
Ohio.     I  was  at  the  election  at  Willow  Springs  on  the  1st  of  Octobd 
last,  and  I  saw  persons  voting  there ;  I  saw  men  voting  there  that  to!4 
me  themselves  they  came  from  Missouri.     I  mixed  up  with  them  ani 
asked  them  where  they  lived ;  they  came  there  generally  on  hors( 
back;  there  were  two  or  three  wagons.     I  conversed  with  some  < 
them;  I  was  a  stranger  there  myself,  and  no  person  knew  me,    I  w£ 
presented  with  a  ticket  soon  after  I  got  there ;  I  told  them  it  was  ai 
right;  I  doubled  it  up  in  my  hand  and  kept  it  for  a  free  pass;  : 
served  me   as  such,     I   saw  persons   coming  up,   and   asked   then 
where  they  were  from.     Some  told  me  they  were  from  Missouri,  am 
some  told  me  it  was  none  of  my  business.     I  stayed  until  afternoon 
until  2  o'clock,  and  they  were  getting  rather  drunk  and  could  notstaai 
longer  peaceably.    One  gentleman  told  me  he  came  from  Missouri,  am 
camped   at  Bull  creek ;  that  he  came  very  near  freezing  and  swoc 
that  it  was  the  last  time  he  was  going  to  come.     Several  others  toll 
me  they  were  from  Missouri.     The  one  who  told  me  he  camped  o 
Bull  creek,  I  believe,  did  not  tell  me  how  many  there  were  with  him 
he  did  not  say  who  camped  there,  nor  how  many.     He  said  that  the 
had  come  to  vote;  that  he  had  come  to  vote  on  the  30th  March,  am 
that  this  was  his  second  trip.     I  cannot  tell  whether  the  men  wh 
gave  the  number  of  the  party  were  of  it  or  not.    One  of  them  told  m 
he  lived  in  Missouri;  the  other  did  not  tell  me  where  he  lived.    I  sa* 
the  first  one  just  after  he  got  off  his  horse,  in  a  store.     He  said  h 
came  to  vote  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State  and  to  elect  Mr.  Whitfield! 
He  said  there  were  forty  in  the  party. 

I 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  549 

,      By  Mr.  Woodson  : 

I  was  a  stranger  in  the  district ;  I  saw  the  voting,  but  no  obstruc- 
tions to  the  voting.  Gen.  Whitfield  was  a  candidate ;  the  only  one 
on  that  day  that  I  know  of. 

THOMAS  WOLVERTON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


G-AIUS  JENKINS  recalled. 
Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  left  Kansas  city  on  the  morning  of  the  day  of  the  election  last 
fall,  and  started  to  come  up  to  this  place  past  Gum  Springs.  The 
election  was  held  under  the  authority  of  the  legislature  for  congress- 
ional delegate.  Before  leaving  Kansas  city  I  was  asked  by  Mr.  Milton 
McGee  to  go  over  to  Wyandott  and  vote  ;  I  said  I  had  no  right  to 
vote  as  I  was  then  a  resident  of  Kansas  city.  I  met  very  many  be- 
tween Kansas  city  and  Westport  shouting  hurrah  for  Whitfield,  and 
going  towards  Kansas  city.  After  leaving  Westport  and  coming  this 
way,  (it  was  then  afternoon  I  should  think,)  I  met  some  150  between 
there  and  Shawnee  meeting  house,  returning  from  the  polls  at  the 
meeting  house.  Some  were  just  coming  from  the  polls.  I  do  not 
recollect  any  of  their  names.  At  the  time  I  recognized  some  as  citi- 
zens of  Jackson  county,  Missouri;  chiefly  citizens  of  that  county. 
After  that  I  met  no  more  after  leaving  Shawnee  meeting  house.  The 
polls  for  Johnson  county  were  held  at  Gum  Spring  or  Shawnee  meet- 
house,  as  it  was  called.  Milton  McGee  lived  about  a  mile  from  Kansas 
city^  on  the  Westport  road.  Towards  Kansas  city  was  the  usual  route 
'from  Westport  to  Wyandott. 

By  Mr.  Woodson : 

I  do  not  now  recollect  the  names  of  any  one  I  met  there.  I  was  not 
present  at  the  election,  and  saw  no  one  vote.  I  do  not  know  of  any 
one  in  Kansas  city  to  go  into  the  Territory  to  vote  for  Governor 
: Reeder.  I  did  not  vote  for  Governor  Reeder. 

GAIUS  JENKINS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  28,  1856. 


LEWIS  M.  Cox  called  and  sworn. 
Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  first  came  to  the  Territory  in  1849.  I  have  lived  in  different 
parts  of  the  Territory.  I  came  into  this  district  last  October.  I  re- 
moved from  the  Pottawatomie  country,  where  I  had  been  living,  to 
Parkville,  Missouri,  and  removed  from  there  to  this  place.  I  came 
into  the  Territory  in  1849,  from  Ohio.  I  left  Kansas  City  a  day  or 
two  previous  to  the  last  October  election,  on  my  way  to  the  Pottawat- 


550  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

omie  payment.  I  came  up  through  Franklin  and  this  place  on 
day  of  the  election.  I  saw  a  crowd  both  at  Franklin  and  this  pi 
at  the  polls,  as  I  passed  through  the  places.  There  were  five  of 
who  came  up  ;  we  were  all  going  to  the  Pottawatomie  payment. 
Some  persons  passed  us  on  the  road  whom  I  saw  in  Franklin,  and  re- 
turning. I  should  suppose  there  were  as  many  as  a  dozen  passed  us  on 
the  road  as  we  were  coming  up.  We  stopped  and  fed  our  mules  on 
the  Wakarusa,  and,  while  we  were  there,  there  was  one  wagon  and 
five  or  six  men  on  horseback  came  up  to  the  Wakarusa  and  stopped 
and  fed  within  twenty  yards  of  where  we  were.  We  came  in  through 
Franklin.  I  do  not  recollect  any  one,  that  I  could  name,  any  one  I 
saw  in  Franklin,  that  had  passed  us  on  the  way.  I  know  some  two 
or  three  that  passed  us.  There  was  a  Mr.  Simpson,  who  lived  in 
Westport.  I  do  not  know  as  I  could  name  any  one  else  there.  There 
were  two  or  three  whom  I  had  frequently  seen  in  Westport.  The 
party  at  the  Wakarusa  were  those  that  passed  us  coming  up. 
There  was  not  a  word  spoken  between  us  in  regard  to  the  election. 
We  made  a  halt  of  about  five  minutes  in  Franklin.  I  merely  stopped 
and  spoke  to  a  friend  of  mine  there.  I  came  right  on  to  this  place, 
and  stopped  here  a  half  an  hour  or  perhaps  longer.  We  passed 
other  polls  that  day. 

L.  M.  COX. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


L.  A.  PRATHER  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Keeder  : 

I  got  to  the  town  of  Franklin,  near  where  I  now  live,  in  July,' 
1855.     I  came  there  from  Missouri,  but  am  a  Virginian  by  birth. 

I  was  below  Independence,  Missouri,  in  September  last,  and  a  short* 
distance  below  there.     There  was  a  body  of  men  overtook  me,  of 
whom  I  asked,  where  they  were  going,  and  their  object.     Different  • 
persons  of  them  told  me  they  were  going  to  Kansas  to  vote,  and  that 
they  were  from  Saline  county,  Missouri.     I  passed  them  at  Independ- 
ence, and  when  they  overtook  me  at  Westport,  I  found  that  their 
number  had  considerably  increased.     We  came  on  together,  and  I  i 
camped  with  them  one  night.     I  know  that  a  portion  at  least  voted, 
from  the  fact  that  I  stood  as  near  the  polls  in  Franklin  as  I  could,  i 
and  saw  and  heard  them  vote.     I  saw  some  of  them  afterwards  in  > 
Missouri,  and  know  that  they  were  the  same  men,  and  they  told  me 
they  lived  in  Missouri ;  one  of  them  in  Independence.     Before  we  got 
to  Westport,  or  when  I  first  got  there,  I  saw  a  hemp  stalk  sticking 
up  in  the  rear  end  of  one  of  the  wagons,  and  I  asked  them  what  it 
meant,  and  they  said  it  was  to  hang  the  abolitionists  with.     I  also 
saw  a  hemp  rope  hanging  to  the  side  of  one  of  the  wagons  on  a  forked 
stick  standing  up.     On  a  short  conversation  with  a  gentleman,  who 
told  me  his  name  was  Kobert  Grant,  and  whom  I  heard  called  "  Bob," 
generally,  when  he  discovered,,  from  my  conversation,  that  I  was  so 
much  opposed  to  their  coming  here  to  vote,  he  told  me  I  would  be  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  551 

irst  person  rewarded  with  that  rope  ;  that  I  would  be  hung  up  if  I 
lid  not  look  sharp.  That  was  about  a  half  a  mile  below  Independ- 
ence. They  claimed  the  right  to  vote,  and  that  was  claimed  gener- 
illy,  and  I  was  obliged  to  concede  it  to  them,  under  a  law  of  what  we 
sailed  the  Shawnee  Mission  legislature,  of  being  allowed  to  vote  by  pay- 
ng  a  dollar  a  head.  I  put  the  question  distinctly  to  different  persons 
)f  that  party :  Do  you  claim  to  vote  as  residents  of  the  Territory? 
ind  they  said,  no.  We  claim  a  right  to  vote  under  that  law. 

There  were  about  sixty  of  them,  they  said.  I  could  not  make  any 
Better  estimate  of  their  number  than  they  gave  me.  I  supposed  there 
^ere  about  sixty  of  them. 

1  One  of  them,  when  I  was  expostulating  with  them  about  their 
Doting  here,  used  these  words,  "  We  have  a  claim  in  the  Territory/' 
3ne  of  them  remarked,  "  Jim,  what  is  the  use  of  telling  that  damned 
ie  ;  we  are  doing  just  as  we  did  the  30th  of  March,  at  the  last  elec- 
ion." 

In  conversation  with  them  in  reference  to  their  threats  or  violence 
against  Lawrence,  they  said  it  was  their  determination  to  whip  the 
nen,  tear  down  the  damned  town,  and  slide  it  into  the  river.  They 
isked  me  at  different  times  why  it  was  that  the  abolition  party,  as 
hey  termed  it,  was  not  going  to  vote  on  the  1st  of  October.  I  stated 
hat  my  understanding  of  the  thing  was,  that  we  heard  there  was  to 
)e  an  invasion  from  Missouri,  in  which  the  free  State  party  was  to  be 
Iriven  from  the  polls,  and  it  was  done  to  avoid  a  fight.  That  was 
>ne  reason.  Another  reason  was,  that  they  were  opposed  to  the  law 
mder  which  the  election  was  held.  The  question  was  asked  me  what 
ve  expected  to  gain.  I  answered  that  I  thought  the  free  State  party 
sxpected  to  elect,  on  the  9th,  Governor  Keeder  delegate  to  Congress. 
Che  same  Kobert  Grant,  and  two  others,  said,  "God  damn  Governor 
feeder  ;  he  will  not  be  alive  that  day."  Robert  Grant  stated  that  he 
FoulJ.  shoot  him  whenever  he  could  be  pointed  out  to  him.  When  I 
tsked  him  if  he  would  not  feel  bad  in  killing  other  men,  in  killing 
Tovernor  Reeder,  he  said,  "No  ;  that  the  more  abolitionists  he  could 
fill  at  a  fire  the  better."  The  party  in  general  also  expressed  a  great 
.eal  of  vindictiveness  against  Colonel  Lane,  and  threatened  his  life 
Jso.  They  asked  me  if  I  was  going  to  vote  on  the  first  of  the  month  ; 
,nd  when  I  answered  them  "No,  "  they  told  me  I  was  worse  than  any 
f  the  abolitionists,  for  I  was  a  damned  southern  traitor.  There  was 
;.  great  deal  more  violent  language  of  the  same  tenor.  They  threat- 
lied  me  toleiably  well  until  I  told  them  I  was  going  to  vote  for  neither 
reneral  Whitfield  or  Governor  Reeder,  as  I  was  opposed  to  them 
•oth. 

On  Monday,  when  the  polls  were  opened,  by  some  means,  I  was 
ailed  upon  by  a  body  of  people  to  act  as  judge  of  election.  I  refused 
3  serve,  in  consequence  of  my  opposition  to  the  law,  and  of  these  men 
:om  Missouri  being  there  to  vote.  The  Missouri  men  threatened  me 
ome,  but  the  residents  of  the  Territory  more,  for  refusing  to  serve, 
nd  treated  me  pretty  roughly,  Mr.  Whitlock  particularly.  That  was 
he^same  Mr.  Whitlock,  I  had  understood,  had  been  a  member  of  the 
Bgislature.  He  did  not  use  any  very  violent  gestures,  but  he  was 
-ery  angry. 


552  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

When  the  election  was  going  on,  I  placed  myself  in  as  convenu 
a  place  as  I  could,  though  I  had  to  move  frequently  during  the 
and,  with  a  pencil,  tried  to  mark  down,  as  near  as  I  could,  the  numl 
of  votes  polled,  both  by  the  Missourians  and  the  people  of  the  Tei 
tory.  According  to  the  estimate  I  made,  which  was  only  an  appn 
mation,  I  made  sixty-three  foreign  voters,  and,  if  my  memory  sei 
me  right,  from  twelve  to  fifteen  that  I  knew  to  be  resident  voters. 
would  know  the  names  of  very  few  non-resident  voters. 

Some  of  those  who  came  up  with  me  did  not  go  to  Franklin, 
who  passed  me  on  the  road,  who  told  me  he  was  Mr.  Stonestreet,  frc 
below  Independence,  said  he  was  going  to  Lecompton  to  vote. 

The  election,  so  far  as  order  was  concerned,  was  as  orderly  as  el< 
tions  generally  are.    I  saw  no  disorder  there  until  after  the  polls 
closed. 

By  Mr.  Woodson  : 

General  Whitfield  was  the  only  candidate  I  heard  of  on  that  da,} 
Governor  Reeder  was  not  mentioned  as  a  candidate  there.  I  und< 
stood  Governor  Reeder  to  be  a  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress, 
to  be  voted  for  on  the  9th  of  the  same  month. 

By  Mr.  Sherman: 

The  voting  was  intended  to  be  viva  voce,  though  the  name  wai 
written  on  the  ticket  for  the  purpose  of  jogging  the  memory  only,  a 
we  had  it  in  Missouri. 

By  Mr.  Reeder : 

Robert  Grant  told  me  he  lived  in  Saline  county,  Missouri. 

L.  A.  PRATHER. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  1,  1856. 


JOHN  W.  STEPHENS  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  18th  day  of  May,  1855,  from  Ohio, 
and  settled  in  Kickapoo  City.  I  was  present  at  the  election  on  the  1st 
day  of  October,  1855,  and  voted  there.  About  eight  or  nine  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  a  party  of  about  twenty-five  men,  from  Platte  county,; 
with  the  most  of  whom  I  was  acquainted,  came  across  the  ferry,  and 
went  to  the  polls  and  voted.  They  were  under  the  lead  of  General 
Benjamin  F.  Stringfellow  and  Colonel  Lewis  Burns.  After  spending! 
some  time  on  the  streets,  they  went  to  the  polls  and  voted.  Other 
persons  from  Platte  county  came  over  during  the  day  and  voted.i 
There  was  cosiderable  tumult  during  the  day,  and  some  talk  about 
not  allowing  any  one  to  vote  who  would  not  vote  for  General  Whit- 
field.  I  was  not  allowed  to  vote  during  the  fore  part  of  the  day. 
Considerable  difficulty  was  caused  by  a  gentleman  named  Lawrence 
from  Massachusetts  attempting  to  vote.  He  was  a  free  State  man, 
and  it  was  not  till  after  some  time  his  vote  was  received.  I  think  he 
was  allowed  to  vote,  but  I  am  not  certain.  At  the  time  he  came  up 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


553 


t  vote,  James  P.  Blake,  a  very  prominent  pro-slavery  man   in  the 

jace,  asked  him  whom  he  was  going  to  vote  for.     He  said  he  would 
[pt  tell  them,  as  it  was  his  right  and  privilege  to  vote  for  whom  he 

}eased.     Some  difficulty  arose,  but  was  prevented  from  resulting  se- 
nously  hy  some  others  who  were  present.     There  were  threats  made 

^at  we  should  not  be  allowed  to  vote  for  Governor  Reeder,  as  no 
•amned  abolitionist  should  be  allowed  in  town. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  legal  voters  of  the  district  I 
tfcd  upon  the  poll  list: 

John  Freeland 
S  F  Rhea 
Curtis  Huffman 

„  -,  ^  _....-„,  Thomas  Degarmon 

A  G  Boyd  John  G  Williams 

Wi'iiJom  TT^Vkc.  g  ~\ff  Tannell 


Joseph  M  Hall 
Charles  B  Norris 
Washington  T  Woods 
H  P  0  Harris 
A  G  Boyd 
William  Hobbs 
A  M  Price 
Charles  Sexton 
James  Beagh 
William  Braham 
William  G  Sharp 
E  M  McCowers 
James  T  Musgrave 
Simon  Hackett, 
H  A  Dawson 
George  W  Thompson 
MMNagle 
Stephen  Sale 
Samuel  Ripley 
Marine  Robertson 
Isaac  House 
William  H  Cook 
Warren  Calvert 
John  H  Lewis 
George  W  Plays 
Allen  B  Hazzard 
J  Stephens 
Lewis  Calvert 
John  H  Freeland 
J  B  Newman 


DAN  Grover 
C  B  Hodges 
C  H  Grover 
Jonah  Widdle 
James  P  Blake 
A  J  Snider 
John  M  Lochman 
Peter  Montgomery 
Benjamin  F  Freeland 
D  F  Basket 
B  K  Jacobs 
H  N  Harley 
E  S  Wilkits 
M  P  Beny 

Robert  W  Thompson 
William  P  Merchant 
Willy  Williams 
John  P  Thompson 
John  M  Daniel 
Meiggs  Hunt 
John  W  Stephens 
James  Basket 
John  H  Taylor 


The  following  are  the  names  of  those  I  knew  to  have  been  residents 
f  Missouri  at  that  time: 


Jesse  Conrad 
Thomas  McLean 
William  Layman 
William  Morpin 
Alexander  Ralston 
H  C  Branch 
S  R  Harfut 
P  Buchanan 


Lewis  Burns 
James  A  Anderson 
Giles  Anderson 
Harry  Coleman 
Christ.  Kance 
James  M  Calvert 
William  R  Guthrie 


554 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


There  are  others  here  that  came  over  with  the  Missourians 
voted  that  are  not  residents  of  the  district,  and  are  as  follows : 


J  A  C  Wehh 

John  T  Elkins 

M  A  Owen 

W  B  Wilson 

P  Glynn 

Samuel  M  Barrowman 

Samuel  Hays 

J  R  Duncan 

A  Boulhy 

James  G  Douglass 


Charles  Whitecarver 
Aldrich  Carver 
E  C  Stuttward 
J  C  Richardson 
Joseph  Brooks 
Phineas  Skinner 
Samuel  Doyle 
Sandford  Leach 
John  GrrofT 
Thomas  Douglass 


The  rejst  of  the  names  I  know  nothing  about,  or  cannot  rernembtj 
about  them.     I  took  a  memorandum  on  the  day  of  the  election  of 
these  matters.     Mr.   Skinner,  mentioned  here,  lives  on  Platte  rivd 
and  has  a  large  mill  there.     He  has  never  been  in  the  Territory  sini 
that  election. 

By  Mr.  Whitfield: 

I  am  now  living  at  Indianola,  but  shall  consider  my  residence  as  * 
Kickapoo  as  soon  as  I  dare  go  back  again.  I  was  forced  to  lea* 
Kickapoo  because  I  dared  to  be  a  free  State  man.  I  came  to  Leavei| 
worth  city  from  Kickapoo.  I  have  been  to  Port  William  but  onc« 
and  that  was  when  I  took  some  papers  for  the  free  State  election 
members  of  the  legislature.  I  was  living  in  a  house  in  Kickapoo. 
was  broken  open  while  I  was  from  the  city.  I  am  certain  no  chargtj 
were  made  concerning  matters  found  in  my  house.  I  profess  to  knoi 
a  large  majority  of  the  men  in  the  Kickapoo  district.  I  state,  on  mi 
oath,  that  Lewis  Burns  was  not  living  in  the  district  at  the  time  t 
that  election,  but  was  living  at  Weston,  Missouri.  He  had  come  ovfl 
into  the  Territory  and  made  a  claim  in  Salt  Creek  valley.  His  famil 
was  not  brought  over  here  at  the  time  of  the  election,  though  the 
have  resided  for  a  week  at  a  time  on  his  claim  since  then.  To  mi 
knowledge  Lewis  Burns  had  not  lived  in  the  district  before  the  ele$ 
tion.  I  have  lived  at  Kickapoo  since  last  June,  until  some  time  i] 
January.  Colonel  Burns'  claim  is  three  miles  from  Kickapoo,  and  il 
he  had  been  living  on  it  I  should  have  known  it.  The  candidate* 
( voted  for  on  that  day  were  John  W.  Whitfield  and  Andrew  H.  Reedew 
One  man  voted  for  Mr.  Reeder.  I  did  not  see  any  man  except  M»l 
Lawrence  prevented  from  voting.  I  cannot  tell  whether  Mr.  Reedet 
was  a  candidate  on  that  day.  I  know  he  would  have  been  the  choiol 
of  that  district  if  they  had  been  allowed  to  vote  without  intimidation* 
I  will  swear,  before  God  Almighty  himself,  that  a  majority  of  tha- 
district  are  free  State  men. 

By  Mr.  Reeder : 

Previous  to  the  election  held  by  the  free  State  executive  committee 
on  the  15th  of  January,  1856,  I  was  requested  by  them  to  take  witfc 
me  blanks  of  the  election  returns  and  poll  books  for  the  different  pre-f 
cincts  in  that  district.  I  did  so,  and  delivered  them  safely  to  some  o 
the  precincts.  I  came  into  Kickapoo  on  the  Wednesday  previous  t( 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  555 

ife  election.  After  I  had  been  in  town  some  hour  and  a  haif,  Messrs. 
6  W.  Tunnell  and  William  H.  Elliott  informed  me  that  they  had 
fen  appointed  to  find  me  and  bring  me  down  into  town.  I  asked 
ifem  what  they  wanted.  They  swore  I  was  a  damned  abolitionist 
kd  had  to  answer  for  it.  I  went  with  them,  and  was  examined  he- 
fee  the  self-styled  committee;  was  released,  with  the  distinct  promise 
Hide  by  me  that  I  would  appear  and  answer  all  charges  that  might 
tx preferred  against  me  the  following  morning  at  nine  o'clock  before 
tls  committee.  I  did  appear.  The  committee  were  composed  of  Mr. 
T.nnell,  D.  A.  N.  Grover,  formerly  a  member  of  the  territorial  legis- 
pure  and  still  a  member  of  the  council,  John  H.  Shaler,  and  some 
piers  I  do  not  now  recollect.  I  was  examined  touching  my  crimes 
p,d  misdemeanors  for  carrying  round  poll-books  and  papers  for  the  abo- 
tionists,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  pleaded  not  guilty.  Nothing  was 
ltd  or  done  until  half-past  ten  o'clock,  when,  having  left  the  place 
S&ere  I  was  tried,  I  was  waited  on  by  James  P.  Blake  and  Samuel  Mar- 
clint,  who  informed  me  I  would  have  to  leave  town  by  three  o'clock 
tkt  afternoon,  and  if  I  did  not,  I  would  be  ducked  in  the  Missouri 
rier.  I  requested  time  to  arrange  my  business  before  I  could  leave, 
pd  was  informed  that  no  time  could  be  granted ;  that  I  must  finish 
JF  business  by  three  o'clock,  or  leave  it  in  the  hands  of  some  other 
mn.  I  then  told  them  I  should  leave  when  I  got  ready,  and  if  they 
dl  not  like  that,  they  could  put  me  out  of  town.  Three  o'clock 
jjoae,  and  four  o'clock  passed,  and  I  was  still  arranging  my  business, 
ftd  had  not  left.  At  half-past  four  o'clock  I  was  waited  upon  by  the 
sme  committee  and  two  other  persons,  and  again  brought  up  for 
tial.  My  trial  was  had,  and  the  sentence  of  the  court  was,  that  I 
ebuld  be  ducked  in  the  Missouri  river.  Mr.  Grover  made  a  speech, 
ad  told  them  they  were  all  law  and  order  men,  and  he  thought  they 
hd  better  rescind  that  part  of  the  sentence  and  march  me  out  of  the 
ttvn.  Colonel  Thompson,  of  Doniphan,  advised  the  same.  I  was 
fially  permitted  to  go  to  my  boarding-house  and  select  my  clothing, 
aid  then  escorted  a  half  mile  out  of  town,  with  the  intimation  that  if 
jfyver  came  back  again,  I  should  be  strung  up  to  the  first  tree  they 
cme  across.  I  have  been  back  twice  since. 

By  Mr.  Whitfield: 

The  election  of  the  15th  of  January  was  for  members  of  the  general 
trembly  and  State  officers  under  the  State  constitution.  The  election 
pipers  I  had  to  distribute  I  got  at  Lawrence,  from  the  executive  com- 
rittee.  There  were  no  other  charges  against  me  in  Kickapoo.  I 
Us  not  regarded  as  a  hard  case  about  town,  and  I  think  I  left  Kicka- 
po  with  as  fair  a  character  as  any  man  in  Kickapoo.  I  heard  that 
lis  committee  were  sitting  here,  and  as  I  was  very  anxious  to  give  in 

y  testimony  here,  I  came  down  here  and  was  subpoenaed  here. 

JOHN  W.  STEPHENS. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  T,  1856. 


656  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

JAMES  REED  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  live  at  Washington  creek,  about  five  miles  from  Willow  Spri 
I  have  been  living  there  going  on  two  years,  and  came  from  Misi 
I  am  tolerably  well  aquainted  in  Willow  Springs  precinct.     I 
pose  I  know  about  half  the  people  in  that  precinct. 

I  was  at  the  election  at  Willow  Springs  the  1st  of  October, 
and  voted  there.     I  saw  a   great  many  people  there  from  diff< 
parts;  1  saw  some  there  from  Missouri,  but  I  did  not  see  them 
though  I  find  their  names  on  the  poll  book.     The  following  pe 
live  in  Missouri:  R.    0.   Steele,  J.  H.  Lockridge,  I  think  liv 
Misssouri,  as  I  do  not  know  any  Lockridge  in  the  district,  thou 
am  not  certain  of  the  given  name.     E.  Pouge,  I  think,  for  I  know 
Pouge  who  lives  in  Missouri,  though  I  did  not  see  him  on  the  groua 
I  know  of  no  Pouge  in  the  district.     L.  Steele,  William  A.  Parris 
C.  L.  Parrish,  H.  C.  Parrish.     I  saw  the  Parrishes  and  Steeles  «j 
the  ground.     They  live  in  Missouri,  near  Westport.     I  find  the  nauJ 
of  R.  Flournoy  on  the  poll  book.     I  used  to  know  Flournoys  in  JacJ 
son  county,  but  did  not  see  any  on  the  ground  the  day  of  electioj 
I  know  of  no  Flournoy  in  the  district.     As  to  Wm.  E.  Baker,  J.  ( 
Baker,  and  A.  Street,  I  do  not  know  them  if  I  see  them.     I  ha^ 
heard  of  the  names  of  siich  persons  in  Westport  keeping  store  fj 
several   years.     I  do  not  know  of  any  person  of  that  name  living:/ 
our  district.     The  following  persons  on  the  poll  book  I  know  to  ha'ti 
been  residents  of  the  district  at  that  time:    G.  W.  Bryan,  Josepi 
Bradbury,  B.  B,  Brown,  F.  Brown,  and  T.  Brown,  one  of  themn 
think,  for  I  know  one  person  of  the  name  of  Brown  in  the  distrio 
though  I  do  not  know  his  given  name;  J.  P.  Saunders,  G.  W.  Pool 
Josiah  H.  Wagner,  Z.  Johnson,  W.  Cummins,  I  think,  for  I  knofc 
one  Cummins  in  the  district,  but  not  his  first  name;  B.  F.  Bounds 
R.  R.  White,  I  think,  for  there  is  one  there,  but  I  do   not  know  h 
given    name;    S.    L.    Clark,    Thomas    Emery,   L.    Graham,   Wilda 
McKinriey,  H.  0.  Loury,  H.  Owens,  R.  B.  Matney,  William  Russel 
L.  Reed,  E.  B.  Reed,  (J.  B.  Davis,  L.  H.  Davis;  I  know  two  Davis* 
one  given  name  William,  the  other  I  do  not  know  ;)  A.  B.  Collottt 
James  Reed,  John  Carroll,  John  M.  Banks,  Joiia.  Shepherd,,  Tlioma 
Breeze,  and  Charles  Martin,  I  think;  N.  McKinney,  William  Rhodes 
James  S.  Campbell,  and  J.  R.  Campbell;  Silas  Sutton,  J.  M.  Russell 
Robert  Carlow,  John  W.  Bennett ;  E.  P.  Skeezer,  I  do  not  know,  bu! 
I  know  a  man  of  the  name  of  Keyzer;  Jared  Chapman,  I  think; 
O'Conner,  Wm.  O'Couner,  Milton  Boone,  Levi  Herrin,  P.  N.  Wattef 
I  think,  though  I  do  not  know  his  given  name,  and  the  same  wa; 
with  S.  Creel,  and  also  with  Henry  Kerns,  and  also  D.  Burton,  am 
M.  H.  Bui-tin,  J.  Owens,  John  Burton,  W.  W.  Williams,  John  MrLa 
ren,   Charles  Matney,   C.   W.    Carey,  R.  W.    Carey,  S.  Shepprnl: 
know  a  Sinchell,  on  Ottawa  creek,  but  1  do  not  know  his  first  namer 
I  know  Wm.   McKinney,  F.  M.  Coleman,  William  Curry,  and  I 
Fletcher.     The  rest  of  the  names  on  the  list  I  do  not  know. 

By  J.  W.  Whitfield: 

I  think  I  know  about  half  in  the  district,  but  I  am  very  littlt 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  557 


acuainted  at  the  Sac  agency.  The  men  over  there  did  not  vote  on 
tlit  day  at  Willow  Springs,  as  a  general  thing.  Those  I  have  named 
iir  pro-slavery  men,  as  the  free  State  men  did  not  vote  on  that  day. 
1  o  not  know  who  were  the  candidates  that  day.  I  heard  Mr.  Reeder 
:tn  Mr.  Whitfield  spoken  of,  but  I  suppose  Mr.  Reeder  did  not  run, 
as.  think  he  got  no  votes  there.  There  was  some  little  drinking  and 
ing  in  the  evening  just  among  themselves,  but  I  did  not  hear  of  any 
jeig  prevented  from  voting.  They  very  often  have  a  little  fussing 
an  drinking  in  the  western  country  the  evening  of  the  election. 

5y  Mr.  Reeder  : 

*  tfr.  Whitfield  was  a  candidate  on  that  day,  and  I  think  Mr.  Reeder 
9>ie  eight  days  afterwards.  Each  had  their  own  election.  There 
ifs  a  gentleman  came  there  to  vote  on  the  1st  of  October,  but  went 
amy  without  voting,  as  he  said  Mr.  Reeder 's  name  was  not  on  the 

pd  books. 

JAMES  x  REED. 

mark. 

PECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1856. 


B.  C.  WESTFALL  testifies. 

!  saw  a  great  many  that  I  knew  to  be  residents  of  Missouri,  at  the 
taie  of  election,  in  October,  1855,  in  companies  of  from  twenty  to 
itrty  persons,  coming  to  the  Territory.  I  lived  in  Jackson  county, 
Jfesouri,  near  the  line,  at  that  time,  and  was  keeping  a  hotel  there. 
|im  pretty  extensively  acquainted  in  Jackson.  Johnson,  and  Cass 
aanties.  I  saw  these  persons  after  they  returned,  and  they  told  me 
ifey  had  been  here  and  voted,  and  some  of  them  showed  me  the  re- 
$cpts  for  the  one  dollar  tax  they  had  paid  for  the  privilege  of  voting. 
:  these  receipts  I  read.  At  that  time  I  lived  about  twenty-five 
nrles.  I  think,  from  the  election  place  of  Lykins  county,  at  Baptiste 
ttoria.  The  election  I  refer  to  was  the  first  election  in  October  last. 
I  had  conversation  with  a  great  many  of  those  persons  when  they 
due  back,  and  they  told  me  they  had  voted  and  carried  the  day,  and 
bksted  of  having  intimidated  the  Yankees  and  driven  them  away. 
Qe  of  the  receipts  for  the  payment  of  the  dollar  tax  that  I  read  was 
oe  that  M.  Christopher  Mann  had.  He  lives  in  Jackson  county, 
kssouri,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  New  Santa  Fe,  and  has 
b^n  a  resident  there  for  several  years  past.  I  think  I  did  not  see  less 
ikn  five  hundred  men  pass  at  that  time  for  the  election,  on  the  one 
fcad  near  me.  A  great  many  of  them  stopped  with  me,  both  going 
Hd  coming  back.  When  they  were  going  out  they  said  they  were 
ting  to  elect  Whitfield,  and  'when  they  came  back  they  said  they 
lid  elected  him.  and  as  there  was  but  one  candidate  running  it  would 
(hive  made  no  difference  if  they  had  not  come  out,  as  he  would  have 
ben  elected  any  way.  I  heard  a  good  many  of  them  say  that  they 
bd  gone  up  to  Lecompton  and  voted,  and  a  good  many  went  to  the 

rnee  Methodist  Mission,  Johnson  county,  and  also  to  Baptiste 


558  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Peoria  or  to  Pottawatomie,  I  am  not  certain  which.     I  heard  tl 
state  that  a  good  many  Indians  voted  at  Baptiste,  and  they  also 
that  some  whites  there,  friends  of  the  candidate,  made  up  considei 
money  to  pay  the  poll  tax,  as  the  Indians  would  not  do  it. 

B.  C.  WESTFALL. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  8,  1856. 


GEORGE  F.  WARREN  testifies. 


I  was  at  the  election  in  Leavenworth  City,  Octoher  1,  1855,  wh 
General  Whitfield  was  voted  for.     There  was  a  large  company  y 
strangers  came  in,  armed  to  the  teeth,  from  across  the  river  in  M:. 
souri.     Quite  a  number  stopped  at  the  Leavenworth  hotel.     I  did  n 
see  any  camp.     They  said  they  came  to  vote,  and  that  they  hack 
right  to  vote  under  the  organic  law,   and  contended  that  if  the! 
families  did  live  in  Missouri,  they  were  entitled  to  vote  as  long  as  thi 
were  on  the  ground  in  the  Territory.     These  men  voted,  and  all 
saw  vote  paid  the  dollar  tax.    I  recognized  some  who  voted  that  liv« 
at  Platte  City.    I  should  think  that  there  were  some  200  on  the  grounl 
who  voted.     I  should  suppose  some  100  residents  voted,  and  the  reJ 
were  the  strangers  I  speak  of.     A  great  many  more  came  than  votei 
after  they  saw  the  free  State  men  did  not  intend  to  vote.     I  do  n ! 
think  it  was  safe  for  free  State  men  to  go  to  the  polls.     I  was  pretrt 
well  acquainted  in  the  district,  and  knew  most  every  man  in  it.    Aft- 
these  strangers  voted,  some  went  down  the  river,  and  others  wefl 
across  to  Missouri  on  the  ferry.     The  free  State  citizens  took  no  pa(j 
in  the  election. 

A  week  after  this  election  there  was  another  election  for  locatiD 
the  country  seat  in  Leavenworth  City,  and,  as  I  understood,  in  otto 
points  in  the  county.  The  contest  was  between  Krckapoo,  Leaven 
worth  City,  and  Delaware  City.  I  was  at  that  election  in  Leavenwort 
City.  The  polls  were  kept  open  until  a  little  after  dark,  and  wagor 
were  employed  to  get  the  voters  in.  I  think  none  but  residents  vote 
that  day.  The  election  was  orderly,  and  no  violence  used  that  I  sa^. 

G.  F.  WARBEN. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


WILLIAM  P.  RICHARDSON  recalled. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  was  at  the  election  of  October  1,  1855,  held  at  Smithton,  in  th 
house  of  John  W.  Smith.  There  were  some  40  or  a  few  more  wh 
voted  there,  as  very  little  interest  was  taken  and  no  turn  out.  Bti 
few  of  my  neighbors  were  there,  some  because  some  of  their  familie 
were  sick,  and  others  because  they  did  not  like  to  pay  the  dollar  pol 
tax.  I  saw  no  illegal  voting  that  day,  and  I  think  none  voted  bu 
those  who  complied  with  the  law  and  paid  their  tax,  for  I  saw  th 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  559 

gferiff  giving  receipts  for  it.  The  principal  reason,  doubtless,  for 
E-re  votes  not  being  given,  was  because  there  was  no  opposition  to 
Gneral  Whitfield.  He  did  not  get  the  pro-slavery  vote  of  my  neigh- 
khood,  nor  of  the  county,  as  far  as  I  know. 

WM.  P.  RICHAKDSON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  15,  1856. 


JOHN  LANDIS  testifies. 

[  was  present  at  the  election  of  October  1,  1855,  for  delegate  to 
Cngress.  General  Whitfield  was  the  only  candidate.  The  election 
ws  held  in  the  town  of  Doniphan.  I  saw  persons,  not  residents  in 
tb  district,  vote  that  day.  Their  names  were  B.  Gr.  Wells,  Kandolph 
Siith,  William  Christopher,  and  B.  0.  Driscoll.  All  of  them  resided 
irMissouri  at  that  time.  I  had  no  conversation  with  them.  Those 
tht  1  saw  vote  I  believe  to  be  residents  of  the  Territory,  except  those 
I  iave  named.  The  one  dollar  tax  was  generally  paid  that  day.  The 
fee  State  men  did  not  vote  at  that  election  that  I  saw.  The  number 
cdvotes  polled  that  day,  as  shown  by  the  poll  books,  was  about  66. 

Dross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

The  free  State  men  were  not  prevented  from  voting  that  day.  I 
nerved  my  vote  for  the  election  of  the  9th,  and,  in  my  opinion,  the 
oter  free  State  men  did  the  same. 

I\Ir.  Driscoll  had  an  improved  claim  in  that  district  at  that  time, 
bt  did  not  live  on  it.  He  lived  in  St.  Joseph,  but  now  resides  in  the 
Trritory.  Christopher  also  had  a  claim  in  the  district  at  that  time 
bt  lived  himself  in  Missouri.  He  has  since  sold  his  claim.  Kan- 
dlph  Smith  had  a  grocery  in  the  town  of  Doniphan,  in  the  Territory, 
ad  was  keeping  it  at  that  time.  At  that  time  when  he  kept  his 
gpcery  there,  I  kept  the  ferry  and  set  him  over  to  Missouri  every 
n^ht  and  morning.  He  lived  in  Missouri.  He  owned  an  unfinished 
d'elling-house  in  Doniphan,  but  did  not  live  in  it.  He  subsequently 
d;d.  before  his  house  was  finished. 

JOHN  LANDIS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


EMERY  B.  COOK  testifies. 

I  came  to  the  Territory  in  March,  1854.  I  have  resided  within  a 
nle  of  the  Missouri  line  since  that  time,  near  Fort  Scott.  I  am  a 
mson  by  trade  and  usually  worked  in  southeastern  Missouri  when  I 
fist  came  there.  I  was  at  Fort  Scott  on  the  day  of  election  on  the  1st 
Q:  October,  1855.  I  went  up  to  the  polls  on  the  day  of  election.  On 
jJb  Friday  evening  before  the  election  there  were  a  great  many  came 
iifrom  Missouri  in  wagons  towards  Fort  Scott,  apparently  a  pretty 
catinued  travel.  On  the  next  day,  Saturday,  there  was  a  public  pro- 


560  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


slavery  dinner,  free  to  all  who  favored  tlie  party.  I  saw  a  good  mai 
come  in  by  my  house  on  the  Monday  of  the  election  on  horseback  fro 
Missouri.  I  do  not  think  many  of  them  who  came  in  wagons  to  t] 
dinner  returned  until  after  election.  I  was  at  work  in  town  at  n 
trade  and  boarding  at  the  hotel.  It  was  very  crowded.  There  was 
camp  in  the  bottom  close  by,  apparently  a  good  many  there,  but 
cannot  tell  how  many.  I  saw  a  great  many  of  these  strangers  the 
on  the  day  of  election.  I  had  no  particular  conversation  with 
strangers. 

As  I  was  going  backwards  and  forwards  on  the  day  of  electi 
stopped  once  or  twice  ?t  the  polls,  but  I  did  not  vote.     These  stra 
were  around  the  polls,  some  with  pieces  of  paper  in  their  hands, 
saw  them  go  to  the  window,  reach  their  hands  up  and  then  go  awa< 
I  cannot  say  that  they  really  voted,  but  I  thought  they  did.     I  thougjj 
but  very  few  of  the  citizens  voted,  not  to  exceed  fifty.     This  I  thougl •' 
from  what  I  heard  and  saw  there.     There  was  some  vexation  and  irn 
tatiori,  and  some  excitement  among  the  citizens  in  regard  to  the  eleij 
tion.     I  did  not  vote  that  day.     I  am  satisfied  from  what  I  saw  ih&\ 
do  and  what  they  told  me,  that  about  thirty  I  knew  voted.     I  do  m 
think  a  majority  of  the  settlers  were  at  the  election  ;   about  one-hm| 
who  were  there  did  not  vote.     I  should  think  at  that  time  there  we;^ 
in  the  neighborhood  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  residents  in  the  coiml* 
of  Bourbon.     There  was  a  general  convention  amongst  us,  and  son^ 
concluded  it  would  be  better  not  to  vote  that  day  in  order  to  prever< 
a  riot  ;   others  were  angry  because  both  parties  did  not  run  on  thi 
day,  and  some  contended  it  was  an  unlawful  way  to  do  business,  11 
run  one  candidate  one  day  and  therefore  they  would  not  vote  at  all! 
1  thought  it  was  a  rascally  business  all  round.     Some  did  not  vote  oj 
account  of  the  dollar  tax ;  some  paid  it,  and  some  did  not  pay  it  but  g<;| 
receipts,  though  I  do  not  know  whether  they  promised  to  pay  after  ware  ( 
or  not.     I  know  that  some  got  receipts  without  paying  the  dollar  ta 
at  the  time.     I  do  not  think  these  strangers  generally  paid  the  taj- 

I  have  carefully  examined  the  poll  list  of  the  election  of  October  > 
1855,  and  find  in  it  the  names  of  residents  of  the  district  amoimtin; 
to  forty-two,  (42.)     There  are  many  of  these  whose  first  names  I  d  j 
not  know  or  cannot  recollect,  but  from  my  knowledge  of  them  am 
.  seeing  their  names  on  the  poll  list  I  believe  they  are  the  persons 
Whenever  I  have  found  a  family  name,  and  know  a  similar  famil 
name  in  the  district,  but  did  not  know  or  remember  his  first  name, 
have  included  him  as  among  the  residents. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Anderson  : 

I  did  not  count  them  but  believe  there  were  two  hundred  strangers 
about  that  time  there  were  a  good  many  moving  in  and  the  Territor 
was  settling  up,  but  not  many  around  there.  A  great  many  of  th 
strangers  who  were  there  on  the  day  of  election  were  those  who  cam 
to  attend  a  barbecue  the  Saturday  previous.  It  rained  on  Saturda 
and  there  were  a  good  many  women  there  from  the  State,  and  ther 
were  many  women  there  on  Saturday  from  the  Territory.  I  do  no 
know  about  the  strangers  voting,  except  that  I  saw  a  good  many  c 
them  going  to  the  polls  with  papers  in  their  hands.  Two  told  m 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  561 

Hey  had  voted,  and  two  told  me  they  were  citizens  of  the  Territory. 
;.t  the  time  of  election  I  knew  some  had  the  ague,  and  I  think  some 
<>uld  not  come  for  that  reason,  but  not  many.  I  knew  the  Mill  Creek 
jttlement,  and  I  believe  two-thirds  came  from  there,  but  I  cannot  say 
4rtain.  There  are  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  voters  there.  There 
te  in  the  Manitou  settlement  about  thirty  odd  voters,  of  whom  I  don't 
how  that  any  were  kept  away  by  chills.  Some  from  there  who  came 
dd  not  vote,,  and  I  think  one-half  were  there  at  the  election.  Two  of 
lem  told  me  they  did  not  vote.  These  were  the  two  largest  settle- 
lents  in  the  county.  I  expect  a  good  many  stayed  away  because 
iere  was  no  opposing  candidate.  The  reasons  I  have  given  why  the 
isidents  did  not  vote  were  generally  given  by  both  parties.  I  heard 
&me  men  of  the  pro-slavery  say  it  was  rascally  all  round,  and  I  said 
te  same  myself,  as  I  belong  to  the  free  State  party. 

There  was  no  difficulty  that  day,  but  many  feared  it.  No  threats 
•ere  made  that  I  heard.  It  appeared  to  be  the  desire  that  all  parties 
aould  vote  that  day.  I  don't  know  a  man  who  was  refused  the  right 
t  vote  because  he  had  not  paid  the  dollar  tax.  I  know  that  some  of 
te  strangers  did  not  pay  the  tax,  or  at  least  at  the  time  they  got  their 
p,pers.  I  don't  know  whether  they  paid  it  or  not,  before  or  after, 
ecept  from  what  they  said.  I  can't  say  for  certain  how  many  resi- 
ents  did  not  vote.  I  know  certain  that  three  did  not  vote,  of  whom 
Iwas  one. 

E.  B.  COOK. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


HENRY  S.  CREAL  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  1st  of  October,  1855,  in  Doni- 
nan  county,  at  Mr.  Morse's  tavern.  I  was  one  of  the  judges  of 
section.  I  know  of  but  one  illegal  vote  at  that  election,  and  I  am 
i)t  certain  about  that.  His  name  was  Dr.  Henry,  and  he  had  a 
cairn  in  the  Territory.  I  considered  his  vote  illegal,  as  I  thought  he 
ked  in  St.  Joseph's.  I  think  all  the  other  votes  were  legal.  There 
^sre  some  sixty  votes  cast. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Scott: 

I  do  not  know  that  Dr.  Henry  was  over  there  with  his  negroes, 
cttle,  and  stock,  but  he  told  me  so  at  the  election.  He  lives  in  the 
rJ3rritory  at  this  time. 

H.  S,  CREAL. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  23,  1856. 


D.  W.  FIELD  called  and  sworn. 
By  the  committee : 

I  reside  in  Doniphan  county,  Wayne  township.     I  was  present  at 
te  election  of  a  delegate  to  Congress  at  Atchison,,  on  the  1st  of  Octo- 
l}r,  1855.     I  think  Eli  Mason  was  one  of  the  judges.     I  was  there 
H.  Eep.  200 36* 


562  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

about  an  hour  the  middle  of  the  day,  from  twelve  to  one  o'clock.  1 
saw  one  man  vote,  a  resident  of  Missouri.  His  name  was  Davis.  I ! 
saw  no  tax  paid.  Men  came  to  vote  and  said  they  had  no  dollars, 
and  were  allowed  to  vote.  The  judges  then  told  them  to  hand  in 
their  tickets,  and  they  did  so.  I  think  no  receipt  or  certificate  was 
exhibited.  I  saw  one  minor  who  I  supposed,  from  what  I  saw,  voted 
that  clay.  Some  one  urged  him  to  vote,  and  he  said  he  was  a  minor. 
He  was  told  that  he  had  a  good  beard  on  his  face,  and  would  pass. 
I  saw  him  take  the  ticket  arid  go  up  to  the  window,  and,  as  I  suppose, 
voted  without  challenge.  I  saw  no  receipt  or  certificate  for  the  dollar 
tax  exhibited  by  any  one  who  voted  that  day.  I  returned  home  to 
the  Doniphan  precinct,  and  was  there  about  an  hour  before  the  polls 
closed.  I  saw  three  votes  cast  by  land  surveyors,  who  I  did  not 
believe  had  a  right  to  vote-.  One  was  Mr.  Crane,  the  others  I  did  not 
know. 

D.  W.  FIELD. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


JAMES  LYNCH  certifies. 

To  Governor  King: 

I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election  in  the  Doniphan  precinct  on 
the  1st  of  October,  1855,  at  the  congressional  election.  I  recognized 
all  the  voters  as  citizens.  Randolph  Smith  was  recognized  by  me  as 
a  citizen  of  Doniphan,  and  entitled  to  vote.  His  vote  was  not  chali 
lenged  at  the  polls  by  any  one,  but  I  heard  his  vote  disputed  after- 
wards. I  knew  him  to  be  a  citizen  of  Doniphan  at  the  time,  holding 
and  owning  valuable  property  there.  Not  a  man  of  the  free  State 
party  came  there  to  vote  that  I  know  of.  Every  man  before  he  voted- 
was  required  to  present  his  certificate  that  he  had  paid  his  dollar  01 
county  tax. 

JAMES  LYNCH. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


JOHN  HAMILTON  testifies. 

I  first  came  into  the  Territory  in  1835,  but  did  not  settle  unti 
March,  1855,  in  the  Fort  Scott  district.  I  came  there  from  Weston- 
Missouri.  I  was  in  the  town  of  Fort  Scott  on  the  1st  of  October 
1855,  but  did  not  go  to  the  polls  until  late  in  the  evening,  and  did  no; 
vote.  I  noticed  on  the  day  of  election,  and  two  or  three  days  before- 
quite  a  number  of  persons  whom  I  knew  to  be  from  Missouri,  and  alsd 
many  strangers  whom  I  did  not  know.  I  had  no  particular  conversa- 
tion with  any  of  them  in  regard  to  that  election.  I  paid  no  attention 
to  this  election  at  all,  as  my  mind  was  on  other  matters,  I  having- 
buried  a  son  two  days  before. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield. 

General  Whitfield  was  the  only  candidate  on  that  day  I  know  of 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  563 

ETort  Scott  is  between  four  and  five  miles  from  the  Missouri  line.  It 
.8  a  very  common  thing  to  see  Missourians  over  to  Fort  Scott,  where 
fhere  are  three  stores  to  trade,  as  it  is  the  trading  point  along  that 
)ortion  of  the  line.  They  come  in  from  Missouri  to  trade  there ;  but 
L  do  not  know  as  they  come  over  generally  on  other  occasions.  There 
^as  a  barbecue  given  at  Fort  Scott  the  Saturday  before.  The  notice 
that  I  saw  in  regard  to  that  dinner  was,  that  all  favorable  to  slavery 
jhould  come.  1  received  no  invitation  myself. 

JOHN  HAMILTON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


H.  MILES  MOOKE  testifies. 

I  was  a  resident  of  Leavenworth  City  at  the  time  of  the  congressional 
slection  of  the  first  Monday  in  October,  1855 ;  but  I  was  not  present 
it  that  election,  being  absent  in  Lexington,  Missouri,,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  testimony  for  a  case  I  was  employed  in  in  western  Missouri. 
[  have  been  told  by  free  State  men  that  they  did  not  vote  on  that  day. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  persons  who  resided  in  Missouri, 
and  who  voted  at  Leavenworth  City,  in  Kansas  Territory,  at  an  elec- 
tion held  for  a  delegate  to  Congress,  on  the  first  Monday  in  October, 
1855,  as  appears  by  a  copy  of  said  poll  books  of  said  election,  herewith 
shown  to  me : 

Sixteenth  District. 

William  H.  Miller,  W.  H.  Pence,  J.  C.  Cockell,  John  Fanier,  Ab- 
ner  Dean,  Isaac  Archer,  K.  F.  Duncan,  Samuel  J.  Finch,  editor  of 
the  Western  Reporter,  Missouri,  Jeremiah  Crabb,  John  B.  Wells,  C. 
L.  Beeding,  P.  J.  Collins,  Hugh  Sweeney,  Nathaniel  Terry,  James 
Buckhart,  E.  S.  Darnell,  George  Adams,  James  Saunders,  John 
Winslow,  John  Yenamon,  Clinton  Cockell,  Robert  Ely,  J.  H.  Darnell, 
P.  W.  Elington,  Z.  D.  Washburn,  D.  L.  Leech,  W.  B.  Bell. 

The  most  of  the  names  in  the  above  list  are  names  of  persons  resi- 
;dents  of  Missouri,  who  also  attended  and  voted  at  previous  elections 
in  this  Territory. 

H.  MILES  MOORE. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


H.  MILES  MOORE  testifies. 

At  the  time  of  the  contested  election,  ordered  by  Governor  Reeder 
to  be  held  in  Leavenworth,  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  22d  of  May, 
1855,  for  members  of  the  territorial  house  of  representatives,,  I  was  a 
resident  of  Weston,  Missouri,  where  I  had  been  a  resident  for  some 
five  years.  I  came  down  here  with  a  great  many  others  from  Weston, 
as  I  had  done  at  previous  elections,  in  obedience  to  calls  issued  by  the 
pro-slavery  men  in  this  district,  to  all  who  felt  an  interest  in  the  pro- 
slavery  cause  to  come  here  and  aid  them  in  the  election.  There  were 


564  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

not  near  as  many  men  on  the  ground  at  the  election  as  at  the  eleo 
tion  of  the  previous  March.  I  think  that  more  free  State  men  vote- 
in  May  than  at  the  March  election.  I  have  examined  the  poll  hoob 
of  that  election,  and  find  upon  it  the  names  of  persons  then  resident 
in  Missouri,  many  of  whom  I  saw  vote,  as  I  had  seen  Missourian 
vote  at  the  previous  elections  in  the  Territory  that  I  had  attended' 
The  following  is  a  list  of  resident  Missourians,  whose  names  I  find  upoi 
the  poll  books  of  the  22d  of  May,  1855,  in  this  district. 

A  list  of  names  of  persons  who  resided  in  Missouri,  and  who  vote* 
at  Leavenworth  City,  in  Kansas  Territory,  at  a  contested  election- 
held  for  members  of  the  house  of  representatives,  on  the  22d  of  May* 
A.  D.  1855,  as  appears  by  copy  of  said  roll  book  of  said  election 
herewith  shown  to  me : 

Sixteenth  District. 

Judge  William  B.  Almond,  Frank  Marshall,  of  Marysville,  K.  T.i 
Kobert  Kane,  W.  K.  Kane,  Nicholas  K.  G-reene,  Joseph  Cockle,  S.  Ml 
Gordon,  M.  Pemberton,  George  Quimby,  William  D.  Bonnell,  Dame; 
P.  Lewis,  L.  Sheppard,  John  Venomen,  James  H.  Headly,  Z.  M 
Offert,  J.  E.  McMallery,  L.  P.  Stiles,  Oscar  Bywaters,  William  By;j 
waters,  Isaac  House,  A.  W.  Hughes,  Abner  Dean,  John  Wilson,  Ed 
ward  P.  Duncan,  Hugh  Sweeney,  Henry  Smith,  William  J.  Navisi 
T.  J.  Harper,  William  T.  Barber,  L.  E.  Offert,  J.  P.  Erickson,  Wili 
Ham  H.  Bell. 

The  election  was  quietly  conducted,  so  far  as  I  saw.  After  thil 
election  was  over,  I  returned  to  Weston,  Missouri,  with  those  who  hao 
come  down  by  land  as  we  came  in  the  morning.  The  pro- slavery  can 
didates  we  voted  for  that  day  were  Matthias  Pegne  and  McMullin. 
do  not  recollect  anything  about  the  free  State  candidates,  except  tha> 
John  E.  Gould  was  one  of  them. 

H.  MILES  MOOKE. 

LEAVENWOKTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


Copies  of  the  poll  books  of  an  election  held  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  on 
the  first  Monday  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  for  a  delegate  to  Congress 
as  taken  from  the  papers  on  fie  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  th 
Territory  by  the  Kansas  Investigating  Committee. 

COUNTY  OP  ATCHISON. — Grasshopper  Township. 

OCTOBER  ELECTION,  1855. 

Territory  of  Kansas,  country  of  Atchison,  ss: 

We  do  swear  that  we  will  impartially  discharge  the  duties  of  judges 
of  the  present  election  according  to  law  and  the  best  of  our  abilities. 

B.  F.  TRIMBLE, 
K.  H.  GOODING, 
H.  N.  EILEY. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  565 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this  1st  day  of  October,  1855. 

JAMES  M.  GIVEN. 

territory  of  Kansas,  county  of  Atchison,  ss: 

We  do  solemnly  swear  that  we  will  faithfully  discharge  the  duties 
If  clerks  of  the  present  election  according  to  law  and  the  best  of  our 

-bility. 

WM.  C.  NUTT, 
CHAS.  CONNER. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this  1st  day  of  October,  1855. 

JAMES  M.  GIVEN. 

Names  of  voters  for  General  J.  W.  Whitfield. 
R  H  Cahill  W  C  Nutt 


James  Givens 
George  W  Simmons 


Charles  Conner 
R  H  Gooding. 


B  F  Trimble 

Abstract  of  votes. 
For  J.  W.  Whitfield,  T  votes. 

Territory  of  Kansas,  county  of  Atchison,  ss: 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  held  in  Grasshopper 
township,  in  the  Atchison  county  election  district,  certify  that  tha 
foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  given  at  an  election  held  on  the 
irst  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

Witness  our  hands  this day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

B.  F.  TRIMBLE,  ) 
R.  H.  GOODING,  V  Judges. 
H.  N.  RILEY,       ) 
Attest : 

WILLIAM  C.  NUTT,  )  rj    , 
CHARLES  CONNER,     J  °  erKS' 


COUNTY  OF  ATCHISON. — Shannon  toivnship. 

POLL  BOOK,  OCTOBER  ELECTION,  1855. 

Henry  Addoms,  N.  J.  Ireland,  and  J.  Bennett  sworn  as  judges, 
and  John  G.  Downey  and  J.  M.  Hazard  sworn  as  clerks,  before 
James  A.  Hadley,  judge  of  probate  court  of  Atchison  county,  accord- 
ing to  form  on  page  1. 


1  Jessy  Morin 

2  H  Blassinghine 

3  J  M  York 

4  J  W  Lincoln 

5  N  R  Green 


Names  of  voters, 


GAM  Comie 
*7  Lyman  Waid 

8  H  J  Galbraith 

9  John  Robertson 
10  William  Thomas 


566 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


11  J  A  Headly 

12  John  Norris 

13  G-rafton  Thomason 

14  James  Merchell 

15  J  N  Hinton 

16  L  Chindler 

17  W  B  Brockett 

18  P  P  Willcox 

19  G  W  Grayson 

20  A  Kinser 

21  W  McVay 

22  P  Ferris 

23  G  A  Kings 

24  John  Taylor 

25  Joseph  Taylor 

26  Patrick  McVay 

27  R  L  Berk 

28  Alexander  Hays 

29  Hiram  Hays 

30  Merit  A  Brumfield 

31  John  Parker 

32  Patrick  Boil 

33  A  A  Groundike 

34  T  Poesteet 

35  James  Wiglesworth 

36  S  Dickson 

37  0  B  Dickinson 

38  Levi  J  Boles 

39  JMunson 

40  J  Poteet 

41  G  B  Well 

42  L  L  Boles 

43  B  Ross 

44  J  Large 

45  H  Large 

46  Joseph  Ferry 

47  Thomas  Rhea 

48  James  Daniel 

49  H  R  Waterman 

50  A  Burcheet 

51  J  W  Randolph 

52  P  Shariton 

53  J  Kasy 

54  M  Hampton 

55  J  McCune 

56  A  Shaw 

57  0  Hetherly 

58  J  B  A  Ewell 

59  J  H  Stringfellow 

60  Sam.  Walters 

61  Sidney  Walters 


62  J  Ashcroft 

63  Ira  Norice,  jr 

64  A  H  Allen 

65  John  P  Hunnicutt 

66  Dudley  McYay 

67  Charles  Riding 

68  Thomas  Davis 

69  David  Williams 

70  Samuel  C  Glenn 

71  L  T  Ellison 

72  N  J  Zone 

73  J  Cummins 

74  Jonathan  Street 

75  R  S  Kelly 

76  Jessy  Isaacs 

77  William  T  Shuman 

78  William  Wade 

79  James  Cravin 

80  D  C  Judy 

81  Rice  S  McCubbins 

82  J  H  Wills 

83  F  M  McVay 

84  0  D  Willace 

85  John  Amburgh 

86  William  Jackson 

87  Isaac  Williams 
'  88  John  Wiser 

89  Robert  Finny 

90  H  Martin 

91  Billy  Isaacs 

92  William  Martin 

93  J  B  Logan 

94  Daniel  Kitchen 

95  William  S  Dicks 

96  Sanford  Kyle 

97  M  J  Francis 

98  Thomas  0  Holly 

99  Jessy  Shepherd 

100  John  Alin 

101  J  C  Roswell 

102  John  Roberds 

103  P  F  Allen 

104  A  McPherson 

105  D  C  Davis 

106  J  A  McVay 

107  C  M  Gilmore 

108  W  Stord 

109  Lenius  Page 

110  Charles  Woolfolk 

111  Silas  Smith 

112  John  Hamlin 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


567 


113  Stephen  Johnson 

114  Jeremiah  Barton 

115  J  Wilcocks 

116  M  Kames 

117  E  Oldhorne 

118  J  G  Morrow 

119  Nelson  Taylor 

120  George  William 

121  L  Yocum 

122  J  M  0  Bayly 

123  W  W  Andrews 

124  William  M  Grimes 


125  Henry  Addoms 

126  N  J  Ireland 

127  John  Bennett 

128  E  0  Mason 

129  J  M  Hazzard 

130  John  G  Downie 

131  J  W  Wood 

132  Francis  McDowell 

133  Stephen  English 

134  William  E  Barnes 

135  A  Taylor 


Certified  to  by  judges  and  clerks  according  to  form  on  page  2 
copy. 


of 


Abstract  of  votes  for  delegate  to  Congress. 

J.  W.  Whitfield      - 
A.  H.  Keeder 

Total  number  of  votes  polled 

Certified  according  to  form  on  page  2  of  copy. 


131 

4 

135 


FORT  SCOTT. 

Territory  of  Kansas }  county  of  Bourbon,  ss. 

The  undersigned,  having  been  appointed  by  the  proper  tribunal 
judges  of  an  election,  lawfully  appointed  to  be  held,  for  a  delegate 
for  said  Territory  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  on  the  first 
Monday  of  October,  in  the  year  1855,  and  having  been  duly  sworn, 
according  to  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  the  legislative  assembly  in 
such  cases  made  and  provided,  do  certify  that  on  the  day  aforesaid 
such  election  was  held  at  the  town  of  Fort  Scott,  in  said  county, 
A.  Hornbeck  and  K.  G.  Roberts  being  clerks  sworn  to  the  faithful 
discharge  of  their  duties,  when  and  where  the  following  votes  were 
given. 

A.  W.  HAZELRIGG,  ) 

THOMAS  J.  WHITLOCK,  }  Judges. 
G.  OLDHAM,  ) 


1  T  B  Arnett 

2  Thomas  Wadkins 

3  John  T  Ricks 

4  W  S  Houts 

5  W  H  Taylor 

6  James  Grages 

7  Elias  Dean 

8  William  T  Gilham 


9  Stephen  Diners 

10  James  B  Logan 

11  Noah  Tisson 

12  Thomas  Marshall 

13  William  H  Shawnesle 

14  William  Watson 

15  F  M  Logan 

16  Watson  Kinsey 


568 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


17  J  W  Sharp 

18  Henry  C  Booker 

19  Solomon  Eead 

20  James  McKhan 

21  H  Russell 

22  J  W  Young 

23  Taylor  Linsy 

24  L  W  Groves 

25  J  W  Newman 

26  J  G  Davis 

27  Rubin  Dugan 

28  J  L  Dillard 

29  William  Newman 

30  J  Robinson 

31  C  D  Bell 

32  J  H  Walton 

33  Elvis  Hutchins 

34  Francis  Divers 

35  J  T  Herenten 

36  W  G  Collins 

37  P  M  Ray 

38  Noah  Kyton 

39  James  McKool 

40  Hugh  Logan 

41  Dillard  Welch 

42  J  W  Cameron 

43  J  B  Stoops 

44  B  Conler 

45  J  Thurman 

46  J  W  Sterns 

47  H  Nevil 

48  J  R  Lane 

49  Oskes  M  Nelson 

50  John  Gant 

51  G  L  Dook 

52  William  Mor banks 

53  C  S  Ogleby 

54  C  M  Ogleby 

55  GW  Hopkins 

56  T  M  Smith 

57  P  Piar 

58  Levi  Welch 

59  John  White 

60  C  C  Sharp 

61  G  W  Walker 

62  J  M  Forster 

63  Marks  Morgan 

64  R  S  Piper 

65  William  Forster 

66  Robert  Gragg 

67  Samuel  Smith 


68  W  Smith 

69  William  Anderson 

70  A  Ramey 

71  S  Elevens 

72  R  Marchbanks 

73  C  Hays 

74  D  B  McDonald 

75  Ryland  Dillard 

76  William  Gibbons 

77  John  Nail 

78  John  Wight 

79  W  Smith 

80  P  Button 

81  J  Spears 

82  W  M  Hutchison 

83  J  S  Camperfard 

84  W  Hock 

85  W  W  Woodson 

86  D  M  Greely 

87  Elijah  Ray 

88  L  M  Oliver 

89  J  Rogers 

90  C  Bondurant 

91  J  B  Richardson 

92  T  S  Marlow 

93  E  Ross 

94  R  Wells 

95  A  Thornton 

96  S  H  Lowering 

97  R  S  Woods 

98  W  James 

99  D  Neil 

100  J  D  Tucker 

101  William  Bartlett,  jr 

102  J  Know 

103  W  Rogers 

104  E  A  Cox 

105  J  W  McFarland 

106  A  G  Hall 

107  J  Denton 

108  G  Morris 

109  A  Dickson 

110  A  J  Russell 

111  D  L  Harrison 

112  James  Barker 

113  J  S  Corwins 

114  S  Hert 

115  John  Rye 

116  A  Baker 

117  E  S  Wegend 

118  J  C  Anderson 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


569 


119  D  F  Greenwood 

120  C  Bartlett 

121  E  Ray 

122  R  A  Barnett 

123  J  D  Ferguson 

124  W  Fryar,  sen 

125  W  Shelly 

126  T  Snoder 

127  N  J  Barnes 

128  S  A  Williams 

129  OS  Ferguson 

130  J  Weber 

131  GRoss 

132  S  Weber 

133  J  W  Denton 

134  M  Kirk 

135  S  Foster 

136  J  D  Thompson 

137  J  Miller 

138  W  Snow 

139  S  M  Stratton 

140  GDorson 

141  A  Dorson 

142  P  H  Procter 

143  GHSymons 

144  A  Moody 

145  J  Randolph 

146  W  W  Jackson 

147  Henry  Herriford 

148  S  H  Herriford 

149  JH  Herriford 

150  W  H  Herriford 

151  J  Pritchett 

152  S  A  Dasert 

153  C  0  Lorrell 

154  J  Douglas 

155  J  January 

156  J  S  Mitchell 

157  John  Alexander 

158  P  Dunking 

159  M  M  Kincanon 

160  A  C  Cogswell 

161  N  S  Hancock 

162  W  R  Miller 

163  B  Alexander 

164  F  Sherby 

165  A  Kennedy 

166  W  January 

167  J  P  Avery 

168  J  W  Maxey 

169  G  J  Entcott 


170  J  Bolinger 

171  J  P  Hampton 

172  W  R  Morgan 

173  R  Morrow 

174  W  J  Line 

175  J  R  Beard 

176  J  Gross 

177  J  T  Ray 

178  J  0  Simons 

179  J  White 

180  J  Ray 

181  P  Zeal 

182  W  W  Cogswell 

183  H  M  Thornton 

184  G  W  Shoemaker 

185  J  H  Brown 

186  W  F  Alexander 

187  J  Daniel 

188  W  H  Ward 

189  T  Summers 

190  F  K  Morgan 

191  H  R  Kelso 

192  J  N  Mige 

193  W  Bollinger 

194  W  Breeze 

195  T  Pickeral 

196  Jonathan  Denton 

197  A  C  Horton 

198  W  Panter 

199  C  Lewis 

200  H  W  Linn 

201  D  Crews 

202  J  Pickeral 

203  A  W  Gage 

204  J  Brown 

205  J  N  Cotrell 

206  J  M  Brown 

207  A  T  Nalor 

208  J  Morrow 

209  T  M  Cook 

210  P  D  Cummins 

211  J  M  Bryan 

212  N  G  Bukner 

213  N  M  C  Moore 

214  M  Linn 

215  H  T  Wilson 

216  M  J  Rand 

217  D  F  Dewitt 

218  R  Beath 

219  C  Mitchell 

220  C  Cox 


570  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


221  W  D  Horn 

222  H  C  Weathers 

223  L  Hedges 

224  S  Wagoner 

225  W  Cox 

226  W  Moffett 

227  J  W  Cummins 

228  C  B  Wingfield 

229  S  Bage 

230  H  Wingfield 

231  W  P  Wingfield 


233  T  S  Spinkle 

234  N  Pearson 

235  A  Hornbeck 

236  K  G-  Roberts 

237  G  Oldham 

238  T  J  Whitlock 

239  A  W  Hazelrigg 

240  H  Varhell 

241  B  F  Hill 

242  W  H  Kilton 

243  W  Margraves 


232  W  Wadkins 

Territory  of  Kansas ,  Bourbon  county,  ss: 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  at  Fort  Scott  o: 
the  first  day  of  October,  (it  being  Monday,)  for  delegate  to  Congres- 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  do  certify  that  there  were  two  hum 
dred  and  forty-two  votes  cast  for  John  W.  Whitfield,  and  for  A.  H' 
Reeder  one  vote,  which  were  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  saiii 
election  on  said  day,  which  is  a  fair  and  complete  list  of  all  of  sain 
votes. 

Given  under  our  hands,  as  judges  of  said  election,  at  the  town  o 
Fort  Scott,  K.  T.,  this  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

A.  W.  HAZELRIGG, 
THOMAS  J.  WHITLOCK,  }  Judges 
G.  OLDHAM, 
Attest : 

R.  G.  ROBERTS, 

A.  HORNBECK, 


BROWN  COUNTY. 

Poll  book  of  the  election  held  at  the  house  of  W.  O.  Foster,  in  the  counfo 
of  Brown  and  Territory  of  Kansas,  on  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D 
1855. 

W.  C.  Foster,  William  Purket,  judges  ;  and  H.  Woodward,  M.  L 
Saurin,  B.  Winkles,  clerks  of  said  election,  were  severally  sworn  ai 
the  law  directs,  previous  to  their  entering  on  their  respective  offices. 


1  W  C  Foster 

2  Marcellus  Saurin 

3  William  Purket 

4  Henry  Woodward 


5  Benjamin  Winkles 

6  E  W  Short 

7  John  C  Poe 

8  Franklin  J  Robins 


Names  of  persons  voted  for  and  for  ivhat  office,  containing  the  number  oj 
votes  given  for  each  candidate. 

Delegates  to  Congress — John  W.  Whitfield 
For  license 
Against  license 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


571 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Brown  county,  Kan- 
is  Territory,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes 
iven  at  an  election  held  on  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  as 
•itness  our  hands  this  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

W.  C.  FOSTER,  ) 

WILLIAM  PURKETT,  V  Judges. 
H.  WOODWARD,          } 
B    WINKLES,     )  (JM^  f  Election, 
M.  L.  SAURIN,  J  J 


CALHOUN  COUNTY. 

We  and  each  of  us  do  solemnly  swear  that  we  will  impartially  dis- 
harge  the  duties  of  judges  of  the  present  election  according  to  law 
jid  the  best  of  our  abilities. 

PERRY  FLESHMAN, 

G.  P.  DORRISS, 

SAMUEL  S.  LOCKHART.   • 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  this  first  day  of  October,  A.  D. 
L855. 

JAMES  KUYKENDALL,  J.  P.,C.,  K.  T. 

We  do  solemnly  swear  that  we  will  faithfully  discharge  the  duties 
)f  clerks  according  to  law  and  the  best  of  our  abilities. 

WILLIAM  L.  KUYKENDALL, 
J.  M.  KUYKENDALL. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  this  first  day  of  October,  A.  D. 
1855. 

PERRY  FLESHMAN. 


Poll  book  for  Oalhoun  county. 

For  Congress — John  W.  Whitfield 
Andrew  H.  Reeder 
For  license     -        -       ^  !      - 


Against  license 


29 
0 

14 
5 


Names  of  voters. 


J  M  Hands 

E  M  Sloan 

George  L  Young 

William  Alley 

Charles  Polk 

G-  P  Clark 

James  S  Wilson 

G  P  Dorriss 

S  S  Lockhart 

Perry  Fleshman 

J  M  Kuykendall 

W  L  Kuykendall 

James  Kuykendall,  sen 

Raleigh  J  Fulton 

Creed  Fulton 


Richard  P  Beeler 
James  0  Daniel 
Thomas  F  Monford 
Russell  Gurrett 
William  Wilson 
Lucius  ChafFee 
Joseph  White 
William  H  Morgan 
Jacob  Baker 
John  D  Susie 
Bozeil  Greemore 
0  H  P  Polk 
Edwin  G  Booth 
Benjamin  Boydston, 


572  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Territory  of  Kansas,  Calhoun  county,  ss: 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  number  one  electioi 
district,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  and  correct  list  of  the  vote) 
given  at  an  election  held  on  Monday,  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D 
1855,  as  witness  our  hands  this  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855 

PERKY  FLESHMAN, 
G.  P.  DORRISS, 
SAMUEL  S.  LOCKHART. 
Attest:     J.  M.  KUYKENDALL, 
W.  L.  KUYKENDALL. 

DAVIS  COUNTY. — Delegate  to  Congress. 
A  H  Reeder  4  (four)     |         J  W  Whitfield       8  (eight) 

Names  of  voters. 


1  Samuel  Berry 

2  J  Preston 

3  H  J  Hector 

4  E  J  Howard 

5  John  H  Rodman 

6  John  T  Price 


7"  Jess  Spencer 

8  George  M  Switezen 

9  GH  Harris, 

10  Alexander  Dean 

11  John  Wallace 

12  S  H  Sarber 


ec- 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Davis  county  el 
tion  district,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes 
given  at  an  election  held  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  as 
witness  our  hands  this  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

N.  B.  We  have  nut  deemed  it  necessary  to  exact  the  proof  of  pay- 
ment of  the  territorial  tax. 

GEORGE  H.  HARRIS,  ) 

GEORGE  MEIKEL  SCHWEZER,  V  Judges. 
JESS  SPENKER,  ) 

Attest :     ALEXANDER  DEAN,  ?  „,,      ,  ,     . 
JOHN  WALLACE,      J  C  er/cs  °J  € 

LECOMPTON — Douglas  County. 
To Ellison, Waffel,  and Ward: 

You  are  hereby  appointed  judges  of  an  election  for  delegate  to  Con- 
gress, to  be  held  at  the  office  of  the  town  company  in  the  town  of 
Lecompton,  on  Monday,  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

By  order  of  the  board  of  commissioners. 

Attest:  JAMES  CHRISTIAN,  Clerk  D.  C. 

Poll  book  for  Lecompton. 


1  James  B  Hall 

2  J  F  Taylor 

3  R  W  Williams 

4  F  H  Alexander 

5  James  Alexander 

6  G  P  Johnson 

T  William  Fisher 


8  J  R  Henry 

9  A  H  McClenahan 

10  N  Riley 

11  T  F  Stone 

12  J  R  Winn 

13  Edward  Wiles 

14  Monroe  Booz 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


573 


15  W  R  Scott 

16  J  M  Muse 

17  J  F  Stonestreet 

18  J  N  Enbey 

19  J  F  Bilt 

20  H  C  Spurtoch 

21  Thomas  Todhunter 

22  Thomas  Walter 

23  A.  F  Hereford 

24  D  W  Williams 

25  J  J  Cremner 

26  0  C  Spalding 

27  Timothy  McClane 

28  J  B  McClenahan 

29  Dudley  Plummer 

30  S  H  Plummer 

31  Thomas  Scaggs 

32  James  Scaggs 

33  H  C  Owens 

34  J  F  Jackson 

35  A  E  Tyry 

36  WFoly 

37  W  S  Thompson 

38  A  J  McClenahan 

39  F  Thompson 

40  John  Wells 

41  S  J  Wofert 

42  Paris  Ellison 

43  David  Kendal 

44  Samuel  D  Jones 

45  J  D  Todhunter 

46  L  Barnett 

47  a  M  Taylor 

48  K  C  Bishop 

49  W  H  Wilson 

50  William  A  Thompson 

51  Wills  Garrett 

52  Lewis  Owens 

53  George  W  Johnson 

54  James  Borland 

55  John  Boatman 

56  E  Teschmaker 

57  John  S  Winters 

58  James  M  Davidson 


59  J  S  Ketchen 

60  F  Webster 

61  Benjamin  Bartling 

62  G  M  Clam 

63  Frank  McDowell 

64  William  Rhine 

65  Harry  M  Reynolds 

66  Aaron  Botts 

67  John  M  Smith 

68  Juan  Todhunter 

69  Charles  F  Terchmaker 

70  John  Mason 

71  James  Ubanks 

72  W  Robertson 

73  David  W  Runnels 

74  William  Prewitt 

75  Samuel  B  Patterson 

76  Jack  Anderson 

77  Daniel  Trigg 

78  Madison  Frost 

79  J  R  Critcher 

80  Henry  Carlile 

81  J  F  Smith 

82  William  Benson 

83  A  F  Davis 

84  G  H  Harrington 

85  A  H  Porter 

86  Andrew  McDonald 

87  Fleming  Hatton 

88  William  Johnson 

89  J  P  Pitcher 
9.0  William  Riley 

91  William  Blayney 

92  John  Stewart 

93  William  F  Halsey 

94  William  C  Willoch 

95  B  C  Brook 

96  William  Doho 

97  Rufus  Doho 

98  D  F  Reese 

99  Frank  Brady 

100  Jacob  Hard 

101  John  Handcok 


We,  the  undersigned  judges,  do  certify  that  Hon.  J.  W.  Whitfield 
received  101  votes. 

PARIS  ELLISON, 
DAVID  KENDALL, 
JAMES  D.  TODHUNTER. 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  of  the  election  at  Lecompton,  Kansas 


574 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Territory,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  give 
at  an  election  held  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  as  witne* 
out  hands,  this  the  1st  day  of  October,  1855. 

PAKIS  ELLISON,  ) 

DAVID  KENDALL,  V  Judges. 

JAMES  D.  TODHUNTER,  ) 
Attest: 

WILLIAM  T.  WILSON, 
E.  C.  BISHOP. 


(No  oath  of  judges  and  clerks  on  file.) 


Poll  book  of  Franklin  Township,  Douglas  county. 


S  Z  Sheet 

John  M  Jackson 

J  W  Jimmason 

John  M  Hays 

J  F  Thomas 

R  M  Grant 

James  M  Hambuck 

8  Nathan  L  Simpson 

9  A  H  Tinman 

10  Joseph  H  Boid 

11  George  Holmes 

12  R  Simpson 

13  B  R  Piper 

14  J  N  Harvey 

15  WH  Chase 

16  Benomas  Sapington 

17  S  Houston 

18  John  Harris 

19  William  C  Camell 

20  R  S  Harvey 

21  John  R  Metcalf 

22  John  M  Sappington 

23  J  A  Twiman 

24  0  B  Pearson 

25  Thomas  Jackson 

26  Ruben  Coruilus 

27  John  0.  Lockhart 

28  Joab  Yanwick 

29  C.  J  Lewis 

30  George  Foulman 

31  0  B  H  McGee 

32  Ambros  Floughmany 

33  Samuel  Justin 

34  F  E  L  Hay 

35  F  L  Cohin 

36  J  C  Evans 


37  Christopher  Mubao 

38  P  H  McGee 

39  M  McMurry 

40  C  R  Shell 

41  Jon  B  Lewis 

42  W  S  Hunt  Doel 

43  John  A  Gouldin 

44  E  D  Hart 

45  James  A  Colins 

46  H  P  Muir 

47  Z  J  Walton 

48  R  J  Wolf 

49  E  B  Johnson 

50  S  C  Wair 

51  Arch.  Pax  ton 

52  J  T  Clark 

53  E  G  Leak 

54  Peter  Doran 

55  Peter  Burns 

56  Charles  M  Denis 

57  E  McCane 

58  Alex  Sebastian 

59  James  T.urner 

60  Toby  Lahay 

61  Peter  Behan 

62  John  D  Lahay 

63  B  C  Lady 

64  William  Justins 

65  Antonius  Lahay 

66  Alfred  Justice 

67  George  Blenejacket 

68  Thomas  Rogers 

69  A  C  Smith 

70  D  L  How 

71  Isaac  Shass 

72  B  F  McDaniel 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


575 


73  David  Wallace 

74  M  P  McCarty 

75  J  M  Grain 

76  H  T  Grain 

77  W  J  Jones 

78  Isaac  Burt 

79  G  P  Johnson 


80  Edward  Wild 

81  Samuel  Grain,  sr. 

82  James  Whit-lock 

83  D  T  Carlno 

84  John  Smith  Norris 

85  W  L  Parr 

86  John  N  Wallace 


Certified  to  by  James  Whitlock,  D.  T.  Conlin,  and  Samuel  Crane, 
en.,  as  judges  ;  and  William  T.  Parr  and  J.  Smith  Norris,  as  clerks, 
ccording  to  form,  on  page  2. 


Poll  book  of  Lawrence. 


1  J  H  Crocket 

2  Calvin  Adams 

3  Franklin  Kerrans 

4  S  M  Saltus 

5  W  J  Shaerff 

6  T  W  Phillips 

7  Peter  Crockett 

8  L  B  Kerns 

9  James  Christian 

10  A  J  Bush 

11  Robert  Allen 

12  J  F  Belt 

13  J  F  Jackson 

14  E  Wilds 

15  H  C  Owens 

16  Martin  Adams 

17  W  H  Oliver 

18  Fields  Bledroe 

19  John  F  Rumel 

20  A  C  Hinmon 

21  James  R  Hilman 


22  G  W  Kemper 

23  H  C  Hamilton 

24  Edmond  Smith 

25  William  Iron 

26  G  W  Smith 

27  B  B  Bernoe 

28  Thomas  Winship 

29  Garland  Webb 

30  Daniel  D  White 

31  John  Ferrill 

32  Henry  A  Carlen 

33  William  Corel 

34  S  C  Were 

35  James  Garvin 

36  R  J  Merkerson 

37  James  Green 

38  John  F  Wilson 

39  E  Y  Shields 

40  Alfred  Wilhelm 

41  J  W  Wilhelm 

42  Thomas  Smith 


John  W.  Whitfield  received  forty- two  votes.  Certified  to  by  Peter 
Clockett  and  W.  SchaerfF,  judges  ;  James  Christian  and  L.  B.  Kenas, 
clerks,  according  to  form  on  page  2. 

Poll  book,  Willow  Spring,  Douglas  county. 


Voters'  names. 


1  G  W  Brian 

2  Joseph  Bradbury 

3  R  0  Steel 

4  R  B  Brown 

5  M  L  Benson 

6  J  P  Sanders 

7  John  Montgomery 

8  Thos  D  Jones 


9  GWPool 

10  A  Smith 

11  Jonah  H  Wagoner 

12  Z  Johnson 

13  W  Cumins 

14  J  H  Lockridge 

15  B  F  Bounds 

16  R  H  White 


576 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


17  S  L  Clark 

18  Thomas  Emery 

19  M  Boune 

20  L  Graham 

21  Wildie  McKing 

22  H  0  Lowery 

23  J  D  Cunningham 

24  H  Owens 

25  K  B  Motny 

26  B  T  Brown 

27  William  Kussell 

28  L  Reed 

29  E  B  Eeed 

30  J  B  Dairs 

31  M  Reynolds 

32  S  W  Fisher 

33  Oscal  Young 

34  John  Jones 

35  A  B  Collotte 

36  James  Reed 

37  S  H  Davis 

38  John  Carroll 

39  John  M  Banks 

40  Jonathan  Shepherd 

41  Thomas  Breeze 

42  Charles  Martin 

43  E  Poage 

44  N  McKinney 

45  John  Macklin 

46  Wm  Roads 

47  James  S  Camphell 

48  L  Steel 

49  Wm  A  Parrish 

50  C  L  Parrish 

51  R  Flournory 

52  R  J  Long 

53  H  C  Parish 

54  John  Eadlehart 

55  Joseph  Hager 

56  Silas  Sutton 

57  J  M  Russell 

58  Rohert  Carlan 

59  John  W  Benett 

60  Alfred  Laws 


61  L  Dent 

62  G  P  Skezur 

63  Wm  A  David 

64  Wm  Donaldson 

65  Wm  E  Baker 

66  William  Isbell 

67  Jared  Chapman 

68  P  0' Conner 

69  H  0' Conner 

70  Wm  0' Conner 

71  A  Street 

72  J  G  Baker 

73  Aaron  Case 

74  John  0' Conner 

75  Levi  Herren 

76  A  Bell 

77  P  N  Watts 

78  S  Creel 

*79  Henry  Kauz 

80  D  Burton 

81  Newton  Cary 

82  John  Burton 

83  W  W  Williams 

84  John  McClarau 

85  Charles  Matny 

86  G  W  Cary 

87  R  W  Cary 

88  C  F  Cleveland 

89  S  Shepperd 

90  Wm  G  Lucket 

91  Thomas  Esseeks 

92  Wm  McKenney 

93  M  H  Burton 

94  F  M  Coleman 

95  D  T  Jones 

96  Win  Curry 

97  J  M  Tanett 

98  J  B  Campbell 

99  CM  White 

100  G  W  Hurr 

101  James  Campbell 

102  Milton  Boon 

103  D  Fletcher 


For  Congress. 

JWWhitfield     -     103          |          A  H  Reeder  0 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  at  Willow  Springs,  cer- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


577 


•fy  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  given  at  an  election 
i  the  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

M.  BOONE,  ) 

D.  FLETCHER,  >  Judges. 

JAMES  CAMPBELL,  ) 
best: 

C.  M.  WAITE,      )  Ql    ^    f  dection, 
J.  B.  CAMPBELL,  J 


IOWA  TOWNSHIP. — County  of  Doniphan. 

.oil  book  of  the  election  held  at  the  house  of  William  Beeler,  in  Iowa 
Point,  Iowa  township,  county  of  Doniphan,  Territory  of  Kansas,  on 
the  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

Robert  H.  Fitch,  George  Brown,  and  J.  B.  Matlack,  judges,  and 
]aniel  W.  Flinn  and  James  Glenn,  clerks  of  said  election,  were  sev- 
(ally  sworn,  as  the  law  directs,  previous  to  their  entering  on  their 
ispective  offices. 

Names. 


1  Jesse  Lewis 

2  William  Williams 

3  Harry  Foreman 

4  George  E  Glass 

5  W  D  Beeler 

6  Charles  Balkely 

7  Madison  Walker 

8  W  H  Hawkins 

9  Jackson  Rany 

10  Thomas  Smart 

11  Perry  Glenn 

12  A  D  Rainy 

13  George  Penny 

14  Isaac  Crouch 

15  X  K  Gout 

16  William  No wland 


17  D  K  Anderson 

18  Thomas  Leas 

19  Mikle  Bird 

20  Ezekiel  Hobbs 

21  A  M  Downing 

22  F  H  W  Young 

23  W  W  Felton 

24  'Jackson  Baker 

25  Pryor  Plank 

26  Samuel  Hollman 

27  R  H  Fitch 

28  D  W  Flin 

29  George  Brown 

30  Doctor  Shepherd 

31  Joseph  A  Brown 

32  James  Glenn 


fames  of  persons  voted  for,  and  for  what  office,  containing  the  number 
of  votes  given  for  each  candidate. 


Hegate  to  Congress- -John  W.  Whitfield  - 
Lr  license     -  - 

gainst  license  - 


30 
11 
18 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  election  in  Iowa  township,  county 
o  Doniphan,  and  Territory  of  Kansas,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a 
crrect  list  of  the  votes  given  at  an  election  held  in  Iowa  Point,  on  the 
H.  Rep.  200 37* 


578 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  as  witness  our  hands  this d 

of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

EOBEKT  H.  FITCH,  ) 
GEORGE  BROWN,     V  Judges. 
J.  B.  MATLACK,       ) 

Attest : 


DONIPHAN. 

Poll  book  of  the  election  held  at  the  hotel  of  John  W.  Forman,  in  ? 
town  of  Doniplian,  Wayne  townshipj  county  of  Doniphan,  and  Ter 
tory  of  Kansas,  on  the  1st  day  of  October,,  A.  D.  1855. 

William  Sublette,  D.  M.  Johnston,  and  James  Lynch,  judges,  a 
J.  H.  Thompson  and  J.  A.  Van  Arsdale,  clerks  of  said  election,  w 
severally  sworn,  as  the  law  directs,  previous  to  their  entering  ontb! 
esp  ective  duties. 


1  A  J  Dunning 

2  Jacob  Mat  hews 

3  C  J  Yeary 

4  S  K  Miller 

5  David  Frank 

6  G  M  Waller 

7  William  Christopher 

8  B  G  Wells 

9  Jacob  J  Scott 

10  Benjamin  Twedell 

11  John  Tracy 

12  R  Smith  (license) 

13  William  F  Tate 

14  Jeff  Button 

15  Benjamin  Hutton 

16  Calvin  Lewis 
IT  0  Brown 

78  B  O'Driscoll 

19  John  Walker 

20  George  Hancock 

21  John  W  Philips 

22  S  C  Hudson 

23  John  Rice 

24  Keron  Grable  (license) 

25  Joseph  Frates 

26  Colonel  Newman 
27"  Joseph  Grabla 

28  J  B  Baker 

29  William  Beauchamp 

30  John  W  Forman 


31  Josiah  Howard 

32  Daniel  S  Young 

33  E  McCall 

34  Campbell  Baker 

35  Jacob  Grorhen 

86  Andrew  McLaughlin 

37  W  G  Tate 

38  GRFormen 

39  John  Martin 

40  Richard  Vest 

41  Benjamin  Wharton 

42  J  H  Thompson 

43  J  A  Van  Arsdale 

44  James  Lynch 

45  William  Sublette 

46  D  M  Johnston 

47  Joshua  Laundis 

48  William  H  Hivehman 

49  James  Raney 

50  Benjamin  Wilcox 

51  John  S  Pemberton 

52  H  W  Swisher 

53  Guelman  Cox 

54  G  W  Lidingter 

55  D  G  Sharp 

56  James  Roberts 

57  William  Froman 

58  John  Abahart 

59  Amos  Rutledge 

60  G  A  Crane 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


579 


61  C  C  Alverson 

62  Joseph  Cook 

63  G  W  Parker 


.  64  G  L  Gore 

65  T  H  Gallaher 

66  Alexander  Hall 


les  of  persons  voted  for,  and  for  what  office,  containing  the,  number 
of  votes  given  for  each  candidate. 

Th  it  field  66     No  license  44 

Eeder  -  0     License  —  s:          17 

Certified  by  judges  and  clerks  of  said  election  according  to  form  on 
tige2. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 

NL  ~book  of  the  election  held  at  the  house  of  M.  F.  Moss,  near  Milton 
Bryant's,  in  Washington  township,  county  of  Doniphan,  and  Territory 
of  Kansas,  on  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

Jeffrey  M.  Palmer,  H.  S.  Creal,  and  William  Matthews,  and  James 
I  Whiteheadj  and  D.  Scott  Bogle,  clerks  of  said  election,  were  seve- 
rlly  sworn  previous  to  their  entering  upon  their  respective  offices. 


1  Hamilton  Osborn 

27  William  J  Copeland 

2  Hamilton  J  Johnson 

28  John  Coke 

3  Timothy  Bancroft 

29  James  H  Merrill 

4  James  Petch 

30  John  Bolinger 

5  C  B  Donalson 

31  William  Lalley 

6  D  Scott  Bogle 

32  G  L  Gore* 

7"  James  B  Whitehead 

33  W  H  Allen 

8  Milton  E  Bryant 

34  William  Palmer 

9  J  M  Palmer 

35  F  M  Mahon 

10  William  Matthews 

36  Girard  B  Jones 

11  Peter  Monroe 

37  Levin  A  Benson 

12  A  Heed 

38  Samuel  Montgomery 

13  J  P  Blair 

39  J  B  Owens 

14  Leander  McClelland 

40  John  Lovelady 

15  William  Morgan 

41  William  Fee 

16  HS  Creal 

42  Hiram  Gilbert 

17  Miles  Collins 

43  James  Lyn 

18  Uriah  Griffith 

44  Sabert  Gladon 

19  Edward  Leary 

45  John  Duncan 

20  Daniel  Miller 

46  Hamilton  Kirk 

21  Stephen  M  Bell 

47  John  T  Montague 

22  Daniel  0  Tool 

48  Wilson  D  Moore 

23  William  Robertson 

49  Constadt  Power* 

24  D  E  Benson 

50  Peter  Vergent 

25  Daniel  L  Henry 

51  James  B  O'Tool 

26  Elias  Copeland 

52  John  Trotman 

*  64  Doniphau  township. 


580 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


53  James  O'Tool,  sen. 

54  Henry  Chumley 

55  Gary  B  Whitehead 

56  Francis  Young 

57  James  Bliss 


58  Samuel  Flint 

59  Henry  Thompson 

60  Kily  Millrap 

61  Evan  Evans. 


Names  of  persons  voted  for,  and  for  what  office,  containing  the  num 
of  votes  for  each  candidate. 

John  W.  Whitfield,  for  Congress       -  '•'»        59 

General  J.  W.  MouskikaofF,  for  Congress      -  2 

For  license      -  39 

Against  license 
Certified  by  judges  and  clerks  according  to  form  on  page  2. 


BURR  OAK. 

Poll-book  of  the  election  held  at  the  house  of  John  W.  Smith,  at 
ton,  Burr  Oak  toivnship,  county  of  Doniphan,  and  Territory  of. 
sas,  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

Judges  and  clerks  of  said  election  were  severally  sworn  as 
directs,  previous  to  their  entering  on  their  respective  offices. 


1  L  T  Lolan 

2  T  W  Watterson 

3  James  Watterson 

4  Joseph  Crippin 

5  S  E  Morris 

6  W  P  Kichardson 

7  John  W  Smith 

8  Porter  Eoberts 

9  Nimrod  Duncan 

10  J  W  Stevens 

11  J  W  Smith 

12  Charles  Slimmer 

13  A  F  Barnet 

14  Eobert  Keed 

15  James  Craft 

16  William  Burtoutt 

17  William  Bryant 

18  Philips  Mannel 

19  Francis  Bogair 

20  Kobert  M  Whitsett 

21  Thomas  Bankenship 

22  Charles  Taylor 

23  Robert  L  Morris 

24  Francis  M  Morris 


25  Mathias  Rapp 

26  H  D  Adams 

27  A  H  Trible 

28  D  B  Tindel 

29  James  Gabriel 

30  Hezekiah  Jackson 

31  William  C  Gilliam 

32  E  C  Gilliam 

33  A  J  Gilliam 

34  Thomas  Duvall 

35  Asa  K  Hubbard 

36  Obadiah  Evans 

37  Jared  Treble 

38  William  Treble 

39  J  W  Treble 

40  E  C  Smith 

41  Jesse  Cot 

42  Henry  James 

43  Richard  Morris 

44  H  C  Moore 

45  John  Henderson 

46  L  D  Cook 

47  Thomas  H  McCulloch 

48  Benjamin  Caststeel 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


581 


fimes  of  persons  voted  for,  and  for  ivhat  office,  containing  the  number 
of  votes  given  for  each  candidate. 


John  W.  Whitfield,  for  Congress 
For  license 
Against  license 


42 

39 

5 


Certified  to  by  John  A.  Henderson,  Richard  Morris,  and  Henry  C. 
foore,  judges,  T.  H.  McCulloch,  T.  D.  Cook,  clerks,  according  to 
f™m  on  page  2. 


LAEH  TILLAGE. —  Wolf  TWtT  township. 

till  looks  of  the  election  held  at  the  house  of  Milton  Utt,  at  the  Laeh 
Village,  in  the  Wolf  Biver  township,  comity  of  Doniphan,  and  Terri- 
tory of  Kansas,  on  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

G.  B.  Wilson,  A.  P.  Quick,  and  A.  Q.  Rice,  judges  and  Josephus 
Itt  and  Thomas  J.  Yanderslice,  clerks  of  said  election,  were  sererally 
srorn  as  the  law  directs,  previous  to  entering  on  their  respectire 
<nces. 


1  R  Baldwind 

2  A  B  Sharp 

3  D  Yanderslice 

4  David  Bogard 

5  James  J  Yanderslice 

6  Hardin  Critchfield 

7  William  T  B  Yanderslice 

8  Nelson  Rodgers 

9  Milton  Utt 

10  M  C  Modie 

11  James  W  Oliver 

12  J  G  Yates 

13  A  J  Yates 

14  R  M  Gilmore 

15  S  D  Gilmore 

16  S  a  Fish 

17  G  W  Dowell 

18  S  D  Bright 

19  J  J  Reynolds 

20  Richard  Leach 

21  William  Craig 

22  Henry  Smith 

23  James  Brooks 

24  James  Cameron 

25  William  Smith 

26  William  Webb 

27  M  D  Brown 


28  M  Brown 

29  Isaac  Craig 

30  William  Yickers 

31  Joel  Ryan 

32  Milford  Gilmore 

33  Samuel  Potut 

34  Isaac  Chase 

35  Henry  Chase 

36  Josephus  Utt 

37  A  Q  Rice 

38  G  W  Gay 

39  G  R  Wilson 

40  A  P  Quick 

41  T  J  Yanderslice 

42  William  Lewis 

43  George  Jones 

44  J  J  Smith 

45  Maidson  Osborne 

46  Sidney  Gwinn 

47  N  Kimberlane 

48  John  Kimberlane 

49  Wallace  Smith 

50  Peter  Monter 

51  K  Murray 

52  William  McGathney 

53  D  Utt 


582  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Names  of  persons  voted  for,  and  for  what  office,  containing  the 
of  votes  given  for  each  candidate, 

John  W.  Whitfield,  for  Congress,  53. 
For  license,  29 ;  against  license,  8. 

Certified  to  by  the  judges  and  clerks  according  to  form  page  2. 


Poll  book  for  Middle  Creek. 


1  Alexander  Smith 

2  Samuel  M  Kobertson 

3  John  Payne 


4  Edward  Payne 

5  D  H  Leeper 

6  Thomas  Totton 


For  J.  W.  Whitfield,  6  votes. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Franklin  com 
held  at  the  house  of  Thomas  G.  Blair,  certify  that  the  foregoing j 
correct  list  of  the  votes  given  at  an  election  held  on  the  first  da.  )f 
October,  A.  D.  1855,  as  witness  our  hands  this  first  day  of  Octo 
A.  D.  1855. 

FREDERICK  BROWN, 
D.  H.  LEEPER, 

his 

EDWARD  +  PAYNE, 

mark. 

Judges  of  election 


Poll  book  of  Pottowatomie  Creek,  Franklin  county. 
VOTERS'  NAMES. 


1  R  Golding 

2  A  Wilkinson 

3  J  S  Wightman 

4  H  Sherman 


6  George  Wilson 

7  J  P  Barnebey 

8  William  Sherman 

9  Jeremiah  Buffington 


5  H  S  Britton 
For  J.  W.  Whitfield,  9  votes 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  at  the  house  of  Hd 
Sherman,  in  the  county  of  Franklin,  certify  the  foregoing  is  a  cor: 
list  of  votes  given  at  an  election  held  on  the  first  day  of  October,  . 
D.  1855.     As  witness  our  hands,  this  the  first  day  of  October,  A. 
1855. 

JOHN  G.  MORSE, 
SAMUEL  MACK, 
JOHN  S.  W1GHTMAN. 
Attest : 

A.  WILKINSON,      )  rii—fa  nf  election 
J.  P.  BARNEBEY,  J  Cler/c*  °feie<*lon- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
Poll  list  of  Jefferson  county,  Kansas  Territory. 


583 


Names  of  voters. 

Votes  for 
J.  W.  Whitfield. 

si 

|a 

< 
& 

Names  of  voters. 

2 

*l 

R  !> 

*'"> 

O     . 

>£ 

•-* 

k 

A 

>K 
< 

& 

1 
1 
1 
1 

24.  Webster  Withers  

»••••• 

25.  Jacob  Downing  

26    Joseph  Downing.  ....... 

27    Samuel  Hudson     

28    Robert  K   Grant   ... 

...... 
•••••• 

29    W  H   Tibbs 



30.  W.  F.  Dyer  

31    Richard  Grant  



32    John  Sharp   

1 

33    A    Christian  

i.  Judge  O.  B.  B.  Tibbs  

34    D   R  Sprague        

...... 

..... 
1 

\    William  Carpenter  

37    H   Combs  

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

38    Benjamin  Danson  ...... 

39    R  C  Combs      

T    S  R    Burpee       

40    J  E  Haddic        

3.  H.  Banfield  

..... 

41  .  E.  Cornett  

...... 

).  Joseph  AV.  Thompson  .  .  •  •  . 

42.  James  Mclntire  ........ 

).  J.  R.  Smith  

43.  Hiram  Combs    

I    Ellis  Downing  ,    .......... 

1 
1 
1 

44    John  Patton     I  .  .  .  . 

2   C  Withers    °.  



3    J  L    Prior 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  election,  certify  that  the  above  and 
sregoing  is  a  correct  poll  cast  at  Osaukee3  Jefferson  county,  Kansas 
territory,  at  an  election  held  this  first  of  October,  1855,  for  delegate 
o  Congress,  viz  :  For  Whitfield,  42  ;  for  Reeder,  3.  Total,  45. 

D.  R.  SPRAOUE, 
A.  CHRISTIAN, 
PETER  DUPUY. 


Attest : 

M.  CHRISTISON. 
W.  H.  DYER, 


Gkrfo. 


cast  at  the  county  seat  of  Johnson  county,  Kansas  Territory,  on 
the  1st  of  October,  1855,  for  delegate  to  Congress. 


1  Smallwood  Noland 

2  N  J  Cord 

3  G  W  Gordon 

4  J  D  Harvey 

5  N  K  Thomas 

6  R  D  Harris 

7  Jos  S  Ball 


8  Albert  Wright 

9  Ch's  Packard 

10  A  Jones 

11  A  H  Hough 

12  S  W  Asbury 

13  John  Berry 

14  J  Q  Cupp 


584 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


15  K  F  Moore 

16  T  Doniphan 

17  A  Kerr 

18  Richard  Pitcher 

19  S  F  Furnace 

20  G  T  Williams 

21  F  H  Carton 

22  F  G  Campbell 

23  E  S  Fishback 

24  Jesse  Noland 

25  Thos  Huckell 

26  R  Thorpe 

27  J  B  Shelly 

28  Wm  Duggins 

29  M  McGill 

30  R  L  Bell 

31  B  F  Claggett 

32  Wm  Groom 

33  GSRathborne 

34  G  Hopkins 

35  T  S  Boyce 

36  L  A  Talbott 

37  F  Cering 

38  CV  Lincoln 

39  A  Hassell 

40  John  Falkerson 

41  Pleasant  Ellington 

42  J  H  Ware 

43  Wm  M  Groom 

44  J  L  Steadman 

45  R  C  Miller 

46  S  L  Doty 

47  C  Monroe 

48  G  W  Baker 

49  J  Q  Atkins 

50  J  D  Stivens 

51  GWShowalter 

52  Wm  Gillespie 
5S  Jas  Fleming 

54  Wm  Semple 

55  WmKentley 

56  John  A  Collins 

57  T  B  Covan 

58  C  C  Wallace 

59  A  J  Zerpin 

60  H  Gening 

61  S  Maguaghay 

62  A  F  Patton 

63  J  B  Shaw 

64  Otho  Hall 

65  Samuel  Barnaul 


66  W  L  Haltron 

67  A  Ritcher 

68  A  T  Farce 

69,  John  McFadder 

70  John  Lyrch 

71  Silas  Evans 

72  J  R  Atkinson 

73  John  Halbut 

74  J  Lauderdsde 

75  Davis  Vogle 

76  Silas  Combs 

77  T  S  Ham 

78  Jos  Hicklin 

79  H  Bailey 

80  H  H  Harrison 

81  H  McHahan 

82  John  Shannon 

83  WmRice 

84  Joel  Liscomb 

85  F  M  Huchison 

86  Charles  Chotian 

87  U  L  Boyer 

88  0  Latinar 

89  J  Napier 

90  Danl  Duffelmin 

91  J  F  Mills 

92  Wilson  Shannon 

93  Geo  Buchanan 

94  John  S  Johnson 

95  T  J  Lockridge 

96  Jos  Tooley 

97  Fred  Clotian 

98  J  M  Harrison 

99  Wm  Donaldson 

100  J  Blackstone 

101  J  W  Ellis 

102  Benj  Clotian 

103  John  Wornall 

104  G  Ridley 

105  Rush  Elmore 

106  J  L  Duncan 

107  James  Adams 

108  Joseph  Dilland 

109  Wm  Ish 

110  John  Ish 

111  B  F  Johnson 

112  H  C  Pate 

113  John  S  Davis 

114  S  J  Huffaker 

115  Cyprian  Chouteau 

116  T  H  Ellis 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


585 


117  John  Johnson 

118  P  Dansby 

119  Wm  Sponger 

120  John  Parks 

121  Nathan  Guthrie 

122  Charles  Blujacket 

123  Dan'l  Woodson 

124  Charles  Tucker 

125  Captain  Klockhoof 

126  John  Pumpkin 

127  WmB  Coots 

128  Jeremiah  Frazier 

129  Y  D  Broom 

130  J  B  Warfield 

131  J  D  Piery 

132  A  B  Emor 

133  Chas  Kohealan 

134  Wm  B  Howard 

135  H  A  Huchison 

136  Charles  Bowles 

137  H  A  Hunter 

138  Henry  Coifman 

139  William  Clotian 

140  J  T  Barton 

141  D  W  Stone 

142  Billy  Wolf 

143  Coleman  Smith 

144  H  G  Burton 

145  P  Booker 

146  G  W  Walkei 

147  J  F  Lunley 

148  Win  Surpin 

149  GEagan 

150  T  A  McLain 

151  Jesse  Harris 

152  G  W  Rice 

153  J  M  Bernard 


154  J  T  Lawtzel 

155  John  Me  Arty 

156  M  P  Randall 

157  J  C  Pollard 

158  W  Massy 

159  W  Bailey 

160  Henry  Meguire 

161  C  L  Conner 

162  C  R  Low 

163  F  M  Davis 

164  Jo  Day 

165  John  Profit 

166  Joseph  Flint 

167  Jas  Keyser 

168  Joseph  Jack 

169  Samuel  Gannets 

170  B  T  Keyser 

171  Eli  BlockhofT 

172  T  Deagle 

173  Alfred  Lee 

174  D  Dodson 

175  T  K  Moore 

176  Geo  McDougal 

177  Jas  Peterson 

178  H  F  Henford 

179  H  H  RatclifT 

180  W  M  Clark 

181  A  Hoff 

182  Richard  McAnish 

183  John  Talboot 

184  A  C  Davidson 

185  C  Arrington 

186  Moses  Silverheels 

187  Tobe 

188  Kashowaypenshek 

189  S  Kimberlaird 

190  Henrv  De  Shain 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in •  election  dis- 
trict, certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  cast  at  the 
Section  held  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  1855.  As  witness  our  hands 
-Ms  first  day  of  October,  1855. 

C. 
C. 

z. 

Attest: 
JNO.  S  DAVIS, 
H.  BAILET, 

Clerks. 


CHOUTEAU, 

BOLES, 

J.  HUFFAKER, 

Judges. 


586 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


LEAVEN  WORTH   DISTRICT. 


Poll  book  of  an  election  held  at  the  city  of  Leavemvorth,  in  Leavenwon 
township,  in  the  county  of  Leavenworth,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  tl 
first  Monday  in  October,  A.  D.  1855,  for  delegate  in  the  thirty-fourti 
Congress  of  the  United  States. 


Names  of  voters. 


1  Hiram  Bich 

2  James  K  Water 

3  William  H  Miller 

4  C  L  Beeding 

5  John  Vendamon 

6  J  W  McNutt 

7  James  Depsey 

8  Floyd  Shannon 

9  S  D  Lecompte 

10  Andrew  Gardner 

11  H  H  Estis 

12  W  H  Pence 

13  W  P  Judy 

14  M  A  Groom 

15  Q  A  Weeling 

16  H  L  Trundle 
IT  W  T  Nicholson 

18  John  Estes 

19  William  Boyd 

20  Joseph  Welding 

21  D  A  Thompson 

22  J  Mothershead 

23  J  E  Emmerson 

24  Thomas  C  Bishop 

25  J  W  Gardner 

26  S  Greenfield 

27  Bartly  Estes 

28  PH  Collins' 

29  W  H  Chowning 

30  John  Chrisman 

31  J  G  Williams 

32  J  Spear 

33  J  C  Posey 

34  H  Corrun 

35  John  E  Bird 

36  J  L  Goran 

37  Clinton  Cockrill 

38  E  C  Naylor 

39  R  C  Thompson 

40  Abraham  Estes 

41  James  Swing 

42  James  Tenson 


43  James  McGowan 

44  Jesse  Summers 

45  Joseph  Skagg 

46  J  L  Bowen 

47  J  D  Trice 

48  John  Sweany 

49  J  Cockrill 

50  Joel  Hyatt 

51  J  B  Donaldson 

52  John  A  Hald email 

53  G  Atkins 

54  E  B  Sandford 

55  W  S  Hughes 

56  J  M  Alexander 

57  G  P  Dyke 

58  0  H  Swiney 

59  B  B  Brown 

60  J  P  Womack 

61  Hugh  Swiney 

62  D  J  Johnson 

63  B  F  Simmons 

64  R  R  Rees 

65  Leander  Kerr 

66  W  C  Baker 

67  Simeon  Scruggs 

68  John  J  Berry 

69  W  H  Adams 

70  G  H  Hale 

71  John  McKonn 

72  Q  H  Day 

73  Samuel  F  Teem 

74  N  N  Wilkinson 

75  Amos  Rees 

76  J  H  Berryman 

77  H  D  McMeekia 

78  S  W  Holland 

79  J  F  Mason 

80  L  Cox 

81  James  L  Hickman 

82  Henry  Miller 

83  Jere  Clark 

84  R  E  Sanders 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


587 


85  W  S  Karr 

86  Robert  Scarce 

87  Y  Y  Jones 

88  B  K  Burnett 

89  Kobert  Ely 

90  John  Long 

91  William  Laye 

92  Samuel  Paul 

93  Thomas  Stewart 

94  L  McArthur 

95  M  Mills 

96  James  Kich 

97  John  Farrier 

98  W  W  Corwin 

99  Charles  Stames 

100  Charles  A  Mann 

101  Joseph  Duncan 

102  Daniel  Thatcher 

103  John  Thatcher 

104  S  H  Oliphant 

105  W  J  Green 

106  Jeremiah  Johnson 

107  C  M  Burgess 

108  Nathaniel  Learey 

109  B  F  Hale 

110  G  W  Roberts 

111  A  Parker 

112  T  Staggitt 

113  Thomas  N  Gosney 

114  Thomas  Smith 

115  Isaac  Archer 

116  John  Keeler 

117  Thomas  N  Smith 

118  A  J  G  Westbrook 

119  G  B  V  McCall 

120  James  Edgins 

121  Michael  Kelly 

122  Thomas  E  Downing 

123  Richard  Goddin 

124  John  Bryant 

125  Lewis  Chinn 

126  W  Todd 

127  James  Adams 

128  James  B  Hall 

129  P  W  Ellington 

130  James  H  Connelly 

131  Abner  Dean 

132  James  Buckhart 

133  Marion  Todd 

134  John  Flint 

135  J  W  Darnell 

136  R  T  Darnell 


137  Levi  Wilson 

138  Thomas  Mullins 

139  C  C  Redman 

140  Peter  Ganey 

141  H  Rives  Pollard 

142  Jonathan  Hartman 

143  Eli  Moore 

144  F  S  Atterbury 

145  Joseph  Cromwell 

146  H  H  C  Harrison 

147  Z  D  Washburn 

148  J  Huntingdon 

149  Joseph  Chrisinan 

150  Silas  Gordon 

151  R  F  Duncan 

152  J  C  Thompson 

153  George  Adams 
.154  William  A  Parrott 

155  Thomas  F  Scott 

156  James  McCrury 

157  P  Keith 

158  P  N  Kennelly 

159  J  P  Russell 

160  D  S  Leach 

161  Samuel  J  Finch 

162  Hugh  Archer 

163  Nathan  Campbell 

164  Levi  Sykins 

165  FNRoyall 

166  William  H  Bell 

167  William  G  Mathias 

168  James  Sanders 

169  Vandeman  Cockrill 

170  M  P  Rively 

171  M  Smith 

172  B  E  Rively 

173  S  B  Goodrich 

174  John  Daily 

175  W  Sanders 

176  J  M  Hackler 

177  Jeremiah  Crabb 

178  B  Crabb 

179  W  S  Caldwell 

180  G  W  Hill 

181  J  Q  Murphy 

182  William  Long 

183  Daniel  Stewart 

184  Roderick  Tate 

185  John  McVevin 

186  James  Tate 

187  William  G  Norris 

188  Barnabas  Gable 


588 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


189  J  W  Broaddus 

190  J  S  Hook 

191  W  D  Bull 

192  W  H  Bailey 

193  Jackson  Handley 

194  A  J  Isaacs 

195  Jackson  Smith 

196  Hiram  Kelly 
19T  John  Wells 

198  Charles  Dunn 

199  John  Munford 

200  K  C  White 


201  John  Winston 

202  William  Gist 

203  B  McCreary 

204  C  A  Russell 

205  Green  B  Todd 

206  Thomas  C  Hughes 

207  James  M  Lyle 

208  G  B  Panton 

209  0  Y  Harrison 
,210  William  Alywan 

211  Joel  B  Collins 

212  W  S  Yoke 


John  W.  Whit  field  received  212  votes. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Leavenworth  elec 
tion  district,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  vote* 
given  at  an  election  held  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  a* 

witness  our  hands  this day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

G.  B.  PANTON,     ) 
ALEX.  RUSSELL,  V  Judges. 
BENJ.  McCRARY,  ) 
Attest : 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP — Leavenworth  county,  K.  T. 

Poll  book  of  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  William  H.  Spratt,  in  D( 
ware  township ,  in  the  county  of  Leavenworth,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on 
the  first  Monday  in  October,  1855,  for  delegate  in  the  thirty-fourth! 
Congress  of  the  United  States. 


1  Josiah  Farly 

2  W  T  Darmal 

3  Sam'l  Hoy 

4  Isam  Thompson 

5  A  W  Hughes 

6  Washington  Berry 
7"  John  H  Thompson 

8  Nathan  Leonard 

9  Hoy  Cooper 

10  John  Durnal 

11  Marion  Pemberton 

12  William  Beal 

13  Ephraim  Jessy 

14  J  C  Hughes 

15  Edward  M  Dobson 

16  T  J  Bui 

It  Thomas  Turner 


18  Noah  Pitcher 

19  Dabner  Perkins 

20  Archibald  Hughes 

21  Thomas  Perkins 

22  W  W  llenshaw 

23  William  Bedman 

24  William  Wallace 

25  John  Chrislison 

26  Daniel  Stewart 
2*7  Robert  Tan- 

28  William  Pemberton 

29  James  Esenage 

30  Aaron  Cox 

31  J  McDaniel 

32  M  M  Clemins 

33  J  Colvin 

24  Richard  Darneal 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


589 


35  Jam os  Wnllis 

36  William  Dickey 

37  William  Cane 

38  V  Cock  rill 
;:'.}  A  Clark 

40  James  Me  Daniel 

41  William  Kin 

42  M  C  Morris 

•III   Thomas  Arnold 

44  ,1  (i   Haden 

45  John  Alvis 
•1i;    II   L  Merrill 
47  F  M  Kinsey 
IS  W  1)  llimalo 

49  James  Littlejohn 

50  Hen  jam  in  Kinsey 

51  James  Kinsey 

.VJ  flames  T  I  la  \  den 

53  Alexander  Tab 

54  John  A  Scdrner 

55  L  V  Barnate 
50  J  Miller 

57  J  Y  Roberts 

58  John  I'rooks 
51)   Kllis  Henshaw 

60  David  Clarke 

61  Joseph  Dunnigan 

62  J  F  Snow 
<):;   15  Lurkin 

64  W  J   Millar 

65  L  Oudkam 
6(1  John  Ecton 

67  James  Kmhrid^e 

68  John  W  Rogers 
*'.'.)  lUchard  Ducat e 

70  Samuel  S  I  {rooks 

71  Thomas  Brooks 
7ii  dosej)h  Bruse 

73  1'ady  Cooper 

74  0  F  Warren 
7f>  (JB Redman 

76  Jesse  Smith 

77  Joseph  Little 

78  Alexander  liaker 

79  James  Nash 

80  Levi  Ferguson 

81  Mat  Winston 

82  Albro  IVmherton 
S:i   John  (:;inc 

84  Rob't  Cane 

85  William  Hoy 


86 

87 

88 

89 

90 

91 

92 

93 

94 

95 

96 

97 

98 

99 

100 

101 

102 

103 

101 

105 

106 

107 

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 

113 

114 

115 

116 

117 

118 

119 

120 

121 

122 

123 

124 

125 

126 

127 

128 

129 

130 

131 

132 

133 

134 

135 


I'.urrtord  Adkins 
Silas  A  Quissy 
W  W  Quissy 
Brooker  Homer 
Samuel  Finley 
May  Burton 
William  Brunston 
William  Toatston 
James  Mooro 
James  M  Churchill 
William  Davis 
William  Henston 
<  Miarles  Crawford 
Thomas  Starnes 
Daniel  Heath 
Joseph  Walker 
Sai.iuel  Taulston 
V  Molhershawl 
Samuel  P  Beraine 
Adolphus  B  Hoolin 
Thomas  Kinsey 
Owen  Duly 
John  Brightwell 
Granville  BrightweJl 
J  F  Wardon     , 
J  G  Slayers 
A  K  Elliott 
Frank  Gains 
Simpson  Parks 
John  H  Wilkinson 
J  N  Hutchison 
Black  Richards 
Ho  well  Jenkins 
M  J  Moore 
D  J  Moore 
William  i;  Almond 
John  E  Brooks 
Henry  Witlow 
William  Green 
G  Moore 
John  THancry 
David  McFir 
John  Moore 
Daniel  Cary 
William  Fox 
Robert  Cary 
James  Fox 
Thomas  Tuder 
Robert  Chisum 
\V  W  Woods 
Silas  Woods 


590 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


137  Francis  Brown 

138  John  Wallis 

139  Matthew  McGregor 

140  OG  McDonald 

141  TF  Brown 

142  Samuel  Winston 

143  JohnSheler 

144  Simon  Johnson 

145  William  Christy 

146  MKKennington 

147  Erwin  Timberlick 

148  Abbott  Grigg 

149  John  Hasting 

150  John  Brasfield 
*151  Adam  Brown 

152  James  Spratt 

153  JF  Gregg 

154  John  Dority 

155  James  B  Moore 

156  Silas  Gordon 

157  H  J  Sharp 

158  William  F  Onin 

159  J  Hollingsworth 

160  JC  Collins 

161  Solon  Sheperd 

162  George  Quinby 

163  Monner  Byne 

164  James  Luckey 

165  James  E  Kerr 

166  Thomas  Grigg 

167  Christopher  Girr 

168  James  Perse 

169  James  Pitts 

170  Jacob  Pitts 

171  James  Mitchell 

172  Ek.  Williams 

173  James  L  Carter 

174  Walker  Williams 

175  John  W  Johns 

176  T  Chevis 

177  JWCrag 

178  J  Walker 

179  Willis  Vance 

180  Mathew  B  Wilson 

181  David  McCollins 

182  William  Mackey  ' 

183  T  J  Chives 

184  James  Withers 

185  A  Tilery 

186  JohnAdkins 

187  H  Mayer 

188  B  C  Hollingsworth 


189  D  S  Gordon 

190  William  E  Bell 

191  Benj  L  Qissey 

192  William  G  Wilkinson 

193  Stephen  Duncan 

194  BR  Morton 

195  William  Diment 

196  Conner  J  Roger 

197  G  J  Cockrill 

198  H  C  Carr 

199  H  J  Viveon 

200  William  Brent 

201  Charles  Pullons 

202  JJWinne 

203  JBHunt 

204  WZebrisky 

205  Thomas  demons 

206  NVinson 

207  AdisonBerge 

208  Rufus  McCollins 

209  David  Churchill 

210  John  Byrd 

211  John  R  Miller 

212  Franklin  Sprague 

213  Wilburn  Christison 

214  JT  Moore 

215  Samuel  S wisher 

216  E  B  Jacks 

217  James  Bruse 

218  Boston  Brown 

219  Wilson  Fox 

220  Sylvester  Lariny 

221  JohnBickett 

222  Frank  Gordon 

223  JohnBlan 

224  Hiram  Mariner 

225  Timothy  McLoy 

226  John  Hall 

227  Afalon  Dority 

228  TFitzgerrill 

229  G  Sprague 

230  M  Moreland 

231  JPLong 

232  L  F  Hollingsworth 

233  T  J  Abshere 

234  EWWeley 

235  John  E  Pitt 

236  LP  Stiles 

237  Thomas  Alvis 

238  Richard  Thompson 

239  John  Broadhurst 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


591 


At  an  election,  held  at  the  house  of  William  H.  Spratt,  in  Kansas 
Cerritory,  in  the  town  of  Delaware,  on  the  first  Monday  in  October, 
.  D.  1855,  the  following  men  received  the  following  votes: 


J.  W.  Whitfield  received  239. 


G.  B.  REDMAN, 
WM.  DICKEY, 
ALEXANDER  BAKER, 


Judges  of  the  election. 


Attest: 

JOHN  R.  MILLER, 
LEVI  FERGUSON, 


Clerks  of  election. 


WHITFIELD'S  ELECTION,  1855. — POLL  BOOK  KICKAPOO  TOWNSHIP,  LEAVEN- 
WORTH  COUNTY. 

Poll  book  of  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  George  W.  Hayes,  in  the 
city  of  Kickapoo,  in  Kickapoo  township.,  in  the  county  of  Leavenworth, 
in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  first  Monday  in  October,  A.  D.  1855,  for 
delegate  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 


1  Joseph  M  Hall 

2  Charles  B  Morris 

3  Jesse  Connel 

4  Robert  Hayes 

5  Washington  T  Woods 

6  H  B  C  Harris 

7  Douglas  Hamilton 
SAG  Boyd 

9  William  Hobbs 

10  John  H  Bradley 

11  George  A  Adams 

12  J  A  C  Webb 

13  A  M  Price 

14  Thomas  Ford 

15  F  B  Mitchel 

16  John  T  Elkiris 

17  Charles  Sexton 

18  James  Bragh 

19  Martin  T  Bailey 

20  William  Brahan 

21  Levi  Bowman 

22  William  G  Shurpe 

23  E  M  McComas 

24  James  J  Mus^ 

25  James  H  Hull 

26  M  A  Owen 

27  W  B  Willson 


28  Robert  Foulkes 

29  Bruel  Glinn 

30  William  H  Elliott 

31  Andrew  Stevens 

32  Simon  Hackett 

33  A  J  Dawson 

34  Samuel  M  Bowman 

35  James  S  Thompson 

36  G  W  Thompson 

37  M  M  Nagle 

38  Stephen  Sale 

39  Israel  Swan 

40  Samuel  Hays 

41  Samuel  Ripley 

42  Alvey  Nower 

43  J  R  Duncan 

44  John  S  Duncan 

45  Leri  Pense 

46  Mathew  Gohagan 

47  Marion  Robertson 

48  C  A  Stillman 

49  Thomas  McLa'ne 

50  Joseph  Henderson 

51  Isaac  House 

52  W  H  Cook 

53  William  Layson 

54  James  M  Browning 


592 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


55  Warren  Culvert 

56  A  Bowlby 

57  James  G  Douglas 

58  Charles  Whitscarver 

59  Benjamin  Duncan 

60  Samuel  H  Frank 

61  John  H  Lewis 

62  Aldridge  Corder 

63  David  Gillespic 

64  G  A  Kucker 

65  G  W  Hays 

66  John  S  Percival 

67  W  H  Middleton 
.  68  Turman  Geeter 

69  A  B.  Haggard 

70  Alexander  Kalston 

71  Jeremiah  Stevens 

72  John  M  Hays 

73  Lewis  Calvert 

74  William  Findley 

75  William  Morpin 

76  Huekin  Morpin 

77  John  W  Freeland 

78  Milton  Porterfield 

79  J  B  Duncan 

80  Thomas  Scott 

81  J3Ti  Wnl-,71    rd 

82  John  A  Calvert 

83  K  E  Stallard 

84  J  C  Eichardson 

85  S  E  Offutt 

86  Porter  Buchanan 

87  T  B  Newman 

88  John  Freeland 

89  Soshua  Hall 

90  S  F  Ehea 

91  E  B  Mitchell 

92  Curtis  Huffman 

93  Thomas  D  Almond 

94  Isaac  Fay 

95  John  G  Williams 

96  Enos  Isaacs 

97  William  Traner 

98  Joseph  Brooks 

99  S  W  Turner 

100  DAN  Grover 

101  C  B  Hodges 

102  C  H  Grover 

103  Jonah  Meddle 


104  James  B  Blake 

105  Phineas  Skinner 

106  A  J  Snyder 

107  John  M  Lockman 

108  Peter  Montgomery 

109  James  Bradley 

110  John  Groff 

111  B  F  Freeland 

112  D  F  Barker 

113  H  C  Branch 

114  James  A  Henderson 

115  Giles  Henderson 

116  B  K  Jacohs 

117  H  N  Haley 

118  P  Taylor 

119  E  F  Arnott 

120  E  S  Wilhite 

121  P  M  Hodges 

122  E  D  Bishop 

123  William  J  Bailey 

124  N  W  Hodges 

125  M  P  Perry 

126  Lewis  Barnes 

127  William  Thompson 

128  Eobert  W  Thompson 

129  William  P  Merchant 

130  E  S  Merchant 

131  Samuel  Doyle 

132  Sanford  Leach 

133  James  M  Calvert 

134  Wilson  Newell 

135  William  A  Guthrie 

136  Henry  Boyce 

137  Wiley  Williams 

138  B  F  Thompson 

139  Martin  Sharp 

140  J  W  Foster 

141  John  P  Thompson 

142  F  B  Davidson 

143  Henry  Colman 

144  Thomas  Douglas 

145  John  McDaniel 

146  Meigs  Hunt 

147  John  W  Stevens 

148  John  W  Brown 

149  Christopher  Kance 

150  Levi  Scrivner 

151  James  Basket 

152  John  H  Shaler 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


593 


The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  delegate  to  Congress  was  one 
.undred  and  fifty-one,  (151,)  of  which  John  W.  Whitfield  received 
ne  hundred  and  fifty,  and  A.  H.  Reeder  one,  (1.) 
We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Kickapoo  election 
istrict,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  given 
t  an  election  held  on  the  first  day  of  October ,  A.  D.  1855,  as  witness 
ur  hands  this  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

JOSEPH  B.  BLAKE,         ) 
CHARLES  H.  GROVER.   V  Judges. 
C.  B.  HODGES,  ) 

Lttest: 

JOHN  H.  SAHLER, 
MEIGS  HUNT, 


Of  election. 


WYANDOTT  TOWNSHIP,  LEAVENWORTH  COUNTY. 

'oil  book  of  an  election  held  at  the  council-house  in  the  Wyandott  town- 
ship j  in  the  county  of  Leavenworthj  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  first 
Monday  in  October,  A.  D.  185 4,  for  delegate  in  the  thirty-fourth  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States. 


1  L.  M.  Alexander, 

2  Joseph  F.  Field, 

3  Leonard  Broffield, 

4  Mace  Rust, 

5  Abijah  Withers, 

6  James  Mitchell, 

7  William  Martin, 

8  John  B.  Brown, 

9  Thomas  Boatwright, 

10  James  H.  Irwin, 

11  B.  F.  Starks, 

12  F.  Evans, 

13  Granville  Harvey, 

14  M.  R.  Gunter, 

J5  William  Boatwright, 

16  William  P.  Martin, 

17  J.  P.  Somers, 

18  J.  M.  Prewitt, 

19  William  J.  Stark, 

20  Thomas  West, 

21  William  P.  Bailey, 

22  R.  Fisher, 

23  Thomas  Furman, 

24  Henry  C.  Furman, 

25  J.  Reynolds, 

26  Thomas  Field, 

27  Edward  Garrett, 

28  Cyrus  Garrett, 

29  Isaac  W.  Brown, 

30  Peter  D.  Clark, 

31  Henry  C.  Norton, 

32  John  F.  Scott, 

33  John  D.  Brown, 

34  Joel  Rice, 

35  John  C.  Rice, 

36  Jesse  Thompson, 

37  Josiah  Baker, 

38  James  Sharv, 

39  John  T.  Law, 


40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
GO 
61 
62 
63 
64 
G5 
66 
67 
68 
69 
70 
71 
72 
73 
74 
75 
76 
77 
78 


H.  Rep.  200 38* 


T.  C.  Daniel, 
G.  P.  Strong, 
James  A.  Holloway, 
R.  S.  Thomas, 
O.  G.  Ford, 
A.  R.  Murray, 
G.  S.  W.  Jessee, 
R.  M.  Russell, 
John  Griffith, 
James  Endicott, 
N.  A.  Thomason, 
J.  S.  Pense, 
John  Collins, 
Lycastus  Noland, 
William  Wallace, 
Zachariah  Millroy, 
Reyon  Wilcoxson, 
Fitzhugh  Collins, 
John  Bricky, 
W.  E.  Brice, 
William  Mulkey, 
Joseph  Ginnott, 
James  Egbert, 
Miller  H.  Wain, 
William  Ransom, 
John  Ransom, 
P.  G.  Brock, 
Andrew  McConnel, 
Basil  Trail, 
Fountain  Wallay 
Randolph  J.  Suddarth, 
J.  H.  Williams, 
S.  W.  Tuyman, 
Colly  Tuyman, 
N.  M.  Talbot, 
Richard  Willis, 
Edward  Burk, 
J.  T.  Willis, 
Blaford  Daniel, 


79  John  Tah  umber, 

80  Michael  Russell, 

81  Reuben  Johnson, 

82  Egbert  Dickenson, 

83  J.  C.  Gunter, 

84  Francis  Gunter, 

85  J.  Bradley, 

86  James  Davenport, 

87  George  Lock, 

88  S.  L.  Suddeth, 

89  Thomas  P.  Shroch, 

90  William  O.  Shrouse, 

91  J.  C.  Shrouse, 

92  Jesse  Puter, 

93  Robert  Hudgens, 

94  A.  M.  Stell, 

95  Harden  Stell, 

96  Ira  Suddeth, 

97  Henry  Hanson, 

98  Ebenezer  Zane, 

99  B.  W.  Wills, 

100  Thomas  Chandler. 

101  J.  L.  Dickmandy, 

102  John  Smith, 

103  W.  J.  Semmes, 

104  Beal  Green, 

105  R.  L.  Talbot, 

106  J.  W.  Green, 

107  James  Johnson, 

108  E.  M.  Talbot, 

109  B.  C.  Talbot, 

110  Thomas  J.  Ford, 

111  John  Nash, 

112  James  M.  Halloway, 

113  Samuel  Alexander, 

114  L.  Shepperd, 

115  James  McGee, 

116  Joseph  M.  Brown, 

117  William  Falkner, 


594 


118  James  M.  Scott, 

119  Joseph  Journey, 

128  Lemuel  C.  Mathews, 
j21  John  W.  Johnson, 

122  Lawrence  Marg-e, 

123  William  Rutledge, 

124  Duval  Payne, 

125  G.  K.  White, 

126  Lewis  Sharp, 

127  W.  H.  Russell, 

128  William  Thompson, 

129  Henry  Garrett, 

130  Adam  Brown, 

131  D.  H.  Webster, 

132  David  Johnson, 

133  William  Cooper, 

134  a-  H-  Chissen, 

135  Thomas  Pitcher, 

136  Joseph  Ragan, 

137  J.  M.  Thatcher, 

138  J.  F-  Quick, 

139  Oscar  Lerugffs, 

140  J.  S.  Dawson, 

141  Joseph  Fugale 

142  Willis  Wills, 

143  J.  P.  Harr, 

144  Dawson  Masbone, 

145  John  Peyton, 

146  Thos.  W.  Robinson, 

147  John  W.  Cregbyes, 

148  B.  D.  Castleman, 

149  Jackson  Sisson, 

150  Walker  Winn, 

151  Wil  iam  A.  Strong, 

152  E.  M.  McGee, 

153  A.  Smith, 

154  Tra  Emmons, 

155  James  Mathews, 

156  Samuel  Rankens, 

157  William  J.  White, 

158  F.  N.  Steele, 

159  William  N.  Taylor, 

160  C.  T.  Henderson, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

161  Riley  Jones, 

162  James  Zane, 

163  S.  N.  McKinney, 

164  John  Williams, 

165  Silas  Armstrong, 

166  James  B.  Barrett, 

167  Francis  Potter, 

168  Garrand  Long, 

169  Michael  Stevens, 

170  H.  D.  Woodsworth, 

171  M.  J.  F.  Leonard, 

172  John  Hambright, 

173  William  Barney, 

174  J.  Fitzland, 

175  Alexander  Compton, 

176  A.  W.  Keroy, 

177  T.  M.  Adams, 

178  M.  R.  McMurry, 

179  John  W.  Ladd, 

180  D.  V.  Clement, 

181  S.  R.  Stark, 

182  William  Barnett, 

183  B.  B   Mills, 

184  Henry  C.  Long, 

185  A.  J.  Preedy, 

186  John  D.  Pennybacker, 

187  E.  T.  Buchman, 

188  Joel  Walker, 

189  George  W.Williams, 

190  William  E.  Wheeler, 

191  R.  H.  Hagner, 

192  A.  L.  Bangs, 

193  Robert  Stone, 

194  William  Barbee, 

195  W.  J.  Osbourne, 

196  Thomas  Coonyhack, 

197  John  Barnett, 

198  Hiran  Cotter, 

199  Samuel  Priestly, 

200  William  Liptrap, 

201  Henry  Schutie, 

202  James  Barnett, 

203  Charles  B.  Garrett, 


204  Isaac  Munday, 

205  James  Findlay, 

206  B.  F.  Robinson, 

207  George  M.  Irvin, 

208  George  C.  McDaniel 

209  Win.  Thorp, 

210  M.  R.  Walker, 

211  George  Steel, 

212  James  M.  Long, 

213  G.  M.  Thompson, 

214  Hiram  Fugate, 

215  Joseph  Broadhurst, 

216  Joseph  Fenbron, 

217  John  Cotter, 

218  Robert  Armstrong, 

219  Isaih  P.  Walker, 

220  James  Hicks, 

221  E.  A.  Long, 

222  Wm.  Walker, 

223  Isaac  Driver, 

224  Henry  Chick, 

225  J.  C.  Ramon, 

226  Joseph  Peters, 

227  John  Campbell, 

228  John  Groom, 

229  Daniel  A.  Braggs, 

230  Lewis  Rothschild, 

231  Francis  Blaltmen, 

232  M.  Riddergurger, 

233  J.  C.  Pettigrew, 

234  John  Gunrallis, 

235  J.  G.  Gudson, 

236  A.  L.  Bounds, 

237  Henry  D.  Smith, 

238  Edmd.  O 'Flaherty, 

239  Joel  M.  Garrett, 

240  Wm.  H.  Ervin, 

241  James  Gladden, 

242  John  S.  Bearskin, 

243  David  Tarnall, 
!    244  Isaac  Z.  Long, 

I    245  H.-M.  Northup, 
j    246  Abraham  Grandstai 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Wyandott  elect 
district,  on  Monday,  the  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  certify  t! 
246  votes  were  cast,  of  which  John  W.  Whitfield  received  240,  A.. 
Reeder  5,  blank  1. 

W.  J.  OSBORN,  ) 

ISAAC  MUNDAY,  V  Judges- 

CHARLES  B.  GARRETT.  S 


Clerks. 


Attest: 

JAMES  FINDLAY, 
JOHN  T.  SCOTT, 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Wyandott  elect 
district,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  given 
an  election  held  on  the  first  day  of  Octover,  A.  D.  1855,  as  witness  »• 
hands  this  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

W.  J.  OSBORN,  ) 

ISAAC  MUNDAY,  }  Judge, 

CHARLES  B.  GARRETT,  ) 
Attest : 

JAMES  FINDLAY, 
JOHN  T.SCOTT, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


595 


''oil  book  of  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Sutton  &  McClain,  in  Alex- 
andria township,  in  the  county  of  Leavenworth,  in  Kansas  Territory, 
on  the  first  Monday  in  October,  A.  D.  1855,  for  delegate  in  OA^ 
Congress  of  the  United  States. 


Names  of  voters. 


Tax. 


Names  of  voters. 


Tax. 


Carson  Merrill 

David  Lorge 

Perry  Trett 

John  Morris 

Clarke  Trett 

G.  M.  Archer 

R.  M,  Stone 

J.  C.Scott 

Mason  Hall 

Samuel  H.  Burgess 

Mr.  McClain 

N.  S.  Davidson 

Joseph  Dawson •' 

Henry  Embray 

A.  J.  Scott 

George  Brown 

S.  Weasley 

G.  W.  Browning 

R.  W.  Chain 

Thomas  Hickrnan ?.,... 

R.  Sutton 


Note, 
.do.. 


.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


Paid.... 
Not  paid 


Paid.... 

.do 

Not  paid 
Paid.... 

,  .do 

Not  paid 
,  .do 


22.  M.  Daniels 

23.  J.  Thomas 

24.  J.Roberts 

25.  J.  Gushawn 

26.  A.  M.  Horsey 

27.  Benjamin  Stokes 

28.  W.  C.  Crocket 

29.  M.  J.  Everett 

30.  W.  F.  Everett 

31.  John  Argebright. 

32.  L.  L,  McClain 

33.  Edward  M.  Lain 

34.  C.  C.  Harrison 

35.  A.  Payne 

36.  J.  B.  Pancake 

37.  James  M.  Scott. . , 

38.  Benjamin  W.  Foster 

39.  Houston  Long 

40.  W.  W.  Reynolds 

41.  E.  M.  Kennedy 

42.  Joseph  L.  McAlear 


Not  paid, 
.do 


Paid 

Not  paid, 
.do 


.do 

Paid 

Not  paid, 

.do 

.do 

Paid 

.do 

Not  paid. 

Paid 

Not  paid . 

,  .do , 

,.do , 

,.do , 

Paid 

,.do , 

,.do , 


For  delegate  to  Congress. 

G-en.  J.  W.  Whitfield  received  42  votes. 
Squire  Keeder  received  none. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  held  at  Alexandria, 
icaven  worth  county,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  and  correct 
:atement  of  the  number  of  votes  polled. 

JAMES  MACAULEY,  ) 
EDWAED  McCLAIN,  }  Judges. 
H.  W.    CHINN,  ) 

ED.  M.  KENNEDY.   )  ni    7 
W.  W.  EEYNOLDS,  \  Clerjcs' 

ALEXANDRIA,  October  I,  1855. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Alexandria  election 
(strict,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  given 
t  an  election  held  on  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  as  wit- 
ess  our  hands,  this  -  day  of  October,  AD.  1855. 

JAMES  MACAULEY,) 
EDWARD  McCLAIN,  V  Jalgx 
E.  W.  CHINN,  ) 

..ttest  : 

ED.  M.  KENNEDY,   )  ~7    7 
W.  W.  EEYNALDS,  \  Ckrks  °f 


596 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 
LYKINS  COUNTY,  KANSAS  TERRITORY. 


[John  A.  Hicks,  H.  S.  Lyon,  and  Barnet  Hall  were  sworn  as  judge 
and  William  A.  Heiskell  and  John  Ralston  as  clerks,  according 
form  of  oath  on  page  1.] 

At  an  election  held  on  Monday,  the  first  day  of  October,  1855,  i, 
the  house  of  Baptiste  Peoria,  in  the  county  of  Lykins,  in  the  Terir 
tory  of  Kansas,  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  a  fit  and  proper  person  i 
represent  the  said  Territory  of  Kansas  as  a  delegate  in  the  next  Co]'« 
gress  of  the  United  States,  the  following  is  the  result : 


1  Tarleton  Raleigh, 

2  H.  W.  Childs, 

3  P.  Marion, 

4  G.  E.  Bellows, 

5  B.  R.  Burbage, 

6  J.  S.  Dedrich, 

7  George  W.  Clarence, 

8  J.  L.  New, 

9  John  W.  Early, 

10  E.  Monroe, 

11  A.  L.  Tolis, 

12  W.  P.  Tucker, 

13  Charles  Keller, 

14  H.  Pennels, 

15  J.  B.  Pemberton, 

16  Samuel  W.  Williams, 

17  L.  C.  Burris, 

18  M.  W.  Brown, 

19  W.  W.  Porter, 

20  Elijah  Chinn, 

21  E.  McPherson, 

22  Simon  N.  Hill, 

23  James  Mosley, 

24  James  H.  Galloway, 

25  William  D.  Davenport, 

26  Simeon  Blackburn, 

27  C.  C.  Catron, 

28  John  W.  Houx, 

29  J.  C.  Strange, 

30  G.  Tucker, 

31  M.  W.  Lowry, 

32  R.  W.  Houx, 

33  John  K.  Lowry, 

34  John  Sorency, 

35  John  T.  Rennick, 

36  Isaac  Fulkerson, 

37  William  Sinew, 

38  Robert  Tarkinton, 

39  John  Hooker, 

40  W.  Lewis, 

41  B.  L.  McFerrin, 

42  J   C.  Hearce, 

43  H.  Smith, 

44  W.  D.  Tucker, 

45  W.  E.  Franklin, 

46  H.  F.  Birch, 

47  J   G.  Martin, 

48  E.  C.  Heiskell, 

49  A.  C.  Patton, 

50  J.  B.  McFerrin, 

51  N.  Baker, 

52  Tiller  Ragan, 

53  H.  L.  Barksdale, 

54  F.  M.  Green, 

55  William  Ragsdale, 

56  L.  Jones, 


57  A.  S.  Pullam, 

58  J.  H.  Hammonds, 

59  M.  Hodges, 

60  A.  Young, 

61  John  O.  McFerran, 

62  Joseph  Johnson, 

63  George  Whitehead, 

64  George  D.  Morrow, 

65  A.  G.  Fisher, 

66  G.  W.  Blodshoe, 

67  David  Brookhart, 

68  William  A.  Gattrell, 

69  James  M.  Shanks, 

70  Thomas  Jacob, 

71  C  F.  Payne, 

72  S.  Franklin, 

73  Joseph  W.  Easeley, 

74  R.  B.  Fulkerson, 

75  James  S   Allender, 

76  F.  M.  Scott, 

77  J.  D.  Bagby, 

78  C.  C.  Mann, 

79  J.  L.  Duncan, 

80  James  Wade, 

81  R.  W.  Gattrell, 

82  H.  L.  P.  Galloway, 

83  G.  Thomason, 

84  A.M.  Rader, 

85  J.  Green  way, 

86  W.  B.  Payne, 

87  W.  C.  Clayton, 

88  J.  Goodman, 

89  J.  S.  McKinney, 

90  W.  Dodson, 

91  J.  Hudspeth, 

92  J.  F.  Shortridge, 

93  J.  D.  Nunally, 

94  James  Beets, 

95  H.  C.  Speers, 

96  James  W.  Caldwell, 

97  J.  B.  Ellis, 

98  R.  Renfrew, 

99  F.  B.  Rice, 

100  Robert  T.  Ridings, 

101  Jesse  Mar, 

102  E.  R.  Rice, 

103  J.  F.  Catron, 

104  W.  L.  Wood, 

105  Thomas  Ragsdale, 

106  F.  P.  Hoard, 

107  A.  J.  Robinson, 

108  G.  H.  Faulkner, 

109  E.  McDowell, 

110  William  H.  Tannehill, 

111  A.  P.  Logan, 
119.?-  L.  France, 


133  H.  D.  Palmer, 

114  Achilles  Easeley, 

115  F.  R.  Martin, 

116  Henry  Snyder, 

117  W.  R.  Wilmot, 

118  J.  J.  Holloway, 

119  E.  W-  Clark, 

120  W.  Palmer, 

121  F.  Ayrhart, 

122  G.  A.  Wade, 

123  Charles  Hamilton, 

124  Vincent  Johnson, 

125  Henry  Chapeze, 

126  Thomas  Gilchrist, 

127  Thomas  Allison, 

128  John  Vermillion, 

129  John  S.  Jones, 

130  Lawrence  Mahan, 

131  P.  Kelly, 

132  W.  T.  Poston, 

133  J.  T.  Chadwick, 

134  Marcus  Gill, 

135  Stephen  White, 

136  William  H.  Finley, 

137  W.  H.  Lebow, 

138  Henry  Lee  Villers, 

139  Cyrus  Shaw, 

140  R.  O.  Slater, 

141  B.  L.  Clark, 

142  Samuel  Ralston, 

143  John  Dorsey, 

144  J.  R.  Jones, 

145  Robert  S.  Morris, 

146  Daniel  Lykens, 

147  Baptiste  Peoria, 

148  Luther  Pasehale, 

149  Lewis  Pashale, 

150  Isaac  Jacobs, 

151  D.  W.  Tristoe, 

152  Peter  J.  Potts, 

153  Peter  Cloud, 

154  Benjamin  Benjamin, 

155  White  Coon, 

156  Kilseusah, 

157  Tom  Rogers, 

158  Billy, 

159  Henry  Clay, 

160  Mug  a-num-ba, 

161  Andrew  Chick, 

162  Charles  Battiste, 

163  Chin-gum-ke-ah, 

164  John  Willis, 

165  Wah-kah-kov-nah, 

166  John  Bull, 

167  Sah-sah-kah-kwan-ga 

168  Harry  Coldwater, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


597 


169  George  Clinton, 

170  Kish-e-kon-sah, 

171  Edward  H.  Black, 

!  172  Wah-pah-kov-se-ah, 

173  Marcus  Lindsay, 

174  David  L.  Beery, 

175  Hiram  Lightner, 
i 176  Francis  Valle, 

;  177  James  E.  Tindall, 

178  J.  R.  McDaniel, 

179  Joseph  B.  Goodwin, 

180  John  Beets, 

181  J.  B.  Glover, 

182  O.  P.  Thompson, 

183  Thomas  Peyton, 

184  James  Wells, 

185  Enos  McDaniel, 

186  William  O.  Park, 


187  J.  J.  Apperson, 

188  A.  M.  Coffee, 

189  L.  G.  Fulton, 

190  B.  E  Brothers, 

191  J.  G.  McDaniel, 

192  Joseph  Jebon, 

193  James  McHenry, 

194  Hampton  Harbison, 

195  Sudwell  Evans, 

196  Joe  Peoria, 

197  J.  H.  Clayton, 

198  Ma-kou-sah, 

199  Ma-kou-sah,  (Beaver,) 

200  Tah-wah-kwa-ke-nau- 

gah, 

201  B.  P.  Campbell, 

202  William  A.  Heiskell, 

203  J.  A.  Hicks, 


204  H.  L.  Lyon, 

205  Pah-to-kah, 

206  William  Honeywell, 

207  Thomas  Cot, 

208  George  C.  Baker, 

209  John  C.  Paul, 

210  J.  D.  Redd, 

211  John  Boye, 

212  Sha-lou-lie, 

.  213  Thomas  C.  Warren, 

214  William  B.  Ewbank, 

215  William  Edwards, 

216  John  Combs, 

217  Hirarn  Mullins, 

218  W.  S.  Ferguson, 

219  A.  H.  McFadden, 

220  John  Mitchell.    ' 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  election  in  Lykins  county,  in  the 
'erritory  of  Kansas,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the 
otes  given  at  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Baptiste  Peoria,  on  the 
rst  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  as  witness  our  hands  this  first  day 
f  October,  1855. 

JOHN  A.  HICKS,  )  T  ,  , 
BARNET  HALL,  }  Jua9e.s  °J 
HENRY  L.  LYON,  )  electlon' 


Attest : 

WILLIAM  A.  HEISKELL, 
JOHN  RALSTON, 


Clerks  of  election. 


1  C.  S.  Fleming, 

2  R,.  E.  Eliot, 

3  E.  Farnam, 

4  William  Rogers, 
6  S.  H.  Moore, 

6  H.  W.  Young.-r, 

7  S.  W.  Henderson, 
i     8  J.  F.  Stone, 

9  A.  J.  Smith, 

10  L.  B.  Clay, 

11  F.  T.  Glover, 

12  John  Commins, 

13  William  James, 

14  R.  Hargrave, 

15  James  Glass, 

16  J   Harsham, 

17  W.  G.  Collins, 

18  W.  V.  English, 

19  Samuel  Scott, 

20  John  Ballard, 

21  Thomas  Thomas, 

22  J.  B.  Cobross, 

23  S.  Fleming, 


LYNN   COUNTY. 

24  P.  Kay, 

25  W.  A.  Fleming, 

26  J.  E.  Brown, 

27  L.  Thomas, 

28  William  King, 

29  J.  G.  Reynolds, 

30  M.  Graves, 

31  W.  Hibkerson, 

32  James  Murry, 

33  J.  C.  Bowin, 

34  G.  Boulin, 

35  J.  A.  Becket, 

36  M.  C.  D.  Osburn, 

37  L.  S.  Bridgewater, 

38  J.  D.  Case, 

39  R.  G.  Smither, 

40  William  Henceby, 

41  L.  M.  Love, 

42  C.  W.  Haiges, 

43  J.  M.  Hamton, 

44  William  Goodwin, 

45  A.  Haiges, 

46  W.  B.  Long, 


47  P.  Bullinger, 

48  V.  Johnson, 

49  S.  Baldwin, 

50  D.  Baldwin, 

51  L.  M   Ellett, 

52  T.  Grouse,      .  . 

53  T.  Hargus, 

54  B.  Davis, 

55  W.  Glass, 

56  L.  C.  Niswanger, 

57  P.  Goodwin, 

58  H.  Becket, 

59  J.  Argus, 

60  James  Driskill, 

61  William  Driskill, 

62  James  W.  Howell, 

63  L.  H.  Grimes, 

64  A.  H.  Smith, 

65  F.  E.  Means, 

66  Thomas  Smith, 

67  Joseph  D.  Wilmott. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  an  election  held  on  the 
:rst  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  J.  C.  Bowin,  in 
jynn  county,  in  Kansas  Territory,  in  the  fifth  election  district  for  the 


598 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


election  of  delegate  to  Congress,  do  hereby  certify  upon  our  oaths,  i 
judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  retur 
of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election  by  lawful  resident  voters. 


For  Congress. 

J.  W.  Whitfield  received  sixty-seven,  (67". ) 

A.  H.  SMITH, 
P.  E.  MEANS, 
THOMAS  SMITH, 


Judges  of  election* 


F. 


COUNCIL  GROVE. — Madison  County. 


1  C.  F.  Oilman, 

2  S.  W.  Rowe, 

3  James  Jebo, 

4  T.  S.  Hamilton, 

5  Allen  Croley, 

For  J.  W.  Whitfield,  14  votes. 


6  W.  D.  Harris, 

7  A.  T.  Hyder, 

8  F.  M.  Croley, 

9  Samuel  Farren, 
10  T.  S.  Huffaker, 


11  A.  J.  Baker, 

12  E.  M.  Sewel, 

13  Jesse  Ring, 

14  J.  W.  RadclifT. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  the  eighth  di 
certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  given  at  an  ele<<' 
tion  held  on  the  first  day  of  October,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  OIDI 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-five. 

ALLEN  CROWLEY, 
EMANUEL  MOSIA, 
THOS.  S.  HAMILTON, 
Attest : 


Judges. 


MARYSVTLLE — Marshall  County. 


[No  oath  of  judges  and  clerks  given.] 
POLL  BOOK. 


1  F.  J.  Marshall, 

2  John  Thompson, 

3  Joel  Hughes, 

4  Abraham  Crahtrel, 

5  B.  H.  Clark, 

6  Stephen  G.  Jones, 

7  J.  S.  Sheppard, 

8  John  A.  Newley, 

9  Henry  Tyler, 

10  Sampson  Sage, 

11  Thomas  Buckles, 

12  A.  X.  Young, 

13  Skidmore  Muncy, 

14  James  Gilbert, 

15  Francis  O.  Bishop, 


16  Wm.  Standiford, 

17  Archibald  McElroy, 

18  John  Snagan, 

19  B.  J.  Sharpe, 

20  J.  T.  Ransome, 

21  John  Zion, 

22  Jacob  Crabetree, 

23  Stephen  F.  Smith, 

24  James  T.  Smith, 

25  John  Dittell, 

26  Nace  Edwards, 

27  Lee  Jesse, 

28  James  Edwards,  sr., 

29  James  Edwards,  jr., 

30  James  Hopkins, 


31  Wm.  Hopkins, 

32  Benjamin  Dickison, 

33  Benjamin  Konk, 

34  Charles  Konk, 

35  Johh  Konk, 

36  John  M.  Morrison, 

37  Elijah  Bishop, 

38  Elijah  Hill, 

39  Preston  Bishop, 

40  Edward  C.  Adams, 

41  Burel  Burkett, 

42  Samuel  Sloan, 

43  Peter  Vandewenter, 

44  George  Ely, 

45  Wm.  Stubblefield, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


599 


46  John  Carter, 

47  Solomon  Jenkins, 

48  David  Young, 

49  Francis  C.  Allen, 

50  William  Wilson, 

51  John  Kiniburled, 

52  Peter  Lambert,  sr., 

53  Peter  Lambert,  jr., 

54  Joseph  Lambert, 

55  James  Hix, 

56  Nelson  Preston, 

57  Jacob  V.  Fulkerson, 

58  P.  Fulkerson, 

59  Whitehill  Fulkerson. 

60  James  Fulkerson, 

61  Jacob  Fulkerson, 

62  Philip  Nincan, 

63  Joel  Johnson, 

64  Lewis  Brooks, 

65  J.  B.  Henderson, 

66  George  Styles, 

67  Morris  Todd, 

68  George  Drake, 

69  James  Y.  Jones, 

70  Quelton  Fregit, 

71  Joseph  Swagger, 

72  James  Hanks, 

73  Joseph  G.  McGrand, 

74  John  J.  Blue, 

75  James  Goodman, 

76  Wm.  Spainghan, 

77  James  F.  Cuppeheffer, 

78  Israel  Kurtz, 

79  John  Longmyre, 

80  Jacob  Hulster, 

81  Wm.  M.  Dudle, 

82  John  Bailey, 

83  Henry  Emmerson, 

84  F.  L.  Mitchell, 

85  Willss  Grimes, 

86  Willis  Moody, 

87  J.  Folhert, 


88  Samuel  Mercer, 

89  A.  S.  Brown, 

90  Hamilton  Brown, 

91  Thomas  McBee, 

92  John  C.  Owens, 

93  James  Dawson, 

94  Henry  Gearheart, 

95  Thorns  J.  Batty, 

96  Isaac  Jerome, 

97  John  Stone, 

98  John  H.  Dennison, 

99  Thomas  Colwell, 

100  John  Jones,  jr., 

101  John  Jones,  sr., 

102  Jeremiah  Sweett, 

103  Washington  Berry, 

104  William  McMullen 

105  David  Wyse, 

106  Morton  F.  Fisher, 

107  Lewis  Church, 

108  Siras  Woodson, 

109  Moses  Welbert 

110  Jesse  Holman, 

111  William  F.  Chcpman, 

112  Silas  Burtman, 

113  Richard  Kaine, 

114  Thomas  J.  Carter, 

115  James  Hinton, 

116  A.  W.  Hankins, 

117  Henry  Nailer, 

118  John  Snyder, 

119  Thomas  Moore, 

120  Sydney  Douglass, 

121  F.  B.  Browning, 

122  H.  C.  Cunningham, 

123  John  Doller, 

124  Syras  Breedens, 

125  Thomas  Kelley, 

126  Henry  Morton, 

127  John  McMichael, 

128  Peter  Strong, 

129  Henry  McClain, 


130  Henry  Harpe, 

131  Philip  Bridger, 

132  Joseph  Domstan, 

133  Milton  Farrier, 

134  John  G.  Breck, 

135  David  Domes, 

136  Nelson  Woods, 

137  Robert  Webster, 

138  John  M.  Brenton, 

139  John  Hardwick, 

140  Newton  F.  Ford, 

141  Aaron  Caruthers, 

142  Henry  O.  Boley, 

143  John  W.  Leax, 

144  William  Baker, 

145  Samnel  Hargis, 

146  Martin  F.  Carroll, 
148  Thomas  Fowler, 

148  Daniel  B.  Allen, 

149  Archibald  Hix, 

150  J.  W.  Curtis, 

151  Thomas  Hamilton, 

152  David  Rowland, 

153  A.  P.  Craig, 

154  John  Jesse, 

155  Oliver  Tackett, 

156  John  Dunlap, 

157  Peter  Rippetoe, 

158  Carter  Minter, 

159  Corn wright  Sharpe, 

160  Lane  Kegwood, 

161  John  Curtly, 

162  Adam  Milans, 

163  David  Underwood, 

164  Samuel  Gibson, 

165  John  Harris, 

166  Oliver  Burtchell, 

167  J.  G.  Clark, 

168  John  D.  Wells, 

169  George  F.  Hubbard, 

170  James  Doniphan, 

171  A.  S.  Clark. 


i  At  an  election  held  at  the  town  of  Marysville,  the  county  seat  of 
Marshall  county,  General  J.  W.  Whitfield  received  the  following 
lumher  of  votes,  to  wit :  one  hundred  and  seventy-one  for  delegate  to 
Congress  from  Kansas  Territory,  and  Governor  A.  H.  Eeeder  received 
or  delegate  to  Congress  for  Kansas  Territory  none. 
\  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  district  composed  of  the 
iounty  of  Marshall,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the 
totes  given  at  an  election  held  on  the  18th  day  of  October,  1855,  as 
fitness  our  hands  this  18th  day  of  October,  1855. 

0.  BUKTCHELL,    ) 
J.  G.  CLAKK,          }  Judges. 
JOHN  D.  WELLS,  ) 
litest  : 

JAMES  DOSTIPHAN,        )  m    i     s   ?   ..  • 
GEORGE  F.  HUBB!BD,  \  Clerks  °f  electwn* 


600 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Poll  book  of  Nemaha  county,  Kansas  Territory)  October  1,  1855, 


VOTERS'  NAMES. 


1.  James  E.  Thompson, 
'2.  T.  A.  B.  Cramer, 
3.  Samuel  Cramer, 


4.  John  Behn, 

5.  Cyrus  Doleman 

6.  William  H.  Harris. 


Delegate— General  J.  W.  Whitfield,  6  votes. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  Nemaha  couni 
election  district,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  vot 
given  at  an  election  held  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  1855,  as  witn& 
our  hands  this  1st  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 


Attest  : 

CYRUS  DOLEMAN, 
H.  M.  NEWTON 


WILLIAM  H.  HARRIS, 
THOS.  E.  NEWTON, 
HIRAM  H.  LANHAM, 


Judges  of  election. 


,  ) 
,    | 


/,  7    ,. 
of  electwn. 


WHITFIELD'S  ELECTION,  OCTOBER  1,  1855. — POLL  BOOK  OF  RILEY  COUNT  i 

FOR  DELEGATE  TO  CONGRESS. 


C.  Thompson, 
William  Crampton, 
J.  B.  Perry, 
C.  R.  Mobley, 
M.  A.  Garrett, 
R.  D.  Mobley, 
Fox  Booth, 
Thomas  Reynolds, 
Thomas  Dixon, 
M.  Hannigan, 


NAMES  OF  VOTERS. 

J.  S.  Reynolds, 
P.  Dixon, 
J.  T.  Chapman, 
J   W.  Emery, 
Peter  Mills, 
G.  M.  Dyer, 

F.  G.  Sonnamaker, 

G.  Potect, 
R.  Willson, 


Robert  Wade, 
G.  F.  Grinter, 
S.  Dean, 

C.  Lombard, 

D.  F .  Tebbs, 
Vanburen  Hamilton, 
William  R.  Cram, 
D.  R.  Perry, 
Ambrose  Warren. 


We,  the  undersigned,,  judges  of  the  election  held  in  Kiley  county 
on  October  1,  1855,  for  delegate  to  the  United  States  Congress,  d 
certify  that  J.  W.  Whitfield  received  twenty-eight  votes.  Give, 
under  our  hands  this  first  of  October,  1855. 

E.  D.  MOBLEY, 

1  H.  W.  MARTIN, 

J.  S.  REYNOLDS. 


TECUMSEH,  SHAWNEE  COUNTY. 


Owen  C.  Stewart,  William  A.  Yager,  and  James  M.  Small,  a 
judges  of  election,  and  Benjamin  J.  Newsom  and  William  A.  M 
Vaughan,  as  clerks,  were  sworn  according  to  form  of  oath  on  page  1 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


601 


1  T.  N.  Stinson, 

2  E.  G.  Vaughan, 

3  Thomas  Ament, 

4  L.  B.  Stetster, 

5  J.  Mitch  mn, 

6  Eli  Hopkins, 

7  Henry  McConnell, 

8  Josiah  Foster, 

9  W.  B.  Cockerill, 

0  John  Martin, 

1  A.  G.  Reed, 

2  H.  Dawson, 

3  J.  W.  Carmaugh, 
.4  J.  T.  Addoms, 

.5  Isaac  Renfro, 

6  James  McConnell, 

7  A.  D.  M.  Hand, 

8  D.  — .  Hunter , 


LIST  OF  VOTERS. 

19  G.  B.  Wood, 

20  J.  M.  Reed, 

21  W.  P.  Tuttle, 

22  J.  M.  Herrin, 

23  Henry  Hoping, 

24  W.  H.  Brady, 

25  Richard  S.  Hunter, 

26  D.  Crocket  Boggs, 

27  William  Gayham, 

28  John  C.  Ager, 

29  William  Martiny 

30  T.  W.  Hayes, 

31  Horatio  Cox, 

32  Lucius  Ca'ry, 

33  H.  J.  Strickler, 

34  Charles  Alexander, 

35  Westley  Boughton, 


I    36  John  C.  Hawkins, 

37  D.  L.  Croysdale, 

38  T.  Terrill, 

39  G.  P.  Hoft, 

40  Jacob  Tidebough, 

41  Thornton  Strother, 

42  C.  L.  Stevenson, 

43  W.  D.  Owen, 

44  Edward  Hoofland, 

45  J.  T.  Hicklin, 

46  John  Millsup, 

47  Wm.  A.  M.  Vaughan, 

48  Benjamin  J.  Newsom, 

49  J.  M.  Small, 

50  Owen  C.  Stewart, 

51  W.  O.  Yager, 

52  J.  N.  Campbell. 


Tally  list  for  John  W.  Whitfield,  52  votes. 
JUDGES'  CERTIFICATE. 


We,  0.  C.  Stewart,  W.  0.  Yager,  and  J.  M.  Small,  the  under- 
igned  judges  of  the  election  in  Tecumseh  election  district,  certify 
hat  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  the  votes  given  at  an  election 
ield  on  Monday,  the  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  as  witness  our 
lands  this  first  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

OWEN  C.  STUAKT,  ) 
JAMES  M.  SMALL,  }  Judges. 
WM.  0.  YAGEK.       S 
Utest: 

BENJAMIN  J.  NEWSOM. 
WM.  M.  M.  VAUGHAN, 


ni    , 
ClerJcs  ° 


SHAWNEE  COUNTY. — One  Hundred  and  Ten. 

We,  A.  S.  Holliman,  W.  Yocum,  and  T.  B.  McGee,  do  swear  (or 
fiirm)  that  we  will  impartially  discharge  the  duties  of  judges  of  the 
resent  election,  being  an  election  for  delegate  to  the  thirty-fourth 
Congress  of  the  United  States,  according  to  law  and  the  best  of  our 
bilities.  Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  September,  A.  D.  1855. 

JOHN  HORNER,  Sheriff  of  Shawnee  County. 

Oath  of  Clerks. 

We,  F.  M.  McGee  and  William  A.  Stone,  clerks  of  an  election  to 
e  held  this  day  for  delegate  to  the  thirty-fourth  Congress  of  the 
Jnited  States,  do  swear  (or  affirm)  that  we  will  faithfully  discharge 
be  duties  of  clerks,  according  to  law  and  the  best  of  our  abilities, 
•worn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  A.  D.  1855. 

F.  M.  McGEE, 
W.  A.  STONE. 


JOHN  HORNER,  Sheriff  of  Shawnee  County. 
J.  W.  WHITFIELD. 


A.  H.  BEEDEK. 


602 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


1  Mathew  Rule 

2  John  Skidmore 

3  W  P  Akin 

4  John  W  Stone 

5  Robert  Johnson 

6  V  Moore 

7"  John  Everling 

8  Joseph  Stone 

9  J  W  Ward 

10  A  Prentice 

11  James  Akin 

12  William  Harris 

Number  of  votes  given — 23. 


C 


A  Linkmanger 


13 

14  M  W  McGee 

15  James  Hoppess 

16  William  Yocum 

17  A  S  Halliman 

18  John  Homer 

19  F  M  McGee 

20  W  A  Stone 

21  T  P  McGee 

22  C  C  Coats 

23  G  M  Redman 


Judges'  Certificate. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  in  One  Hundred  am 
Ten  election  district,  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  correct  list  of  tb 
votes  given  at  an  election  held  on  Monday,  the  first  day  of  October 
A.  D.  1855,  as  witness  of  our  hands,  this day  of  October,  1851. 


Attest  : 


WILLIAM  YOCUM, 

T.  P.  McGEE, 

A.  S.  HOLLIMAN, 


Judges. 


OCTOBER  30,  1855. 

The  returns  of  the  judges  of  the  election  held  on  the  first  Monda 
of  October,  in  pursuance  of  law,  for  a  delegate  to  the  thirty-fond) 
Congress,  being  duly  examined,  and  John  W.  Whitfield  having  r< 
ceived  a  majority  of  the  legal  votes  polled,  is  declared  by  the  governc 
to  be  duly  elected,  and  a  certificate  of  election  by  the  governor,  tmde 
the  seal  of  the  Territory,  is  accordingly  issued  to  the  said  John  W 
Whitfield. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  603 

ELECTION  OF  OCTOBER  9,  1855,  (OF  REEDER.) 

PATRICK  LAUGHLIN  testifies. 

I  have  been  to  no  free-soil  elections,  except  those  held  last  fall.  I 
aras  at  the  election  of  the  9th  of  October  last,  and  voted  for  Reeder. 
When  at  Lawrence,  at  the  time  I  went  to  the  5th  of  September  con- 
tention, I  saw  a  great  number  of  people  in  tents,  who  appeared  not 
;o  be  settled,  but  only  appeared  to  be  remaining  for  only  a  limited 
.ength  of  time.  I  had  a  conversation  with  some  of  them,  who  told 
ne  they  were  going  to  return  to  the  States  about  the  latter  part  of 
;he  fall.  The  public  instructions  of  the  executive  committee,  of 
yhich  I  have  been  speaking,  are  already  published,  but  their  private 
nstructions  were,  in  case  pro-slavery  men  attempt  to  vote,  and  are 
ikely  to  outnumber  you,  you  can  adjourn  from  day  to  day,  and  finally 
;o  any  free-soil  district  in  the  Territory.  These  instructions  were 
lever  given  to  the  judges,  but  were  given  to  me  by  Marcus  J.  Parrott. 
!  never  gave  them  to  any  one. 

PAT.  LAUGHLIN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


MARCUS  J.  PARROTT  called  and  sworn. 
To  Governor  King : 

I  am  a  resident  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  On  the  30th  of  August 
.  was  at  Kansas  City,  in  Missouri,  at  the  American  hotel.  Governor 
feeder  was  then  stopping  there  at  that  time.  We  sat  up  and  con- 
rersed  together  about  what  was  to  be  done  there.  At  the  same  time 
L  was  on  my  way  to  another  convention,  to  be  held  at  Tecumseh  on 
.he  31st  day  of  August.  The  object  of  that  convention  was  to  meet 
vith  persons  who  were  desirous  to  organize  the  democratic  party  in 
•he  Territory.  While  we  were  together,  Governor  Reeder  spoke 
&bout  making  some  arrangements  about  going  up  himself  to  attend 
he  convention  at  Big  Springs.  His  trunks  at  that  time  were  in  the 
>ffice  at  the  hotel,  which  comprised,  so  far  as  I  know,  all  the  personal 
)roperty  he  had  in  the  Territory.  He  wanted  to  get  a  valise  to  take 
some  clothes  up  into  the  Territory.  He  borrowed  a  valise  of  Major 
Uldredge,  of  the  hotel,  which  was  brought  out  in  my  presence,  put 
nto  the  buggy,  and  he  left  before  I  did.  I  overtook  him  in  company 
vith  Judge  Johnson  at  the  Shawnee  Mission.  We  both  started  out 
>n  the  road  at  night,  and  we  separated  at  Donaldson,  where  Governor 
feeder  tarried  all  night,  but  Judge  Johnson  and  myself  drove  on  all 
light  for  Tecumseh.  I  did  not  see  Reeder  again  until  two  or  three 
lays  afterwards,  at  Lawrence,  and  then  had  some  conversation  with 
rim  concerning  his  being  a  candidate  of  the  Big  Spring  convention 
or  delegate  to  Congress.  The  impression  left  upon  my  mind  was, 
hat  unless  he  became  a  candidate  he  was  going  to  leave  the  Territory. 


604  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Afterwards,  on  the  first  day  of  the  convention,  I  think,  there  was  a 
good  deal  said  ahout  his  not  being  a  resident  of  the  Territory.  I  was 
myself  of  that  opinion,  and,  in  order  to  determine  exactly  ahout  that 
matter,  I  agreed  with  Colonel  Lane  and  some  others  to  call  him  out 
and  ask  him  the  question.  I  did  call  him  out  and  ask  him  if  he  was 
a  resident  of  the  Territory.  He  stated,  in  reply  to  that,  something 
ahout  the  reason  he  did  not  bring  his  family  here,  as  that  was  the 
ground  of  complaint  generally  here.  He  did  not  answer  the  question 
directly  at  all,  but  answered  it  argumentatively,  by  stating  some 
things  in  connexion  with  his  position  in  the  Territory.  I  do  not  re- 
collect that  he  satisfied  the  persons  who  had  been  called  there  to  hear 
his  answer  to  the  question.  1  know  that  some  of  them  were  not  satis- 
fied that  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory.  Colonel  Lane  and  myself 
afterwards  spoke  of  it,  and  neither  of  us  were  satisfied  with  the  an- 
swer he  gave  to  the  question.  Since  that  time  I  have  never  known 
him  to  have  any  visible  domicil  or  residence  in  the  Territory.  In  the 
conversation  at  Lawrence,  he  spoke  of  a  claim  that  he  thought  he 
would  buy,  if  his  wife  liked  it,  but  his  wife  and  family  were  not,  and 
never  have  been  in  the  -Territory,  and  were  understood  to  be  in  Penn- 
sylvania. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

Colonel  Lane  was  spoken  of  as  a  candidate.  I  was  m  favor  of 
Judge  Johnson.  I  never  heard  any  one  speak  of  Colonel  Lane  being 
a  candidate  but  himself.  Reeder  was  nominated  without  a  vote,  and 
by  acclamation. 

To  Governor  King : 

My  objection  to  Governor  Reeder  was  on  account  of  some  resolutions 
which  lie  had  with  him  at  Kansas  City,  and  'written  by  him,  and 
adopted  at  the  Big  Spring  convention,  which  provided  for  the  election 
of  delegate  to  Congress  being  held  on  a  different  day  from  that  pro- 
vided by  the  territorial  law ;  and  also  to  other  resolutions  written  by 
him,  which  looked  to  a  repudiation  of  the  laws  by  force.  I  objected 
to  this  latter  part  in  public  in  the  convention.  I  saw  resolutions, 
called  miscellaneous  resolutions,  which  were  in  Governor  Reeder 's 
handwriting. 

MARCUS  J.  PARROTT. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


CHARLES  BLAKELEY  called  and  sworn. 

By  Governor  King : 

I  reside  at  Iowa  Point  township,  Doniphan  county,  Kansas  Terri- 
tory, and  have  resided  there  since  about  July  last.  This  is  the  place 
of  voting  for  that  township.  There  was  no  election  held  at  that 
place  on  the  9th  of  October  last,  and  no  poll  opened,  and  no  vote  cast 
for  anybody,  it  being  the  day  of  election  fixed  by  the  Big  Spring  con- 
ention  for  the  election  of  a  delegate  to  Congress,  and  at  which  elec- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  605 

tion  Governor  Keeder  was  a  candidate.  Just  after  the  election,  I  saw 
in  the  " Herald  of  Freedom"  newspaper,  published  at  Lawrence,  a 
publication  purporting  to  give  the  returns  of  election  in  each  precinct 
or  place  of  voting  in  the  Territory,  and  among  others  it  was  reported 
that  seventy-two  or  seventy-three  votes  has  been  cast  at  the  Iowa 
Point  precinct,  which  was  not  true,  as  no  vote  was  at  that  place,  as  I 
have  stated  above. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  do  not  know  whether  or  not  the  judges  adjourned  the  election  to 
some  other  time,  as  I  never  attended  any  of  the  elections  under  the 
executive  committee.  I  was  at  the  place  that  the  county  commis- 
sioners fixed,  under  the  territorial  law,  for  holding  the  elections,  but 
I  do  not  know  where  the  elections  were  held  under  the  executive  com- 
mittee. They  held  no  election  in  that  township,  but  I  understood 
that  they  held  an  election  about  seven  miles  from  Iowa  Point,  the 
place  fixed  by  the  county  commissioners.  I  was  not  present,  and  do 
not  know  what  was  done  there.  The  place,  I  believe,  was  not  in  that 
township.  The  election  I  speak  of  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
McCall,  near  Lloyd  Ashley's. 

To  Governor  King : 

The  vote  I  saw  published  in  the  " Herald  of  Freedom"  purported 
to  be  taken  at  the  Iowa  Point  precinct.  If  any  vote  for  that  town- 
ship was  taken  at  that  election,  it  must  have  been  taken  at  some  point 
outside  of  the  township,  and  I  know  of  no  reason  why  the  people  of 
that  district,  if  they  chose  to  vote,  should  not  have  held  their  election 
in  the  township,  and  at  the  place  fixed  for  voting  in  the  Iowa  Point 
township  precinct.  We  never  had  any  trouble  or  difficulties  at  that 
place  about  who  should  or  should  not  vote.  No  judges  of  election 
met  on  that  day  at  Iowa  Point  and  adjourned  to  any  other  place, 
either  in  or  out  of  the  township. 

CHARLES  BLAKELEY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


JAMES  DAVIS  recalled. 

To  Mr.  Mathias : 

In  a  conversation  that  Governor  Reeder  had  with  me,  when  he  was 
here  in  April,  1856,  he  remarked  that  the  congressional  nomination 
had  been  given  to  him  without  his  desire  or  wishes  at  all ;  that  pre- 
vious to  that  time  he  had  packed  his  trunks,  and  was  about  to  leave 
the  Territory  to  return  to  Pennsylvania.  He  did  not  say  he  did  not 
regard  himself  as  a  resident  of  the  Territory  at  that  time.  I  have 
heard  him  say  he  had  a  family,  and  that  he  never  had  it  in  the  Terri- 
tory. 

JAMES  DAVIS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


606  KANSAS  AFFAIRS, 

WILLIAM  Y.  EGBERTS  called  and  sworn. 
Examined  by  the  committee  : 

I  arrived  at  my  present  location  on  the  first  day  of  April,  1855.  i 
live  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Big  Springs. 

I  was  chairman  of  the  convention  at  Topeka  to  take  into  consider- 
ation the  propriety  of  forming  a  State  government,  and  also  a  member 
of  the  convention  to  form  a  State  constitution.  I  was  elected  lieuten- 
ant governor  under  the  State  constitution.  I  was  familiar  with  all 
the  steps  taken  to  form  a  State  government,  except  the  meeting  at 
Lawrence  of  the  15th  of  August.  I  canvassed  a  portion  of  the  Terri- 
tory in  favor  of  the  State  movement.  I  always  regarded  and  treated 
the  movement  in  my  speeches,  in  canvassing  prior  to  the  election,  as  a 
movement  of  the  people,  without  reference  to  party  distinctions,  and 
as  the  best  mode  to  relieve  themselves  of  their  present  difficulties,  and 
settle  the  vexed  question  of  free  or  slave  State.  The  movement  was 
sanctioned  by  a  very  large  majority  of  the  people  who  were  residents 
of  the  Territory. 

I  have  carefully  examined  the  testimony  of  George  W.  Deitzler 
touching  the  steps  taken  to  form  the  State  government,  and  from  my 
own  knowledge  know  that  he  is  correct,  except  in  regard  to  the  Law- 
rence meeting  of  the  15th  of  August,  1855,  which  I  did  not  attend. 
The  proceedings  of  that  meeting  were  published,  and  meetings  of  a 
similar  kind  were  held  over  the  Territory,  and  upon  their  action  was 
based  the  Topeka  convention. 

W.  Y.  ROBERTS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  13,  1856. 


GEORGE  W.  DEITZLER  recalled. 
Examined  by  the  committee  : 

After  the  invasion  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  the  first  general 
movement  of  -the  people  of  the  Territory  was  to  call  a  meeting  and 
draw  up  a  memorial  to  be  circulated  for  signatures,  to  be  sent  to  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States.  This  memorial  was  drawn  up,  circu- 
lated, signed,  and  sent  to  Washington  city.  The  paper  herewith 
attached,  marked  "A,"  is  a  copy  of  that  memorial. 

During  the  summer  of  1855  there  was  a  great  deal  of  discussion 
over  the  Territory  generally,  and  several  meetings  were  held  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  Territory  in  relation  to  holding  a  convention  to  form 
a  State  government,  and  to  apply  for  admission  into  the  Union  as  a 
State.  Public  opinion  gradually  settled  down  in  favor  of  such  appli- 
cation to  be  made  to  the  Congress  to  meet  in  December,  1855. 

The  first  general  meeting  was  held  in  Lawrence,  in  pursuance  of  a 
call  signed  by  many  citizens,  on  the  15th  of  August,  1855,  the  pro- 
ceedings of  which  meeting  were  published.  I  was  present  at  the 
meeting,  and  the  paper  herewith  attached  is,  I  believe,  a  correct  copy 
of  those  proceedings. 


t  KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  607 

STATE  CONSTITUTION. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  August  15,  1855. 

Pursuant  to  a  published  call,  signed  "many  citizens/'  "to  take 
into  consideration  the  propriety  of  calling  a  Territorial  convention, 
preliminary  to  the  formation  of  a  State  government,  and  other  subjects 
of  public  interest/'  a  convention  of  the  citizens  of  Kansas  Territory, 
irrespective  of  party,  met,  and  upon  motion  of  C.  K.  Holliday,  Dr.  A. 
Hunting  was  called  to  the  chair;  G.  W.  Brown,  E.  D.  Ladd,  C.  E. 
Blood,  L.  P.  Lincoln,  James  Christian,  and  Dr.  J.  D.  Barnes,  elected 
vice  presidents ;  and  J.  K.  Goodin  and  J.  P.  Fox,  secretaries. 

On  motion  of  J.  Hutchinson,  esq.,  a  committee  of  five  were  appointed 
to  prepare  business  for  the  convention.  Messrs.  G.  W.  Smith,  C.  K. 
Holliday,  C.  Robinson,  John  Brown,  jr.,  and  A.  F.  Powell,  were  chosen 
that  committee. 

During  the  absence  of  the  committee  the  convention  was  addressed 
by  Rev.  Lovejoy,  G.  W.  Brown,  J.  Hutchinson,  and  M.  F.  Conway. 
After  which,  Mr.  G.  W.  Smith,  chairman,  submitted  the  following 
as  the  report  of  the  committee  : 

Whereas  the  people  of  Kansas  Territory  have  been,  since  its  settle- 
ment, arid  now  are,  without  any  law-making  power ;  therefore  be  it — 

Resolved,  That  we,  the  people  of  Kansas  Territory,  in  mass  meet- 
ing assembled,  irrespective  of  party  distinctions,  influenced  by  a  com- 
mon necessity,  and  greatly  desirous  of  promoting  the  common  good, 
do  hereby  call  upon  and  request  all  bona  fide  citizens  of  Kansas  Ter- 
ritory, of  whatever  political  views  or  predilections,  to  consult  to- 
gether in  their  respective  election  districts,  and  in  mass  convention  or 
otherwise  elect  three  delegates  for  each  representative  to  which  such 
district  is  entitled  in  the  house  of  representatives  of  the  legislative 
assembly,  by  proclamation  of  Governor  Reeder,  of  date  10th  March, 
1855.  Said  delegates  to  assemble  in  convention  at  tne  town  of  To- 
peka,  on  the  19th  day  of  September,  1855,  then  and  there  to  consider 
and  determine  upon  all  subjects  of  public  interest,  'and  particularly 
upon  that  having  reference  to  the  speedy  formation  of  a  State  consti- 
tution, with  an  intention  of  an  immediate  application  to  be  admitted 
as  a  State  into  the  Union  of  the  "United  States  of  America/' 

After  the  discussion  of  the  resolution  by  Mr.  Stearnes  and  others,  the 
report  of  the  committee  was  adopted  with  but  one  dissenting  voice. 

On  motion  it  was  ordered  that  the  proceedings  of  this  convention  be 
published  in  the  newspapers  of  the  Territory,  and  Messrs.  J.  Speer, 
R.  G.  Elliott,  and  G.  W.  Brown,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  pub- 
lish and  circulate  the  call  for  the  convention  to  be  holden  at  Topeka. 

On  motion,  the  convention  adjourned  sine  die. 

A.  HUNTING,  President. 
G.  W.  BROWN, 
E.  D.  LADD, 


E.  E.  BLOOD, 
L.  D.  LINCOLN, 
JAMES  CHRISTIAN, 
J.  D.  BARNES, 

J.  K.  GOODIN, 

J.  P.  Fox, 


-  Vice  Presidents. 


608  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

After  this  meeting  at  Lawrence,  there  were  other  meetings  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  Territory,  which  endorsed  the  action  of  that  meet- 
ing, and  delegates  were  accordingly  selected. 

In  compliance  with  the  recommendation  of  that  meeting,  a  delegate 
convention  was  held  at  Topeka,  the  19th  and  20th  of  September,  1855. 
The  proceedings  of  that  meeting  were  published  generally  in  the 
papers  of  the  Territory,  and  the  annexed  paper  is  a  true  copy  of 
those  proceedings. 


Proceedings  of  the  State  Constitutional  Convention,   "held  at  *  Topeka 
Kansas  Territory,  September  19  and  20,  1855. 

The  delegate  convention  of  the  people  of  Kansas,  to  consider  the 
expediency  of  the  formation  of  a  State  government,  with  a  view  to 
application  to  Congress,  at  its  next  session,  for  admission  as  a  State, 
met  at  Topeka  on  the  19th  of  September. 

At  11  o'clock,  a.  m.,  the  convention  was  called  to  order  by  G.  W. 
Smith,  esq.,  of  the  first  district,  and  was  temporarily  organized  by 
the  choice  of  Erastus  D.  Ladd,  of  Lawrence,  chairman,  and  C.  K. 
Holliday,  of  Topeka,  secretary. 

On  motion  a  committee  to  report  officers  for  the  permanent  organi- 
zation of  the  convention  was  appointed,  consisting  of  the  following 
persons : 

G.  W.  Smith,  A.  Curtiss,  W.  Y.  Koberts,  J.  F.  Brannan,  Joseph 
Hays. 

On  motion  of  Judge  Wakefield  a  committee  on  credentials  was 
chosen,  of  the  following  persons  : 

J.  K.  Goodin,  J.  A.  Wakefield,  A.  M.  Jordan,  S.  Mewhinney, 
Hamilton  Smith,  Thos.  J.  Addis,  P.  C.  Schuyler,  J.  H.  Nesbitt,  L. 
P.  Lincoln. 

The  convention  adjourned  to  half  past  one  o'clock,  p.  m. 

The  convention  re-assembled  at  two  o'clock. 

The  committee  on  credentials  reported  the  following  as  members  of 
the  convention.  • 

Delegates  from  first  district. — Gk  W.  Smith,  E.  D.  Ladd,  G.  W. 
Deitzler,  S.  0.  Smith,  J.  K.  Goodin,  G.  W.  Brown,  John  Speer,  M. 
Hunt,  J.  H.  Lane. 

Second  district. — Robert  Buffman,  J.  A.  Wakefield,  David  BufF- 
man,  D.  Vancil,  A.  Curtiss,  N.  Allguyor. 

Third  district.— W.  Y.  Roberts,  C.  K.  Holliday,  A.  M.  Jordon. 

Fourth  district. — Samuel  Workman,  Amos  Hanna,  Samuel  Mew- 
hinney. 

Fifth  and  Sixth  districts. — Hamilton  Smith,  James  F.  Brannan, 
Thos.  J.  Addis. 

Seventh  district.— P.  C.  Schuyler,  J.  D.  Wood. 

Eighth  district. — J.  H.  Nesbitt,  S.  R.  Jenkins. 

Tenth  district. — L.  P.  Lincoln,  Joseph  Hays. 

Thirteenth  district. — J.  B.  Chapman,  T.  Jenner,  Richard  Murphy. 

•  I 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  609 

Sixteenth  district. — Marcus  J.  Parrott,  C.  M.  Moore,  E.  H.  Phelan, 
M.  W.  Delahay,  S.  N.  Latta. 

The  report  was  adopted. 

The  committee  on  the  permanent  organization  of  trie  convention 
reported  as  follows  :  for — 

President.—  W.  Y.  Koberts. 

Vice-presidents. — J.  A.  Wakefield,  P.  C.  Schuyler,  L.  P.  Lincoln, 
J.  K.  Goodin,  S.  N.  Latta,  K.  H.  Phelan. 

Secretaries.— K.  D.  Ladd,  J.  H.  Nesbitt,  M.  W.  Delahay. 

The  report  was  adopted,  and  the  officers  elected  took  their  seats. 

On  motion,  it  was — 

Besolved,  That  parliamentary  rules  be  the  rules  of  this  convention. 

On  motion  of  G.  W.  Smith,  a  committee  of  fifteen  members  was 
elected  to  prepare  business  for  the  convention,  as  follows : 

G.  W.  Smith,  Samuel  Mewhinney,  J.  A.  Wakefield,  C.  K.  Holli- 
day,  P.  P.  Lincoln,  Hamilton  Smith,  J.  H.  Nesbitt,  T.  J.  Addis, 
Thomas  Jenner,  J.  B.  Chapman,  H.  Miles  Moore,  Marcus  J.  Parrott, 
a.  W.  Deitzler,  P.  C.  Schuyler,  J.  D.  Wood. 

The  convention  adjourned  until  the  committee  were  ready  to  report. 
\  The  convention  was  called  to  order,  and  the  committee  on  busi- 
ness, through  Gr.  W.  Smith,  chairman,  submitted  a  report,  which  was, 
on  motion,  received. 

The  convention  adjourned  to  9  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

September  20,  9  o'clock,  a.  m 

The  convention  was  called  to  order  by  the  president. 

On  motion  of  Col.  Lane,  the  report  of  the  business  committee  was 
re-committed  to  said  committee,  with  instructions  to  report  blank 
times  for  the  holding  of  the  election,  and  the  meeting  of  the  conven- 
tion, and  number  of  delegates  to  said  convention. 

Col.  Lane  moved  the  following  resolution,  which  was  adopted  : 

Besolved,  That  a  committee,  consisting  of  eighteen  members,  be 
appointed,  one  from  each  election  district,  as  far  as  the  said  districts 
are  represented  in  this  convention,  and  when  said  districts  are  ex- 
hausted, frbm  those  actually  in  attendance  at  this  convention,  the 
balance  be  raised  and  clothed  with  full  power  to  write,  print,  and 
circulate  an  address  to  the  people  of  this  Territory,  and  to  the  civil- 
ized world,  setting  forth  our  greivances,  and  the  policy  we  have  been 
compelled  to  adopt,  and  which  we  have  determined  at  all  hazards  to 
carry  out. 

On  motion,  leave  of  absence  was  granted  to  the  business  committee. 

The  convention  took  a  recess  of  ten  minutes.  On  re-assembling  the 
chair  appointed  the  following  as  the  Committee  on  Address,  author- 
ized by  the  resolution  of  Col-  Lane: 

J.  H.  Lane,  Hamilton  Smith,  P.  C.  Schuyler,  H.  Miles  Moore, 
J.  S.  Emery,  A.  M.  Jordan,  M.  W.  Delahay,  E.  D.  Ladd,  G.  W. 
Deitzler,  J.  A.  Wakefield,  Samuel  C.  Smith,  Thomas  J.  Addis,  J. 
H.  Nesbitt,  L.  P.  Lincoln,  John  Speer,  G-.  W.  Brown,  S.  N.  Latta, 
James  Pierce. 

The  business  committee  made  a  report,  which  was  accepted  ;  and 
the  convention  adjourned  to  half-past  one  o'clock,  p.  m. 
H.  Kep.  200 39* 


610  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

At  two  o'clock  the  convention  was  called  to  order  by  the  president, 
and  on  motion  the  report  of  the  business  committee  was  taken  up,  and 
after  discussion  and  amendment  was  adopted  unanimously,  as  follows : 

Whereas,  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  guarantees  to  the 
people  of  this  republic  the  right  of  assembling  together  in  a  peaceable 
manner  for  their  common  good,  to  "  establish  justice,  insure  domestic 
tranquillity,  provide  for  the  common  defence,  promote  the  general 
welfare,  and  secure  the  blessings  of  liberty  to  themselves  and  their 
posterity;"  and  whereas,  the  citizens  of  Kansas  Territory  were  pre- 
vented from  electing  members  of  a  legislative  assembly,  in  pursu- 
ance of  the  proclamation  of  Gov.  Keeder,  on  the  30th  of  March  last, 
by  invading  forces  from  foreign  States  coming  into  the  Territory  and 
forcing  upon  the  people  a  legislature  of  non-residents  and  others, 
inimical  to  the  interests  of  the  people  of  Kansas  Territory,  defeating- 
the  object  of  the  organic  act,  in  consequence  of  which  the  territorial 
government  became  a  perfect  failure,  and  the  people  were  left  without 
any  legal  government,  until  their  patience  has  become  exhausted,  and 
"  endurance  ceases  to  be  a  virtue  ;"  and  they  are  compelled  to  resort 
to  the  only  remedy  left — that  of  forming  a  government  for  themselves. 

Therefore,  resolved,  by  the  people  of  Kansas  Territory,  in  delegate 
convention  assembled,  That  an  election  shall  be  held  in  the  several 
election  precincts  of  this  Territory  on  the  -second  Tuesday  of  October 
next,  under  the  regulations  and  restrictions  hereinafter  imposed,  for 
members  of  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights 
for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing 
a  State  government,  preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the 
Union  as  a  State. 

Resolved,  That  the  apportionment  of  delegates  to  said  convention 
shall  be  as  follows :  Two  delegates  for  each  representative  to  which 
the  people  were  entitled  in  the  legislative  assembly,  by  proclamation 
of  Governor  Reeder,  of  date  10th  March,  1855. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  seven  be  appointed  by  the  chair, 
who  shall  organize  by  the  appointment  of  a  chairman  and  secretary. 
They  shall  keep  a  record  of  their  proceedings,  and  shall  have  the 
general  superintendence  of  the  affairs  of  the  Territory  so  far  as 
regards  the  organization  of  a  State  government,  which  committee 
shall  be  styled  "  The  Executive  Committee  of  Kansas  Territory." 

Resolved,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  executive  committee  of 
Kansas  Territory  to  advertise  said  election  at  least  fifteen  days  before 
the  second  Tuesday  of  October  next ;  and  to  appoint  three  judges 
thereof  for  each  precinct,  and  the  said  judges  of  each  precinct  shall 
appoint  two  clerks,  all  of  whom  shall  be  duly  sworn  or  affirmed  to 
discharge  the  duties  of  their  respective  offices  impartially  and  with 
fidelity  ;  and  they  shall  have  power  to  administer  the  oath  or  affirma- 
tion to  each  other,  and  the  said  judges  shall  open  said  election  at  10 
o'clock,  a.  in.,  at  the  place  designated  in  each  precinct  by  the  said 
executive  committee,  and  close  the  same  at  4  o'clock,  p.  m.  And  in 
case  any  of  the  officers  appointed  fail  to  attend,,  the  officer  or  officers 
in  attendance  shall  supply  the  vacancy  or  vacancies  ;  and  in  the  event 
of  all  of  them  failing  to  attend,  ten  qualified  voters  shall  supply 
their  places.  And  the  said  judges  shall  make  out  duplicate  return* 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  611 

of  said  election,  seal  up  and  transmit  one  copy  of  the  same  within 
five  days  to  the  chairman  of  the  executive  committee,  to  be  laid 
hefore  the  convention  ;  and  they  shall,  within  ten  days,  seal  up  and 
hand  the  other  to  some  member  of  the  executive  committee. 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  the  executive  committee  of  Kansas 
Territory  shall  announce,  by  proclamation,  the  names  of  the  persons 
elected  delegates  to  said  convention  ;  and  in  case  the  returns  from 
any  precinct  should  not  be  completed  by  that  day,  as  soon  thereafter 
as  practicable,  and  in  case  of  a  tie,  a  new  election  shall  be  ordered 
by  the  executive  committee,  giving  five  days'  notice  thereof,  by  the 
game  officers  who  officiated  at  the  first  election. 

Resolved ,  That  all  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  who  have  had  a  bona  fide 
residence  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  for  the  space  of  thirty  days 
immediately  preceding  the  day  of  said  election,  shall  be  entitled  to 
vote  for  delegates  to  said  convention,  and  all  white  male  inhabitants, 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  who 
have  resided  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  for  the  space  of  three  months 
immediately  preceding  the  day  of  election,  shall  be  eligible  as  dele- 
gates to  said  convention. 

Resolved,  That  if,  at  the  time  of  holding  said  election,  it  shall  be 
inconvenient,  on  account  of  Indian  hostilities,,  or  any  other  cause 
whatever,  that  would  disturb  or  prevent  the  voters  of  any  election 
precinct  in  the  Territory  from  the  free  and  peaceable  exercise  of  the 
elective  franchise,  the  officers  are  hereby  authorized  to  adjourn  said 
election  into  any  other  precinct  in  the  Territory,  and  to  any  other 
day  they  may  see  proper,  of  the  necessity  of  which  they  shall  be  the 
exclusive  judges,  at  which  time  and  place  the  qualified  voters  may 
cast  their  votes. 

Resolved,  That  said  convention  shall  be  held  at  Topeka  on  the 
fourth  Tuesday  of  October  next,  at  12  o'clock,  m.,  of  that  day. 

Resolved,  That  a  majority  of  said  convention  shall  constitute  a 
quorum,  and  that  the  said  convention  shall  determine  upon  the 
returns  and  qualifications  of  its  members,  and  shall  have  and  exercise 
all  the  rights,  privileges,  and  immunities  incident  to  such  bodies,  and 
may  adopt  such  rules  and  regulations  for  its  government  as  a  majority 
thereof  may  direct.  If  a  majority  of  said  convention  do  not  assemble 
on  the  day  appointed  therefor,  a  less  number  is  hereby  authorized  to 
adjourn  from  day  to  day. 

Resolved,  That  in  case  of  the  death,  resignation,  or  non-attendance 
of  any  delegate  chosen  from  any  district  of  the  Territory,  the  presi- 
dent of  the  convention  shall  issue  his  writ  ordering  a  new  election,  on 
five  days'  notice,  to  be  conducted  as  heretofore  directed. 

Resolved,  That  no  person  shall  be  entitled  to  a  seat  in  the  conven- 
tion at  its  organization  except  the  members  whose  names  are  contained 
in  the  proclamation  of  the  chairman  of  the  executive  committee. 
But  after  the  convention  is  organized  seats  may  be  contested  in  the 
usual  way. 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  convention  shall  receive  as  a 
compensation  for  their  services  the  sum  of  three  dollars  pei  day,  and 
three  dollars  for  every  twenty  miles  travel  to  and  from  the  same,  and 


612  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

that  Congress  be  respectfully  requested  to  appropriate  a  sufficient 
sum  to  defray  the  necessary  expenses  of  said  convention. 

Resolved,  That  on  the  adoption  of  a  constitution  for  the  State  of 
Kansas,  the  President  of  the  convention  shall  transmit  an  authenti- 
cated copy  thereof  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Senate,  and  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives ; 
to  each  member  of  Congress,  and  to  the  governor  of  each  of  the 
several  States  of  the  Union,  and  adopt  such  other  measures  as  will 
secure  to  the  people  of  Kansas  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a  sovereign 
State. 

On  motion,  the  committee  on  address  was  vested  with  authority  to 
notify  the  people  of  the  several  districts  of  the  Territory  of  the  coming 
election,  by  handbills,  public  addresses,  and  otherwise,  as  they  may 
think  proper. 

The  territorial  executive  committee  was  appointed  by  the  chair, 
consisting  of  the  following  persons:  J.  H.  Lane,  C.  K.  Holliday,  M. 
J.  Parrott,  P.  C.  Schuyler,  G.  W.  Smith,  G.  W.  Brown,  and  J.  K. 
Goodin. 

On  motion,  the  proceedings  of  this  convention  were  ordered  to  be 
published  in  all  the  papers  of  the  Territory. 

A  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  the  president  and  officers  of  the 
convention.  Adjourned  with  three  enthusiastic  cheers  for  the  new 
government  of  Kansas. 

WM.  Y.  ROBERTS, 

President. 

E.  D.  LADD, 

J.  H.  NESBIT, 

M.  W.  DELAIIAY, 

Secretaries. 

The  executive  committee  appointed  by  that  convention,  of  which 
Colonel  James  H.  Lane  was  chairman,  and  J.  K.  Goodin  secretary, 
accepted  their  appointment  and  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  their 
duties,  and  issued  a  proclamation  in  accordance  with  the  instructions 
of  that  convention.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  that  proclamation  is- 
sued by  them : 

CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION. 

PROCLAMATION. 

To  the  legal  voters  of  Kansas  : 

Whereas,  the  territorial  government,  as  now  constituted  for  Kansas, 
bas  proved  a  failure  ;  squatter  sovereignty,  under  its  workings,  a 
miserable  delusion  ;  in  proof  of  which  it  is  only  necessary  to  refer  to 
our  past  history  and  our  present  deplorable  condition.  Our  ballot 
boxes  have  been  taken  possession  of  by  bands  of  armed  men  from  for- 
eign States  ;  our  people  forcibly  driven  therefrom  ;  persons  attempted 
to  be  foisted  upon  us  as  members  of  a  so-called  legislature,  unac- 
quainted with  our  wants,  and  hostile  to  our  best  interests,  some  of 
them  never  residents  of  our  Territory,  misnamed  laws  passed,  and 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS  613 

now  attempted  to  be  enforced  by  the  aid  of  citizens  of  foreign  States 
of  the  most  oppressive,  tyrannical,  and  insulting  character  ;  the  right 
of  suffrage  taken  from  us.  debarred  from  the  privilege  of  a  voice  in 
the  election  of  even  the  most  insignificant  officers,  the  right  of  free 
speech  stifled,  the  muzzling  of  the  press  attempted  ;  and,  whereas , 
longer  forbearance  with  such  oppression  and  tyranny  has  ceased  to  be 
a  virtue  ;  and,  whereas,  the  people  of  this  country  have  heretofore 
exercised  the  right  of  changing  their  form  of  government  when  it  be- 
came oppressive,  and  have  at  all  times  conceded  this  right  to  the  peo- 
ple in  this  and  all  other  governments ;  and,  whereas,  a  territorial  form 
of  government  is  unknown  to  the  Constitution,  and  is  the  mere 
creature  of  necessity,  awaiting  the  action  of  the  people  ;  and,  whereas, 
the  debasing  character  of  the  slavery  which  now  involves  us  impels  to 
action,  and  leaves  us,  as  the  only  legal  and  peaceful  alternative,  the 
immediate  establishment  of  a  State  government ;  and,  whereas,  the 
organic  act  fails  in  pointing  out  the  course  to  be  adopted  in  an  emer- 
gency like  ours  :  therefore,  you  are  requested  to  meet  at  your  several 
precincts  in  said  Territory  hereinafter  mentioned,  on  the  second  Tues- 
day of  October  next,  it  being  the  ninth  day  of  said  month,  and  then 
and  there  cast  your  ballots  for  members  of  a  convention,  to  meet  at 
Topeka  on  the  fourth  Tuesday  in  October  next  to  form  a  constitution, 
adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful 
measures  for  organizing  a  State  government,  preparatory  to  the  ad- 
mission of  Kansas  into  the  Union  as  a  State. 

PLACES  FOR  POLLS. 

First  election  district. — Lawrence  precinct,  at  the  office  of  John 
Hutchinson,  in  Lawrence.  Blanton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B. 
Abbott,  in  Blanton.  Palmyra  precinct,  at  the  house  of  H.  Bur  rick- 
low,  in  Palmyra.  "Wakarusa  river  the  dividing  line  between  the  two 
precincts. 

Second  election  district. — Bloomington  precinct,  house  of  Harrison 
Burson  on  the  Wakarusa.  Benicia  precinct,  house  of  J.  J.  Cranmer, 
east  Douglas. 

Third  election  district. — Topeka  precinct,  house  of  F.  W.  Giles, 
Topeka.  Big  Spring  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Wesley  Frost,  in 
Washington.  Tecumseh  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Hoogland,  in 
Tecumseh. 

Fourth  election  district. — Willow  Springs  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
Dr.  Chapman,  on  the  Santa  Fe  road,  Springfield. 
^  Fifth  election  district. — Bull  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Bap- 
tiste  Peoria,  on  Pottawatomie  creek.  Pottawatomie  precinct,  at  the 
house  of  Henry  Sherman.  Ossawatomie  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
William  Hughes,  in  Ossawatomie.  Big  Sugar  Creek  precinct,  at  the 
house  of  Elijah  Tucker,  at  old  Pottawatomie  mission.  Little  Sugar 
Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  Stockton.  Neosho  precinct,  at 
the  store  of  Hamilton  Smith,  in  Neosho.  Hampden  precinct,  at  the 
house  of  W.  A.  Ela,  in  Hampden. 

Sixth  election  district. — Fort  Scott  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  John- 


614  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

son_,  or  a  suitable  building  in  Fort  Scott.     Scott's  Turn  precinct,  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  Vandever. 

Seventh  election  district. — Titus  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Ti- 
tus, on  the  Santa  Fe  road. 

Eighth  election  district. — Council  Grove  precinct,  at  Council  Grove 
mission-house.  "Waubousa  precinct,  at  some  suitable  building  in 
Waubousa.  Mill  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Adams,  in 
Ashland. 

Ninth  Election  District. — Pawnee  precinct,  at  Loder  &  Shaw's  store, 
in  Pawnee. 

Tenth  Election  District. — Big  Blue  precinct,  at  the  house  of  S.  D. 
Dyer,  in  Juniatta.  Kock  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Robert 
Wilson. 

Eleventh  Election  District. — Vennillion  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
John  Schmidt,  on  Vermillion  branch  of  Blue  river. 

Twelfth  Election  District. — St.  Mary's  precinct,  at  the  house  of  R. 
F.  Bert  rand.  Silver  Lake  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Joseph  Leframbois. 

Thirteenth  Election  District. — Hickory  Point  precinct,  at  the  house 
of  Charles  Hardt.  Falls  precinct,  at  the  house  of  the  "  Mill  Compa- 
ny/' at  Grasshopper  Falls. 

Fourteenth  Election  District. — Burr  Oak  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
Benjamin  Harding.  Doniphan  precinct,  (including  part  of  the  fif- 
teenth district,  to  Walnut  creek,)  at  the  house  of  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler, 
in  Domiphan.  Wolf  river  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Aaron  Lewis. 

Fifteenth  Election  District. — Walnut  Creek  precinct,  (south  of  Wal- 
nut creek,)  at  the  house  of  Charles  Hays,  on  military  road. 

Sixteenth  Election  District. — Leavenworth  precinct,  at  the  store  of 
Thomas  Doyle,  in  Leavenworth  city.  Easton  precinct,  at  the  house 
of  Thomas  A.  Maynard,  on  Stranger  creek.  Wyandott  precinct,  at 
the  council  house,  in  Wyandott  city.  Ridge  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
William  Pennock. 

Seventeenth  Election  District. — Mission  precinct,  at  the  Baptist  mis- 
sion building.  Wakarusa  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Paschal  Fish. 

Eighteenth  Election  District. — California  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
W.  W.  Moore,  on  the  St.  Joseph's  and  California  road. 

Instructions  to  judges  of  election . 

The  three  judges  will  provide  for  each  poll  ballot  boxes  for  deposit- 
ing the  ballots  cast  by  electors ;  shall  appoint  two  clerks,  all  of 
whom  shall  be  sworn,  or  affirmed,  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their 
respective  offices  impartially  and  with  fidelity ;  and  the  judges  and 
clerks  shall  have  power  to  administer  the  oath  or  affirmation  to  each 
other;  and  the  said  judges  shall  open  said  election  at  10  o'clock,  a. 
m.,  at  the  place  designated  in  each  precinct  by  the  executive  commit- 
tee of  Kansas  Territory,  and  close  the  same  at  4  o'clock,  p.  m.  In 
case  any  of  the  officers  appointed  fail  to  attend,  the  officer  or  officers 
in  attendance  shall  supply  their  places.  And  the  said  judges  shall 
make  out  duplicate  returns  of  said  election,  seal  up  and  transmit  one 
copy  of  the  same,  within  five  days,  to  the  chairman  of  the  executive 
committee,  to  be  laid  before  the  convention,  and  they  shall  within  ten 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  615 

days  seal  up  and  hand  the  other  to  some  member  of  the  said  executive 
-committee.  If  at  the  time  of  holding  said  election  it  shall  be  incon- 
Yenient,  on  account  of  Indian  hostilities,  or  any  other  cause  whatever 
that  would  disturb  or  prevent  the  voters  of  any  election  precinct  in 
the  Territory  from  the  free  and  peaceable  exercise  of  the  elective  fran- 
chise, the  officers  are  hereby  authorized  to  adjourn  said  election  into 
any  other  precinct  in  the  Territory,  and  to  any  other  day  they  may 
see  proper,  of  the  necessity  of  which  they  shall  be  the  exclusive 
judges,  at  which  time  and  place  the  qualified  voters  may  cast  their 
votes. 

Qualifications  of  voters,  dec. 

All  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the  United  States,  or  who 
have  declared  their  intentions  before  the  proper  authorities  to  become 
such,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  who  have  had  a  bona  fide 
Tesidence  in  the  Territory  for  the  space  of  thirty  days  immediately 
preceding  the  day  of  the  said  election,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  for 
delegates  to  said  convention,  and  all  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens 
of  the  United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  who  have 
had  a  bona  fide  residence  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  for  the  space  of 
three  months  immediately  preceding  the  day  of  election,  shall  be  eli- 
gible as  delegates  to  said  convention. 

Apportionment . 

The  apportionment  of  delegates  to  said  convention  shall  be  as  fol- 
lows :  two  delegates  for  each  representative  district  the  people  were 
•entitled  to  in  the  legislative  assembly  by  proclamation  of  Governor 
Eeeder,  of  date  of  10th  of  March,  1855. 

It  is  confidently  believed  that  the  people  of  Kansas  are  fully  alive 
to  the  importance  of  the  step  they  are  about  to  take,  in  disenthralling 
themselves  from  the  slavery  which  is  now  fettering  them ;  and  the 
squatters  of  Kansas  are  earnestly  requested  to  be  at  their  several  polls 
on  the  day  above  designated.  See  that  there  be  no  illegal  votes  cast, 
and  that  every  ballot  received  be  in  accordance  with  your  choice  for 
delegate  to  the  constitutional  convention,  and  have  all  the  regulations 
and  restrictions  carried  out. 

The  plan  proposed  in  the  proclamation  to  govern  you  in  the  elec- 
tion has  been  adopted  after  mature  deliberation,  and  if  adhered  to  by 
you,  will  result  in  establishing  in  Kansas  an  independent  government 
that  will  be  admitted  into  our  beloved  Union  as  a  sovereign  State, 
securing  to  our  people  the  liberty  they  have  heretofore  enjoyed,  and 
which  has  been  so  ruthlessly  wrested  from  them  by  reckless  invaders. 

By  order  of  the  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory. 

J.  H.  LANE.  Chairman. 

J.  K.  GrOODm,  Secretary. 

After  the  above  proclamation  was  issued,  public  meetings  were  held 
in  ^  every  district  in  the  Territory,  and  in  nearly  every  precinct,  I 
think,  and  speeches  were  made,  and  it  became  a  general  topic  of  dis- 
cussion throughout  the  Territory.  But  little  opposition  was  exhibited 


616  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

in  any  portion  of  the  Territory  towards  the  State  movement.  Large 
posters  were  sent  out  in  advance  of  these  meetings,  and  stuck  up  all 
over  the  Territory,  stating  the  object  of  the  meeting,  and  the  names  of 
those  who  were  expected  to  address  the  people.  Some  of  those  meet- 
ings I  attended  myself.  At  a  very  large  meeting  here  in  Lawrence, 
when  the  vote  was  taken  upon  that  question,  there  was  but  one  dis- 
senting voice.  Poll  books,  ballots  and  tally  lists  were  prepared  under 
the  direction  of  the  executive  committee,  and  sent  to  all  the  precincts ; 
and  the  election,  in  all  respects,  so  far  as  I  understand  it,  was  con- 
ducted according  to  the  organic  law  of  the  Territory.  The  following 
is  the  call  circulated  in  the  form  of  posters  and  sent  throughout  the 
Territory : 

"  To  the  electors  of  Kansas  Territory  :  You  are  hereby  notified  that 
an  election  will  be  held  in  the  several  election  precincts  of  this  Terri- 
tory, on  the  second  Tuesday,  the  9th  of  October  next,  for  members 
of  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the 
people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State 
government,  preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union 
as  a  State. 

"  By  order  of  the  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory. 

"  J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman. 
"  J.  K.  GOODIN,  Secretary. 

"  SEPTEMBER  22,  1855." 

Three  judges  were  appointed  for  each  election  precinct.  The  elec- 
tion was  held  at  the  time  appointed,  and  the  returns  were  brought 
in  to  the  chairman  of  the  executive  committee,  and  left  with  the  sec- 
retary of  that  committee.  That  committee  then  issued  their  procla- 
mation of  the  result  of  the  election,  of  which  the  following,  here  in- 
serted, is  a  copy : 

ELECTIO'N  PROCLAMATION. 

By  the  authority  vested  in  me  by  the  people  of  Kansas  Territory, 
and  pursuant  to  the  instructions  of  the  convention  held  at  Topeka,  K. 
T.,  on  the  19th  ultimo,  "  for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration 
the  expediency  of  forming  a  constitution,  with  the  intention  of  an  im- 
mediate application  for  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union  as  a 
State,"  as  chairman  of  the  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory, 
I  do  hereby  make  public  and  proclaim,  that  from  the  returns  received 
and  on  file  in  this  office,  it  doth  appear  that  the  following  named 
persons  have,  by  the  legal  voters  of  Kansas  Territory,  been  elected 
delegates  to  a  convention  to  be  assembled  in  Topeka,  on  the  23d  day 
of  October,  1855,  at  12  o'clock,  m.,  from  the  several  districts  set  op- 
posite their  names,  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for 
the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a 
State  government  preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State 
into  the  Union. 

First  representative  district. — Samuel  McWhinney,  Wm.  Graham. 
Second  representative  district. — G.  W.  Smith,  J.  H.  Lane,  J.  K.. 
Goodin,  C.  Kobinson,  J.  S.  Emery,  Morris  Hunt. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  617 

Third  representative  district. — J.  A.  Waken*  eld,  A.  Custis,  J\  M, 
Tuton,  H.  Berson. 

Fourth  representative  district. — C.  K.  Holliday,  W.  Y.  Roberts. 

Fifth  representative  district. — P.  C.  Schuyler,  J.  H.  Pillsbury. 

Sixth  representative  district. — James  Phenis,  Dr. Burgess,  N. 

Vandever. 

In  this  district  W.  Pv.  Griffith,  John  Hamilton,  A.  W.  J.  Brown, 
and  W.  Sanders  have  each  a  tie  vote.  The  returns  from  Fort  Scott 
have  not  yet  come  in. 

Seventh  representative  district. — W.  T.  Turner,  James  Me  Arthur, 
W.  T.  Morris,  0.  C.  Brown,  Eichard  Knight,  F.  Brown,  H.  Smith, 
W.  G.  Nichols. 

Eighth  representative  district. — Robert  Klotz,  A.  Hunting. 

Ninth  representative  district. — M.  F.  Conway,  J.  G.  Thompson. 

Tenth  representative  district. — George  Hilly er,  J.  Whitney. 

Fourteenth  representative  district. — Robert  Riddle,  M.  J.  Parrott, 
Matt.  France,  S.  M.  Latta,  D.  Dodge,  M.  H.  Delahay. 

Eleventh  representative  district. — G.  A.  Cutler,  John  Landis,  C.  W. 
Stewart,  D.  W.  Field. 

Twelfth  representative  district. — Composed  of  Burr  Oak  precinct, 
fourteenth  election  district,  whole  of  eighteenth,  and  small  part  of 
fifteenth  election  district,  .which  voted  at  Doniphan.  [This  district  is 
entitled  to  four  delegates.  Returns  have  been  received  from  Burr 
Oak  precinct ;  but  the  votes  were  cast  for  the  delegates  in  the  eleventh 
district  above.  As  no  delegates  have  been  elected  for  this  district,  an 
immediate  election  will  be  called  for  that  purpose.] 

Thirteenth  representative  district. — R.  H.  Crosby,  Caleb  May,  San- 
ford  McDaniel,  James  S.  Layle. 

Done  at  the  office  of  the  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory , 
this  16th  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1885. 

J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman. 

J.  K.  GOODIN,  Secretary. 

The  constitutional  convention  assembled  at  Topeka,  23d  of  October, 
1855,  and  framed  a  constitution  to  be  submitted  to  the  people,  of 
which  the  following,  herein  inserted,  is  a  true  copy : 

CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  STATE  OF  KANSAS. 

PREAMBLE  : 

WE,  the  people  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  by  our  delegates  in 
convention  assembled  at  Topeka,  on  the  23d  day  of  October,  A.  D. 
1855,  and  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  the  eightieth  year, 
having  the  right  of  admission  into  the  Union  as  one  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  consistent  with  the  federal  Constitution,  and  by 
virtue  of  the  treaty  of  cession  by  France  to  the  United  States  of  the 
province  of  Louisiana,  in  order  to  secure  to  ourselves  and  our  posterity 
the  enjoyment  of  all  the  rights  of  life,  liberty,  and  property,  and 
the  free  pursuits  of  happiness,  do  mutually  agree  with  each  other  to 
form  ourselves  into  a  free  and  independent  State,  by  the  name  and 
style  of  the  STATE  OF  KANSAS,  bounded  as  follows  ;  to  wit :  Beginning 
at  a  point  on  the  western  boundary  of  the  State  of  Missouri  where  the 


618  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

thirty-seventh  parallel  of  north  latitude  crosses  the  same  ;  thence  west 
on  said  parallel  to  the  eastern  boundary  of  New  Mexico  ;  thence  north 
on  said  boundary  to  latitude  thirty-eight ;  thence  following  said  boun- 
dary westward  to  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  Territory  of  Utah  on 
the  summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;  thence  northward  on  said  sum- 
mit, to  the  fortieth  parallel  of  latitude  ;  thence  east  on  said  parallel 
to  the  western  boundary  of  the  State  of  Missouri ;  thence  south  with 
the  western  boundary  of  said  State  to  the  place  of  beginning  ;  and  do 
ordain  and  establish  the  following  CONSTITUTION  and  BILL  OF  EIGHTS  for 
the  government  thereof: 

BILL  OF  RIGHTS. — ARTICLE  I. 

SEC.  1.  All  men  are  by  nature  free  and  independent,  and  hare  cer- 
tain inalienable  rights,  among  which  are  those  of  enjoying  and  de- 
fending life  and  liberty,  acquiring,  possessing,  and  protecting  property, 
and  seekirig  and  obtaining  happiness  and  safety. 

SEC.  2.  All  political  power  is  inherent  in  the  PEOPLE.  Government 
is  instituted  for  their  equal  protection  and  benefit ;  and  they  have  the 
right  to  alter,  reform,  or  abolish  the  same  whenever  they  may  deem  it 
necessary ;  and  no  special  privileges  or  immunities  shall  ever  be 
granted  that  may  not  be  altered,  revoked,  or  repealed  by  the  general 
assembly. 

SEC.  3.  The  people  have  the  right  to  assemble  together,  in  a  peaceable 
manner,  to  consult  for  their  common  good,  to  instruct  their  repre- 
sentatives, and  to  petition  the  general  assembly  for  the  redress  of 
grievances. 

SEC.  4.  The  people  have  the  right  to  bear  arms  for  their  defence  and 
security ;  but  standing  armies,  in  time  of  peace,  are  dangerous  to 
liberty,  and  shall  not  be  kept  up  ;  and  the  military  shall  be  kept  in 
strict  subordination  to  the  civil  power. 

SEC.  5.  The  right  of  trial  by  jury  shall  be  inviolate. 

SEC.  6.  There  shall  be  no  slavery  in  this  State,  nor  involuntary  ser- 
vitude, unless  for  the  punishment  of  crime. 

SEC.  *7.  All  men  have  a  natural  and  indefeasible  right  to  worship 
Almighty  Grod  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  conscience.  No 
person  shall  be  compelled  to  attend,  erect,  or  support  any  place  of 
worship,  or  maintain  any  form  of  worship  against  his  consent ;  and 
no  preference  shall  be  given  by  law  to  any  religious  society ;  nor  shall 
any  interference  with  the  rights  of  conscience  be  permitted.  No  reli- 
gious test  shall  be  required  as  a  qualification  for  office,  nor  shall  any 
person  be  incompetent  to  be  a  witness  on  account  of  his  religious  be- 
lief; but  nothing  ;  herein  shall  be  construed  to  dispense  with  oaths 
and  affirmations.  Religion,  morality  and  knowledge,  however,  being 
essential  to  good  government,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  general  as- 
sembly to  pass  suitable  laws  to  protect  every  religious  denomination 
in  the  peaceable  enjoyment  of  its  qwn  mode  of  public  worship,  and  to 
encourage  schools,  and  the  means  of  instruction. 

SEC.  8.  The  privilege  of  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  shall  not  be  sus- 
pended, unless,  in  cases  of  rebellion  or  invasion,  the  public  safety  re- 
quires it. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  619 

SEC.  9.  All  persons  shall  be  bailable  by  sufficient  sureties,  unless 
for  capital  offences  where  the  proof  is  evident,  or  the  presumption 
great.  Excessive  bail  shall  not  be  required,  nor  excessive  fines  im- 
posed, nor  cruel  and  unusual  punishments  inflicted. 

SEC.  10.  Except  in  cases  of  impeachment,  and  cases  arising  in  the 
army  and  navy,  or  in  the  militia,  when  in  actual  service,  in  time  of 
war  or  public  danger^  and  in  cases  of  petit  larceny  and  other  inferior 
offences,  no  person  shall  be  held  to  answer  for  a  capital  or  otherwise 
infamous  crime,  unless  on  presentment,  or  indictment  of  a  grand 
jury.  In  any  trial  in  any  court,  the  party  accused  shall  be  allowed  to 
appear  and  defend  in  person,  and  with  counsel,  to  demand  the  nature 
and  cause  of  the  accusation  against  him,  and  to  have  a  copy  thereof; 
to  meet  the  witnesses  face  to  face,  and  to  have  compulsory  process  to 
procure  the  attendance  of  witnesses  in  his  behalf,  and  a  speedy  public 
trial,  by  an  impartial  jury  of  the  county  or  district  in  which  the  of- 
fence is  alleged  to  have  been  committed  ;  nor  shall  any  person  be  com- 
pelled, in  any  criminal  case,  to  be  a  witness  against  himself,  or  be 
twice  put  in  jeopardy  for  the  same  offence. 

SEC.  11.  Every  citizen  may  freely  speak,  write,  and  publish  his  sen- 
timents on  all  subjects,  being  responsible  for  the  abuse  of  the  right ; 
and  no  law  shall  be  passed  to  restrain  or  abridge  the  liberty  of  speech 
or  of  the  press.  In  all  criminal  prosecutions  or  indictments  for  libel, 
the  truth  may  be  given  in  evidence  to  the  jury,  and  if  it  shall  appear 
to  the  jury  that  the  matter  charged  as  libelous  is  true,  and  was  pub- 
lished with  good  motives,  and  for  justifiable  ends,  the  party  shall  be 
acquitted. 

SEC.  12.  No  person  shall  be  transported  out  of  the  State  for  any 
offence  committed  within  the  same ;  and  no  conviction  shall  work 
corruption  of  blood,  or  forfeiture  of  estate. 

SEC.  13.  No  soldier  shall,  in  time  of  peace,  be  quartered  in  any 
house,  without  the  coiisent  of  the  owner  ;  nor  in  time  of  war,  except 
in  a  manner  prescribed  by  law. 

SEC.  14.  The  right  of  the  people  to  be  secure  in  their  persons,  houses, 
papers  and  possessions  against  unreasonable  searches  and  seizures 
shall  not  be  violated  ;  and  no  warrant  shall  issue  but  upon  probable 
cause,  supported  by  oath  or  affirmation,  particularly  describing  the 
place  to  be  searched,  and  the  persons  and  things  to  be  seized. 

SEC.  15.  No  person  shall  be  imprisoned  for  debt  in  any  civil  action, 
or  mesne  or  final  process,  unless  in  case  of  fraud. 

SEC.  16.  All  courts  shall  be  open  ;  and  every  person,  for  an  injury 
done  him  in  his  land,  goods,  person,  or  reputation,  shall  have  remedy 
by  due  course  of  law,  and  justice  "administered  without  denial  or  delay. 

SEC.  17.  No  hereditary  emoluments,  honors,  or  privileges  shall 
ever  be  granted  or  conferred  by  this  State. 

SEC.  18.  No  power  of  suspending  laws  shall  ever  be  exercised,  except 
by  the  general  assembly. 

^  SEC.  19.  The  payment  of  a  tax  shall  not  be  a  qualification  for  exer- 
cising the  right  of  suffrage. 

SEC.  20.  Prjvate  property  shall  ever  be  held  inviolate,  but  subservient 
to  the  public  welfare.  When  taken  in  time  of  war,  or  other  public 
exigency,  imperatively  requiring  its  immediate  seizure,  or  for  the 


620  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

purpose  of  making  or  repairing  roads,  which  shall  be  open  to  the  pub- 
lic use,  without  toll  or  other  charge  therefor,  a  compensation  shall  be 
made  to  the  owner  in  money  ;  and  in  all  other  cases,  where  private 
property  shall  be  taken  for  public  use,  a  compensation  therefor  shall 
first  be  made  in  money,  or  first  secured  by  a  deposite  of  money,  and 
such  compensation  shall  be  assessed  by  a  jury,  without  deduction  for 
benefits  to  any  property  of  the  owner. 

SBC.  21.  No  indenture  of  any  negro,  or  mulatto,  made  and  executed 
out  of  the  bounds  of  the  State,  shall  be  valid  within  the  State. 

SEC.  22.  This  enumeration  of  rights  shall  not  be  construed  to  impair 
or  deny  others  retained  by  the  people  ;  and  all  powers  not  herein 
delegated  shall  remain  with  the  people. 


ELECTIVE  FRANCHISE. — ARTICLE  II. 


SEC.  1.  In  all  elections  by  the  people,  the  vote  shall  be  by  ballot, 
and  in  all  elections  in  the  general  assembly  the  vote  shall  be  viva  voce. 

SEC.  2.  Every  white  male  person,  and  every  civilized  male  Indian 
who  has  adopted  the  habits  of  the  white  man,  of  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years  and  upward,  who  shall  be  at  the  time  of  offering  to  vote  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States  ;  who  shall  have  resided,  and  had  his 
habitation,  domicil,  home,  and  place  of  permanent  abode  in  the  State 
of  Kansas,  for  six  months  next  preceding  the  election  at  which  he 
offers  to  vote  ;  who,  at  such  time,  and  for  thirty  days  immediately 
preceding  said  time,  shall  have  had  his  actual  habitation,  domicil, 
home,  and  place  of  permanent  abode  in  the  county  in  which  he  offers 
to  vote,  and  who  shall  have  resided  in  the  precinct  or  election  district 
for  at  least  ten  days  immediately  preceding  the  election,  shall  be 
deemed  a  qualified  elector  at  all  elections  under  this  constitution,  ex- 
cept in  elections  by  general  ticket  in  the  State  or  district  prescribed  by 
law,  in  which  case  the  elector  must  have  the  aforesaid  qualifications, 
but  a  residence  in  said  district  for  ten  days  will  entitle  him  to  vote : 
Provided,  That  no  soldier,  seaman  or  marine  of  the  regular  army  or 
navy  of  the  United  States  shall  be  considered  a  resident  of  the  State 
in  consequence  of  being  stationed  within  the  same. 

SEC.  3.  The  general  assembly  shall,  at  its  first  session,  provide  for 
the  registration  of  all  qualified  electors  in  each  county,  and  thereafter, 
from  time  to  time,  of  all  who  may  become  qualified  electors. 

SEC.  4.  The  legislature  shall  have  power  to  exclude  from  every  office 
of  honor,  trust  or  profit  within  the  State,  and  from  the  right  of  suffrage, 
all  persons  convicted  of  any  infamous  crime. 

SEC.  5.  No  person  shall  be  deemed  capable  of  holding  or  being  elected 
to  any  post  of  honor,  profit,  trust  or  emolument,  civil  or  military,  or 
exercise  the  right  of  suffrage  under  the  government  of  this1  State,  who 
shall  hereafter  fight  a  duel,  send  or  acept  a  challenge  to  fight  a  duel, 
or  who  shall  be  a  second  to  either  party,  or  who  shall  in  any  manner 
aid  or  assist  in  such  duel,  or  who  shall  be  knowingly  the  bearer  of 
such  challenge  or  acceptance,  whether  the  same  occur,  or  be  com- 
mitted in  or  out  of  the  State 

SEC.  6.  No  person  who  may  hereafter  be  collector  or  holder  of  public 
moneys  shall  be  eligible  to  any  office  of  trust  or  profit  in  the  State, 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  621 

until  he  shall  have  accounted  for  and  paid  into  the  proper  public 
treasury  all  sums  for  which  he  may  be  accountable. 

SEC.  7.  No  State  officer  or  member  of  the  general  assembly  of  this 
State  shall  receive  a  fee,  be  engaged  as  council,  agent,  or  attorney  in 
any  case  or  claim  against  the  State. 

SEC.  8.  No  senator  or  representative  shall,  during  the  term  of  office 
for  which  he  shall  have  been  elected,  be  appointed  to  any  civil  office 
of  profit  in  this  State  which  shall  have  been  created,  or  the  emolu- 
ments of  which  shall  have  been  increased  during  such  term,  except 
such  offices  as  may  be  filled  by  election  by  the  people. 

SEC.  9.  All  officers,  civil  and  military,  in  this  State,  before  they 
enter  upon  the  duties  of  their  respective  offices,  shall  take  the  follow- 
ing oath,  or  affirmation  :  "I ,  do  swear  [or  affirm,]  that 

I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  of  the  State 
of  Kansas  ;  that  I  am  duly  qualified  according  to  the  constitution  to 
exercise  the  office  to  which  I  have  been  elected,  [or  appointed,]  and 
will,  to  the  best  of  my  abilities,  discharge  the  duties  thereof  faithfully 
and  impartially,  according  to  law." 

SEC.  10.  Every  person  shall  be  disqualified  from  holding  any  office 
of  honor  or  profit  in  this  State  who  shall  have  been  convicted  of 
having  given  or  offered  any  bribe  to  procure  his  election,  or  who  shall 
have  -made  use  of  any  undue  influence  from  power,  tumult,  or  other 
improper  practices. 

SEC.  11.  All  civil  officers  of  the  State  shall  reside  within  the  State, 
and  all  district  and  county  officers  within  their  respective  districts 
and  counties,  and  shall  have  their  offices  at  such  places  therein  as 
may  be  required  by  law. 

SEC.  12.  Returns  of  elections  for  members  of  Congress,  the  general 
assembly,  and  all  other  officers  not  otherwise  provided  for,  shall  be 
made  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  in  such  manner  as  may  be  prescribed 
by  law. 

SEC.  13.  Electors  shall  in  all  cases  be  privileged  from  arrest  during 
their  attendance  on  elections,  and  in  going  to  and  returning  there- 
from, except  in  case  of  felony,  treason,  and  breach  of  the  peace. 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  POWERS. — ARTICLE  III. 

SEC.  1.  The  powers  of  the  government  shall  be  divided  into  three 
separate  departments:  the  legislative,  the  executive,  including  the 
administrative  and  the  judicial ;  and  no  person  charged  with  official 
duties  under  one  of  these  departments  shall  exercise  any  of  the  func- 
tions of  another,  except  as  in  this  constitution  expressly  provided. 

LEGISLATIVE  .  — ARTICLE  IT . 

SEC.  1.  The  legislative  power  of  this  State  shall  be  vested  in  the 
general  assembly,  which  shall  consist  of  a  senate  and  house  of  rep  *- 
reseii  tatives. 

SEC.  2.  The  senators  and  representatives  shall  be  chosen  annually 
by  the  qualified  electors  of  the  respective  counties,  or  district,  for 
which  they  are  chosen  on  the  first  Monday  of  August,  for  one  year, 
and  their  term  of  office  shall  commence  on  the  first  day  of  January 
next  thereafter. 


622  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

SEC.  3.  There  shall  be  elected  at  the  first  election  twenty  senators! 
and  sixty  representatives,  and  the  number  afterwards  shall  be  regulated 
by  law. 

SEC.  4.  No  person  shall  be  eligible  to  the  office  of  senator  or  rep- 
resentatives who  shall  not  possess  the  qualifications  of  an  elector. 

SEC.  5.  No  person  holding  office  under  the  authority  of  the  United 
States,  or  any  lucrative  office  under  the  authority  of  this  State,  shall 
be  eligible  to,  or  have  a  seat  in  the  general  assembly ;  but  this  pro- 
vision shall  not  extend  to  township  officers,  justices  of  the  peace, 
notaries  public,  postmasters,  or  officers  of  the  milita. 

SEC.  6.  Each  house,  except  as  otherwise  provided  in  this  constitution, 
shall  choose  its  own  officers,  determine  its  own  rule  of  proceeding, 
punish  its  members  for  disorderly  conduct,  and  with  the  concurrence 
of  two-thirds  expel  a  member,  but  not  the  second  time  for  the  sam.fi 
cause ;  and  shall  judge  of  the  qualification,  election  and  return  of  its 
own  members,  and  shall  have  all  other  powers  necessary  for  its  safety 
and  the  undisturbed  transaction  of  business. 

SEC.  7.  Each  house  shall  keep  a  journal  of  its  proceedings  and 
publish  the  same.  The  yeas  and  nays  on  any  question  shall,  at. the 
request  of  two  members,  be  entered  on  the  journal. 

SEC.  8.  Any  member  of  either  house  shall  have  the  right  to  protest 
against  any  act  or  resolution  thereof ;  and  such  protest,  and  reason 
therefor,  shall,  without  alteration,  commitment,  or  delay,  be  entered 
on  the  journal. 

SEC.  9.  All  vacancies  which  may  occur  in  either  house  shall,  for 
the  unexpired  term,  be  filled  by  election  as  shall  be  prescribed  by  law. 

SEC.  10.  Senators  and  representatives  shall,  in  all  cases  except 
treason,  felony  or  breach  of  the  peace,  be  privileged  from  arrest  during 
the  session  of  the  general  assembly,  and  in  going  to  and  returning 
from  the  same  ;  and  for  words  spoken  in  debate  they  shall  not  be 
questioned  in  any  other  place. 

SEC.  11.  A  majority  of  all  the  members  elected  to  each  house  shall 
be  necessary  to  pass  every  bill  or  joint  resolution,,  and  all  bills  and 
joint  resolutions  so  passed  shall  be  signed  by  the  presiding  officers 
of  the  respective  houses  and  presented  to  the  governor  for  his  approval. 

SEC.  12.  The  doors  of  each  house^  and  of  committees  of  the  whole, 
shall  be  kept  open.  Neither  house  shall,  without  the  consent  of  the 
other,  adjourn  for  more  than  two  days,  nor  to  any  other  place  than 
that  in  which  the  two  houses  shall  be  sitting,  except  for  personal  safety. 

SEC.  13.  Every  bill  shall  be  read  by  sections  on  three  several  days 
in  each  house  ;  unless  in  case  of  emergency.  Two-thirds  of  the  house 
where  such  bill  is  pending  may,  if  deemed  expedient,  suspend  the 
rule  on  a  call  of  the  yeas  and  nays  ;  but  the  reading  of  a  bill  by 
sections,  on  its  final  passage,  shall  in  no  case  be  dispensed  with ; 
and  the  vote  on  the  passage  of  every  bill  or  joint  resolution  shall  be 
taken  by  yeas  and  nays. 

SEC.  14.  Every  act  shall  contain  but  one  subject,  which  shall  be 
clearly  expressed  in  its  title.  Bills  may  originate  in  either  house, 
but  may  be  altered,  amended  or  rejected  by  the  other. 

SEC.  15.  In  all  cases  when  a  general  law  can  be  made  applicable, 
special  laws  shall  not  be  enacted. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  623 

SEC.  16.  No  act  shall  ever  be  revived  or  amended  by  mere  reference 
to  its  title  ;  but  the  act  revived  or  the  section  amended  shall  be  set 
forth  and  published  at  full  length. 

SEC.  I1?.  No  act  shall  take  effect  until  the  same  shall  have  been 
published  and  circulated  in  the  counties  of  the  State,  by  authority, 
except  in  case  of  emergency,  which  emergency  shall  be  declared  in 
the  preamble  or  the  body  of  the  law. 

SEC.  18.  The  election  and  appointment  of  all  officers,  and  the  filling 
of  all  vacancies,  not  otherwise  provided  for  by  this  constitution  or 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  made  in  such  manner 
as  shall  be  prescribed  by  law  ;  but  no  appointing  power  shall  be  exer- 
cised by  the  general  assembly,  except  as  provided  in  this  constitution, 
and  in  the  election  of  the  United  States  senator,  and  in  these  cases 
the  vote  shall  be  taken  viva  voce. 

SEC.  19.  The  general  assembly  shall  not  have  power  to  enact  laws 
annulling  the  contract  of  marriage  in  any  case  where  by  law  the 
courts  of  this  State  may  have  power  to  decree  a  divorce. 

SEC.  20.  The  general  assembly  shall  not  have  power  to  pass  retro- 
active laws,  or  laws  impairing  the  obligation  of  contracts ;  but  may, 
by  general  laws,  authorize  courts  to  carry  into  effect,  upon  such  terms 
as  shall  be  just  and  equitable,,  the  manifest  intention  of  parties  and 
officers,  by  curing  omissions,  defects,  and  errors  in  instruments,  and 
proceedings  arising  out  of  a  want  of  conformity  with  the  laws  of  this 
State. 

SEC.  21.  The  style  of  the  laws  of  this  State  shall  be,  "Beit  enacted 
by  the  general  assembly  of  the  State  of  Kansas." 

SEC.  22.  The  house  of  representatives  shall  have  the  sole  power  of 
impeachment.  All  impeachments  shall  be  tried  by  the  Senate,  and 
when  sitting  for  the  purpose  the  senators  shall  be  upon  oath  or  affir- 
mation to  do  justice  according  to  law  and  evidence.  No  person  shall 
be  convicted  without  the  concurrence  of  two-thirds  of  all  the  senators 
present. 

SEC.  23.  The  governor  and  all  other  civil  officers  under  the  laws  of 
this  State  shall  be  liable  to  impeachment  for  any  misdemeanor  in 
office,  but  judgment  in  such  cases  shall  not  extend  further  than  to 
removal  from  office,  and  disqualification  to  hold  any  office  of  honor, 
profit,  or  trust,  under  this  State.  The  party,  whether  convicted  or 
acquitted,  shall  nevertheless  be  liable  to  indictment,  trial,  judgment, 
and  punishment  according  to  law. 

SEC.  24.  Within  one  year  after  the  ratification  of  this  constitution,, 
and  within  every  subsequent  two  years  thereafter,  for  the  term  of  ten- 
years,  an  enumeration  of  all  the  white  inhabitants  of  this  State  shall 
be  made  in  such  manner  as  shall  be  directed  by  law. 

SEC.  25.  All  regular  sessions  of  the  general  assembly  shall  be  held 
at  the  capital  of  the  State,  and  shall  commence  on  the  first  Tuesday 
of  January,  annually. 

SEC.  26.  All  bills  for  raising  revenue  shall  originate  in  the  house- 
of  representatives,  subject,  however,  to  amendment  or  rejection  as  in 
other  cases. 

SEC.  27\  The  members  of  the  general  assembly  shall  receive  for 
their  services  the  sum  of  four  dollars  per  day  for  each  and  every  day 
they  are  actually  in  attendance  at  any  regular  or  special  session,  an& 


624  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

four  dollars  for  every  twenty  miles  they  shall  travel  in  going  to  and 
returning  from  the  place  of  meeting,  hy  the  most  usually  travelled 
route;  and  no  session  of  the  general  assembly,  except  the  first  under 
this  constitution,  shall  extend  beyond  the  term  of  sixty  days,  nor  any 
special  session  more  than  forty  days. 

EXECUTIVE. — ARTICLE  V. 

SEC.  1.  The  executive  department  shall  consist  of  a  governor,  a 
lieutenant  governor,  secretary  of  state,  treasurer,  auditor,  and  attor- 
ney general,  who  shall  be  chosen  by  the  electors  of  the  State  at  the 
same  time  and  place  of  voting  for  the  members  of  the  general 
assembly. 

SEC.  2.  The  governor,  lieutenant  governor,  secretary  of  state,,  trea- 
surer, auditor,  attorney  general,  and  state  printer,  shall  hold  their 
office  for  two  years.  Their  terms  of  office  shall  commence  on  the  first 
Tuesday  of  January  next  after  their  election,  and  continue  until  their 
successors  are  elected  and  qualified,  neither  of  which  officers  shall  be 
eligible  for  re-election  more  than  two  out  of  three  consecutive  terms ; 
nor  shall  any  person  be  eligible  for  the  office  of  governor  who  shall 
not  have  attained  the  age  of  thirty  years. 

SEC.  3.  The  returns  of  every  election  for  -the  officers  named  in  the 
foregoing  section  shall  be  sealed  up  and  transmitted  to  the  seat  of 
government  by  the  returning  officers,  directed  to  th%  secretary  of  state, 
who  shall  lay  the  same  before  the  general  assembly  at  their  first  meet- 
ing thereafter,  when  they  shall  open,  publish,  and  declare  the  result 
thereof,  in  the  presence  of  a  majority  of  the  members  of  both  houses. 
The  person  having  the  highest  number  of  votes  shall  be  declared  duly 
elected,  and  a  certificate  thereof  given  to  such  person,  signed  by  the 
presiding  officers  of  both  bodies;  but  if  any  two  or  more  shall  bo 
highest  and  equal  in  votes  for  the  same  office,  one  of  them  shall  be 
chosen  by  the  joint  vote  of  both  houses. 

SEC.  4.  The  supreme  executive  power  shall  be  vested  in  a  governor. 

SEC.  5.  He  may  require  information  in  writing  from  the  officers  in 
the  executive  department  upon  any  subject  relating  to  the  duties  of 
their  respective  offices,  and  shall  see  that  the  laws  are  faithfully  exe- 
-cuted 

SEC.  6.  He  shall  communicate  at  every  session,  by  message  to  the 
general  assembly,  the  condition  of  the  affairs  of  the  State,  and  recom- 
mend.such  measures  as  he  shall  deem  expedient  for  their  action. 

SEC.  7.  He  may  on  extraordinary  occasions  convene  the  general 
assembly  by  proclamation,  and  shall  state  to  both  houses,  when  as- 
sembled, the  purposes  for  which  they  were  convened. 

SEC.  8.  In  case  of  disagreement  between  the  two  houses  in  respect 
to  the  time  of  adjournment,  he  shall  have  power  to  adjourn  the  gene- 
ral assembly  to  such  time  as  he  may  think  proper,  but  not  beyond  the 
regular  meetings  thereof. 

SEC.  9.  He  shall  be  commander-in-chief  of  the  military  in  the  State, 
except  when  they  shall  be  called  into  the  service  of  the  United  States. 

SEC.  10.  The  pardoning  power  shall  be  vested  in  the  governor,  under 
jsuch  regulations  and  restrictions  as  may  be  prescribed  by  law. 

SEC.  11.  There  shall  be  a  seal  of  the  State,  the  device  of  which  shall 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  625 

be  fixed  upon  by  the  governor  and  other  State  officers,  be  kept  by  the 
governor  and  used  by  him  officially,  and  shall  be  called  "the  great 
seal  of  the  State  of  Kansas. ' ' 

SEC.  12,  All  grants  and  commissions  shall  be  used  in  the  name  and 
by  the  authority  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  sealed  with  the  great  seal, 
signed  by  the  governor,  and  countersigned  by  the  secretary  of  state. 

SEC.  13.  No  member  of  either  house  of  Congress  or  other  persona 
holding  office  under  the  authority  of  this  State,  or  of  the  United 
States,  shall  execute  the  office  of  governor  except  as  herein  provided. 

SEC.  14.  In  the  case  of  death,  impeachment,  resignation,  removal 
or  other  disability  of  the  governor,  the  lieutenant  governor  shall  ex- 
ercise the  duties  of  the  office  of  governor,  until  another  governor  shall 
be  duly  qualified  ;  but  in  such  case  another  governor  shall  be  chosen 
at  the  next  annual  election  for  members  of  the  general  assembly,  un- 
less such  death,  resignation,  impeachment,  removal  or  other  disability 
shall  occur  within  three  calendar  months  immediately  preceding  such 
next  annual  election,  in  which  case  a  governor  shall  be  chosen  at  the 
second  succeeding  annual  election  for  members  of  the  general  assem- 
bly, and  in  case  of  the  death,  impeachment,  resignation,  removal,  01 
other  disability  of  the  lieutenant  governor,  the  president  of  the  senate 
pro  tern,  shall  exercise  the  office  of  governor  until  a  governor  shall  be 
duly  qualified  as  aforesaid. 

SEC.  15.  The  lieutenant  governor  shall  be  president  of  the  senate, 
but  shall  vote  only  when  the  senate  is  equally  divided,  and  shall  be 
entitled  to  the  same  pay  as  the  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives, 
and  in  case  of  his  death,  impeachment,  resignation,  removal  from 
office,  or  when  he  shall  exercise  the  office  of  governor,  the  senate  shall 
chose  a  president  pro  tern. 

SEC.  16.  Should  the  office  of  secretary  of  state,  treasurer,  auditor, 
or  attorney  general  become  vacant,  for  any  of  the  causes  specified  in 
the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  sections,  the  governor  shall  fill  the  va- 
cancy or  vacancies  until  the  disability  is  removed  or  a  successor  is 
elected  and  qualified.  Every  such  vacancy  shall  be  filled  by  election, 
at  the  first  general  election  that  occurs  more  than  thirty  days  after 
such  vacancy  shall  have  occurred,  and  the  person  chosen  shall  hold 
the  office  for  the  full  term  fixed  in  the  second  section  of  this  article. 

SEC.  17.  The  officers  mentioned  in  this  article  shall,  at  stated  times, 
receive  for  their  services  compensation  to  be  fixed  by  law,  which  shall 
neither  be  increased  or  diminished  during  the  period  for  which  they 
shall  have  been  elected. 

SEC.  18.  The  officers  of  the  executive  department,  and  of  the  pub- 
lic State  institutions,  shall,  at  least  ten  days  preceding  each  regular 
session  of  the  general  assembly,  severally  report  to  the  governor,  who 
shall  transmit  the  same  to  the  general  assembly. 

SEC.  19.  Every  bill  which  shall  have  passed  both,  houses  shall  be 
presented  to  the  governor.  If  he  approve,  he  shall  sign  the  same, 
but  if  he  shall  not  approve,  he  shall  return  it  with  his  objections  to 
the  house  in  which  it  shall  have  originated,  who  shall  enter  the  ob- 
jections at  large  upon  the  journal,  and  proceed  to  reconsider  the  same. 
If,  after  such  reconsideration,  two-thirds  of  that  house  shall  agree  to 
pass  the  bill,  it  shall  be  sent,  with  the  objections,  to  the  other  house* 
H  Rep.  200 40* 


626  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

by  which  likewise  it  shall  be  reconsidered,  and  if  approved  by  two- 
thirds  of  that  house  it  shall  be  a  law.  But  in  such  case,  the  votes  of 
both  houses  shall  be  determined  by  yeas  and  nays,  and  the  names  of 
the  persons  voting  for  or  against  the  bill  shall  be  entered  upon  £he 
journals  of  each  house  respectively.  If  any  bill  shall  not  be  returned 
by  the  governor  within  five  days  (Sunday  excepted)  after  it  shall  have 
been  presented  to  him,  it  shall  be  a  law,  in  like  manner  as  if  he  had 
signed  it,  unless  the  general  assembly,  by  their  adjournment,  pre- 
vented its  return,  in  which  case  it  shall  also  be  a  law,  unless  sent  back 
within  two  days  after  the  next  meeting. 

SEC.  20.  Contested  elections  for  governor,  lieutenant  governor, 
judges  of  the  supreme  court,  and  all  other  State  officers,  shall  be  de- 
termined by  the  general  assembly,  in  such  manner  as  may  be  pre- 
scribed by  law. 

SEC.  21.  The  general  assembly  shall  have  power  to  provide  by  law 
for  the  election  of  a  surveyor  general,  State  geologist  and  superin- 
tendent of  common  schools,  whose  duties  shall  be  prescribed  by  law. 

JUDICIAL. — ARTICLE  VI. 

SEC.  1.  The  judicial  power  of  the  State  shall  be  vested  in  a  supreme 
court,  courts  of  common  pleas,  justices  of  the  peace,  and  in  such  other 
courts  inferior  to  the  supreme  court  as  the  general  assembly  may  es- 
tablish. 

SEC.  2.  The  supreme  court  shall  consist  of  three  judges,  a  majority 
of  whom  shall  form  a  quorum.  It  shall  have  such  original  and  ap- 
pellate jurisdiction  as  may  be  provided  by  law.  It  shall  hold  at  least 
one  term  each  year  at  the  seat  of  government,  and  such  other  terms 
as  may  be  provided  by  law.  The  judges  of  the  supreme  court  shall 
be  elected  by  the  electors  of  the  State  at  large. 

SEC.  3.  The  State  shall  be  divided  by  the  first  general  assembly, 
under  this  constitution,  into  three  common  pleas  districts  of  compact 
territory,  bounded  by  county  lines,  and  as  nearly  equal  in  population 
as  practicable ;  and  a  judge  for  each  district  shall  be  chosen  by  the 
electors  thereof,  and  their  term  of  office  shall  be  for  three  years. 

SEC.  4.  The- courts  of  common  pleas  shall  consist  of  one  judge  each, 
who  shall  reside  within  the  district  for  which  he  is  chosen  during  his 
continuance  in  office. 

SEC.  5.  The  jurisdiction  of  the  court  of  common  pleas,  and  of  the 
judges  thereof,  shall  be  fixed  by  law. 

SEC.  6.  A  competent  number  of  justices  of  the  peace  shall  be  elected 
by  the  electors  in  each  township  of  several  counties.  The  term  of 
office  shall  be  three  years,  and  their  powers  and  duties  shall  be  fixed 
by  law. 

SEC.  7.  All  judges,  other  than  those  provided  for  in  the  constitu- 
tion, shall  be  elected  by  the  electors  of  the  judicial  district  for  which 
they  may  be  created,  but  not  for  a  longer  term  of  office  than  three 
years. 

SEC.  8.  The  judges  of  the  supreme  court  shall,  immediately  after 
the  first  election  under  this  constitution,  be  classified  by  lot,  so  that 
one  shall  hold  for  the  term  of  one  year,  one  for  the  term  of  two  years, 
and  one  for  the  term  of  three  years  ;  and  all  subsequent  elections  the 
term  of  each  of  said  judges  shall  be  for  three  years. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  627 

SEC.  9.  In  case  the  office  of  any  judge  shall  become  vacant  before 
the  expiration  of  the  term  for  which  he  was  elected,  the  vacancy  shall 
be  filled  by  appointment  by  the  governor,  until  a  successor  shall  be 
elected  and  qualified  ;  and  such  successor  shall  be  elected  for  the  resi- 
due of  the  unexpired  term  at  the  first  annual  election  that  occurs 
more  than  thirty  days  after  such  vacancy  shall  have  happened.  , 

SEC.  10.  The  judges  of  the  supreme  court  and  of  the  court  of  com- 
mon pleas  shall,  at  stated  times,  receive  such  compensation  as  may  be 
provided  by  law,  which  shall  not  be  increased  or  diminished  during 
their  term  of  office;  but  they  shall  receive  no  fees  or  perquisites,  nor 
hold  any  other  office  of  profit  and  trust  under  the  State,  other  than  a 
judicial  office. 

SEC.  11.  The  general  assembly 'may  increase  or  diminish  the  num- 
ber of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court,  the  number  of  the  districts  of 
the  courts  of  common  pleas,  the  number  of  judges  in  any  district,  or 
establish  other  courts,  whenever  two  thirds  of  the  members  elected  to 
each  house  shall  concur  therein  ;  but  no  such  change,  addition,  or 
diminution  sliall  vacate  the  office  of  any  judge.  - 

SEC.  12.  There  shall  be  elected  in  each  county_,  by  the  electors 
thereof,  one  clerk  of  the  court  of  common  pleas,  who  shall  hold  his 
office  for  the  term  of  three  years,  and  until  his  successor  shall  be 
elected  and  qualified. 

SEC.  13.  The  general  assembly  shall  provide,  bylaw,,  for  the  speedy 
publication  of  the  decisions  of  the  supreme  court  made  under  this 
constitution. 

SEC.  14.  The  supreme  court  shall,  upon  the  decision  of  every  case, 
give  an  opinion,  in  writing,  of  each  question  arising  in  the  record  in 
such  case,  and  the  decision  of  the  court  thereon. 

SEC.  15.  There  shall  be  elected  by  the  voters  of  the  State  a  clerk 
and  a  reporter  for  the  supreme  court,  who  shall  hold  their  offices  for 
three  years,  and  whose  duties  shall  be  prescribed  by  law. 

•  SEC.  16.  Judges  may  be  removed  from  office  by  concurrent  resolu- 
tion of  both  houses  of  the  general  assembly  if  two  thirds  of  the  mem- 
bers elected  to  each  house  concur  therein  ;  but  no  such  removal  shall 
be  made  except  upon  complaint,  the  substance  of  which  shall  be  en- 
tered upon  the  journal,  nor  until  the  party  charged  shall  have  had 
notice  thereof  and  an  opportunity  to  be  heaiM. 

SEC.  1 7.  The  several  judges  of  the  supreme  court,  of  the  court  of 
common  pleas,  and  of  such  other  courts  as  may  be  created  by  law, 
shall  respectively  have  and  exercise  such  power  and  jurisdiction  at 
chambers  or  otherwise  as  may  be  provided  by  law. 

SEC.  18.  The  style  of  all  process  shall  be  "  the  State  of  Kansas." 
All  prosecutions  shall  be  carried  on  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority 
of  the  State  of  Kansas  ;  and  all  indictments  shall  conclude,  "  against 
the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  State  of  Kansas." 

EDUCATION. — ARTICLE  VII. 

SEC.  1.  The  principal  of  all  funds  arising  from  the  sale  or  other 
disposition  of  lands  or  other  property  granted  or  entrusted  to  this 
State  for  educational  and  religious  purposes,  shall  forever  be  preserved 


628  KANSAS   AFFAIRS 

inviolate  and  undiminished,  and  the  income  arising  therefrom  shall 
he  faithfully  applied  to  the  specific  ohjects  of  the  original  grants  or 
appropriations. 

SEC.  2.  The  general  assembly  shall  make  such  provision,  hy  taxa- 
tion or  otherwise,  as,  with  the  income  arising  from  the  school  trust 
fund,  will  secure  a  thorough  and  efficient  system  of  common  sch'ods 
throughout  the  State  ;  hut  no  religious  or  other  sect  or  sects  shall  ever 
have  any  exclusive  right  to,  or  control  of,  any  part  of  the  school  funds 
of  this  State. 

SEC.  3.  The  general  assemhly  may  take  measures  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  university,  with  such  branches  as  the  public  convenience 
may  hereafter  demand,  for  the  promotion  of  literature,  the  arts, 
science,  medical  and  agricultural  instruction. 

SEC.  4.  Provision  may  be  made  by  law  for  the  support  of  normal 
schools,  with  suitable  libraries  and  scientific  apparatus. 

PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS. — ARTICLE  VIII. 

SEC.  1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  general  assembly,  at  as  early  a 
date  as  possible,  to  provide  State  asylums  for  the  benefit,  treatment, 
and  instruction  of  the  blind,  deaf  and  dumb,  and  insane. 

SEC.  2.  The  general  assembly  shall  make  provision  for  the  establish- 
ment of  an  asylum  for  idiots,  to  be  regulated  by  law. 

SEC.  3.  The  respective  counties  of  the  State  shall  provide,  in  some 
suitable  manner,  for  those  inhabitants  who,  by  reason  of  age,  infirm- 
ity, or  other  misfortune,  may  have  claims  upon  the  sympathy  and  aid 
of  society,  under  provisions  to  be  made  by  the  laws  of  the  general 
assembly. 

SEC.  4.  The  general  assembly  shall  make  provision  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  houses  of  refuge  for  the  correction,  reform,  and  instruction 
of  juvenile  offenders. 

SEC.  5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  general  assembly  to  make  pro- 
vision, as  soon  as  possible,  for  a  State  general  hospital. 

PUBLIC  DEBT  AND  PUBLIC  WORKS. — ARTICLE  IX. 

SEC.  1.  No  money  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  treasury  except  in  pur- 
suance of  an  appropriation  by  law. 

SEC.  2.  The  credit  of  the  State  shall  never  be  given  or  loaned  in  aid 
of  any  individual  association  or  corporation. 

SEC.  3.  For  the  purpose  of  defraying  extraordinary  expenditures, 
fche  State  may  contract  public  debts,  but  such  debts  shall  never  in  the 
aggregate  exceed  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  unless  authorized  by 
*  direct  vote  of  the  people  at  a  general  election.  Every  such  debt 
shall  be  authorized  by  law,  and  every  such  Jaw  shall  provide  for  the 
payment  of  the  annual  interest  of  such  debt,  and  the  principal  within 
ten  years  from  the  passage  of  such  law ;  and  such  appropriation  shall 
not  be  repealed  until  the  principal  and  interest  shall  have  been  wholly 
paid. 

SEC.  4.  The  legislature  may  also  borrow  money  to  repel  invasion, 
suppress  insurrection,  or  defend  the  State  in  time  of  war ;  but  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS,  629 

money  thus  raised  shall  be  applied  exclusively  to  the  object  for  which 
the  loan  was  authorized,  or  repayment  of  the  debts  thereby  created. 

SEC.  5.  No  scrip,  certificate,  or  other  evidence  of  State  debt  what- 
ever shall  be  except  for  such  debts  as  are  authorized  by  the  third  and 
fourth  sections  of  this  article. 

MILITIA. — ARTICLE  X. 

SECTION  1 .  The  militia  shall  consist  of  all  able-bodied  white  male 
persons  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty  years,  except  such  as 
may  be  exempt  by  the  laws  of  the  United  States  or  of  this  State,  and 
shall  be  organized,  officered,  armed,  equipped,  and  trained  in  such 
manner  as  may  be  provided  by  law. 

SEC.  2.  The  governor  shall  appoint  the  adjutant,  quartermaster, 
and  commissar}''  generals. 

SEC.  3.  All  militia  officers  shall  be  commissioned  by  the  governor, 
and  shall  hold  their  offices  not  longer  than  three  years. 

SEC.  4.  The  general  assembly  shall  determine  the  method  of  dividing 
the  militia  into  divisions,  brigades,  regiments,  battalions,  and  com- 
panies, and  fix  the  rank  of  all  officers. 

SEC.  5.  The  militia  may  be  divided  into  classes,  in  such  manner  as 
shall  be  prescribed  by  law. 

SEC.  6.  No  person  conscientiously  opposed  to  bearing  arms  shall  be 
compelled  to  do  militia  duty,  but  such  person  shall  pay  an  equivalent 
for  such  exemption,  the  amount  to  be  prescribed  by  law. 

SEC.  7.  The  first  general  assembly  shall  offer  inducements  for  the 
formation,  uniforming,  and  drilling  independent  volunteer  companies 
in  the  different  cities  and  counties  of  this  State. 

FINANCE  AND  TAXATION. — ARTICLE  XI. 

SECTION  1 .  The  general  assembly  shall  provide  by  law  for  a  uniform 
and  equal  rate  of  assessment  and  taxation,  and  taxes  shall  be  levied 
upon  all  such  property,  real  and  personal,  as  the  general  assembly 
may  from  time  to  time  prescribe  ;  but  all  property  appropriated  and 
used^  exclusively  for  municipal,,  literary,  educational,  scientific,  or 
charitable  purposes,  and  personal  property  to  an  amount  not  exceed- 
ing one  hundred  dollars  for  each  head  of  a  family,  and  all  property 
appropriated  and  used  exclusively  for  religious  purposes,  to  an  amount 
not  exceeding  $200,000,  may,  by  general  laws,  be  exempted  from 
taxation. 

SEC.  2.  The  general  assembly  shall  provide  by  law  for  an  annual 
tax  sufficient  to  defray  the  estimated  ordinary  expenses  of  the  State 
for  each  year. 

SEC.  3.  Every  law  imposing  a  tax  shall  state  distinctly  the  object 
of  the  same  to  which  it  shall  be  applied. 

SEC.  4.  On  the  passage  in  either  house  of  the  general  assembly  of 
any  law  which  imposes,  continues,  or  renews  a  tax,  or  makes,  con- 
tinues, or  renews  an  appropriation  of  public  or  trust  money,  or  re- 
leases, discharges,  or  commutes  a  claim  or  demand  of  ther  State,  the 
question  shall  be  taken  by  yeas  and  nays,  which  shall  be  duly  entered 


630  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

on  the  journal ;  and  three-fifths  of  all  the  members  elected  to  such 
house  shall  in  all  such  cases  be  required  to  constitute  a  quorum. 

COUNTY  AND  TOWNSHIP  OFFICERS.—  ARTICLE  XII. 

SECTION  1.  The  general  assembly  shall  provide  by  law  for  the  elec- 
tion of  county,  city,  town,  and  township  officers. 

SEC.  2.  All  officers  whose  election  or  appointment  is  not  provided 
for  by  this  constitution  shall  be  elected  by  the  people,  or  appointed  as 
the  general  assembly  may  by  law  direct. 

SEC.  3.  Provision  shall  be  made  by  law  for  the  removal,  for  miscon- 
duct or  malversation  in  office,  of  all  officers  whose  powers  and  duties 
are  not  local  -or  legislative,  and  who  shall  be  elected  at  general  elec- 
tions, and  also  for  supplying  vacancies  created  by  such  removal. 

SEC.  4.  The  legislature  may  declare  the  cases  in  which  any  office 
shall  be  deemed  vacant,  where  no  provision  is  made  for  that  purpose 
in  this  constitution. 

CORPORATIONS. — ARTICLE  XIII. 

SECTION  1.  The  general  assembly  shall  not  create  corporations  by 
special  act  except  for  municipal  purposes.  • 

SEC.  2.  Corporations  may  be  formed  under*  general  laws,  but  such 
laws  may  at  any  time  be  altered  or  repealed. 

JURISPRUDENCE. — ARTICLE  XIV. 

SECTION  1.  The  general  assembly,  at  its  first  session,  shall  constitute 
three  commissioners,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  revise,  reform,  simplify, 
and  abridge  the  rules  of  practice,  pleadings,  forms,  and  proceedings 
of  the  courts  of  record  of  this  State,  and  to  provide,  so  far  as  practica- 
ble and  expedient,  that  justice  shall  be  administered  by  intelligent 
and  uniform  proceedings,  without  any  distinction  between  law  and 
equity. 

SEC.  2.  The  proceedings  of  the  commissioners  shall  be  reported  to 
the  general  assembly,  and  be  subject  to  the  action  of  that  body. 

MISCELLANEOUS. — ARTICLE  XV. 

•  , 

SECTION  1.  The  first  general  assembly  shall  locate  the  permanent 
seat  of  government. 

SEC.  2.  Lotteries  and  the  sale  of  lottery  tickets,  for  any  purpose 
whatever,  shall  forever  be  prohibited  in  the  State. 

SEC.  3.  No  person  shall  be  elected  or  appointed  to  any  office  in  this 
State  unless  they  possess  the  qualifications  of  an  elector. 

SEC.  4.  There  may  be  established  in  the  secretary  of  state's  office  a 
bureau  of  statistics  and  agriculture,  under  such  regulations  as  may  be 
prescribed  by  law,  and  provision  shall  be  made  by  the  general  assem- 
bly for  the  organization  and  encouragement  of  state  and  county  agri- 
cultural associations. 

SEC.  5.  The  first  general  assembly  shall  provide  by  law  for  securing 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  631 

to  the  wife  the  separate  property  acquired  by  her  hefore  or  after  cover- 
ture, and  the  equal  right  with  the  husband  to  the  custody  of  the  chil- 
dren during  their  minority;  and  in  case  of  death,  insanity,  intemper- 
ance, or  gross  impropriety  of  the  husband,  their  exclusive  custody. 

AMENDMENTS  TO  THE  CONSTITUTION. — ARTICLE  XVI. 

SEC.  1.  All  propositions  for  amendments  to  the  constitution  shall 
be  made  by  the  general  assembly. 

SEC.  2.  A  concurrence  of  two- thirds  of  the  members  elected  to  each 
House  shall  be  necessary,  after  which  such  proposed  amendments  shall 
be  entered  upon  the  journals  with  the  yeas  and  nays,  and  the  secretary 
of  state  shall  cause  the  same  to  be  published  in  at  least  one  newspaper 
in  each  county  in  the  State  where  a  newspaper  is  published,  for  at 
least  six  months  preceding  the  next  election  for  senators  and  repre- 
sentatives, when  such  proposed  amendments  shall  be  again  referred  to 
the  legislature  elected  next  succeeding  said  publication.  If  passed  by 
the  second  legislature,  by  a  majority  of  two-thirds  of  the  members 
elected  to  each  house,  such  amendments  shall  be  republished  as  afore- 
said for  at  least  six  months  prior  to  the  next  general  election,  at  which 
election  such  proposed  amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  the  people 
for  their  approval  or  rejection,  and  if  the  majority  of  the  electors 
voting  at  such  election  shall  adopt  such  amendments,  the  same  shall 
become  a  part  of  the  constitution. 

SEC.  3.  When  more  than  one  amendment  is  submitted  at  the  same 
time  they  shall  be  so  submitted  as  to  enable  the  electors  to  vote  upon 
-each  amendment  separately. 

SEC.  4.  No  convention  for  the  formation  of  a  new  constitution  shall 
be  called,  and  no  amendment  to  the  constitution  shall  be  by  the  gen- 
eral assembly  made,  before  the  year  1865,  nor  more  than  once  in  five 
years  thereafter. 

BANKS  AND  CURRENCY. — ARTICLE  XVII. 

SEC.  1.  No  banks  shall  be  established  otherwise  than  under  a  gen- 
eral banking  law. 

SEC.  2.  If  the  general  assembly  shall  enact  a  general  banking  law, 
such  law  shall  provide  for  the  registry  and  countersigning  by  the 
auditor  of  State  of  all  paper  credit  designed  to  be  circulated  as  money, 
with  ample  collateral  security,  readily  convertible  into  specie  for  the 
redemption  of  the  same  in  gold  or  silver  shall  be  required ;  which  col- 
lateral security  shall  be  under  the  control  of  the  proper  officer,  or  offi- 
cers of  State.  Such  law  shall  restrict  the  aggregate  amount  of  all 
paper  credit^to  be  circulated  as  money,  and  the  aggregate  amount  to 
be  put  in  circulation  in  any  one  year ;  and  no  note  issued  under  the 
provision  of  this  section  shall  be  of  a  less  denomination  than  ten  dollars. 

SEC.  3;  The  stockholders  in  every  bank  or  banking  company  shall 
be  individually  liable  to  an  amount  over  and  above  their  stock  equal 
to.  their  respective  shares  of  stock  for  all  debts  and  liabilities  of  said 
bank  or  banking  company. 

SEC.  4.  All  bills  or  notes  issued  as  money  shall  be  at  all  times  re- 


632  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

deemable  in  gold  or  silver ;  and  no  law  shall  "be  passed  sanctioning, 
directly  or  indirectly,  the  suspension,  hy  any  hank  or  banking  com- 
pany, of  specie  payments. 

SEC.  5.  Holders  of  hank  notes  shall  he  entitled,  in  case  of  insolven- 
cy, to  preference  of  specie  payment  over  all  other  creditors. 

SEC.  6.  No  hank  shall  receive,  directly  or  indirectly,  a  greater  rate 
of  interest  than  shall  he  allowed  hy  law  to  individuals  loaning  money. 

SEC.  "7.  Every  hank  or  hanking  company  shall  be  required  to  cease 
all  hanking  operations  within  twenty  years  from  the  time  of  its  or- 
ganization, and  promptly  thereafter  to  close  its  business. 

SEC.  8.  The  State  shall  not  be  a  stockholder  in  any  bank  or  banking 
institution. 

SEC.  9.  All  banks  shall  be  required  to  keep  officers  and  proper  offices 
for  the  issue  and  redemption  of  their  paper  at  some  accessible  and  con- 
venient point  within  the  State. 

SEC.  10.  The  said  banking  law  shall  contain  a  provision  reserving 
the  power  to  alter,  amend  or  repeal  said  law. 

SEC.  11.  At  the  time  of  submitting  this  constitution  to  the  electors 
for  their  approval  or  disapproval,  the  articles  numbered,  in  relation 
to  a  general  banking  law,  shall  be  submitted  as  a  distinct  proposition 
in  the  following  form:  general  banking  law — yes  or  no ;  and  if  a  ma- 
jority of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  in  favor  of'  said  article,  then  the  same 
shall  form  a  part  of  this  constitution  ;  otherwise  it  shall  be  void  and 
form  no  part  thereof. 

SCHEDULE. 

In  order  that  no  inconvenience  may  arise  from  the  organization  and 
establishment  of  a  State  government,  and  that  the  wishes  of  the  peo- 
ple may  he  fully  accomplished,  it  is  declared — 

1st.  That  no  existing  rights,  suits,  prosecutions,  claims  and  con- 
tracts shall  be  affected  by  a  change  in  the  form  of  government. 

2d.  That  this  constitution  shall  be  submitted  to  the  people  of  Kan- 
gas  for  ratification  on  the  15th  day  of  December  next. 

3d.  That  each  qualified  elector  shall  express  his  assent  or  dissent  to 
the  constitution  by  voting  a  written  or  printed  ticket,  labelled  "  Con- 
stitution," or  "No  constitution,"  which  election  shall  be  held  by  the 
same  judges,  and  conducted  under  the  same  regulations  and  restric- 
tions as  is  hereinafter  provided  for  the  election  of  members  of  the  gen- 
eral assembly,  and  the  judges  therein  named  shall  within  ten  days 
after  said  election,  seal  up  and  transmit  to  the  chairman  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  of  Kansas  Territory  the  result  of  said  election,  who 
shall  forthwith  make  proclamation  of  the  same  ;  and  in  case  the  con- 
stitution be  ratified  by  the  people,  the  chairman  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee shall  cause  publication  to  be  made  by  proclamation  tliat  an 
election  will  be  held  on  the  third  Tuesday  of  January,  A.  D.  1856, 
for  governor,  lieutenant  governor,  secretary  of  State,  treasurer,  audi- 
tor, judges  of  the  supreme  court,  Sta£e  printer,  attorney  general,  re- 
porter of  the  supreme  court,  clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  and  members 
of  the  general  assembly,  which  said  election  shall  be  held  by  the  same 
judges,  under  the  same  restrictions  and  conducted  in  the  same  manner 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  633 

as  is  hereinafter  provided  for  the  election  of  members  of  the  general 
assembly ;  and  the  judges  herein  named  are  hereby  required  within 
ten  days  after  said  election  to  seal  up  and  transmit  duplicate  copies 
of  the  returns  of  said  election  to  the  chairman  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee, one  of  which  shall  be  laid  before  the  general  assembly  at  its 
first  meeting. 

4th.  At  the  same  time  and  place  the  qualified  voters  shall,  tinder 
the  same  regulations  and  restrictions,  elect  a  member  of  Congress,  to 
represent  the  State  of  Kansas  in  the  34th  Congress  of  the  United 
States ;  the  returns  of  said  election  to  be  made  to  the  chairman  of  the 
executive  committee,  who  shall  deposit  the  same  in  the  office  of  the 
secretary  of  state  as  soon  as  he  shall  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  his  office. 

5th.  The  general  assembly  shall  meat  on  the  fourth  day  of  March, 
A.  D.  1856,  at  the  city  of  Topeka,  at  12,  m.,  at  which  time  and  place 
the  governor,  lieutenant  governor,  secretary  of  state,  judge  of  the 
supreme  court,  treasurer,  auditor,  State  printer,  reporter,  and  clerk  of 
the  supreme  court,  and  attorney  general,  shall  appear,  take  the  oath 
of  office,  and  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  their  respec- 
tive officers  under  this  constitution,  and  shall  continue  in  office  in  the 
same  manner  and  during  the  same  period  they  would  have  done  had 
they  been  elected  on  the  first  Monday  of  August,  A.  D.  1856. 

6th.  Until  otherwise  provided  by  law,  the  State  shall  be  divided 
into  election  districts ;  and  the  senators  and  representatives  shall  be 
apportioned  among  the  several  districts  as  follows: 

First  district. — Commencing  in  the  Kansas  river,  at  the  mouth  of 
Cedar  creek ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the  first  tributary  a-bove  the  town 
of  Lawrence ;  thence  up  said  tributary  to  its  source ;  thence  by  a 
direct  line  to  the  west  side  of  Johnson's  house;  thence  by  a  due  south 
line  to  the  Santa  Fe  road,  and  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  a  point 
due  south  of  the  source  of  Cedar  creek ;  thence  due  north  to  the  source 
of  said  Cedar  creek,  and  down  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Second  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Spring  branch, 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  Kansas  river ;  thence  up  said  branch  to  its 
furthest  source;  thence  by  a  southerly  line  crossing  the  Wakarusa 
river,  on  the  east  side  of  the  house  of  Charles  Matney,  to  the  middle 
of  the  Santa  Fe  road;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the 
line  of  the  first  district ;  thence  by  the  same  along  the  west  side  of 

the  house  of Johnson,  to  the  head  of  the  first  tributary  of  the 

Kansas,  above  the  town  of  Lawrence;  and  thence  by  the  same  tribu- 
tary to  the  Kansas  river,  and  up  the  south  bank  of  said  river  to  the 
mouth  of  Big  Spring  branch,  the  place  of  beginning. 

Third  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Spring  branch, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Kansas  river ;  thence  up  the  same  to  its  fur- 
thest source;  thence  by  a  southerly  line  to  the  north  bank  of  the 
Wakarusa  river,  on  the  east  side  of  the  house  of  Charles  Matney ; 
thence  up  said  river  and  its  main  branch  to  the  line  of  the  Pottawa- 
tomie  reservation ;  and  thence  by  the  southern  and  western  line  of 
said  reservation  to  the  Kansas  river,  and  down  the  said  river  to  the 
place  of  beginning. 

Fourth'  p?ij,imp — Commencing  at  the  Missouri  State  line,  in  the 


634  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

middle  of  the  Santa  Fe  road ;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to 
Rock  creek,  near  the  65th  mile  of  said  road ;  thence  south  to  the  line 
of  the  Shawnee  reservation  ceded  by  the  treaty  of  1854 ;  thence  due 
east  along  the  south  line  of  said  reservation  and  the  north  lines  of  the 
existing  reservations  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  the  existing  reservations 
of  the  Chippewas  and  Ottawas,  and  the  reservations  of  the  Pianke- 
shaws,  Weas,  Peorias,  and  Kaskaskias,  to  the  Missouri  State  line ; 
thence  up  the  Missouri  State  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Fifth  district. — Commencing  at  the  Missouri  State  line  at  the  south- 
ern boundary  of  the  fourth  district ;  thence  west  along  the  same  to 
the  northwest  corner  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  reservation ;  thence  due  south 
along  the  western  line  thereof,  and  due  south  to  the  south  branch  of 
the  Seosho  river,  about  seventy  miles  above  the  Catholic  Osage  mis- 
sion ;  thence  down  said  river  to  the  north  line  of  the  reserve  for  the 
New  York  Indians,  and  east  along  said  line  to  the  headwaters  of 
Little  Osage  river,  or  the  nearest  point  thereto ;  and  thence  down  said 
river  to  the  Missouri  State  line,  and  up  said  line  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning.. 

Sixth  district. -^- Commencing  on  the  Missouri  State  line  in  Little 
Osage  river ;  thence  up  the  same  to  the  line  of  the  reserve  for  the  New 
York  Indians,  or  the  nearest  point  thereto ;  thence  to  and  by  the  north 
line  of  said  reserve  to  the  Neosho  river,  and  up  said  river  and  the 
south  branch  thereof  to  the  head ;  and  thence  by  a  due  south  line  to 
the  southern  line  of  the  Territory ;  thence  by  the  southern  and  eastern 
lines  of  said  Territory  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Seventh  district. — Commencing  at  the  east  side  of  the  house  of 
Charles  Matney,  on  the  Wakarusa  river;  thence  due  south  to  the 
middle  of  the  Santa  Fe  road ;  thence  westwardly  along  the  middle  of 
said  road  to  Rock  creek,  near  the  65th  mile  of  said  road ;  thence  due 
south  to  the  north  line  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  reservation ;  thence  along 
the  north  and  west  lines  thereof,  and  due  south,  to  the  Neosho  river ; 
thence  up  said  river  to  a  point  due  south  of  the  mouth  of  Elm  creek ; 
thence  due  north  to  the  mouth  of  Elm  creek,  and  up  said  creek  to  the 
Santa  Fe  road,  and  thence  by  a  direct  line  in  a  northerly  direction  to 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  Pottawatomie  reservation ;  thence  along 
the  southern  line  of  said  reservation  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Waka- 
rusa river,  or  the  point  nearest  thereto ;  thence  to  and  down  the  said 
river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Eighth  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Elm  creek,  one  of 
the  branches  of  Osage  river ;  thence  up  the  same  to  the  Santa  Fe 
road ;  thence  by  a  direct  northerly  line  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
Pottawatomie  reservation  ;  thence  up  the  western  line  thereof  to 
Kansas  river ;  thence  up  said  river  and  the  Smokey  Hill  fork,  beyond 
the  most  westerly  settlements ;  thence  due  south  to  the  line  of  the 
Territory ;  thence  by  the  same  to  the  line  of  the  sixth  district ;  thence 
due  north  to  the  head  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Neosho  river ;  thence 
down  said  river  to  the  line  of  the  seventh  district;  thence  due  north 
to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Ninth  district. — Commencing  at  Smoky  Hill  fork,  beyond  the  most 
westerly  settlements ;  thence  down  the  same  and  the  Kansas  river  to 
the  mouth  of  Wild  Cat  creek ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  headwaters 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  635 

thereof;  thence  due  north  to  the  Independence  emigrant  road  ;  thence 
up  said  road  to  the  north  line  of  the  Territory  ;  thence  west  along  the 
same  beyond  the  most  westerly  settlements  ;  and  thence  due  south  to 
the  place  of  beginning. 

Tenth  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Vermillion  river ; 
thence  up  the  same  beyond  the  house  of  Josiah  D.  Adams  ;  thence 
due  north  to  the  Independence  emigrant  road ;  thence  up  the  middle  of 
said  road  to  the  line  of  the  ninth  district ;  thence  by  the  same  to  the 
head  of  Wild  Cat  creek,,  and  down  said  creek  to  the  Kansas  river ; 
thence  down  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Eleventh  district. — Commencing  in  the  Vermillion  river,  opposite 
the  north  side  of  the  house  of  Josiah  D.  Adams  ;  thence  up  said  river 
to  the  head  of  the  main  branch  ;  thence  due  north  to  the  military  road 
from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney  ;  thence  along  the  middle  of 
said  road  to  the  crossing  of  the  Vermillion  branch  of  the  Blue  ;  thence 
due  north  to  the  northern  line  of  the  Territory  ;  thence  west,  along 
said  line,  to  the  Independence  emigrant  road  ;  thence  down  said  road 
to  a  point  due  west  to  the  north  end  of  the  house  of  Josiah  D.  Adams, 
and  due  east  to -the  place  of  beginning. 

Twelfth  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Soldier  creek,  in  the 
Kansas  river ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  head  of  the  main  branch ; 
thence  due  north  to  the  military  road  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort 
Kearney  ;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  line  of  the 
eleventh  district ;  thence  due  south  to  the  head  of  Vermillion  river, 
down  Vermillion  river  to  the  mouth,  and  down  Kansas  river  to  the 
place  of  beginning. 

Thirteenth  district. — Commencing  in  the  Kansas  river,  at  a  point 
three  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Stranger  creek  ;  thence  in  a  north- 
wardly direction  by  a  line  corresponding  to,  and  three  miles  west  of 
the  several  courses  of  said  creek,  to  the  line  of  the  Kickapoo  reserva- 
tion ;  thence  by  the  southern  and  western  line  of  said  reservation  to 
the  military  road  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney ;  thence 
along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  line  of  the  twelfth  district ;  thence 
due  south  to  the  head  of  Soldier  creek,  down  Soldier  creek  to  the 
mouth,  and  down  Kansas  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Fourteenth  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Independence 
creek ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  head  of  the  main  branch,  and  thence 
due  west  to  the  line  of  the  late  Kickapoo  reservation  ;  thence  north 
along  said  line,  and  the  line  of  the  late  Sac  and  Fox  reservation,  to 
the  north  line  of  the  Territory ;  thence  along  said  line  eastwardly  to 
the  Missouri  river,  and  down  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Fifteenth  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Salt  creek,  on  the 
Missouri  river ;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  military  road,  and  along 
the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  lower  crossing  of  Stranger  creek ;  thence 
up  said  creek  to  the  line  of  the  late  Kickapoo  reservation,  and  thence 
along  the  southern  and  western  line  thereof  to  the  line  of  the  fourteenth 
district ;  thence  by  the  same,  and  down  Independence  creek,  to  the 
mouth  thereof,  and  thence  down  the  Missouri  river  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning. 

Sixteenth  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  Salt  creek  ;  thence 
up  said  creek  to  the  military  road;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said 


636  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

road  to  the  lower  crossing  pf  Stranger  creek;  thence  up  said  creek  tc 
the  line  of  the  late  Kickapoo  reservation,  and  thence  along  the  sam« 
to  the  line  of  the  thirteenth  district,  and  thence  hy  the  same,  alon^ 
a  line  corresponding  to  the  source  of  Stranger  creek,  and  keeping  thre< 
miles  west  thereof,  to  the  Kansas  river ;  thence  down  the  Kansas  rivei 
to  the  Missouri,  and  up  the  Missouri  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Seventeenth  district. — Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kansai 
river  ;  thence  up  the  south  bank  thereof  to  the  mouth  of  Cedar  creek 
thence  up  Cedar  creek  to  its  source  ;  and  thence  due  south  to  the  Sant* 
Feroad;  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  Missouri  State  line 
and  along  said  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Eighteenth  district. — Commencing  in  the  military  road  at  the  cross 
ing  of  the  Vermillion  branch  of  Blue  river ;  thence  due  north  to  th< 
line  of  the  Territory  ;  thence  east  along  said  line  to  the  fourteenth  dis 
trict;  thence  due  south  along  said  line  to  the  aforesaid  military  road 
and  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Senatorial  and  representative  district. — 1st.  The  first  election  dis 
trict  shall  be  entitled  to  three  senators  and  eight  representatives. 

2nd.  The  second  election  district  shall  be  entitled  to  one  senato: 
and  three  representatives. 

3d.  The  third  election  district  shall  be  entitled  to  one  senator  am 
three  representatives. 

4th.  The  fourth  and  seventeenth  election  districts  shall  constituti 
the  fourth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  om 
senator  and  two  representatives. 

5th.  The  fifth  election  district  shall  be  entitled  to  three  senator, 
and  nine  representatives. 

6th.  The  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  election  districts,  shall  consti 
tute  the  sixth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  t< 
two  senators  and  five  representatives. 

*rth.  The  ninth  and  tenth  election  districts  shall  constitute  the  sev 
enth  senatorial  district,  and  be  entitled  to  one  senator  and  four  repre 
eentatives. 

8th.  The  eleventh  and  twelfth  election  districts  shall  constitute  th< 
eighth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  on< 
senator  and  three  representatives. 

9th.  The  thirteenth  election  district  shall  constitute  the  ninth  sen 
atorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  one  senator  an( 
two  representatives. 

10th.  The  fourteenth  and  eighteenth  election  districts  shall  consti 
tute  the  the  tenth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  enti 
tied  to  two  senators  and  sevenepresentatives. 

llth.  The  fifteenth  election  district  shall  constitute  the  eleventl 
senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  one  senato: 
and  five  representatives. 

12th.  The  sixteenth  election  district  shall  constitute  the  twelftl 
senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  three  Senator) 
and  nine  representatives. 

SEC.  3.  Until  otherwise  provided  by  law,  the  election  in  the  several 
districts  shall  be  held  at  the  following  places,  and  the  following  named 
persons  are  hereby  appointed  as  judges  of  the  elections  : 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  637 

PLACES  OF  VOTING. 

SEC.  4.  First  senatorial  district. — Lawrence  precinct,  at  the  Free 
State  hotel ;  A.  D.  Searle,  Lyman  Allen,  Henry  Bronson,  judges. 

Franklin  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Mr.  Purdam  ;  James  McGee, 
Horace  L.  Enos,  I.  Purdam,  judges. 

Blanton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Abbott ;  John  Stewart,  R. 
Vaughn,  P.  T.  Hupp,  judges. 

Palmyra  precinct,  at  the  house  of  H.  Barricklow  ;  H.  Barricklow, 
Louis  Green,  A.  Pierson,  judges. 

Second  senatorial  district. — Bloomington  precinct,  at-  the  house  of 
H.  Burson;  Samuel  Smith,  Daniel  Vancil,  J.  M.  Dunn,  judges. 

1  hird  senatorial  district. — Washington  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W. 
R.  Frost :  W.  Riley,  Caleb  Antram,  Eli  Allen,  judges. 

Tecumseh  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  Taylor  ;  Charles  Jordan,  John 
Morris,  Francis  Grassmuck,  judges. 

Topeka  precinct,  at  the  law  office  of  E.  C.  K.  Garvey  ;  Dr.  F.  L. 
Grain,  Milton  C.  Dickey,  J.  F.  Cummings,  judges. 

Brownsville  precinct,  at  the  house  of  G.  W.  Brown  ;  G.  W.  Brown, 
Mr.  Sirnmerwell,  Dr.  Bowen;  judges. 

Fourth  senatorial  district. — Prarie  City  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
Samuel  Mewhenny  ;  W.  Moore,  Samuel  Workman,  Amos  Hanna, 
judges. 

Mission  precinct,  at  the  Baptist  Mission  building  ;  G.  L.  Osborn,  S. 
M.  Cornautzer,  Lewis  Dougherty,  judges. 

Wakarusa  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Paschal  Fish  ;  L.  H.  Bascom, 
Ellis  Bond,  A.  G.  Green,  judges. 

Fifth  senatorial  district. — Osawatomie  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Sam- 
uel Geer  ;  William  Chestnut,  B.  Woodbury,  William  Sailing,  judges. 

Stanton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Staniford  ;  J.  Woollard,  Mr. 
Morse,  W.  G.  Nichols,  judges. 

Pottawatomie  precinct,  at  the  meeting-house  ;  F.  Brown,  J.  Grant, 
S.  B.  Morse,  judges. 

Hampden  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W.  A.  Ela  ;  W.  A.  Ela,  Chaun- 
cey  Morse,  George  Law,  judges. 

Sugar  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Silas  Young  ;  Silas  Young, 
James  W.  Dudley,  William  Dyer,  judges. 

Little  Sugar  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  D.  Stockton  ; 
J.  D.  Stockton,  Thomas  Sears,  James  Osborn,  judges. 

Little  Osage  precinct,  at  Miller's  store ;  Thomas  Osburn,  Mr. 
Miller,  Mr.  Fawbus,  judges. 

Osage  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Polks  ;  Mr.  Wycoff,  Mr. 
,  Mr. ,  judges. 

Sixth  sc^'LoridL  district. — Scott's  Town  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Vandevre  ;  T.  Crabtree,  Isaac  Chatham,  F.  S.  Froscel,  judges. 

Titus  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Titus,  on  the  Sante  Fe  road ; 
J.  B.  Titus,  John  Drew,  W.  Lord,  judges. 

Council  Grove  precinct,  at  the  Mission  house  ;  J.  Goodell,  G.  H. 
Rees,  B.  Wright,  judges. 

.  Waubonsa  precinct,' at  the  house  of  John  H.  Nesbit.  in  Waubonsa  ; 
E.  K.  McCurdy,  J.  M.  Bisby,  D.  B.  Hiatt,  judges. 


638  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Mill  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  E.  Hoenick  ;  J.  E.  Hoenick7 

, ,  judges. 

Ashland  .precinct,  at  the  house  of ;  Mr.   Adams,  

-,  judges. 


Clark  Creek  precinct,  at  some  suitable  place  near  the  junction  of 
Clark  and  Humbolt  creeks  ;  William  McCready,  Mr.  Berry,  Mr..  Mit- 
chell, judges. 

Seventh  senatorial  district. — Pawnee  precinct,  at  Loder  and  Shaw's 
store,  in  Pawnee;  S.  P.  Higgens,  W.  M.  McClure,  L.  Knapp,  judges. 

Big  Blue  precinct,  at  the  house  of  S.  D.  Dyer,  in  Juniata  ;  J. 
Stewart,  S.  D.  Houston,  J.  T.  Goodenow,  judges. 

Rock  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Haitt  ;  James  Darnell, 
Charles  Jenkins,  {lenry  Kemmell,  judges. 

Eighth  senatorial  district. — Black  Vermillion  precinct,  at  some  suit- 
able house  in  said  precinct  on  the  Vermillion  branch  of  the  Blue  river  ; 
John  Shmidt,  Mr.  Hollingburg,  M.  Alvey,  judges. 

St.  Mary's  precinct,  at  the  house  of  B.  F.  Bertrand  ;  Dr.  Palmer,  C. 
Garrett,  0.  Dean,  judges. 

Silver  Lake  precinct,  at  some  suitable  house  at  Indianola  ;  E.  Ken- 
nedy, J.  W.  Hopkins,,  John  G.  Thompson,  judges. 

Ninth  senatorial  district. — Daton  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Bainter  and 
Hoover ;  Lewis  Hoover,  Nathan  Adams,  G.  B.  Hall,  judges. 

Grasshopper  Falls  precinct,  at  the  house  of  the  Mill  Company ;  S. 
H.  Dunn,  John  W.  Clark,  J.  B.  "Ross,  judges. 

Whitfield  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Chapman  ;  Thomas  Jen- 
ners,  Vincent  D.  Cohee,  James  A.  Gray,  judges. 

Tenth  senatorial  district. — California  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W. 
W.  Moore ;  W.  W.  Moore,  W.  Jackson,  judges. 

Iowa  Point  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  McCall ;  Mr.  Hanby,  Mr. 
Pader,  judges. 

Voters  on  Independence  and  Deer  creeks  will  vote  at  Doniphan. 

St.  Jo.  Bottom  precinct,  at  the  house  of  B.  Harden  ;  George  Bry- 
ant, H.  Smallwood,  A.  A.  Jamison,  judges. 

Burr  Oak  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Wilson  ;  Mr.  Brock,  Mr. 
Wilson,  Thomas  McCulloch,  judges. 

Palermo  precinct,  at  the  house  of  R.  Martin ;  John  White,  R.  Ladd, 
N.  White,  judges. 

Doniphan  precinct,  at  Collins'  mill ;  David  Lee,  D.  W.  Fields,,  J. 
McNamee,  judges. 

Wolf  River  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Searl ;  Mr.  Searl,  Mr. 
Ulse,  Mr.  Richardson,  judges. 

Eleventh  senatorial  district. — Kickapoo  precinct,  at  some  suitable 
house  in  Kickapoo  City;  Dr.  McCormas,  Mr.  Zimmerman,  Mr.  Boyd, 
judges. 

Port  William  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Hathaway  ;  Dr.  Hatha- 
way, Mr.  Oliphant,  Mr.  Potter,  judges. 

Mount  Pleasant  precinct,  at  the  house  of  M.  A.  Potter  ;  Mr.  Ridg- 
way,  B.  Elliott,  M.  A.  Potter,  judges. 

Oceana  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Crosby  !&  Co.;  Archibald  Elliott,  A. 
Landrum,  S.  J.  H.  Snyder,  judges. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  639 

Atchinson  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Bay  ;  R.  Mecubbins,  Mr. 
Bay,  Henry,  Williams,  judges, 

Twelfth  senatorial  district. — Leaven  worth  precinct,  at  the  office  of 
Gardiner  &  Dodge ;  Adam  Fisher,  Thomas  H.  Doyle,  Hide  Hook, 
judges. 

Easton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  T.  A.  Maynard ;  T.  A.  Maynard, 
G.  J.  Clark,  Wm.  Pennock,  judges. 

Wyandot  precinct,  at  the  council  house  in  Wyandot  City  ;  Abelard 
Guthrie,  G.  J.  Clark,  Ebenezer  Lane,  judges. 

The  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory  is  authorized  to  ap- 
point additional  precincts  and  judges  therefor. 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO   JUDGES. 


SEC.  7.  The  three  judges  will  provide  for  each  poll  ballot  boxes  for 
depositing  the  ballots  cast  by  electors — shall  appoint  two  clerks,  all 
of  whom  shall  be  sworn  or  affirmed  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their 
respective  offices  impartially  and  with  fidelity  ;  and  the  judges  and 
clerks  shall  have  power  to  administer  the  oath  or  affirmation  to  each 
other ;  and  the  said  judges  shall  open  said  election  at  9  o'clock,  a.  m., 
at  the  place  designated  in  each  precinct,  and  close  the  same  at  6 
o'clock,  p.  m.  In  case  any  of  the  officers  appointed  fail  to  attend,  the 
officer  or  officers  in  attendance  shall  supply  their  places,  and  in  the 
event  of  all  of  them  failing  to  attend,  the  qualified  voters  shall  supply 
their  places  ;  and  the  said  judges  shall  make  out  duplicate  returns  of 
said  election  ;  seal  up  and  transmit  the  same  within  ten  days  to  the 
chairman  of  the  executive  committee,  one  copy  of  which  is  to  be  laid 
before  the  general  assembly.  If  at  the  time  of  holding  said  election 
it  shall  be  inconvenient,  from  any  cause  whatever,  that  would  disturb 
or  prevent  the  voters  of  any  election  precinct  in  the  Territory  from 
the  free  and  peaceable  exercise  of  the  elective  franchise,  the  officers 
are  hereby  authorized  to  adjourn  said  election  into  any  other  precinct 
in  the  Territory,  and  to  any  other  day  they  may  see  proper,  of  the 
necessity  of  which  they  shall  be  the  exclusive  judges,  at  which  time 
and  place  the  qualified  voters  may  cast  their  votes. 
.  SEC.  8.  Until  otherwise  provided  by  law,  the  chairman  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  of  Kansas  Territory  shall  announce  by  proclamation 
the  result  of  the  election  and  the  names  of  persons  elected  to  office. 

SEC.  9.  No  person  shall  be  entitled  to  a  seat  in  the  first  general  as- 
sembly at  its  organization,  except  the  members  whose  names  are 
contained  in  the  proclamation  of  the  chairman  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee, but  after  the  general  assembly  is  organized,  seats  may  be  con- 
tested in  the  usual  way. 

SEC.  10.  Certificates  of  indebtedness  may  be  issued  by  the  territorial 
executive  committee  for  all  necessary  expenses  accruing  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  State  government,  not  exceeding  twenty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars ;  provided,  no  certificates  shall  be  issued  except  for  legitimate  ex- 
penses. All  claims  shall  be  made  in  writing,  and  shall  be  numbered 
and  kept  on  file  in  the  secretary's  office,  and  all  certificates  of  indebt- 


640  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

edness  shall  be  signed  by  the  president  and  secretary,  and  counter- 
signed by  the  treasurer,  and  numbered  to  correspond  with  the  number 
of  the  claim  or  bill  for  which  it  was  issued.  The  certificate  shall 
bear  ten  per  cent,  interest  per  annum. 

SEC.  11.  The  first  general  assembly  shall  provide  by  law  for  the 
redemption  of  the  certificates  of  indebtedness  issued  under  the  pro- 
visions of  the  foregoing  section. 

SEC.  12.  Until  the  great  seal  of  the  State  of  Kansas  is  agreed  upon 
and  procured,  as  provided  for  in  the  llth  section  of  the  5th  article  of 
this  constitution,  the  governor  shall  use  his  own  private  seal  as  the 
seal  of  State. 

SEC.  13.  At  the  election  for  the  ratification  of  this  constitution,  and 
the  first  election  for  State  officers,,  a  representation  in  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States,  and  members  of  the  general  assembly  of  this  State, 
an  actual  residence  in  the  Territory  of  thirty  days  immediately  pre- 
ceding said  election,  shall  be  sufficient  as  a  qualification  for  the  elector ; 
and  an  actual  resident  of  ninety  days  for  the  candidates,  provided 
said  electors  and  candidates  possess  all  the  other  qualifications  re- 
quired by  the  provisions  of  this  constitution. 

SEC.  14.  The  first  legislature  shall  provide  by  law  for  the  enforce- 
ment of  the  provisions  of  the  6th  section *of  the  bill  of  rights  on  or 
before  the  4th  day  of  July,  1857,  as  to  all  persons  in  the  Territory 
before  the  adoption  of  this  constitution,  and  as  to  all  others  the  pro- 
visions of  said  section  shall  operate  from  and  after  the  ratification  of 
this  constitution  by  the  people. 

ROB'T  KLOTZ,  W.  GRAHAM, 

M.  J.  PARROTT,  MORRIS  HUNT, 

M.  W.  DELAHAY,  J.  H.  NESBITT, 

W.  R.  GRIFFITH,  C.  K.  HOLIDAY, 

G.  S.  HILLYER,  DAVID  DODGE, 

WILLIAM  HICKS,  J.  A   WAKEFIELD, 

S.  N.  LATTA,  W.  Y.  ROBERTS, 

JOHN  LANDIS,  G.  W.  SMITH, 

H    BURSOIV,  J.  G.   THOMPSON, 

C.  W.  STEWART,  G.  A.  CUTLER, 

J.  M.  ARTHUR,  J.  K.  GOODIN, 

J.  L    SAYLE,  J.  M.  TUTON, 

CALEB  MAY,  THOMAS  BELL, 

S.  MEWHINY,  R.  H.  CROSBY, 

A.  CURTISS,  P.  C.  SCHUYLER, 

A.  HUNTING,  C.  ROBINSON, 

R.  KNIGHT,  M.  F.  CONWAY, 

O.  C.  BROWN,  J.  S.  EMERY, 

J.   H.  LANE,  President. 
SAM.  C.  SMITH,  Secretary. 
CHA'S  A.  FOSTER,  Assistant  Secretary. 


Before  the  vote  was  taken  by  the  people,  upon  the  adoption  of  the 
constitution,  -the  executive  committee,  in  pursuance  of  instructions 
from  the  constitutional  convention,  prepared  and  issued  a  proclama- 
tion, of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  : 


KANSASF   AFATRS.  641 

PROCLAMATION. 

Constitution  and  general  banking  law. 

By  authority  vested  in  me  as  chairman  of  the  executive  committee 
of  Kansas  Territory,  I  do  hereby  proclaim  and  make  known — 

That  the  qualified  voters  of  said  Territory  will  meet  at  the  several 
precincts  hereinafter  mentioned,  on  the  15th  day  of  December,  A.  D. 
1855,  and  then  and  there  cast  their  ballots  for  or  against  the  consti- 
tution framed  by  the  convention  which  met  at  Topeka  on  the  23d  day 
of  October,  1855,  in  the  following  form :  Those  in  favor  voting  a  bal- 
lot upon  which  is  written  or  printed  Constitution ;  those  against,  No 
Constitution. 

At  the  same  time  and  places  they  will  cast  their  ballots  approving 
or  disapproving  an  article  in  relation  to  a  general  banking  law,  framed 
by  said  convention,  which  article  is  submitted  as  a  distinct  proposi- 
tion, to  be  voted  upon  by  casting  a  written  or  printed  ballot,  in  the 
following,  form  :  Those  in  favor,  voting  General  Banking  Law — Yes  ; 
those  against,  General  Banking  Law — No. 

If  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  in  favor  of  said  article,  then 
the  same  shall  form  a  part  of  the  constitution  ;  otherwise  it  shall  be 
roid  and  form  no  part  thereof. 

Places  of  voting 

SEC.  4.  First  senatorial,  district  Lawrence  precinct,  at  the  Free 
State  hotel ;  A.  D.  Searl,  Lyman  Allen,  Henry  Bronson,  judges. 

Franklin  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Mr.  Purdam  ;  James  McGee, 
Horace  L.  Enos,  I.  Purdam,  judges. 

Blanton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Abbott ;  John  Steuart,  K. 
Vaughn,  P.  T.  Happ,  judges. 

Palmyra  precinct,  at  the  house  of  H.  Barricklow  ;  H.  Barricklow, 
Lewis  Green,  A.  Pierson,  judges. 

Second  senatorial  district,  Bloomington  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
H.  Burson  ;  Samuel  Smith,  Daniel  Vancil,  J.  M.  Dunn,  judges. 

Third  senatorial  district,  Washington  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W. 
K.  Frost ;  W?  Kiley,  Caleb  Antram,  Eli  Allen,  judges. 

Tecumseh  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  Taylor ;  Charles  Jordan, 
John  Morris,  Francis  G-russmuck,  judges. 

Topeka  precinct,  at  the  law  office  of  E.  C.  K.  Garvey  ;  Dr.  F.  L. 
Grain,  Millton  C.  Dickey,  J.  T.  Cummins,  judges. 

Brownsville  precinct,  at  the  house  of  G.  W.  Brown  ;  G.  W.  Brown, 
Mr.  Simmer  well,  Dr.  Bowen,  judges. 

Fourth  senatorial  district,  Prairie  City  precinct,  at  the  house  of 
Samuel  Mewhenney  ;  W.  Moore,  Samuel  Workman,  Amos  Hanna, 
judges. 

Mission  precinct,  at  the  Baptist  Mission  building  ;  G-.  L.  Osboroe, 
S.  M.  Cornantzer,  Lewis  Dougherty,  judges. 

Wakarusa  precinct,  at  the  store  "of  Paschall  Fish  ;  L.  H.  Bascom, 
Ellis  Bond,  A.  G.  Green,  judges. 

Fifth   senatorial  district,    Osowatomie  precinct,   at   the   house   of 
Samuel  Geer  ;  Wm.  Chestnut,  B.  Woodbury,  Wm.  Sailing,  judges. 
H.  Kep.  200 41* 


642  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Stanton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Stamford  ;  J.  Woollard,  Mr. 
Morse,  W.  G.  Nichols,  judges. 

Pottawatomie  precinct,  at  the  meeting  house  ;  F.  Brown,  J.  Grant, 
S.  B.  Morse,  judges. 

Hampden  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W.  A.  Ela  ;  W.  A.  Ela,  Chaun- 
cey  Morse,  George  Law,  judges. 

Sugar  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Silas  Young  ;  Silas  Young,, 
James  W.  Dudley,  William  Dyer,  judges. 

Little  Sugar  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  D.  Stockton  ;  I. 

D.  Stockton,  Thomas  Sears,  James  Oshorne,  judges. 

Little  Osage  precinct,  at  Miller's  store  ;  Thomas  Oshurn,  Mr.  Mil- 
ler, Mr.  Fawbus.  judges. 

Osage  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Polks  ;  Mr.  Wycoff,  Mr. 
,  Mr. ,  judges. 

Sixth  senatorial  district,  Scottstown  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Vaudevere  ;  T.  Crabtree,  Isaac  Chatham,  F.  A.  Froscel,  judges. 

Titus  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Titus,  on  the  Santa  Fe  road  ; 
J.  B.  Titus,  John  Drew,  W.  Lord,  judges. 

Council  Grove  precinct,  at  the  Mission  house;  J.  Goodell,  G.  H. 
Kees,  B.  Wright,  judges. 

Waubousa  precinct,  at  the  house  of  John  H.  Nesbit,  in  Waubousa ; 

E.  K.  McCurdy,  J.  W.  Bisby,  D.  B.  Hiatt,  judges. 

Mill  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  E.  Hoenick  ;  J.  E.  Hoenick, 
,  judges. 

Ashland  precinct,  at  the  house  of ;  Mr.  Adams, , 

judges. 

Clark  Creek  precinct,  at  some  suitable  place  near  the  junction  of 
Clark  and  Humboldt  creeks  ;  William  McCready,  Mr.  Berry,  Mr. 
Mitchell,  judges. 

Seventh  senatorial  district*,  Pawnee  precinct,  at  Loder  &  Shaw's 
store  in  Pawnee  ;  S.  P.  Higgins,  W.  M.  McClure,  L.  Knapp,  judges. 

Big  Blue  precinct,  at  the  house  of  S.  D.  Dyer,  in  Juniata  ;  J.  Stew- 
art, S.  D.  Houston,  J.  T.  Goodenow,  judges. 

Kock  Creek  precinct,  at  the  House  of  Mr.  Haitt ;  James  Darnell, 
Charles  Jenkins,  Henry  Kemmell,  judges. 

Eighth  senatorial  district ;  Black  Vermillion  precinct,  at  some 
suitable  house  in  said  precinct  on  the  Vermillion  branch  of  the  Blue 
river  ;  John  Schmidt,  Mr.  Hollingburg,  M.  Alvey,  judges. 

St.  Mary's  precinct,  at  the  house  of  B.  F.  Bertrand  ;  Dr.  Palmer, 
C.  Garrett,  C.  Dean,  judges. 

Silver  Lake  precinct,  at  some  suitable  house  in  Indianola;  E.  Ken- 
nedy, J.  W.  Hopkins,  John  G.  Thompson,  judges. 

Ninth  senatorial  district ;  Dayton  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Bainter 
&  Hoover  ;  Lewis  Hoover,  Nathan  Adams,  G.  B.  Hall,  judges. 

Grasshopper  Falls  precinct,  at  the  house  of  the  mill  company  ; 
S.  H.  Dunn,  John  W.  Clark,  J.  B.  Koss,  judges. 

Whitfield  precinct,  at  the  house  of  ,  .  B.  Chapman  ;  Thomas  Jen- 
ners,  Vincent  D.  Cobee,  James  A.  Gray ,v  judges. 

Tenth  senatorial  district ;  California  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W. 
W.  Moore  ;  W.  W.  Moore,  W.  Jackson,  judges. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS,  643 

Iowa  Point  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  McCall  ;  Mr.  Hanby,  Mr. 
Pader,  judges. 

Voters  on  Independence  and  Deer  creeks  will  vote  at  Doniphan. 

St  Joseph's  bottom  precinct,  at  the  house  of  B.  Hardin;  George 
Bryant,  H.  Smallwood,  A.  A.  Jamison,  judges. 

Burr  Oak  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Wilson ;  Mr.  Brook,  Mr. 
Wilson,  Thomas  McCullock,  judges. 

Palermo  precint,  at  the  house  of  K.  Martin  ;  John  White,  E. 
Ladd,  N.  White,  judges. 

Doniphan  precinct,  at  Collins'  mill  ;  David  Lee,  D.  W.  Fields, 
J.  McNamee,  judges, 

Wolf  River  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Searle  ;  Mr.  Searle,  Mr. 
Ulse,  Mr.  Kichardson,  judges. 

Eleventh  senatorial  district  ;  Kickapoo  precinct,  at  some  suitable 
house  in  Kickapoo  City ;  Dr.  McCormas,  Mr.  Zimmerman,  Mr.  Boyd, 
judges. 

Port  William  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Hathaway  ;  Dr.  Hath- 
away. Mr.  Oliphant,  Mr.  Potter,  judges. 

Mount  Pleasant  precinct,  at  the  house  of  M.  A.  Potter  ;  Mr.  Ridg- 
way,  B.  Elliot,  M.  A.  Potter,  judges. 

Oceana  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Crosby  &  Co.;  Archibald  Elliott, 
A.  Landrum,  S.  J.  H.  Snyder,  judges. 

Atchison  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Kay  ;  R.  McCubbins,  Mr. 
Ray,  Henry  Williams,  judges. 

Twelfth  senatorial  district;  Leavenworth  precinct,  at  the  office 
of  Gardiner  &  Dodge  ;  Adam  Fisher,  Thomas  H.  Doyle,  Hide  Hook, 
judges. 

Eastern  precinct,  at  the  house  of  T.  A.  Maynard  ;  T.  A.  Maynard, 
0.  J.  Clark,  William  Pennock,  judges. 

Wyandot  precinct  at  the  council  house  in  Wyandot  City  ;  Abelard 
Gruthrie,  0.  J.  Clark,  Ebenezer  Lane,  judges. 

The  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory  is  authorized  to  ap- 
point additional  precincts  and  judges  therefor. 


Instructions  to  judges. 


SEC.  7.  The  three  judges  will  provide  for  each  poll  ballot  boxes  for 
depositing  the  ballots  cast  by  electors  ;  shall  appoint  two  clerks,  all 
of  whom  shall  be  sworn  or  affirmed  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their 
respective  offices  impartially  and  with  fidelity  ;  and  the  judges  and 
clerks  shall  have  power  to  adminster  the  oath  or  affirmation  to  each 
other  ;  and  the  said  judges  shall  open  said  election  at  nine  o'clock, 
a.  m.,  at  the  place  designated  in  each  precinct,  and  close  the  same  at 
six  o'clock,  p.m.  In  case  any  of  the  officers  appointed  fail  to  attend, 
the  officer  or  officers  in  attendance  shall  supply  their  places  ;  and  in 
the  event  of  all  of  them  failing  to  attend,  the  qualified  voters  shall 
supply  their  places  ;  and  the  said  judges  shall  make  out  duplicate 
returns  of  said  election,  seal  up  and  transmit  the  same  within  ten 
days  to  the  chairman  of  the  executive  committee,  one  copy  of  which 
is  to  be  laid  before  the  general  assembly.  If  at  the  time  of  holding 
said  election  it  shall  be  inconvenient,  from  any  cause  whatever  that 


644  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

would  disturb  or  prevent  the  voters  of  any  election  precinct  in  the 
Territory  from  the  free  and  peaceable  exercise  of  the  elective  franchise, 
the  officers  are  hereby  authorized  to  adjourn  said  election  into  any 
other  precinct  in  the  Territory,  and  to  any  other  day  they  may  see 
proper,  of  the  necessity  of  which  they  shall  be  the  exclusive  judges, 
at  which  time  and  place  the  qualified  voters  may  cast  their  ballots. 

Qualification  of  voters. 

SEC.  2.  Every  white  male  person  and  every  civilized  male  Indian 
who  has  adopted  the  habits  of  the  white  man,  of  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years  and  upward,  who  shall  be  at  the  time  of  offering  to  vote  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States,  who  shall  have  resided  and  had  his 
habitation,  domicil,  home,  and  place  of  permanent  abode  in  Kansas 
Territory  for  thirty  days  next  preceding  the  election,  shall  be  deemed 
a  qualified  elector  ;  provided  that  no  soldier,  seaman,  or  marine  of 
the  regular  army  of  the  United  State  shall  be  entitled  to  rote. 

BLANKS. 

Printed  forms  of  poll  books,  tally  papers,  and  tickets  will  be  fur- 
nished to  the  officers  of  each  election  precinct. 

The  importance  of  the  election  will  doubtless  induce  you  to  observe 
the  forms  transmitted,  and  scrupulously  to  adhere  to  the  rules  herein 
recited. 

It  is  confidently  expected  the  people  of  Kansas  will  be  permitted  to 
exercise  the  right  of  suffrage  upon  so  vital  a  subject  as  their  first  con- 
stitution, without  interference  from  foreign  invaders;  if,  however,  yoia. 
are  disappointed  and  any  attempt  should  be  made  to  pollute  the  ballot 
box  by  force  or  otherwise,  the  judges  will  unhesitatingly  exercise  the  ' 
authority  vested  in  them,  and  adjourn  or  remove  the  polls  to  such 
time  and  place  as  in  their  judgment  will  secure  a  legal  election. 

Given  under  my  hand,  at  the  office  of  the  executive  committee  off 
Kansas  Territory,  at  Topeka,  this  24th  day  of  November,  A.  D.  1855. 

J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman. 

J.  K.  GOODIN,  Secretary. 

A  regularly  conducted  election  was  held  on  the  15th  of  December, , 
1855,  in  pursuance  of  that  proclamation  and  in  compliance  with  the 
order  of  the  constitutional  convention.     The  returns  of  the  elections 
were  brought  in  and  given  to  the  executive  committee. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  1855,  the  following  proclamation  was 
issued  by  the  executive  committee.  It  is  here  inserted: 

CONSTITUTIONAL  PROCLAMATION. 

At  an  election  holden  on  the  15th  day  of  December,  1855.  to  deter- 
mine, by  ballot,  for  or  against  the  adoption  of  a  constitution  for  the 
State  of  Kansas,  framed  by  a  convention  of  delegates  which  assembled 
at  Topeka  on  Tuesday,  the  23d  of  October,  1855,  it  doth  appear  by 
the  returns  of  said  election  now  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  executive 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  645 

committee,  that  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  cast  are  in  favor  of  the  said 
constitution.  Now,  therefore,  by  virtue  of  authority  in  me  vested  as 
chairman  of  the  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory,  I  do  hereby 
proclaim  and  make  known,  that  the  constitution  framed  by  the  said 
Topeka  convention  has  been  ratified  by  the  qualified  voters  of  Kansas 
Territory,  and  I  do  now  declare  the  same  to  be  the  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE 
STATE  OF  KANSAS. 

And  I  do  further  proclaim  and  make  known,  that  of  all  the  votes 
cast  at  the  aforesaid  election  "for"  and  " against"  a  separate  and  dis- 
tinct article  on  the  subject  of  banking,  a  majority  are  in  favor  of  a 
"  general  banking  law,"  as  ascertained  by  the  returns  of  said  election 
now  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  executive  committee ;  and  I  do  now  de- 
clare the  said  article  to  be  a  part  of  the  constitution  of  the  State  of 
Kansas. 

And  I  do  further  proclaim  and  make  known,  that  of  the  votes  cast 
at  the  aforesaid  election  "for"  and  "against"  " the  passage  of  laws 
by  the  general  assembly  providing  for  the  exclusion  of  free  negroes 
from  the  State  of  Kansas — the  result  of  such  vote  to  operate  as  in- 
structions to  the  first  general  assembly  upon  that  subject,"  a  majority 
are  in  favor  of  "exclusion,"  as  ascertained  by  the  returns  of  said  elec- 
tion now  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  executive  committee. 

Given  under  my  hand,  at  the  office  of  the  executive  committee  of 
Kansas,  at  the  city  of  Topeka,  this  27th  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1855. 

J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman. 
Attest: 

C.  K.  HOLLIDAY,  Secretary  pro  tempore. 

On  the  same  day  a  proclamation  was  issued  for  the  election  of  State 
officers  and  members  of  the  general  assembly  of  the  State  of  Kansas, 
to  be  held  on  the  15th  of  January,  1856,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
true  copy : 

ELECTION  PROCLAMATION. 

By  virtue  of  authority  in  me  vested  as  chairman  of  the  executive 
committee  of  Kansas  Territory,  I  do  hereby  proclaim  and  make  known, 
that  the  qualified  voters  of  Kansas  will  meet  at  the  several  precincts 
hereinafter  mentioned,  on  the  15th  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1856,  and 
then  and  there  elect : 

One  person  for  governor ;  one  person  for  lieutenant  governor  ;  one 
person  for  secretary  of  State ;  one  person  for  auditor  of  State  ;  one 
person  for  treasurer  of  State ;  one  person  for  attorney  general ;  three 
persons  for  judges  of  supreme  court ;  one  person  for  reporter  of  su- 
preme court ;  one  person  for  clerk  of  supreme  court ;  one  person  for 
public  printer;  one  person  for  representative  to  Congress. 

At  the  same  time  and  places  they  will  also  elect  twenty  persons  for 
senators  and  sixty  persons  for  representatives  to  the  general  assembly 
tff  the  State  of  Kansas,  to  be  apportioned  among  the  several  districts 
as  follows,  to  wit: 


646  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Senatorial  and  representative  districts. 

1st.  The  first  election  district  shall  be  entitled  to  three  senators  and 
eight  representatives. 

2d.  The  second  election  district  shall  be  entitled  to  one  senator  and 
three  representatives. 

3d.  The  third  election  district  shall  be  entitled  to  one  senator  and 
three  representatives. 

4th.  The  fourth  and  seventeenth  election  districts  shall  constitute 
the  fourth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to 
one  senator  and  two  representatives. 

5th.  The  fifth  election  district  shall  be  entitled  to  three  senators 
and  nine  representatives. 

6th.  The  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  election  districts  shall  consti- 
tute the  sixth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to 
two  senators  and  five  representatives. 

7th.  The  ninth  and  tenth  election  districts  shall  constitute  the 
seventh  senatorial  district,  and  be  entitled  to  one  senator  and  four 
representatives. 

8th.  The  eleventh  and  twelfth  election  districts  shall  constitute  the 
eighth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  one 
senator  and  three  representatives. 

9th.  The  thirteenth  election  district  shall  constitute  the  ninth  sena- 
torial and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  one  senator  and 
two  representatives. 

10th.  The  fourteenth  and  eighteenth  election  districts  shall  consti- 
tute the  tenth  senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled 
to  two  senators  and  seven  representatives. 

llth.  The  fifteenth  election  district  shall  constitute  the  eleventh 
senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  one  senator 
and  five  representatives. 

12th.  The  sixteenth  election  district  shall  constitute  the  twelfth 
senatorial  and  representative  district,  and  be  entitled  to  three  senators 
and  nine  representatives. 

Until  otherwise  provided  by  law,  the  election  in  the  several  districts 
shall  be  held  at  the  following  places,  and  the  following  named  persons 
are  hereby  appointed  as  judges  of  the  elections. 

Election  Precincts. 

1st  senatorial  district,  Lawrence  precinct,  at  the  Free  State  hotel; 
A.  D.  Searl,  Lyman  Allen,  Henry  Bronson,  judges. 

Franklin  precinct,  at  the  store  of  E.  B.  Purdam;  James  McGee 
Horace  L.  Enos,  E.  B.  Purdam,  judges. 

Blanton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Abbott;  John  Stewart,  R. 
Vaughn,  P.  T.  Hupp,  judges. 

Palmyra  precinct,  at  the  house  of  H.  Barricklow ;  H.  Barricklow,. 
L.  Green,  A.  Pierson,  judges. 

2d  senatorial  district,  Bloomington  precinct,  at  the  house  of  H.  Bur 
son;  Samuel  Smith,*  Daniel  Vancil,  J.  M.  Dunn,  judges. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  647 

East  Douglas  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Esquire  Cranmer;  John 
Jackson,  Mr.  Harris,  Mr.  Shimmins,  judges. 

3d  senatorial  district,  Washington  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W. 
Frost;  W.  Riley,  Caleb  Antram,  Eli  Allen,  judges. 

Tecumseh  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  Taylor;    Charles  Jordan, 
John  Morris,  F.  Grasmuck,  judges. 

Topeka  precinct,  at  the  law  office  of  E.  C.  K.  Garvey;  Dr.  F.  L. 
Crane,  Milton  C.  Dickey,  J.  F.  Cummins,  judges. 

Brownsville  precinct,  at  the  house  of  G.  W.  Brown ;  G.  W.  Brown, 
Mr.  Simmerwell,  Dr.  Bowen,  judges. 

4th  senatorial  district,  Prairie  City  precinct,  at  the  house  of  S.  Mew- 
hinney;  W.  Moore,  Samuel  Workman,  Amos  Hanna,  judges. 

Mission  precinct,  at  the  Baptist  mission  building;  G.  L.  Osborn, 
S.  M.  Cornantzer,  Lewis  Dougherty,  judges. 

Wakarusa  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Paschal  Fish;  L.  EL  Bascom, 
Ellis  Bond,  A.  G.  Green,  judges. 

5th  senatorial  district,  Osawatomie  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Samuel 
Geer;  William  Chestnut,  B.  Woodbury,  William  Sailing,  judges. 

Stanton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Stamford;  J.  Wollard,  Mr. 
Morse,  W.  G.  Nichols,  judges. 

Pottawatomie  precinct,  at  the  meeting  house  ;  F.  Brown,  J.  Grant, 
F.  B.  Morse,  judges. 

Hampden  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W.  A.  Ela;  W.  A.  Ela,  Chaun- 
cey  Morse,  George  Law,  judges. 

Sugar  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Silas  Young  ;  Silas  Young, 
James  W.  Dudley,  William  Dyer,  judges. 

Little  Sugar  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  D.  Stockton;  I. 
D.  Stockton,  T.  Sears,  James"0sborn,  judges. 

Little  Osage  precinct,  at  Miller's  store;  T.  Osborn,  William  Miller, 
Abram  Fanbus,  judges. 

Big  Osage  precinct,  at  some  suitable  place  in  the  precinct;  Mr. 
Hamilton,,  Mr.  Nichols,  judges. 

6th  senatorial  district,  Scottstown  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Van- 
devere;  S.  Crabtree,  Isaac  Chatman,  F.  S.  Froscel,  judges. 

Titus  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Titus  on  the  Santa  Fe  road; 
J.  B.  Titus,  J.  Drew,  W.  Lord,  judges. 

Council  Grove  precinct,  at  the  mission  house;  J.  Goodell,  G.  H. 
Rees,  B.  Wright,  judges. 

Waubousa  precinct,  at  some  suitable  building  in  Waubousa;  E.  R. 
McCurdy,  S.  M.  Bisby,  D.  B.  Hiatt,  judges. 

Clark's  creek  precinct,  at  some  suitable  house  at  Mill  creek;  Hoen- 
rich, ,  judges. 

Ashland  precinct,   at   some   suitable   house   at  Ashland;   Messrs. 
Adams, •,  judges. 

*7th  senatorial  district,  Moneka  precinct,  at  Sunnamaker's  store,  on 
Seven  Mile  creek;  S.  B.  White,  L.  Lincoln,  W.  M.  McClure,  judges. 

Big  Blue  precinct,  at  the  house  of  S.  D.  Dyer  in  Juniata;  J.  Stew- 
art,-S.  H.  Houston,  S.  Whiteborn,  judges. 

Rock  creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Robert  Wilson  ;   James  Dar- 
nell, Charles  Jenkins,  Henry  Remmell.  judges. 

8th  senatorial  district,  Black  Vermillion  precinct,  at  some  suitable 


648  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

house  in  said  precinct,  on  the  Vermillion  branch  of  the  Blue  river  '•> 
John  Shmidt,  Mr.  Hollingburgh,  M.  Avely,  judges. 

St.  Mary's  precinct,  at  the  house  of  B.   Betrand;  Dr.  Palmer,  C. 
Garrett,  C.  Dean,  judges. 

Silver  Lake  precinct,  at  some  suitable  house  in  Indianola  ;  E.  Ken- 
nedy, J.  W.  Hopkins,  John  G.  Thompson,  judges. 

9th  senatorial  district,  Dayton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Bainter  & 
Hoover;  Lewis  Hoover,  Nathan  Adams,  Gr.  B.  Hall,  judges. 

Grasshopper  Falls  precinct,  at  the  house  of  the  Mill  Company ;  S. 
H.  Dunn,  John  W.  Clark,  J.  M.  Boss,  judges. 

Whitfield  precinct,  at  the  house  of  J.  B.  Chapman;  Thomas  James, 
Vincent  D.  Cohee,  James  A.  Gray,  judges. 

Crooked  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  A.  Simmons;  A.  Simmons, 
Simeon  Hall,  G.  T.  Donaldson,  judges. 

Bills  Creek  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  McKinney ;  Messrs.  James, 
Jones,  McKinney,  judges. 

Slough  Creek  precinct,  at  some  suitable  place  in  the  precinct ;    R. 
Ward,  Mr.  Owen, ,  judges. 

10th  senatorial  district,  California  precinct,  at  the  house  of  W.  W. 
Moore  ;  W.  W.  Moore,  W.  Jackson,  judges. 

St.  Jo.  bottom  precinct,  at  the  house  of  B.  Harden;  George  Bryant, 
H.  Smallwood,  A.  A.  Jamison,  judges. 

Burr  Oak  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Wilson;  Mr.  Brock,  Mr. 
Wilson,  Thomas  McCollock,  judges. 

Palermo  precinct,  at  the  house  of  B.  Martin ;  John  White,  E.  Ladd, 
N.  White,  judges. 

Doniphan  precinct,  at  Collin's  mill;  D.   Lee,  D.   W.  Fields,  J. 
McName,  judges. 

Wolf  river  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Searl;  Messrs.  Searl,  Ulse, 
Richardson,  judges. 

Iowa  Point  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  McColl ;  Mr.  Hundy,  Mr. 
Padue,  judges. 

llth  senatorial  district,  Kickapoo  precinct,  at  some  suitable  house 
in  Kickapoo  city  ;  Mr.  Giegle,  Mr.  Zimmerman,  Mr.  May,  judges. 

Port  William  precinct,  at  the  house  of  Dr.   Hathaway;  Mr.  Oli- 
phant,  Mr.  Potter,  judges. 

Mt.  Pleasant  precinct,  at  the  house  of  M.  A.  Potter  ;  Mr.  Ridge- 
way,  B.  Elliott,  M.  A.  Potter,  judges. 

Oceana  precinct,  at  the  store  of  Crosby  &  Co.;  Archibald  Elliott,  A. 
Landrum,  S.  J.  H.  Snyder,  judges. 

12th  senatorial  district,  Leavenworth  precinct,  at  the  office  of  Gar- 
dener &  Dodge  ;  A.  Fisher,  T.  H.  Doyle,  H.  Hook,  judges. 

Easton  precinct,  at  the  house  of  T.  A.  Maynard;  T.  A.  Maynard, 
G.  J.  Clark,  W.  Pennock,  judges. 

Wyandott  precinct,  at  the  council  house  in  Wyandott  city  ;    A. 
Gurthrie,  G.  J.  Clark,  E.  Zane,  judges. 

Instructions  to  Judges  of  Election. 

The  three  judges  will  provide  for  each  poll  ballot  boxes  for  deposit- 
ing the  ballots  cast  by  electors ;  shall  appoint  two  clerks,  all  of  whom 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  649 

shall  be  sworn  or  affirmed  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their  respective 
offices  impartially  and  with  fidelity ;  and  the  judges  and  clerks  shall 
have  power  to  administer  the  oath  or  affirmation  to  each  other ;  and 
the  said  judges  shall  open  said  election  at  nine  o'clock,  a.  m.,  at  the 
place  designated  in  each  precinct  in  this  proclamation,  and  close  the 
same  at  six  o'clock,  p.  m.  In  case  any  of  the  officers  appointed  fail 
to  attend,  the  officer  or  officers  in  attendance  shall  supply  the  vacancy 
or  vacancies ;  and  in  the  event  of  all  of  them  failing  to  attend,  the 
qualified  electors  shall  supply  their  places.  And  the  said  judges  shall 
make  out  duplicate  returns  of  said  election,  seal  up  and  deliver  to 
the  chairman  of  the  executive  committee  the  same  within  ten  days 
after  said  election.  If  at  the  time  of  holding  said  election  it  shall  be 
inconvenient  on  account  of  any  cause  whatever  that  would  disturb  or 
prevent  the  voters  of  any  election  precinct  in  the  Territory  from  the 
free  and  peaceable  exercise  of  the  elective  franchise,  the  officers  are 
authorized  to  adjourn  said  election  to  any  other  precinct  in  the  Terri- 
tory, and  to  any  other  day  they  may  see  proper ;  of  the  necessity  of 
which,  they  shall  be  the  exclusive  judges ;  at  which  time  and  place 
the  qualified  voters  may  cast  their  votes. 

Qualifications  of  Voters. 

Every  white  male  person,  and  every  civilized  Indian  who  has 
adopted  the  customs  of  the  white  man,  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years 
and  upwards,  who  shall  be,  at  the  time  of  offering  to  vote,  a  citizen 
of  the  United  States,  and  who  shall  have  resided  and  had  his  habita- 
tation,  domicil,  home,  and  place  of  permanent  abode  in  Kansas  Terri- 
tory, for  thirty  days  next  preceding  the  election,  shall  be  deemed  a 
qualified  elector  ;  provided,  that  no  soldier,  seaman  or  marine  of  the 
regular  army  of  the  United  States  shall  be  entitled  to  vote. 

Blanks. 

Printed  forms  of  poll  books,  tally  papers  and  tickets  will  be  fur- 
nished to  the  officers  of  each  election  precinct. 

The  importance  of  the  election  will  doubtless  induce  you  to  observe 
the  forms  transmitted,  and  scrupulously  to  adhere  to  the  rules  herein 
recited. 

Given  under  my  hand  at  the  office  of  the  executive  committee  of 
Kansas  Territory,  at  Topeka,  this  27th  day  of  December,  A.  D.,  1855. 

J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman. 

C.  K.  HOLLIDAY,  Secretary  pro  tempore. 


An  election  was  held  in  conformity  with  the  above  proclamation, 
and  returns  made  to  the  executive  committee.  The  following  is  an 
abstract  of  the  returns  of  that  election. 


650 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


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KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  651 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1856,  the  executive  committee  issued  pro- 
clamations announcing  the  results  of  the  election  of  State  officers,  of 
which  the  following  are  copies : 

PROCLAMATION. 

By  authority  vested  in  me,  as  chairman  of  the  executive  committee 
of  Kansas  Territory,  I  do  hereby  proclaim  that  at  an  election  held  in 
the  different  precincts  of  said  Territory,  on  the  15th  day  of  January, 
1856,  as  provided  for  by  the  convention  which  met  at  Topeka  to 
"frame  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas, 
and  take  all  needful  steps  toward  the  formation  of  a  State  government, 
preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union/'  that  Charles 
Kobinson,  having  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said 
election,  has  been  chosen  governor;  and  that  William  Y.  Koberts, 
having  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  has 
been  chosen  lieutenant  governor;  and  that  Philip  C.  Schuyler,  hav- 
ing received  the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  was 
chosen  as  secretary  of  state;  and  that  George  A.  Cutler,  having  re- 
ceived the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  was  chosen 
as  auditor  of  state  ;  and  that  John  A.  Wakefield,  having  received  the 
highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  was  chosen  as  treasurer  of 
state ;  and  that  H.  Miles  Moore,  having  received  the  highest  number 
of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  was  chosen  as  attorney  general ;  and 
that  S.  N.  Latta,  Morris  Hunt,  and  M.  F.  Conway,  having  each  re- 
ceived the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  were  chosen 
as  judges  of  the  supreme  court ;  and  that  E.  M.  Thurston,  having  re- 
ceived the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  was  chosen  as 
reporter  of  the  supreme  court;  and  that  S.  B.  Floyd,  having  received 
the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  election,  has  been  chosen 
State  printer. 

And  I  do  hereby  proclaim  that  the  same  are  hereby  elected  to  the 
positions  mentioned,  and  that  they  be  and  appear,  as  provided  in  the 
constitution  aforementioned,  at  the  city  of  Topeka,  Kansas,  on  the 
4th  day  of  March,  A.  D.,  1856. 

Given  under  my  hand  at  the  office  of  the  executive  committee  of 
Kansas  Territory,  this  6th  day  of  February,  A.  D.  1856. 

J.  H.  LANE, 
Chairman  Executive  Committee,  K.  T. 

J.  K.  GOODIN,  Secretary. 

PROCLAMATION. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE, 

Lawrence ,  K.  T.,  February  8,  1856. 
By  authority  vested  in  me  as  chairman  of  the  executive  committee- 
of  Kansas  Territory,  I  do  hereby  proclaim  that  at  an  election  held  in 
the  several  precincts  of  said  Territory,  on  the  15th  day  of  January, 
A.  D.  1856,  as  provided  for  by  the  convention  which  met  at  Topeka  to 
"  frame  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas, 
and  take  all  needful  steps  toward  the  foundation  of  a  State  govern- 
ment preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union,"  that 
Mark  W.  Delahay  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  at  said 


652  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

election  for  representative  to  the  34th  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
and  is  hereby  declared  duly  elected  as  said  representative. 

Given  under  my  hand  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman  Executive  Committee. 

J.  K.  GOODIN,  Secretary. 

The  legislature  met  on  the  day  and  at  the  place  designated  by  the  State 
constitution,  the  State  officers  and  members  of  the  general  assembly 
elect  were  sworn  in,  and  entered^upon  the  discharge  of  their  respective 
duties.  After  electing  United  States  senators,  passing  some  laws, 
and  appointing  a  codifying  committee,  the  general  assembly  adjourned 
to  meet  on  the  4th  of  July,  1856. 

G.  W.  DEITZLEE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  13,  1856. 

(A.) 

MEMORIAL. 

To  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  Congress  assembled: 

The  memorial  of  the  subscribers,  citizens  and  residents  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas,  respectfully  represents: 

That  a  state  of  things  exists  in  said  Territory,  unparalleled,  as  we 
believe,  in  the  history  of  our  country,  and  which  it  becomes  our  solemn 
duty  to  lay  before  you.,  and  through  you  before  our  fellow-citizens  of 
the  United  States.  Under  the  guaranties  of  your  law  for  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Territory,  and  in  consideration  of  the  privileges  which 
that  law  held  out  to  us,  we  left  our  former  homes,  met  the  privations 
of  an  uninhabited  country,  and  prepared  for  adding  another  republic 
to  our  Union.  The  right  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  the  rght  of 
suffrage  and  self-government  were  set  up  as  the  beacon  lights  which 
beckoned  us  on.  As  freemen  we  were  invited,  as  freemen  we  came, 
and  as  freemen  we  expected  to  live.  But  we  address  you  now  as  an 
outraged  and  subjugated  people,  disfranchis  and  enslaved,  stripped  of 
our  dearest  rights,  and  governed  by  a  set  of  master  foreign  to  our 
soil,  and  responsible  only  to  their  own  lawless  will.  One  of  the 
States  of  our  Union,  strong  in  wealth,  population,  and  resources,  re- 
lying upon  her  accumulated  strength  of  almost  half  a  century,  and 
taking  advantage  of  our  feeble  infancy  as  a  people,  has  invaded  our 
soil,  seized  upon  our  rights,  subjugated  our  Territory,  and  selected  for 
us  our  rulers ;  intending,  also,  to  dictate  our  laws,  and  make  us  the 
slaves  of  their  will.  This  may  well  seem  an  almost  incredible  thing 
in  the  nineteenth  century,  and  in  this  republican  Union,  the  peculiar 
and  boasted  land  of  liberty  and  self-go \ernment;  but  the  evidence  of 
it  is  as  palpable  and  undeniable  as  the  fact  is  bitter  and  mortifying  to 
us  and  disgraceful  to  the  public. 

This  invasion  of  our  soil  and  usurpation  of  our  rights  commenced 
at  the  first  moment  of  calling  those  rights  into  action.  The  first 
ballot  box  that  was  opened  upon  our  virgin  soil  was  closed  to  us  by 
overpowering  numbers  and  impending  force.  It  became,  not  what 
Americans  have  been  proud  to  designate  it,  the  exponent  of  the  peo- 
jple's  will,  but  was  converted  into  the  sword  of  the  oppressor  to  strike 
vil  liberty.  So  bold  and  reckless  were  our  invaders  that  they 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  653 

cared  not  to  conceal  their  attack.  They  came  upon  us,  not  in  the 
guise  of  voters,  to  steal  away  our  franchise,  but  boldly  and  openly  to 
snatch  it  with  the  strong  hand.  They  came  directly  from  their  own 
homes,  and  in  compact  and  organized  bands,  with  arms  in  hand  and 
provisions  for  the  expedition,  marched  to  our  polls,  and  when  their  work 
was  done  returned  whence  they  came.  It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into 
the  details;  it  is  enough  to  say  that  three  districts,  in  which,  by  the 
most  irrefragable  evidence,  there  were  not  150  voters,  most  of  whom 
refused  to  participate  in  this  mockery  of  the  elective  franchise,  these 
invaders  polled  over  a  thousand  votes.  Loving  our  country  and  its 
institutions,  we  were  willing,  if  this  was  to  be^only  a  solitary  instance, 
to  suffer  it  in  silence,  rather  than  to  proclaim  to  the  world  that  even 
in  this  remote  spot  of  our  great  country  civil  liberty  was  but  a  name. 
Bitter  and  mournful  experience  has  taught  us,  however,  that  this  wae 
no  isolated  act,  no  temporary  ebulition,  but  the  commencement  of  a 
well  matured  and  settled  plan,  by  a  large  portion  of  the  people  of  one 
of  the  States  of  our  Union,  permanently  to  enslave  us  and  constitute 
themselves  our  masters. 

On  the  30th  day  of  March  last,  we  were  again  invited  to  the  ballot- 
box,  under  the  law  which  we,  in  common  with  our  fellow-citizens  of 
the  States,  had,  through  your  body,  enacted.  Our  vigilant  and  faith- 
ful chief  magistrate  had  surrounded  it  with  all  the  guards  and  pre- 
cautions with  which  his  authority  invested  him,  and  we  were  pre- 
pared to  exercise  the  dearest  and  most  cherished  privilege  of  American 
citizens,  with  a  full  sense  of  the  vital  and  interesting  importance  of 
this  peculiar  occasion.  The  occasion  came,  and  with  it  came  our  in- 
vading and  self-constituted  masters  in  thousands,  and  with  all  the 
paraphernalia  of  war.  They  came,  organized  in  bands,  with  officers, 
and  arms,  and  tents,  and  provisions,  and  munitions  of  war,  as  though 
they  were  marching  upon  a  foreign  foe,  instead  of  their  own  unoffend- 
ing fellow-citizens.  Upon  the  principal  road  leading  into  our  Terri- 
tory and  passing  several  important  polls,  they  numbered  not  less  than 
twelve  hundred  men,  and  one  camp  alone  contained  not  less  than  six 
hundred.  They  arrived  at  their  several  destinations  the  night  before 
the  election,  and  having  pitched  their  camps  and  placed  their  sentries, 
waited  for  the  coming  day.  Baggage-wagons  were  there,  with  arms 
and  ammunition  enough  for  a  protracted  fight,  and  among  them  two 
brass  fields-pieces,  ready  charged.  They  came  with  drums  beating 
and  flags  flying,  and  their  leaders  were  of  the  most  prominent  and 
conspicuous  men  of  their  State. 

In  the  morning  they  surrounded  the  polls,  armed  with  guns,  bowie- 
knives,  and  revolvers,  and  declared  their  determination  to  vote  at  all 
hazards,  and  in  spite  of  all  consequences.  If  the  judges  could  be 
made  to  subserve  their  purposes  and  receive  their  votes,  and  if  ne 
obstacle  was  cast  in  their  way,  the  leaders  exerted  themselves  to  pre- 
serve peace  and  order  in  the  conduct  of  the  election,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  did  not  hesitate  to  declare  that  if  not  allowed  to  vote  they  would 
proceed  to  any  extremity  in  the  destruction  of  property  and  life.  If 
control  of  the  polls  could  not  be  had  otherwise,  the  judges  were,  by 
intimidation,  and,  if  necessary,  by  violence,  prevented  from  perform- 
ing their  duty  ;  or,  if  unyielding  in  this  respect,  were  driven  from 
their  post,  and  the  vacancy  filled,  in  form,  by*the  persons  on  the 


654  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

ground,  and  whenever,  by  any  means,  they  had  obtained  the  control 
of  the  board,  the  foreign  vote  was  promiscuously  poured  in,  without 
discrimination  or  reserve,  or  the  slightest  care  to  conceal  its  nefarious 
illegality.  At  one  of  these  polls,  two  of  the  judges,  having  manfully 
stood  up  in  the  face  of  this  armed  mob  and  declared  they  would  do 
their  duty,  one  portion  of  the  mob  commenced  to  tear  down  the  house, 
another  proceeded  to  break  in  the  door  of  the  judges'  room,  whilst 
others,  with  drawn  knives,  posted  themselves  at  the  window,  with  the 
proclaimed  purpose  of  killing  any  voter  who  would  allow  himself  to 
be  sworn.  Voters  were  dragged  from  the  window  because  they  would 
not  show  their  tickets  or  vote  at  the  dictation  of  the  mob,  and  the  in- 
vaders declared  openly,  at  the  polls,  that  they  would  cut  the  throats 
of  the  judge's  if  they  did  not  receive  their  votes  without  requiring  an 
oath  as  to  their  residence.  The  room  was  finally  forced,  and  the 
judges,  surrounded  by  an  armed  and  excited  crowd,  were  offered  the 
alternatives  of  resignation  or  death,  and  five  minutes  were  allotted  for 
their  decision.  The  ballot-box  was  seized,  and,  amid  shouts  of 
"  hurra  for  Missouri,"  was  carried  into  the  mob.  The  two  menaced 
judges  then  left  the  ground,  together  with  all  the  resident  citizens, 
except  a  few  who  acted  in  the  outrage  because  the  result  expected 
from  it  conformed  to  their  views,  and  because  it  enabled  the  few  to 
rule  the  many.  When  an  excess  of  the  foreign  force  was  found  to  be 
bad  at  one  poll,  detachments  were  sent  to  others  where  it  was  sup- 
posed they  might  be  needed.  At  the  polls  adjoining  the  one  above 
alluded  to,  one  of  the  judges,  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  who  refused 
to  accede  to  the  demands  of  a  similar  mob  of  some  four  hundred  armed 
.and  organized  men,  was  driven  by  violence  from  his  post  and  the 
1 1  vacancy  "  filled  by  themselves.  Threats  and  violent  demonstrations 
were  rife,  and  another  clergyman,  for  the  expression  of  his  opinion, 
was  assaulted  and  beaten.  The  inhabitants  of  the  district,  powerless 
to  resist  the  abundant  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition,  the  organized 
preparation,  and  the  overwhelming  numbers  of  these  foreigners,  left 
the  polls  without  voting. 

In  the  Lawrence  district,  where  was  the  largest  camp  of  these  in- 
vaders, speeches  were  made  to  them  by  leading  residents  of  Missouri, 
in  which  it  was  said  that  they  would  carry  their  purpose,  if  need  be, 
.at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  and  bowie-knife,  and  one  voter  was  fired 
at  as  he  was  driven  from  the  election  ground.  Finding  they  had  a 
greater  force  than  was  necessary  for  that  poll,  some  two  hundred  men 
were  drafted  from  the  number  and  sent  off,  under  their  proper  officers, 
to  another  district,  after  which  they  still  polled  from  this  camp  over 
seven  hundred  votes.  In  the  fourth  and  seventh  districts,  along  the 
Santa  Fe  road,  similar  scenes  were  enacted.  The  invaders  came  to- 
gether in  one  armed  and  organized  body,  with  trains  of  fifty  wagons, 
"besides  horsemen,  and,  .the  night  before  election,  pitched  their  camp 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  polls,  and  having  appointed  their  own  judges  in  i 
place  of  those  who,  from  intimidation  or  otherwise,  failed  to  attend, 
they  voted  without  any  proof  of  residence.  In  these  two  election  dis- 
tricts, where  the  census  show  one  hundred  voters,  there  were  polled  = 
three  hundred  and  fourteen  votes,  and  last  fall  seven  hundred  and  ! 
sixty-five  votes,  although  a  large  portion  of  the  actual  residents  did 
not  vote  upon  either  occasion.  In  the  sixteenth  election  district  hun- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS  655 

dreds  of  men  came  together,  as  in  the  other  cases,  crossing  the  river 
from  Missouri  the  day  before  election  and  encamping  together,  armed 
and  provisioned,  made  the  fiercest  threats  against  the  lives  of  the  judges, 
and  during  the  night  called  several  times  at  the  house  of  one  of  them 
for  the  purpose  of  intimidating  him,  declaring,  in  the  presence  of  his 
wife,  that  a  rope  had  been  prepared  to  hang  him,  and,  although  we 
are  not  prepared  to  say  that  these  threats  would  have  been  carried  out, 
yet  they  served  to  produce  his  resignation,  and  give  these  invaders, 
in  the  substitution,  control  of  the  polls  ;  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
election  a  steamboat  brought  from  the  town  of  Weston,  Missouri,  to 
Leavenworth,  an  accession  to  their  numbers  of  several  hundred  more, 
who  returned  in  the  same  boat  after  depositing  their  votes.  There 
were  over  nine  hundred  and  fifty  votes  polled,  besides  from  one  hun- 
dred to  one  hundred  and  fifty  actual  residents  who  were  deterred  or 
discouraged  from  voting,  while  the  census  returns  show  but  three 
hundred  and  eighty-five  votes  in  the  district  a  month  before.  Not 
less  than  six  hundred  votes  were  here  given  by  these  non-residents  of 
the  Territory,  who  voted  without  being  sworn  as  to  their  qualifica- 
tions, and  immediately  after  the  election  returned  back  to  Missouri ; 
some  of  them  being  the  incumbents  of  important  public  offices  there. 
Indeed,  so  well  was  the  character  of  this  foreign  vote  understood  that 
the  judges  struck  out  of  the  prescribed  form  of  return  the  words  "by 
lawful  resident  voters." 

We  might  continue  the  list  of  these  sickening  details  until  the 
blood  of  every  freeman  would  boil  with  indignation  ;  but  it  is  useless. 
One  more  instance  alone  we  will  refer  to.  In  the  eighteenth  election 
district,  where  the  population  was  sparse,  and  no  great  amount  of 
foreign  votes  was  needed  to  overpower  it,  a  detachment  from  Missouri, 
from  sixty  to  one  hundred,  passed  in  with  a  train  of  wagons,  arms 
and  ammunition,  making  their  camp  the  night  before  the  election 
near  Moorestown,  the  place  of  the  polls,  without  even  a  pretext  of 
residence,  and  returning  immediately  to  Missouri  after  their  work  was 
done,  their  leader  and  captain  being  a  distinguished  citizen  of  Mis- 
souri, but  late  the  presiding  officer  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
and  who  had  bowie  knife  and  revolver  belted  around  him,  apparently 
ready  to  shed  the  blood  of  any  man  who  refused  to  be  enslaved.  All 
these  facts  we  are  prepared  to  establish,  if  necessary,  by  proof  that 
would  be  considered  competent  in  a  court  of  justice. 

From  a  careful  examination  of  the  returns  we  are  satisfied  that 
over  three  thousand  votes  were  thus  cast  by  the  citizens  and  residents 
of  the  States,  and  that  a  very  large  portion  of  the  residents  were 
deterred  or  discouraged  from  going  to  the  polls.  If  this  condition  of 
things  is  allowed  to  prevail,  we  are  reduced  to  the  state  of  a  vassal 
province,  and  are  governed  by  the  State  of  Missouri. 

It  would  be  mere  affectation  in  us  to  attempt  to  disguise  the  fact 
that  the  question  of  making  Kansas  a  free  or  slaves  States  is  at  the 
bottom  of  this  movement,  and  that  the  men  who  thus  invade  our  soil 
and  rob  us  of  our  liberties  are  from  the  pro-slavery  men  of  Missouri, 
who  are  unwilling  to  submit  the  question  to  the  people  of  the  Terri- 
tory, and  abide  the  compact  between  the  north  and  south,  which  the 
Kansas-Nebraska  bill  contains.  That  compact  we  want  carried  o^it, 
and  by  that  test  we  want  the  question  settled  if  H  can  be ;  but  there 


C56  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

are  few  things  that  we  would  not  prefer  to  the  domination  of  irrespon- 
sible invaders  from  Missouri.  That  enactment  is  not  only  a  law 
which  States  and  individuals  are  bound  to  obey,  but  it  is  a  compact 
between  the  north  and  the  south,  a  solemn  covenant  between  the 
sovereign  States  of  our  Union,  which  none  can  violate  without 
becoming  recreant  to  the  principles  of  honor  and  justice,  without  the 
betrayal  of  confidence  reposed,  without  such  breaking  of  plighted 
faith  as  in  an  individual  would  load  him  to  the  earth  with  scorn  and 
contempt,  and  drive  him  from  the  society  of  honest  men.  That  bill 
which  northern  statesmen,  backed  with  northern  votes,  had  obtained  for 
southern  rights,  is  made  by  men  who  invade  our  soil  the  very  instru- 
ment for  deprivingus  of  our  dearest  privileges,  and  stabbing  to  the  heart 
those  who  magnanimously  gave  it  into  their  hands  for  other  ends. 

That  bill  is  made  to  mean  popular  sovereignty  for  them,  serfdom 
for  us.  The  doctrine  of  self-government  is  to  be  trampled  under  foot 
here,  of  all  other  places  in  the  world,  on  the  very  spot  which  had 
been  hallowed  and  consecrated  to  its  most  signal  vindication.  The 
altars  which  had  been  reared  to  it  on  this  chosen  ground,  and  around 
which  at  least  the  democracy  of  the  whole  Union  had  sworn  allegiance, 
and  to  which  we  had  come  as  pilgrim  worshippers  in  the  wilderness, 
are  to  be  ruthlessly  demolished.  The  compact  is  to  be  basely  broken, 
and  the  ballot  of  the  freeman  (in  effect)  torn  from  our  hands,  almost 
before  the  ink  of  the  covenant  is  dry.  Not  only,  too,  is  the  principle 
of  popular  sovereignty  to  be  blotted  out,  but  more  than  this,  even  the 
object  of  the  contest  is  to  disappear.  The  question  of  negro  slavery  is 
to  sink  into  insignificance,  and  the  great  portentous  issue  is  to  loom 
up  in  its  stead,  whether  or  not  we  shall  be  the  slaves,  and  fanatics 
who  disgrace  the  honorable  and  chivalric  men  of  the  south  shall  be 
•ur  masters  to  rule  us  at  their  pleasure. 

With  a  feeble  and  scattered  community  just  struggling  into  exist- 
ence, without  organization  arid  almost  without  shelter,  we  are  power- 
less to  resist  an  old,  strong,  and  populous  State,  full  of  men  and  arms 
and  resources,  and  we  therefore  appeal  to  you,  and  through  you  to  the 
people  of  the  States.  Kemedy  here  we  have  none. 

Our  executive  has  with  manly  determination  and  persistent  fidelity 
stood  by  his  people,  and  endeavored  to  carry  out  the  principles  of 
popular  sovereignty,  and  secure  us  the  privilege  of  managing  our  own 
affairs  and  governing  ourselves,  until  his  reputation  has  been  assailed 
and  his  life  openly  threatened  with  a  bitterness  almost  unparalleled  ; 
and,  although  as  chief  magistrate  he  is  all  we  could  desire,  and  has 
fearlessly  pursued  the  path  of  duty  amid  a  storm  of  menace  and 
detraction,  under  which  many  men  would  have  quailed,  yet  he  is 
powerless  like  ourselves. 

We  make  now  this  last  appeal,  not  to  the  north,  not  to  the  south, 
not  to  any  political  party,  but  to  the  representatives  of  the  whole 
Union.  We  beg  that  no  men  will  sport  with  our  fearful  condition, 
by  endeavoring  to  make  political  capital,  or  build  up  party  at  the 
expense  of  our  civil  and  physical  existence.  We  want  the  men  of  the 
north  and  the  men  of  the  south  to  protect  us.  Through  yourselves, 
their  representatives,  we  appeal  to  their  honor,  to  their  justice,  to 
their  patriotism,  to  their  sympathies,  not  for  favors  but  for  rights — 
not  for  trivial  rights,  but  for  the  dearest  rights  guarantied  to  us  by 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  657 

the  Declaration  of  Independence,  by  the  Constitution  of  the  Union, 
by  the  law  of  our  organization,  by  the  solemn  compact  of  the  States, 
and  which  you  pledged  to  us  as  the  condition  of  our  coming  here, 

Communities  are  not  to  blame  for  the  conduct  of  their  fanatics 
unless  they  sanction  them.  We  cannot  believe  that  the  States  of  the 
South  will  sanction  the  outrages  that  have  been  perpetrated  upon  us, 
or  will  allow  them  to  be  continued.  And,  although  we  might  reason 
the  matter  as  a  question  of  policy,  and  show  that  it  is  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  nature  and  sociely,  and  opposed  to  all  human  experience,  that 
good  can  come  from  such  an  evil,  (although  we  might  prove  that  it  is 
•"  sowing  the  wind  to  reap  the  whirlwind,"  and  that  the  reaction  will 
be  fearful,)  yet  we  feel  that  this  is  unnecessary,  that  it  is  enough  to 
appeal  to  their  honor  and  their  sense  of  justice,,  and  to  rely  upon  theiv 
plighted  faith,  » 

Inside  our  bounds  we  shall  have  no  serious  troubles.  Northern 
and  southern  men  mingle  together  injharmony  anc^good  feeling,  and 
in  mutual  dependence  and  assistance  in  the  hardships  and  privations 
of  a  pioneer  life.  As  we  learn  to  understand  each  other,  friendships; 
are  engendered  and  prejudices  melt  away,  so  that  we  shall  be  able  to 
meet  all  questions  that  may  arise  in  a  spirit  of  justice  and  kindly 
feeling,  which  will  secure  the  rights  of  all)  and  cheerful  acquiescence 
in  the  decision  of  the  majority.  From  foreign  oppression,  however, 
we  ask  for  relief  of  that  power  which  passed  the  Kansas  bill,,  and, 
pledged  to  us  its  benefits  it  we  would  come  here.  We  have  a  right 
to  ask,  and  do  ask,  its  enforcement.  It  remains  for  your  honorable 
bodies  to  decide  whether  you  will  keep  the  compact  between  you.  and 
us  which  exists  by  that  bill  and  our  emigration,  whether  you  will 
vindicate  the  sacred  doctrines  of  the  government,  or  whether  you.  will 
leave  us  in  a  state  of  vassalage  and  oppression.  We  cannot  and  d© 
not  doubt  that  you  will  in  some  way  give  us  justice  and  protection. 

G.  P.  LOWREY,  recalled. 

To  Mr,  Sherman : 

I  was  present  at  Lawrence,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  on  the  9th 
of  October,  1855,  at  an  election  for  delegates  to  a  constitutional  con- 
vention and  delegate  to  Congress.  The  election  for  constitutional 
delegates  and  congressional  delegate  were  held  on  the  same  day  and 
at  the  same  place,  but  under  different  proclamations  and  with  different 
ballot-boxes.  The  election  was  conducted  peaceably  and  quietly  that 
day.  I  voted.  The  number  of  votes  cast  for  delegate  to  Congress 
was  557,  and  about  the  same  number  for  constitutional  delegates. 
The  returns  of  these  elections  were  delivered  to  the  executive  commit- 
tee, of  which  James  H.  Lane  was  chairman,  and  J.  M.  Goodin  was 
secretary.  Some  time  last  winter  I  called  upoa  Mr.  Lane,  at  the  re- 
quest of  Governor  Beeder,  for  the  poll-books  and  returns  of  his  elec- 
tion as  delegate  to  Congress,  in  order  to  use  them  in  his  contest  for 
that  seat.  I  received  from  Mr.  Lane  a  package'of  election  papers,,  and 
sent  them  to  Governor  Keeder.  They  are  the  same  papers  that  I  pro- 
duced before  this  committee  in  New  York  city.  I  do  not.  think  the 
returns  of  the  Lawrence  election  were  among  the  papers  when  I  first 
received  them,  though  I  did  not  examine  them  closely.  I  know  they 
are  not  among  them  now.  But  I  remember  distinctly  the  number  of 
H.  Rep.  200 42* 


658  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

votes  cast,  and  there  were  55*7  for  Reeder,  and,  I  think,  one  or  two 
for  Whitfield. 

The  returns  of  the  election  for  memhers  to  the  constitutional  con- 
vention were  also  placed  in  charge  of  the  executive  committee,  and 
were  generally  in  the  charge  of  the  secretary,  Mr.  Goodin.  At  the 
time  the  committee  were  in  Kansas,  at  least  until  I  left,  they  were  at 
Leavenworth.  Goodin  was  down  on  the  Neosha,  laying  out  a  town, 
some  125  miles  from  Lawrence.  G.  P.  LOWREY. 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  D.  C.,  July  11,  1856. 


Dr.  J.  N.  0.  P.  WOOD  called  and  affirmed. 
To  Mr.  King : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  first  ahout  the  1st  of  April,  1854.  I 
located  permanently  in  Lawrence  ahout  the  7th.  of  October,  1854.  I 
resided  there  until  some  time  the  last  of  March  or  the  first  of  April 
last,  and  then  I  went  to  Lecompton.  Ahout  the  time  I  came  there, 
there  was  considerable  difficulty  between  what  was  called  the  Law- 
rence Association,  of  which  Dr.  Robinson  was  president,  and  the  set- 
tlers that  were  not  members  of  this  association.  The  members  of  the 
association  held  a  meeting  two  or  three  evenings  after  I  got  there,  and 
elected  a  judge,  &c.,  Mr.  Grover,  marshal,  and  organized  a  company— 
I  think  they  called  it  the  "  Shot-gun  Battalion" — for  the  purpose  of 
preventing  persons  that  did  not  belong  to  their  association  from  set- 
tling about  the  place,  and  taking  timber  and  stone  from  the  claims  of 
those  who  did  live  there.  They  said  there  was  no  law  in  the  Terri- 
tory ;  that  the  organic  act  was  unconstitutional,  made  so  by  the  repeal 
of  the  Missouri  compromise  ;  and  that  they  intended  to  form  an  asso- 
ciation, and  make  and  enforce  their  own  laws,  irrespective  of  the  laws 
of  Congress,  until  there  should  be  a  change  in  Congress,  by  which  the 
Missouri  compromise  could  be  restored,  and  the  organic  act  set  aside. 

There  was  no  open  opposition  to  the  execution  of  the  law  until 
Governor  Reeder  appointed  justices  of  the  peace,  and  one  or  two  mem- 
bers of  the  association  were  arrested.  They  refused  to  recognize  the 
power  of  the  justice  of  the  peace,  and  refused  to  attend  as  witnesses, 
and  would  only  attend  their  own  provisional  court,  as  they  called  it. 

When  the  legislature  was  about  to  be  elected,  they  held  a  meeting, 
and  brought  out  their  candidates.  After  the  legislature  was  elected, 
and  before  they  met,  there  were  several  meetings  held  in  Lawrence, 
and,  at  those  meetings,  they  passed  resolutions  declaring  they  would 
submit  to  no  laws  passed  by  that  legislature.  This  was  what  was 
called  the  Lawrence  Association,  different  from  the  town  association. 
It  was  composed  of  men  sent  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society,  and  Dr.  Robinson  was  at  the  head  of  the  association. 
Many  belonging  to  this  association  lived  in  different  parts  of  the  Ter- 
ritory. They  were  allowed  to  vote  at  the  meetings  of  the  association, 
which  I  sometimes  attended ;  and  those  who  were  not  enrolled  as  mem- 
bers of  the  association  were  not  allowed  to  vote  or  debate  at  their  meet- 
ings. Some  of  them  lived  at  Osawotomie,  Topeka,  Manhattan,  and 
other  places  in  the  Territory.  They  resolved  not  to  obey  the  laws  that 
would  be  passed  by  the  legislature,  and  only  obey  their  own  provisional 
laws  until  they  could  form  a  provisional  government  for  the  Territory. 

The  first  general  meeting,  while  the  legislature  was  in  session,  was 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  659 

held  In  July  or  August,  1855.  Before  that  time,  their  meetings  had 
been  of  the  association,  but  this  was  the  first  general  meeting.  That 
was  the  first  meeting  at  which  I  recollect  hearing  Colonel  Lane  take 
ground  in  opposition  to  the  laws  that  the  legislature  then  in  session 
should  pass.  All  the  public  speakers  that  I  heard  there  said  they  did 
not  intend  to  obey  the  laws  that  would  be  passed,  but  intended  to 
form  a  provisional  government  for  themselves. 

After  the  legislature  adjourned,  the  first  meeting  at  which  I  heard 
any  declarations  with  regard  to  the  resistance  of  the  laws  was  held  at 
Blanton's  bridge.  Colonel  Lane,  Mr.  Emery,  and  Mr.  John  Hutchin- 
son  addressed  the  meeting,  urging  the  people  to  resist  the  laws,  let 
the  consequences  be  what  they  might.  In  private  conversation  with 
those  men,  they  always  expressed  their  determination  to  resist  the 
laws,  and  said  the  officers  and  posse  should  not  enforce  the  laws. 
They  said  they  had  a  new  code  of  laws  called  Sharpens  Eevised  Statutes, 
and  they  were  going  to  use  them  in  preference  to  any  others.  It  was 
a  common  remark  that  they  would  use  Sharpe's  Kevised  Statutes  in 
preference  to  any  others. 

I  think  the  first  box  of  rifles  came  there  marked  Revised  Statutes. 
I  think  after  Mr,  Dietzler  came  back,  he  said  he  brought  the  rifles 
with  him.  When  they  were  brought  to  Lawrence,  they  wanted  to 
put  them  in  my  warehouse.  They  were  lying  at  my  door,  and  I  in- 
quired what  they  were,  and  Mr.  Saulter,  who  was  keeping  the  ware- 
house for  me,  said  they  were  emigrant  aid  guns.  I  objected  to  their 
being  put  in  my  warehouse,  and  they  were  taken  and  put  in  Mr. 
Simpson's  office.  I  told  them  I  would  not  be  the  first  to  harbor  guns 
brought  there  for  revolution,  I  often  expostulated  with  Lane,  Robin- 
son, and  others,  both  publicly  and  privately,  as  to  their  course,  and 
addressed  the  meeting  at  Blanton's  bridge  in  opposition  to  that  course. 
They  said  they  would  resist  the  laws  regardless  of  consequences. 

The  next  public  meeting  I  recollect  of  was  the  Big  Spring  conven- 
tion. At  that  convention  I  had  but  little  conversation,  except  with 
Governor  Reecler  and  Judge  Johnson.  Prior  to  the  meeting,  several 
days,  Governor  Reeder  came  up  to  our  place.  I  heard  that  he  was 
urging  the  people  to  resist  the  laws,  and  do  so  by  setting  a  differ- 
ent day  lor  the  election  of  delegate  to  Congress  on  which  he  should 
be  voted  for.  I  called  on  him  at  his  room,  and  asked  him  if  he  had 
recommended  that  course,  and  he  said  that  he  had  intended  to  have 
returned  to  Pennsylvania,  but  upon  reflection  he  had  concluded  that 
if  they  would  take  that  course  at  the  convention,  he  would  be  a  can- 
didate for  Congress,  and  had  returned  from  Kansas  City,  where  he  bad 
taken  his  trunks  and  baggage.  He  said  he  had  understood,  since  he 
came  there,  that  Lane,  Roberts,  and  others  would  be  candidates  before 
the  convention  ;  but  if  they  would  withdraw,  and  the  course  he  had 
indicated  was  taken,  he  would  be  a  candidate  for  Congress.  He  said 
it  would  give  him  an  opportunity  to  bring  the  matter  before  Congress, 
and,  with  the  majority  they  had  then  in  Congress  against  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  he  thought  he  could  succeed  in  ousting  General  Whitfield 
if  elected.  A  meeting  was  held  in  Lawrence,  and  it  was  agreed  upon 
that  a  different  day  should  be  fixed  upon  for  the  election,  and  the 
candidates  who  were  there — Robinson,  Lane,  and  some  others — agreed 
to  withdraw  in  favor  of  Governor  Reeder,  This  was  four  or  five  days 
before  the  Big  Spring  convention. 


660  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

I  rode  up  to  that  convention  in  company  with  General  Fomeroy> 
who  invited  me  to  go  up  with  him.  At  the  convention  I  had  another 
conversation  with  Governor  Keeder.  We  had  always  been  on  thej 
most  intimate  terms,  and  I  talked  with  him  as  I  would  with  any 
friend.  I  talked  with  him,  and  said  that  I  thought  that  by  taking 
that  course,  and  thereby  repudiating  the  laws,  it  would  bring  a  state' 
of  anarchy  upon  the  Territory  that  he  nor  I  would  probably  live  to  see- 
the end  of.  I  said  it  would  be  opening  the  door,  and  giving  an  invi- 
tation to  outlaws  outside  of  the  Territory  to  come  and  make  that  the 
field  of  operations  ;  that  it  would  bring  about  a  state  of  things  that 
would  be  injurious  to  the  country,  by  preventing  capitalists  from 
risking  their  means  in  such  a  country.  He  replied  that  he  thought 
differently ;  that  they  had  determined  to  adopt  the  platform  of  the 
Topeka  convention,  held  before  that  time,  recommending  the  form- 
ation of  a  provisional  government.  I  think  he  took  a  pencil  and 
draughted  a  resolution  recommending  the  calling  of  a  convention  to 
form  a  State  constitution.  He  said  he  would  offer  that  resolution ;  they 
could  go  on  and  form  the  State  constitution,  appoint  an  executive 
committee  to  issue  a  proclamation  calling  for  the  election  of  delegates 
to  form  a  free-State  constitution,  and  they  would  elect  their  members 
to  the  legislature,  pass  their  laws,  and,  if  Congress  did  not  admit  them, 
they  would  pass  their  own  laws,  and  go  on  independently  of  Congress 
until  such  time  as  they  could  be  admitted.  I  remarked  that  would 
bring  them  immediately  in  conflict  with  the  acts  of  the  Territorial 
legislature,  one  or  the  other  of  which  must  become  supreme ;  and  I 
thought  it  would  necessarily  bring  on  a  collision  between  the  two 
opposing  parties,  and  involve  the  country  in  an  armed  difficulty.  He 
replied  that  they  had  made  up  their  minds  to  resist  the  laws,  and  by 
forming  a  free-State  constitution  they  could  get  the  aid  and  sympathy 
of  the  north  to  help  them  to  enforce  their  provisional  laws ;  that  they 
were  determined  to  resist  the  Territorial  laws.  That  was  about  the 
substance  of  the  conversation. 

In  his  speech  before  the  convention  he  urged  them  to  resist  the  Ter- 
ritorial laws  at  all  hazards.  I  have  read  the  speech  of  Governor  Kee- 
der as  reported  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Big  Spring  convention,  in 
a  printed  copy  now  before  me,  and  I  cannot  say  that  it  contains  all 
his  speech.  He  spoke  for  an  hour  or  a  little  over  an  hour.  I  under- 
stood him  distinctly  to  say  this :  that  he  wanted  them,  if  they  had 
any  regard  for  their  rights,  not  to  appeal  to  the  laws  for  redress,  nor 
answer  others  if  appealed  to.  He  called  them  "bogus"  laws,  meaning 
thereby  the  Territorial  laws.  That,  I  think,  is  about  the  substance 
of  what  he  said. 

I  came  down  home,  I  believe,  in  company  with  Judge  Johnson, 
who  disapproved  of  the  course  adopted.  I  had  conversations  with 
Governor  Eeeder  afterwards,  but  we  held  our  respective  positions. 

A  proclamation  was  issued  by  what  was  called  the  executive  com- 
mittee calling  an  election  for  State  officers  and  legislature,  a  con- 
vention to  form  a  State  constitution  having  met  and  formed  a  State 
constitution.  I  talked  with  Lane  and  Eobinson  offen  about  this  mat- 
ter. There  were  free-State  men  in  Lawrence  who  opposed  this  course, 
and  oppose  it  yet.  I  myself  co-operated  with  the  free-State  party 
until  they  took  these  revolutionary  steps,  and  then  I  left  them.  I  lived 
in  Illinois  twelve  years  before  I  came  to  this  Territory. 

WHSTPORT.  MISSOURI,  June  2,  1856.  J.  N.  0.  P.  WOOD. 


ELECTION  OF  DELEGATES 


CONVENTION    OF    0  C  T  0  B  E  E    .8  ,    1855. 


FIRST  DISTRICT.. — Blanton  PrecincL 
of  voters  far  delegates  to  convent-ion  to/orm®,  Gomti&xJtwn,  &c. 


1  J.  K.  Goodin 
'2  J.  R.  Kenedy 

3  Charles  Dicksoa 

4  L.  S.  Bonghtom 

5  L.  Smith 

6  Ira  Brown 

7  Edward  Jones 
S  Julius  Fairfieli 
'9  John  T.  MOOT 

10  Enan  C.  Griffith 

11  Ernest  Smith 

a 2  T.  E.  Whitleck 

13  Lewis  Stagers 

14  A.  Still 

15  Samuel  G.  Johnson. 

16  Collins  Hollo  way 

17  Robert  Irvm 

18  W.  J.  Kenedy 

19  John  E.  Steward 

20  B.  Abott 
<21  J.  Ogden 

22  R.  P.  Mow 

23  Thomas  C.  Still 

24  R.  D.  Norton 

25  Amasa  Sole 

26  Samuel  S.  Burgess 

27  J.  Eliot 

28  Seth  Rodibough 

29  William  Estabrook 

30  James  A.  Coffey 

31  Samuel  Gill 

32  P.  S,  Hutchison 

33  H.  F..  Saunders 

34  T.  B,  Smith 

35  Levi  W.  Plumb 

36  E.  A.  Landon 

37  James  Whaly 


38  A.  R..  .Smith 

39  A,  W.  Mobley,  JT, 

40  Wm.  Parks 

41  Leonard  Crame 

42  C.  W,  Dowe 
42  A.  D..  Todd 

44  0.  P.  Kenedy 

45  Jacob  Bronson 

46  Augnstin  W.  Maberj 
4*7  J.  W.  Hayne 

48  F.  P.  Vaughn 

49  W,  H.  Carles 
5©  Simeon  Gill-eon 

51  Alisha  F.  Mayo 

52  William  Liyerm0re 
•53  W.  D.  Jenerson 

54  Philip  T.  Hupp 

55  Samuel  Jones 

56  Stephen  -Ogden 

57  Enoch  Howland 

58  Willi-am  Soule 

59  Andrew  T.  Still 

60  -Lewis  Howland 
€1  H&gh  Petteagill 
62 

<63  Virgil  Pierce 
64  Joseph  Eberhart 
*65  Louis  S,  Eberhart 

66  Henry  S.  Eberhart 

67  Bethuel  Hitchcock 

68  Win.  Meairs 

69  Harrison  Niehlos 
VO  L.  H.  Rowley 

71  A.  F.  Bercaw 

72  W.  Bennett 

73  N.  B,  Blanton 

74  John  Berby. 


662  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
that  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Blanton 
precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  October, 
1855,  it  being  the  9th  day  of  said  month,  between  the  hours  of  10 
o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said  day,  "for  delegates  to  a 
convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people 
of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State  gov- 
ernment preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State,"  was 
seventy-four  votes. 

We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  said  election,  further  certify  that  the 
said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide  residents  of  said  Terri- 
tory of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for  the  period  of  thirty 
days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

JULIUS  ELIOT, 
PAUL  JONES, 
N.  B.  BLANTON, 

WILLIAM  MEAIRS,  Judges. 

E.  W.  BENNETT,  Clerics. 


We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify,  that  at  an  elec- 
tion held  at  Blanton  precinct,  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  9th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1855,  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt 
a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  &c., 

Charles  Robinson  has  received 67  votes, 

J.  H.  Lane 70  " 

G.  W.  Smith 10  " 

J.  K,  Goodin 61  " 

Edward  Jones 30  " 

Morris  Hunt 72  " 

Abraham  Still 40  " 

And  we  further  certify,  that  the  voters  were  free  white  male  in* 
habitants,  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  residents  of  Kansas  Ter- 
ritory, who  have  had,  and  now  have,  a  bonafide  residence  therein. 

JULIUS  ELIOT, 
PAUL  JONES, 
N.  B,  BLANTON, 

WILLIAM  MEAIRS,  Judges, 

E.  W.  BENNETT,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  for  delegates  to  convention. 

C.  Robinson 67 

J.  H.  Lane 3 70 

G.  W.  Smith , 70 

J.  K.  Goodin 61 

Morris  Hunt „ 72 

Abraham  Still 40 

Edward  Jones - ., 3-Q 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  663 

The  duplicate  tally-list  is  certified  as  follows : 

We,  the  officers  of  election  held  at  Blanton's,  on  the  Wakarusa, 
the  9th  day  of  October,  1855,  do  certify  that  (etc.  as  above)  at  an 
election  held  in  Blanton  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  between  the 
hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said  day,  for  dele- 
gates to  a  convention  to  form" a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for 
the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a 
State  government,  preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State. 

We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  said  election,  further  certify,  upon  our 
oaths,  that  the  said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of 
the  United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty- one  years,  bonajide  resi- 
dents of  said  Territory  of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for 
the  period  of  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

[Signed  as  above.] 

OCTOBER  9,  1855. 


FIRST  DISTRICT. — Palmyra  Precinct. 

Poll-book  of  voters  participating  in  the  election  of  delegates  to  the  consti- 
tutional convention. 

James  H.  Fiser  Salem  Gleason 

Jacob  Canterell  Elizur  Hill 

John  Koe  Henry  Barricklow 

Henry  Barricklow  William  Roe 

Hiram  McAlister  Robert  Pearson 

T.  W.  Lyon  Charles  Augustus  Kiser 

Thomas  Miller  David  Eldred 

Joseph  Barricklow  John  P.  Lehe. 


Jally-list  of  votes  cast  on  this  ninth  day  of  October ,  1855,  for  delegates 
to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution. 

C.  Robinson 16 

J.  H.  Lane 16 

G.  W.  Smith 16 

J.  K.  Goodin , 16 

Edward  Jones 16 

Morris  Hunt 16 

We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  this  election,  hereby  certify  upon  our 
oaths,  that  on  this,  the  9th  day  of  October,  1855,  Joseph  H.  Lane  has 
received  sixteen  votes,  C.  Robinson  sixteen  votes,  G.  W.  Smith  sixteen 
votes,  J.  K.  Goodin  sixteen  votes,  Edward  Jones  sixteen  votes,  Mor- 
ris Hunt  sixteen  votes,  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  consti- 


664 


KANSAS   AFFAIES. 


tution,  adopt  a  "bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all 
necessary  steps  preparatory  to  our  admission  into  the  Union  as  a  State. 
And  we  further  certify,  that  the  same  were  free  white  male  inhabit- 
ants, citizens  of  the  United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  who  have  had  a  bona-fide  residence  in  the  Territory  for  the 
space  of  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  this  election. 

SALEM  GLEASON, 
HENKY  BABEICKLOW, 
ELIZUR  HILL, 

Judges 

JOSEPH  BAKBICKLOW, 
WILLIAM  BOE?  Clerks. 


SECOND  DISTRICT — Bloomington  Precinct. 

List  of  voters. — Tally-list*  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to 
form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth 
day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the,  house  of  Harrison  Bur  son,  in  the 
town  of  Bloomington,  in  the  second  election  district  in  Kansas  Ter- 
ritory. 


1  James  A.  Nelson 

2  Edward  Borton 

3  Dudley  Bryant 

4  Isaac  Stout 

5  Andrew  White 

6  James  Hud 

7  Thomas  R.  Hud 

8  Thomas  W.  Barber 

9  Aaron  Sims 

10  Wm.  Richap 

11  A.  J.  Corbert 

12  Chas.  C.  Emery 

13  Geo.  Cosby 

14  H.  A.  Cosby 

15  Joseph  Oakley 

16  Wm.  Haseltine 

17  Theo.  Edwards 

18  John  Brannan 

19  Daniel  Vansill 

20  John  Scott 

21  0.  L.  Spradling 

22  John  Hatfield 

23  J.  Z.  Peterfish 

24  R.  J.  Haseltine 

25  J.  Roberts 

26  A.  E.  Love 


27  H.  R.  Rason 

28  Win.  Watson 

29  J.  B.  F.  McPherson 

30  Wm.  Sacket 

31  E.  W.  Smith 

32  Lemuel  Woodard 

33  Joseph  Bryant 

34  Henry  W.  Tick 

35  George  W.  Snyder 

36  H.  T.  Waterfield 

37  R.  F.  Barber 

38  S.  M.  Pearson 

39  A.  Curtis 

40  Samuel  Smith 

41  Samuel  Jones 

42  Thomas  W.  Barber 

43  L.  Duffy 

44  Samuel  Walker 

45  Thos.  Wolverton 

46  Geo.  Buifum 

47  David  C.  Buffum 

48  Thos.  Woodard 

49  Geo.  0.  Beam 

50  Joseph  Oakley 

51  Isaac  Davis 

52  Edward  Oakley 


By  mistake,  the  list  of  voters  was  put  under  the  head  of  "tally-list." 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


665 


53  Eobert  Allen 

54  Henry  Alderman 

55  N.  Allguire 

56  Alfred  Peck 

57  J.  A.  Wakefield 

58  Stephen  Dunken 

59  J.  H.  Tuton 

60  H.  Burson 

61  M.  Cayton 

62  John  Moss 

63  E.  S.  Jewett 

64  Geo,  W.  Perse 

65  Geo.  W.  Zinn 

66  Saml.  Paal 

67  Kichard  Day 

68  James  Dunn 

69  James  R.  Moss 

70  Samuel  Canaday 

71  C.  C.  Scofield 

72  Wm.  McCready 

73  E.  Disbro 

74  Andrew  S.  Baldwin 

75  David  J.  Casebier 

76  Henry  L.  Baldwin 

77  John  Dewitt 

78  G.  W.  Runber 

79  Kinsey  Lamm 

80  Richard  Miller 

81  Abel  Yates 

82  A.  J.  Smith 

83  Michael  Albin 

84  G.  Norton 


85  J.  H.  Wood 

86  Robert  Hudson 

87  Henry  Lewis 

88  Warner  Stowie 

89  Daniel  W.  Lewis 

90  Charles  B.  Bailey 

91  John  R.  Lewis 

92  Aaron  E.  Platt 

93  J.  C.  Casebier 

94  Benjamin  Stowie 

95  Harrison  Wood 

96  Zadoc  Bhur 

97  Robt.  Buffum 

98  J.  L.  Spear 

99  Henry  Smith 

100  Saml.  Casebier 

101  William  Byerly 

102  Ebenezer  Archibald 

103  John  C.  Archibald 

104  C.  W.  McCormick 

105  J.  J.  Miller 

106  J.  C.  Lamm 

107  Marguis  Kelso 

108  Willis  Myers 

109  H.  B.  Lacy 

110  Isaac  Shirley 

111  Joseph  Gather 

112  William  Glen 

113  Alexander  Glen 

114  D.  Aikin 

115  D.  C  Blakely 

116  William  Draper. 


Before  the  polls  were  opened,  the  judges  administered  to  each  other 
the  following  oath,  and  at  the  same  time  to  the  clerks  : 

We  do  swear  that  we  will  perform  our  duty  as  judges  of  the  elec- 
tion, held  at  the  house  of  Harrison  Burson,  in  the  second  election 
district  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  on  the  9th  day  of  October,  1855, 
for  four  delegates  to  frame  a  State  constitution,  and  a  delegate  to 
Congress,  to  the  best  of  our  judgment  and  ability;  that  we  will 
keep  a  true,  correct,  and  faithful  record  or  list  of  all  persons  who 
shall  vote  at  said  election ;  that  we  will  poll  no  ticket  from  any  per- 
son who  is  not  an  actual  inhabitant  and  resident  of  said  Territory, 
and  who  we  shall  not  honestly  believe  to  be  a  qualified  voter,  ac- 
cording to  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress  organizing  said  Ter- 
ritory; that  we  will  reject  the  votes  of  all  non-residents  who  we 
shall  believe  have  come  into  this  Territory  for  the  mere  purpose  of 
voting  ;  that  in  all  cases  where  we  are  ignorant  of  the  voter's  right, 
we  will  require  legal  evidence  thereof,  by  his  own  oath,  or  otherwise; 
and  that  we  will  truly  count  and  record  the  votes  received,  and  make 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

true  and  faithful  return  thereof  to  the  executive  committee  of  Kansas 
Territory. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  October  9th,  1855,  previous  to  opening  the 
polls,  before  me,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  election. 

SAMUEL  WALKER, 
ROBERT  BUFFUM, 
G.  W.  MEHERGER, 

E.  S.  JEWETT,  Judges  of  the  election. 

THOS,  B.  WOLVERTON,  Clerks. 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  following  persons  have  received  votes  for  dele- 
gates to  frame  a  State  constitution  for  Kansas  Territory  : 

John  A.  Wake  field  received  one  hundred  and  sixteen  votes  ;  Alfred 
Curtis  received  one  hundred  and  sixteen  votes  ;  J.  M.  Tuton  received 
one  hundred  and  sixteen  votes  ;  Harrison  Burson  received  one  hun- 
dred and  sixteen  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  the  second  election 
district,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  October,  1855, 
It  being  the  ninth  day  of  said  month,  between  the  hours  of  10  o'clock, 
a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said  day,  for  delegates  to  a  convention 
to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas, 
and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State  government, 
preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State.  We,  the  judges 
and  clerks  of  said  election,  further  certify  upon  our  oaths,  that  the 
said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide  residents  of  said  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for  the  period  of 
thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

SAMUEL  WALKER, 
G.  W.  REMBERGER, 
ROBERT  BUFFUM, 

Attest :  E.  S.  JEWETT,  Judges. 

T.  B.  WOLVERTON,  Clerks. 


SECOND  DISTRICT — Benicia  Precinct. 

Poll-^book. — List  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  con 
vention  to  form,  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the 
ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

1  P.  B.  Harris  9  J.  H.  Furman 

2  Joel  Montgomery  10  H.  E.  Brooks 

3  Nanno  Smith  11  John  H.  Lyon 

4  Owen  Taylor  12  John  Spaulding 

5  Owen  T.  Bassett  13  H.  Hobbs 

6  Alphonso  Jones  14  F.  Barker 

7  Andrew  Marks  15  Ephraim  Conner 

8  Charles  Smith  16  H.  H.  Conner 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  667 

17  Edward  Jones  23  J.  H.  Shemmons 

18  W.  Phillips  24  John  Phillips 

19  V.  Comic  25  Wm.  Loyd 

20  Y.  Wickens  26  Wm.  Hall 

21  Nathan  Hackett  27  Henry  Leorned. 

22  Joel  Phillips 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  legal  votes  cast  at  an 
election  held  at  Benicia  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  October,  1855,  it  being  the  ninth  day  of  said  month,  be- 
tween the  hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  in.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said  day, 
for  the  election  of  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution, 
adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful 
measures  for  organizing  a  State  government,  preparatory  to  the  ad- 
mission of  Kansas  as  a  State,  was  twenty-seven. 

We,  the  said  judges  and  clerks,  further  certify  upon  our  oaths,  that 
the  said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide  residents  of  said 
Territory  of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for  the  period  of 
thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

P.  B.  HARKIS, 
0.  T.  BASSETT, 
J.  H.  SHEMMONS, 

Attest :  ALPHONSO  JONES,  Judges. 

0.  T.  BASSETT,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas ,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1855. 

A.  Curtis 27  votes. 

H.  Burson 27      " 

J.  A.  Wakefield 24      " 

J.  M.  Tuton 27      " 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  A.  Curtis  has  received  twenty-seven  votes,  H. 
Burson  has  received  twenty-seven  votes,  J.  A.  Wakefield  has  received 
twenty-four  votes,  and  J.  M.  Tuton  has  received  twenty-seven  votes, 
cast  at  an  election  held  at  Benicia  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on 
the  second  Tuesday  of  October,  1855,  it  being  the  ninth  day  of  said 
month,  between  the  hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of 
said  day,  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a 
bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures 
for  organizing  a  State  government,  preparatory  to  the  admission  of 
Kansas  as  a  State.  We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  said  election,  further 
certify  upon  our  oaths,  that  the  said  voters  were  white  male  inhabit- 
ants, citizens  of  the  United  States,  above  the  age  pf  twenty-one  years, 


668 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


bona-fide  residents  of  said  Territory  of  Kansas,  having  actually  re- 
sided therein  for  the  period  of  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said 
election  day. 
OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

0.  T. 
P.  B. 
J.  H. 
Attest :  0.  T.  BASSETT, 

ALPHONSO  JONES,  Clerics. 


BASSETT, 

HARRIS, 

SHEMMONS, 

Judges. 


THIRD  DISTRICT. —  Washington  Precinct. 
Poll  List. 


Edmund  Brown 
Merritt  Shulkeln 
Jesse  M.  Roberts 
Wm.  C.  Jones 
Geo.  W.  Gilman 
Daniel  R.  Lawson 
Joseph  K.  Lawson 
Wm.  R.  Frost 
Eli  Allen 
T.  V.  Rush 
Wm.  Riley 
John  Roorback 
Wm.  Y.  Roberts 
Joseph  Molton 
Geo.  S.  Ramsey 
S.  J.  Acklin 
Ephraim  Banning 


Wm.  A.  Cardwell 
Solomon  G.  Reffer 
H.  A.  Custard 
Paul  Shepherd 
H.  P.  Galan 
Caleb  Antrim 
Wm.  Harper 
Stephen  Scott 
Alexander  Wells 
Wm.  T.  Kerby 
Wm.  B.  Kerth 
Benjamin  Moore 
Peter  Eppison 
Barnet  Foyle 
Henry  F.  Huffer 
R.  W.  Custard. 

GEO.  S.  RAMSEY, 
S.  J.  ACKLIN,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas j  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  $th  day  of  October, 
1855. 

C.  K.  Holliday 33  votes. 

Wm.  Y.  Roberts 33      c( 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  Wm.  Y.  Roberts  and  C.  K.  Holliday  have  each 
received  thirty-three  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Washington, 
Big  Spring  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  second  Tuesday  of 
October,  1855,  it  being  the  9th  day  of  said  month,  between  the  hours 
of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.?  of  said  day,  for  delegates  to  a 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  669 

convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people 
of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State  gov- 
ernment, preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State.  We, 
the  judges  and  clerks  of  said  election,  further  certify  upon  our  oaths, 
that  the  said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide  residents 
of  said  Territory  of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for  the 
period  of  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  the  said  election  day. 
WASHINGTON,  October  9,  1855. 

ELI  ALLEN, 
WILLIAM  RILEY, 
W.  K.  FROST, 

Attest:  GEO.  S.  RAMSEY,  Judges. 

SAMUEL  J.  ACKLIN,  Clerks. 


THIRD  DISTRICT. — Tecumseh  Precinct. 

Poll-list  of  voters  for  delegates  to  constitutional  convention,  October  9, 

1855. 

Orlando  Moffet  John  McPherson 

John  Morris  Anderson  Delop 

J.  Tyler  Samuel  UpdegrafF 

C.  W.  Moffet  George  Osborn 
M.  M.  Robinson  William  Hook 
J.  Vorhies  A.  M.  Jourdan 
Francis  Grasmuck  Patrick  Feril 
Andrew  Jones  J.  Stephenson 
M.  J.  Mitchell  William  Kasten 
George  C.  McCormick  N.  L.  Williams 

D.  Updegraff  Isaiah  Cox 
John  Carsgal  Theodore  Jones 
Osborn  Naylor  William  Norton 
James  Brown  E.  R.  Moffett 
Hiram  Shields  Lee  Tewell. 
Wm.  H.  Morris 


Tally -list  for  delegates  to  constitutional  convention,  October  9,  1855. 

William  Y.  Roberts ...  31  votes. 

C.  K.  Holliday 31      " 

FRANCIS  GRASMUCK, 
C.    W.    MOFFET,  Ju 

Attest :  M.  M.  ROBINSON, 

M.  J.  MITCHELL,  Clerks. 


670  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

Certificate  in  usual  printed  form  "  that  William  Y.  Eoberts  and 
C.  K.  Holliday  received  thirty-one  votes  each/'  &c.,  &c. 
OCTOBER  9.  1855. 

FRANCIS  GRASMUCK, 
JOHN  MORRIS, 
C.  W.  MOFFET,  Judges. 
Attest :  M.  M.  ROBINSON, 

M.  J.  MITCHELL,  Clerks. 


THIRD  DISTRICT. — Third  and  Seventh  Precincts. 

Poll-list. 

1  Wm.  A.  Simerwell  13  Lindsey  T.  Cook 

2  Walter  W.  Philips  14  James  Gillpatrick 

3  Geo.  W.  Pigott  15  F.  E.  Hood 

4  Robert  Turner  16  William  Matam 

5  William  Turner  17  Sam.  Rainey 

6  J.  D.  Wood  18  John  W.  Brown 

7  T.  J.  Anderson  19  John  Baxter 

8  William  Armstrong  20  Wm.  F.  Johnston 

9  Darius  W.  Herald  21  Geo.  S.  Holt 

10  S.  H.  Hill  22  David  P.  Hammond 

11  William  Handly  23  James  Hammond 

12  Sam'l  Cavender  24  Aurelius  Bo  wen. 


Tally-list. 

Andrew  H.  Reeder - 24  votes. 

C.  K.  Holliday 19      " 

W.  Y.  Roberts 19      " 

P.  C,  Schuyler 5      " 

The  certificate  is  in  the  usual  printed  form,  "that  C.  K.  Holliday> 
and  W.  Y.  Roberts  have  received  nineteen  votes  each,  and  P.  C.. 
Schuyler  has  received  five  votes,  cast  at  the  election  held  at  the  housee 
of  W.  W.  Philips,  in  part  of  the  3d  and  7th  precincts,"  &c. 
Signed  Oct.  9,  1855. 

JOHN  W.  BROWN, 
W.  F.  JOHNSTON, 
GEO.  S,  HOLT, 

Judges. 
Attest:  W.  F.  JOHNSTON, 

GEO.  S.  HOLT,  Clerks. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


671 


THIRD  DISTRICT — Topeka  Precinct. 
Poll-list  of  voters  for  delegates  to  convention  to  form  a  constitution. 


Joseph  C.  Miller 
F.  L.  Crane 
George  Davis 
Leonard  W.  Horn 
Sanford  Hews 
James  C.  Disney 
Enoch  Chase 
J.  C.  Gordon 
George  F.  Boyd 
Isam  Chadwick 
David  Smith 
E.  C.  K.  Gawes 
M.  C.  Martin 
William  P.  Thompson 
Hiram  Higgins 
E.  L.  Mitchell 
H.  B.  Burgess 
T.  Mclntire 
John  Long 
E.  S.  Dexter 
Lervin  Farnsworth 
0.  C.  Nicholas 
Francis  Davis 
Daniel  H.  Horn 
Horatio  Fletcher 
Abel  F.  Hartwell 
Daniel  Hall 
Philip  Briggs 
L.  Shadie 
M.  Birch 
Elnathan  Trask 
William  Scales 
James  Chadwick 
Christopher  Leonard 
Parsons  Haskell 
Charles  Farnesworth 
Ambrose  W.  Ford 
Benjamin  F.  Getchel 
George  B.  French 
A.  W.  Moore 
Barney  Miller 
J.  W.  Emmerson 
Leonard  Wendell 
Daniel  Sayres 
William  R.  Dyre 
John  Kitchey 
David  H.  Moore 


John  B.  Horn 
P.  0.  Conner 
Charles  Wilber 
A.  Doane 
D.  Canperos 
Charles  Sarden 
G.  F.  Callog 
D.  W.  Cleaveland 
F.  W.  Giles 
J.  F.  Cummins 
Israel  Zimmerman 
John  A.  Wirt 
H.  P.  Waters 
F.  G.  Thornton 
M.  C.  Dickey 
David  Stofield 
Henry  Stofield 

C.  K.  Holliday 
A.  F.  Whitney 
J.  T.  Jones 

Wm.  W.  Henderson 
Charles  Creitz 
John  Fletcher 
Samuel  Harriot 
Ephraim  Harriot 
Robert  H.  Matthews 
Charles  A.  Gray 
Eugene  Parker 

D.  Mincum 
William  F.  Cretez 
W.  L.  Brigden 
Thomas  C.  Stevens 
Harvey  Young 

C.  G.  Howard 
R.  M.  Luce 
J.  F.  Meriam 
A.  A.  Ward 
Charles  A.  Sexton 
H.  H.  Wentworth 
Charles  Masley 
Edward  Plummer 
Leroy  S.  Bown 
Joseph  H.  Chase 
Jacob  B.  Chase 
M.  K.  Smith 
Joseph  L.  Young 
C.  L.  Terrell 


672  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

Augustus  H,  Barnard  Philip  Ingraham 

S.  E.  Martin  William  C.  Lencker 

Thomas  H.  Taylor  Thomas  W.  Scudder 

Julius  D.  Clarkson  James  McAnany 

Joseph  L.  Young,  jr.  William  M.  Jordan 

D.  Banta  H.  B.  Cowles 

James  Tregart  James  Gowles 

J.  Willets  Lemuel  Burson 

S.  N.  Frazier  John  Martin 

Hiram  C.  Coval  William  E.  Boggs 

William  Miles  0.  H.  Drinkwater 

George  H.  Wood  Andrew  S.  Waters. 
L.  G.  Cleaveland 


Tally-list. 

C.  K.  Holliday 104  votes. 

W.  Y.  Koberts ,..  94  " 

J.  Cowles 14  " 

H.  H.  Wentworth 12  " 

Edward  Segroves . 2  " 

Sanford  Henry 

Wentworth  and  Cowles 

Coles  and  Segroves 1  " 

The  certificate  is  in  the  usual  printed  form,  and  certifies  "  that 
C.  K.  Holliday  has  received  one  hundred  and  four  votes,  W.  Y. 
Koberts  ninety-four  votes,  J.  Cowles  fourteen  votes,  H.  H.  Went- 
worth twelve  votes,  Edward  Segroves  two  votes,  Sanford  Henry  one 
vote.  Coles  and  Segroves  one  vote,  Wentworth  and  Coles  one  vote. 

[Signed,  &c.] 
TOPEKA,  K.  T.,  October  9,  1855. 

HENRY  P.  WATERS, 
MILTON  C.  DICKEY, 
F.  L.  CRANE,  Judges. 
Attest :  ISRAEL  ZIMMERMAN, 

JOHN  A.  WIRT,  Clerks. 


THIRD  DISTRICT — Camp  Creek,  Precinct. 

\ 

List  of  voters  who  cast  their  "ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form 
a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday ,  the  ninth  day 
of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

1  Hiram  H.  Heberling  5  Eli  B.  Dailey 

2  W.  T.  Stout  6  George  Strobridge 

3  John  Kinney  7  H.  M.  Canfield. 

4  John  G.  Fulton 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


673 


^Tally-list  for  candidates  for  constitutional  convention, 

C.  K.  Holliday 7  votes. 

William  Y.  Boberts *7      " 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  of  an  election  held  at  the  house  of 
Hiram  H.  Heberling,  in  the  third  election  district,  on  the  9th  day  of 
October,  A.  D.  1855,  do  certify  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  elec- 
tion, that  the  above  is  a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled 
for  members  of  constitutional  convention  by  lawful  resident  voters. 

HIEAM  H.  HEBEBLING, 
JOHN  KINNEY, 

HENRY  M,  CANFIELD,  Judges, 

GEO.  STROBRIDGE,  Clerks 


FOURTH  DISTRICT. —  Willow  Springs  Precinct. 

^oil-look  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  B.  1855, 


A.  J.  Miller 
Charles  Legg 
Theron  E.  Curtis 
H.  W.  Hyde 
Nathaniel  Parker 
Mansfield  Carter 
Franklin  Barns 
Archibald  Harris 
D.  B.  Hyde 
Joseph  Banks 
A.  B.  Gillerland 
Thos.  Doaty 
Silas  H.  Moore 
C.  H.  Far 
J.  F.  Javans 
William  Graham 
Peter  Bassinger 
J.  E.  Carpenter 
Wm.  Mewhinney 
John  Wilson 
J.  G.  Moore 
John  Eddy 
Wm.  Harris 
S.  B.  McMannere 
Levi  Doaty 
Geo.  Bipley 
Wiley  Jones 
S.  Cleaveland 

H.  Bep.  200 i3* 


J.  P.  Moore 

T.  J,  Mewhiimey 

Sam'l  Mewhinney 

Thomas  McCowaa 

Wm.  Moore 

8am' 1  Workman 

C.  Howard  Carpenter 

8.  T.  Shore 

Benjamin  Fell 

E.  G.  Holt 

David  Hendrilik 

A.  F.  Powell 

B.  N.  Pearson 
Silas  Dexter 
Patrick  Claharm 
0.  P.  Holt 
Albert  Whitcornb 
Gideon  -Seymore 
Wm,  B.  Haydoa 
J.  D.  Hope 

Washington  M,  Bulharon 
Elkanah  Timoiis 

A.  B.  Banks 
Perry  Fuller 
Aaron  Moore 
Wm.  C.  Sadler 
Wm.  B.  Sowens,, 


674  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  oath,  that  the  whole  number  of  legal  votes  cast  at  an  election 
held  at  Willow  Springs  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  October,  1855,  it  being  the  ninth  day  of  said  month,  be- 
tween the  hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said 
day,  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill 
of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for 
organizing  a  State  government  preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kan- 
sas as  a  State,  to  be  fifty-five. 

We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  said  election,  further  certify,  upon 
our  oaths,  that  the  said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens 
of  the  United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide 
residents  of  said  Territory  of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein 
for  the  period  of  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 
OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

C.  HOWAED  CARPENTEE, 
SAMUEL  WOETMAJST, 
WILLIAM  MOORE, 

Judges, 
Attest:  THOS.  McCowAN, 

SAM'!  T.  SHORE,  Clerks. 


Tally-list. 

S.  Mewhinney „ 55 

Wm.  Graham 55 

Judge's  Return. 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  9th  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  IX  1855,  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Mewhinney,  in  the  Willow 
Springs  precinct,  4th  election  district,  for  the  election  of  delegates  to 
a  constitutional  convention,  to  be  held  at  Topeka  on  the  fourth  Tues- 
day of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  do  hereby  certify,  upon  our  oath,  as 
judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  return 
of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election  by  lawful  resident  voters,  namely: 
S.  Mewhinney,  fifty-five;  Wm.  Graham,  fifty-five. 

SAMUEL  WOETMAN, 
WILLIAM  MOOEE, 
C.  HOWAED  CAEPENTEE, 

Judges. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Hampden  Precinct. 

Poil-list  of  voters  for  delegates  to  convention,  October  9,  1855, 

John  Evans  Stephen  P.  Pepper 

Andrew  Harrington  Franklin  Pease 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  675 

Charles  J.  Burkee  George  Law 

Richard  Knight  Luther  C.  Smith 

Charles  E.  Newcomb  Charles  Morse 

William  A.  Elas  Hartwell  F.  Turner 

James  Headdens  Tallmadge  M.  Church 

George  M.  Abbey  Thomas  Y.  Proctor 

Alberto  Hill  J.  A.  D.  Clark 

William  Blasdale  Silas  Smith 

Caleb  T,  Atheam  Amasa  B.  Sampson 

Matthew  Blasdale  Thomas  Richards 

Joseph  B.  Weatherby  Phineas  Knowlton 

John  L.  Mellen  Fenton  Bay  ley 

William  W.  Higgins  Lucius  Morse 

John  P.  Pepper  Loomis  Richards. 
Chauncy  Morse 

Certificate  in  usual  form,  (signed.) 

W.  A.  ELAS, 

S.  P.  PEPPER, 

CHARLES  J.  BURKEE,  Judges. 

Attest:  RICHARD  KNIGHT,  Clerk. 

11  We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths  that  William  F.  Turner,  James  M.  Arthur,  M.  J'.. 
Morris,  Orville  Brown,  Frederick  Brown,  and  Richard  Knight,  have 
received  thirty-three  votes  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Hampden;  pre- 
cinct," &c.,  &c.j  as  in  the  printed  form. 
HAMI>DEN,  October  9,  1855. 

W.  A.  ELAS, 
S.  P.  PEPPER, 

CHARLES  J.  BURKEE,  Judges. 
Attest:  RICHARD  KNIGHT,  Clerk. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Osawatomie  Precinct. 

Poll-book. — List  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  con- 
vention to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  at  an  election  held  on  this 
second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  October,  1855,  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
White,  Osawatomie. 

1  Curtis  Jackson  11  Bartow  Darrach 

2  Amos  Finch  12  John  Telton 

3  0.  C,  Brown  13  J.  H.  Houser 

4  C.  G.  Grout  14  Wm.  Chesnut 

5  John  Carr  15  John  Goodrich 

6  Harvey  Jackson  16  Henry  Carson 

7  Wesley  H.  Pinnell  IT  Morgan  Cronkhite 

8  Joel  Goodrich  18  Orran  Williams 

9  John  P.  Glen  19  B.  F.  Huskins 
10  Charles  A.  Foster  20  Samuel  Fisher 


676  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

21  Samuel  Adair  45  C.  F.  Lake 

22  Cornelius  W.  Yocum  46  George  R.  Ferris 

23  James  Stotts  47  Asa  S.  White 

24  William  Baling  48  Thomas  J.  Hammond 

25  R.  C.  Cottle  49  Jackson  Black 

26  Richard  Saling  50  Jackson  Hendricks 

27  Benjamin  Woodbury  51  Alfred  Lossing 

28  Johnson  Dow  52  M.  A.  Fairehilds 

29  Elias  Higgins  53  James  Williams 

30  Richard  Mendenhall  54  John  Rose 

31  Jesse  Pickering  55  John  C.  Hendy 

32  Crawford  Oliver  56  Francis  Brenan 

33  Henry  Cox  57  Edmund  A  very 

34  E.  W.  Collins  58  J.  B.  Higgins 

35  N.  J.  Roscoe  59  John  Richison 

36  J.  B.  Bingham  60  Harmon  Dace 

37  J.  W.  Troy      .  61  Joseph  Bedfield 

38  Orville  Nicols  62  George  W.  Phillips 

39  Horace  Norton  63  Samuel  Geer 

40  John  C.  Lowman  64  Caleb  Sharar 

41  Levi  Fenner  (55  Charles  H.  Crone 

42  John  Benning  66  Thomas  Hitchings 

43  Wm.  C.  Childers  67  William  Quick. 

44  James  H.  Houser 

The  certificate  as  to  the  number  and  qualification  of  voters  is  in  the 
usual  form,  signed  as  follows  : 

OSAWATOMIE,  October  9,  1855.  WM.  CHESNUT, 

JOHN  TELTON, 

Attest:  B.  DARBACH,  Judges „ 
CHARLES  A.  FOSTER,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitutions 
for  Kansas,  at  an  election  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  dayi 
of  October }  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  White,  in  Osawatomie, 
fifth  election  district.  Whole  number  of  votes  67. 

Wm.  T.  Turner  had 67  votes. 

James  M.  Arthur 67  " 

M.  T.  Morris 66  " 

Orville  C.  Brown 66  " 

Richard  Knight 67  " 

Hamilton  Smith 66  " 

N.  G.  Nicols 3  " 

Frederick  Browu 64  " 

William  G.  Nichols 64  " 

The  certificate  is  correct  "  that  the  above-named  persons  had  re-j 
ceived  the  number  of  votes  set  against  their  respective  names,  cast  at| 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  677 

an  election  held  at  Osawatomie  precinct/'  &c.,  &c.,  as  in  the  printed 
form. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855.  WILLIAM  CHESNUT, 

JOHN  TELTON, 
SAMUEL  H.  HOUSER, 

Attest:  B.  DARRACH,  Judges. 

CHARLES  A.  FOSTER,  Clerks. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Little  Osage  Precinct. 
PoU  list. 

Daniel  Henderson  John  Wagoner 

John  A.  Wakefield  James  Curry 

Ambrose  Ripley  Daniel  Francis 

William  T.  Curry  Wm.  H.  Wilson 

David  C.  Forbes  Stephen  M.  Overbey 

Allen  Beeson  Samuel  M.  Jennings 

John  Spears  Thomas  Osborn 

John  Sutton  William  Stone. 


Tally-list  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution. 

William  T.  Turner 16  votes. 

James  M.  Arthur 16  " 

M.  T.  Morris 16  " 

OrvilleC.  Brown 16  " 

Frederick  Brown 16  " 

Richard  Knight 16  " 

Hamilton  Smith 16  " 

David  C,  Forbes 16  " 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  do  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  legal  votes  cast  at  an  elec- 
tion held  at  Little  Osage  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  October,  1855,  it  being  the  ninth  day  of  said  month,  be- 
tween the  hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said  day, 
for  the  election  of  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution, 
adojSt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful 
measures  for  organizing  a  State  government,  preparatory  to  the  ad- 
mission of  Kansas  as  a  State,  to  be  a  free  white  State,  to  be  sixteen. 

We,  the  said  judges  and  clerks,  further  certify  upon  our  oaths,  that 
said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide  residents  of  said  Territory 
of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for  the  period  of  thirty 
days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855.  WILLIAM  STONE, 

THOMAS  OSBORN, 

Attest:  SAMUEL  M.  JENNINGS,  Judges. 

JOHN  WAGNER,  Clerks. 


678  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Neosho  Precinct. 

PolW)o6k. — List  of  voters  ivlio  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  conven- 
tion to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  this  second  Tuesday,  the 
ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

1  Levi  E.  Hubble  8  Hiram  Hoover 

2  John  H.  Bowen  9  Sampson  Depain 

3  Morgan  Dix  10  Thomas  Bowen 

4  Enos  Strawn  11  John  D.  Beettz 

5  Hamilton  Smith  12  Hiram  Harr 

6  Joseph  Creeil  13  William  E.  Yail. 
T  Hiram  D.  Depew 

(The  certificate  as  to  the  number  and  qualifications  of  the  voters  is 
in  the  usual  form,  signed  as  follows) : 

OCTOBER  9,  1855.  MORGAN  DICKS, 

THOMAS  BOWEN, 
HIRAM  HOOVER, 

Attest:  ENOS  STRAWN,  Judges. 

WM.  K.  VAIL,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution. 

Hiram  Hoover 13 

Mahlon  T.  Morris 9 

James  M.  Arthur 9 

William  R.  Turner 8 

The  certificate  is  in  the  usual  printed  form  i  ( that  Hiram  Hoover  has 
received  thirteen  votes,  Mahlon  T.  Morris  nine  votes ,  J.  M.  Arthur 
nine  votes,  William  R.  Turner  eight  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at 
Neosho  precinct,"  &c. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855,  MORGAN  DICKS, 

THOMAS  BOWEN, 
HIRAM  HOOVER, 

Attest :  ENOS  STRAWN,  Judges, 

WIMJAM  H.  VEEIE,  Clerks. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Big  Sugar  Creek  Precinct. 

PoU-booJc. — List  of  voters  who  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  conven- 
tion to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday, 
the  ninth  day  of  'October,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  Silas  Young, 
in  Big  Sugar  Creek  precinct,  Kansas  Territory. 

1  William  Dudley  4  Samuel  Farra 

2  William  Daniel  5  James  A.  Watkins 

3  Reuben  Daniel  6  John  Lance 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  679 

7  Waller  Cash  16  John  Jones 

8  James  M.  Arthur  IT  D.  P.  Brown 

9  Allen  Stewart  18  Silas  Young 

10  A.  J.  Long  19  A.  P.  McLeland 

11  William  Cash  20  T.  C.  Cregger 

12  William  Dyer  21  Z.  W.  Lasure 

13  James  W.  Dudley  22  F.  H.  Graham 

14  Samuel  J.  Sprague  23  James  Dudley 

15  Jonah  Daniel  24  John  WikeL 


Tally-list  of  delegates'  names  for  constitutional  convention. 

William  Turner  received 24  votes, 

James  M.  Arthur 24  " 

M.  T.  Morris 23  " 

Orville  C.  Brown 24  " 

Frederick  Brown 24  " 

Kichard  Knight 24  « 

Hamilton  Smith 23 

Hiram  Hoover IT  " 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  legal  votes  cast  at  an  elec- 
tion held  at  Big  Sugar  Creek  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the 
second  Tuesday  of  October,  1855,  it  being  the  ninth  day  of  said 
month,  between  the  hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m., 
of  said  day,  for  the  election  of  eight  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form 
a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and 
take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State  government,  prepar- 
atory to  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State,  to  be  twenty-four. 

We,  the  judges  and  clerks,  further  certify  upon  our  oaths,  that  the 
said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona  fide  residents  of  said  Terri- 
tory of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for  the  period  of 
thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

OCTOBER  9, 1855.  JONAH  DANIEL, 

SILAS  YOUNG, 
D.  P.  BROWN, 

Attest:  J.  W.  DUDLEY,  Judges. 

WILLIAM  DYER,  Clerks. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Pottowatomie  Precinct. 

Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas ,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1855. 

W.  T.  Turner...  49 

J.  W.  Arthur 49 

0.  C.  Brown..,  49 


680  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Hamilton  Smith .' 48 

Richard  Knight 49 

Frederick  Brown 4*7 

W.  T.  Morris 49 

The  certificate  is  in  the  usual  printed  form,  "that  William  T. 
Turner  has  received  forty-nine  votes,  J.  W,  Arthur  has  received 
forty-nine  votes,  0.  C.  Brown  has  received  forty-nine  votes,  Hamil- 
ton Smith  has  received  forty-eight  votes,  Richard  Knight  has  received 
forty-nine  votes,  Frederick  Brown  has  received  forty-seven  votes,  W. 
T.  Morris  has  received  forty-nine  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at 
Potto watomie  meeting-house/'  &c.,  &c. 
Signed  and  dated  October  9,  1855. 

JOHN  T.  GRANT, 
CYRUS  TAYLOR, 
DAVID  BALDWIN, 

Judges, 
Attest:  WM.  N.  WOODS, 

JOHN  GL  MOORE,  Clerks, 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Little  Sugar  Creek  Precinct. 

Poll-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution 
for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of 
A.  D.  1855. 

Julius  Wilhoit  Solomon  Copple 

Temple  Wayne  Hiram  Daniels 

Rohert  Throckmorton  Enoch  Oshorn 

M.  A.  Morris  A.  Gr.  Copple 

John  Gr.  Pierce  John  Fouts 

Leander  Fouts  H.  M.  Gihhs 

Coppe  Phillip  R.  W.  Bradley 

A.  F.  Sellers  W.  T.  Turner 

Sam'l  Meckel  Michael  Kanavare 

Isaac  Jackson  David  Reese 

H.  Goodpasture  .                 S.  B.  Floyd 

J.  B.  Pyler  D.  F.  Park 

John  Eerstep  D.  W.  Cannan 

William  Many  F.  A.  Hamilton 

Levi  Ward  William  Nickel.. 
William  B.  Perry 
[No  certificate.] 


The  certificate  is  in  the  usual  printed  form,  "That  William  Tur- 
ner has  received  thirty-two  votes,  James  M,  Arthur  has  received 
thirty-two  votes,  M.  J.  Morris  has  received  thirty-two  votes,  Orville 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  681 

C.  Brown  has  received  thirty-two  votes,  Frederick  Brown  has  received 
thirty-two  votes,  Kichard  Knight  has  received  thirty-two  votes,  Ham- 
ilton Smith  has  received  thirty-two  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at 
Little  Sugar  Creek  precinct/'  &c. 
Signed  and  dated  October  9,  1855. 

D.  REESE, 
S.  B.  FLOYD, 
ENOCH  OSBORN, 

Attest:  D.  F.  PARK,  Judges, 

DAVID  W.  C ANN AN,  Clerks. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Stanton  Precinct. 
Tally -list  for  delegates  to  form  a  State  constitution. 

William  T.  Turner 35  votes. 

James  A.  Arthur 35  " 

M.  J.  Morris 35  " 

Orville  C.  Brown ' 35  " 

Fred.  Brown 35  " 

Richard  Knight 35  " 

Hamilton  Smith 35  " 

Isaac  Woollard 29  " 

William  G.  Nichols..  T  " 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Alderman's  house. 
Judges'  return. 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  ninth  of 
October,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  Alderman  house,  in  the  fifth  election 
district,  for  the  election  of  a  delegate  to  34th  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  and  for  delegates  to  the  constitutional  convention,  do  hereby 
certify  upon  our  oaths  as  judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is 
a  true  and  correct  return  of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election,  by  law- 
ful resident  voters. 

For  delegate  to  Congress,  Andrew  H.  Reeder  has  received  thirteen 
votes. 

For  delegates  for  the  constitutional  convention,  Hiram  Hoover  has 
received  thirteen  votes,  Mahlon  T.  Morris  nine  votes,  James  M. 
Arthur  nine  votes,  William  R.  Turner  eight  votes. 

MORGAN  DICKS, 
THOMAS  BOWEN, 
HIRAM  HOOVER, 

Attest :  ENOS  STRAWN,  Judges  of  election. 

WM.  K.  VAILL,  Clerks. 


682 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


SIXTH  DISTRICT. — House  of  Richard  J.  Farqua. 

Tally-list  of  votes  for  Congress,  and  for  the  convention  to  form  a  State 
constitution,  October  9,  1855. 

Delegate  to  Congress,  A.  H.  Eeeder 12  votes. 

For  delegates  to  constitutional  convention  : 

W.  R.  Griffith 12  votes. 

John  Hamilton 12      " 

A.  W.  J.  Brown 12      " 

William  Saunders 12      " 

"  We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  cer- 
tify upon  our  oaths,  that  Andrew  H.  Reeder  has  received  twelve  votes 
for  delegate  to  Congress;  and  that  William  R.  Griffith,  John  Hamil- 
ton, A.  W.  Brown,  and  William  Saunders  each  received  twelve  votes, 
cast  at  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Richard  J.  Farqua,"  &c.,  as 
in  the  printed  form. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855. 


Attest:  GEO.  W.  GOODRICH, 

JACOB  SHERLOCK,  Clerics. 


R.  J.  FARQUA, 
WM.  C.  KEETH, 
H.  W.  HUMPHREY, 

Judges. 


SIXTH  DISTRICT — Scott  Town  Precinct. 
List  of  voters  for  delegates  to  convention,  October  9,  1855, 


1  Marion  Medlen 

2  Gaston  Reeves 

3  Gilford  Noris 

4  James  Johnson 

5  Hiram  Hayward 

6  John  Moberly 

7  David  Ward 

8  Henry  Bennett 

9  A.  W.  J.  Brown 

10  Thomas  Burgess 

11  David  Dotson 

12  Isam  Prewett 

13  Giles  Later 

14  William  Darden 


15  William  Later 
1G  Hiram  Cable 
1*7  Augustus  Todd 

18  Thomas  Owen 

19  John  Kyzer 

20  D.  D.  Brown 

21  Edmond  Henly 

22  G.  W.  Jackson 

23  Anderson  Raye 

24  Davis  Parsons 

25  James  Hertson 

26  Hiram  Ward 

27  A.  Jones 


TaUy-list. 
Delegates  to  convention : 

A.  H.  Brown 26  votes. 

T.  H.  Burgess 24     " 

John  Hamilton 27      " 

W.  J.  Griffith..  27     " 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  683 

SIXTH  DISTRICT. — Columbia  Precinct. 
Tally-list. 

A.  EL  Keeder 20  votes. 

James  H.  Phenis 20      " 

"  We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  James  H.  Phenis  has  received  twenty  votes,  cast 
at  an  election  held  at  Columbia,"  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form. 
OCTOBER  9, 1855. 

PHILIP  COOK, 
JAS.  H.  PHENIS, 
THOMAS  J.  ADDES, 

Attest :  JESSE  J.  WHITSON,  Judges. 

PETER  A.  PHENIS,  Clerics. 


Judge's  certificate. 

LAWRENCE,  September  22,  1855. 

SIR  :  Having  entire  confidence  in  your  integrity,  patriotism,  and 
ability,  you  have  been  selected,  and  are  hereby  appointed  as  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  election  to  be  holden  in  your  precinct,  in  the  Terri- 
tory of  Kansas,  at  Columbia,  on  the  second  Tuesday  (October  ninth,) 
for  members  of  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of 
rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  for 
organizing  a  State  government,  preparatory  to  the  admission  of 
Kansas  into  the  Union  as  a  State. 

Per  order  of  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory. 

J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman. 

J.  K.  GOODIN,  Secretary. 

[Endorsed  "  Philip  Cook,"  and  similar  certificates  addressed  to 
the  other  judges.  Printed  form.] 


SEVENTH  DISTRICT. — Council  City  Precinct. 

PoU-list  of  voters  for  delegates  to  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  Octo- 
ber 9,  1855. 

A.  Smith  Alexander  Melison 

Lewis  D.  Joy  George  Bonser 

William  Lord  W.  H.  Toothman 

John  Drew  I.  B.  Titus 

Philip  C.  Schuyler  Samuel  Scott 

George  Bralton  Charles  Fish 

David  Condite  Lucien  Fish 

Abel  Policy  Nicholas  Schuyler. 


684  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Frederick  C.  Upson  Hiram  Mills 

L.  T.  Miller  Jacob  Beyer 

William  Drew  Alexander  Hoover 

William  Graham  Adam  Bothel 

Hiram  Graham  Samuel  A.  Allison 

Marcus  0.  Rose  William  Tillinghast 

Thiel  Strite  George  M.  Barnes 

Harvey  R.  Hall  J.  W.  Kerr 

Stephen  D.  Smith  James  T.  Miller 

John  Smith  Joseph  McDonald 

M.  H.  Rose  James  R.  Stewart 

W.  N.  Havens  David  Hoover 

Henry  Morell  E.  M.  Ferine 

Harvey  Eperson  A.  Leonard 

G.  J.  Morell  H.  Black 

John  Lowry  Robert  Smith 

Joseph  Brown  John  Cozier 

Jackson  Mullers  Oliver  Philips 

David  Stanley  Henry  Zodel 

John  Crawford  A.  L.  Watkins 

Thomas  Armden  James  Bothel 

Samuel  B.  Harvey  Victor  McDonald 

George  M.  Harvey  James  King. 

"  We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify, 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  following  persons,  Josiah  H.  Pillsbury  and 
Philip  0.  Schuyler  have  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  for  del- 
egates to  Territorial  convention,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Council 
City,  in  the  seventh  district,"  &c.,  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form. 
OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

JOHN  DREW, 
WM.  LORD, 

Judges. 
Attest :  ABEL  POLLEY. 


Judge's  Return. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  an  election  held  on  the  9th  of  Oc- 
tober, A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  I.  B.  Titus,  in  the  precincts  of 
the  seventh  election  district,  for  the  election  of  a  delegate  to  the  34th 
Congress  of  the  United  States,  do  hereby  certify  upon  our  oaths,  as 
judges  of  said  election,  that  the  following  is  a  true  and  correct  re- 
turn of  the  votes  polled  at  such  election,  by  lawful  resident  voters, 
to  wit:  There  was  cast  for  Andrew  H.  Reeder  at  said  election,  for 
Congressman,  sixty-two  votes ;  and  for  Territorial  convention,  there 
was  cast  sixty  votes  for  Josiah  H.  Pillsbury  delegate  to  the  same; 
and  sixty  votes  cast  for  Philip  C.  Schuyler  for  delegate  to  said  con- 
vention. Two  persons  not  voting  for  delegates  to  Territorial  con- 
vention that  voted  for  Congressman. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  685 

Done  at  Council  City,  within  the  precincts  of  the  7th  district,  this 
9th  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-five. 

JOHN  DEEW, 
WM.  LORD. 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT. —  Waubaunsee  Precinct. 

Poll-book. — List  of  voters  who  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  conven- 
tion to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  this  second  Tuesday,  the 
ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

Harry  Jones  Allen  B.  Lee 

Henry  S.  Gilbert  Cyrus  Bishop 

Henry  Bisbey  D.  E.  Adams 

Peter  Sharai  G.  W.  Lee 

Charles  P.  Far ns worth  V.  R.  Morse 

John  C.  Massman  Bartholomew  Sharai 

Daniel  L.  Bates  Lafayette  W.  Brown 

Calvin  H.  Sawin  E.  R.  McCurdy 

Francis  A.  Abbott  D.  B.  Hiatt 

William  B.  Marshall  Jno.  H.  Nesbitt 

Jonathan  M.  Burley  Horace  W.  Taylor 

F.  W.  Ross  George  H.  Hill 

James  M.  Bisbey  Harrison  F,  Brown, 
E.  E.  Persons 

The  certificate  as  to  the  number  and  qualification  of  the  voters  is 
in  the  usual  form,  signed  as  follows  : 
WAUBAUNSEE,  October  9,  1855. 

E.  R.  McCURDY, 
J.  M.  BISBEY, 
DANIEL  B.  HIATT, 

Judges. 
Attest :  HORACE  W.  TAYLOR, 

JOHN  H.  NESBITT,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  of  legal  votes  for  delegates  to  the  constitutional  convention. 

J.  H.  Pillsbury 27  votes. 

P.  C.  Schuyler 27     " 


E.  R.  McCURDY, 
J.  M.  BISBEY, 
DANIEL  B.  HIATT, 

Judges, 
Attest :  JOHN  H.  NESBITT, 

HORACE  W.  TAYLOR,  Clerks. 


686  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

EIGHTH  DISTRICT. —  Waubaunsee  Precinct,  (to  fill  a  vacancy .) 

Poll-book. — List  of  the  names  of  legal  voters  who  cast  their  votes  for  dele- 
gate to  convention,  October  30,  1855. 

H.  T.  Brown  V.  K.  Morse 

Geo.  H   Hill  Hiram  Tadder 

D.  L.  Bates  J.  M.  Bisby 

P.  Sharai  Lafayette  Brown 

Henry  Bisby  J.  H.  Nesbitt. 

HENRY  BISBY, 
V.  K.  MORSE, 
J.  M.  BISBY, 
Attest:  D.  L.  BATES,  Clerk.  Judges. 


Tally -list  for  delegate  to  convention. 
J.  H.  Nesbitt 10  votes. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  the  election  held  at  the  house  oi 
Peter  Sharai,  Waubaunsee,  in  the  eight  election  district,  to  elect  s 
delegate  to  the  constitutional  convention,  in  place  of  J.  H.  Pillsbury. 
resigned,  declare  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  J.  H.  Nesbitt  tc 
be  ten.  H.  BISBY, 

V.  R.  MORSE, 
J.  M.  BISBY, 
Attest:  D.  L.  BATES,  Clerk.  Judges. 


NINTH  DISTRICT. — Pawnee  Precinct. 

List  of  voters  wlio  have  cast  their  votes  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to 
form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth 
day  of  October,  1855. 

1  Robert  Klotz  15  John  M.  Moses 

2  Henry  Green  16  H.  W.  Martin 

3  S.  B.  White  17  Matthew  Mudcator 

4  Adolph  Kurtze  18  John  Jarahass 

5  R.  Whitehare  19  George  Peacock 

6  F.  Vember  20  John  Pipe 

7  George  Blesch  21  Isaac  Bigtree 

8  J.  H.  Green  22  S.  P.  Higgins 

9  R.  Leavitt  Lincoln  23  Silas  Klotz 

10  Reuben  Kleintop  24  John  C.  Bertolett 

11  Isaac  H.  Loder  25  Charles  Weidkrecht 

12  Alexander  Shaw  56  Joseph  Barry 

13  Diversica  Fursom  2*7  John  Hibler 

14  Charles  Albright  28  Benjamin  Kleintop 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  687 

29  Patrick  Chandit  53  Lemuel  Knapp 

30  G-eorge  Taylor  54  Samuel  Allen 

31  J.  M.  Myers  55  S.  W.  Johnson 

32  Thomas  Bickerton  56  R.  H.  Higgins 

33  William  H.  Moore  5*7  John  Holbrook 

34  Milton  Buher  58  T.  H.  Mills 

35  George  F.  Brown  59  Thomas  Blacklin 

36  J.  C.  Conter  60  James  Holse 

37  Samuel  Hill  61  J.  B.  Dickerson 

38  Emery  P.  Lockhart  62  Benj.  Coppenhaven 

39  James  S.  Rhodes  63  W.  H.  Mackey 

40  Johnson  Mclntire  64  C.  More 

41  O.  F.  Gordon  65  C.  G.  Nolan 

42  William  M.  McClure  66  Franz  Hogg 

43  James  B.  Alexander  67  James  Chrers 

44  Jacob  Swartwood  68  Adam  Kelber 

45  J.  W.  Stewart  69  John  Schumaker 

46  Jeremiah  Younkin  70  R.  H.  Hammond 

47  G.  M.  Fountain  71  W.  C.  Gibbons 

48  Joseph  McClure  72  Abraham  Barry 

49  Jacob  Butcher  73  William  Grace 

50  Charles  A.  Berry  74  David  German 

51  G.  W.  Marston  75  A.  B.  Marchol 

52  J.  0.  Sawyer  76  G-eorge  Darling. 

[The  certificate  appended  to  the  poll-list  fails  to  state  the  number 
of  voters,  and  is  therefore  of  no  value,  except  as  to  the  qualification 
of  voters.  The  words  quoted  in  the  other  certificate,  as  to  the  five 
Wyandot  Indians,  are  repeated  in  this.] 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution 
for  Kansas j  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  October , 
A.  D.  1855. 

Robert  Klotz 53 

A.  Hunting 54 

"We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  Robert  Klotz  has  received  fifty-three  votes,  and 
A.  Hunting  fifty-four  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Pawnee,"  &c., 
as  in  the  printed  form.  They  add  to  the  printed  certificate  that  the 
voters  were  white  male  inhabitants  "(except  five,  who  are  members 
of  the  Wyandot  tribe  of  Indians)." 
PAWNEE,  October  9,  1855. 

S.  P.  HIGGINS, 
WM.  M.  McCLURE, 
LEONARD  KNAPP, 

Judges. 
Attest:  J.  B.  DICKERSON, 

J.  M.  MYERS,  Clerks. 


688 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


TENTH  DISTRICT. — Big  Blue  Precinct. 

Poll-book. — List  of  voters  ivho  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  con- 
vention to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tues- 
day, the  ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  18%5. 


1  Harry  Whiteside 

2  Henry  B.  Nealy 

3  S.  Whitehorne 

4  S.  P.  Lincoln 

5  M.  L.  Wisner 

6  J.  E.  Wood 

7  S.  B.  McKenzie 

8  H.  B.  Leonard 

9  0.  H.  Lovejoy 

10  A.  Hunting 

11  Rezin  Arnold 

12  William  S.  Arnold 

13  Christian  Goty 

14  Samuel  Hensley 

15  J.  Stewart 

16  Henry  Condray 

17  Minchey  Condray 

18  E.  E.  Blood 

19  William  C.  Dyer 

20  William  Jacobs 

21  E.  M.  Thurston 

22  Peter  Neyhart 

23  William  Hanna 

24  David  Hays 

25  Samuel  Carnahan 

26  Thomas  C.  Wells 

27  John  Gill 

28  C.  N.  Wilson 

29  S.  D.  Houston 

30  M.  E.  Gennis 

31  J.  P.  Hare 

32  T.  B.  Hare 

33  James  Hare 

34  James  Johnson 

35  Thomas  Baftree 

36  Henry  Green 

37  Asahel  G.  Allen 

38  Simon  Perry 

39  Ehraim  Adkins 


41  C.  W.  Beehee 

42  Ambrose  Todd 

43  Joseph  Hays 

44  J.  P.  Goodnow 

45  J.  W.  Dyer 

46  B.  M.  Whilden 

47  Geo.  W.  Eubank 

48  William  Carroll 

49  Samuel  Hays 

50  Seth  J.  Childs 

51  Tenman  Shadduck 

52  Stephen  B.  Barns 

53  Joseph  Denison 

54  John  Morris 

55  Thomas  W.  Platt 

56  Lorenzo  West  over 

57  Newell  Trafton 

58  E.  Hunting 

59  J.  D.  Heald 

60  J.  B.  Smith 

61  Asaph  Browning 

62  Thomas  Bandolph 

63  John  Randolph 

64  J.  F.  Hofficker 

65  John  McCorusey 

66  W.  W.  Davis 

67  Willard  Whitney 

68  William  McCorusey 

69  John  Flagg 

70  Cornelius  N.  Low 

71  John  Hoar 

72  John  Hudson 

73  John  Mails 

74  John  Sonpene 

75  Augustus  Wattles 

76  David  Ward 

77  Jacob  Thier 

78  Christopher  Thomas 

79  Moody  B.  Powers 

80  A.  H.  Powers. 


40  Henry  Bishop 

[The  certificate  to  the  poll-list  fails  to  state  the  number  of  voters, 
but  is  good  as  to  their  qualifications — the  printed  form  being  used.] 
Signed,  Juniata,  October  9,  1855.  J.  STEWART, 

PETER  NEYHART, 
WILLIAM  HANNA, 

Attest:  C.  N.  WILSON,  Judges. 

THOMAS  C.  WELLS,  Clerks. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  689 


TENTH  DISTRICT. — Big  Blue  Precinct. 

Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas,  held  on'this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1855. 

Dr.  A.  Hunting 64  votes. 

Kobert  Klotz T3     " 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  cer- 
tify upon  our  oaths,  that  Dr.  A.  Hunting  has  received  sixty-four 
votes,  and  Robert  Klotz  has  received  seventy-three  votes,  cast  at  an 
election  held  at  the  tenth  precinct/'  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form  ;  to 
which  is  added,  "  except  voters  who  have  been  here  eighteen  days." 
JUNIATA,  October  9,  1855.  J.  STEWART, 

WM.  HANNA, 
PETER  NEYHART, 

Attest :  C.  N.  WILSON,  Judges. 

THOMAS  C.  WELLS,  Clerks. 


TENTH  DISTRICT. — Bock  Creek  Precinct. 

Poll-book. — List  of  voters  who  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  conven- 
tion to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday, 
the  ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

John  Adams  R.  Wilson 

Moses  Jenkins  Henry  Rodex 

William  Seymour  Zacharias  Kabor 

William  H.  Wilson  William  Seymour 

John  Midey  Henry  Hoffman 

Michael  Flush  James  Long 

Mathias  Flush  John  J.  Davis 

William  Jenkins  Charles  Jenkins 

John  Myers  James  Darnell 

Theophilus  Dickets  T.  F.  Jenkins 

Julius  Berger  F.  H.  Jenkins 

Michael  Rapp  Henry  Rammelt 

Francis  Burgrow  Andrew  Nolle 

John  King  J.  H.  Haide 

A.  Dickets  Andrew  Lamer, 

(The  certificate  to  the  poll-list  fails  to  state  the  number  of  voters,, 
but  is  good  as  to  their  qualifications,  the  printed  form  being  used.) 
ROCK  CREEK,  October  9, 1855.  JAMES  DARNELL, 

CHARLES  JENKINS, 
HENRY  RAMMELT, 
Attest :  J.  E.  DAVIS,  Judges, 

WM.  S.  SEYMOUR.  Clerks. 
H.  Rep,  200 44* 


690  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Judges  and  clerks'  certificate. 

u  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  cer« 
tify  upon  our  oaths,  that  Dr.  A.  Hunting  and  Kohert  Klotz  have  re- 
ceived thirty  (30)  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Eock  Creek  pre- 
cinct," &c.,  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form. 
KOCK  CREEK,  October  9,  1855.  JAMES  DAENELL, 

CHAELES  JENKINS, 
HENEY  EAMMELT, 

Judges, 
Attest :  J.  E.  DAVIS, 

WM.  S.  SEYMOUR,  Clerks. 


ELEVENTH  DISTRICT. — Black  Vermillion  Precinct. 

List  of  voters  wlio  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convention  ft 
form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  nintA 
day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

James  A.  Smith  Lonse  Bellow 

John  Herron  Henrick  Hollenherg 

William  Harmon  Zachariah  Duman 

Frederick  Brockmeyer  William  Sanders 

Leven  Jessen  S.  W.  Furhay 

William  Thule  A.  M.  Bell 

Henry  Brockmeyer  Kees  Furhay. 

Following  the  list  are  these  words:   "14  total  numher  of  votes  ca& 
for  delegates."     "At  house  of  Henry  Hollenhurg." 

[The  certificate  omits  to  state  the  numher  of  voters,  hut  it  is  goodai 
to  their  qualifications  ;  the  printed  form  "being  used.] 

OCTOBER  9,  1855.  H.  HOLLENBUEa, 

F.  DUMAN, 
WM.  SAUNDEES, 

Judges. 
Attest :  S.  W.  FURBAY, 

A.  M.  BELL,  Clerks. 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT. — Silver  Lake  Precinct. 

Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitti 
tion  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Saturday,  the  I3th  of  October 
A.  D.  1855. 

Martin  F.  Conway 12  votes. 

Joseph  M.  Coles 18 

John  G.  Thompson 21      " 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  691 

Following  the  tally-list,,  the  vote  for  each  candidate  is  correctly 
stated ;  but  the  blank  in  the  printed  certificate  is  not  filled.  It  is, 
however,  signed  by  the  judges  and  clerks,  and  is  good  as  to  the  quali- 
fication of  voters. 

OCTOBER  13,  1855.  JOHN  G.  THOMPSON, 

JOHN  W.  HOPKINS, 
E.  K.  BEKNARDY, 

Judges. 
Attest:  J.  Gr.  THOMPSON, 

JOHN  W.  HOPKINS,  Clerks. 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT. — St.  Mary's  Precinct. 

List  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to 
form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  9fc& 
day  of  October,  A,  D.  1855. 

1  A.  Higbee  11  Stephen  Hopkins 

2  D.  S.  Garrison  12  P.  B.  Dean 

3  Charles  Dean  13  J.  P.  Wilson 

4  Philip  Werner  14  B.  C.  Dean 

5  John  Leonard  15  Parmer  McCartney 

6  B.  0.  Menger  16  C.  Milet 

7  J.  B.  Dackern  IT  A.  Peltier 

8  S.  L.  Horn  18  J.  L.  Wilson 

9  F.  Shaffer  19  Augustus  Becker. 
10  H.  Oslerhouse 

Certificate  in  the  usual  printed  form,  signed  St.  Mary's  precinct, 
October  9,  1855,  J.  P.  WILSON, 

BENJ.  C,  DEAN, 
OSCAB  B.  DEAN, 

Judges. 
Attest:  J.  P.  WILSON, 

OSCAR  B.  DEAN,  Clerics, 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  State  con- 
stitution for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of 
October,  A.  D.  1855. 

For  Martin  F,  Conway 20  votes. 

Printed  certificate  properly  filled,  and  signed  October  9,  1855. 

3  J.  P.  WILSON, 
OSCAR  B.  DEAN, 
BENJ.  C.  DEAN, 

Attest:  J.  P.  WILSON,  Judges. 

0,  B.  DEAN,  Clerks. 


692 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Falls  Precinct. 

List  of  voters  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  het 
at  Falls  precinct,  thirteenth  district,  October  9,  1855. 


1  John  Weaver 

2  William  Millikan 

3  Peter  Taylor 

4  Henry  Morris 

5  Chalmers  Scott 

6  John  W.  Clark 
V  Michael  Hasler 

8  John  Roberts 

9  Theophilus  Jolly 

10  George  S.  Hillyer 

11  Richard  Hull 

12  Thomas  Moiney 

13  Francis  J.  Crowberger 

14  Henly  Mendenhall 

15  George  T.  Donaldson 

16  John  Conway 
IV  Samuel  Johnson 

18  Payton  Roderick 

19  John  Ernst 

20  William  Catt 

21  William  Grigsbee 
•22  J.  K.  Williams 

JTo  certificate. 


23  Ephraim  Cowman 

24  Jacob  Webber 

25  Henry  Webber 

26  Henry  Conn 

2T  William  Cowen 

28  Daniel  Willey 

29  Martin  Vanderborg 

30  Benjamin  Wise 

31  John  Roderick 

32  Nathaniel  Hart 

33  Fayette  P.  Hart 

34  Jesse  B.  Taylor 

35  Marshall  N.  Hart 

36  Sidney  Scanlin 
3V  John  Hughan 

38  John  McDowell 

39  Alexander  Hughan 

40  Stephen  H.  Dunn 

41  John  B.  Ross 

42  Jacob  Fisher 

43  William  Boles. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constiti 
tion  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  %th  day  of  Octobet 
1855,  at  Falls  precinct,  thirteenth  district. 

George  S.  Hillyer 43  votes. 

William  Grigsbee 41      " 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  ce 
tify  upon  our  oaths,  that  George  S.  Hillyer  has  received  forty-thr 
votes,  and  William  Grigsbee  forty-one  votes,  cast  at  an  election  hei 
at  Falls  precinct,"  &c.,  in  the  usual  printed  form. 
OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

S. 
J. 
J. 


Attest :  CHALMERS  SCOTT, 

PETER  TAYLOR,  Clerks. 


H.  DUNN, 
B.  ROSS, 
W.  CLARK, 
JudgeSt 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  693 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Pleasant  Hill  Precinct. 


k  List  of  voters  wlio  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to 
form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  %ik 
day  of  October,  1855. 

1  William  Hicks  23  Sidney  Stewart 

2  Andrew  Francis  24  Aaron  Cook 

3  Lewis  Hoover  25  G.  B.  Hall 

4  Robert  Ward  26  Stephen  Ogan 

5  Nathan  Adams  27  James  Dempsey 

6  John  A.  Pepers  28  Daniel  Damert 

7  Lewis  Remiatte  29  John  Buzhee 

8  Philip  Kepler  30  Leonard  Buzbee 

9  James  E.  Stevenson  31  Abram  Smith 

10  Hugh  McGehee  32  Alexander  McDonald 

11  John  Nichols  33  Aaron  Smith 

12  Nathan  Griffiths  34  Alexander  McDonald,  jr. 

13  William  C.  Walker  35  James  G.  Points 

14  James  Griffiths  36  Henry  Owens 

15  Jacob  A.  Brown  37  William  Butler 

16  Rufus  W.  Rice  38  Thomas  Mount 

17  Joseph  Dunn  39  Ashberry  Kepler 

18  John  H.  Brown  40  William  B.  Ward 

19  Nathan  Cory  41  William  Duck 

20  Byron  Stewart  42  Thomas  McGehee 

21  Richard  S.  Bunker  43  James  C.  Ward 

22  Ephraim  Bainter 

Poll-list  properly  certified  and  signed  as  follows : 
PLEASANT  HILL,  October  9,  1855.  ROBERT  WARD, 

NATHAN  ADAMS, 
WILLIAM  HICKS, 

Attest :  ANDREW  J.  FRANCIS,  Judges. 

LEWIS  HOOVER,  Clerics. 


rally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution, 
held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  $th  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

William  Hicks , 43  votes. 

J.  Whitney 43      " 

Printed  certificate  properly  filled  and  signed  as  follows  : 
PLEASANT  HILL,  October  9,  1855.  ROBERT  WARD, 

NATHAN  ADAMS, 
WILLIAM  HICKS, 

Attest :  ANDREW  J.  FRANCIS,  Judges. 

LEWIS  HOOVER,  Clerks. 


694  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


FOUKTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Doniphan  Precinct. 

PoU-boo'k  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convex 
tion  to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesdai 
the  ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

1  Samuel  Collins  22  B.  G.  Cody  ^ 

2  William  Peopges  23  Alexander  Ringord 

3  Norman  Alexander  24  Lawrence  Gunderson 

4  D.  M.  Field  25  Kinder  Nelson 

5  Luther  Dickerson  26  Josten  A.  Josten 

6  Lyman  Oaks,  jr,  27  Robert  Rockey 

7  Lyman  Oaks,  sr.  28  Monroe  Ledington 

8  William  P.  Irwiii  29  William  Ledington 

9  Robert  Mealer  30  Barnard  Bradley 

10  John  Snider  31  William  Colcott 

11  Benjamin  McCan  32  Lonson  Mealer 

12  Thomas  Collins  33  Richard  Tuck 

13  B.  R.  Wilmott  34  Gunder  Tronson 

14  G.  A.  Cutler  35  John  Steiz 

15  Thomas  Cook  36  J.  H.  Whittaker 

16  John  McNamee  37  T.  D.  Hoffman 

17  Peter  Olison  38  John  Landis 

18  0.  G.  Lock  39  J.  H.  Gilbert 

19  N.  Tomson  40  Wm.  H.  Wills 

20  Oly  Homson  41  Thomas  Lawton 

21  John  Bell  42  William  Smith. 

The  certificate  as  to  the  number  and  qualification  of  the  voters 
in  the  usual  form,  signed  as  follows  : 

DONIPHAN,  October  9,  1855.  JOHN  H.  WHITTAKER, 

T.  D.  HOFFMAN, 
J.  LANDIS, 

Judges. 
Attest:  P.  LOTJGHLIN, 

THOMAS  COLLINS,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constit 
tion  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Oci 
ler,  A.  D.  1855. 

George  A.  Cutler 42 

John  Landis ,  42 

D.  M.  Field 42 

C.  M.  Stewart 42 

uWe,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certi 
upon  our  oaths,  that  John  Landis,  George  A.  Cutler,  D.  M.  Fiel 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  695 

and  C.  M.  Stewart,  have  received  forty-two  votes,  at  an  election  held 
at  Doniphan  precinct,"  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form. 
DONIPHAN,  October  9,  1855. 

JOHN  H.  WHITTAKER, 
T.  D.  HOFFMAN, 
J.  LANDIS,  Judges. 

Attest:  T.  COLLINS, 

P.  LOUGHLIN,  Clerics. 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Palermo  Precinct. 

Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion/or Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1855. 

G.  A.  Cutler , 40 

John  Landis 40 

D.  M.  Field 40 

C.  M.  Stewart 39 

"We,  the  under  signed,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  herehy  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  G.  A.  Cutler,  John  Landis,  and  D.  M.  Field 
have  received  forty  votes,  and  C.  M.  Stewart  has  received  thirty-nine 
votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Palermo  precinct/'  &c.,  &c.,  as  in 
the  printed  form. 
PALERMO,  October  9,  1855. 

NATHAN  D.  WHITE, 
WILLIAM  CHAPMAN, 

Attest:  WM.  BRITTAIN,  Judges. 

OLIVER  R.  HOWE,  Clerics. 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Burr  Oak  Precinct. 

Poll-book  of  voters  who  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to 
form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth 
day  of  October,  1855. 

1  Alfred  Langden  11  Jacob  Zander  (sworn) 

2  Wm.  M.  E.  F.  Greer  12  Jacob  0.  Rooke  (sworn) 

3  W.  H.  High  13  John  T.  Brady 

4  William  Keaton  14  Benjamin  Harding 

5  Robert  McSpanner  15  Samuel  S.  Shelton 

6  William  Jourdan  16  William  Newman 
*1  Samuel  Piles  17  John  Yeatman 

8  John  Rhodes  18  Caspian  Lanmer 

9  F.  Leher  (sworn)  19  Richard  Hunley 
10  A.  Grooms  20  James  M.  Grooms 


696  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

21  Charles  Eggers  28  E.  S.  Davis 

22  John  Stantorf  29  Thomas  C.  Stewart 

23  James  Kendall  30  A.  A.  Jamison 

24  Nelson  Abhy  31  Mathew  Isles 

25  A.  Zezean  32  Henderson  Small  wood 

26  Abs.  Grooms  33  E.  P.  Weaver. 

27  G.  H.  Bryan 

[No  certificate  to  the  poll-list.] 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion/or  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1855. 

G.  A.  Cutler 33 

John  Landis 33 

C.  M.  Stewart 33 

D.  M.  Field 33 

"We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  G.  A.  Cutler  has  received  thirty-three  votes, 
John  Landis  has  received  thirty-three  votes,  C.  M.  Stewart  has  re- 
ceived thirty-three  votes,  D.  M.  Field  has  received  thirty-three  votes, 
cast  at  an  election  held  at  B.  Harding's,  in  Burr  Oak  precinct,"  &c.7 
as  in  the  printed  form. 

BURR  OAK,  October  9,  1855. 

HENDERSON  SMALLWOOD, 
MATHEW  ISLES, 
A.  A.  JAMISON,  Judges. 

Attest:  HENDERSON  SMALLWOOD, 
A.  A.  JAMISON,  Clerks. 


FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. — (Walnut  Creek*)  Precinct. 

Poll-list  of  voters  who  l)alloted  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a 

constitution  for  Kansas,  October  9,  1855,  at  precinct,  I5th 

district. 

1  H.  B.  Gale  8  John  R.  ShifT 

2  B.  Y.  Edwards  9  Charles  J.  Foster 

3  James  Le  Sale  10  Henry  C.  Sutton 

4  Jackson  B.  Crow  11  John  Howse 

5  Lewis  Shiif  12  Henry  Owens 

6  William  Morganson  13  S.  J.  Elliott 

T  John  A.  Beeher  14  James  Holloway 


The  words  "Walnut  creek"  erased. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  697 

15  Robert  T.  Parks  23  M.  Seely 

16  Mailin  Kleim  24  Stanford  McDaniel 

17  John  Strum  25  Harrison  D.  Patterson 

18  James  H.  Yants  26  Philip  Baker 

19  Thomas  Newman  27  E.  R.  Zimmerman     - 

20  David  Halls  28  John  Miller 

21  Charles  P.  Allgea  29  John  C.  Ridgeway 

22  Thomas  J.  Aliff  30  Joseph  F.  Musser. 

[No  certificate  to  the  poll-list.] 

No  tally-list,  but  the  following  certificate : 

"We,  the  undersigned  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  cer- 
tify, upon  our  oaths,  that  Stanford  McDaniel  has  received  30  votes, 
James  S.  Sayle  30  votes,  H.  B.  Gale  28  votes,  and  Charles  S.  Fos- 
ter 2  votes,  being  the  full  number  cast  at  an  election  held  at  the 
fifteenth  election  precinct/'  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form,  except  that 
the  voters  are  said  to  be  bona-fide  residents  "at  the  time  of  election/'  and 
not  for  thirty  days. 
OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

CHARLES  S.  FOSTER, 
STANFORD  McDANIEL, 
JACKSON-B.  CRANE, 

Attest:  MEPJMAN  SEELY,  Judges. 

BENJAMIN  F.  EDWARDS,  Clerics. 

The  returns  are  accompanied  by  the  u  judges'  certificate"  of  ap- 
pointment, with  their  oaths  endorsed  on  the  back.  (See  forms.) 


FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Crosby's  Store  Precinct. 

Poll-list  of  voters  who  balloted  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a 
constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day 
of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

1  Daniel  F.  Graham  16  J.  W.  Elliott 

2  Beverly  W.  Dureese  17  James  Dougherty 

3  E.  Landrum  18  E.  Peck 

4  Luther  Knox  19  W.  H.  Stewart 

5  E.  Jones  20  Stephen  McAvet 

6  Caleb  May  21  T.  B.  Elliott 

7  William  Crosby  22  Lewis  Minch 

8  R.  H.  Crosby  '  23  Sam'l  Rider 

9  G.  W.  Johnston  24  Daniel  Campbell 

10  Joseph  Trocax  25  Miles  T.  Perry 

11  G.  W.  Cobb  26  John  Graves 

12  John  Abbott  27  William  Landrum 

13  John  Hart  28  H.  J.  Rust 

14  Thomas  Duncan  29  Hiram  Perry. 

15  A.  Elliott 


698  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

"  We  hereby  certify  that  the  numher  of  votes  cast  at  this  election 
amounts  to  twenty-nine  for  Cobb,  May,  and  E.  H.  Crosby." 

CALEB  MAY, 
E.  LANDRUM, 
WM.  CROSBY, 

Attest:  MILES  CARLTON,  Judges. 

R.  H.  CROSBY,  Clerks. 


There  is  no  tally-list,  hut  the  officers  certify  as  follows : 
"  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify, 
upon  our  oaths,  that  Caleb  May  and  R.  H.  Crosby  each  have  received 
twenty-nine  votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  the  store  of  Crosby 
&  Co.,  Oceana  precinct,  and  15th  election  district,"  &c.,  as  in  the 
printed  form. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855.  CALEB  MAY, 

E.  LANDRUM, 
WM.  CROSBY, 

Attest:  MILES  CARLTON,  Judges. 

R.  H.  CROSBY,  Clerics. 

This  return  is  accompanied  by  the  commissions  or  authority  of 
judges  of  elections,  signed  by  J.  H.  Lane;  and  by  the  oaths  of  the 
judges.  (See  the  form.) 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Leavenwortli  Precinct. 
Poll-list  of  Leavenworih. 

1  William  Brown  20  A.  Fisher 

2  Thomas  Shankland  21  Charles  E.  Pearson 

3  William  Phillips  22  J.  W.  Skinner 

4  J.  K.  Edsell  23  H.  R.  Hook 

5  G.  N.  Propper  24  C.  F.  Warren 

6  Thomas  S.  Slocum  25  G-.  J.  Park 

7  Ely  Wilson  26  J.  L.  Rounds 

8  A.  W.  Walker  27  M.  E.  Clark 

9  C.  Wilson  28  R.  Morrison 

10  J.  A.  Wilson  29  Jesse  Kirkham 

11  James  C.  Wilson  30  James  Lillie 

12  S.  N.  Latta  31  J.  Conroy 

13  P.  Lane  32  John  Kelley 

14  Charles  Putnam  33  W.  S.  Coleman 

15  Jerad  Phillips  34  B.  S.  Hughes 

16  D.  C.  Ames  35  J.  Ream 

IT  A.  S.  Downey  36  Alex.  Chas.  Kasky 

18  William  G.  Marvin  37  John  Valkavitz 

19  W.  Anthony  38  W.  GL  Simpson 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


699 


39  S.  Mollyausky 

40  E.  Furguson 

41  D.  Brown 

42  J.  Brace 

43  D.  W.  Lane 

44  N.  Myers  Sayre 

45  A.  Kisten 

46  John  Allen 
47"  John  Warren 

48  E.  F.  Powell 

49  E.  Boss 

50  H.  C.  Gardner 

51  T.  Pemerill^ 

52  James  Kastien 

53  P.  Malon 

54  Thomas  Shawn 

55  A.  Hoelean 

56  M.  Galeher 
57"  James  Polka 

58  G.  W.  McLane 

59  John  Kogchinck 

60  William  Long 

61  John  Zimmerman 

62  Charles  Milten 

63  Charles  Knownan 

64  J.  Near 

65  Thomas  Welsh 

66  M.  Rowe 

67  Charles  Lockamyer 

68  J.  W.  Baker 

69  C.  Harris 

70  John  Link 

71  A.  Heynhrook 

72  Alexander  Reed 

73  William  Browley 

74  W.  Howl 

75  A,  Near 

76  E.  O'Reily 

77  Peter  Smith 

78  A.  Lipstone 

79  H.  Tucker 

80  R.  Wisener 

81  S.  Miller 

82  R.  P.  Brown 

83  J.  W.  Liedez 

84  William  L.  Bilsden 

85  John  Gleeson 

86  William  Bentley 

87  John  B.  Ross 

88  R.  G.  Newlin 

89  William  H.  Wells 


90  D.  Sullivan 

91  A.  Foster 

92  B.  Jennings 

93  P.  Garvy 

94  James  Meade 

95  Charles  Robinson 

96  S.  Breeden 

97  H.  Grovener 

98  S.  Burns 

99  H.  S.  Wilson 

100  T.  H.  Doyle 

101  A.  Lerell 

102  J.  Hall 

103  John  H.  McClelland 

104  D.  M.  F.  Talliford 

105  H.  C.  Sremp 

106  B.  C.  Harris 

107  M.  W.  Delahay 

108  Henry  Fisher 

109  George  Russell 

110  A.  Bechin 

111  John  Hess 

112  F.  Gardner 

113  John  Gorman 

114  D.  Dodge 

115  J.  F.  Bowman 

116  Thomas  Sayles 

117  S.  E.  Bird 

118  Edward  Killen 

119  Henry  Bentz 

120  William  Fracker 

121  Henry  Hare 

122  William  0.  Canden 

123  Thomas  Crawford 

124  C.  Beane 

125  J.  Howell 

126  John  Perry 

127  W.  L.  Ship 

128  George  Witherell 

129  John  Stanley 

130  L.  A.  Goodrich 

131  G.  W.  Gardner 

132  H.  H.  Johnson 

133  M.  McCracken 

134  C.  Salser 

135  James  Madden 

136  W.  McGraw 

137  James  Wallace 

138  G.  G.  Camphell 

139  William  R.  Rutter 

140  R.  B.  Roberts 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


141  Robert  Bright 

142  J.  B.  Lackey 

143  John  J.  Fulton 

144  John  Ronndy 

145  William  Ncwcomb 

146  J.  B.  Richouso 

147  Jacob  Shobel 

148  D.  C.  Smith 

149  Peter  Rexeker 

150  John  Williams 

151  John  Hoegner 
1§2  L.  Werx 

153  John  Kok 

154  D.  S.  Morton 

155  D.  Com  stock 

156  Alexander  Maltby 

157  C.  Fiders 

158  B.  Bennett 

159  J.  Decin 

160  W.  M.  Jones 

161  Henry  Edw-irds 

162  Thomas  Donelson 

163  William  Lanner 

164  William  Con  way 

165  John  O'Niel 

166  A.  R.  Reddin 

167  J.  S.  Spear 

168  E.  Jessey 

169  Paul  R.  Orr 

170  F.  Nile 

171  A.  Mayner 

172  J.  Bucler 

173  W.  G.  Weiblin 

174  John  Thompson 

175  William  Ashern 

176  J.  H.  Bird 

177  J.  C.  Green 

178  Thomas  Bishop 

179  George  Copelt 

180  H.  J.  Adams 

181  John  Owens 

182  William  H.  Hefsley 

183  William  Wallace 

184  F.  Hickman 

185  W.  Gehart 

186  A.  J.  Spalding 

187  James  Lewis 

188  G.  P.  Elliott 

189  G.  Brooker 

190  M.  SliaDe 

191  A.  M.  Sevier 


192  John  Farrisk 

193  A.  Stexvart 

194  H.  C.  Fields 

195  B.  S.  Brown 

196  J.  B.  McAffee 

197  V.  Lucas 

198  J.  Heiss 

199  William  Corman 

200  C.  Morric 

201  B.  Lambert 

202  F.  Denlyten 

203  W.  Seven 

204  E.  Fracken 

205  J.  Strabek 

206  Otto  Beolar 

207  Fred.  Beolar 

208  Charles  H.  Pearce 

209  S.  Warrcnburg 

210  Alex.  Mongondy 

211  G.  Genesebery 

212  A.  Hyen 

213  Uti  Robert 

214  John  Coben 

215  George  M.  Barr 

216  Henry  Decker 

217  A.  Neff 

218  Thomas  Turnbnll 

219  Terry  Crutchfield 

220  John  Rup 

221  F.  Webber 

222  C.  W.  Lucas 

223  George  Leddle 

224  E.  Wentworth 

225  E.  Whitney 

226  John  Wright 

227  F.  Waymind 

228  John  Kelly 

229  Thomas  Morgan 

230  William  Morgan 

231  John  Stanton 

232  L.  B.  Snow 

233  W.  Wakefield 

234  J.  Clark 

235  George  H.  Keller 

236  Charles  Jones 

237  D.  H.  Cook 

238  John  A.  King 

239  James  Eldridge 

240  M.  Whiteman 

241  H.  Bleddner 

242  Thomas  Cass 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


701 


243  James  Murphy 

244  H.  Brown 

245  W.  Engleman 

246  J.  E.  Gould 

247  B.  Luce 

248  J.  M.  Christman 

249  P.  T.  Luce 

250  George  Brucker 

251  William  Woods 

252  Wood  Leberton 

253  Ira  P.  Georgeus 

254  A.  S.  Kyle 

255  John  Grime 

256  Peter  May 

257  C.  Sieves 

258  L.  P.  Pattie 

259  T.  Phiffen 

260  N.  Creste 

261  H.  Blyle 

262  F.  Bentz 

263  B.  J.  Bringan 

264  A.  M.  Latty 

265  George  French 

266  John  Bronson 

267  P.  Palmer 

268  J.  Leghltred 

269  W.  Thornhergh 

270  Peter  Meneir 

271  William  Berin 

272  John  Agle 

273  John  Alutstein 

274  John  Sedler 

275  William  Abus 

276  James  Davis 

277  W.  Shellen 

278  J.  S.  Sauner 

279  James  Dugan 

280  John  H.  Bird 

281  M.  Mahony 

282  S.  H.  Brady 

283  A.  D.  Buck 

284  F.  L.  Salter 

285  E.  Coften 

286  P.  Warnett 

287  James  E.  Gant 

288  Is.  McCullugh 

289  G.  M.  Burress 

290  J.  Halsey 

291  H.  Millerson 

292  L.  J.  Wallace 

293  James  France 


294  Alexander  Mann 

295  James  Knoff 

296  C.  W.  Scroop 

297  J.  M.  Scroop 

298  C.  D.  Hicks 

299  William  Kasey 

300  Levy  Slye 

301  G.  Shull 

302  E.  P.  Abbott 

303  W.  E.  Parrott 

304  J  Cunningham 

305  J.  F.  Troy 

306  John  Smith 

307  F.  G.  Hook 

308  B.  Miller 

309  F.  Butts 

310  S.  Metzger 

311  George  P.  Bocroft 

312  James  P.  Ourren 

313  M.  Burke 

314  James  Cade 

315  John  Freborn 

316  Thomas  Hammond 

317  William  Catt 

318  John  Bager 

319  C.  Dengler 

320  Samuel  Ankerfer 

321  M.  H.  S.  Miller 

322  James  Ray 

323  H.  Ward 

324  John  MclSFaman 

325  Charles  H.  Dodge 

326  P.  Carney 

327  John  Flett 

328  John  Vincent 

329  A.  Litton 

330  S.  E.  Kelberg 

331  A.  Snyder 

332  M.  Harley 

333  E.  M.  Mackemer 

334  William  Chambers 

335  C.  Austin 

336  John  H.  Slatten 

337  G.  W.  Hollies 

338  William  Higgins 

339  L.  Ruchny 

340  James  Huesting 

341  D.  Colden 

342  William  Cox 

343  J.  Cranley 

344  G.  Long 


702 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


345  John  Butts 

346  John  Russell 

347  George  McKenna 

348  C.  Sante 

349  0.  Phate 

350  John  A.  Miller 

351  J.  S.  Werden 

352  D.  Short 

353  Thomas  Shumaker 

354  P.  Fredrick 

355  Geo.  Myberth 

356  John  Francis 

357  C.  Bann 

358  John  Williams 

359  J.  Smith 

360  George  Myer 

361  George  Coakley 

362  C.Harrington 

363  M.  Eldridge 

364  James  Waldock 

365  John  Kennett 

366  P.  M.  Barber 

367  Charles  Smith 

368  H.  Portman 

369  J.  Minik 

370  Henry  Keller 

371  J.  McMinnie 

372  Jacob  Sutton 

373  T.  Eckler 

374  D.  0.  Keffen 

375  F.  Peck 

376  John  Brown 

377  James  Martin 

378  H.  Bleckner 

379  W.  J.  Card 

380  M.  J.  Parrott 

381  M.  D.  Short 

382  H.  H.  C.  Harrison 

383  John  Sullivan 

384  George  Henderson 

385  D.  Murphy 

386  John  Brabacker 

387  Thomas  Lanem 

388  C.  C.  Cady 

389  J.  B.  McGinnis 

390  J.  A.  Lancaster 

391  D.  A.  Smith 

392  Geo.  Fillman 

393  Andrew  Deitz 

394  S.  Fuller 

395  Geo.  Luggeder 


396  Fed.  Buck 

397  T.  Mewhinney 

398  John  Hoffman 

399  Fr.  Grenwell 

400  Charles  Gryer 

401  John  Jacob 

402  John  Bohea 

403  William. Veis 

404  John  F.  Bomell 

405  D.  B.  Dickson 

406  Mark  Welch 

407  John  Smith 

408  (Jereslawn) 

409  A.  B.  Howe 

410  I.  Woman 

411  Adam  Mill 

412  William  Pean 

413  John  Heckett 

414  Thomas  Murphy 

415  William  Smith 

416  Wm.  J.  Percifer 

417  J.  R.  Clark 

418  A.  S.  Palleper 

419  J.  McCarty 

420  John  Killerhan 

421  L,  M.  Par 

422  J.  Beoler 

423  Hecks 

424  T.  Silkman 

425  Wm.  Alexander 

426  Col  A.  Gurney 

427  J.  William 

428  John  Griffiths 

429  S.  McEverds 

430  J.  S.  Gorham 

431  Geo.  M.  Whassey 

432  James  Dare 

433  Samuel  Bard 

434  Charles  Myers 

435  John  Davis 

436  C.  Peters 

437  D.  Dulin 

438  Edward  Mahouey 

439  H.  Dontt 

440  Thomas  Caffer 

441  John  Kelly 

442  J.  Lester 

443  Joseph  Palmer 

444  H.  Storm 

445  L.  Lerfland 

446  James  McSidn 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


703 


447  John  E.  Comb 

448  George  Cleson 

449  M.  E.  Merrett 

450  Flu  Hasbrick 

451  J.  W.  Mezerd 

452  A.  A.  Haskill 

453  T.  A.  Haskill 

454  James  Hallam 

455  Lin  McCarty 

456  William  Cashmere 

457  M.  Conroy 

458  Thomas  Slime 

459  George  W.  Wood 

460  E.  Latter 

461  A.  Drink 

462  L..Fosnelle 

463  George  L.  Gem 

464  George  Harvey 

465  W.  McFarland 

466  Samuel  Hawkins 

467  James  Birch 

468  C.  Gehus 

469  F.  Nedae 

470  D.  Bland 

471  Thomas  Hamilton 

472  Thomas  Glunen 

473  John  Rcerry 

474  William  Hines 

475  S.  E.  Bergy 

476  William  Kelly 

477  W.  Henny 

478  Peter  McGild 

479  W.  A.  Rickern 

480  Horace  Wahen 

[No  certificate.] 


481  Charles  L.  Krafer 

482  C.  Lewis 

483  J.  H.  Sanders 

484  H.  Smith 

485  James  King 

486  James  Jones 

487  J.  C.  Smith 

488  W.  Sawo 

489  Y.  Payden 

490  James  Haws 

491  A.  Graffe 

492  G.  Lenden 

493  J.  Walden 

494  C.  W.  Burden 

495  S.  W.  Wood 

496  John  Refferty 

497  Samuel  Green 

498  L.  P.  Brim 

499  G.  W.  Martin 

500  William  Philips 

501  A.  Kelsey 

502  A.  Way 

503  S.  Griffiths 

504  Edward  Setler 

505  V.  Gates 

506  B.  H.  Otis 

507  John  Lewis 

508  John  Presner 

509  P.  Watson 

510  Charles  Real 

511  James  Newell 

512  C.  W.  Sperry 

513  J.  S.  Sumhu 

514  John  Luskey. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution 
for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  October, 
1855. 

M.  J.  Parrott 492  votes.     • 

M.  W.  Delahay 495      " 

Matt  France 493      " 

D.  Dodge 493      " 

S.  W.  Lattie 493      " 

Robert  Riddle..  493    '" 


704 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


"  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  herehy  cer-l 
tify  upon  our  oaths,  that  M.  J.  Parrott  has  received  four  hundred  andi 
ninety-two  votes,  M.  W.  Delahay  four  hundred  and  ninety-five  votes,] 
Matt  France  four  hundred  and  ninety-three  votes,  S.  W.  Lattie  fourH 
hundred  and  ninety-three  votes,  Robert  Riddle  four  hundred  andi 
ninety-three  votes,  D.  Dodge  four  hundred  and  ninety-three  votes,] 
cast  at  an  election  held  at  Leavenworth  precinct/'  &c.,  &c.,  as  in  the*] 
printed  form. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  October  9,  1855. 

ADAM  FISHER, 
WM.  T.  HARRISON, 
H.  H.  HOOK, 

Attest :  SCOTT  J.  ANTHONY,  Judges. 

CHARLES  E.  PEARSON,  Clerks. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Easton  Precinct. 

Poll-book. — List  of  voters  ivlio  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  con- 
vention to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tues- 
day, the  ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 


1  Joseph  Hicks 

2  Francis  Browning 

3  Thomas  A.  Menard 

4  Joseph  Elliot 

5  George  Swairn 

6  Anaziah  Sparks 

7  E.  L.  Monley 

8  Stephen  Sparks,  jr. 

9  Moses  Hicks 

10  William  H.  Gohle 

11  David  P.  Bethuram 

12  P.  R.  Orr 
13 

14  Simpson  Gohle 

15  Jo1  in  W.  Hendricks 

16  William  Rose 

17  Joseph  Langley 

18  Daniel  Nixon 

19  William  Sparks 

20  Jacoh  Loughmiller 

21  Daniel  Shepley 

22  Henry  Ready 

23  C.  C.  Lenville 

24  Stephen  Sparks,  sr. 

25  Henderson  Thomas 
26 

27  Levi  White 

28  Henry  Ogle 


29  Michael  Green 

30  J.  D.  Leepen 

31  James  Halchens 

32  John  Hobaugh 

33  Thomas  W.  Brooks 

34  William  H.  P.  Brists 

35  G.  W.  Messersmith 

36  William  Butt 

37  B.  B.  Mize 

38  Philip  Miller 

39  Daniel  McNish 

40  Zachariah  Sparks 

41  J.  H.  York 

42  William  Pyle 

43  F.  G.  Bradin 

44  Thompson  Coker 

45  J.  H.  Mize 

46  Bauhen  L.  Bean 

47  Jacoh  Anderson 

48  Melzer  Cole 

49  Isaac  S.  Pyle 

50  John  C.  Norton 

51  Samuel  Horton 

52  Jonathan  Wallace 

53  Stephen  A.  Danner 

54  Thomas  Vanner 

55  Andrew  Phillips 

56  John  Wattle 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  705 

5*7  William  B.  Pearson  61  Joshua  Pearson 

58  Joseph  A.  Trower  62  John  T.  Sparks 

59  John  Fiddler  63  John  Maxwell. 
,     60  John  N.  Tencher 

(The  certificate  to  the  poll-list  fails  to  state  the  number  of  voters, 
but  is  good  as  to  their  qualifications,  the  printed  form  being  used.) 
EAOTOX,  October  9,  1855.  STEPHEN  SPARKS, 

JACOB  LOUGHMILLER, 
C.  C.  LINVILLE,  Judges. 
Attest :  JACOB  LOUGHMILLER, 

C.  C,  LINVILLE,  Clerks, 


Tolly-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas ,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday ,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1855. 

M.  J.  Parrott 61  votes. 

M.  W.  Delahay 61      " 

Matt  France 61      " 

Mr.  Latta 61      " 

D.  Dodge 61      " 

Kobert  Riddle 61      " 

"We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  cer- 
tify upon  our  oaths,  that  M.  J.  Parrott,  M.  W.  Delahay,  Matt  France, 
Mr.  Latta,  D.  Dodge,  and  Robert  Riddle,  have  received  each  sixty-one 
votes,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Easton  precinct,"  &c.,  &c.>  as  in  the 
printed  form.  * 

EASTON,  October  9,  1855.  STEPHEN  SPARKS, 

JACOB  LOUGHMILLER. 
C.  C.  LINVILLE,  Judges. 
Attest :  JACOB  LOUGHMILLER, 

C.  C.  LINVILLE,  Clerks. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. —  Wyandot  Precinct. 

Poll-book. — List  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  con- 
vention to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tues- 
day, the  ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 

1  C.  Calhoun  7  John  Brumbaek 

2  S.  E.  Forsythe  8  Lewis  Clark 

3  William  Johnson  9  James  Bigtree 

4  J.  H.  Denis  10  John  L.  Coon 

5  Mathew  Splitlogs  11  Square  Gray  Eyes 

6  James  Todd  12  George  J.  Clark 

H.  Rep.  20f 


706 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


13  William  P.  Good 

14  Granville  Peacock 

15  John  Chop  the  Logs 

16  Benjamin  Poormer 

17  John  Little  Chief 

18  John  Batiste 

19  Abelard  Guthrie 

20  John  Beaver 

21  Henry  Middlebusher 

22  George  Spy  Buck 

23  Clay  burn  Henderson 

24  Peter  Bearskin 

25  Isaac  P.  Driver 


26  Joseph  Williams 

27  Jesse  Game 

28  Captain  Bullhead 

29  William  Hicks 

30  John  Salloman 

31  Jacob  Heek 

32  White  Wing 

33  Jacob  White  Crow 

34  Kobert  Johnson 

35  Ethan  Big  Arms 

36  John  Little  Cornstalk 

37  John  Spy  Buck 

38  Horatio  Walton. 


(The  certificate  as  to  the  number  and  qualifications  of  the  voters  is 
in  the  usual  form,  signed  as  follows  :) 
WYANDOT,  October  9,  1855. 

ABELARD  GUTHRIE, 
GEORGE  J.  CLARK, 


his 


Attest :  WILLIAM  P.  GOODET, 
JAMES  TODD,  Clerks. 


MATHEW  +  SPLITLOG, 

,  .  tf.: .  mark. 

Judges,, 


There  is  no  tally-list. 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certiftj 
upon  our  oaths,  that  M.  J.  Parrott  has  received  thirty-eight  votes,  Mf 
W.  Delahay  thirty-eight  votes,  Matt  France  thirty-eight  votqs,  D) 
Dodge  thirty-eight  votes,  S.  M.  Latta  thirty-eight  votes,  Roberr 
Riddle  thirty-eight  votes,  being  the  unanimous  vote  cast  at  an  elet 
tion  held  at  Wyandot  precinct/'  &c.,  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form. 


WYANDOT,  October  9,  1855. 


Attest :  WALTON  P.  GOODB, 
JAMES  TODD,  Clerks. 


ABELARD  GUTHRIE, 
GEORGE  CLARK, 

bis 

MATHIAS  +  SPLITLOG, 

mark. 

Judges. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Ridge  Precinct. 

PoU-book. — List  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to 
convention  to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on   this  se< 
Tuesday j  the  ninth  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855. 


1  J.  W.  Golden 

2  C.  F.  Bredo 


3  Hiram  Keith 

4  James  Wells 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


707 


5  Jacob  Copple 

6  George  K.  McKnight 

7  William  Bohart 

8  Henry  Koot 

9  Thomas  Selfe 

10  C.  B.  Sherman 

11  James  Fraser 

12  Joseph  Pennock 

13  William  Hasford 

14  Paul  Dowlin 

15  H.  L.  Pennock 

16  Isaac  Cady 

17  G.  B.  Merriman 

18  J.  M.  Pinkinson 

19  Charles  H.  Pennock 

20  Robert  Dallas 

21  J.  B.  Pennock 

22  Nicholas  Locker  man 

23  Samuel  M.  Lyon 

24  John  H.  Henderson 

25  Jesse  G.  Henderson 

26  Orick  S.  Allen 

No  certificate  to  the  poll-list. 


27  James  P.  Solsbury 

28  John  H.  Justis 

29  Harrison  Farris 

30  Ehud  Justis 

31  Richard  H.  Phelan 

32  William  Pennock 

33  J.  A.  Lindsey 

34  H.  Howard 

35  John  Checkfield 

36  John  Kussinger 

37  James  McClintec 

38  James  Shaggs 

39  Baston  Kussinger 

40  C.  J.  Wise 

41  Isaac  Edwards 

42  Isaac  Van  camp 

43  William  Wright 

44  J.  B.  Marion 

45  Garrett  Drew 

46  John  A.  Sawyer 

47  James  Shaggs. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber., A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  William  Pennock,  in  the  sixteenth 
election  district. 

M.  J.  Parrott 47  votes. 

M.  W.  Delahay 47      " 

Matt  France 47      " 

D.  Dodge 47      " 

A.  M.  Latta 47      " 

R.  Riddle 47      " 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  cer- 
tify upon  our  oaths,  that  the  above-named  persons  have  received  forty- 
seven  votes  each,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  William  Pennock's,  in 
Ridge  precinct,"  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form. 

RIDGE  PRECINCT,  October  9,  18  5.  WM.  PENNOCK, 

J.  A.  LINDSEY, 
N.  LOCKERMAN, 

Judges. 
Attest:  J.  B.  PENNOCK, 

R.  H.  PHELAN,  Clerks. 


708  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Delaware  Precinct. 

Poll-book  of  votes  polled  at  the  Delaware  precinct  (sixteenth  election  dis- 
trict) for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas, 

1  A.  Ray  12  F.  A.  Hart 

2  Charles  Seacay  13  Samuel  France 

3  George  Evens  14  Peter  Wyland 

4  Jonah  Hague  15  James  Withers 

5  F.  J.  Abshire  16  James  0.  Cmiey 

6  Jacob  Wyland  IT  Abram  Helenas  " 

7  Merril  Davis  18  Hiram  Massoner 

8  Jeremiah  Wheeler  19  E.  Creger 

9  F.  M   McGrew  20  John  Hartsel 

10  Philip  Zeigler  21  Louis  Moore 

11  Henry  Turner  22  Byram  Hague, 

No  certificate  of  poll-list. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
tion for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1855. 

M.  J.  Parrott 22  votes. 

M.  W.  Delahay 22      "-, 

Matt  France 22      " 

D.  Dodge 22      " 

S.  M.  Latta 22      " 

Kobert  Kiddle 22      " 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  cer-'- 
tify  upon  our  oaths,  that  A.  H.  Reeder  has  received  twenty-two  votes,; 
and  delegates  to  the  convention  twenty-two  votes,  cast  at  an  election! 
held  at  the  city  of  Delaware  precinct,"  &c.,  &c.,  as  in  the  printed'' 
form. 

DELAWARE  CITY,  October  9,  1855.  F.  M.  McGREW, 

ABRAHAM  RAY, 
MERRIL  DAVIS, 

Attest :  JACOB  WYLAND,  Judges. 

JEREMIAH  WHEELER,  Clerks. 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. —  Wakarusa  Precinct. 

Poll-list  of  voters  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution  for* 
Kansas,  October  9,  1855,  at  Wakarusa  precinct. 

Lewis  H.  Bascom  Ellis  Bond 

Albert  G.  Green  Charles  Freeman. 

Martin  Ficcle 

No  tally-list. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  709 

Certificate  that — 

"We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  William  Graham  and  Samuel  Mewhinney  have 
received  five  votes  each,  cast  at  an  election  held  at  Pascal  Fish's  store, 
Wakarusa,"  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form. 
OCTOBER  9,  1855. 

LEWIS  H.  BASCOM, 
ELLIS  BOND, 
ALBERT  G.  GREEN, 

Attest:  CHARLES  FREEMAN,  Judges. 

SILAS  BOND,  Clerks. 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT. — Mission  Precinct. 

Eist  of  voters  who  have  ca-st  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to 
form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth 
day  of  October,  1855. 

1  Henry  Wilson  8  James  Ironsides 

2  Henry  Bolenger  9  Sam'l  M.  Conatzer 

3  Jeremiah  A.  Hadley  10  George  L.  Osborn 

4  John  H.  Smith  11  Lewis  Dougherty 

5  Newton  Henshaw  12  A.  Gregory 

6  J.  B.  Swain  13  C.  A.  Conatzer. 

7  J.  G.  Snodgrass 

Certificates  properly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 
MISSION  PRECINCT,  October  9,  1855. 

GEORGE  L.  OSBORN, 
SAMUEL  M.  CONATZER, 
LEWIS  DOUGHERTY, 

Attest:  CALVIN  A.  CONATZER,  Judges. 

A.  GREGORY,  Clerks. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution 
for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  October,  1855 . 

William  Graham 13 

Samuel  Mewhinney 13 

Printed  certificates  properly  filled,   and  signed: 

MISSION  PRECINCT,  October  9,  1855. 

GEORGE  L.  OSBORN, 
LEWIS  DOUGHERTY, 
SAMUEL  M.  CONATZER, 

Attest:  C.  A.  CONATZER,  Judges. 

A,  GREGORY,  Clerks. 


710  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


BLANK  FOKMS. 


Form  of  judge's  certificate. 

LAWRENCE.  September  22,  1855. 
Mr. 

SIR:  Having  entire  confidence  in  your  integrity,  patriotism,  andj 
ability,  you  have  been  selected  and  are  hereby  appointed  as  one  of  the; 
judges  of  the  election  to  be  holden  in  your  precinct,  in  the  Territory) 
of  Kansas,  at  ,  on  the  second  Tuesday,  (October  9th7  1855,)! 

for  members  of  a  convention  to  form  a  constitution,  adopt  a  bill! 
of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all  needful  measures  fbw 
organizing  a  State  government  preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Kansas! 
into  the  Union  as  a  State. 

Per  order  executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory  : 

J.  H.  LANE,  Chairman. 

J.  K.  GOODIN,  Secretary. 


Oath. 


. 


I,  do  swear  that  I  will  perform  my  duties 

judge  of  the  election  to  he  held  at  in  the 

election  district  oi  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  to  the  best  of  my  judg- 
ment and  ability  ;  that  I  will  keep  a  true,  correct,  and  faithful  record 
or  list  of  all  persons  who  shall  vote  at  said  election  ;  that  I  will  poll 
no  ticket  from  any  person  who  is  not  an  actual  inhabitant  and  resi- 
'-dent  of  said  Territory,  and  whom  I  shall  not  honestly  believe  to  be  a 
qualified  voter  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congres. 
organizing  said  Territory ;  that  I  will  reject  the  votes  of  all  non-resi- 
dents who  I  shall  believe  have  come  into  the  Territory  for  the.  mere 
purpose  of  voting ;  that  in  all  cases  where  I  am  ignorant  of  the  voter'* 
right,  I  will  require  a  legal  evidence  thereof  by  his  own  oath  oi 
otherwise ;  and  that  I  will  truly  count  and  record  the  votes  received. 
and  make  a  true  and  faithful  return  thereof  to  the  executive  committee 
of  Kansas  Territory. 

Sworn  before  me,  this          day  of  1855. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


711 


List  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  for  delegates  to  a  convention, 
to  form  a  constitution  for  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the 
ninth  day  of  October,  A.D.  1855. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  legal  votes  cast  at  an  elec- 
tion held  at  precinct,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  sec- 
ond Tuesday  of  October,  1855,  it  being  the  ninth  day  of  said  month,, 
between  the  hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said  day, 
for  the  election  of  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  con- 
stitution, adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  take  all 
needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State  government,  preparatory  to 
the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State,  to  be 

We,  the  said  judges  and  clerks,  further  certify  upon  our  oaths, 
that  the  said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  of  the 
United  States  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide  residents 
of  said  Territory  of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  for  the 
period  of  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855. 


ATTEST: 


Clerks. 


712 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a  constitu- 
»  tionfor  Kansas,  held  on  this  second  Tuesday,  the  ninth  day  of  October, 
A.D.  1855. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify! 
upon  our  oaths,  that  has  received  votes i 

cast  at  an  election  held  at  precinct,  in  Kansas 

Territory,  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  October,  1855,  it  being  the  ninthi 
day  of  said  month,  between  the  hours  of  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  4; 
o'clock,  p.m.,  of  said  day,  for  delegates  to  a  convention  to  form  a* 
constitution,  adopt  a  bill  of  rights  for  the  people  of  Kansas,  and 
take  all  needful  measures  for  organizing  a  State  government,  prepar- 
atory to  the  admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State. 

We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  said  election,  further  certify  uponr 
our  oaths,  that  the  said  voters  were  white  male  inhabitants,  citizens  • 
of  the  United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  bona-fide 
residents  of  said  Territory  of  Kansas,  having  actually  resided  therein  i 
for  a  period  of  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election  day. 

OCTOBER  9,  1855. 


Judges, 


ATTEST  : 


ADOPTION   OF   A   CONSTITUTION, 

DECEMBER  15,   1855. 


Poll-book  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  at  an  election  held  on 
the  15£/a  day  of  December,  A.  I).  1855,  at  Lawrence  precinct,  in 
district  No.  1,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  adoption  or  rejection  of  a 
constitution  for  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  upon  the  general  banking- 
law  clause  and  black-law  proposition. 


1  James  H.  Lane 

2  E.  D.  Searl 

3  William  L.  Brigden 

4  James  F.  Legatt 

5  G.  F.  Earl 

6  Solomon  Oilds 

7  W.  K.  R.  Blacmore 

8  G.  P.  Lowry 

9  H.  N.  Bent 

10  D.  N.  Conger 

11  J.  L.  Crane 

12  R.  S.  Bassett 

13  C.  F.  Doy 

14  Levi  Charles,  jr. 

15  Wm.  Kitchenman 

16  P.  R.  Brooks 
IT  G.  S.  Leonard 

18  C.  P.  Farnsworth 

19  Henry  Arthur  ton 

20  S.  J.  Pratt 

21  H.  A.  Hancock 

22  Wm.  Hutchison 

23  Joseph  Sheilds 

24  G.  W.  Deitzler 

25  J.  W.  Hopping 

26  J.  H.  Green 

27  B.  C.  Galliday 

28  C.  C.  Hyde 

29  Morris  Hunt 

30  G.  W.  Smith 

31  R.  G.  Elliot 

32  Edwin  Emerson 

33  G.  W.  Rhineback 

34  Oscar  Harlow 

35  S.  M.  Kirdy  • 

36  J.  P.  Purdy 

37  H.  N.  Simpson 

38  Fred.  Kimball 

39  A.  A.  Saxton 


40  Richard  Knight 

41  A.  Knight 

42  A.  R.  Burdett 

43  Simon  Ritter 

44  C.  S.  Pratt 

45  J.  W.  Ackley 

46  Daniel  Curry 

47  G.  W.  Nichols 

48  James  White 

49  Mathew  Spittle 

50  J.  P.  Filer 

51  W.  N.  Baldwin 

52  Daniel  Lowe 

53  S   B.  Bacon 

54  John  Mack 

55  Benton  Oakley 

56  Am.  Whitlack 

57  S.  E.  Knight 

58  J.  M.  Colburn 

59  F.  A.  Muzzy 

60  Charles  Robinson 

61  E.  D.  Lyman 

62  A.  P.  Knowles 

63  Edward  Monroe 

64  A.  J.  Gabert 

65  C.  N.  Henley 

66  J.  G.  Crocker 

67  H.  A.  Campbell 

68  Benjamin  Johnson 

69  J.  B.  Con  way 

70  R.  H.  Waterman 

71  William  Andrews 

72  E.  D.  Whipple 

73  N.  L.  Byant 

74  John  Day 

75  Robert  Buffune 

76  S.  P.  Brown 

77  R.  F.  Hooton 

78  J.  J.  Geraud 


714 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


79  J   M.  Gillis 

80  G.  M.  Buffune 

81  R.  H.  Kimball 

82  Adam  Johns 

83  M.  D.  Earl 

84  Arthur  Gunther 

85  D.  K.  Aright 

86  S.  N.  Hard  well 

87  L.  B.  Dennis 

88  S.  Whitehorn 

89  C.  Clemens 

90  Joshua  Shaxter 

91  J.  W.  Morey 

92  J.  A.  Pike 

93  Charles  Gavin 

94  A.  Saddis 

95  Clark  Stearnes 

96  Ira  Brown 

97  C.  H.  White 

98  Columbus  Hornsby 

99  N.  S.  Storiz 

100  Ed  ward  Clark 

101  Edward  Ainslow 

102  C.  A.  Wright 

103  L.  0.  Follis 

104  L.  C.  Follis 

105  B.  G.  Livingston 

106  C.  H.  Thomas 

107  D.  0.  Lindsley 

108  John  Moorhead 

109  J.  S   Emery 

110  E.  Bomans 

111  Henry  Hard 

112  John  Kid  well 

113  J.  P.  Clark 

114  A.  M.  Hughes 

115  S.  J.  D.  Prentiss 

116  J.  L.  Witney 

117  G.  S.  Lapham 

118  C.  R.  Newcomb 

119  C.  P.  Fitch 

120  Wm.  Parks 

121  Francis  Killam 

122  J.  H.  Gleason 

123  Samuel  Bryson 

124  L.  M.  Cox 

125  Wm.  Yates 

126  S.  F.  Tappan 

127  Otis  Potter 

128  Harrison  Nichols 

129  Stephen  Logue 


130  Ferdinand  Fuller 

131  W.  D.  Attwood 

132  N.  Snyder 

133  J.  S    Tabor 

134  Albert  Slanders 

135  J.  J.  McGee 

136  Jonathan  Rigdon 

137  A.  H.  Maliery 

138  W.  S.   Bishop 

139  Reuben  Cragg 

140  Norman  Allen 

141  J.  G.  Fuller 

142  E.  A.  Coleman 

143  J.  G.  Ricker 

144  Joseph  Cracklin 

145  Joseph  Savage 

146  0.  D.  Smith 

147  F.  Savage 

148  Hugh  0.  Neil 

149  C.  M.  Adams 

150  William  Orr 

151  M.  Blowers 

152  Joseph  Hutchinson 

153  Milan  Grout 

154  Otis  Wilrnoth 

155  L.  D.  Coleman 

156  Alexander  Meyers 

157  William  Carles 

158  John  Pierson 

159  David  Parin  ton 

160  M.  R.  Clough 

161  Noah  Cameron 

162  James  Blood 

163  H.  P.  Cutting 

164  J.  S.  Jones 

165  Allen  Ham 

166  Joshua  Smith 

167  S.  J.  Willis 

168  Henry  Green 

169  Henry  Smith 

170  John  Smith 

171  Pleasant  Kirby 

172  Sol.  Everett 

173  B.  S.  Richardson 

174  P.  L.  Titer 

175  Theodore  Jones 

176  Frank  Hunt 

177  Seth  Rodibough 

178  M.  L.  Gaylord 

179  T.  S.  Smith 

180  Howard  York 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


715 


181  P.  V.  Eskidge 

182  Churchill 

183  James  Smith 

184  Wm.  B.  Hormsbey 

185  S.  P.  Cimple 

186  Charles  Campbell 

187  G.  W.  Hunt 

188  W.  A.  Gentry 

189  J.  A.  Coffey 

190  M.  W.  Taylor 

191  Eobert  Morrow 

192  A.  Payne 

193  J.  P.  Strout 

194  J.  P.  Aright 

195  Reuben  Randall 

196  A.  Witcomb 
19*7  James  Anderson 

198  B.  R.  Whillow 

199  Lewis  Anderson 

200  Josiah  Miller 

201  Robert  Garvin 

202  P.  A.  Woodward 

203  J.  A.  Dale 

204  T.  Hill 

205  Joel  Grover 

206  C.  H.  Lovejoy 

207  A.  J.  Kennedy 

208  Thomas  Brooke 

209  N.  D.  Rowland 

210  C.  G.  Hoyt 

211  C.  A.  Pease 

212  B.  F.  Pease 

213  Samuel  Kimball 

214  Joseph  Merchant 

215  David  Browne 

216  Leonard  Merchant 

217  E.  D.  Ladd 

218  A.  Cutler 

219  S.  Anderson 

220  S.  C.  Harrington 

221  W.  B.  Hayden 

222  S.  Johnson 

223  H.  E.  Babcock 

224  E.  S.  Scudder 

225  F.  A.  Bailey 

226  Newman  Garwood 

227  S.  N.  Simpson 

228  J.  W.  Graham 

229  T.  J.  Casseborn 

230  Moses  Meal 

231  N.  F.  Hirrick 


232  J.  A.  Finley 

233  Alex   Miller 

234  John  Ross 

235  Francis  Parker 

236  A.  H.  Vince 

237  Silas  Green 

238  Thomas  Brinkley 

239  James  Jamison 

240  James  Jenkins 

241  R.  H.  Pierce 

242  G.  H.  Crocker 

243  William  Lyon 

244  Wm.  L.  Anderson 

245  Henry  Bronson 

246  John  Lowry 

247  B.  W.  Woodward 

248  J.  D.  Dnvidson 

249  Samuel  Reynolds 

250  E.  F.  Reynolds 

251  L.  J.  Worden 

252  George  Gilbert 

253  Ellmore  Allen 

254  A.  G.  Weeks 

255  Turner  Sampson 

256  C.  C.  Emery 

257  William  Evans 

258  J.  F.  Morgan 

259  Win.  Warriker 

260  N.  J.  Lyon 

261  J.  W.  Williams 

262  Steven  Crocket 

263  Ezra  Pierce 

264  J.  M.  Mathews 

265  N.  D.  Short 

266  W.  H.  Oliver 

267  Edward  Webb 

268  B.  H.  Whitlow 

269  Ransom  Calkins 

270  J.  G.  Sands 

271  Jas.  Christian 

272  Thos.  McFarland 

273  Robert  McFarland 

274  John  McFarland 

275  Samuel  Gill 

276  A.  K.  Allen 

277  G.  W.  Goss 

278  Thos.  McAboy 

279  O.  A.  Hanescomb 

280  Jno.  N.  Penoyer 

281  G.  W.  Brown 

282  John  Clarey 


716 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


283  Norman  Chambers 

284  C.  W.  Williams 

285  L.  Ferguson 

286  Chester  Waldroff 

287  G.  W.  Gillis 

288  Henry  Blair 

289  John  Wise 

290  J.  M.  Fuller 

291  S.  S.  Snyder 

292  John  Gingery 

293  W.  G.  Welles 

294  Samuel  Fry 

295  Aron  Perry 

296  Richard  Miller 
29*7  Thomas  Haskell 

298  Charles  Pearsall 

299  J.  C.  Hartwell 

300  L.  Haskell 

301  E.  A.  Dellam 

302  Philip  Cook 

303  Emery  Whetherbey 

304  Daniel  Mallay 

305  W.  Cleland 

306  David  Black 

307  Willard  Colburn 

308  Green  Bridges 

309  Jas.  F.  Wood 

310  J.  D.  Barnes 

311  Geo.  Paps 

312  John  McClelland 

313  Franklin  Monroe 

314  Oscar  Barress 

315  H.  Tucker 

316  Michael  Cratbey 

317  A.  Rowley 

318  Hiram  Dunbar 

319  James  Cowan 


320  B.  W.  Miller 

321  J.  C.  Brook 

322  A.  B.  Wade 

323  Calvin  Adams 

324  A.  Stearnes 

325  E.  A.  Barnes 
'326  Michael  Albin 

327  J.  A.  Davidson 

328  Morton  Adams 

329  S.  Y.  Suno 

330  Hollis  Wilbur 

331  Philip  Wymer 

332  T.  Welles 

333  Abram  Wilder 

334  Ephraim  Nute 

335  W.  S.  Kimball 

336  T.  E.  Sumner 

337  Robert  Gilbert 

338  Malon  Moore 

339  C.  A.  Adams 

340  Chas.  Garrett 

341  Ludwig  Meyers 

342  R.  A.  Cummins 

343  G.  W.  Hutchison 

344  Jno.  Wilder 

345  J.  H.  Ferman 

346  J.  E.  Rice 

347  C.  W.  Southward 

348  Edwin  Bond 

349  A.  A.  McGee 

350  N.  H.  Wheeler 

351  Lyman  Allen 

352  Acelph  Allen 

353  H.  N.  Canfield 

354  Jno.  A.  Ladd 

355  G.  W.  Campbell 

356  A.  Rowley 


The  printed  certificate  properly  filled,  (see  forms,)  and  signed  ass 
follows : 

A.  D.  SEWELL,          } 
LYMAN  ALLEN,        V  Judges. 
JAMES  F.  LEGATE,  ) 
Attest :  W.  L.  BRIGDEN, 
MORRIS  HUNT, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution , 348 

No  constitution * 

General  banking  law — Yes 225 

General  banking  law — No 83 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


717 


Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes  —  Yes  ........................  ....     133 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes  —  No  ..............................     223 

The  above  tallies  are  properly  arranged  in  the  table.  (See  form.) 
They  are  incomplete.  The  certificate  is  not  properly  made  out,  and  is 
not  in  agreement  with  the  tally-list.  Two  hundred  and  fifty-five  is  in- 
serted in  the  certificate  as  voting  for  the  general  banking  law  instead 
of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  ;  but  in  the  duplicate  the  tally-list 
and  the  certificate  agree. 

Each  copy  of  the  certificate  has  one  hundred  and  thirty-four,  instead 
of  one  hundred  and  thirty-three,  as  voting  for  the  exclusion  of  negroes 
and  mulattoes. 


Signed  as  follows  : 


Attest  :  WM.  S.  BRIGDEN, 
MORRIS  HUNT, 


A.  D.  SEARL,  ) 

LYMAN  ALLEN,         V  Judges. 
JAMES  Y.  LEGATE,  ) 

i    7 

er/e8t 


FRANKLIN  PRECINCT. 


Poll-book. 


1  William  Rollins 

2  H.  L.  Enriis 

3  Thos.  Seaton 

4  David  Burton 

5  James  McGee 

6  Jackson  Sellers 

7  Robert  Ervin 

8  Isaac  Shoop 

9  Daniel  Scannell 

10  Samuel  Southerland 

11  J.  Garvin 

12  Wm.  Bridges 

13  E.  B.  Purdoin 

14  Thos.  Waller 

15  David  Meechem 

16  Joseph  Shuler 

17  J.  D.  Harrington 

18  Franklin  Currans 

19  L.  A.  Prather 

20  Thos.  Artlebury 

21  Michael  Glenn " 

22  S.  T.  Harmon 

23  A.  Lawhead 

24  II.  T.  Crane 

25  H.  H.  Bybee 

26  John  Stroup 

27  John  Anderson 


28  Homer  Hays 

29  Ben.  Rogers 

30  E.  B.  Johnson 

31  J.  G.  MacClelland 

32  William  Stroup 

33  A.  Still 

34  James  M.  Still 

35  E.  M.  Wallace 

36  J.  Vanwrinckle 

37  E.  C.  Sanith 

38  Jno.  P.  Wood 

39  Jno.  J.  McGee 

40  Thos.  McGee 

41  Millikin  Wallace 

42  H.  P.  Lacy 
£3  Jas.  S.  Smith 

44  A.  N.  McGee 

45  W.  G.  Piper 

46  H.  A.  Hunter 

47  W.  S.  Hull 

48  B.  C.  Talley 

49  T.  W.  Painter 

50  A.  W.  Wheadon 

51  Moses  Flora 

52  John  R.  Lawhead 

53  Thomas  Anderson. 


718  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

The  printed  forms  properly  filled,  (see  forms,)  and  signed  as  follows: 

H.  S.  ENOS,  ) 

DAVID  BURTEN,  V  Judges. 
JAMES  McQEE,      } 
Attest :  S.  SUTHERLAND,      )  m    z 
DANIEL  SCANNELL,  \  ° 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 48  ( 

No  con stitu tion , 4 

General  banking  law — Yes , 31 

General  banking  law — No 15* 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 48  J 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 2 : 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled  out,  and  signed  as  follows : 

H.  S.  ENOS,  ) 

DAVID  BURTEN,  V  Judges. 
JAMES  McGEE,      ) 
Attest :  SAMUEL  SUTHERLAND, 
DANIEL  SCANNELL, 


PALMYRA  PRECINCT. 
Poll-book. 

William  Barricklow  David  Eldridge 

John  Peasley  William  Roe 

Daniel  Barricklow  John  Roe 

Thomas  Chapman  John   Brown 

Joseph  Barricklow  Richard  N.   Pearson 

Kobert  Pearson  Jacob  Cantwell. 

The  printed   forms   properly  filled,    (see   forms,)    and   signed 
follows : 

WM.  BAKRICKLOW,  ) 
R.  H.  PEARSON,  V  Judges. 

JOHN  H.  PEASLEY,  ) 
Attest:    WILLIAM  ROE,  1  ni    7 
JOHN  ROE,       J  Uer/cs' 


\ 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


719 


Tally-list. 


Constitution. 

No  constitu- 
tion. 

| 
Gen'  1  banking|Gen'  1  banking 
law.  —  Yes.       law.—  No. 

Exclusion  of  ne- 
groes and  mu- 
lattoes.  —  Yes. 

Exclusion  of  ne- 
groes and  mu- 
lattoes.  —  No. 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

! 

i 
1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 
1 

1 

1 

1 
1 

....... 

1 

11 

1 

9 

3 

12 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled  out.     Signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  BARRICKLOW, 


Attest:  WM.  ROB, 
JOHN  ROE, 


R.  H.  PEARSON, 
JOHN  H.  PEASLEY, 

Clerics. 


Judges. 


BLANTON  PRECINCT. 


1  Samuel  Smith 

2  Lewis  Ho  well 

3  Hugh  Pallengall 

4  Charles  Gorden 

5  J.  R.  Kennedy 

6  F.  N.  Hi-Jlstrum 

7  J.  J.  Smith 

8  Isaac  Shaffer 

9  Joseph  Everhart 

10  James  E.  Saffer 

11  Geo.  F.  Pabst 

12  J.  W.  Hotwater 

13  John  Saletiel 

14  F.  H.  Kennedy 

15  0.  P.  Kennedy 

16  R.  P.  Moore   ' 

17  F.  J.  Loock 


PoU-look. 


18  Jonathan  OgdeR 

19  Collins  Halloway 

20  Peter  Praetty 

21  E.  Smith 

22  David  Griffiths 

23  Jno.  Roberts 

24  Henry  Williams 

25  F.  G.  Vaughen 

26  L.  W.  Plumb 

27  Josiah  Houghton 

28  Wm.  Estabrook 

29  James  M.  Jones 

30  G.  WT.  Berry 

31  N.  B.  Blanton 

32  James  Lane 

33  Wm.  P.  Kennedy 

34  Edward  Jones 


720 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


35  Wm.  Liverinore 

36  B.  Hitchcock 

37  S.  G-.  Johnson 

38  Geo.  W.  Fitz 

39  A.  B.  Smith 

40  S.  L.  Lapham 

41  Enoch  Howard 

42  Jno.  E.  Stewart 

43  P.  S.  Hutchison 

44  P.  F.  Huff 

45  J.  B.  Abbott 

46  Simon  G-ilson 

47  H.  F.  Saunders 

48  E.  W.  Bennett 

49  Paul  Jones 

50  Samuel  Lucas 

51  Edmund  Corless 

52  J.  R.  Griffith 

53  K.  D.  Norton 

54  Chas.  Dickson 

55  L.  H.  Kowley 


56  Wm.  L.  G.  Soule 

57  Wm.  D.  Jimmerson 

58  E.  Griffith 

59  Samuel  Merrill 

60  D.  T.  Morris 

61  Charles  Newman 

62  Henry  Newman 

63  Leonard  Crane 

64  Jacob  Branson 

65  Ezekiel  Duzan 

66  Jno.  Curtis 

67  Lewis  Staggers 

68  J.  Elliot 

69  Joshua  Hews 

70  Thos.  Hopkins 

71  Salem  Gleeson 

72  A.  F.  Bercaw 

73  Clark  Tefft 

74  George  Carey 

75  Thos.  B.  Smith 

76  E.  A.  Laridon. 


The   printed  forms    properly  filled,  (see   forms.)   and   signed   as- 
follows  : 

JOHN  E.  STEWART,  ) 
PHILIP  S.  HUPP,        }  Judge*. 
P.  S.  HUTCHISON,        ) 
Attest :    GEO.  W.  FITZ,  )  ri    , 

SAMUEL  G.  JOHNSON,  * 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 72 ; 

No  constitution 2 

591 

14 


Yes 
No 


General  banking  law- 
General  banking  law- 
Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes. 
Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No. 


The  certificate  is  correctly  filled  out,  and  signed  as  follows : 

JOHN  E.  STEWART,  ) 
PHILIP  S.  HUPP,        \  Judges. 
P.  S.  HUTCHISON,       } 
Attest :    GEO.  W.  FITZ,  ) 

DANIEL  G.  JOHNSON,  $ 


MANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


T21 


SECOND  DISTRICT — Bloomington  Precinct. 

Poll-look  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  at  an  election  held  on  the 
~L5th  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1855,  at  the  house  of  H.  Bursen,  Bloom- 
ington precinct ,  in  district  No.  2,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  adop- 
tion or  rejection  of  a  constitution  for  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  upon 
the  general  banking -law  clause  and  black-law  proposition. 


1  William  W.  Henning 

2  G.  Norton 

3  Isaac  Davis 

4  Wm.  Draper 

5  K.  N.  Woodard 

6  N.  Earn  say 

T  Nicholas  Allgues 

8  H.  T.  Waketield 

9  J.  0.  Dunn 

10  Joseph  Anderson 

11  Wm.  Haseltine 

12  Marquis  Kelsi 

13  H.  C.  Alderman 

14  Henry  Hine 

15  Thomas  Bicerten 

16  James  Herring 
IT  William  Watson 

18  0.  L.  Spradling 

19  Robert  Allen 

20  George  W.  Perse 

21  J.  P.  Miller 

22  R.  H.  Rawson 

23  Wm.  Byerty 

24  John  Hatfield 

25  Daniel  C.  Holbert 

26  A.  N.  Baldwin 

27  Thomas  Overfield 

28  H.  Burson 

29  J.  A.  Wakefield 

30  Thomas  H.  Snyder 

31  Thomas  Wolvertoa 

32  A.  Curtis 

33  James  M.  Dunn 

34  C.  W.  Bailey 

35  Edward  Jones 

36  J.  A.  Boyd 

37  Cyrus  C.  Scofield 

38  E.  Disbro 

39  H.  Tacket 

40  Daniel  Vansell 

41  Thomas  Barber 

42  a.  W.  Umberger 

43  J.  C.  Archibald 
H.  Rep.  200 46* 


44  George  Anderson 

45  J.  J.  Ater 

46  L.  M.  Pierson 

47  R.  F.  Barber 

48  L.  Duifee 

49  Hazeltine 

50  Richard  Day 

51  H.  L.  Baldwin 

52  G.  W.  Cosby 

53  Samuel  Gary 

54  Samuel  Walker 

55  Samuel  Kenedy 

56  'Levi  Kenoz 

57  William  Ferguson 

58  Eli  Herring 

59  A.  Walker 

60  John  Macy 

61  Daniel  Haseltine 

62  David  P.  Haseltine 

63  J.  M.  Nelson 

64  William  Jesse 

65  H.  A.  Cosby 

66  John  Wilsey 

67  Robert  Hughes. 

68  William  Hall 

69  George  Levin, 

70  T.  Edwards 

71  J.  C.  Casebier 

72  J.  N.  Mace 

73  D.  B.  Hiatt 

74  Jonathan  Dx>an 

75  William  MeCready 

76  Green  Morgan 

77  Charles  Wright 

78  Nathan  Hachet 

79  James  Wallace 

80  Daniel  Hager 

81  E.  Booter 

82  Benjamin  Stowe 

83  F.  Hendricks 

84  L.  Scott 

85  John  Flemister 

86  Owen  T.  Basset 


722 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


SI  E.  W.  Smith 

88  J.  Oakely 

89  E.  Conner 
Henry  H.  Conner 
Kifus  Swaine 

K.  0.  Johnston 
J.  W.  Hamilton 
A.  J.  Smith 
E.  Huddleston 
J.  Gardner 
J.  N.  Reynolds 
John  Kinney 
J.  W.  Futon 
G.  T.  Mock 

101  Madison  Clayton 

102  Samuel  Jones 

103  David  Ward 
Parson  Haskins 
George  Hill 

C.  Oakley 

T.  B.  Woodard 

108  KirsySoneer 

109  Robert  Roberts 

110  John  Branner 

111  Joseph  Cox 

112  David  Lewis 


90 
91 
92 
93 
94 
95 
96 
97 
98 
98 
100 


104 
105 
106 


113  Jackson  Roberts 

114  Henry  Lewis 

115  Alfred  Reak 

116  George  Fillmore 
11*7  Harrison  H.  Wood 

118  Abel  Yates 

119  Samuel  Casebar 

120  A.  J.  Casebar 

121  John  Dewitt 

122  B.  F.  Hancock 

123  Dudley  Bryant 

124  Aaron  Platts 

125  Frederick  Hoffman 

126  Joseph  Bryant 

127  Jabez  Petepit 

128  L.  B.  Wolverton 

129  Andrew  White 

130  A.  White 

131  H.  Fick 

132  William  Tacket 

133  J.  L.  Speer 

134  David  Aikin 

135  J.  B.  F.  McPhersin 

136  A.  E.  Love 

137  G.  W.  Chapin 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify,' 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  an  election 
held  at  Bloomington  precinct,  in  second  district,  in  Kansas  Territory/ 
on  the  15th  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1855,  for  the  adoption  or  rejec- 
tion of  a  constitution,  the  separate  article  in  relation  to  a  general 
banking-law,  framed  by  the  constitutional  convention  which  assembled' 
at  Topeka,  on  the  23d  day  of  October,  1855,  for  the  State  of  Kansas.- 
and  the  independent  proposition  in  relation  to  instructing  the  first 
general  assembly  on  the  subject  of  negroes  and  mulattoes,  to  be  im 
number  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  ;  and  we  further  certify  that  the 
said  voters  were  bona  fide  citizens  of  the  United  States,  above  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years,  arid  actual  residents  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas 
for  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  this  election,  and  still  continue 
the  same  as  their  home  and  residence. 

JAMES  M.  DUNN,      ) 
DANIEL  VANEIL,      V  Judges. 
Z.  W.  REMBERGER,  ) 
Attest:  THOMAS  B.  WOLVERTON, 
HENRY  L.  BALDWIN, 


Clerks. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


723 


Tally-list. 
The  tallies  are  not  given.     Blank  filled  as  follows  : 


Constitution. 

Constitution. 

Gen'  1  banking 

Gen'  1  banking 

Exclusion  of  ne- 

Exclusion of  ne- 

Yes. 

No. 

law.  —  Yes. 

law.  —  No. 

groes  and  mu- 

groes  aod  nm- 

lattoes.—  Yes 

lattoes.  —  No, 

137 

122 

11 

113 

15 

The  printed  certificate  is  filled  properly  with  the  above  numbers, 
see  form  in  first  district,)  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JAMES  M.  DUNN,      ) 
DANIEL  VANEIL,       }  Judges. 
F.  W.  BEMBERGER,  ) 
Attest:  THOS.  B.  WOLVERTON,  )  ni    7 
HENRY  L.  BALDWIN,     \  Clerks- 


SECOND  DISTRICT — East  Douglas. 


1  Henry  Conrad 

2  P.  B.  Harris 

3  J.  F.  Jackson 

4  S.  Smith 

5  J.  Oakly,  sen. 

6  H.  C.  Muz 
T  R.  Cole 

8  J.  W.  Emerson 

9  J.  H.  Shimmons 

The  printed  certificate  is 
above,  and  signed  as  follows 


Attest:  P.  B.  HARRIS, 
J.  H.  SHIMMONS, 


Poll-book. 

10  Alphonso  Jones 

11  Owen  Taylor 

12  William  Phillips 

13  William  Hampton 

14  William  Caler 

15  Mortimer  Tript 

16  Joel  Phillips 
IT  William  Cage 
18  E.  B.  Knight 

properly  filled,  in  accordance  with  the 

P.  B.  HARRIS,        ) 

J.  H.  SHIMMONS,  }  Judges. 

J.  F.  JACKSON,     J 

Clerks. 


SECOND  DISTRICT — East  Douglas. 

Tally-list. 
Constitution 48 

No  constitution.. 


724 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


General  banking  law — Yes 12 

General  banking  law — No 4 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 14 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 4 

[The  above  tallies  are  under  the  proper  headings  in  the  printed 
form.] 

The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  and  accords  with  the  tally-listi 
signed  as  follows : 

P.  B.  HARRIS,        ) 
J.  H.  SHIMMONS,  [  Judges. 
J.  F.  JACKSON,     J 
Attest :  P.  B.  HARRIS, 
J.  F.  SHIMMONS, 


Clerks. 


THIRD  DISTRICT — Topeka. 


Poll-look. 


1  C.  C.  K.  Garvey 

2  J.  K.  Goodin 

3  F.  L.  Crane 

4  Milton  C.  Dickey 

5  James  Chadwick 

6  Dean  Chadwick 

7  Christopher  C.  Leonard 

8  C.  L.  Terrel 

9  Moses  Dudley 

10  D.  H.  Home, 

11  James  J.  Goodrich 

12  J.  Orcott 

13  D.  W.  Clearland 

14  Wm.  Scales 

15  Timothy  Mclntire 

16  H.  P.  Walters 

IT  John  T.  Lawrence 

18  James  G.  Bunker 

19  D.  R.  Sailor 

20  James  McNamee 

21  R.  L.  Mitchel 

22  T.  R.  Foster 

23  James  C.  Miller 

24  Humphrey  Coburn 

25  J.  F.  Cummin gs 

26  Harris  Stratton 

27  Billey  T.  Wetmore 

28  Daniel  Sayer 

29  Israel  Zimmerman 

30  Charles  Creitz 

31  Loving  Farnsworth 


32  Wm.  F.  Kelso 

33  Augustus  Barnard 

34  Edward  Segraves 

35  Alexander  Moore 

36  Abner  Doane 

37  A.  M.  Lewis 

38  C.  G.  Howard 

39  Thomas  G.  Thornton 

40  C.  A.  Sexton 

41  T.  Jones 

42  L.  W.  Home 

43  S.  E.  Martin 

44  F.  W.  Giles 

45  Gilford  Dudley 

46  John  R.  Lewis 

47  George  Davis 

48  George  F.  Boyd 

49  Darius  Minium 

50  S.  C.  Harriot 

51  Ephraim  Harriot 

52  E.  Banter 

53  James  L.  Stevens 

54  John  H.  Doty 

55  J.  D.  Clarkson 

56  James  Taggett 

57  W.  H.  Waymoth 

58  Wm.  R.  Bogs 

59  H.  C.  Coral 

60  Lewis  C.  Wilmuth. 

61  Ambrose  W.  Ford 

62  Paul  Sheppard 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


T25 


63  A.  G.  Adams 

64  G.  W.  Hathaway 

65  John  Bichey 

66  W.  Miles 

67  Luther  H.  Wentworth 

68  H.  H.  Wentworth 

69  Gabriel  Wright 

70  James  Disney 

71  Moses  Hubbard 

72  P.  B.  Hubbard 

73  Manie  Campdoras 

74  Charles  Landon 

75  Claud  Chamboniere 

76  Eugene  Dumez 

77  Estienne  Vollotte 

78  C.  N.  Grey 

79  P.  0.  Conner 

80  A.  S.  Walter 

81  E.  S.  Parker 

82  Jesse  Stowe 

83  0.  H.  Drinkwater 

84  Samuel  Hall 

85  Leonard  Wendell 

86  Wm.  W.  Eoss 

87  E.  Plumber 

88  A.  F.  Whiting 

89  Wm.  E.  Rowker 

90  Jean  Francois  Carloz 

91  S.  N.  Frazier 

92  Amos  Trott 

93  M.  C.  Martin 

94  Wm.  P.  Thompson 

95  David  H.  Moore 

96  Wm.  W.  Henderson 

97  Wm.  Gibbons 

98  James  Pearce 

99  Enoch  Chase 


100  Jonas  E.  Greenwood 

101  M.  K.  Smith 

102  Philip  Briggs 

103  Horatio  Fletcher 

104  Abel  F.  Hartwell 

105  Charles  L.  Wilbur 

106  David  Smith 

107  "A.  G.  Thompson 

108  Charles  Morely 

109  Wm.  F.  Creitz 

110  G.  H.  Wood 

111  Geo.  B.  French 

112  Elnathan  Trask 

113  Sanford  Henry 

114  Leroy  S.  Brown 

115  Thos.  H.  Taylor 

116  John  Long 

117  J.  C.  Gordon 

118  Augustus  Bobarts 

119  0,  C.  Nickols 

120  Charles  Farnesworth 

121  H.  C.  Young 

122  Nelson  Young 

123  John  Martin 

124  James  Cowles 

125  B.  M.  Lace 

126  Francis  Davis 

127  J.  B.  Chase 

128  Ozias  Judd 

129  John  Spear 

130  H.  B.  Burgess 

131  Wm.  Pickerel 

132  H.  B.  Cowles 

133  Theorene  Tucker 

134  Bichard  Gustine 

135  L.  G.  Clearland 

136  J.  A.  Wirt 


The  printed  certificate  properly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

F.  L.  CBANE,          ) 
M.  C.  DICKEY,       }  Judges. 
CUMMINGS,  S 


J.  T. 

HENRY  P.  WATERS,  }  Olerks' 


Attest :  JOSEPH  C.  MILLER, 


THIRD  DISTRICT— Topeka. 

Tally-list. 

Cfon  s  t  i  tn  t  i  o  n rt  ,1 3  5 

No  constitution.., 


72ft  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

General  banking  law — Yes 125" 

General  banking  law — No 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 69.; 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 644 

The  above  tallies  are  properly  arranged  under  the  table.  (See  form.) 
The  certificate  is  properly  filled  with  the  above  numbers,  and  signed 
as  follows: 

F.  L.  CRANE,         ) 
M.  C.  DICKEY,       [Judges. 
J.  T.  CUMMINGS,  ) 
Attest :  JOSEPH  C.  MILLER.    )  ni    -, 
HENRY  P,  WATERS,  \  Cler/cs' 


THIRD  DISTRICT — Tecumseh. 
Poll-look. 

1  John  Morris  19  Wm.  H.  Morris 

2  Charles  Jordan  20  Thomas  J.  Jordan 

3  H.  W.  Curtis  21  Hiram  Shields 

4  M.  M.  Robinson  22  Jahial  Tyler 

5  Orlando  Moifitt  23  John  F.  Freeland 

6  Jos.  H.  Weaver  24  John  M.  Ferson 

7  Jas.  M.  Dawson  25  Andeson  Delop 

8  B.  F.  Dawson  26  Osborn  Naylor 

9  Saml.  Updegraph  27  Jehu  Frank 

10  C.  W.  Moffit  28  Francis  Grapmuck 

11  Jas.  Hoppins  29  Wm.  Norton 

12  D.  Updegraph  30  Geo.  Osborn 

13  Jos.  K.  Bartleson  31  Saml.  Spruill 

14  Geo.  C.  McCormac  32  M.  J.  Mitchel 

15  J.  W.  Stephenson  33  Jer.  Nicum 

16  E.  R.  Moffit  34  Wm.  A.  Hamer 

17  Nathaniel  L.  Williams  35  Huston  Ingram. 

18  Josiah  Cox 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows : 

CHARLES  JORDAN,  ) 
JOHN  MORRIS,  }  Judges. 

M.  J.  MITCHEL,        ) 


Attest :  M.  M.  ROBINSON,  )  ^  *  0 
H.  W.  CURTIS,     1  C 

Tallylist. 


Constitution 
No  tjonetitution 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  727 

General  banking  law — Yes 23 

General  banking  law — No 11 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 35 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

CHARLES  JORDAN,  ) 
JOHN  MORRIS,  [  Judges. 

M.  J.  MITCHEL,         ) 

Attest:  H.  W.  CURTIS,      ) 
M.  M.  ROBINSON,  J 


THIRD  DISTRICT — Brownsville . 

Poll-book. 

1  James  M.  Hammond  13  Wm.  A.  Simerwell 

2  Geo.  W.  Pigott  14  James  Turner 

3  Thos.  J.  Anderson  15  Wm.  Dailey 

4  D.  W.  Harold  16  John  Baxter 

5  Robert  Turner  17  D.  T.  Hammend 

6  Robert  Todd  18  G.  S.  Holt 

7  J.  D.  Wood  19  C.  B.  Lykins 

8  J.  W.  Brown  20  Samuel  H.  Hill 

9  L.  T.  Cook  21  James  Gillpatrick 

10  W.  F.  Johnston  22  Win.  Turner 

11  Samuel  Cavender  23  James  Mauhan 

12  F.  E.  Hood  24  Danuel  Turner 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

J.  D.  WOOD,      J 

L.  T.  COOK,        }  Judges. 

J.  W.  BROWN,  ) 

Attest:  WM.  F.  JOHNSTON,  )  ni    7 
ROBT.  TODD,  J  Uer/cs' 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 24 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 22 

General  banking  law — No 2 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 22 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No * 2 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

J.  D.  WOOD,       ) 

J.  W.  BROWN,   [  Judges. 

L.  T.  COOK,        ) 

Attest:  W.  F.  JOHNSTON, 
ROBERT  TODD, 


728 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


THIRD  DISTRICT —  Washington. 
Poll-book. 


1  A.  J.  Custard 

2  Peter  Eppison 

3  Ephraim  Banning 

4  Eli  Allen 

5  Geo.  S.  Ramsay 

6  Solomon  G.  Riffle 

7  Caleb  Antrim 

8  Edmund  Brewer 

9  Jesse  M.  Roberts 

10  James  K.  Lawrence 

11  Danl!  K.  Lawrence 

12  Wm.  C.  Jones 

13  Wm.  Riley 

14  W.  L.  Roberts 

15  Geo.  W.  Gilmore 

16  W.  A.  Cardwell 

17  Amos  Hicks 

18  Geo.  W.  Duncan 

19  Benj.  Moore 

20  Geo.  W.  Zinn 

21  H.  F.  Buffer 


22  Milbourn  Shirley 

23  W.  C.  McCaul 

24  Robt.  Hudson 

25  J.  J.  Aklin 

26  Norman  Smitb 

27  Wm.  Rowles 

28  Wm.  R.  Frost 

29  J.  G.  Stringer 

30  Jas.  Molton 

31  T.  V.  Rush 

32  R.  W.  Custard 

33  Merrit  Thrilkeld 

34  Alex.  Wells 

35  Jno.  D.  Hopkins 

36  Thos.  D.  Kemp 

37  Wm.  Harper 

38  Wm.  Lamb 

39  A.  H.  Lamb 

40  F.  Cook 

41  W.  Carter 

42  Barnet  Fagle 


tificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

WM.  RILEY, 
ELI  ALLEN, 
CALEB  ANTREM, 
Attest :   GEO.  S.  RAMSAY,  )  „-,    7 
S.  J.  ACKLIN,          Cierfcs' 


Judges. 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 42 

General  banking  law — Yes 41 

General  banking  law — No 1 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 42 


Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

ELI  ALLEN, 
WM.  RILEY, 
CALEB  ANTREM, 

Attest:  G.  S.  RAMSAY,  ) 
S.  J.  ACKLIN,   J 


Judges. 


KAXSAS   AFFAIRS. 


729 


FOURTH  DISTRICT — Prairie  City  Precinct. 


Pott-list. 


1  Charles  Legge 

2  Charles  Clark 

3  J.  P.  Moore 

4  Franklin  Barnes 

5  Wm.  B.  Harris 

6  Jacob  Clark 

7  A.  R.  Banks 

8  C.  H.  Carpenter 

9  Archibald  Harris 

10  A.  B.  Webster 

11  W.  S.  Ewart 

12  John  F.  Jarans 

13  A.  J.  Miller 

14  Samuel  McManus 

15  E.  H.  Bay  singer 

16  W.  B.Foster 

17  Thos.  Shirley 

18  David  Hendricks 

19  Mansfield  Carter 

20  A.  F.  Powell 

21  A.  Clearland 

22  Charles  Reiser 

23  J.  G.  Moore 

24  Peter  Baysinger 

25  S.  H.  Moore 

26  George  Powers 

27  Constant  Burtell 

28  Wm.  David 

29  Celestin  Garder 
SO  J.  C.  Hughes 

31  M.  M.  Westfall 

32  Henry  H.  Wiggins 

33  P.  P.  Case 

34  M.  M.  D.  Lysner 

35  Nathaniel  Parker 

36  W.  M.  Mewhinny,  jr. 


37  W.  J.  Buchannon 

38  A.  0.  Carpenter 

39  Elkana  Fimons 

40  R.  Mayfield 

41  W.  M.  Mewhinny,  sr. 

42  John  Wilson 

43  George  Havens 

44  N.  D.  Sprague 

45  Champion  Mayfield 

46  Levi  Doty 

47  W.  M.  E.  Crum 

48  Perry  Fuller 

49  W.  M.  Moore 

50  Thomas  McCowan 

51  Samuel  J.  Shore 

52  Amos  Hannah 

53  Samuel  Mewhinney 

54  Eleazur  Hill 

55  Hiram  McAlister 

56  T.  E.  Curtis 

57  J.  W.  M.  Shore 

58  W.  M.  B.  Sowers 

59  Aaron  Moore 

60  J.  P.  Neal 

61  John  S.  Edie 

62  A.  B.  Gilliland 

63  W.  M.  Graham 

64  J.  D.  Hope 

65  W.  L.  Jones 

66  J.  S.  Scott 

67  John  Graham 

68  Geo.  W.  E.  Griffith 

69  J.  E.  Carpenter 

70  Michael  Blake 

71  John  P.  Lehr 

72  Wily  E.  Jones. 


The   printed   certificate  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and   signed   as 
follows : 


AMOS  HANNAH, 
WILLIAM  MOORE, 
PERRY  FULLER, 

Attest :  Tnos.  McCowAN,  ) 

SAM'L  THEODORE  SHORE,  J 


Judges. 


TSO 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 72'i 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes , 39',i 

General  banking  law — No... 33: 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 69; 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 3 

Printed  form  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows  : 

AMOS  HANNAH,       ) 
WILLIAM  MOORE,  }  Judges. 
PERRY  FULLER,       ) 

Attest :  THOS.  McGowAN,  \  Clerks 


SAM'L  THEODORE  SHORE 


, 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Osawatomie. 


Poll-book. 


1  Crawford  Oliver 

2  Benj.  Woodbury 

3  Chas.  A.  Foster 

4  William  Collin 

5  N.  J.  Roscoe 

6  Nathan  McVey 

7  James  H.  Howson 

8  Henry  Alderman 

9  Horace  Norton 

10  Harrison  UpdegrafF 

11  Amos  Alderman 

12  Jeremiah  Harrison 

13  Barber  Darrach 

14  Wm.  W.  Updegraff 

15  James  Stots 

16  Samuel  Geer 

IT  James  J.  Holbrook 

18  Samuel  Mendenhall 

19  C.  F.  Lake 

20  S.  L.  Adair 

21  S.  M.  Merritt 

22  Caleb  Shearar 

23  Samuel  H.  Howser 

24  Thomas  Roberts 

25  Amos  Finch 

26  Albe  Sanborn 

27  Andrew  Bruce 

28  J.  Carr 

29  William  Cain 

30  James  Fuller 


31  Silas  Wheat 

32  Francis  Brenan 

33  William  Chestnut 

34  John  C.  Loman 

35  William  Quick 

36  Asa  S.  White 

37  Joel  Goodenick 

38  Levi  Fenner 

39  Charles  Cranston 

40  J.  L.  Littlejohn 

41  John  Yelton 

42  Richard  Mendenhall 

43  William  Cater 

44  John  P.  Glenn 

45  William  Brownhall 

46  Henry  Carson 

47  Thomas  Jackson 

48  David  Mendenhall 

49  Doctor  Morris 

50  John  Brown 

51  Martin  Chissmore 

52  George  Ferris 

53  J.  R.  Everett 

54  J.  B.  Higgins 

55  Milon  Fairchild 

56  James  Hughes 

57  Thomas  J.  Hammond 

58  Jackson  Hendricks 

59  Noah  Barker. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  (TJ1 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows : 

B.  WOODBURY,  ) 

DANIEL  W.   COLLIES,  V  Judges. 
N.  J.  ROSCOE,  } 

Attest :  WM.  W.  UPDEGRAFF, 
CRAWFOBD  OLIVER, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution ».».«. 56 

No  constitution ., 1 

General  banking  law — Yes 33 

General  banking  law — No 20 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 38 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 17 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

B.  WOODBURY,  ) 

DANIEL  W.  COLLIES,  V  Judges. 
N.  J.  ROSCOE,  ) 

Attest :  WM.  W.  UPDEGRAFF,  ?  ™    T. 
CRAWFORD  OLIVER,       J  ° i€rfcs' 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Stanton. 
Poll-look. 

1  Isaiah  Nichols  20  H.  B.  Standiford 

2  W.  B.  Nichols  21  A.  H.  Standiford 

3  J.  B.  Bingham  22  W.  G.  Bundy 

4  P.  V.  McMillan  23  George  Thompson 

5  Benjamin  Goodrich  24  Orran  Williams 

6  J.  H.  West  25  B.  H.  Reed 

7  J.  T.  Benning  26  Thomas  M.  Horton 

8  0.  R.  Nichols  27  Jesse  W.  Wilson 

9  William  Stephenson  28  John  R.  Kirkland 

10  Jesse  B.  Way  29  Robert  Reed 

11  C.  P.  Kirkland  30  William  Kellogg 

12  John  Lay  31  James  Milliken 

13  Jesse  Lay  32  William  H.  Kinkaid 

14  James  R.  Kinkaid  33  S.  L.  Morse 

15  James  D.  Kinkaid  34  W.  G.  Nichols 

16  A.  J.  Talbott  35  Isaac  Wollard 

17  M.  D.  Lane  36  Joseph  Bundy 

18  David  H.  Bundy  37  Israel  Christie. 

19  John  Standiford 


732  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Certificate  properly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

18 

W 

S. 

Attest :  ISRAEL  CHRISTIE,  I  m    1 
JOSIAH  BUNDY,     5  Uer/cs' 


ISAAC  WOOLLARD,  ) 

W.  G.  NICHOLS,         C  Judges. 

S.  L.  MORSE,  ) 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 32 ! 

General  banking  law — Yes 4 1 

General  banking  law — No 33! 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 32! 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No... 5- 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

ISAAC  WOOLLARD,  ) 
WM.  G.  NICHOLS,      }  Judges. 
S.  L.  MORSE,  ) 

Attest :  ISRAEL  CHRISTIE,  )  ni    , 
JOSIAH  BUNDY,     '  Uer/cs' 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Little  Sugar  Creek. 
Poll-book. 

1  W.  W.  Harris  23  W.  A.  Cavan 

2  J.  D.  Stockton  24  H.  J.  Dingus 

3  John  Spears  25  Solomon  Mason 

4  D.  B.  Perry  26  G.  W.  Halte 

5  S.  R.  Floyd  27  G.  W.  Sharpe 

6  Thomas  K.  Hooper  28  A.  M.  B.  D.  E.  S.  Ripley 

7  H.  C.  Donaghe  29  M.  H.  Davis 

8  David  Reese  30  J.  W.  Duren 

9  Harris  Vance  31  Abram  Medlin 

10  John  Baslowick  32  James  Osbern 

11  James  E.  Dunlap  33  John  Barrick 

12  Stephen  Mehaffe  34  James  Montgomery 
13' Joshua  Russel  35  Samuel  MedHn 

14  Salmon  Bennet  36  Charles  Barnes 

15  John  Handy  Shel  37  Solomon  Adams 

16  Enoch  Estep  38  John  Medlin 

17  H.  M.  Gibbs  39  Levi  Ward 

18  E.  Barnes  40  John  Brant 

19  Thomas  Hargus  41  Allen  Sellers 

20  J.  P.  Fox  42  Alfred  Ward 

21  William  Murray  43  Samuel  Nickel 

22  Joseph  B.  Runals  44  J.  R.  Miller 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  733 

45  F.  A.  Halleter  53  P.  Y.  Glover 

46  George  Morris  54  Benjamin  Burch 

47  Elvin  Ford  55  David  Burch 

48  A.  F.  Fascett  56  John  C.  Jemison' 

49  Fred.  Crawse  57  William  Park 

50  William  Morris  58  Temple  Wayne 

51  J.  M.  Morris  59  T.  F.  Dark 

52  Green  Warthy  60  Samuel  Camock. 
Certificate  properly  filled  and  signed  as  follows  : 

J.  D.  STOCKTON,  ) 

KEESE,  v  Judges. 

C.  DONAGHE,  ) 
Attest :     W.  S,  TURNER, 
S.  K.  FLOYD, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 42 

No  constitution 18 

General  banking  law — Yes 33 

General  banking  law — No 13 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 42 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 2 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

J.  D.  STOCKTON,  ) 
D.  KEESE,  V  Judges. 

H.  C.  DONAGHE,  ) 
Attest:     S.B.FLOYD, 
W.  S.  TURNER, 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Poltawatomie. 

Poll-book. 

1  Henry  H.  Williams  15  Wm.  J.  Whitney 

2  Simeon  B.  Morse  16  Win.  L.  Frankenberger 

3  William  Partridge  17  John  Blanden 

4  Wm.  N.  Woods  18  Solomon  Blanden 

5  Ephraim  Reynolds  19  Daniel  Harrison 

6  John  Blunt  20  Wakeman  Partridge 

7  Frederick  Brown  21  Wesley  H.  Pinell 

8  Willis  T.  Ayres  22  J.  W.  Greer 

9  Samuel  Anderson  23  Benj.  L.  Cockrun 

10  Dennis  West  24  Joseph  L.  Morcy 

11  E.  G.  Blunt  25  John  Grant 

12  David  Baldwin  26  James  Townsley 

13  Darius  Frankenberger  27  Allen  M.  Smith 

14  James  B.  Tenbrook  28  JohnMcDaniel 


734  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

29  Dewitt  C.  Davenport  3*7  C.  E.  Dewey 

30  James  Button  38  M.  M.  Minkler 

31  Samuel  Mac  39  Benjamin  Dan 

32  Jason  Brown  40  R.  W.  Sturgeon 

33  Henry  Thompson  41  David  D.  Davis 

34  John  Brown,  jr.  42  Alexander  Purdee 
S5  Owen  Brown  43  Joseph  James. 

36  Anson  Hunt 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

FRED.  BROWN,        ) 

S.  B.  MORSE,  V  Judges. 

WM.  PARTRIDGE,  ) 

Attest :  HENRY  H.  WILLIAMS, 
EPHRAIM  REYNOLDS, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution „ 

No  constitution : 3  i 

General  banking  law — Yes 21 

General  banking  law — No 19  > 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 25 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 18 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

FRED.  BROWN,        ) 

S.  B.  MORSE,  V  Judges. 

WM.  PARTRIDGE,  ) 

Attest :  HENRY  H.  WILLIAMS, 
EPHRAIM  REYNOLDS, 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Neosho. 

Poll-book. 

1  Hiram  Carr  7"  Thomas  Bowen 

2  James  Branan  8  Benjamin  Whitaker 

3  Jesse  V.  Williams  9  Simpson  De  Spain 

4  Matthew  Fenimore  10  Morgan  Dix 

5  Hiram  Hoover  11  Nathaniel  Danton 

6  Hardin  McMahon  12  John  H.  Bowen. 
Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

HIRAM  HOOVER,    ) 
THOMAS  BOWEN,  [  Judg*. 
MORGAN  DIX,        ) 
Attest :  HARD.  McMAHON,      >  clerks 
MATTHEW  FENIMORE,  $ 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  *735 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 12 

If o  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 6 

General  banking  law — No 6 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 12 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

HIRAM  HOOVER,    ) 
THOMAS  BOWEN,  }  Judges. 
MORGAN  DIX,         ) 

Attest :  HARD.  McMAHON,      \  ri   h 
MATTHEW  FENIMORE,  J      er  s' 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Big  Sugar  Greek. 
Poll-book. 

1  Samuel  Farrar  12  Allen  Stewart 

2  George  Wykle  13  Jonah  Daniel 

3  William  Dudley  14  John  Dance 

4  James  E.  Wadkins  15  William  M.  Smith 

5  Zachariah  Rowe  16  C.  M.  McDaniel 

6  Green  Stricklin  IT  W.  B.  Robinson 
7"  James  M.  Arthur  18  Ingram  Lusk 

8  John  Wykle  19  F.  H.  Graham 

9  M.  Walk  20  John  Robinson 

10  Silas  Young  21  George  H.  Alexander. 

11  William  Dyer. 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

W.  B.  ROBINSON,        ) 
WILLIAM  DYER,         V  Judges. 
WILLIAM  M.  SMITH,  ) 

Attest :  JAMES  M.  ARTHUR, 
C.  M.  MCDANIEL, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 18 

No  constitution 2 

General  banking  law — Yes 5 

General  banking  law — No 16 


736  KANSAS   AFFAIES. 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 20 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  B.  ROBINSON,  ) 
WILLIAM  DYER,  V  Judges. 

WILLIAM  M.  SMITH,        S 


Attest :  JAMBS  M.  ARTHUR,  >  ni    , 
C.  M.  MCDANIEL,    \  Cierks' 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Little  Osage. 
Poll-list. 

1  R.  T.  Forbes  IT  Wm.  Hinton 

2  Wm   Patrick  18  Sam'l  Fleaner 

3  E.  Painter  19  James  Curry 

4  Etney  Ecart  20  Thomas  Osborn 

5  James  H.  Mars  21  Daniel  Henderson 

6  George  Wakefield  22  Alexander  Howard 

7  Wm.  Wickham  23  W.  W.  Spratte 

8  John  Sanders  24  Paton  Williams 

9  Daniel  Francis  25  Acy  Williams 

10  Isaac  Sanders  26  E.  Kepley 

11  Julius  Wilhite  27  Henry  Miller 

12  John  A.  Wakefield  28  Amos  Stewart 

13  Wm.  Williams  29  Sampson  Farris 

14  Wm.  Curry  30  Thomas  Smith 

15  Burton  Kiwison  31  Thomas  K.  Hooper 

1 6  Charles  Bates 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows : 

ROBERT  T.  FORBES, 
THOMAS  OSBORN, 

Attest :  DANIEL  HENDERSON,  )  rn    i. 
WM.  CURRY,  J  Uer/cs' 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 21 

No  constitution 7 

General  banking  law — Yes 16 

General  banking  law — No 12 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 23 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 7 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  737 

Certificate  correct,  except  that  11  is  inserted  instead  of  12,  as  voting 
against  the  general  hanking  law. 

Signed,  as  follows : 

THOMAS  OSBORN,         J 
ROBERT  T.  FORBES,     }  Judges. 
THOMAS  CURRY,  ) 

Attest :  DANIEL  HENDERSON,  \ 
WILLIAM  T.  CURRY,  j 


SEVENTH  DISTRICT — Titus. 
Poll^booTc. 

1  Henry  Todd  23  Ami  Smith 

2  W.  F.  Harer  24  S.  A.  Allison 

3  Thos.  White  25  Abison  Floorer 

4  J.  B.  Titus  26  G.  A.  Drew 

5  John  DreV  27  John  Smith 

6  S,  M.  Penin  28  C.  W.  Fisk 

7  Ahram  Leonard  29  P.  C.  Shyler 

8  Adam  R.  Bothel  30  L.  D.  Joy 

9  Wm.  Lord  31  L.  J.  Miller 

10  Thomas  Hill  32  H.  Polly 

11  Henry  Stanley  33  W.  W.  Fish 

12  Alex.  Millson  34  John  Crowford 

13  Aaron  Dow  35  L.  Fish 

14  Jasper  Goodwill  36  N.  G.  Densmore 

15  N.  Shyler  37  R.  Miller 

16  0.  H.  Sheldon  38  David  Hoover 

17  C.  F.  Richards  39  G.  Bratton 

18  Hiram  Mills  40  G.  Hairy 

19  Geo.  M.  Barnes  41  J.  Street 

20  William  Drew  42  John  Miller 

21  0.  B.  Harvey  43  Thos.  Kussell 

22  Joseph  Ramsey  44  F.  Upson. 

The  printed  form  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows 

J.  B.  TITUS,        ) 
JOHN  DREW,     V  Judges. 
E.  M.  PERRIN,   ) 

Attest:  LEWIS D.JoY,  \  n    Tf 

ABRAHAM  LEONARD,  \  * 


Tally-list. 

Constitution .,, ,., , 39 

No  constitution 5 

H,  Rep,  200 47* 


738 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


General  bankin  g  law  —  Yes  ...................  .  ............................. 

General  banking  law  —  No.-.  ................................................ 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes  —  Yes  ..............................     2 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes  —  No  ...............................     1 

The  printed  form  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows  : 

J.  B.  TITUS,      ) 
JOHN  DREW,    V  Judges. 
E.  M.  PERRIN,  ) 

Attest:  LEWIS  D.  JOY,  \  m    i. 

ABRAHAM  LEONARD,  \  Lier/cs' 


•  SEVENTH  DISTRICT  —  JuniaMa. 


Poll-book. 


1  Newell  Teafton 

2  Lawrence  Shattock 

3  Wm.  E.  Goodwin 

4  Samuel  D.  Houston 

5  Ambrose  Todd 

6  Amery  Hunting 

7  Chas.  E.  Blood 

8  Wm.  E.  Parkersen 

9  Isaac  T.  Goodnow 

10  John  Gilt 

11  Simon  Perry 

12  John  Sanford 

13  Henry  Nealy 

14  Edward  Hunting 

15  Geo.  H.  Moore 

16  Christian  Gatz 


17  Louis  Sanford 

18  Cyrus  Bishop 

19  Asah  G!  Allen 

20  John  Pipher 

21  Charles  W.  Bechee 

22  Chas.  Fay 

23  Joseph  Dennison 

24  Chas.  Barnes 

25  John  S.  Hoffecker 

26  Stephen  B.  Barnes 

27  Joseph  Stewart 

28  Peter  Nirhart 

29  John  Mclntyre 

30  Wm.  S.  Arnold 

31  Joseph  Browning. 


The  printed  certificate  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  except  the  pf 
cinct  is  called  Big  Blue  in  the  poll-list,  and  Juniatta  in  the  ecu 
ficate,  and  signed  as  follows  : 


Attest  :  WM.  S.  ARNOLD,  \ 
C.  E.  BLOOD,       \ 


PETER  NEYHART, 
J.   STEWART, 
ISAAC  T.  GOODNOW, 


Judges  \ 


Tally-list. 


Constitution 

No  constitution , 

General  banking  law — Yes, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  739 

General  banking  law — No 6 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 10 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 19 

The  printed  form  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows : 

PETER  NEYHART,  J 

J.  STEWART,  }  Judges. 

ISAAC  T.  GOODNOW,      ) 

r   Attest:  WM.  S.  ARNOLD  ; 
C.  E.  BLOOD, 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT. — Ohio  City  Precinct. 

Poll-book. 

1  A.  G.  Barrett  12  Lowry  Trombly 

2  Rees  Furbay  13  Franklin  Reed 

3  William  Saunders  14  William  Harmon 

4  Lewis  Furbay  15  A.  J.  Ockerman 

5  Henry  Hallenberg  16  W.  H.  Brine 

6  D.  M.  Levitt  15  Henry  Brockmyre 

7  A.  M.  Bell  18  Loren  Jessen 

8  Jas.  A.  Smith  19  Henry  Brockmyre,  jr. 

9  Thos.  Warren  20  Gulian  Shangraed 

10  Samuel  Langdon  21  Joseph  Breno. 

11  John  Herron 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,  (see  form.)  and  signed  as  follows: 

HENRY  HOLLENBERG,  ) 
D.  M.  LEVITT,  V  Judges. 

WILLIAM  SAUNDERS,  ) 

Attest :  A.  G.  BARRETT,  )  ^    , 
LEWIS  FURBAY,    J  ° 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 21 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 16 

General  banking  law — No , 5 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 20 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 1 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows  : 

HENRY  HOLLENBERG,  ) 
D.  M.  LEVITT,  }  Judges. 

WM.  SAUNDERS,  ) 

Attest:  A.  G.  BARRETT, 
LEWIS  FURBAY, 


40  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

EIGHTH  DISTRICT —  Wabaunsee  Precinct, 

Poll-book. 

1  Andrew  B.  Marshall  11  W.  J.  Fodder 

2  J.  M.  Bisbey  12  H.  P.  Leonard 

3  J.  H.  Nesbit  13  J.  H.  Pillsburg 
'4  E.  R.  McLundy  14  Calvin  H.  Javin 

5  Oscar  Meachand  15  Henry  Bisbey 

6  H.  W.  Taborr  16  Henry  Jones 
1  H.  J.  Brown  17  D.  L.  Bates 

8  Bar  Sharai  18  L.  W.  Brown 

9  Francis  Abott  19  Hermon  Keyes. 
10  Peter  Sharai 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follow 

E.  R.  McCURDY,  ) 

J.  M.  BISBEY,  }  Judge** 

ANDREW  B.  MARSHALL 

Attest :  J.  H.  NESBITT,. 

HORACE  W.  TABOR, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 
No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 

General  banking  law — No 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follow 

E.  R.  McCURDY,  ) 

J.  M.  BISBEY,  }  Judgi 

ANDREW  B.  MARSHALL,   ) 

Attest:  J.  H.  NESBITT, 

HORACE  W.  TABOR, 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT — St.  Mary's  Precinct. 

t  Poll-book. 

1  Geo.  Wuartla  8  William  Younklin 

2  J.  D.  Adams  9  E.  Davis 

3  Moses  Younklin  10  0.  B.  Dean 

4  John  King  11  Charles  Dean 

5  John  Leonard  12  B.  C.  Dean 

6  F.  Shaeifer  13  Jas.  P.  Wilson 

7  August  Beekeer  14  0.  Bayeron. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  741 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows : 

J.  E.  D.  AVIS,         ) 
OSCAR  B.  DEAN,    V  Judy.es. 
CHARLES  DEAN,    ) 

Attest:     J.  E.  D.  Avis, 
O.  B.  DEAN, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 19 

No  constitution  

General  bankin g  law — Yes 

General  banking  la w— No « 14 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 19 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows  : 

CHARLES  DEAN,   ) 
OSCAR  B.  DEAN,  V  Judges. 
J.  E.  D.  AVIS,        ) 

Attest:     0.  B.  DEAN, 

J.  E.  D.  Avis, 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT — Mill  Creek  Precinct. 

PoU-booTc. 

1  Karl  Morasch  11  Michael  Metzger 

2  Johaim  Suhr  12  Karl  Bath 

3  Freidrich  Palensge  13  Johann  Lemke 

4  Herman  Miller  14  Bernhard  Hansacok 

5  Bernard  Schutter  15  Christian  Prath 

6  Christoph  Schwanke  16  Joseph  Weise 

7  Franz  Schmidt  IT  Wilhelm  Ganther 

8  Johann  Achlz  18  Joseph  Thoes 

9  Pitt  Thoes  19  Jacob  Terris 

10  Peter  Pfeifer  20  Vint  Ludwig  Henricks 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  fol- 
lows: 

JACOB  TERRIS,    ) 
JOSEPH  THOES,  }  Judges. 
JOSEPH  WEISE,  ) 
Attest :     WILHELM  GANDERT,      )  ^  \ 
V.  LUDWIG  HENRICKS,   \  Ckrjcs' 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 20 

No  constitution... 


,742  KANSAS   AFFAIES. 

General  "banking  law — Yes , 

General  banking  law — No 20 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 20 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  form  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JACOB  TERRLSS,  > 
JOSEPH  THOES,  V  Judges, 
JOSEPH  WEISE,  } 
Attest :    WILHELM  GANDERT, 
Z.  GEN'D  HENRICKS, 


NINTH  DISTRICT — Grasshopper  Falls. 
Poll-book. 

1  Chalmess  Scott  28  Nathan  C.  Hart 

2  Martin  Vanderburgh  29  W.  H.  Goodwin 

3  W.  Hasley  30  Geo.  H.  Cane 

4  James  Griffiths  31  Henry  Morriss 

5  Daniel  Remkles  32  John  Sills 

6  Eph.  Loman  33  John  Ernst 

7  Perry  Moss  34  Benedict  Myer 

8  Thomas  H.  Elliott  35  William  Cat 

9  John  Elliott  36  A.  Crowbarger 

10  Sidney  Scanland  37  John  Conway 

11  Daniel  Willey  38  Benjamin  Wiger 

12  John  H.  Clark  39  John  Short 

13  S.  H.  Dunn  40  Samuel  S.  Smith 

14  Wm.  Gregsby  41  Wm.  Bales 

15  George  S.  Hillger  42  John  W.  Owens 

16  Atkinson  Martin  43  Henry  Bales 

17  John  W.  Dowell  44  Henry  Zenn    . 

18  Alexander  Hughan  45  J.  K.  Williams 

19  Zefuton  Bugbee  46  Isaac  Cody 

20  Alpha  Summons  47  John  Roberts 

21  Samuel  Brown  48  Jacob  Wiher 

22  John  Hughan  49  John  Roderick 

23  Martin  Price  50  Peter  Roderick 

24  Fred.  Christman  51  Peter  Taylor 

25  G.  T.  Donaldson  52  John  Wigner 

26  E.  Mendenhall  53  Kenry  Wiher 

27  Jesse  B.  Taylor  54  Anthony  Weishaar 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  fo< 
lows : 

J.  W.  CLARK,          ) 
S.  H.  DUNN,  }  Judges. 

WM.  GREGSBEY,    } 
Attest:    GPORGE  S.  HILLGER,  >  ™    , 
ATKINSON  MARTIN,    $ 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  743 

'  Tally-list. 

Constitution 54 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes .- 19 

General  banking  law — No 34 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 50 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 3 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows: 

J.  W.  CLARK,          ) 
S.  H.  DUNN,  }  Judges. 

WM.  GREGSBEY,    ) 

Attest :  GEORGE  S.  HILLGER,  )  ™    TL, 
ATKINSON  MARTIN,    ]  c 


NINTH  DISTRICT — Pawnee  Precinct. 
Poll-look. 

1  Robert  Klotz  24  Johnson  McFire 

2  Jacob  Hill  25  Samuel  Jones 

3  Laritt  Lincoln  26  George  McFarland 

4  Jeremiah  Youester  27  J.  S.  Williams 

5  S.  B.  White  28  Win.  L.  Shane 

6  Lemuel  Napp  29  H.  H.  McKey 

7  Silas  Klotz  30  John  Drennan 

8  Isaac  H.  Dodar  31  J.  W.  Colvill 

9  Reinbold  Whitehair  32  Samuel  Parr 

10  S.  P.  Allon  33  John  C.  Nolan 

11  James  W.  Hulse  34  Thomas  Marshall 

12  George  W.  Switzer  35  M.  H.  Beardsley 

13  Adolph  Kurtze  36  John  Halbrook 

14  Lemon  Kouth  37  William  Harris 

15  Win.  Miller  38  Eugene  Cunningham 

16  James  Warren  39  John  O'Neil 

17  T.  K.  Mills  40  Charles  Gibson 

18  J.  R.  Wills  41  James  Tally 

19  N.  H.  Moore  42  James  Cirba 

20  J.  C.  Coulton  43  Joseph  Nighta 

21  Harris  Smith  44  Alexander  Dean 

22  George  T.  Brown  45  William  Forest 

23  Jacob  Schoonmaker 

The  printed  form  is  properly    filled,   (see  form,)  and  signed  as 
follows : 

SAMUEL  KNAPP,    ) 
ISAAC  H.  LODGE,  \  Judges. 
S.  B.  WHITE,  ) 

Attest :   SILAS  KLOTZ,  \  rn    i. 

ALEXANDER  DOAN,  \  Llerks- 


744  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Tally-list. 

Con  stitution *. .  .. 45 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 15 

General  banking  law — No 29 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 40 

Exclusion  of  Negroes  and  mulattoes — No 5 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows* 

LEMUEL  KNAPP,  ) 
ISAAC  LODGE,       }  Judges. 
S.  B.  WHITE,         ) 
Attest :    SILAS  KLOTZ, 

ALEXANDER  DEAN, 


TENTH  DISTRICT — Burr  Oak. 

Poll-book. 

1  Valentine  Gunselman  13  Henry  Wilson 

2  J.  L.  Higins  14  J.  S.  Hall 

3  James  Leveel  15  T.  H.  McCullock 

4  Thomas  Devolt  16  Thomas  Bell 

5  J.  P.  Harper  17  L.  D.  Lockin 

6  Henry  Eapp  18  Dan  Morrow 

T  George  Schuyler  19  Wm.  C   Gilliam 

8  F.  Fritzer  20  A.  Shultz 

9  C.  A.  Hale  21  E.  L.  Gilliam 

10  P.  Kleppell  22  Charles  Hack 

11  Wm.  B.  Sharp  23  Daniel  Bowman 

12  B.  H.  Brock 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

B.  H.  BROCK,  > 

HENRY  WILSON,      }  Judge®. 
T.  H.  McCULLOCK,  ) 

Attest :   WM.  B.  SHARP,  )  m    -, 
ISAACS.  HAIL,   \  Ll€ 

Tally-list. 

Constitution 23 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes T 

General  banking  law — No 16 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 22 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 1 

The  certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

B.  H.  BROCK,  ) 

HENRY  WILSON,      V  Judges. 
T.  H.  McCULLOCK,  Y 
Attest:   WM.  B.  SHARP, 
ISAACS.  HAIL, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  745 

TENTH  DISTRICT — Doniphan. 

Poll-book. 

1  J.  H.  Whilker  12  J.  W.  Collins 

2  W.  Lancaster  13  B.  Brady 

3  T.  Vest  14  J.  Standerf 

4  A.  Dunn  15  J.  McNema 

5  E.  Hamilton  16  G.  A.  Cutler 

6  P.  J.  Collins  IT  N.  Alexander 

7  B.  G.  Cady  18  B.  K.  Milmot 

8  R.  Rockett.  19  J.  Landes 

9  T.  Cook  20  L.  Oak 

10  W.  H.  Wells  21  William  Popges 

11  A.  Vingart  22  W.  Irvin 
Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 


Attest:    T.  J.  COLLINS,  Clerk. 


B.  G.  CODY, 
JOHN  McNEMA, 


Judges. 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 22 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 5 

General  banking  law — No 14 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 21 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

B.  G.  CODY, 
JOHN  McNEMA, 

Attest:   T.  J.  COLLINS,  Clerk. 


TENTH  DISTRICT — Jesse  Padon's,  Pilot  Grove. 

Poll-book. 

1  W.  C.  Foster  T  William  Smitch 

2  Thomas  Briggan  8  J.  M.  Bridges 

3  E.  B.  Osburn  9  W.  B.  Bridges 

4  Jesse  Padon  10  Philip  Weis 

5  John  Smitch  11  Henry  Smitch 

6  Win.  Purket  12  E.  Painter 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

JESSE  PADON,  ) 
JOHN   SMITCH,  [  Judges. 
WM.    PURKET,  ) 

Attest:    E.  PAINTER,          )  ~,    , 
WM.  K.  BRIDGES,  J  Clerks' 


746  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tally-list. 


Constitution 1! 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes < 

General  banking  law — No 11 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 11 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  PURKET,  ) 
JOHN  SMITCH,  }  Judges. 

JESSE  PADON,  ) 

Attest :   E.  PAINTER, 

WILLIAM  R.  BRIDGES, 


ELEVENTH  DISTRICT — Ocean  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  James  Limerick  15  G.  W.  Cobb 

2  Isaac  Hasen  16  Joseph  Trueax 

3  Robert  A.  Connelly  17  T.  B.  Elliot 

4  Caleb  May  18  Jesse  W.  Elliot 

5  JohnHelwig  19  Wm.  H.  Stewart 

6  Wm.  Crosby  20  Luther  Knox 

7  N.  Connelly  21  Daniel  Campbell 

8  S.  J.  H.  Snyder  22  D.  F.  Graham 

9  Arch.  Elliot  23  Wm.  Landrum 

10  Milo  Carlton  24  E.  Landrum 

11  Henry  W.  Campbell  25  Jos.  Dougherty 

12  Lewis  Minch  26  Thos.  C.  Duncan 

13  John  Graves  27  Edward  Wood 

14  Lack  Morris  28  G.  G.  Ash 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follow?] 

A.  ELLIOTT,  ) 

MILES  CARLTON,  V  Judges. 
S.  J.  H.  SNIDER,    ) 

Attest :    NEWMAN  CONNELLY, 
WM.  CROSBY, 


Tally-list. 


Constitution 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 
General  banking  law — No.. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  747 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 28 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows : 

A.  ELLIOTT,  ) 

MILES  CARLTON,    }  Judges. 
S.  J.  H.  SNYDER,      } 

Attest :    NEWMAN  CONNELLY, 
WM.  CROSBY, 


ELEVENTH  SENATORIAL  DISTRICT — Kickapoo  Precinct. 
Poll-look. 

\  James  L.  Sayle  11  Edward  Minetu 

2  Jackson  B.  Crane  12  Joshua  Morgan 

3  Wm.  H.  Nichols  13  D.  E.  Jones 

4  H.  B.  Crale  14  H.  C.  Jones 

5  Jonathan  Robinson  15  Jno.  Miller 

6  C.  R.  Zimmerman  16  Jno.  Strain 

7  Stanford  M.  Daniel  17  Philip  Baker 

8  Jno.  A.  Becker  18  J.  F.  Hathaway 

9  Henry  C.  Sutton  19  B.  F.  Edwards 
10  Martin  Kleim  20  Riston  Wiley. 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,    (see  form,)   and  signed  as 
follows : 

H.  B.  GALE,  ) 

JONATHAN  ROBINSON,  \  Judges. 
E.  R.  ZIMMERMANN,    .    ) 
Attest :    WM.  H.  NICHOLS,   > 
B.  F.  EDWARDS,      J 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 20 

No  constitution 

General  hanking  law — Yes 7 

General  hanking  law — No 13 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 16 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows: 

H.  B.  GALE,  } 

JONATHAN  ROBINSON,  }  Judges. 
E.  R.  ZIMMERMANN,        ) 

Attest:  B.  F.  EDWARDS,     )  ~7    , 
WM.  H.  NICHOLS,     Clerks' 


748 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT — Pleasant  Hill  Precinct. 


Poll-book. 


1  Andrew  K.  Branes 

2  Nathan  Adams 

3  Lewis  Hoover 

4  Fulfils  W.  Kin 

5  Solomon  Hicks 

6  G.  B.  Hall 

7  William  Hicks 

8  Kichard  S.  Banhum 

9  W.  C.  Quitt 

10  John  S.  &uitt 

1 1  Nathan  Griffith 

12  William  A.  Wade 

13  John  H.  Brown 

14  Aaron  Coock 

15  Lewis  Kennalte 

16  Bryan  Stewart 

17  Jacob  W.  Brown 

18  James  A.  Stevenson 

19  Jacob  Fisher 

20  William  Dactt 

21  Henry  Hoover 

22  William  C.  Walker 

23  Jesse  F.  Collins 


25  Francis  Claywell 

26  William  Nickles 

27  David  Ransier 

28  Henry  Eansier 

29  Joseph  Nichols 

30  J.  R.  Smith 

31  Stephen  Ogan 

32  John  Renoit 

33  Franklin  Etigah 

34  Thadeus  Owes 

35  B.  F.  Bernett 

36  T.  L.  Pooler 

37  Philip  Cessler 

38  Nathan  Cory 

39  Stephen  J.  Elliott 

40  Josep  Dunn 

41  Alexander  McDonald,,  jr 

42  Alexander  McDonald,  srr 

43  Jame  Dempsey 

44  Mathew  Robinson 

45  Ashbury  Bissler 

46  E.  Banter 

47  Leonard  Busbee. 


24  John  Hanny 

The  printed  forms   properly  filled,   (see  forms,)   and  signed  as  f<fc 
lows  : 

G.  B.  HALL,  ) 

LEWIS  HOOVER,    [judges. 
NATHAN  ADAMS, 
Attest :    ANDREW  J.  FRANCIS, 
RUFUS  W.  RIN, 


Clerks. 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 

No  constitution .. 

General  banking  law — Yes 

General  banking  law — No 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follow* 

G.  B.  HALL,  ) 

LEWIS  HOOVER,    V  Judges.' 

NATHAN  ADAMS,  ) 

Attest :    ANDREW  FRANCIS,  )  n7    *  0 
RUFUS  W.  RIN,      )  Ller/cs' 


i 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  749 

THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT — Whitfield  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  Hiram  House  5  William  Burr 

2  J.  F.  Turner  6  Kobert  McNawn 

3  J.  B.  Chapman  7  Frederick  Swige. 

4  Thomas  Turner 

The  printed  form  is  properly  filled,   (see  form,)  and  signed  as  fol- 
lows : 

THOMAS  JANNER,  ) 
HIRAM  HOUSE,        }  Judges. 
J.  F.  JANNER,         ) 
Attest :    J.  B.  CHAPMAN,     \  m    , 
ROBERT  McNowN,  J  Ll/er/cs' 


\ 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 7 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes ., 3 

General  banking  law — No 4 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattes — Yes 6 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follows  : 

THOMAS  JANNER,  ) 
HIRAM  HOUSE,         V  Judges. 
J.  F.  JANNER,          ) 

Attest :    ROBERT  McNowN,    )  m    7 
J.  B.  CHAPMAN,        Clerks- 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT — Indianola  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  S.  R.  Mossteller  11  Timothy  Dounie 

2  John  Damewood  12  A.  K.  Winegardner 

3  Samuel  Cummins  13  J.  H.  Damewood 

4  Joseph  Kapp  14  Thomas  Ferguson 
6  Joseph  M.  Cole  15  Daniel  Harlow 

6  David  Menley  16  Daniel  Downey 

7  Charles  Columbo  17  G.  D.  Fidling 

8  Richard  Murphy  18  Joshua  Murphy 

9  Thomas  Lamar  19  Jonathan  Nilchel, 
10  J.  M.  Fonts 


750 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


The  printed  "form  is  properly  filled,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  fo 
lows : 

A.  H.  WINEGARDNER,  ) 
JONATHAN  NILCHEL,  V  Judges. 
THOMAS  LAMAR,  ) 

Attest :    J.  H.  DAMEWOOD,  )  ni    , 
JOSEPH  M.  COLE,    \  LLer/cs' 


Tatty-list. 

Constitution 

No  constitution 

General  banking  law — Yes 

General  banking  law — No 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 

The  printed  certificate  is  correct,  (see  form,)  and  signed  as  follow,- 

A.  H.  WINEGARDNER,  ) 
JONATHAN  NILCHEL,  [  Judges. 
THOMAS  LAMAR,  ) 

Attest:    J.  H.  DAMEWOOD,  \  rj    -L 
JOSEPH  M.  COLE,    J  Lterfcs 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT — St.  Joseph's  Bottom. 


1  Benjamin  Harding 

2  Geo.  H.  Bryan 

3  A.  H.  Jamison 

4  James  Campbell 

5  C.  W.  Stewart 

6  Alfred  Langden 

7  Florian  Leber 

8  Ugene  Vogal 
Certificate  correctly  filled, 


Attest :   BENJ.  HARDING,  > 
A.  A.  JAMISON,  ) 


Poll-book. 

9  W.  C.  Graham 

10  Thos.  Stewart 

11  H.  Smallwood 

12  John  T.  Braidy 

13  Nelson  Abby 

14  Wm.  Newman 

15  W.  H.  Harrison. 

and  signed  as  follows  : 
BENJAMIN  HARDING,  ) 
A.  A.  JAMISON,  *>Judgest 

GEORGE  H.  BRYAN,     ) 


Constitution  .... 
No  constitution 


Tally-list. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  751 

General  banking  law — Yes 4 

General  banking  law — No 9 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes— Yes 14 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 1 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

BENJ.  HARDING,  ) 

A.  A.  JAMISON,      V  Judges. 

G.  H.  BRYAN,         ) 

Attest :  BENJ.  HARDING, 

A        A          T 
.  A.  JAMISON, 


FOURTEENTH  DISTRICT — Wolf  River. 

Tally-list. 

Constitution 24 

No  constitution 

General  bankia  g  law — Yes 11 

General  banking  law — No 12 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 18 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 6 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

E.  P.  RICHARDSON,  ) 

J.  M.  IRWIN,  }  Judges. 

P.  J.  JOHNSON,          ) 

Attest :  WM.  DOOLITTLE.  )  ni    -, 

A.  J.  MINER,      \  Clerks' 
No  poll-book. 


FIFTEENTH  DISTRICT — Mount  Pleasant. 

Poll-book. 

1  Tinlsly  Potter  18  Wm.  Martin 

2  Joseph  Potter  '  19  James  Martin 

3  John  C.  Ridgway  20  Moses  Greenough 

4  Charles  8.  Foster  21  Josiah  Martin 

5  George  Porter  22  Hiram  Quilt 

6  James  Foster  23  Hezekiah  Dehart 

7  C.  S.  Anderson  24  Wm.  J.  Mayfield 

8  George  Blodgett  25  John  H.  Blizzard 

9  George  W.  Harrison  26  James  McNema 

10  Andrew  W.  Peebles  27  John  Rutledge 

11  John  Harman  28  Levis  Cox 

12  Wm.  W.  Peebles  29  David  Bunle 

13  Thomas  S.  Hensley  30  C.  A.  Harleigh 

14  James  S.  Iddings  31  W.  J.  Oliphant 

15  H.  S.  Peck  32  Jacob  Eiler 

16  William  Martin  33  Joel  Martin. 

17  Alexander  Cox 


752  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JOSEPH   P0r 
JOHN  RIDGWAY 


Attest :  CHARLES  S.  FOSTER,  Clerk. 


R>  j  Judges. 


Tally-list. 

Constitution  ....................................................  .  .................  £ 

No  constitution  .................................................................. 

General  banking  law  —  Yes  ...................................................  £ 

General  banking  law  —  No  .  .  .................................................. 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  inulattoes  —  Yes.  ..............................  £ 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes  —  No  ................................. 

Certificate  correct,  except  that  32  are  set  down  as  voting  for  til 
exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes,  instead  of  30. 


Attest  :  CHARLES  S.  FOSTER,  Clerk. 


JOSEPH  POTTER,  \ 
JOHN  RIDGWAY,  \ 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT — Easton. 


Poll-look. 


1  F.  G.  Braiden 

2  C.  J.  Myers 

3  Wm.  J.  Pyle 

4  Josiah  Hix 

5  Josiah  Dark 

6  Levi  White 

7  S.  Hull 

8  R.  Bean  •"* 

9  S.  Dark 

10  D.  P.  Bethurim 

11  Isaac  Vancamp 

12  Jackson  Goble 

13  Wm.  Johnson 

14  W.  f.  Goble 

15  D.  D.  Baker 

16  D.  Swim 

17  A.  E.  Hendrieks 

18  B.  B.  Myers 

19  A.  Bower 

20  D.  Murphy 

21  George  Goble 

22  James  Benfrow 

23  A.  Sparks 

24  J.  M.  Parkman 


25  H.  Ovel 

26  Stephen  Sparks 

27  R.  E.  Courtney 

28  G.  P.  Minney 

29  Joseph  Elliot 

30  S.  A.  Dunn 

31  George  Swaim 

32  F.  Browning 

33  J.  W.  Hendricks 

34  D.  McMichael 

35  D.  Comstock 

36  James  Comstock 

37  B.  F.  Hix 

38  M.  A.  Tubbs 

39  Moses  Hix 

40  Euos  Numan 

41  T.  H.  Gabert 

42  William  Butt 

43  A.  Phillips 

44  B.  Sparks 

45  Caswell  Rose 

46  Thomas  Gwartney 

47  Jacob  Lockmiller. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  753 

48  N.  W.  Taylor  61  M.  H.  Langley 

49  J.  H.  Kincaid  26  F.  A.  Minard 

50  Wm.  Sparks  63  P.  R.  Orr 

51  M.  Sparks  64  Wm.  Renwick 

52  Daniel  Shipley  65  David  Rose 

53  Wm.  Rose  66  John  Wilfley 

54  Samuel  Horton  67  J.  J.  Crook 

55  Wm.  M.  Bathurst  68  William  Bubb 

56  D.  B.  Nixon  69  S.  S.  Hamlet 

57  Joshua  Hall  70  W.  R.  Tubbs 

58  John  Sparks  71  J.  W.  Hendricks 

59  D.  McNish  72  W.  B.  Pristow 

60  Jacob  Sarven  73  James  Hutchings 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

WM.  PENNOCK,  ) 
P.  R.   ORR,  [Judges. 

T.   A.  MINARD,) 

Attest :    WM.  PENNOCK, 
T.  A.  MINARD, 


Tally-list. 

Constitution 71 

No  constitution 2 

General  banking  law — Yes.. 53 

Greneral  banking  law — No 19 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 71 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 00 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

THOMAS  A.  MINARD,  ) 
WM.  PENNOCK,  [Judges. 

P.  R.  ORR,  ) 

Attest :    THOMAS  A.  MINARD, 
WILLIAM  PENNOCK, 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT — Mission  Precinct. 

Poll-list. 

1  Jeremiah  Hadley  5  John  Lockport 

2  Ira  Hadley  6  John  H.  Osborn 

3  Henry  Wilson  7  George  Osborn 

4  Charles  Johnson 

(This  is  wrongly   designated  the  4th  district.     The  following  in- 
formal certificate  embraces  the  poll  and  tally-list.) 
H.  Rep.  200 48* 


754 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


MISSION  PRECINCT,  December  15,  1855. 

We,  the  legally  qualified  judges  of  the  17th  representative  distn 
(should  be  senatorial)  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  do  certify,  that  t 
following  report  is  a  full  and  correct  return  of  the  election  held  I 
district  aforesaid,  on  the  above  date,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting' 
rejecting  a  "  constitution "  for  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  for  electi 
a  delegate  to  represent  the  district  aforesaid  in  the  free-State  conve 
tion  to  be  held  at  Lawrence,  on  Saturday,  December  22,  and  appr< 
ing  or  disapproving  "a  general  banking  law  system,"  and  approvii 
or  disapproving  of  the  exclusion  of  free  negroes  and  mulattoes.  Tha 
were  cast — 

For  constitution 

For  general  banking  law 

For  exclusion  of  free  negroes  and  mulattoes 

Delegate  to  state  convention 

For  exclusion  of  free  negroes  and  mulattoes 

Against  exclusion  of  free  negroes  and  mulattoes 

Majority  against  exclusion  of  free  negroes  and  mulattoes 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast 

JEREMIAH  A.  HADLEY,  ) 
HENRY  WILSON, 
JOHN  LOCKHART, 
Attest :  JOHN  LOCKHART,  Clerk. 


Poll-book  of  voters  who  have  cast  their  ballots  at  an  election  held  on< 

15th  day  of  December ,  A.  D.  1855,  at precinct,  in  disti' 

No.  — ,  in  Kansas  Territory,  on  the  adoption  or  rejection  of  a  com 
tution  for  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  upon  the  general  banking  1 1 
clause  and  black-laiv  proposition. 


No. 

Names  of  voters. 

No. 

Names  of  voters. 

- 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certt 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  an  elect!) 


held  at  — 


precinct,  in 


district  of  Kansas  Territory, 


the  15th  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1855,  for  the  adoption  or  reject!] 
of  a  constitution  ;  the  separate  article  in  relation  to  a  general  bankxi 
law,  framed  by  the  constitutional  convention  which  assembled  at '  I 
peka  on  the  23d  day  of  October,  1855,  for  the  State  of  Kansas  ;  a 
the  independent  proposition  in  relation  to  instructing  the  first  gen6<| 
assembly  on  the  subject  of  negroes  and  mulattoes,  to  be  in  number-] 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


755 


And  we  further  certify,  that  the  said  voters  were  bona  fide  citizens  of 
the  United  States,  ahove  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  actual  resi- 
dents of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  for  thirty  days  immediately  preceding 
this  election,  and  still  continue  the  same  as  their  home  and  residence. 

) 

>  Judges. 


Attest : 


Clerks. 


Tally-list  of  votes  cast  at  an  election  held  on  the  15th  day  of  December., 
A.  D.  1855, precinct,  in  district  No.  — ,  in  Kansas  Terri- 
tory, on  the  adoption  or  rejection  of  a  constitution  for  the  State  of 
Kansas,  and  upon  the  general  banking  clause  and  black  law-propo- 
sition. 


Constitution. 

No  constitu- 
tion. 

Gcn'l  hanking 
law  —  Yes. 

Gen'  1  banking 
law  —  No. 

Exclusion  of  ne- 
groes and  mu- 
lattoes—  Yes. 

Exclusion  of  ne- 
groes and  mu- 
lattoes  —  No. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify, 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  an  election  held 

at precinct,  in district,  in  Kansas  Territory,   on 

the  15th  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1855,  for  the  adoption  or  rejection 
of  a  constitution  framed  by  the  constitutional  convention  which  as- 
sembled at  Topeka  on  the  23d  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1855,  for  the 
State  of  Kansas,  to  be  in  number  as  follows  : 


Constitution...., 
No  constitution 


We  further  certify,  that  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  elec- 
tion, approving  or  disapproving  an  article  in  relation  to  a  general 
banking  law_,  submitted  as  a  distinct  proposition,  to  become  a  part  of 
said  constitution,  if  adopted  by  a  majority  of  the  people,  to  be  in 
number  as  follows : 

General  banking  law — Yes 

General  banking  law — No .... 


We  further  certify,  that  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  said  elec- 
tion, approving  or  disapproving  the  passage  of  stringent  laws  by  the 
general  assembly  for  the  exclusion  of  free  negroes  and  mulattoes  from 


756 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


the  State  of  Kansas,  the  result  of  said  vote  to  operate  as  instruction 
to  the  first  general  assembly,  to  be  in  number  as  follows  : 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — Yes 

Exclusion  of  negroes  and  mulattoes — No 


And  we  further  certify,  that  the  said  voters  were  bona  fide  citizens 
the  United  States,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  actual  rer 
dents  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  for  thirty  days  immediately  precedin 
this  election,  and  still  continuing  the  same  as  their  home  and  resident 


Judges. 


Attest : 


Clerics. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


757 


ELECTION  OF  JANUAKY  15,  1856. 

FIRST  DISTRICT — Blanton. 

Poll-look. 


ISC  Smith 

2  John  E  Stewart 

3  Samuel  Merrill 

4  J  Elliott 

5  Ira  Brown 

6  H  E  Bahcock 

7  Joshua  Hughes 

8  Charles  Dickson 

9  Elisha  F,  Mayo 

10  L  J  Eherhard 

11  W  S  Bishop 

12  Collins  Holliway 

13  J  Salathiel 

14  Joseph  Everhard 

15  James  G  Saffer 

16  J  A  Coffey 

17  W  D  Jennerson 

18  Daniel  F  Merris 

19  JohnMorehead 

20  Setli  Kodihaugh 

21  L  H  Kowley 

22  Harrison  Nichols 

23  William  Carles 

24  Josiah  Hutcheson 

25  B  P  Moore 

26  0  P  Kennedy 

27  E  W  Bennett 

28  T  H  Kennedy 

29  J  K  Goodin 

30  William  Whitlock 

31  Ezekiel  Duzar 

32  Lewis  Staggers 

33  G  W  Berry 

34  L  M  Huddleston 

35  J  M  Jones 

36  Clark  Teft 

37  Abram  Still 

38  J  H  Gleason 

39  J  W  Jones 


40  B  Hitchcock 

41  L  A  Hammond 

42  Edmund  Carles 

43  Levi  W  Plumb 

44  Jonathan  Kenedy 

45  Hiram  Dunbar 

46  W  V  Kennedy 

47  William  Nettleton 

48  William  Blegman 

49  P  S  Hutcherson 

50  T  B  Smith 

51  P  T  Hupp 

52  James  Lane 

53  Paul  Jones 

54  James  Waley 

55  A  W  Maberly 

56  A  W  Maberly 

57  H  F  Saunders 

58  Jonathan  Ogden 

59  F  P  Vaughn 

60  Thomas  Hopkins 

61  Joseph  Curies 

62  Thomas  Breeze 

63  E  Smith 

64  W  Atwater 

65  L  A  Prather 

66  John  G  Smith 

67  Isaac  Shaper 

68  John  K  Griffith 

69  James  B  Abbott 

70  Simon  Gibson 

71  E  D  Horton 

72  William  Liver  more 

73  Josiah  Houghton 

74  Alex  Mears 

75  William  Mears 

76  John  Carter 

77  N  B  Blanton 

78  Peter  Pridy 


Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JOHN  E.  STEWAET, 
PHILIP  T.  HUPP, 
P.  S.  HUTCHESON, 

WILLIAM  S.  BISHOP, 
WILLIAM  LIVERMORE, 


Judges. 


Clerks. 


758  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Tally-list. 

Governor — Charles  Robinson  -  -  m 

"          William  Y  Roberts     - 
Lieutenant  Governor —William  Y  Roberts 

"  M  J  Parrott 

Secretary  of  State— P  C  Schuyler  -  -  -  -  -   1 

CKHolliday 
Auditor— G  A  Cutler  -  - 

f(       WR  Griffith     -  •.  ^         . 

Treasurer— J  H  Wakefield  -  -  -         "  -  ' 

E  C  K  Garvey 

Attorney  General — H  Miles  Moore 
Supreme  Judge — S  N  Latta 

"  M  F  Conway      -  .         -          ;- '        £,-£ 

MHunt  ..... 

"  GW  Smith 

"  SW  Johnston  --.-.- 

J  A  Wakefield  - 
Reporter  Supreme  Court — E  M  Thurston  •'--" 

SBMcKensie- 

Clerk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd 
Public  Printer — John  Speer          -  -  -          '  •  1 

R  G  Elliott 

Representative  to  Congress — M  W  Delehay 

State  Senator— L  Allen     -  -         -'^:         -  -    ' 

GPLowry  -         *V'        ^  1 

"  J  Curtis     -  -.-''<      M'-^         -     i, 

B  W  Miller  -  -         '^         !-'  -  1 

S  N  Wood  '^         -  -    ! 

W  Hutcheson 

State  Representative — Mr  Leggett  - 

L  A  Prather 
John  Hutcheson     - 
"  James  Blood  -  -    IJ 

Erastus  D  Ladd     - 
"  Joel  Grover 

"  WJRBlackman  -  -  f>"          -j 

"  JB  Abbott  -;;:  ---   I 

HF  Sanders  -     Ji 

R  S  Bassett 

"'  Robert  McFarland  -  ••-**         -    Jj 

"  SNHartwell         -  A 

A  H  Mallory 
G  Jenkins 

"  Columbus  Hornsby  ^  >-         -  -    | 

EBPurdham  -     t 

u  James  McGhee       -  ^-          -  -    | 

"  NB  Blanten  -  -•  -  -     4\ 

"  J  R  Kennedy 

"  Josiah  Miller       .  -  •*         -  -  -    fl 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  759 

Certificate  correct,  except  that  W.  R.  Griffith  is  stated  to  be  24 

JOHN  E.  STEWART,  ) 
PHILIP  T.  HUPP,       V  Judges. 
P.  S.  HUTCHESON,     ) 


instead  of  23  votes  for  auditor. 


WILLIAM  LIVERMORE, 
WILLIAM  S.  BISHOP, 


FIRST  DISTRICT — FranJdin  precinct. 
Poll-look. 


1  T  a  Murray 

2  W  Bridges 

3  J  McFarlane 

4  T  McFarlan 

5  B  H  Nelson 

6  Moses  Flora 

7  J  L  Smith 

8  D  Scannell 

9  James  McGhee 

10  D  Burton 

11  John  Lawhead 

12  H  L  Enos 

13  Jos.  Shuler 

14  J  D  Harrington 

15  T  W  Waller 

16  Homer  Hays 
IT  JolmPiatt 

18  T  Anderson 

19  E  B  Purdam 

20  Hiram  Crane 

21  Thomas  Seaton 

22  R  H  Pierce 

23  S  T  Harmon 

24  C  N  Day 

25  Thomas  Still 

26  Lucas  Fish 

27  Green  Phillis 

28  A  C  Smith 

29  E  Wallace 

30  B  R  Whitlowe 

31  Lucas  Carlen 

32  David  Wallace 

33  J  Wolf 

34  S  M  Salters 

35  C  M  Wallace 

36  Robert  McFarland 


37"  Norman  Chambers 

38  Fleming  Bridges 

39  A  M  Whedon 

40  W  J  Kennedy 

41  John  Stroup 

42  William  Stroup 

43  E  A  Landon 

44  James  Anderson 

45  T  M  Arterbery 

46  J  W  Hague 

47  Samuel  Crane 

48  Lewis  Anderson 

49  William  S  Hull 

50  Edward  T  Webb 

51  John  Van  winkle 

52  W  G  Piper 

53  Robert  Shields 

54  Isam  C  Taylor 

55  Herbert  Sterling 

56  Armstrong  Lawhead 

57  E  B  Johnston 

58  J  H  Crocket 

59  John  Anderson 

60  V  F  White 

61  Thomas  Brindly 

62  Joseph  Young 

63  J  W  Hoping 

64  J  Sellers 

65  D  Meacham 

66  H  C  Bigbee 

67  J  J  McGhee 

68  T  S  McGee 

69  Adam  McGhee 

70  Michael  Glenn 

71  Milligan  Wallace 

72  James  Covel 


760  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

73  K  J  Crane  77  Samuel  Sutherland 

74  William  Kobins  78  Simon  Ritter 

75  T  W  Painter  79  William  Wallace 

76  William  Bridges 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

H.  L.  ENOS,  ) 

DAVID  BURTON,  [  Judges. 
T.  W.  WILBER,    ) 

DANIEL  SCANNELL,    )  ni    -, 
J.  D.  HARRINGTON,  \  Uer/cs' 


Tally-list. 

Governor — W  Y  Roberts  - 

"          Charles  Robinson 
Lieutenant  Governor — M  J  Parrott 
"  "  WY  Roberts 

Secretary  of  State— C  K  Holliday 
"  "       PC  Schuyler 

Auditor— T  R  Griffith       - 

"        DA  Cutler 
Treasurer — E  C  K  Garvey 
"          J  A  Wakefield 
Attorney  General — H  Miles  Moore 
Supreme  Judge — G  W  Smith 
"  S  N  Latta 

"  SW^  Johnston   - 

"  M  F  Conway     - 

J  A  Wakefield  - 
M  Hunt 

Reporter  Supreme  Court — S  B  McKenzie 
"  "  EM  Thurston 

Clerk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd 
Public  Printer— R  G  Elliott 
"  John  Spear 

Representative  to  Congress — M  W  Delehay 
State  Senator— B  W  Miller 
G  P  Lowry 
Lyman  Allen 
William  Hutchinson 
"  John  Curtis  -   . 

"  SNWood 

State  Representative — E  B  Purdam 
"  James  Blood 

"  James  McGhee 

"  S  A  Prather 

<£  N  B  Blanton 

"  James  Legate 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  761 

State  Representative — J  H  Kennedy  -     58 

«                    Robert  McFarland  -       6 

"                     Josiah  Miller'  -     61 

"                     Joel  Grover  -     "5 

"                     John  Hutchinson   -  -     56 

"                    WEE  Blackman  -       5 

"                     Columbus  Hornsby  -     61 

"                     J  B  Abbott  -       T 

"                     SNHartwell  -    4T 

11                    William  Yates       -  7 

HF  Sanders  -       7 

ED  Ladd  -  -       6 

RS  Basset  -      5 

"                     Job  Vanwinkle     ''-^  1 

"                     S  J  Livingston    ,<-a>i'  "^'-\ 1- 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

H.  L.  ENOS,            ) 
DAVID  BURTON,  [  Judges. 
T.  W.  WALLER,    ) 

DANIEL  SCANNELL, 
J.  D.  HERRINGTON, 


FIRST  DISTRICT — Palmyra  precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  A  F  Still  14  Jacob  Canliill 

2  Thomas  Chapman  15  Wilson  Lyons 

3  William  Barricklow  16  John  Brown 

4  Daniel  Barricklow  17  Silas  Dexter 

5  John  Roe  18  R  H  Pearson 

6  William  Roe  19  Leonard  Crean 

T  William  Wistfall  20  Hugh  Pettingall 

8  Joseph  Barricklow  21  Charles  Jordan 

9  Samuel  Gill  22  Solomon  Tappan 

10  William  Griffin  23  Enoch  Rowland 

11  David  Eldridge  24  G  W  Fitz 

12  Samuel  Irvin  25  Wm  L  G  Soule 

13  Jacob  Bronston 

Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

WM.  BARRICKLOW,        ) 
WILLIAM  WESTFALL,  [Judges. 
SILAS  DEXTER,  ) 

JOHN  ROE,        )  ni    , 

WILLIAM  ROE,  \  Clerks' 


762 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tolly-list. 

Governor — Charles  Kobinson 

Lieutenant  Governor — W  Y  Roberts 

Secretary  of  State — P  C  Schuyler 

Auditor — G  A  Cutler 

Treasurer — J  A  Wakefield  •   - 

Attorney  General — H  Miles  Moore 

Supreme  Judge — S  N  Latta 

"  M  F  Con  way     - 

"  M  Hunt 

Reporter  Supreme  Court — E  M  Thurston 
Clerk  of  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd 
Public  Printer — John  Spear 
Representative  to  Congress — Mark  M  Delehay 
State  Senator — Lyman  Allen 

"  W  M  Hutchinson 

"  Samuel  N  Wood 

State  Representative — James  Blood 

"  Erastus  D  Ladd      - 

"  Joel  Grover 

W  J  R  Blackman 
"  Z  B  Abbott 

"  R  S  Basset 

"  Robert  McFarlane  - 

«  H  F  Saunders 

"  G  W  Fitzs 

Columbus  Thornsby 
C  Jordan    - 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows 

WM.  BARRICKLOW, 
WILLIAM  WESTFALL, 
SILAS  DEXTER, 

WM.  ROE, 

JOHN  ROE, 


Judges. 


FIRST  DISTRICT — Laivrence. 
Poll-book. 


Lyman  Allen 
A  D  Searl 
L  P  Coleman 
W  L  Bridges 
Geo  F  Earl 
L  K  Dennis 
N  Garwood 


8  M  Hunt 

9  J  Cracklin 

10  H  Kurd 

11  J  W  Ackley 

12  G  WHunt 

13  J  P  Filer 
H  A  Cutler 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


763 


15  A  H  Yince 

16  J  H  Firman 

17  C  W  Harley 

18  J  E  Rice 

19  H  N  Bent 

20  Geo  H  Crocker 

21  Frank  Hunt 

22  J  S  Emery 

23  N  D  Harland 

24  G  W  Feitzler 

25  Daniel  Carey 

26  Edward  Clark 

27  Edward  Jones 

28  James  Frazer 

29  Albert  Brown 

30  J  H  Johnson 

31  A  H  Mallory 

32  E  Bond 

33  T  L  Whitney 

34  C  F  Day 

35  Howard  York 

36  J  Boyer 

37  N  Snyder 

38  H  S  McClelland 

39  A  K  Burditt 

40  P  J  Warden 

41  John  Crocker 

42  M  F  Conway 

43  E  H  Kimball 

44  W  S  R  Blackman 

45  E  A  Deland 

46  Milan  Grant 

47  J  Bigelow 

48  E  D  Ladd 

49  G  W  Smith 

50  T  Sumner 

51  Charles  Sanford 

52  L  S  Bacon 

53  E  Chapman 

54  James  Blood 

55  W  N  Baldwin 

56  Leverett  Haskill 

57  J  A  Dull 

58  A  Bonam 

59  P  Carter 

60  H  A  Campbell 

61  J  W  Woodard 

62  J  Wheeler 

63  R  M  Wilkinson 

64  David  Brown 

65  B  C  Livingston 


66  Wm  Parks 

67  Alex  Moore 

68  Daniel  Lowe 

69  John  G  Ricker 

70  Philo  Harper 

71  J  W  Cochran 

72  Allen  Haus 

73  E  D  Whipple 

74  N  P  Noles 

75  R  H  Waterman 

76  Daniel  McDaniel 

77  Martin  Young 

78  Alfred  Justice 

79  G  B  Prentiss 

80  W  L  Anderson 

81  E  S  Leonard 

82  J  F  Tabor 

83  F  C  Stephens 

84  T  Stevens 

85  Francis  Killman 

86  H  Y  Jamison 

87  W  B  Hackett 

88  G  W  Hutchison 

89  James  Jamison 

90  J  B  Conway 

91  S  F  Tappan 

92  H  C  Niel 

93  John  T  Harding 

94  G  Anderson 

95  N  L  Bryant 

96  Wm  Wahicle    . 

97  J  J  Alverson 

98  W  S  Taylor 

99  E  Nute 

100  E  B  Whitman 

101  Baker  Morrow 

102  Wm  Hawks 

103  0  A  Hanscomb 

104  Fred  Kimball 

105  B  F  Stone 

106  Joseph  Shields 

107  John  Pike 

108  Abner  Eldred 

109  A  W  Bevel 

110  P  B  Hanson 

111  James  Smith 

112  Stephen  Ogden 

113  R  G  Elliott 

114  L  Osborn 

115  AH  Lattram 

116  F  Freeman 


764 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


E  A  Pierce 

118  J  W  Junkins 

119  H  J  Delany 

120  G  W  Jarvis 

121  Homer  Moore 

122  R  Wiles 

123  0  Wilmarth 

124  J  V  Neal 

125  Jonas  Colburn 

126  Jacob  Miller 

127  Wm  Keinback 

128  J  W  Morey 

129  Allan  son  Harvey 

130  Geo  Kurd 

131  John  Bradbury 

132  Geo  Warren 

133  Reuben  Craig 

134  Richard  Gray 

135  H  J  Howard 

136  C  M  Adams 

137  Charles  Longfellow 

138  James  France 

139  C  W  Babcock 

140  E  P  Fitch 

141  C  A  Wright 

142  William  Hutchinson 

143  Samuel  Kimball 

144  William  Hare 

145  Charles  Garrett 

146  James  M  Fuller 

147  William  A  Gentry 

148  George  Harris 

149  M  Bloucert 

150  William  Tackett 

151  Andrew  Neal 

152  R  Neal 

153  Moses  Neal 

154  Joseph  Clem 

155  Benjamin  Whitloe 

156  J  W  Stephens 

157  Moses  Taylor 

158  Charles  Robinson 

159  Jos  H  Lane 

160  H  M  Camfield 

161  J  G  Fuller 

162  Caleb  S  Pratt 

163  B  W  Woodard 

164  John  Smith 

165  John  F  Wilson 

166  Lewis  Howell 

167  Turner  Sampson 


168  J  A  Pike 

169  C  H  Thrower 

170  B  L  Richardson 

171  L  G  White 

172  J  Hamer 

173  H  P  Lee 

174  Z  Hooncough 

175  Wm  Mathews 

176  Henry  Atherton 

177  Isley 

178  David  Evans 

179  R  T  Hooten 

180  G  P  Venalt 

181  D  B  Allen 

182  Robert  Allen 

183  L  M  Cox 

184  J  Dennis 

185  Joshua  Smith 

186  L  T  Colwell 

187  J  B  Smith 

188  Wm  Henson 

189  A  Baker 

190  J  A  Gutzgon 

191  John  Mack 

192  P  Zimmerman 

193  C  Hall 

194  S  J  Pratt 

195  J  French 

196  C  Clear 

197  T  Clemmons 

198  J  H  Green 

199  Benj  Savage 

200  G  W  Brown 

201  C  E  Lenharf 

202  A  Whitcomh 

203  B  C  Golliday 

204  T  Jones 

205  Alonzo  Piat 

206  James  Knowl 

207  Henry  Stevens 

208  J  C  Henmon 

209  David,  Purington 

210  J  H  Harrison 

211  Geo  Mathews 

212  Levi  Gates 

213  John  Baldwin 

214  Henry  Smith 

215  R  Banks 

216  W  T  Ayers 

217  J  Stiller 

218  C  Schoolcraft 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


765 


219  L  Miller 

220  Cornelius  Pitover 

221  Robert  Irvin 

222  K  C  Dicks 

223  Otis  Potter 

224  S  S  Snyder 

225  John  Gingery 

226  J  P  Davidson 

227  Jas  S  Cowan 

228  Wm  Kitcheman 

229  Clarke  Stearnes 

230  Adam  Johns 

231  Henry  Green 

232  Thomas  Brook 

233  E  L  Bassett 

234  Thos  Wells 

235  J  E  Strout 

236  E  W  Cambell 

237  James  M  Still 

238  J  Strout 

239  J  D  Barns 

240  Win  Hughes 

241  W  D  Atwood 

242  J  D  Sands 

243  Thos  Garvey 

244  C  B  Elkridge 

245  Jas  Redpath 

246  E  F  Warren 

247  F  A  Alluzzez 

248  Josh  Thaxter 

249  Franklin  Haskill 

250  Morris  Hartland 

251  Wm  Yates 

252  Thomas  Barton 

253  S  W  Pardy 

254  Stilman  Andrews 

255  J  B  Purdy 

256  C  M  Williams 

257  Stephen  Logue 

258  T  Skinner 

259  T  H  While 

260  H  S  Blair 

261  E  W  Gillis 

262  J  C  Bevel 

263  Frank  Murdock 

264  H  B  Sissons 

265  Wm  Randolph 

266  John  Armstrong 

267  R  Patton 

268  Anson  Davison 

269  John  Wise 


270  J  J  Keeny 

271  F  0  Towles 

272  T  J  Hacker 

273  T  J  Ferrill       . 

274  J  E  Van  Allen 

275  William  Jourdan 

276  J  Davison 

277  Thomas  Eldridge 

278  P  Lancaster 

279  E  P  Sparks 

280  J  D  Heald 

281  Adolph  Row 

282  George  Churchill 

283  John  L  Crane 

284  Lewis  Stearnes 

285  C  C  Heycl 

286  H  P  Simpson 

287  G  N  Simpson 

288  A  Davidson 

289  CHLovejoy 

290  C  W  Pearsell 

291  S  Marshall 

292  John  Ross 

293  S  C  Harrington 

294  S  S  Willis 

295  James  Smith 

296  R  Miller 

297  James  Lovejoy 

298  Marcus  Gwin 

299  Q  J  Pettibone 

300  L  J  Pickett 

301  Ransom  Crocket 

302  L  C  Folles 

303  Elmore  Allen 

304  James  Watson 

305  H  G  Holbrook 

306  C  H  Ides 

307  T  A  Finley 

308  Jack  Crockett 

309  J  B  Scott 

310  Jesse  Whitson 

311  Philip  Cook 

312  G  S  Scader 

313  Edward  Winslow 

314  L  Michell 

315  J  Rowly 

316  Moses  Scott 

317  F  D  Dragg 

318  Josiah  Miller 

319  E  D  Wright 

320  Enos  Macelroy 


766 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


321  Levi  Ford 

322  John  Day 

323  Edward  Emerson 

324  Charles  Jenkins 

325  T  B  Ackley 

326  D  E  Maxson 

327  L  P  Kennedy 

328  E  P  Stiles 

329  William  B  Hornsby 

330  James  Clarke 

331  F  A.  Bayly 

332  Geius  Coleman 

333  Peter  Butler 

334  C  P  Newcomb 

335  M  H  Spittle 

336  S  Wiley 

337  A  D  Tood 

338  Charles  Foy 

339  Eichard  Knight 

340  A  Vanhorn 

341  S  Tinneys 

342  C  Woodward 

343  F  Fuller 

344  Benjamin  Lawing 

345  B  W  Miller 

346  H  P  Catline 

347  J  J  Hussey 

348  C  P  Gordon 

349  K  0  Osborn 

350  E  A  Coleman 

351  F  Savage 

352  S  N  Hartwell 

353  John  Speer 

354  P  G  Mansfield 

355  F  B  Beaver 

356  E  L  Long 

357  E  D  Lyman 

358  John  Clary 

359  K  J  Marcayson 

360  W  Deerfield 

361  H  Benjamin 

362  James  Thomas 

363  J  C  Barber 

364  E  Bell 

365  William  Cleland 

366  Noah  Cameron 

367  LFurguson 

368  Charles  Campbell 

369  J  M  Gillis 

370  J  E  Cooley 

371  Joseph  Savage 


372  E  K  Wright 

373  William  Evans 

374  Samuel  Everett 

375  C  A  Adams 

376  John  Sanders 

377  Leroy  Swift 

378  James  Broadfoot 

379  T  B  Brown 

380  David  Black 

381  Joseph  Merchant 

382  E  C  Lewis 

383  Thomas  Leverett 

384  H  A  Hancock 

385  Samuel  Hood 

386  Benjamin  Twigget 

387  G  P  Lowrey 

388  J  H  Wilder 

389  C  A  Pease 

390  H  Ward 

391  R  Flanders 

392  B  N  Conger 

393  CLMandel 

394  M  R  Clough 

395  James  Locke 

396  Newman  Allen 

397  Oscar  Burroughs 

398  T  J  Cosselein 

399  P  L  Tetter 

400  SFry 

401  Joel  Graver 

402  A  Berry 

403  J  L  Speer 

404  N  S  Stones 

405  Samuel  Bryson 

406  B  F  Read 

407  John  Sandy 

408  M  L  Gaylord 

409  S  Green 

410  J  M  Langdon 

411  William  Ricken 

412  G  W  Goss 

413  J  F  Morgan 

414  Columbus  Hornsby 

415  A  0  Carpenter 

416  P  W  Lawthney 

417  Calvin  G  Hoit " 

418  John  M  Graham 

419  S  J  Conditt 

420  A  Gunther 

421  William  Orr 

422  T  Wells 


I 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  767 

423  J  W  Mathews  434  William  Wilder 

424  John  McClelland  435  Daniel  Walley 

425  L  Merchant  436  A  M  Weatherbee 

426  H  Wilber  437  J  W  Pennoyer 

427  N  R  White  438  A  A  Faxon 

428  W  H  Bush  439  S  Y  Lum 

429  James  F  Legate  440  W  S  Kimball 

430  A  F  Hopper  441  Alfred  Paine 

431  J  Carter  442  George  Gilbert 

432  Henry  Bronson  443  Robert  Gilbert 

433  J  Y  Wood 


Certificate  properly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

A.  D.  SEARL, 


Judges. 


L.  D.  COLEMAN, 

W.  L.  BRIDGES.  >  ni    1 
GEO.  F.  EARL,     \  Glerks~ 

No  tally  list.     The  certificate  is  as  follows  : 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths  that  for  governor,  Charles  Robinson  had  365  votes, 
and  W.  Y.  Roberts  41  ;  that  for  lieutenant  governor,  W.  Y.  Roberts 
1*76  votes,  M.  J.  Parrott  had  245  votes,  and  J.  G.  Crocker  2  votes  ; 
that  for  secretary  of  State,  P.  C.  Schuyler  had  383  votes,  and  C.  F. 
Holliday  43  ;  that  for  auditor,  G.  A.  Cutler  had  380  votes  ;  that  for 
treasurer,  J.  A.  Wakefield  had  385  votes,  E.  C.  K.  Garvey  36  ;  that 
for  attorney  general,  H.  Miles  Moore  had  426  votes  ;  that  for  judge  of 
the  supreme  court,  S.  N.  Latta  had  379  votes,  M.  F.  Conway  371, 
Morris  Hunt  383,  G.  W.  Smith  62,  J.  A.  Wakefield  had  33,  *S.  W. 
Johnson  had  48  ;  that  for  reporter  of  the  supreme  court,  E.  M* 
Thurston  had  380  votes,  and  S.  B.  Mackenzie  46  ;  that  for  clerk  of 
the  supreme  court,  J.  B.  Floyd  had  427  votes  ;  that  for  public  printer, 
John  Speer  had  374  votes  and  R.  G.  Elliot  53  ;  that  for  representa- 
ttve  in  Congress,  M.  W.  Delehay  had  395  votes  ;  that  for  State  sen-' 
ator,  Lyman  Allen  had  378  votes,  B.  W.  Miller  had  160,  John  Car- 
liss  168,  S.  N.  Wood  210,  William  Hutchinson  213,  G.  P.  Lowry 
148,  J.  B.  Abbott  7  ;  J.  E.  Stewart  15,  John  Hutchinson  2,  McFar- 
lan  1,  Dr.  Prentice  1,  Knight  1  ;  that  for  the  house  of  representa- 
tives, John  Hutchinson  had  314  votes,  S.  K  Hartwell  322,  J.  B. 
Abbott  337,  H.  F.  Saunders  132,  James  Blood  370,  A.  H.  Mallory 
182,  G.  Jenkins  185,  C.  Hornsby  380,  E.  D.  Ladd  51,  Joel  Grover 
77,  Dr.  Prentice  1,  E.  B.  Purdom  160,  W.  J.  R.  Blackrnan  66,  R. 
S.  Bassett  48,  J.  B.  Blanton  75,  J.  R.  Kennedy  106,  Josiah  Miller 
88,  James  Legate,  71,  James  McGee  148,  Robert  McFarlan  54,  J.  E. 
Stewart  9,  S.  J.  Livingston  44,  scattering  44. 


768  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

And  we  do  further  certify,  that  the  said  electors  were  bonafide  citize 
of  the  United  States,  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  upwards,  a 
actual  residents  of  Kansas  for  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  t 
election. 

A.  D.  SEAKL,         ) 

,  >  Judges. 

L.  D.  COLEMAN,  ) 
W.  L.  BRIDGES,  )-ril    7 
GEO.  F.  EARL,     \  Clerks- 


SECOND  DISTRICT — East  Douglas  precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  G  H  Snyder  17  John  Spaulding 

2  P  B  Harris  18  Levi  Jenks 

3  Edward  Jones  19  George  S  Laplaw 

4  H  C  Muzzy  20  C  C  Emery 

5  Henry  Learned  21  J  F  Jackson 

6  Alfred  Pluke  22  E  B  Knight 

7  J  N  Moore  23  Francis  Barker 

8  William  Lyons  24  William  Hall 

9  Owen  T  Bassett  25  A  J  Smith 

10  Owen  Taylor  26  Samuel  Smith 

11  Alphonso  Jones  27  Joseph  Oakly,  jr. 

12  E  W  Smith  28  Robert  Hughes 

13  Nathan  Hacket  29  Joseph  Oakly,  sen. 

14  J  H  Shimons  30  Edward  Oakley 

15  Harris  Hobb  31  John  Kidwell 

16  J  H  Lyons 

The  printed  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

P.  B.  HARRIS,        I  T   , 
J.  H.  SHERMONS,  \  Jucig€t 

P.  B.  HARRIS,       )  r?    , 

J.  H.  SHERMONS,  \  Lierks' 


SECOND  DISTRICT — East  Douglas  precinct. 
Tally-list. 

Governor — Charles  Robinson 

Lieutenant  Governor — William  Y  Roberts 

Secretary  of  State— P  C  Schuyler 

Auditor — G  A  Cutler 

Treasurer — J  A  Wakefield 

Attorney  General — H  Miles  Moore          •** -••*' 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  769 

Supreme  Judge— S  T  Latta  -  27 

M  F  Conway     -  -  28 

"                M  Hunt              -  -  29 

Keporter  Supreme  Court — E  M  Thurston  -  -  28 

Clerk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd  -  31 

Public  Printer — John  Spear  -  28 

Representative  to  Congress — M  W  Delahay  -  31 

State  Senator— P  B  Harris  -  28 

William  Phillips  -  -  1 

State  Representative — A  Curtis    -  -  28 

"                      J  M  Triton  -  17 

S  Walker  -  -  6 

"                      GH  Snyder  -  7 

"                     William  Lyons      -  8 

"                      William  Phillips  -  -  16 

"                     J  H  Shimmons      -  -  1 

John  Kidwell  -  3 

"                      John  Lyons  -  1 

WY  Roberts  -            -  3 

"                     MJ  Parrot                           ...  3 

CKHolliday         -  -            -  3 

WR  Griffith                       ...  3 

E  C  K  Garvey  -  3 

"                     S  William  Johnson  -  4 

"                     GW  Smith  -  4 

"                    SB  McKenzie        -  -  3 

RG  Elliott  -  3 

The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows : 

P.  B.  HARRIS,        )  T  j 
J.  H.  SHIMMONS,  J  Uua9es' 

P.  B.  HARRIS,      )  Cl    , 

J.  H.  SHIMMONS,  \  Ller/cs' 


THIRD  DISTRICT — Brownsville  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  Daniel  Turner  14  T  J  "Anderson 

2  Jno  Baxter  15  Samuel  Hill 

3  David   PHamniond  1 6  Wm  H  Simerville 

4  James  M  Hammond  1.7  Wm  F  Johnson 

5  Marshal  Burch  18  Lindsey  T  Cook 

6  Wm  Armstrong  19  F  E  Hoad 

7  J  D  Wood  20  James  Turner 

8  Wm  H  Turner  21  Samuel  Cavander 

9  Wm  Dailey  22  Robert  P  Turner 

10  John  W  Brown  23  James  Gilpatrick 

11  C  H  Drinkwater  24  G  S  Holt 

12  S  C  Hariott  25  John  Kinney 

13  Jas  Moran  26  Wm  Piggot 

H.  Rep.  200 49* 


770 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows: 

DANIEL  TURNER,  ) 

W.  F.  JOHNSON,    V  Judo 

J.  W.  BROWN,        ) 

W.  F.  JOHNSON, 

T.  E.  HOAD, 


Tally-list. 

Governor — W  Y  Roberts  - 
"  Charles  Robison 

Lieutenant  Governor — H  J  Parrott 

"  W  Y  Roberts 

Secretary  of  State— C  K  Holliday 
"       P  C  Schuyler 
Auditor— Willfam  R  Griffith 

G  A  Cutler 

Treasurer — J  A  Wakefield 
Attorney  General — H  Miles  Moore    , 
Supreme  Judge — George  W  Smith 
"  S  W  Johnson    - 

S  N  Latta 
"  M  F  Conway 

M  Hunt 

Reporter  Supreme  Court — S  P  McKenzie 
"  "  EM  Thurston 

Clerk  Supreme  Court— S  P  Floyd 
Public  Printer — John  Spear 
"  R  G  Elliott 

Representative  to  Congress — Mark  W  Delehay    - 
State  Senator— T  G  Thornton      - 

"  T  L  Crane          *~~ 

State  Representative — M  C  Dickey 

"  William  A  Simerwell 

"  W  R  Frost 

"  W  A  Adams 

"  MM  Robertson      - 

The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows: 

DANIEL  TURNER, 
WM.  F.  JOHNSON,     Ji 
JNO.  W.  BROWN, 

W.  F.  JOHNSON, 

T.  E.  HOAD, 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  771 

THIRD  DISTRICT —  Washington  Precinct. 
Pott-book. 

1  Eli  Allen  16  W  J  Koberts 

2  S  J  Acklin  17  Hiram  Shields 

3  M  Thulkeld  18  W  A  Cardwell 

4  E  Banning  19  W  R  Frost 

5  E  Brewer  20  Jesse  M  Roberts 

6  James  Molton  21  Ward  Custard 

7  W  C  Jones  22  H  P  Gelan 

8  William  H  Hammond  23  Peter  Epperson 

9  N  L  Williams  24  Benjamin  Moore 

10  Josiah  Cox  25  Daniel  K  Lawrence 

11  Alexander  Wells  26  a  W  Gilmore 

12  Caleb  Antram  27  Barnet  Fogle 

13  William  Reilly  28  S  G  Reffle 

14  George  S  Ramsay  29  John  Roorbacher 

15  Jacob  Roorbacher  30  T  V  Rush 

The  printed  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows : 

WILLIAM  RILEY,  ) 

ELI  ALLEN,  V  Judges. 

CALEB  ANTRAM,  ) 

GEO.  S.  RAMSEY, 
S.  J.  ACKLIN, 


Poll-list. 

Governor— W  Y  Roberts  -  -  29 

te          Charles  Robinson  -  1 

Lieutenant  Governor — M  J  Parrott  -  29 

William  Y  Roberts  -            -            -  1 

Secretary  of  State— C  K  Holliday  ~            H            -  29 

PC  Schuyler  -            -            -  1 

Auditor— W  R  Griffith -  29 

G  A  Cutler                     -             -  -             ,             -  1 

Treasurer— E  C  K  Garvy             -             -  -             -             -  29 

JAWakefield                         -  -  1 

Attorney  General — H  Miles  Moore  -  30 

Supreme  Judge — G  W  Smith        -            -  -            -            -  29 

SW  Johnson     -             -  i             -             -  29 

JAWakefield-            -  -            -            -  27 

SNLatta  -            -            -  3 

Supreme  Judge — M  F  Conway      -  1 

MHunt             -            -  -                         -  1 

SBMcKenzie 29 


772 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Eeporter  Supreme  Court — E  M  Thurston- 
Clerk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd 
Public  Printer— R  G  Elliott 

"  John  Spear 

Eepresentative  to  Congress — M  W  Delehay 
State  Senator— T  G  Thornton      - 

FL  Crane  •{  ^,7, 

State  Representative— M  C  Dickey 

"  MM  Robinson 

"  W  R  Frost 

"  A  G  Adams 

"  W  A  Simmerwell  - 

The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  RILEY,  J 
ELI  ALLEN, 
CALEB  ANTRAM,  J 


1 

30 
29 

1 

30 
29 

1 

29 
29 
29 

1 

1 


Judges 


S.  J.   ACKLLN, 

GEO.  S.  RAMSEY, 


Clerks. 


THIRD  DISTRICT — Tecumseh. 


1  Samuel  UpdegrafF 

2  B  R  Salor 
SAN  Jordan 

4  John  Morris 

5  John  J  Lawrence 

6  W  H  Moss 

7  W  Stevenson 

8  William  M  Jordan 

9  Dr  Updegraff 

10  M  J  Micheal 

11  Joseph  K  Bartleson 

12  M  A  Spurrier 

13  John  S  Feelin 

14  John  A  Chambers 

15  Conrad  B  Alders 

16  James  C  Morgan 

17  G  C  McCormick 

18  William  Norton 


Poll-book. 


James  S  Griffing 
Charles  Jordan 


19 
20 

21  H  W  Curtis 

22  George  Osborne 

23  Francis  Grassmuck 

24  Jeremiah  Nicum 

25  Huston  Ingram 

26  Anderson  Delap 

27  C  W  Maffit 

28  Jesse  Frank 

29  William  Hook 

30  Osborne  Nailor 

31  Jehiel  Taylor 

32  Orlando  Moffit 

33  Charles  Roll  rbact res 

34  E  R  Moffit 

35  Samuel  Spralls 


The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

CHARLES  JORDON, 
FRANCIS  GRASSMUCK, 
GEORGE  OSBORNE, 

M.  J.  MITCHELL, 

J.  K.  BARTLESON, 


Judges. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  773 


Tally-list. 

tovernor— W  Y  Roberts  -  34 

Charles  Robinson 

ieutenant  Governor — M  J  Parrot                         .  -  34 

"                 "            WY  Roberts        -  -  1 

secretary  of  State— E  K  Holliday  -  34 

"                 "       PC  Schuyler                           -  1 

Auditor— W  R  Griffith     -  -  34 

"        G  H  Cutler  1 

'reasurer — E  E  K  Garvey  -            -  34 

"           J  A  Wakefield        {  ~  -  8 

Attorney  General — H  Miles  Moore  -  36 

"                H  Miles  Moore            »            -  -            -  1 

upreme  Judge — George  W  Smith  -  34 

SW  Johnson    -  -  34 

"               S  P  Latta  -  25 

"              J  A  Wakefield  -  -  7 

if              S  P  Latta  -  1 

"               M  F  Con  way      -  -  1 

"              MHunt              -  -  1 

leporter  Supreme  Court — S  B  McKenzie  -  34 

"                     "              EM  Thurston  -  1 

Berk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd  -  35 

"                    "        SB  Floyd  -  1 

»ublic  Printer— R  G  Elliot                                     -  -  34 

"                    John  Spear  -  1 

lepresentative  to  Congress — M  W  Delehay  -  35 

itate  Senator— T  G  Thornton       -  -  30 

"                 T  L  Crane  1 

State  Representative — M  M  Dickey  -  31 

"                    MM  Robinson       -  -  31 

"                     W  R  Frost  r            -  31 

"                    A  G  Adams  -  1 

"                    WASimerwell     -  -  1 

W  R  Frost  -  1 

Certificate  correct,,  except  that  35  votes  inserted  instead  of  37  are 
et  down  for  H.  Miles  Moore  for  attorney  general ;  25  votes  instead  of 
6  for  S.  P.  Latta,  supreme  judge;  35  instead  of  36  for  S.  B.  Floyd, 

lerk  supreme  court;  31  votes  instead  of  32  for  W  R  Frost,  State  repre- 

entative,  and  gives  one  vote  to  E.  M.  Thurston  for  Congress,  instead 
f  reporter  of  supreme  court.     Signed  as  follows  : 

CHARLES  JORDAN,         ) 
FRANCIS  GRASSMUCK,  V  Judges. 
GEORGE  OSBORNE,         ) 
M.  J.  MITCHELL,     )  ni    7 
M.  A.  BARTLEMAN,  \  Clerks> 


774 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


FOURTH  DISTRICT — Prairie  City  Precinct. 
PoU  List. 


1  Charles  Legg 

2  John  P  Lehr 

3  Silas  H  Moore 

4  Jonathan  G  More 

5  Ed  W  More 

6  Cornelius  P  Scott 

7  Wm  S  Ewart 

8  Jared  Chapman 

9  John  F  Jarvins 

10  Levi  Doty 

11  Thos  F  Doty 

12  S  Cleveland 

13  C  H  Carpenter 

14  J  W  M  Shore 

15  Champion  Mayfield 

16  Wm  E  Crum 

17  Geo  Powers 

18  J  P  More 

19  A  F  Powell 

20  S  V  McMannis 

21  Constant  Dutal 

22  C  Gardon 

23  A  B  Webster 

24  Wm  Mewhinney,  sen. 

25  Archibald  Harris 

26  J  E  Carpenter 

27  Wm  B  Foster 

28  Wm  B  Hayden 

29  David  Hendrix 

30  Geo  Havens 

31  Elkanih  Timmons 

32  G  B  Keyser 

33  John  G  McLelland 

34  Henry  H  Wiggins 

35  Amos  Hannah 

36  Thos  Shirley 

37  Peter  Bay  singer 

38  Jacob  Clark 

39  A  B  Gilliland 

40  J  D  Hope 

41  James  S  Scott 


42  G  W  E  Griffeth 

43  Wiley  Jones 

44  Perry  Fuller 

45  Samuel  T  Shore 

46  Erwin  Fusman 

47  J  C  Hughes 

48  A  G  Spaulding 

49  A  D  Sprague 

50  E  H  Baysinger 

51  Wm  Graham 

52  Michael  Blake 

53  John  Graham 

54  John  Edy 

55  Charles  Clark 

56  J  M  Bernard 

57  Wm  A  David 

58  Alvatus  Williams 

59  Hiram  McAllister 

60  John  Wilson 

61  Sam'l  Walker 

62  A  J  Miller 

63  A  B  Banks 

64  H  J  Stewart 

65  Wm  Mewhinney,  jr. 

66  John  S  Bronner 

67  E  G  Scott 

68  B  C  Westfall 

69  Wm  B  Harris 

70  Win  More 

71  Franklin  Barnes 

72  F  C  Tomberlin 

73  T  E  Curtiss 

74  Thos  McCowen 

75  Balph  Mayfield 

76  J  B  Davis 

77  R  B  Young 

78  B  T  Keyser 

79  John  Miller 

80  Wm  Lucket 

81  Chas  Kiser 


The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  MOORE, 
FOUNTAIN  C.  TOMBERLIN, 
FRANKLIN  BARNEY, 

THOS.  McCowEN, 
THERON  E.  CURTISS, 


Judges. 


Clerks. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  775 


Tally-list. 

overnor — Charles  Robinson  -  24 

"  WY  Roberts-  -  -  50 

ieutenant  Governor — W  Y  Roberts  -  25 

"  M  J  Parrott  -  45 

ecretary  of  State— P  C  Schuyler  -  -  27 

CKHolliday  -  37 

uditor— G-  A  Cutler  -  27 

W  R  Griffith     -  -  45 

reasurer — J  A  Wakefield  -  27 

"  ECKGarvey          *-i;  -  38 

ttorney  General — H  M  Moore     -  -  72 

upreme  Judge— S  N  Latta  -  27 

"  M  F  Conway      -  -  27 

"  M  Hunt  -  27 

"  George  W  Smith  -  45 

"  S  W  Johnston   -  -  45 

"  J  A  Wakefield  -  -  45 

eporter  Supreme  Court — E  M  Thurston  -  -  27 

SBMcKenzie-  -  45 

lerk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd  -  70 

ublic  Printer — John  Speer  -  25 

"  R  G  Elliott  -  45 

,epresentative  to  Congress — M  W  Delehay  -  71 

tate  Senator — Perry  Fuller  -  53 

W  Jones   -  -  28 

tate  Representative — Samuel  Mewhenny  -  54 

"  Samuel  T  Shore      -  -  -  -  52 

EWE  Griffith      -  -  27 

"  John  Lockhart  -  27 

Certificate  correctly  rilled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  MOORE,  ) 

FOUNTAIN  C.  TOMBERLIN,   V  Judges. 
FRANKLIN  BARNES,  ) 

THOMAS  McCowAN,    )  m    j, 

THERON  E.  CURTISS,  (  Lfl€rK8' 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Stanton  Precinct. 

Poll-list. 

1  Samuel  Buchanon  6  E  S  Kinkaid 

2  Robert  Reed  7  A  H  Standiford 

3  Parly  P  Bingham  8  John  Standiford 

4  E  S  Kinkaid  9  William  D  Bryson 

5  John  C  Benning  10  J  Davis 


776  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

11  James  D  Kinkaid  28  William  Stephenson 

12  Oliver  R  Nichols  29  J  F  White 

13  J  Nichols  30  William  Sandlin 

14  William  H  Staridiford  31  Thomas  Wilborn 

15  S  L  Morse  32  George  T  Lester 

16  Jessey  W  Wilson  33  Jessey  Lay 

17  William  Whitehead  34  Israel  Christie 

18  B  H  Reed  35  Isaac  Woollard 

19  Samuel  Wliitehead  36  W  B  Nichols 

20  Martin  White  37  Josiah  Brundy 

21  James  Saunders  38  John  H  WTest 

22  John  Kirkland   x  39  J  Nichols 

23  Greenberry  Suel  40  Aurelin  Reed 

24  James  Lester  41  Jesse  B  Way 

25  Z  M  Herton  42  John  Lester 

26  Daniel  Gray  43  W  H.  Kinkaid 

27  William  Lester 

Certificate  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

ISAAC  WOLLARD,   ) 

WM.  B.  NICHOLS,    }  Judges. 

JOHN  H.  WEST,       ) 

JOSIAH  BUNDY,     )  ^    , 

ISRAEL  CHRISTIE,  ( 


Tally-list. 

We,    the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  an  election  held  in 
Staunton,  on  the  15th  day  of  January,  1856,  certify  that — 

Charles  Robinson  received,  for  governor    •-,  -  31  votes. 

W  Y  Roberts  received,  for  lieutenant  governor      -  -  31      " 

P  C  Schuyler  received,  for  secretary  of  State  -  31       " 

J  A  Wakefield  received,  for  treasurer  -  31       " 

S  N  Latta  received,  for  judge  supreme  court  -  31      " 

M  F  Conway  received,  for  judge  supreme  court     -  -  31       " 
M  Hunt  received,  for  judge  supreme  court,   (in  tally-list  H  Miles 

Moore,)  -  -  31  votes. 

M  Miles  Moore  received,  for  attorney  general  -  31      " 

G  A  Cutler  received,  for  auditor    -  -  31      " 

John  Spear  received,  for  State  printer  -  31      lf 

S  B  Floyd  received,  for  clerk  supreme  coiirt  -  31      " 

E  M  Thurston  received,  for  reporter  supreme  court  -  31      a 

Mark  W  Delehay  received,  for  delegate  to  Congress  -  28 
H  B  Standiford  received,  for  delegate  to  Congress 

Isaac  Stockton  received,  for  senator  -  27 

W  W  Updegraff  received,  for  senator  -  36 

John  Daily  received,  for  senator    -  -  27 

David  Reese  received,  for  representative    -  -  27 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


777 


r  M  Arthur  received,  for  representative     -  -27  votes. 

)  M  Cannon  received,  for  representative   -  -     27      " 

saac  Landers  received,  for  representative  -     25      " 

F  B  Higgins  received,  for  representative    -  -     27      " 

I  H  Williams  received,  for  representative,  (in  tally-list  W  W  Wil- 
I   liams,)    -  -     25  votes, 

•ohn  Brown  -     none. 

I  B  Staniford  received,  for  representative  -     41  votes, 

^homas  Brown  received,  for  representative,  (Thomas  Boald  in  tally- 
i  list,)  -     25  votes. 


Sig  ned  as  follows : 


JOSIAH  BUNDY, 

ISRAEL  CHRISTIE 


A 


Clerks. 


•Jharles  Robinson  -  31 

'V  Y  Roberts    -  -  31 

fCSchuyler     -  -  31 

A  Wakefield  -  -  31 

N  Latta  -  31 

I  F  Conway     -  -  31 

I  Hunt     -  -  31 

I  Miles  Moore  -  -  31 

I-  A  Cutler  -  31 

ohn  Spear  -  31 

'i  B  Floyd  -  31 

5  M  Thurston  -  -  31 

Jark  W  Delehay  -  28 

I  B  Standiford  -  3 

.  Tally-list  complete. 


votes. 


ISAAC  WOOLLARD, 
WM.  B.  NICHOLS, 
JNO.  H.  WEST, 


Judges. 


Isaac  D  Stockton 
W  W  Updegraff 
John  Daily 
David  Reese 
J  M  Arthur 
D  W  Cannon    - 


-  27  votes. 

-  36      " 

-  27      " 

-  27      " 

-  27      " 
-27      "' 


Thomas  Booen,  (Thomas  Brown 
in  certificate,)         -     25  votes. 
Isaac  Landers    -         -     25      " 
J  B  Higgans     -         -     27      " 
W  W  Williams,  (in  certificate  is 

H  H  Williams,)     -     25      " 
John  Brown,  jr  none. 

H  B  Staniford   -        -     41  votes. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Hampdcn  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 


1  Lewis  Morse 

2  W  W  Higgins 

3  Andrew  Hornton 
Fletcher  Wedding 

TTT* 11*  T^       • 


5  William  Paine 

6  S  Wheat-ley 

7  C  Dunakey 

8  A  Crooker 

9  J  P  Pepper 
10  W  A  Ella 


11  C  Richards 

12  F  Rhodes 

13  A  J  Warrington 

14  J  Hays 

15  Gr  Jordan 

16  Charles  Morse 

17  H  Domreka 

18  W  Blaisdale,  jr 

19  W  Blaisdale,  sen 

20  H  Herrin 


778  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

21  J  A  D  Clark  24  William  Oremsbee 

22  Perry  Mills  25  Martin  Runnells 

23  James  Runnells  26  William  B  Farnswortli 

No  certificate. 


Tally-list. 

Senator — John  Dailey       -  -     26 

Representative — Thomas  Bowen   -  -     26 

Certificate  filled  properly,  signed  as  follows  : 

W.  A.  ELA,  ) 

WM.  W.  HIGGINS,  >  Judges. 

ANDERSON  HARRINGTON, 

Jo.  A.  D.  CLARK, 

JOHN  P.  PEPPER, 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Neosho  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  Hiram  Hoover  8  Addison  W  Diggs 

2  Hiram  Car  9  Nathaniel  D  Johnson 

3  William  Barney  10  John  H  Bowen 

4  James  Branne  11  Harden  McMahon 

5  James  A  McGennis  12  Jesse  N  Williams 

6  Joseph  Lebo  13  Thomas  Bowen 

7  Andrew  C  Johnson 

Certificate  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

HIRAM  HOOVER,  ) 
THOS.  BOWEN,     }  Judges. 
JOSIAH  LEBO,       } 

HARD.  MCMAHON,      >  Cl    , 

JESSE  V.  WILLIAMS,  J  Ofcc 


Tallij-list. 

Governor — Dr  Charles  Robinson  - 

Lieutenant  Governor — W  Y  Roberts 

Judge  Supreme  Court — S  M  Latta  -     13 

*r  «  MHunt   - 

Treasurer— J  H  Wakefield 
Auditor— G  A  Cutler 

Representative  to  Congress— M  W  Delehay 
Clerk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  779' 

Itate  Printer — J  Spear 

Vttorney  General — H  M  Moore    - 

Senator — Hiram  Hoover    - 

Representative  to  Congress — Thomas  Bowen  -     12 

Certificate  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

HIRAM  HOOVER,  ) 
THOS.  BOWEN,     \Judges. 
JOSIAH  LEBO,       ) 

JESSE  V.  WILLIAMS, 
HARD.  McMAHON, 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Pottaivatomie  Precinct. 
Pott-book. 

1  Davis  Frankenberger  21  Wakeman  Patridge 

2  Joseph  James  22  B  L  Cockran 

3  William  Frankenberger  23  James  W.  Gere 

4  Manly  Winkler  24  John  H  Walker 

5  Alexander  Purdie  25  John  H  Rockers 

6  H  H  Williams  26  George  Rising 

7  J  T  Grant  27  John  Brown,  jr. 

8  J  G  Brown  28  Frederick  Brown 

9  Joseph  Morey  29  Owen  Brown 

10  Ephnim  Reynolds  30  Henry  Thompson 

11  J  T  Barker  31  H  M  Rumbles 

12  James  Button     .  32  David  Sturgeon 

13  Lawrence  Brady  33  A  C  Austin 

14  Pointdexter  Manes  34  David  Baldwin 

15  Dewitt  C  Davenport  35  S  B  Morse 

16  M  Whitney  36  William  Patridge 

17  Charles  E  Dewey  37  William  N  Woods 

18  Elbrige  G  Blunt  38  Solomon  Blanden 

19  Benjamin  Davis  39  Samuel  Mack 

20  John  Blunt 

No  certificate. 


Tally-list. 

jovernor — Charles  Robinson     -  39 

Lieutenant  Governor — W  Y  Roberts     -  -                                   99 

Secretary  of  State— P  C  Schuyler          -  -                                   39 

Treasurer— J  A  Wakefield  38 

Fudges  Supreme  Court — S  N  Latta       -  -                                   39 

M  F  Con  way  -  39 


780  KANSAS    AFFAIRS, 

Judge  Supreme  Court — M  Hunt  39 

Attorney  General — H  M  Moore  39 

Auditor— G  A  Cutler    -  39 

State  Printer— John  Spear  39 

Clerk  Supreme  Court— S  B  Floyd  39 

Reporter  Supreme  Court — E  M  Thurstqn  39 

Representative  to  Congress — M  W  Delehay      -  38 

Certificate  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

S.  B.  MOORE,  ) 

JAS.  T.  GRANT,       }  Judges. 

DAVID  BALDWIN,  ) 

H.  H.  WILLIAMS,      )  m    , 

EPHRAIM  REYNOLDS,  \  L 

POTTAWATOMIE,  January  15,  1856. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Little  Sugar  precinct. 
Poll-look. 

1  J  D  Stockton  20  Solomon  Bennett 

2  B  S  Floid  21  James  S  Dunlap 

3  Z  G  Thompson  22  Henry  M  Gibbs 

4  Chas  Waggoner  23  P  H  Carter 

.  5  Charles  Barnes  ,  24  Benjamin  Burch 

6  W  J  Turner  25  D  W  Cannon 

7  W  B  Perry  26  Wm  Hobson 

8  Jno  Fouts"  2*7  Joshua  Russell 

9  Leander  Fonts  28  Pilas  Willhite 

10  Green  Caple  29  John  Raun 

11  W  L  Wit  30  D  N  McQuity 

12  Anderson  Belesure  31  Enoch  Eslep 

13  Salmon  Mason  32  Jas  Barracks 

14  Alexander  Fonts  33  Phillip  Capple 

15  Benjamin  Hinshaw  34  Harris  Vance 

16  Ebenezer  Barnes  35  Green  Warthy 

17  Jno  Barrak  36  J  A  Eslep 

18  F  H  Graham  37  H  Goodpaster 

19  J  B  Robertson  38  David  Reese 
The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  signed  as  follows  : 

N.  B.  PERRY,  ) 

JNO.  BARRICK,  [judges. 

EBENEZER  BARNES,   ) 
WM.  F.  WITT, 


Tally -list. 

'Governor — Charles  Robinson 
Lieutenant  Governor — W  Y  Roberts 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS,  781 

Secretary  of  State—  P  C  Scimyler  -  32 

Treasurer  —  J  A  Wakefield  -  34 

Supreme  Judge  —  S  M  Latta  -  -     34 

M  F  Conway      -  -  34 

MHunt              -             -  -             -  -     34 

Attorney  General  —  H  Miles  Moore  -  34 

Auditor—  G  A  Cutler  -  34 

State  Printer—  John  Spear  -  33 

Clerk  of  Supreme  Court—  S  B  Floyd  -  36 
Keporter  Supreme  Court  —  E  M  Thurston 

Representative  to  Congress  —  Mark  W  Delahay    -  -  34 

State  Senator—  J  Daily     -  -  34 

JWUpdegraff     -  -  -     34 

JS  Stockton                       -  -  32 

State  Representative  —  D  Reese     -  -  36 

"•                    D  W  Cannon  -  36 

"                     JSaunders  -  33 

"                     J  Arthur    -  -  36 

"                    J  Brown,  jr  -  34 

HM  Williams  -  34 

H  B  Stanford  -  34 

"                    JBHiggans  -  34 

"                    Thos  Bowen  -  34 

Certificate  correct,  signed  as  follows  : 

W.  B.  PERRY,  ) 

JOHN  BARRICK,  V  Judges. 
EBENEZER  BARNES,   ) 

W.  TURNER,      >  ni    7 
WM.  L.  WITT,  \  Clerks- 


FIFTH  DISTRICT  —  Little  Osage  precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  M  H  Dave  11  Ira  Sanders 

2  Thos  Jones  12  W  M  Wickliam 

3  Imbers  Ripley  13  John  Spears 

4  J  W  Norris  14  James  B  Pyle 

5  Jno  Leeders  15  G  P  Raum 

6  Etna  Ecart  16  R  T  Farlist 

7  John  Delany  17  D  B  Jones 

8  G  W  Sharp  18  J  W  Duren 

9  P  McKillips  19  D  C  Forbes 
10  E  A  Osborne 

Certificate  filled  properly,  signed  as  follows: 

GREEN  B.  KAUM,  ) 

M.  H.  DAVIS,  >  Judges. 

R.  T.  FORBES,         } 

DANIEL  B.  JONES,  )  ni    i 
S.  W.  DUNN,      '  \  Uerks' 


782  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

FIFTH  DISTRICT — Little  Osage  Precinct, 
Tally -list. 

Governor Char!  es  Robinson IS 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Koberts IS 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler.../ IS 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield IS 

Judge  of  supreme  court S.  N.  Latta IS 

M.  F.  Conway IS 

M.  Hunt K 

Attorney  general H.  M.  Moore 1J 

Auditor G-.  A.  Cutler 1< 

State  printer John  Shear || 

Clerk  of  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd li 

Reporter  to  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 1! 

Eep.  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delahay 11 

For  senator Isaac  D.  Stockter II! 

W.  W.  Updegraff 

John  Daily 11 

Representative David  Reese 1- 

David  W.  Cannon 

Isaac  Sanders 1  j 

J.  M.  Arthur ij 

Jno.  Brown,  jr lj 

H.  H.  Williams V 

H.  B.  Stamford 

Isaac  B.  Higgins 

Thos.  Bowen 1 

The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  aijd  signed  as  follows: 

R.  F.  FORBES,        ) 
M.  H.  DAVIS,          \Judges.] 
GREEN  B.  RAIIM,  ) 

J.  W.  DURN,         )  n    , 

DANIEL  B.  JAMES,  \  Ll€r**' 


FIFTH  DISTRICT — Osage  Precinct. 

Poll-book. 

J.  T.  Black  John  Mickel 

Jas.  Ward  Middleton  Hunsley 

A.  F.  Silars  Levy  Ward 

Calvin  Hood  Samuel  Mickel 

George  Morice  Ashere  Wyloff 

C.  H.  Teal  Robert  Rhodes 

F.  A.  Hamilton  Heram  Penney 

W.  G.  Crashaw  William  Mickel 

J.  R.  Miller  William  Morris. 
Alfred  Ward 
No  certificate. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  783 


Tally-list. 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  an  election  held  at  the 
house  of  F.  A.  Hamilton,  in  Osage  precinct,  fifth  election  district, 
Kansas  Territory,  do  certify  the  following-named  persons  were  duly 
elected : 

Governor Charles  Eobinson . .  .received. . .  19 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts do 19 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler do 19 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield do 19 

S.  1ST.  Latta do 19 

M.  F.  Conway do 19 

Supreme  judge W .  Hunt do 19 

Attorney  general  H.  Miles  More do 19 

Auditor 4 GL  A.  Cutler do 19 

State  printer John  Spear do 19 

Clerk  of  supreme  court S.  P.  Floyd do 19 

Reporter  to  supreme  court B.  M.  Thurston do 19 

Rep.  to  Congress W.  W.  Delahay do 19 

State  senator J.  D.  Stockton do 19 

W.  W.  Updegraff. do 19 

John  Daily do 19 

State  representative David  Reese do 19 

D.  W.  Canon do 19 

Isaac  Landen do 19 

J.  M.  Arthur do 19 

H.  H.  Williams do 19 

9         Isaac  B.  Higgins do 19 

A.  B.  Stanford do 19 

Thos.  Bowen do i9 

John  Brown do 19 

*JNO.  MICKELS,        > 

F.  A.  HAMILTON,   V  Judges. 

SAML.  NICHOL,       ) 

A.  G-.  WYCKOFF,    )  n    , 
ROBERT  RHODES,      y  c 


FIFTH  DISTRICT. — Osawatomie  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

I.Noah  Parker  6  H.  Updegraff 

2  James  Fuller  7  James  Stolts 

3  Andrew  Bruce  8  S.  L.  Ad^ir 

4  James  J.  Holhrook  9  Charles  Crunston 

5  B.  Woodbury  10  Amos  Finch 


784 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


11  Wm.  Chestnut 

12  J.  Sunboon 

13  James  H.  Houser 

14  C.  F.  Lake 

15  David  H.  Bundy 

16  George  Thompson 
IT  Isaac  Miller 

18  Alba  Sunboon 

19  Morgan  Cronkite 

20  Barton  Darrow 

21  Richard  Mendenhall 

22  J.  P.  Glenn 

23  Samuel  Glenn 

24  M.  D.  Lane 

25  Andrew  Updegraff 

26  H.  Jackson 

27  James  W.  Glenn 

28  Silas  Wheat 

29  Henry  Alderman 

30  James  Hughes 

31  G.  W.  Collus 

32  W.  N.  Caldwell 

33  William  Saling 

34  J.  S.  Eoff 

35  John  C.  Nomun 

36  Thomas  Roberts 

37  George  Phillips 

38  Charles  A.  Foster 

39  John  Richardson 

40  Samuel  H.  Houser 

41  Andrew  B.  Chambers 

42  Solomon  Potter 

43  Frederick  Tr  ox  well 

44  Caleb  Shevar 

45  Thomas  Kelly 

46  W.  F.  Troxel 

47  Francis  Brennan 

48  Samuel  Jones 


50  William  Quick 

51  Jeremiah  Harrison 

52  Nathan  McVay 

53  John  Jones 

54  James  Williams 

55  Thomas  0.  Brine 

56  Hurnoss  Forit 

57  D.  C.  Buker 
58 

59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 


George  B.  Ferris 
Thomas  Hitchings 
N.  J.  Roscoe 
Andrew  Doler 
Milan  Fairchild 
David  Mendenhall 
John  Carr 

65  W.  W.  Updegraff 

66  C.  H.  Cruin 

67  S.  M.  Merrit 

68  C.  W.  Holcomb 

69  J.  B.  Higgins 

70  Wm.  Childers 

71  Daniel  MendenhalJ 

72  W.  M.  Williams 

73  S.  R.  Lewis 

74  J.  R.  Everett 

75  Amos  D.  Alderman 

76  David  R.  McDaniel 

77  A.  S.  White 

78  George  Bradbury 

79  James  L.  Childers 

80  Samuel  Geer 

81  John  Yelton 

82  Wmiam  Yelton 

83  Silas  Hustus 

84  Horace  Norton 

85  0.  A.  McFarland 

86  John  Sharkey 

87  John  Polund. 


49  Patrick  Devlin 

Certificate  properly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

B.  WOODBURY, 
WILLIAM  CHESTNUT, 
DANIEL  W.  COLLIES, 
Attest :  JAMES  J.  HOLBROOK, 
CHARLES  CRUNSTON, 


Judges. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts  ... 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  785 

Secretary  of  State P.  C.  Scuyler 82 

Auditor G-.  S.  Cutler 81 

^Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 81 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 81 

Supreme  judge Latta ..  81 

Conway  82 

Hunt 81 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 79 

plerk  supreme  court S.  B,  Floyd 82 

Public  printer John  Speer 82 

Representative  to  Congress  Mark  W.  Delahay 78 

Jtate  senator John  Darly 77 

Isaac  D.  Stockton 80 

Wm.  W.  Updegraff 73 

S.  L.  Adair 9 

jtate  representative Thomas  Boone 77 

S.  L.  Adair 1 

0.  C.  Brown 1 

H.  B.  Stanaford 76 

John  Brown,  jr 76 

C.  A.  Foster 7 

J.  B.  Higgins 70 

H.  H.  Williams 82 

Isaac  Landers 77 

D.  W.  Cannon 77 

J.  M.  Arthur 77 

David  Reese 77 

1  The  tally-list  is  not  certified  to.     The  judges  applied  the  certificate 
the  poll-list  to  the  tally-list. ^ 


SIXTH  DISTRICT — Mill  Creek. 

Poll-book. 

1  Christopher  Schwanke  10  Peter  Plfifer 

2  Bernhart  Hansjukob  11  Carl  Marasch 

3  Franz  Shmidt  12  Jacob  Terrass 

4  Herman  Miller  13  Peter  Days 

5  Bernhard  Shuttle  14  Vert  Ludwig  Henrich 

6  John  Shreve  15  Christian  Rath 

7  John  Shuter  16  John  Simpke 

8  Carl  Pratt  17  Joseph  Engelhart 

9  Johan  Philip  Kleich  18  Johan  Acheharts. 
Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JACOB  TERRASS,  ) 
PETER  THOES,       }  Judges. 
CARL  MARASCH,  ) 

CHRISTIAN  RATH,    )  ~7    7 

V.  LUD.  HKNRICH,  I  Clerks- 
H.  Rep.  200 50* 


786 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Wm .  Y,  Roberts 

Lieutenant  governor M.  J.  Parrott 

Secretary  of  state..  C.  K.  Hollid.-iy 

Auditor W.  R.  Griffith 

Treasurer E.  C.  K.  Garvey 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 

Supreme  judge Geo.  W.  Smith 

S.  W.  Johnston 

S.  M.  Latter 

Reporter  supreme  court S.  P.  McKenzie 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 

Public  printer R.  G.  Elliott 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delehay 

State  senator John  H.  Neshit 

State  representative Andrew  B.  Marshall 

No  tallies. 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed 


if 


CHRISTIAN  RATH,    ) 
V.  LUD.  HENRICH,  $ 


follows : 

JACOB  TERR  ASS, 
PETER  THOES, 
CARL  MARASCH, 


Judges. 


SIXTH  DISTRICT — Titus  Precint. 


Poll-look. 


1  A.  Smith 

2  J.  M.  Wincbell 

3  Wm.  Lord 

4  W.  N.  Havens 

5  M.  H.  Rose 

6  Thomas  Russell 

7  Hiram  Mills 

8  Chas.  W.  Fish 

9  A.  Polly 

10  Henry  Smith 

11  J.  B.'Titus 

12  D.  Wright 

13  Wm.  W.  Fish 

14  Wm.  H.  Foothman 

15  James  Aikins 

16  John  Crawford 

17  E.  M.  Perrin 


18  Abrara  Leonard 

19  Lucian  Fish 

20  James  R.  Stewart 

21  James  Ramsay 

22  Nicholas  Schuyler 

23  George  J.  Drew 

24  L.  D.  Joy 

25  A.  VV.  Hubbard 

26  Absalom  Hoover 

27  Joseph  B.  Griswold 

28  Wm.  Y.  Drew 

29  Henry  Todd 

30  David  Hoover 

3 1  Samuel  A.  Allison 

32  John  Drew 

33  J.  R.  Crozier. 


Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

J.  B.  TITUS,     ) 
JOHN  DREW,  £  Judges.  \ 
WM.  LORD,     ) 

M.  J.  POLLY,      )  „,    , 

CIIAS.  W.  FIHH,  \Gler/C8' 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  787 

Tally -list. 

governor Charles  Robinson 28 

W.  Y.  Huberts 4 

jieutenant  governor M.  J.  Parrott 4 

W.  Y.  Roberts 28 

iecretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 28 

C.  K.  Holliday 4 

Auditor G-.  A.  Cutler 28 

W.  R.  Griffith 4 

?reasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 28 

E.  C.  K.  Garvey 4 

Lttorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 32 

luprerne  judges S.  N.  Latta 32 

M.  F.  Conway 28 

George  VV.  {Smith 4 

M.  Hunt i 28 

S.  W.  Johnson 4 

•leporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 28 

8.  B.  McKensie 4 

•lerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd.... 32 

'ublic  printer John  Speer ,  28 

R.  G.  Elliott 4 

lepresentative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delehay 32 

Jbate  senator Josiah  K.  Pillsbury 23 

LucianFish 33 

Nisbit 2 

jtate  representative* Horace  W.  Taber -23 

D.  Soothman 1 

Henry  Todd 25 

Nesbit 7 

Warren  N.  Havens 19 

Dow 10 

Thos.  J.  Addis..* 23 

Marshall 9 

W.  H.  Toukman 14 

H.  B.  Todd 9 

No  tallies.     Certificate  not  filled,  but  signed  as  follows : 

J.  B.  TITUS,    ) 
JOHN  DR^W A  Judges. 
WM.  LOKD,      ) 

M.  J.  POLLY,  )  ~7    7 

G.  W.  FISH,    \  Clerks' 


SIXTH  DISTRICT— Clark's  Creek  Precinct. 

Poll-book. 

1  Henry  Mitchell  4  Jacob  Swartwood 

2  J.  W.  Stewart  5  Joseph  Berry 

3  Samuel  Berry  6  Jesse  Spencer 


788 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


*T  S.  F.  Gordon  9  George  M.  Sweetzer 

8  Silas  Klotz  10  Alexander  Dean. 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

HENRY  MITCHELL,  ) 

J.  W.  STEWART,      [Judges, 

SAMUEL  BERRY,       } 

JACOB  SWARTWOOD, 

JOSEPH  BERRY, 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson  . 

Lieutenant  governor* W.  Y.  Roberts.... 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 

Treasurer J.  A.  Waken" eld... 

Supreme  judges S.  N.  Latta 

M.  F.  Conway 

M.  Hunt 

Attorney  general M.  Miles  Moore... 

Auditor S.  A.  Cutler 

State  printer John  Speer 

Clerk  of  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 

Beporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston  ... 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delehay 

State  representative G.  F.  Gordon 


Tally-list  made  out  and  certificate  correct.     Signed  as  follows : 

HENRY  MITCHELL,  3 
J.  W.  STEWART,       V  Judges. 
SAMUEL  BERRY,       ) 

JACOB  SWARTWOOD,  )  r?    ; 

JOSEPH  BERRY,        y.       JT 


SIXTH  DISTRICT — Columbia. 


1  E.  P.  Wolf 

2  William  Goodwill 

3  E.  P.  Hadley 

4  G.  D.  Humphrey 

5  T.  J.  Addis,  jr. 

6  Jobn  Fowler 

7  Samuel  McVay 

8  Harry  Fowler 

9  Mathew  McCormick 

10  Kathan  McCormick 

11  William  Fowler 


PoU-list. 


12  Thos.  Addis,  sr. 

13  Jasper  S.  Goodwill 

14  George  Phillips 

15  Alexander  Midlemis 

16  Alexander  Milison 

17  Aaron  Dow 

18  Abraham  D.  Staley 

19  John  J.  Addis 

20  Elihu  Newlin 

21  Silas  T.  Howel 

22  James  H.  Pheanis 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.                                               789 

23  Charles  Johnson  28  Moses  Packet 

24  Ira  Had  ley  29  Lemuel  H.  Johnson 

25  P.  A.  Pheanis  30  R.  H.  Abraham 

26  Joel  Hay  worth  31  Aaron  Pheips 

27  Joseph  Morr 

[Certificate  defective;  fails  to  state  the  number  of  votes,  or  to  vouch 
Jieir  qualifications.] 


Tally-list. 

3-overnor Charles  Robinson 31 

lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 31 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scbuyler 31 

["re^surer J.  A.  Waketield 31 

supreme  judges S.  N.  Latty 31 

H.  F.  Conway 31 

M.  Hunt 31 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 31 

Auditor C.  A.  Cutler 31 

Hate  printer John  Speer 31 

Jlerk  of  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd.... 31 

Reporter  of  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 31 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  Deleha 31 

>tate  senator Lowry  Fish 31 

tate  representative Thomas  J.  Addis 23 

Dr.  Tootman 31 

Henry  Todd 31 

The  tally  is  regularly  made  out  and  signed  by  the  judges,  but  not 
tertified. 

a.  D.  HUMPHREY,  ) 
THOS.  J.  ADDIS,      [Judges. 
JOHN  FOWLER,       ) 

ELIHU  P.  HADLEY,    )  m    -, 

WILLIAM  FOWLER,     \  c     - ' 


SIXTH  DISTRICT — Ashland. 

Poll-book. 

1  E.  H.  Howard  6  C.  A.  Berry 

2  C.  M.  Barclay  f  T.  W.  Ross 

3  N.  B.  White  8  J.  Hunt 

4  J.  Ryan  9  M.  D.  Fisher 

5  A.  Willard  10  William  Allingham 
Number  of  votes  not  certified.  Printed  certificate,  without  stating 
e  number,  signed  as  follows  : 

C.  M.  BARCLAY,  ) 
THOS.  W.  ROSS,  £  Judges. 
M.  D.  FISHER,      i 

JIM  HUNT, 

N.  B.  WHITE, 


790  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 8 

W.  Y.  Roberts 1 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 8 

M.  J.  Parrott 1 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 8 

C.  K.  Holl'iday $ 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 8 

W.  R.  Griffith I 

Treasurer J.  A.  WakefieW 8 

E.  C.  K.  Garvey 1 

Attorney  general  H.  M.  Moore 9 

Supreme  judges S.  N.  Latta *  9 

M.  F.  Conway....: 1 

M  Hunt 8 

S.  W.  Johnston J 

George  W.  Smith I 

Reporter  of  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 9 

S.  B.  McKenzie '$ 

Clerk  of  supreme  court J.  B.  Floyd £ 

Public  printer J.  Speer £ 

R.  G.  Elliott -| 

Representative  to  Congress.. Mark  W.  Delahay ( 

State  senator J.  H.  Pillsbury K 

^tate  representative A.  B.  Marshall * 

No  tallies,  but  the  result  as  above.     The  certificate  correctly  filled 
and  signed  ay  follows  : 

C.  M.  BARCLAY,     ) 
THOS.  W.   ROSS,     }  Judge*. 
M.  D.  FISHER,        } 

JESSE  HUNT,      >  m    7 

N.  B.  WHITE,  \  Okrks' 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT — Pawnee  Precinct. 

Poll-list. 

1  Samuel  Knapp  11  L.  Lincoln 

2  Robert  Kultz  12  Jacob  Hill 

3  Reujamin  J.  Green  13  Abraham  Barry 

4  Diianeir  Furrow  14  John  Shoemaker 

5  J.  M.  Meyers  15  J.  P.  Wiggins 

6  H.  W.  Martin  1G  Henry  Dunham 

7  Wm.  Stiff  H  J.  H.  Loder 

8  John  J.  Miles  18  George  Hill 

9  Samuel  Barr                                  19  J.  B.  Dickerson 
10  S.  B.  White                                 20  J.  M.  Hulse 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  791 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

LEMUEL  KNAPP 


P,        ) 

HENRY  M.    MARTIN,  }  Judges. 
ILL,    ) 


WILLIAM  F.  STILL 
J.  M.  MEYERS, 
DIRANCE  FURROW, 


Tally-list. 

Grovernor Charles  Robinson 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 20 

Secretary  of  state P.  T.  Schuyler 20 

Auditor! G.  A.  Cutler 20 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 20 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 20 

Supreme  judge.... S.  N.  Latta 20 

M.  F..  Conway 20 

M.  Hunt 20 

Reporter  of  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 20 

Clerk  of  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd... 20 

Public  printer John  Speer 20 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  Delahay 20 

State  senator^ S.  B.  McKenzie 12 

P.  Newhart 8 

State  representative Thomas  W.  Platt 11 

Abraham  Barry 1*7 

Wm.  M.  McClure 14 

J.  D.  Adams 20 

J.  H.  Green 4 

Augustin  Wattles 4 

W.  Whitesides 8 

The  certificate   is   correct,   except  that  Abraham  Barry  received 
seventeen  votes  instead  oi  sixteen,  and  is  signed  as  follows : 

SAMUEL  KNAPP,         ) 
HENKY  W.  MARTIN,  }    Judges. 
WILLIAM  F.  STILL,    ) 

J.  M.  MEYERS, 

D.  FURROW, 


SEVENTH  DISTRICT— Big  Blue  Precinct. 
Poll-list. 

1  M.  L.  Wisner  4  Isaac  T.  Goodenow 

2  Armory  Hunting  5  J.  Stewart 

3  William  Hanna  6  T.  Imerson 


792 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


7  John  Piphe 

8  James  H.  Sayar 

9  C.  E.  Blood 

10  J.  S.  Hnffecker 

11  L.  B.  McKensie 

12  William  tioon 

13  C.  N.  Low 

14  C.  W.  Beebe 

15  Trnman  Shatluck 

16  J.  E.  Wood 

17  Barney  Katigan 

18  Newell  Trafton 

19  S.  P.  Allen 

20  Ambrose  Todd 

21  Asaph  Browning 

22  Charles  Barnes 

23  John  Gill 

24  Joseph  Legore 

25  F.  B.  Smith 

26  Patrick  Dunn 

27  William  Aghan 

28  William  Campsten 

29  John  McDarmon 

30  David  Gorman 

31  E.  M.  Thuston 

32  John  Supine 

33  L.  P.  Richards 

34  Christian  Gates 

35  Seth  R.  Childs 

36  John  Waas 

37  George  Tilton 

38  A.  C.  Dyer 

39  Lorenzo  Westover 

40  Wm.  Dyer 

41  S.  D.  Houston 

42  J.  L.  Supine 

43  L.  B.  Williams 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  a'nd  signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  HANNA,          ) 
J.  STEWART,  V  Judges, 

ISAAC  F.  GOODNOWE,  > 

SIMEON  PERRY,      > 

THOMAS  IMERSON,  \ 


Tally-list. 

Governor Chas.  Robinson 6!-i 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler 6' 


44  G.  W.  Jamesois 

45  H.  Whiteside 

46  John  Merris 
47"  Henry  Bishop 

48  A.  H.  H.  Lamb 

49  P.  Neyhart 

50  J.  H.  Brouse 

51  Malachi  Glenn 

52  A.  J.  Allen 

53  M.  B.  Powers 

54  S.  P.  Powers 

55  G.  C.  Tyler 

56  Thomas :Blackli6 

57  John  Mail 

58  G.  H.  Morse 

59  C.  H.  Gibson 

60  Samuel  Hemsley 

61  David  Hays 

62  John  Hadson 

63  A.  D.  Woodworth 

64  P.  Chewdet 

65  Charles  Holborn 

66  John  Mclntyre 

67  Wm.  S.  Arnold 

68  A.  Williams 

69  Thos.  W.  Platte 

70  W.  E.  Goodenow 

71  M.  A.  Garrett 

72  R.  Garrett 

73  Josiah  Hight 

74  J.  Denison 

75  Simeon  Perry 

76  Edmund  Hunting 

77  H.  B.  Nealey 

78  Joseph  Hays 

79  H.  Jackson 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  7 

Auditor G.  S.  Cutler 62 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 62 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore •  63 

Supreme  judge S.  N.  Latta 62 

M.  F.  Conway 63 

M.  Hunt 60 

Reporter  to  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 63 

Clerk  to  supreme  court 8.  B.  Floyd 62 

Public  printer John  Speer 62 

Reporter  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delahay 42 

S.  C.   Ponroy 14 

R.  Jones 

R.  Smith 

State  senator S.  B.  McKinzie 39 

P.  Neyhart 33 

State  reporter.. T.  W.'Platt 36 

H.  W.  Whiteside 37 

Josiah  D.  Adams 49 

A .  Barry 

Wm.  M.  McClure 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

WILLIAM  II ANNA,        ) 

J.  STEWART,  V  Judges. 

ISAAC  F.  GOODNOWE,  ) 

SIMEON  PERRY,      >  ni    -, 

THOMAS  IMERSON,  \  L 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT — Ohio  City  Precinct. 

Poll-fat. 

1  Wm.  Sanders  9  Rees  Furbray 

2  Henry  Halenbury  10  Lewis  Furbray 

3  Soren  Jesen  11  Manklin  Reed 

4  Henry  Brockenger  12  Joseph  Brew 

5  I.  D.  Warren  13  J.  D.  Wells 

6  Samuel  Langdon  14  Am.  Bell 

7  Henry  Ashdown  15  Lowry  Trombly 

8  Frederick  Brockinger  16  .Thos.  Spruce 
The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

H.  HOLLENBURY,  ) 
JOHN  D.  WELLS,  £  Judges. 
WM.  SANDERS,       S 

S.  FURBRAY,  )  ni    , 
M.  BELL,       \  C lerks- 


Tally-list. 

Governor Chas.  Robinson 16 

Lieutenant  governor Wm.  Y.  Roberts 16 


794  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler 16 

Auditor G.  S.  Cutler 16 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 16 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 16 

Supreme  judge S.  M.  Latta 16 

M.  F.  Conway 16 

S.  Yv7.  Johnson 16 

Keporter  supreme  court E.  N.  Thurston 16 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 16 

Public  printer John  Speer 16 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delahay 16 

State  senator Jos.  M.  Cole 16 

State  representative J.  P.  Wil&on 16 

Rees  Furbay 16 

This  tally  is  fully  stated ,  and  the  certificate  is  correctly  filled  and 
iigned  as  follows : 

H.  HOLLENBURY,  ) 
JOHN  D.  WELLS,  }  Judges. 
WM.  SANDERS,       ) 

L.  FURBAY,     )  n    , 

A.  M.  BELL,  \  Cierlcs' 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT — St.  Mary's  Precinct. 

Poll-list. 

1  P.  Trucky  7  0.  B.  Dean 

2  B.  E.  Dean  8  F.  Schaffer 

3  H.  Desbuhans  9  A.  Becker 

4  A.  Wtirkel  10  W.  Bins  merer 

5  J.  D.  E.  Ivis  11  S.  Hopkins 

6  Charles  Dean 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  'signed  as  follows: 

R.  E.  D.  IVIS, 
0.  B.  DEAN, 
CHARLES  DEAN, 

AUGUSTUS  BECKER,  >  ni    -, 

F.  SCHAFFER,         j  Clerks~ 

Tally-list. 

Governor W.  Y.  Roberts 11  l| 

Lieutenant  governor M.  J.  Parrott 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler '.  11  | 

Auditor ft.  A.  Cutler 11  \ 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 11 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 11  !| 

Supreme  judge S.  N.  Latta 11 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


795 


M.  F.  Conway 11 

S.  W.  Johnson 11 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 11 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 11 

Public  printer John  Speer 11 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delahay 11 

State  senator Joseph  M.  Cole 11 

State  representative James  P.  Wilson 11 

Rees  Furby 11 

Richard  Murphy 8 

The  tally  is  fully  stated,  and  the  certificate  is  correctly  filled  and 
signed  as  follows  : 

R.  E.  D.  IVIS,        ) 

0.  B.  DEAN,  [Judges. 

CHARLES  DEAN.  } 

AUGUSTUS  BECKER, 

F.  SCHAFFER, 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT — Eicl;apoo  City  Precinct. 


Poll-list. 


1  D.  Geigle 

2  J.  M.  Stephens 

3  A.  J.  Stephens 

4  E.  Guyman 

5  J.  0.  Conner 

6  Dan.  Haley 

7  John  Foster 

8  James  Vanderpool 

9  H.  Vanderpool 

10  E.  Juepinen 

11  H.  C.  Castle 

12  J.  A.  Lawrence 

13  David  Hutten 

14  Scott  Atkinson 

15  E.  S.  Welhite 

16  J.  A.  Crump 

17  A.  R.  Steele 

18  M.  A.  Russell 

19  John  Healy 

20  J.  M.  Dennis 

21  T.  Haokett 

22  John  C.  Ellis 

23  J.  Ellis 

24  P.  Bergler 

25  Wm.  Kenned  ay 

26  R.  C.  Lawrence 


27  S.  Jacobs 

28  M.  P.  Berry 

29  J.  A.  C.  May 

30  R.  A.  Foster 

31  John  Brown 

32  Harvey  Vance 

33  M.  J. 'Freeland 

34  F.  H.  Gregory 

35  A.  C.  P.  Hayne 

36  M.  C.  Butler 

37  Wm.  A.  Hoon 

38  H.  C.  Brown 

39  R.  D.  Clark 

40  JI.  Heartman 

41  Chris.  Locknamar 

42  S.  D.  Gregory 

43  James  Armstrong 

44  Wm.  C,  Johnson 

45  Wm.  Hathaway 

46  A.  Brown 

47  J.  D.  Edwards 

48  A.  C.  Sumners 

49  John  W.  Freeland 

50  M.  Greenough 

51  Henry  H.  Brown 

52  Joseph  Brown 


796  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

53  Amos  G.  Ridgeway  60  F.  R.  Jones 

54  Wm.  Price  61  Meigs  Hunt 

55  S.  Young  62  John  M.  Lockman 

56  R.  Gibson  63  John  Isaacs 

57  J.  A.  Castle  64  S.  Preston 

58  Wm.  Hobbs  65  John  H.  Gretel 

59  H.  B.  Stearns 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

DAVID  GEIGLE,          ) 
'E.  GERRYMAN,  V  Judges. 

JAS.  VANDERPOOL,  ) 

R.  C.  LAWRENCE, 

DAN.  HALEY, 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson , 14 

W.  Y.  Roberts 51 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 8 

M.  J.  Parrott 59  i 

Secretary  of  state P.  0.  Scuyler 14 

C.  R.  Holllday 57 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 14  i 

William  R.  Griffith 51 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 14! 

E.  C.  R.  Garvey 51  i 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 65  > 

Supreme  judge S.  N.  Latta , 14  I 

G.  W.  Smith 51  i 

M.  F.  Con  way 14  i 

S.  W.  Johnson 51: 

M.  Hunt 14 

J.  N.  Wakefield 511 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston . 14 

L.  B.  McKenzie 51  ! 

Clerk  supreme  court..., S.  B.  Floyd 65 

Public  printer John  Speer 144 

R.  G.  Elliott 51 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay 65 

State  senator D.  E.  Jones 65 

J.  A.  Hathway 

State  representative John  D.  Jones 65 

E.  R.  Zimmerman  65 

John  W.  Stephens 65 

William  Crosby 65 

William  T.  Barret 65 

J.  C.  Ridgway 

L.  Knott.. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


797 


The  certificate  is  correctly  filled  and  signed  as  follows,  and  the  tallj 

fully  stated: 

DAVID  GETGLE,  ) 

E.   GERRYMAN,  \Judges. 

JAMES  VANDERPOOL,  ) 

R.  C.  LAWRENCE,  )  C]    , 

DAN.  HALEY,         \  C 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT — Silver  Lake  Precinct. 


1  Joseph  M.  Cole 

2  Andrew  Lecompt 

3  Louis  Pap  pan 

4  David  Milne 

5  Louis  Posaro 

6  N.  K.  Vinegar der 

7  Joseph  Nickson 

8  Richard  Murphy 

9  Samuel  Reader 

10  Alexander  Rodd 

11  Francis  Junk  in 

12  A.  8.  Frambly 

13  Jonathan  Mitchell 

14  B.   B.  Damewood 

15  J.  H.  Damewood 

16  Charles  Columho 

17  Daniel  Downie 

18  Timothy  Downie 

19  Joseph  Kopp 

20  Eleonora  Blondels 

21  John  Murphy 


Poll-list. 


22  S.  R.  Massteller 

23  Samuel  Cu minings 

24  Joseph  Wellport 

25  J.  G.  Totnson 

26  J.  Antoine 

27  Robert  McNown 

28  Stephen  Forkhier 

29  E.  Kennedy 

30  L.  W.  Smith 

31  Albion  Alcott 

32  J.  W.  Hopkins 

33  Charles  H.  Robson 

34  Joseph  Ogee 

35  L.  H.  Ogee 

36  Thomas  Lamar 

37  Paul  Vieux 
39  J.  P.  Alcott 

39  F.  H.  Countryman 

40  Harrison  Wells 

41  John  Logeer 

42  E.  Stephens 


The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows 

A.  R.  VINEGARDER, 

J.  P.  NIXAN, 
DAVID  MILNE, 

LAWRENCE  MURPHY.  )  ™    7 

SAMUEL  READER,        \Glerka. 


Judges. 


Tally-list. 

Governor W.  Y.  Roberts 41 

Charles  Robinson 

Lieutenant  governor M.  J.  Parrott 41 

W.  Y.  Roberts 1 

Secretary  of  state C.  K.  Holliday 41 

P.  C.  Schuyler 1 


798  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Auditor W.  R.  Griffith 41 

G.  A.  Cutler 1 

Treasurer E.  C.  R.  Garvey 

J.  A.  Wakefield 42 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 42 

Supreme  judge George  W.  Smith 41 

S.  W.  Johnson 41 

S.  N.  Latta 42 

M.   F.  Conway 1 

M.  Hunt 

Reporter  supreme  court S.  M.  McKenzic 41 

E.  M.  Thurston 1 

Clerk  supreme  clerk S.  B.  Floyd 42 

Public  printer R.  G.  Elliott 

John  Speer 42 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Dolahay 42  ; 

State  senator Joseph  M.  Cole 42 

State  representative J.  G.  Thompson 14 

Richard  Murphy 30' 

James  P.  Wilson 30' 

The  certificate  is  correct,  except  that  F.-M.  Conway  is  inserted  in- 
stead of  M.  F.  Con  way.  The  tally- list  is  regularly  made  out,  and 
signed  as  follows : 

N.  H.  VINEGARDER,    J 
N.   P.   NIXON",  }  Judges. 

DAVID  MILNE,  ) 

LAWRENCE  MURPHY, 
SAMUEL  READER, 


EIGIITH  DISTRICT — Wabaunsee  Precinct. 
PoU-l^t. 

1  Hiram  Keys  11  L.  W.  Brown 

2  J.  M.  Buiieigh  12  H.  J.  Fadder 

3  C.  H.  Lawin  13  J.  Willey 

4  Ahram  Stone  14  J.  H.  Pillsmy 

5  E.  R.  McCauley  15  D.  B.  Hiatt 

6  Barthol  Flace  36  H.  P.  Leonard 

7  H.  Bishee  17  H.  W.  Fabor 

8  J.  C.  Marsmen  18  Ilarvy  Jones 

9  H.  T.  Brown  19  A.  B.  Marshall 
10  I.  M.  Bushbey 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

E.  R.  McCURDY,         ) 

J.  M.  BIS3EY,  V  Judges, 

DANIEL  B.  HIATT,   ) 

H.  J.  FADDER,         >  Cl   j 

JOHN  C.  MARSMAN,  \  LLerlcs' 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  799 


Tally-list. 

Governor ...» Charl es  Robinson 19 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Rober ts 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuylur 19 

Auditor G.  8.  Cutler 19 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 19 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 19 

Supreme  judge S.  A.  Latta 19 

M.  F.  Con  way 19 

M.  Hunt 19 

Reporter  to  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 17 

Clerk  to  supreme  court -1 .  B.  Floyd 19 

Public  printer John  Speer 19 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay 18 

State  senator J.  H.  Pillsbury 16 

J.  H.  Nesbitt 2 

State  representative H.  W.  Tabour 15 

S.  B.  Martial 3 

The  certificate  is  correct,  except  the  tally  for  W.  Y.  Roberts  is  not 
included,  and  is  signed  as  follows : 

E.  R.  McCURDY,  ) 

J.  M.  BISBEY,      }  Judges. 

DANIEL  H1ATT,  ) 

H.  J.  FADDER, 

JOHN  J,  MARSMAN, 


NINTH  DISTRICT —  Whitfidd  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  Christopher  Leonard  10  J.  B.  Chapman 

2  Vincent  D.  Cohee  11  J.  F.  Jenuer 

3  Christopher  C.  Diggin  12  John  Miller 

4  T.  H.  Jenner  13  Pleasant  Curly 

5  J.  W.  Fonts  14  John  Kolb 

6  H.  House  15  Stephen  Papan 

7  John  Cunningham  16  Geo.  Brennon 

8  Henry  Seal  17  Francis  Jame 

9  Frederick  Swige  18  Franklin  Dearbeak 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

THOMAS  JENNER,          ) 
V.  D.  COHEE,  I  Judges 

JOHN  CUNNINGHAM,  ) 

HIRAM  HOWE,  )  ni    -, 

J,  W.  FOUM    f  Clerks' 


800  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Ch  arles  Robin  son 6 

W.  Y.  Roberts 11 

Lieutenant  governor M.  J.  Parrott 11 

W.  Y.  Roberts 6 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler 6 

C.  K.  Holliday 11 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 6 

W.  R.  Griffith 11 

Treasurer J.  A.  Waken"  eld 7 

E.  C.  R.  Garey 9 

P.  C.  Scuyler.'. 1  I 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 17  . 

Supreme  judge S.  N.  Latta 10 

G.  W.  Smith Ill 

L.  W.  Johnson 11' 

M.  Hunt ft 

M.  F.  Conway 6 

J.  A.Wakefield 6.- 

Reporter  to  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 6 

S.  B.  McKensie 11 

Clerk  to  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd , 17 

Public  printer John  Speer 6* 

R.  G.  Elliott 11 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay 17 

State  senator Thomas  Jenner 18 

State  representative V.  D.Cohee 18 

Hiram  House 18 

Tallies  complete. 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

THOMAS  JKNNEB,        ) 
V.  D.  COHEE,  [Judges. 

JOHN  CUNNINGHAM,  ) 

HIRAM  HOWE, 

J.  W.  FOUTS, 


NINTH  DISTRICT — Slough  Creek  Precinct. 
Poll-book, 

1  Hugh  McGepee  8  John  Beech er 

2  Andrew  Francis  9  James  Powell 

3  James  C.  Ward  10  James  Noble 

4  Robert  Ward  11  Shobal  J.  Ellis 

5  Jacob  R.  Smith  12  Wm    Owen 

6  Aaron  Smith  13  John  A.  Peters 

7  Charles  Rice  14  Alexander  McDowall,  sr. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 


certificate  Is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JACOB  R.  SMITH,  ) 
ROBERT  WARD,     V  Judges. 
J,  A.  PETERS,         ) 
J.  FRANCIS,  ?  /™    T. 
JAMES  CL  WARD,        |  Uer/CS° 


Tally-list, 

Governor .„,.. W.  Y.  Roberts U 

Lieutenant  governor ..M.   J.  Parrott 14 

Secretary  of  state C.  K.   Holliday 14 

Auditor W.R.Griffith 14 

Creasurer — ...E.  C.  R  Garvey 14 

Attorney  general. -. H.  Miles  Moore 14 

Supreme  judge G.  W.  Smith  ...  14 

L.  W.  Johnston 14 

8.  N.  Latta 4 

J.  A.Wakefield 10 

Reporter  to  supreme  court „ S.  B.  McKenzie... 14 

ylerik  to  supreme  court.. L.  B,  Floyd.. ,.  14 

5ublic  printer R.  G.  Elliot* 14 

lepresentative  to  Congress M.  W.  Dt-lahay 14 

>tate  senator.., „ Thomas  Jenner 13 

>a$e  representative Vincent  D.  Cohee 13 

Hiram  House „..,,  12 

Tally-list  complete. 

;  Certificate  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

JACoB  R    SMITH,  ) 
ROBERT  WARD,     \Judges. 
J,  A,  PETERS,         ) 

;  ANDREW  J.  FRANCIS,  3  ™    » 

\  JAMES  C,  WARD,        ) 


DISTRICT — Grasshopper  Palls 
Pott-list. 

1  John  Weave?  10  Wm.  Catt 

2  G.  S.  Hillyer  11  Wm.  A.  Godwin 

3  Michael  Hasley  12  Martin  Vandenburgk 

4  L.  Northink    '  13  Jacob  Fisher 
o  Ren  Wiser  14   Henry  Lewn 
6  S.  H.  Dunn  15  Jacob  Weber 

T  Wm,  Grigsby  16  Alexander  Hughaa 

8  John  W.  Clark  17  John  Hughan 

9  T.  H,  Elliott  18  W.  A.  Cowan 
H.  Rep.  200 51* 


802  KANSAS    AFFAIRS, 

19  Sidney  Scanland  33  John  Roberts 

20  Atkinson  Martin  34  J.  H.  Cowan 

21  Samuel  Johnson  35  Henry  Bowles 

22  Perry  Moss-  36  James  Frazier 

23  Daniel  Kunkles  37  Wm.  Bowles 

24  Epraham  Lowman  38  John  Roderick 

25  Abel  Ott  39  Saml.  L.  Smith 

26  John  Wideman  40  Chalmers  Scott 

2*7  France  Amen  41  John  H.  McCenny 

28  John  Elliott  42  S.  W.  Owen 

29  Isaac  Cody  43  J.  Sills 

30  John  Short  44  Daniel  A.  Wilby 

31  P.  J.  Pvedwick  45  Adam  Wiser 

32  John  Earnst 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

JOHN  W    CLARK,  ) 
T.  H.  ELLIOTT,       }  Judges, 
JAMES  FRAZER,     } 

ATKINSON  MARTIN. 

W.  A,  COWAN, 


Tally -list, 

Governor „ Charles  Robinson , 44 ! 

W.  Y.  Roberts 1 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 44 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler , 49! 

Auditor ,. ; G-.  A.  Cutler 49 1 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield., 451 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 43) 

Supreme  judge v. S.  N.  Latta 

M.  F.  Conway 

M.  Hunt 

Reporter  of  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 4fl[ 

Clerk  of  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 48, 

Public  printer John  Speer ., 4f1 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay 4(4j 

State  senator George  S.  Hillyer 

John  W.  Clark 

State  representative William  Hicks 4«M 

William  B.  Wade •  4! 

Tally-list  complete. 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled1,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JOHN  W.  CLARK,  / 

T.  H,  ELLIOTT,       V  Judge* 

JAMES  FRAZER,     ) 

ATKINSON  MARTIN,  ?  /7/    T. 

W.  S.  COWAN,        J  Lierlcs' 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  803 

NINTH  DISTRICT — Pleasant  Hill  Precinct. 
Poll-list. 

1  Asbery  Kessler  24  David  Eansier 

2  Jacob  Brown  25  Samuel  Brown 

3  Charles  Buzbee  £6  Joseph  Nichols 

4  Leonard  Buzbee  27  Henry  Ransier 

5  Lewis  Hoover  28  William  Nichols 

6  William  Hicks  29  Hugh  Nichols 

7  Richard  S.  Bunke  30  W.  B.  Wade 

8  Nathan  Adam  31   Byron  Stewart 

9  G-.  B.  Hall  32  Francis  Jinks 

10  Lewis  Remiathe  33  T.  L.  Pooler 

11  John  Remiathe  34  James  Dempsey 

12  John  Bucbee  35   Francis  Clay  well 

13  Wm.  Carpenter  36  David  Trip 

14  Nathan  Cory  37  Jesse  W.  Attleberry 

15  Zebulon  Buzbee  38  John  Rippeton 

16  Henry  Hovener  39  Philip  Kessler 

17  Nathan  Griffith  40  James  Ransier 

18  Aaron  Cook  41  Franklin  Elijah 

19  John  Brown  42  James  Stephenson 

20  William  C.  Walker  43  William  Duck 

21  Jesse  F.  Collins  44  Matthew  Robinson 

22  James  Griffiths  45  William  Tillason 

23  E.  Bainter 

The  certificate  is  properly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

G.  B.  HALL,  ) 

LEWIS  HOOVER,    V  Judges. 
NATHAN  ADAMS,  ) 

RICHARD  S.  BUNKER,  Cleric. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 42 

W.  Y.  Roberts 2 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 43 

M.  J.  Parrot 2 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler 43 

C.  H.  Holladay 2 

Auditor a.  A.  Cutler 43 

W.  R.  Griffith 2 

Treasurer j.  A.  Wakefield 43 

E.  C.  K.  Garvey 2 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 45 

Supreme  judge S.  N.  Latta 43 


801  KANSAS   AFFAIRS 

M.  F.  Conway 43 

M.  Hunt 43 

G.  W.  Smith 2 

L.  W.  Johnson 2 

J.  A.  Wakefield 2 

Keporter  of  supreme  court ,, E.  M.  Thurston 43 

S.  B.  McKenzie 2 

Clerk  of  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 45 

Public  printer .....J.  Speer 43 

K.  G.  Elliott 2 

Eepresentative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delahay 44  ! 

State  senator G.  S.  Hylier 45 

State  representative Wm.  Hicks 45  i 

Wm.  B.  Wade 441 

Tally-list  complete. 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  except  that  E.  G.  Elliott  received il 
two  votes  which  are  omitted,  and  signed  as  follows : 

G.  B.  HALL,  > 

NATHAN  ADAMS,  V  Judges. 
LEWIS  HOOVEE,    ) 

EICHARD  S.  BUNKER,  >  ni    , 

NATHAN  CORY,  J  °  Lerlis* 


NINTH  DISTRICT — Nardville  Precinct, 
Poll-list. 

1  S.  G.  Hull  4  John  W.  Sperhack 

2  Joseph  Hayne  5  Calentine  Newell 

3  John  H.  Newell  6  James  H.  Ross 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

V.  F.  NEWELL,  ) 

JOHN  W.  SPEEBACK,  V  Judges. 
JOHN  H.  NEWELL,      ) 

JAMES  H.  Eoss,  Clerk, 


Tally-list. 

Governor  , Wm.  Y.  Eoherts, 

Lieutenant  governor Wm.  J.  Parrott., 

Secretary  of  state ...C.  H.  Holliday... 

Auditor W.  E.  Griffith..., 

Treasurer E.  C.  E.  Garvey. 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore... 

Supreme  judge... —  ....* Geo.  W.  Smith... 

S.  W.  Johnson... 

S.  N.  Latta... 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  805 

Reporter  supreme  court S.  B.  McKensie 6 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 6 

Public  printer B.  G.  Elliott 6 

Bepresentative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay 6 

State  senator Thomas  Jenner 6 

State  representative ..Vincent  D.  Cohee 6 

Hiram  Hanse 6 

Tally-list  complete. 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

P.  F.  NEWELL,  ) 

JOHN  H.  SPEBBBAK,   V  Judges. 
JOHN  H.  NEWELL,     ) 
JAMES  H.  Boss,  Clerk. 


NINTH  DISTRICT — Helena  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  W.  D.  Barrett  T  H.  N.  Biley 

2  T.  K.  Phillip  8  Charles  Wilson 

3  Wilson  Alby  9  B.  F.  Sheuris 

4  D.  C.  Dysert  10  A.  B.  Anderson 

5  John  Brown  11  Jacob  Bees. 

6  A.  D.  Simmons 


Tally-list. 

Governo^ C.  Bobinson 11 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.   Boberts 11 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler Il 

Treasurer J.  A.   Wakefield 11 

Judge  of  supreme  court S.  N.  Latta 11 

M.  T.  Conway 11 

M.  Hunt 11 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 11 

Auditor „..;&.  A.  Cutler 11 

Public  printer John  Speer 11 

Clerk  supreme  court S.   B.  Floyd 11 

Beporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 11 

Bepresentative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay 11 

There  is  bat  one  certificate  for  the  poll-book  and  tally-list,  which 
merely  certifies  the  returns  are  correct. 


806  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

NINTH  DISTRICT — Crooked  Creek  Precinct. 
Poll-look. 

1  Richard  Hull  6  Anthony  Hass 

2  Simpson  Conner  7  Mathias  Carriger 

3  Simeon  Hill  8  Henry  Hendenhall 

4  G.  T.  Donaldson  9  John  Waddle 

5  Alpha  Simmons  10  F.  A.  Crobarger. 

Certificate  not  filled. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 10  J 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.   Roberts 10' 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Scuyler 10 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 10 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 10  > 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 10i> 

Supreme  judge S.  M.  Latta 10i» 

M.  F.  Conway 10u 

M.  Hunt 1001 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston -. 10i 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 10«| 

Public  printer John  Speer 10'j 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Ddahay 10<l 

State  senator G.  Hilliar ,  10'j 

State  representative William  Hicks ...  10> 

William  B.  Wade 10< 

Tally-list  complete. 

The  certificate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows : 

SIMEON  HULL,        ) 
G.  J.  DOAALDSON,  }  Judges. 
ALPHA  SIMMONS,  ) 
JOHN  YOCUM,  > 

HENRY  HENDENHALL,    J 


TENTH  DISTRICT — St.  Joseph's  Bottom. 
Poll-book. 

1  Duvet  Grover  T  Peter  Gerarly 

2  Samuel  Siler  8  Matthew  Isles 

3  James  M.  Groom  9  Eugene  Vagil 

4  Absalom  Grooms  10  James  M.  Gotten 

5  Richard  Henly  11  John  M.  Curtis 

6  Adam  Leven  12  Enoch  Bartlett 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


807 


13  Sam  Shelton 

14  James  Kendell 

15  James  Curtis 

16  William  Keaten 

17  John  T.  Broicly 

18  William  O.  Duly 

19  Charles  Richter 

20  George  Alexander 

21  Philip  Kleppel 

22  E.  S.  Weaver 

23  William  High 

24  J.  D.  Hyper 

25  J.  F.  Lambert 

26  J.  W,  Privett 

27  James  Lavens 

28  Elihu  Reno 

29  James  Campbell 

30  John  Rhodes 

31  Tapley  Ralph 


32  William  Newman 

33  E.  S.  Dans 

34  Florean  Leber 

35  Thomas  Stewerd 

36  D.  Largler 

37  S.  V.  Jamison 

38  George  Bryan 

39  Henderson  Smallwood 

40  B.  Harding 

41  Charles  Stewart 

42  John  Tretman 

43  Charles  Acres 

44  JamesvO.  Riiey 

45  Asbery  Eraser 

46  Walter  Smith 

47  Lewis  Bellman 

48  A.  A.  Jameson 

49  W.  A.  Howard 

50  kelson  Abbey, 


Certificate  correct. 

A.  LARZELERE, 
HENDERSON  SMALLWOOD. 
GEO.  H.  BRYAN, 

A.  LAEZELERE,   )  m    -, 
S.  V.  JAMESON,  \  Ckrks- 


Judges. 


Tody  list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 49 

W.Y.Roberts 1 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 49 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 50 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 49 

J.  K.  Goodin 1 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 50 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 50 

Supreme  court  judges M.  F.  Conway 50 

M.  Hunt 50 

S.  N.  Latta 50 

Reporter  supreme  court C.  W.  Thurston 50 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 50 

Public  printer John  Speer 50 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delahay 50 

State  senator B.  Harding 49 

J.  M.  Erwin 50 

State  representative John  Landis 50 

B.  B.  Martin 50 

A.  A.  Jamerson...  49 


80$  KANSAS   AFFAIRS 

B.  Brock .„. 50 

S.  R.   Baldwin 50 

John  Handy 50 

Tally-list  complete.  Certificate  correct,  except  that  the  name  oi 
S.  B.  Floyd  is  put  for  E.  M.  Thurston  as  candidate  for  reporter  tc 
supreme  court ;  and  E.  M,  Thurston  for  that  of  S.  B.  Floyd  as  candi-i 
date  for  clerk  of  supreme  court.  kSi^ned  as  follows  : 

'  A.  LARZELERE,  > 

HENDERSON  SMALLWOOD,  V  Judges* 
GEO.  H.  BRYAN,  > 

A.  LARZELERE, 
S,  V.  JAMESON, 


TENTH  DISTRICT — California;. 
Certificate. 
KANSAS  TERRITORY,  January  15,  1856. 

The  eighteenth  election  district  was  held  at  the  house  of    W.  W' 
Moore,  for  the  following  officers  for  Kansas  Territory,  namely: 

Governor , W.  Y.  Roberts 32 

Lieutenant  governor Charles  Robinson 3 

Secretary  of  state ,. General  Wakefield., 31 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler • 

Congress ...M.  W.  Delehay 3 

Attorney  general H.  M.Moore 3 

Judges Latta,  Conway,  and  Hunt 3 

State  printer John  Speer 31 

Reporter  supreme  court ....E.  Thouston 31 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 3J 

Senators James  M.  Irvin 31 

B.  Hardin 3 

The  legislators  of  this  district Eli  Williams 1 

J.  W.  Gorman 1 

We,  the  undersigned,  judges  of  election,  do  certify  that  this  is 
true  statement  of  the  votes  polred  at  this  district. 

IL  H.  BLUE,  } 

HIRAM  BURGAR,      }  Judges. 
THOMAS  NEWTON,  } 
G.  W.  CHASE,    )  n    , 
H.  H.  LANHAN,  }  C 

TENTH  DISTRICT — Jesse  Padon's  Precinct, 
Poll-book. 

1  John  Hackman  4  C.  Husband 

2  P.  Wise  5  David  McCali 

3  Henry  Smith  6  John  Reeder 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  809 

7  George  Winkles  20  Thomas  J.  Drumming 

8  Wm.  Purhel  21   Jacob  In glehart 

9  E.  W.  Short  22  J.  W.  Welhart 

10  Isaac  Hamby  23  Simon  Bridges 

11  J.  Padon  •  24  Jacoh  Spar 

12  Solomon  McCall  25  Kudolph  Zimmerman 
J3  John  Poe  26  Henry  Hurer 

14  John  Schmith  27  Marcellus  Lawins 

15  F.  T  Rohins  28  Amasa'Owins 

16  Benjamin  Winkles  29  John  Roach 

17  Clifton  Jen  try  30  William  Riley 

18  Thomas  Strange  31  William  Smith 

19  E.  Painter 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

ISAAC  T.  HAMBY,      ) 
JESSE  PADON,  V  Judges. 

SOLOMON  McCALL,    ) 

B.  WINKLES,  )  n    , 

E.  PAINTER,   J  Uer/cs' 


Tally-list. 

| 

Governor Charles  Rohinson 27 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 27 

Secretary  of  state..!... P.  C.  Schuyler 27 

Auditor Gr.  A.  Cutfer 27 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 27 

Attorney  general ....H.  Miles  Moore 27 

Supreme  judges S.  M.  Latta 27 

*M.  F.  Conway 27 

M.  Hunt 27 

;  Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 27 

Clerk  supreme  court J.  B.  Floyd .,  27 

Public  printer John  Speer 27 

Representative  to  Congress .Mark  W.  Delahay „  27 

State  senator J.  Irvin 30 

B.  Harden 27 

State  representative William  Purket 29 

^  Certificate  correct.     Tally-list  has  the  name  of  S.  M.  Latta ;  cer- 
tificate S.  N.,  the  name  of  the  candidate. 

ISAAC  L.  HAMBY,     ) 
SOLOMON  McCALL,  [  Judges. 
JESSE  PADON,          ) 

B.  WINKLES,  ) ,  r7    7 

E.  PAINTER,   j   JlerJcs' 


810  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

TENTH  DISTRICT—  Iowa  Point. 
Poll-look. 

1  Wm.  K.  Wilson  20  George  Davis 

2  Samuel  Wilson  21  William  Beattie 

3  John  Means  22  Andrew  Moore 

4  Patrick  McKee  23  Thomas  Rains 

5  S.  K.  Thompson  24  John  S.  Bradly 

6  W.  G.  Wells  25  P.  S.  Wilmouth 

7  Wilson  Smith  26  Harrison  Baker 

8  Aaron  Lewis  27  R.  H.  Terry 

9  Samuel  Earls  28  A.  K.  Wentworth 

10  Norman  Turner  29  Henry  Parker 

11  John  S.  Gamble  30  Edward  H.  Burbants 

12  Peter  Goode  31  W.  McGuire 

13  Jacob  Schmidt  32  John  Edson 

14  William  Ellis  33  William  McAfee 

15  M.  W.  Foster  34  D.  S.  Chandler 

16  Robert  Johnson  35  Matthew  Young 

17  Andrew  Stevens  .       36  Patrick  0' Brian 

18  S.  K.  Kirkman  37  M.  Raleigh 

19  Wilson  Shoop  38  Marion  Jones 

Certificate  correct  in  substance,  though  not  in  form,  and  signed  ai 
follows : 

his  } 

HENRY  +  PARKER,  | 

mark  }•  Judges. 

M.  YOUNG, 
JOHN  EDSON, 
WM.  R.  WILSON, 
H.  G.  WELLS, 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 3.j 

Secretary  of  state  P.  C.  Schuyler 3!| 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 

Judges  supreme  court S.  N.  Latta 3^ 

M.  F.  Conway 3 

M.  Hunt 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 3i| 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 

State  printer ......John  Speer 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B .  Floyd 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delehay 

State  senate B.  Harding 3| 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  81 

J.  Irvin 38 

Hate  representative —  Purket 38 

Tally-list  complete. 

Certificate  correct  attached  to  the  poll-list. 


TENTH  DISTRICT — Palermo. 
Poll-book. 

1  B.  K.  Martin  15  William  Briten 

2  George  Kincade  16  William  Mikels 

3  William  Wilmeth  17  T.  M.  Lemison 

4  Samuel  Anderson  18  William  Leforgey 

5  William  Gaines  19  Benj.  Sprouse 

6  James  Morrisey  20  Nathan  White 

7  Ezra  Round  .  21  J.  T.  Smith 

8  John  D   White  22  Mathew  Elliott 

9  J.  J.  Anderson  23  Samuel  J.  McAmey 

10  William  Chapman  24  Gabriel  Gerard 

11  Joseph  Crote  25  Robert  Myers 

12  Louis  Tay  26  John  Hays 

13  W.  Stelwell  27  L.  S.  Meeker 

14  Nicolas  Holms  28  John  Jones. 

Certificate  defective  in  not  stating  the  number  of  votes  ;  otherwise 
jood.     Signed  as  follows  : 

J.  D.  WHITE,          ) 

J.  J   ANDERSON,    V  Judges. 

NATHAN  WHITE,  ) 

JOHN  HAYS, 

EZRA  ROUND, 


Tally-list. 

J-overnor Charles  Robinson 28 

jieutenant  governor, W.  Y.  Roberts .*...  28 

ecretary  of  state P.  Schuyler 28 

Uiditor G.  A.  Cutler 28 

treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 28 

Lttorney  general H.  Miles  Moore :  '28 

upreme  judges S.  N.  Latta 28 

M.  F.  Conway 28 

M.  Hunt 28 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 28 

Jlerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 28 

'ublic  printer John  Speer 28 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.   Delehay 28 

tate  senator Jas.  M.  Irvin..       28 


812  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

B.  Harding 2 

State  representatives B.  R.  Martin 2 

A.  A.  Jamison 2 

John  Landes 2 

B.  Brock 2 

S.  R.  Baldwin 2 

John  Hanly ; 2 

Tallies  complete.  Certificate  correct,  except  that  it  omits  to  statf 
the  votes  received  by  S.  N.  Latta,  M.  F.  Conway,  and  M.  Hunt,  fol 
judges  of  the  supreme  court ;  and  John  Hanly,  in  the  tally-list,  i 
called  John  Hamby  in  the  certificate.  Sigced  as  follows: 

J.  D.WHITE,  ) 

J.  J.  ANDERSON,          }  Judges.  . 
NATHAN  D.  WHITE,  S 


JOHN  HAYS,    ]  rlerk. 
EZRA  ROUND,  J  Cier/cs' 


TENTH  DISTRICT —  Wolf  River. 
Poll-book. 

1  E.  P.  Richardson  19  Joseph  Math  ess 

2  W.  M.  Doolittle  20  Jacob  Girwell 

3  Henry  Ulch  21  Chester  Sea.l 

4  James  Lovine  22  J.  Hoboy 

5  Syrus  Baldwin  23  Frederick  Dickerson 

6  Isaac  French  24  James  Mathess 

7  E.  F.  Andrews  25  Alfred  Stout 

8  J.  A.  Johnson  26  George  Gooth 

9  A.  J.  Manier  27  J.  M.  Rice 

10  John  S.  Beeler  28   Francis  Purket 

11  Isaac  Perkins  29  J.  H.  Jolly 

12  S.  R.  Baldwin  30  Thomas  Fichew  * 

13  Robert  H.  McAlpin  31  Wm.  D.  Beeler 

14  Alexander  Loe  32  Geo.  W.  Smith 
1£>  G   B.  Spinning  33  James  Glenn 

16  James  Gerwell  34  B.  F.  Lilley 

17  Nathan  Springer  35  W.  H.  Baylis 

18  Bolivar  Beeler  36  Elisha  Bowen 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows : 

ISAAC  PERKINS,       ) 
JOHN  S.   BEELER,     V  Judges. 
JOHN  A.  JOHNSON, 

ISAAC  PERKINS, 

E.  F.  ANDREWS, 


!>  1 

re,  J 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  813 

Tally  Certificate. 

The  tally-list  is  not  made  out.     The  certificate  is  filled  as  follows  : 

We,  the  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify,  upon  our 
,aths,  that  for  governor,  Charles  Robinson  had  36  votes  ;  that  for 
ieutenant  governor,  W.  Y.  Roberts  had  36  votes  ;  and  that  for 
ecretary  of  state,  P.  C.  Schuyler  had  36  votes  ;  that  for  auditor, 
p.  A.  Cutler  had  36  votes  ;  that  for  treasurer,  J.  A.  Wakefield  had 
|6  votes  ;  that  for  attorney  general,  H.  Miles  Moore  had  36  votes  ; 
hat  for  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  S.  N.  Latta,  M.  T.  Conway,  M. 
lunt,  had  36  votes ;  that  for  reporter  of  the  supreme  court,  E.  M. 
^hurston  had  36  votes  ;  that  for  clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  S.  B. 
Qoyd  had  36  votes  ;  that  for  public  printer,  John  Speer  had  36  votes  ; 
hat  for  representative  in  Congress,  Mark  W.  Delahay  had  36  votes  ; 
hat  for  State  senator,  B.'  Harding  had  36  votes  ;  J.  M.  Ervine  had 
;5  votes  ;  that  for  the  house  of  representatives,  Wm.  Baylis  had  36 
•otes,  &c.,  as  in  the  printed  form.  Signed  as  follows : 

ISAAC  PERKINS,        ) 
JOHN  A.  JOHNSON,  }  Judges. 
JOHN  S.  BEELER,      ) 


ISAAC  PERKINS,     )  m    ^ 
E.  F.  AKDRE^S,  {  Clerk*. 


TENTH  DISTRICT — Doniphan. 

Poll-book. 

1  Alexander  Vineyard  17  Thomas  Best 

2  G.  A.  Cutler  18  Wm.  P.  Irwin 

3  Thomas  S.  Collins  19  Wm.  Pochges 

4  B.  G.  Cady  20  Quincey  Bell 

5  Lyman  Oaks  21  Luther  Dickerson 

6  James  W.  Collins  22  Wm,  Stephenson 

7  Lyman  W.  Oaks  23  Landon  Transon 

8  George  Wright  24  A.  Dunn 

9  Peter  Gary  26  Taster  Tastenson 

10  Theron  Hacker  26  B.  R.  Wilwar 

11  John  Landis  >    27  Norman  Alexander 

12  W.  Davis  28  Thomas  Cook 

13  Wm.  Lancaster  29  George  Kleesholder 

14  John  McKee  30  William  Hall  lf  • 

15  John  McNemee  31  John  H.  Whitaker 

16  D.  W.  Field  32  0.  E.  Socks 

Certificate  correct,  signed  as.  follows  : 

T.  J.  COLLINS,  ) 

WM.  P.  IRWIN,  >  Judges. 

WM.  A.  LANCASTER,  ) 

THERAN  TUCKER. 

JOHNMCKEE, 


814  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 3!l 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.Roberts 311 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler •.  33 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 31 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 3!J 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 31 

Supreme  judge M.  F.  Conway 3! 

M.  Hunt 31 

S.  N.  Latta 31 

Reporter  to  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 3| 

Clerk  to  supreme  court S.  B.Floyd 3 

Public  printer John  Speer 3| 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delebay 3 

State  senator James  M.  Irvine 3| 

B.  Harding 

State  representative , John  Lundis 2j 

B.  R.  Martin 2j 

B.  Brock 2j 

A.  A.  Jamieson 2! 

Tally-list  complete  ;  certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

T.  J.  COLLINS,  ) 

WM.  P.  IRWIN,  }  Judges. 

WM.  A.  LANCASTER, 

THERON  TUCKER, 

JOHN  McKEE, 


TENTH  DISTRICT — Burr  Oak. 

Poll-look. 

1  Daniel  Bowman  13  J.  W.  More 

2  Valentine  Gunselman  14  Steven  Presson 

3  John  Meaky  15  Patrick  Tindal 

4  B.  H.  Brock  16  Abs.  Shults 

5  J.  P.  Harper  17  Thomas  Bell 

6  John  Hack  18  Amos  P.  Young 

7  Ch.  Hack  19  Mathew  Ward 

8  C.  H.  Rogers  20.  J.  M.  Hartman 

9  John  Lovel  21   Henry  Gocke 

10  Sol.  Calvin  22  John^Lieb 

11  Wm.  B.  Sharp  23  Godfrey  Gummig 

12  Henry  Wilson  24  Thomas  McUllock 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

HKNRY  WILSON,  ) 

JOHN  LOVEL,  \  Judges, 

CHARLES  H.  ROGERS,   ) 

WITLIAM  B.  SHARP,  ) 

SOLOMON  CALVIN,       ) 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  815 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson * 24 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 24 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuylef 24 

Auditor G.  A.   Cutler 24 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 24 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 24 

Supreme  jud^e S.  N.  Latta 24 

M.  F.  Conway 24 

M.  Hunt 24 

Reporter  to  supreme  court.* E.  M.  Thurston... 24 

Clerk  to  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 24 

Public  printer Jobn  Speer 24 

Representative  to  Congress MarkW.  Delehay 24 

State  senator James  M.  Irvin 24 

B.'  Harding 24 

State  representative B.  H.  Brock 24 

B.  R.  Martin 24 

A.  A.  Jamerson 24 

S.  R   Balwin 24 

J.  Hamby 24 

Jobn  Landis 24 

Tally-list  complete  ;  certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

HENRY  WILSON,  ) 

JOHN  LOVEL,  \  Judges. 

CHARLES  H.  ROGERS,    ) 

WM.  B.  SHARP,    )  m    , 
;    SOLOMON  CALVIN,  \  Glerks' 


ELEVENTH  DISTRICT — Mount  Pleasant  Precinct. 
Poll-book. 

1  Josepb  Potter  13  Jobn'S.  Quinett 

2  Hiram  Quinett  14  J.  M.  Edings 

3  J.  W.  Evans  15  W.  C.  Quinett 

4  Geo.  Harman  16  J.  H.  Campbell 

5  J.  B.  Laird  17  Wm.  Pebler 

6  A.  W.  Prabler  18  Ben  Pay 

7  Jobn  Harman  19  James  McManama 

8  Thomas  S.  Henson  20  P.  McNamama 

9  A.  S.  Speak  21  Archibald  McNamama 

10  D.  E.  Jones  22  J.  L.  Jones 

11  A.  J.  Cox  23  J.  C.  Redgeway 

12  B.  F.  Edwards  24  Henry  Clime 


816  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

25  H.  C.  Jones  35  Wm.  Martin 

26  G.  Bladget  36  John  Miller 

27  W.  H.  Nichols  37  John  Strain 

28  E.  P.  Zimmerman  38  Joel  Martin 

29  J.  Robinson  39  A.  T.  Musser 

30  H.  R.  Gale  ,mf  40  James  Hesman 

31  M.  Wilkins  41  C.  Senbough 

32  E.  Skerilaugh  42  M.  Greenbough 

33  J.  W.  Stephens  43  Wm.  Martin 

34  T.  M.  Potter  44  M.  Berry 

Certificate  properly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

W.  MARTIN,        ) 

T.  M.  POTTER,    V  Judges 

JOHN  MILLER, 

JOHN  STRAIN, 

J.  T.  MASSER, 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 4V 

W.  Y.  Roberts 

Lieutenant  governor... W.  Y.  Roberts 4fc 

M.  J.  Parrott ] 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 4£ 

C.  K.  Holliday 

Auditor S.  A.  Cutler 42 

W.  R.  Griffith 1 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 4£ 

E.  C.  K.  Garvey 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 4,-; 

Supreme  judge S.  N.  Latta 41 

Geo.  W.  Smith 

M.  F.  Conway 45i 

S.  W.  Johnson 

M.  Hunt 

J.  A.  Wakefield 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  IV1.  Thurston 451 

S.  B.  McKenzie 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd , 4;- 

State  printer John  Speer • 4* 

R.  G.Elliot 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay ... 

State  senator D.  E.  Jones I 

J.  F.  Hathway |! 

State  representative John  D.  Jones 

E.  R.  Zimmerman 4!j 

J.  W.  Stevens 

W.  T.  Barnett 4!< 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS,  817 

Luther  Knox 35 

J.C.  Ridgeway 20 

Wm.  Crosbey 34 

Tally-list  complete. 

Certificate  properly  illed7  and  signed  as  follows  : 

W.  MARTIN,       ) 

F.   M.  POTTER,  V  Judges. 

JOHN  MILLER,  ) 

JOBN  STRAIN,  )  ™    v. 

Y  m      i»  ic  f    v  vo/  A/O  , 

JOSEPH  T.  MUSSER,  ) 


DISTRICT — Monticello  Prtdnck. 
Poll-book. 

1  David  Haley  19  Johnson  Myers 

2  W.  L.  Johnson  20  J.  K.  Qobbte      • 

3  John  Fulk,  jr.  21  Samson  Gobble 

4  M.  Kidlaid  22  N.  P.  Stearnes 

5  A.  K.  Fulk  23  R.  R.  Clark 
<6  John  House  24  S.  P.  Smith 

7  M.  L.  Crittenden  25  H.  Atkins 

8  J.  P.  Mooney  26  J.  Anderson 

9  John  Fulk,  sr.  27  J.  D.  Caldwell 

10  Amon  €.  Savage  28  W.  Butler 

11  T.  L.  Crane  29  H.  F«lk 

12  Charles  Richardson  30  A.  C.  Brown 

13  John  F.  Woodward  31  J.  H.  Perry 

14  Charles  C.  Johason  32  E.  Knox 

15  J.  M.  Vance  33  P.  Woodward 

16  Spartan  Ray  34  John  Smith 

17  J.  K.  Lawranoe  35  A.  C.  Joaes 

18  T.  R.  Martin 

ertificate  -correctly  fifed,  and  signed  as  follows .: 

JOHN  HOUSE,  ) 

DAVID  HELEY,  >  Judges. 

WILLIAM  L,  JOHNSON,  ) 


\ 


Tolly-llsL 

ovemor. ,..,., ™ ,. Charles  Robinson ;v«,r*»rt 

W.  Y.  Roberts 33 

.ieutenant  governor , W.  Y.  Roberts -.<•  3 

M,  J.  Parrott 23 

Secretary  of  state P,  C,  Scuyler »,  32 

H,  Rep.  200 52* 


818  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

C.  K.  Holliday 

Auditor G.  A.  Cutler l 

W.  R.  Griffith 3^ 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield „..  [ 

E.  C.  R.  Garvey & 

Attorney  general....* H.  Miles  Moore 3 

Supreme  judge 8.  N".  Latta < 

G.  W.  Smith 3S 

M.  F.  Conway { 

S.  W.  Johnson £ 

M.  Hunt 

J.  A.  Wakefield 

Reporter  to  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston ', 

S.  B.  McKenzie 3 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 3 

Public  printer John  Speer , 

R.  G.  Elliott 3. 

Representative  to  Congress M.  W.  Delahay 3 

State  senator D.  E.  Jones 3 

J.  F.  Hathaway  

State  representatives John  D.  Jones * 2 

E.  K.  Zimmerman 3 

John  W.  Stephens 3 

Wm.  Crosby 3 

Wm.  T.  Barnet 2 

A.  C.  Ridgeway 

Tallies  complete. 

The  certifiate  is  correctly  filled,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

JOHN  HOUSE,       ) 
DAYID  HELEY,    }  Judges. 
W.  L.  JOHNSON,  ) 

JOHN  FULK, 

CHAS.  RICHARDSON, 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT —  Wyandott. 
Poll-look. 

1  John  H.  Davis  11  George  Spy  buck 

2  Jacob  Heck  12  Russia  Choplog 

3  John  Lewis  13  Isaac  P.  Driver 

4  William  Jonsin  14  George  Whitewicg  * 

5  John  Batuist  15  Jacob  Whitewing 

6  John  Solomon  16  Aaron  Ellar 

7  James  Armstrong  17  Jacob  Ulrick 

8  Smith  Nicholas  18  William  Ruffe 

9  Samuel  Bigringer  19  John  Brumback 

10  Math.  Mudeater  20  Stephen  F.  Henderson 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  819 

21  C.  D.  Henderson  29  Eobert  Eobertaille 

22  Isaac  B.  Hoover  30  Matthew  Splitlog 

23  Ebenezer  Zane  31  Isaac  Zane 

24  Benjamin  Ulrich  32  Jacob  Byers 

25  Henry  S.  Messinhimer  33  Abalard  Guthrie 

26  David  Longneker  34  E.  M.  Ainsworth 

27  Daniel  Holsinger  35  Etban  Bigarms 

28  Squire  Grayeyes 


Tally-list. 

Governor A.  H.  Eeeder 1 

Charles  Eobinson 1 

W.  Y.  Eoberts 1 

jieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Eoberts 34 

iecretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 35 

editor G.  A.  Cutler 35 

"reasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 35 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 35 

Supreme  judge , S.  N.  Latta 35 

M.  F.  Conway 35 

M.  Hunt 35 

Reporter  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 35 

•lerk  supreme  court J.  B.  Floyd 35 

'ublic  printer John  Speer 35 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delehay 1 

Me  senator J.  H.  Dennis 35 

J.  C.   Green 35 

Jacob  Ulrich 33 

itate  representative Jacob  Byer 34 

M.  Mudeater 35 

E.  P.  Brown 35 

James  Todd 35 

J.  K.  Edsill 35 

E.  M.  Ainsworth S2 

William  Pennock 35 

Isaac  Cody 35 

F.  G.  Byrd ; 35 

Tally-list  complete. 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

ABELAED  GUTHEIE,       > 
MATTHIAS  SPLITLOGS,  }  Jvdges. 
JOHN  LEWIS,  ) 

DANIEL  HOLSINGEK,  )  n    , 
JOHN  BRUMBACK,       ]  ote  ff1 


820 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT — Leavenworth. 


Poll-look. 


1  J.  K.  Elsard 

2  Wm.  H.  Hipsley 

3  G.  Gosling 

4  H.  M.  Hook 

5  Win.  Morgan 

6  B.  Jennings 

7  F.  Silkman 

8  John  C.  Gorman 

9  A.  Stewart 

10  J.  H.  Doyle 

11  S.  J.  Anthony 

12  K.  B.  Eoberts 

13  George  Kussell 

14  G.  M.  Fisher 

15  A.  F.  Kile 

16  N.  Sage 

17  J.  D.  Eoss 

18  G.  W.  Gordran 

19  W.  Wakefield 

20  C.  F.  Cumer 

21  W.  Cornman 

22  C.  Bennett 

23  S.  P.  Patte 

24  F.  Quentet 

25  W.  Asher 

26  H.  C.  Fields 

27  J.  S.  Wheatly 

28  C.  Zidus 

29  H.  M.  Moore 

30  C.  H.  Pearce 

31  Paul  Kohr 

32  T.  C.  McKee 

33  Noah  Savertdn 

34  A.  C.  Gates 

35  W.  T.  Marvin 

36  T.  Luce 

37  John  T.  Luce 

38  B.  Luce 

39  Charles  P.  Wiggins 

40  Dr.  S.  Norten 

41  M.  Norten 

42  C.  Harris 

43  A.  Fisher 

44  N.  McCracken 

45  J.  Howell 

46  W.  H.  llhods 


47  W.  Wallace 

48  J.  T.  Wallace 

49  J.  E.  Wallace 

50  John  Fisher 

51  A.  Deetz 

52  A.  M.  Lattis 

53  J.  W.  Shimmer 

54  W.  Biren 

55  Ludwig  Wax 

56  Edward  Cook 

57  Thomas  Smith 

58  John  G.  Gosen 

59  John  Lener 

60  John  Hugner 

61  K  Miller 

62  Martin  Smith 

63  John  Stineburgh 

64  Henry  Straw 

65  George  Leister 

66  George  Odel 

67  John  New 

68  Futts 

69  T.  T.  Sclocum 

70  L.  Echelberry 

71  W.  Jones 

72  P.  Flanery 

73  T.  C.  Shoemaker 

74  M.  McGrew 

75  T.  Flanery 

76  W.  L.  Dresser 

77  James  Silly 

78  J.  E.  Grant 

79  J.  W.  Barber 

80  D.  W.  Lane 

81  William  Perie 

82  Jerry  Kain 

83  Wm.  E.  Sutler 

84  G.  H.  Wilson 

85  E.  A.  Allen 

86  John  Heany 

87  George  Keller 

88  L.  B.  Snow 

89  F.  E.  Burd 

90  Sampson  Miller 

91  S.  Edwards 

92  John  Fossett 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


821 


93  Samuel  Vareles 

94  Henry  Wells 

95  Amos  Graff 

96  John  Glutspur 

97  Lewis  Gillspeer 

98  Gustus  Subuler 

99  Henry  BleilL 

100  Merrit  E.  Merry 

101  Joseph  Valmen 

102  Patric  Welsh 

103  Howel  Clutsen 

104  John  Gary 

105  Emanuel  Latworth 

106  Andrew  Smith 

107  Joseph  Alchimer 

108  Philip  Krag 

109  Lewis  Shults 

110  George  A.  Hancock 

111  E.  W.  Haskell 

112  Sebastian  Gill 

113  Henry  Fruell 

114  S.  W.  Woods 

115  John  Rafferty 

116  J.  J.  Maccommon. 

117  John  Liss 

118  John  Billing 

119  Charles  Tanbrunt 

120  Isaac  C.  Lester 

121  Patric  Lyons 

122  James  Neville 

123  John  Hamilton 

124  S.  Hasbrook 

125  James  Measan 

126  Thomas  Gilman 

127  Jonathan  K.  Davis 


128  Michael  Shay 

129  James  Shay 

130  D.  M.  Griffith 

131  F.  T.  Dancessen 

132  Samuel  G.  Green 

133  Linekin 

134  B.  F.  Bly 

135  J.  A.  Vanduewel 

136  A.  F.  Palmer 

137  F.  C.  Stephens 

138  Jacob  Hughes 

139  H.  C.  Lee 

140  John  Robinson 

141  W.  F.  Ellaghan 

142  William  Gibby 

143  Augustus  Meacham 

144  William  Crogan 

145  Eugene  Carty 

146  George  Lenhart 

147  John  G.  Grant 

148  John  Frankhend 

149  Frederick  Welsh 

150  John  Collins 

151  W.  Alexander 

152  James  Dawson1 

153  W.  Pierce 

154  Andrew  McClean 

155  James  Sky 

156  Andrew  Hogan 

157  John  Dawson 

158  James  King 

159  Peter  McDill 

160  Patrick  Woods 

161  Thomas  Bishop 

162  T.  J.  Campbell 


The  certificate  omits  to  state  the  number  of  votes.    Signed  as  follows 

H.  M.  HOOK, 
T.  J.  CAMPBELL, 

G.  GOSLING,        )  m    ^ 

THOMAS  BISHOP,  \  Clerks- 


Judges. 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 94 

Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts 94 

M.  J.  Parrott 7 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 94 

C.  K.  Holliday 7 

Auditor S.  A.  Cutler 94 

W.  R.  Griffith 7 


822  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 

E.  0.  K.  Garvey 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 1( 

Supreme  court  judges L.  N.  Latta li 

M.  F.  Conway < 

M.  Hunt j 

Geo.  W.  Smith 

S.  W.  Johnson 

Keporters  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston 

S.  K.  McKenzie 

Olerksupreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 1 

Puhlic  printer John  Speer 

K.  S.  Elliott.. ,.... 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delehay 1 

State  senator D.  Dodge II 

Wm.  Pennock 1 

H.  M.Hook 1 

State  representative T.  A.  Maynard 11 

Adam  Fisher 1 

J.  K.  Edsaul 1 

S.  Sharks 1 

Isaac  Cody 
E.  P.  Brown 
George  Gosling 
L.  P.  Patte 
T.  J.  Canfield 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows : 


H.  M.  HOOK,  ) 

T.  J.  CAMPBELL,  J 

f  /nr/^z-o 
THOS.  BISHOP 


G.  GOSLING,     ) 
?,  S 


SIXTEENTH  DISTRICT — Easton. 
Poll-book. 

1  David  Dodge  15  Martin  Clark 

2  Edward  Beckner  16  David  Brown 

3  Thomas  Tritt  17  Harrison  D.  Patteson 

4  H.  J.  Adams  18  Adam  Brown 

5  Thomas  Shiply  19  L.  D.  Bedgood 

6  G.  R.  Hunts  20  K.  L.  Jessee 

7  Levi  White  21  Henry  Ogle 

8  J.  C.  Green  22  Embry  Cortny 

9  G.  A.  Taylor  23  Zachariah  Sparks 

10  R.  P.  Brown  24  Mathew  Rolston 

11  Samuel  Horton  25  Josiah  Dark 

12  John  Trett  26  Jesse  Piles 

13  James  Renfuth  21  Wm.  R.  Tuhbs 

14  Wm.  Peacock  28  Samuel  Dark 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  823 

29  Amaziah  Sparks  53  Clark  Tritt 

30  John  A.  Lawyer  54  E.  B.  Pennock 

31  Joseph  Hicks  55  Wm.  Butt 

32  B.  F.  Hicks  56  Chester  Feney 

33  Thomas  Pearson  57  P.  Dowland 

34  Moses  Sparks  58  Philip  Becker 

35  Stephen  Sparks,  jr.  59  Joseph  Pennock 

36  George  Swain  60  Andrew  Nixon 

37  Wm.  Pennock  61  Wm,  Sparks 

38  S.  G.  Robeson  62  John  Sparks 

39  C.  C.  Linville  63  Patrick  R.  Orr 

40  D.  L.  McMichael  64  Wm.  Hayes 

41  Wm.  McDonald  65  Wm.  Martin 

42  John  Poe  66  Robert  Whitehead 

43  James  Comstock  67  Joseph  Elliott 

44  C.  W.  Lucas  68  Terry  Crutchfield 

45  J.  H.  Bird  69  Atchison  Campbell 

46  Columbus  C.  Crane  70  Charles  S.  Foster 

47  Thomas  A.  Minard  71  Henry  C.  Sutton 

48  Joseph  T.  Wright  72  D.  D.  Bolt 

49  John  Wright  73  Jas.  H.  York 

50  Francis  Browning  74  Samuel  Bixley 

51  Stephen  Sparks  75  Robert  Knight 

52  Wm.  Rose  76  Wm.  M.  Bohart 

The  blanks  in  the  certificate  are  not  filled.     Signed  as  follows : 

FRANCIS  BROWNING,  > 
JOSEPH  T.  WRIGHT,    V  Judges. 

JOHN  WRIGHT,  ) 


JOSEPH  H.  BIRD,  )  ni    -, 
T.  W.  LUCAS,      \  Clerks- 


Poll-list  to  supply  a  vacancy, 

1  Thos,  A.  Minard  14  F.  W.  Hendrick 

2  Martin  Klein  15  W.  R.  Tubbs 

3  Simeon  Hull  16  Joseph  Hicks 

4  J.  B.  Taylor  17  W.  M.  Bathurst 

5  Daniel  Shipley  18  Levi  White 

6  Wm.  Rose  19  D.  S.  McMichael 

7  Moses  Hicks  20  John  Trett 

8  John  Chadwick  21  Henry  Sutton 

9  Jas.  H.  Yorke  22  H.  D".  Patterson 

10  J.  W.  Comstock  23  John  Strain 

11  Daniel  Nickson  24  P.  R.  Orr 

12  Chester  Jerry  25  Wm,  Sparks 

13  C.  C.  Lenville 

The  certificate  to  the  number  of  votes   is   correct.     The  judges 
further  certify  that  Patrick  R.  Orr  received  the  whole  twenty-five 


824  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

votes   for  representative,   in  the  place   of  R.  P.  Brown,    decease 
Signed  as  follows : 

JOHN  W.  HENDR1CK,    ) 
WELLAR  J.  R.  TUBES,  [  Judges. 
D.  S.  McMICKLE,  > 

JOSEPH  HICKS,  )  ™, 
C.  C.  LINVIL,  J  Uer/fs' 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson  . 

W.  Y.  Roberts.... 
Lieutenant  governor W.  Y.  Roberts  .... 

Parrot 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler 

C.  K.  Holliday.... 
Auditor G.  A.  Cutler 

W.  R.  Griffith 

Treasurer J.  A.  "Wakefield... 

E.  C.  K.  Garvey... 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore.... 

Supreme  judge S.  M.  Latta 

G.  W.  Smith 

M.  F.  Conway 

S.  W.  Johnston... 

H.  Hunt 

Reporter  to  supreme  court E.  M.  Thurston  ... 

S.  B.  McKenzie... 

Clerk  to  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 

Public  printer John  Speer 

R.  G.  Elliott 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delehay 

State  senator J.  C.  Green 

Pennock... 

H.  J.  Adams 

J.  H.  Dennis 

David  Dodge 

State  representative Wm.  Pennock 

David  Dodge 

J.  K.  Edsaul 

Stephen  Sparks.... 

J.  Berger  

Dr.  Patte 

R.  P.  Brown 

S.  J.  Campbell.... 

T.  H.  Misnard 

G.  Gosling 

Mathew  Madeator . 

A.  Fisher 

Isaac  Cody 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  *  825 

Blank  certificate  not  filled.     Signed  as  follows: 

FRANCIS  BROWNING,  > 
JOSEPH  T.  WRIGHT,    V  Judges. 
JOHN  WRIGHT,  ) 

JOSEPH  H.  BIRD, 

/-N          TTT        T 

C.  W.  LUCAS, 


SEVENTEENTH  DISTRICT — Mission  Precinct. 

Poll-book. 

1  John  Owen  *I  John  H.  Oshorne 

2  Henry  Wilson  8  John  Lockhart 

3  Calvin  A.  Conatzer  9  William  Tipton 

4  Samuel  M.  Conatzer  10  Richard  N.  Pearson 

5  Lewis  Dougherty  11  William  F.  Harvey. 

6  George  L.  Osborne 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

GEO.  L.  OSBORNE,  ) 

SAMUEL  M.  CONATZER,    }  Judges. 
LEWIS  DOUGHERTY,         ) 

JOHN  H.  OSBORNE,  ) 

JOHN  LOCKHART,      J 


Tally-list. 

Governor Charles  Robinson 10 

Lieutenant  governor M.  J.  Parrott 9 

W.  G.  Roberts 1 

Secretary  of  state P.  C.  Schuyler  10 

Auditor S.  A.  Cutler 10 

Treasurer J.  A.  Wakefield 10 

Attorney  general H.  Miles  Moore 10 

Supreme  judge S.  N.  Latta 10 

Morris  Hunt 10 

M.  F.  Conway 10 

Reporter  supreme  court „ E.  M.  Thurston 10 

Clerk  of  supreme  court Scott  Anthony 9 

Public  printer John  Speer 10 

Representative  to  Congress Mark  W.  Delehay 10 

State  senator Wiley  Jones 2 

Perry  Fuller 9 

State  representative Samuel  Mewhenney 10 

John  Lockhart 11 

S.  W.E.  Griffith 1 

Clerk  supreme  court S.  B.  Floyd 1 

Certificate  correct,  and  signed  as  follows  : 

GEO.L.  OSBORNE,         ) 
SAM'L  M.  CONATZER,  \  Judges. 
LEWIS  DOUGHERTY,  ) 
JOHN  H.  OSBORNE,  >  ~.    7 
JOHN  LOCKHART,     \  ClerJcs- 


826  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


BLANK  FOKMS. 


Form  of  oath. 

We, 

do  swear  that  we  will  perform  our  duties  as  judges  of  the  election,  tl 
"be  held  at  the  house  of  ,  in  the  election  district  ci 

the  Territory  of  Kansas,  to  the  best  of  our  ability  and  judgment ;  tha* 
we  will  keep  a  true,  correct,  and  faithful  record  or  list  of  all  person* 
who  shall  vote  at  said  election  ;  that  we  will  poll  no  ticket  from  anj 
person  who  has  not  been  an  actual  resident  of  the  said  Territory  fc< 
thirty  days  next  preceding  said  election,  and  whom  we  shall  nothonestll 
believe  to  be  a  qualified  voter,  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  cour 
stitution  formed  at  Topeka,  and  signed  the  12th  day  of  Novemben 
1855  ;  and  that  we  will  truly  count  and  record  the  votes  received 
and  make  a  true  and  faithful  return  thereof  to  the  chairman  of  th 
executive  committee  of  Kansas  Territory. 

Sworn  and  subscribed,  January  15,  1855,  previous  to  opening  tli 
polls,  before  us. 

>  Judges. 

I  Clerks. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


627 


Poll-book  of  electors  who  voted  at  an  election  held  on  the  157t  day  of  Janu- 
ary, A.  D.  1856,  at  precinct,  in  District  No.  ,  in  Kansas, 
for  governor , lieutenant  governor,  secretary  of  state,  auditor,  treasurer, 
attorney  general,  three  supreme  judges,  reporter  of  the  supreme  court, 
clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  public  printer ,  representative  to  Congress, 
and  senators  and  representatives  to  the  general  assembly  of  the  State 
of  Kansas. 


No. 


Names  of  voters. 


No. 


Names  of  voters. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certify 
upon  our  oaths,  that  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  an  election 
held  at  precinct,  in  Kansas,  on  the  15th  day  of  January, 

A.  D.  1856,  for  State  officers,  representative  to  Congress,  and  mem- 
bers of  the  general  assembly,  to  be  in  number  ;  and  we  further 
certify  that  the  said  voters  were  bona-fide  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  upwards,  and  actual  residents  of 
Kansas  for  thirty  days  immediately  preceding  said  election. 


Judges. 


Clerks. 


828 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


Tally  list  of  votes  cast  at  an  election  held  on  the  \5tli  day  of  January,  A.\ 
D.  1856,  at  precinct,  in  District  No.  ,  in  Kansas, 

for  the  election  of  State  officers,   a  representative  in  Congress,  and 
members  of  the  general  assembly  of  the  State  of  Kansas. 


We,  the  undersigned,  judges  and  clerks  of  election,  hereby  certif  f 
upon  our  oaths,  that  for  governor,  had  votes  ;  thasj 

for  lieutenant-governor,  had  votes ;  that  for  secre- 

tary of  State,  had  votes ;  that  for  auditor, 

had  votes ;  that  for  treasurer,  had  votes-* 


had 
had 


votes  ;  that  fc'i 
votes ;  that  fcfi 

had  votes ;  that  for  cler  \ 

had  votes  ;  that  for  publi! 

votes  ;  that  for  representative  in  GOBI 
votes ;  that  for  State  senator. 


that  for  attorney-general, 
judge  of  the  supreme  court, 
reporter  of  supreme  court, 
of  the  supreme  court, 
printer,  had 

fress,  had 

ad  votes. 

And  we  do  further  certify,  that  the  said  electors  were  bona-fid-j 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  up 
wards,  and  actual  residents  of  Kansas  for  thirty  days  immediate! 
preceding  said  election. 


Judges. 


Clerks. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  829 


EMIGRANT  AID  SOCIETY  AND  EMIGRATION  IN  MARCH,  1855.— CAUSES  OF 
EXCITEMENT  IN  MISSOURI.— SECRET  SOCIETIES. 


DANIEL  MACE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr. Oliver: 

Immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act,  I,  toge- 
ther with  a  number  of  others,  who  were  members  of  Congress  and 
senators,  believing  that  the  tendency  of  that  act  would  be  to  make 
Kansas  a  slave  State,  in  order  to  prevent  it,  formed  an  association 
here  in  Washington,  called,  if  I  recollect  aright,  "  The  Kansas  Aid 
Society. ' '  I  do  not  remember  all  who  became  members  of  that  society, 
but  quite  a  number  of  members  who  were  opposed  to  slavery  in  Kan- 
sas, of  the  lower  House,  and  also  of  the  Senate,  became  members  of 
it,  and  subscribed  various  sums  of  money.  I  think  I  subscribed  either 
$50  or  $100 ;  I  am  not  now  prepared  to  say  which. 

We  issued  a  circular  to  the  people  of  the  country,  of  the  northern 
States  particularly,  in  which  we  set  forth  what  we  believed  were  the 
dangers  of  making  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  urged  that  steps  be 
taken  to  induce  persons  from  the  north,  who  were  opposed  to  slavery, 
to  go  there  and  prevent  its  introduction,  if  possible.  We  sent  a  great 
many  circulars  to  various  parts  of  the  United  States,  with  that  object, 
and  also  communications  of  various  kinds.  I  do  not  now  remember 
what  they  were.  The  object  was  to  have  persons  induced  to  go  to 
:  Kansas  who  would  make  that  their  home,  and  who  would,  at  all 
elections,  vote  against  the  institution  of  slavery. 

I  think  Mr.  Goodrich,  of  Massachusetts,  was  the  president  of  the 

!  society.     I  am  not  certain  about  the  vice-presidents;  probably  Mr. 

I  Fenton,  of  New  York,  and  myself,  were  vice-presidents.       The  names 

j  of  the  president  and  vice-presidents  were  attached  to  our  circulars, 

which  we  sent  throughout  the  country. 

My  recollection  is,  that  generally,  those  members  of  the  House  and 
Senate  who  were  opposed  to  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act  became  mem- 
bers of  this  society,  and  contributed  to  it. 

The  leading  primary  object  of  the  association  was  to  prevent  the 
introduction  of  slavery  into  Kansas,  as  I  stated  during  the  short  ses- 
sion of  Congress,  in  answer  to  a  question  propounded  to  me  by  your- 
self, I  believe.  We  believed  that,  unless  vigorous  steps  of  that  kind 
were  taken,  Kansas  would  become  a  slave  State.  I  do  not  remember 
the  caption  of  the  subscription  paper.  I  think  no  other  object  was 
mentioned  or  specified,  except  the  prevention  of  slavery  in  Kansas. 
I  think  that  was  the  sole  object  of  the  movement. 

I  do  not  recollect  whether  Mr.  Speaker  Banks  was  a  member  of  that 
society  or  not,  ot  whether  Senator  Seward  was  or  not.  Mr.  Good- 
rich kept  the  books.  My  impression  is,  that  a  majority  of  those  who 
voted  against  the  bill  were  members  of  that  organization.  I  do  not 


830  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

remember  the  total  amount  of  money  raised  by  means  of  that  organi- 
zation. We  had  a  room  here,  and  employed  a  secretary,  and  conse- 
quently had  expenses  to  pay.  I  do  not  know  the  amount  raised.  I 
think  there  were  persons,  members  of  that  association,  who  were  not 
members  of  either  house  of  Congress.  Mr.  Latham  was  appointed 
treasurer,  but  declined;  and  my  impression  is,  that  Mr.  Blair  became 
the  treasurer ;  but  I  may  be  mistaken  about  that. 

DAN'L  MACE. 
WASHINGTON  CITY,  July  1,  1856. 


CHARLES  KOBINSON  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  at  Topeka,  but 
arrived  here  in  Lawrence  shortly  after  dinner,  and  remained  here  the 
rest  of  the  day.  Between  here  and  Tecumseh  I  met  with  a  crowd  of 
persons,  strangers  to  me — perhaps  200  or  so.  I  first  came  into  the 
Territory  in  July,  1854.  I  did  not  come  here  permanently  until 
about  the  first  of  September.  On  the  day  of  election,  when  I  reached 
here,  I  found  a  large  encampment,  and  quite  a  crowd  around  the 
polls.  I  went  into  the  camp.  I  do  not  know  as  I  was  previously  ac- 
quainted with  any  of  the  party  in  the  camp.  They  made  no  secret 
about  coming  from  Missouri,  but  claimed  they  had  a  right  to  control 
this  Territory,  and  that  northern  men  had  no  right  here.  At  the1 
polls,  Mr.  Willis  was  along  for  the  purpose  of  voting,  having  refrained 
up  to  that  time ;  and  he  was  assailed  by  a  crowd  who  got  about  him  and 
called  him  a  damned  abolitionist,  and  negro  thief,  &c.,  and  cried  out 
to  hang  him.  After  some  excitement  and  apparent  danger  of  violence.' 
Mr.  Willis  got  away.  There  was  nothing  else  during  the  balloting.: 
but  the  crowd  in  the  evening  threatened  destruction  to  us,  and  it  was -I 
considered  necessary  to  have  a  gtiard  here  of  a  hundred  men.  These-' 
men  had  arms  in  their  camps,  shot-guns  and  common  rifles ;  and  side-1 
arms,  mostly  bc*wie-knives  and  revolvers.  Many  had  heavy  hickory]! 
sticks.  Quite  a  number  left  the  day  of  election ;  some  remained  untili 
the  next  morning.  There  was  but  one  party  came  from  the  east  thai 
spring  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  arrived  irrj 
Kansas  City  about  a  week  before  the  election.  There  were  between  IBM 
and  170,  including  women  and  children.  I  returned  to  the  Territory] 
with  that  party.  They  came  here  and  settled,  so  far  as  I  know.  Thejii 
settled  principally  at  Topeka,  though  some  went  to  different  parts  o:» 
the  Territory.  They  met  the  committee  of  their  own  number  at  thw 
place  on  the  day  of  election,  they  having  been  sent  out  to  select  st 
place.  A  few  of  that  party  went  home,  some  in  a  few  days,  some  in 
a  few  weeks,  who  were  dissatisfied  with  the  Territory.  The  principal 
part  of  the  party  are  here  now.  Some  came  out  here  to  look  at  the 
country,  and  intended  to  return ;  but  none  of  them  voted,  to  my  know-* 
ledge.  I  do  not  think  one-fourth  of  the  party  who  determined  to  stop 
in  the  Territory  voted  here.  I  do  not  know  of  anybody  who  did  vote* 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  831 

but  I  know  many  who  said  they  would  not  vote  until  they  knew  posi- 
tively where  they  were  to  locate. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  counted  up  this  morning,  with  the  assistance  of  my  wife,  the  num- 
ber of  the  women  and  children  who  came  out,  and  we  made  out  over 
fifty.  We  came  out  with  them.  I  should  think  there  were  as  many 
as  twenty-five  women. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  did  not  hear  anything  said,  in  the  disturbance  with  Mr.  Willis, 
about  his  interfering  with  a  negro  woman.  He  was  there  for  the 
purpose  of  voting  when  he  was  assailed.  I  was  in  the  encampment, 
and  heard  them  say  they  had  a  right  to  control  the  Territory,  but  did 
not  understand  them  to  say  they  had  a  right  to  vote  because  these 
eastern  men  came  here  to  vote. 

APRIL  26,  1856.  C.  KOBINSON. 

Mr.  Oliver  objects  to  any  evidence  as  to  what  the  witness  heard 
others  say  as  to  their  objects  in  visiting  this  Territory,  and  insists 
that  persons  who  did  vote  are  competent  witnesses,  and  should  be 
subpoenaed. 


CHARLES  EOBINSON  recalled. 

To  Mr.  Beeder : 

I  arrived  at  Kansas  City  about  a  week  before  the  election  of  the  30th 
of  March,  1855,  and  arrived  here  the- day  of  the  election,  having  made 
ia  tour  of  the  southern  portion  of  the  Territory.  Since  I  testified  be- 
fore, I  have  seen  the  list  of  passengers  who  came  out  at  that  time,  and 
the  women  and  children  amounted  to  66 — 32  I  think  were  women, 
and  34  were  children.  I  left  Boston,  I  think,  about  the  13th  of 
March. 

|  «     ;      -•    f  •>.•"• 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

That  was  the  only  company  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant 
'Aid  Company,  that  had  come  out  that  spring  up  to  that  time. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  first  heard  of  the  election  at  St.  Louis,  but  think  I  did  not  then 
hear  the  exact  day  of  the  election.  I  heard  it  from  Dr.  Leib,  whom  I 
met  at  St.  Louis.  We  could  not  hear  before  I  left  Boston  when  the 
election  was  to  be.  I  was  then  in  Boston  nearly  a  week  in  the  office 
of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  They  had  no  intelligence  in  relation  to 
the  time  of  election  before  I  left. 

C.  KOBINSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  1,  1856. 


SAMUEL  C.  SMITH  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Eeeder : 
I  arrived  in  the  Territory  on  the  evening  of  the  29th  of  March, 


832  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

1855,  and  settled  over  on  the  Wakarusa,  some  two  miles  south,  of 
the  Blue  Mound,  and  from  seven  to  nine  miles  from  Lawrence,  and 
have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  one  of  a  party  under  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  The  only  arrangement  I 
made  of  them  was  to  purchase  a  ticket  at  the  office  of  the  company 
from  Boston  to  Kansas  City.  I  purchased  the  ticket  in  connexion 
with  some  half  a  dozen  others  from  Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  We 
got  tickets  somewhat  less  than  we  otherwise  could,  and  an  agent 
came  out  with  us.  Beside  this,  we  had  no  advantage,  except  associ- 
ating with  a  larger  numher  who  were  coming  out,  which  was  more 
pleasant  than  coming  alone.  No  questions  were  asked,  or  promises 
required,  in  regard  to  my  political  opinions,  or  as  to  the  place  where 
I  would  settle  in  the  Territory.  Our  party  was  the  first  party  that 
came  out  that  spring  under  their  arrangements.  There  was  no  party 
under  the  auspices  of  that  company  that  reached  here  before  we  did 
that  spring.  We  left  Boston  on  Tuesday,  the  13th  of  March,  1855. 
There  were  somewhere  between  one  hundred  and  fifty  and  two  hun- 
dred men,  women,  and  children,  in  our  party.  There  were  a  number 
of  families  with  us,  and  I  should  think  there  were  over  fifty  women 
and  children,  but  I  cannot  state  exactly.  All  of  the  party,  I  have 
no  doubt  at  all,  were  persons  who  came  to  the  Territory  for  purposes 
of  settlement.  There  are  a  great  many  who  have  settled  about  this 
place — some  at  Topeka,  and  some  in  other  parts  of  the  Territory.  A 
few  of  them  returned  before  coming  into  the  Territory  at  all,  coming 
no  farther  than  Kansas  City.  A  few  returned  after  stopping  one 
night  in  the  Territory,  and  before  the  election.  I  know  of  two  who 
returned  on  the  Sunday  succeeding  the  election.  I  first  heard  the 
election  was  to  take  place  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  on  the  Monday 
morning  of  our  arrival  in  St.  Louis.  There  was  no  earlier  intelli- 
gence of  the  matter  in  our  party,  that  I  know  of.  I  was  acquainted 
with  some  of  the  officers  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  I  did  not 
hear  of  their  having  any  knowledge  of  the  time  of  the  election  before 
I  left.  I  have  been  engaged  in  farming,  and  that  is  what  I  term  my 
occupation  here. 

SAMUEL  C.  SMITH. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  1,  1856. 


BENJAMIN  SLATER  called  and  sworn, 

I  reside  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  my  business  is  that  of  commis- 
sion and  forwarding.  I  have  been  engaged  in  that  business  for  some 
four  years,  I  have  resided  in  this  city,  off  and  on,  since  1837.  I  was 
acting  as  agent  for  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Society  in  March, 
1855  ;  my  office  being  in  the  same  building  as  Mr.  F.  A.  Hunt.  My 
arrangement  with  that  company  was  nothing  more  than  to  engage 
the  passage  of  all  persons  who  came  out  under  their  care,  from  this 
place  to  Kansas  City,  at  a  price  not  to  exceed  $10  each.  So  far  as  I 
know,  the  society  did  not  pay  for  the  expenses  of  the  passengers,  but 
each  one  paid  for  himself.  All  the  society  did,  so  far  as  I  understood. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  833 

was  to  get  tickets  through  from  Boston  to  St.  Louis  for  twenty-five 
per  cent,  less  than  ordinary  rates.  Each  passenger  paid  his  own  fare 
at  the  reduced  rate.  I  do  not  know  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
received  any  benefit  at  all  from  the  reduced  rates. 

There  were  hut  two  parties  that  went  out  under  the  care  of  that 
society  in  the  month  of  March,  1855.  One  party  was  under  the  care 
of  Dr.  Charles  Robinson,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine 
passengers,  leaving  St.  Louis  on  the  steamer  Sonora,  March  26,  1855. 
The  other  party  was  under  the  care  of  John  Farwell,  consisting  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  passengers,  leaving  St.  Louis  on  the  steamer 
Kate  Sweaney,  March  26,  1855.  I  learned  afterwards  of  Captain 
Chouteau,  of  the  Kate  Sweaney,  that  he  was  some  two  weeks  getting 
up  to  Kansas  City.  In  each  party  there  were  quite  a  number  of 
women  and  children.  In  Dr.  Robinson's  party  there  were  something 
like  thirty  or  forty  children,  but  I  do  not  remember  the  number  of 
women  in  his  party.  I  know  that  Robinson's  party  had  a  great 
many  trunks,  &c.,  and  a  large  quantity  of  baggage  was  paid  for  as 
extra  baggage,  after  allowing  one  hundred  pounds  of  baggage  to  each 
passenger.  The  extra  baggage  was  paid  for  at  prescribed  rates,  each 
passenger  paying  for  his  own  baggage. 

There  were  other  emigrants  from  eastern,  northern,  and  southern 
States,  going  up  the  river  that  spring.  I  was  not  applied  to  by  any 
of  these  emigrants  during  March,  1855,  to  make  similar  arrangements 
to  that  made  with  regard  to  the  aid  emigrants. 

The  baggage  of  the  aid  emigrants  was  marked  with  a  printed  card. 
so  as  to  designate  it,  thus :  "  Kansas  party  baggage — care  of  B. 
Slater,  St.  Louis."  I  saw  no  cards  on  the  baggage  with  the  name 
of  Eli  Thayer  on  them,  and  think  I  should  have  seen  them  if  they 
had  been  on  any  of  the  baggage.  The  object  of  the  mark  I  have 
mentioned  was  to  facilitate  and  secure  the  transportation  of  the  bag- 
gage. Many  of  the  trunks  left  on  the  way  were  identified  by  this 
mark,  and  afterwards  forwarded  to  me  here. 

The  river  was  uncommonly  low  that  season,  and  for  that  reason 
many  of  the  boats  could  not  run,  and  those  that  did  run  could  not 
take  much  freight.  Many  of  the  boats  ran  aground,  and  scarcely  a 
boat  went  up  without  running  aground  before  she  reached  her  desti- 
nation. The  winter  had  been  an  open  one,  and  emigration  set  in 
earlier  than  usual.  Some  mill  machinery  for  several  mills  was  sent 
to  me  that  spring,  and  forwarded  by  me  to  Kansas  Territory.  There 
was  also  a  large  amount  of  furniture  consigned  to  me  that  spring  for 
forwarding.  The  furniture  was  mostly  in  boxes — some  old  and  some 
new  boxes,  and,  as  far  as  I  could  see,  were  such  as  would  be  likely  to 
be  sent  out  here  by  movers. 

The  other  emigrants  I  have  spoken  of  were  not  connected  at  all 
with  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  but  travelled  on  their  own  account ; 
sometimes  in  companies,  and  sometimes  in  scattered  small  parties. 
They  would  come  here  sometimes  by  boat,  and  sometimes  by  railroad ; 
and  the  runners  of  the  Missouri  river  boats  would  go  after  them,  and 
make  arran  gements  for  them.  I  made  no  arrangements  myself  for  any 
parties  in  March,  but  the  two  I  have  named,  though  I  did  subse'- 
quently. 

H.  Rep.  200 53* 


834  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  never  wrote  a  letter  to  E.  W.  Brown,  the  editor  of  the  Herald  of 
Freedom,  Lawrence,  Kansas  Territory,  in  which  I  stated  there  were 
from  six  hundred  to  eight  hundred  eastern  emigrants  on  their  way  up 
the  river,  and  would  be  up  in  time  for  the  election,  and  three  hundred 
of  them  would  "be  at  Lawrence  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March, 
1855.  I  never  wrote  him  any  letter  of  the  kind.  I  may  have  writ- 
ten a  letter  to  Brown,  stating  the  number  of  some  particular  party 
then  on  their  way  out. 

My  connextion  with  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  was  purely  of  a 
business  character.  I  never  received  any  salary  from  them,  but  re- 
ceived from  them  merely  the  regular  commission,  as  I  did  from  others. 
I  was  not  their  agent  in  any  other  sense  than  that  of  a  commission 
merchant.  I  rendered  them  only  the  same  services  that  I  did  to  other 
parties  for  whom  I  transacted  commission  business. 

B.  SLATER. 

ST.  Louis,  MISSOURI,  June  12,  1856. 


F.  A.  HUNT  called  and  sworn. 

My  occupation  is  that  of  a  forwarding  and  commission  merchant. 
I  have  been  engaged  in  business  in  St.  Louis  for  nearly  five  years 
past.  I  have  heard  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Benjamin  Slater,  just  taken. 
During  the  month  of  March,  1855,  Mr.  Slater  held  a  desk  in  ourr 
office,  and,  I  think,  in  the  following  April  he  became  a  partner  in  our1 
firm,  then  called  F.  A.  Hunt  &  Co.     Mr.  Slater  was  the  passenger 
agent  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  during  March,  1855,  and  after-  j 
wards  F.  A.  Hunt  &  Co.  became  their  agents. 

I  recollect  the  party  of  Dr.  Robinson,  and  also  that  of  John  Far- 
well,  which  left  here  for  Kansas  City  that  March.  There  were  no 
other  aid  emigrant  parties  that  went  up  that  month. 

The  preceding  winter  had  been  a  very  open  one,  and  the  river  was 
then  unusually  low  for  the  season  of  the  year.  There  was  other  emigra- 
tion from  different  States  during  the  month  of  March;  much,  I  think. 
from  Ohio.  They  came  generally  in  small  detached  parties.  Thej 
made  their  own  bargains,  and  got  up  to  Kansas  City  as  cheaply  at 
they  could.  The  regular  fare  from  here  to  Kansas  City  was,  at  tlia 
time,  $12.  They  generally  had  to  pay  the  regular  fare,  unless  the> 
came  in  large  parties. 

Subsequently  to  March,  1855,  other  parties  of  aid  emigrants  cam-i; 
out  here,  and  we  made  arrangements  for  them.  The  arrangeraen 
made  by  the  society  was  to  obtain  passage  for  the  emigrants  to  thi , 
place  at  a  reduction  of  25  per  cent.,  and  we  generally  obtained  tick!! 
ets  for  passengers  up  from  here  to  Kansas  City  at  $2  less  than  thl| 
usual  rate.  The  emigrants  received  the  full  benefit  of  the  reduction! 
in  both  cases ;  in  all  instances  paying  their  own  expenses  at  the  m 
duced  rates.  I  know  of  no  instance  when  the  Emigrant  Aid  Socieil 
ever  paid  a  dollar  of  the  travelling  expenses  of  emigrants. 

While  I  acted  as  agent  for  the  Aid  Society  there  was  frequent] <| 
shipped  to  me  furniture  and  other  property  of  a  similar  characte 
It  was  consigned  and  forwarded  as  usual  in  all  cases  of  forward' 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  835 

being  addressed  to  the  individual  to  whom  it  was  sent  in  Kansas,  in 
our  care  at  this  place.  On  this  we  collected  the  customary  commis- 
sions regulated  by  the  chamber  of  commerce  of  this  city,  and  that 
was  the  only  compensation  we  received  for  our  services.  They  shipped 
several  steam-engines,  some  mill  machinery,  &c.,  to  us,  as  also  house- 
hold furniture,  which  was  sent  to  individuals  in  the  Territory  in  our 
care. 

I  first  learned  from  the  St.  Louis  papers  of  the  fixing  of  the  day  of 
election  in  March,  1855.  I  received  no  information  in  relation  to 
that  matter  from  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  or  any  person  connected 
with  that  society.  The  coming  of  these  parties  of  emigrants  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  election,  so  far  as  I  know.  I  never  knew  of 
the  Aid  Society  sending  any  persons  out  here  merely  to  vote.  From 
all  I  could  leara  from  the  soci'  ty,  and  from  the  conversation  of  the 
emigrants,  their  sole  object  in  going  to  Kansas  was  merely  to  seek 
homes  and  to  better  their  condition.  I  know  that  some  of  these  emi- 
grants returned  ;  and  the  only  reason  they  gave  to  me  for  doing  so 
was,  that  the  country  was  new,  and  they  had  not  means  enough  to 
support  themselves  until  they  could  make  a  living  there. 

F,  A.  HUNT, 

ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  June  12, 1856, 

W,  EL  CHICK  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  reside  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  My  business  is  that  of  commis- 
sion merchant.  The  first  steamboat  that  came  up  the  river  in  1855 
was,  I  think,  on  March  6th,  and  most  of  the  emigrants  were  from  the 
ieast  During  that  month,  before  the  30th  of  March,  there  were  Its 
.  many  as  500  emigrants  came.  There  were  very  few  women  and  very 
few  children  among  them.  Most  of  them  came  without  any  apparent 
Implements  of  husbandry,  but  with  carpet-sacks  and  trunks.  The 
most  of  the  sacks  and  trunks  were  marked  " Kansas  party  baggage," 
and  consigned  to  UB.  Slater,  St  Louis."  I  always  understood  him 
to  be  the  commission  merchant  to  whom  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
of  Boston  made  their  consignments.  G-en.  Pomeroy  generally  attended 
to  their  business  at  Kansas  City.  He  was  the  agent  of  the  society. 
He  told  me,  if  his  clerk  came  to  my  place  to  make  arrangements  to 
store  baggage,  it  would  be  the  same  as  if  he  did  it  himself. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  there  is  a  great  deal  of  business  done  in 
Kansas  City,  in  the  way  of  furnishing  implements  of  husbandry  to 
the  country  west  of  there.  These  emigrants  made  but  few  purchases 
of  agricultural  implements.  I  do  not  know  that  they  made  any ;  and, 
as  far  as  I  know,  they  went  into  the  Territory  without  supplying 
themselves  with  any. 

I  heard  several  of  them  say  that  they  knew  of  the  day  of  election 
in  the  east,  a  month  before  we  did  out  here.  If  I  recollect  right,  the 
proclamation  came  out  somewhere  between  the  10th  and  15th  of  March, 
and  this  was  the  first  notice  the  people  of  the  Territory  had. 


836  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

I  conld  not  state  how  many  of  this  class  of  emigrants  went  "back 
after  the  election,  as  I  kept  no  record  of  it.  Common  talk  was,  that 
as  many  went  hack  as  came  out,  hut  I  do  not  know  this ;  hut  I  know 
a  great  portion  of  them  went  hack,  and  there  was  a  greater  rush 
going  hack  immediately  subsequent  to  the  election  than  any  time 
after  it.  I  don't  know  that  the  trips  going  down  in  April  were  as 
good  as  coming  up  in  March,  hut  there  was  a  greater  rush  of  people, 
whom  I  took  to  he  emigrants,  down  in  April  than  at  any  subsequent 
time  in  the  spring. 

The  steamer  Lucas  got  aground  somewhere  near  Boonville  in  the 
month  of  March,  and  some  of  the  passengers  came  up  in  hacks.  They 
said  they  were  anxious  to  get  into  the  Territory  before  the  election, 
I  could  not  say  if  any  of  these  men  returned  or  not,  as  they  were  all 
strangers.  They  said  they  left  part  of  their  company  on  the  boat, 
"because  they  could  not  get  hacks,  I  understood  they  were  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  hut  I  don't  know  it  from  them. 
The  Lucas  did  not  get  up  to  Kansas  City  until  after  the  election,  I 
think  some  of  those  who  came  up  in  the  Lucas  went  hack  from  that 
city  without  going  into  the  Territory, 

Something  like  a  hundred  of  eastern  emigrants,  who  were  taken  to 
be  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  wintered  at  Kan- 
sas City,  A  great  portion  of  these  went  over  into  Kansas  immediately 
hefore  the  election.  They  went  over  as  transient  men,  as  most  of 
them  were  hack  in  a  few  days  after  the  election.  I  heard  some  of 
them  say  they  were  going  over  to  the  election.  I  did  not  hear  them 
say  they  were  going  to  vote. 

Some  of  these  emigrants  who  came  up  in  March  left  their  carpet- 
sacks  and  trunks  at  Kansas  City,  and  went  into  the  Territory,  and  re- 
turned and  took  their  haggage  and  went  down  the  river.  After  Whit-! 
field's  election  in  November,  1854,  several  hundreds  of  eastern  emi-i 
grants  returned  down  the  river. 

The  agents  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Company  paid  a  part  of  the  hills! 
for  storing,  &c.,  and  I  understood  from  some  of  the  emigrants  that', 
their  passage  had  heen  engaged  from  St.  Louis.  The  most  of  these 
emigrants  who  came  up  in  March  desired  to  make  arrangements  with 
me  to  take  huifalo-rohes,  and  return  them  in  a  few  weeks  and  receive 
hack  half-prices ;  which  I  declined  to  do,  hut  sold  some  to  them. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  don't  know  whether  or  not  the  eastern  people  who  wintered  ir 
Kansas  City  paid  their  own  way.  I  don't  know  of  anybody  paying 
anything  for  them,  and  the  provisions  they  bought  of  me  they  pak 
me  for.  I  know  that  a  great  many  settlers  on  both  sides  wintered  ii 
the  States,  for  the  want  of  facilities  in  the  Territory,  as  I  understoot 
it.  That  winter  was  a  remarkably  open  one.  I  think  the  river  hrok 
up  the  last  of  February,  or  first  of  March,  that  spring.  I  know  tha 
saw-mills  have  been  sent  out  marked  the  same  as  the  baggage — sora 
that  spring,  and  some  have  been  coming  ever  since.  There  is  a  recor 
of  the  number  of  boats  that  came  up  that  spring  ;  I  have  it  in  my  o: 
fice  at  Kansas  City,  and  without  it  cannot  state  the  number. 

W.  H.  CHICK. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  837 

MILTON  J.  PAYNE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  reside  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  resided  there  previously  to 
the  2d  of  March,  1855,  and  left  then  and  went  to  New  Mexico,  and 
did  not  get  hack  till  the  22d  of  April.  Navigation  of  the  Missouri 
was  not  opened  when  I  left.  I  do  not  remember  of  seeing  any  persons 
returning  from  Kansas  after  I  returned. 

The  Emigrant  Aid  Company  kept  an  agent  in  Kansas  City — Sam- 
uel C,  Pomeroy ;  he  seemed  to  he  the  general  agent  of  the  Boston 
Emigrant  Aid  Society,  I  have  seen  a  great  deal  of  machinery  there 
sent  to  Pomeroy,  as  agent  of  this  society.  I  was  informed  by  Mr. 
Jenkins  that  he  had  sold  the  American  Hotel  to  Mr.  Pomeroy  for  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Society  ;  and  by  Mr.  Hoad,  a  ^tenant  of  the  hotel  under 
Pomeroy,  that  he  was  negotiating  with  Pomeroy  for  the  purchase  of 
it ;  and  was  afterwards  informed  by  Mr,  Eldridge  that  he  was  the 
purchaser  of  the  hotel  from  Mr.  Pomeroy.  Common  report  was  that 
the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  this  hotel  there  to  afford  facilities  to 
emigrants  to  this  Territory,  and  that  their  object  was  to  make  this  a 
free  State ;  and  it  was  a  common  rumor  that  Beeder  delayed  fixing 
the  day  of  election  in  order  to  allow  the  society  time  to  send  out  these 
emigrants  to  vote,  and  the  Missourians  determined,  if  that  was  done, 
to  come  over  and  vote  to  counteract  it. 

The  time  for  the  election  was  not  known,  to  my  knowledge,  when 
I  left  for  New  Mexico.  The  Missourians  got  excited,  and  said  they 
would  take  part  in  the  election  if,  as  they  expected,  there  should  be 
extraneous  interference  by  the  Aid  Societies  with  the  affairs  of  this 
Territory,  It  was  the  general  rumor  that  they  intended  to  make  this 
a  free  State,  and  then  interfere  in  the  affair  of  slavery  in  Missouri. 

I  did  not  notice  the  baggage  particularly  that  came  to  Kansas  City, 
except  in  some  few  instances.  I  have  seen  placards  on  the  hats  of  the 
emigrants,  designating  the  aid  company  to  which  they  belonged  from 
northern  and  eastern  States.  Many  of  these  emigrants  had  Sharpe's 
rifles,  I  refer  to  last  summer,  after  the  election,  as  I  do  not  remem- 
ber to  have  seen  any  arms  on  them  till  then.  I  noticed  Sharpe's  rifles 
and  some  side-arms.  They  generally  stopped  at  the  American  Hotel, 
to  a  man,  I  believe.  I  am  speaking  now  of  emigration  after  I  got 
back  from  New  Mexico.  The  time  that  it  was  rumored  that  Mr.  Pom- 
eroy came  in  possession  of  the  American  Hotel  was  in  September  or 
October,  1854.  I  do  not  remember  that  these  aid  emigrants  com- 
menced coming  before  that  time  (September,  1854). 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  never  heard  a  free-State  man  in  the  Territory  or  elsewhere  say 
that  their  object  was  to  interfere  with  the  institutions  of  Missouri,  but 
only  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  I  have  heard  an  eastern  man,  a  res- 
ident of  the  Territory,  say  that  if  he  should  meet  a  slave  who  wanted 
to  _escape,  he  would  lend  him  his  horse  to  ride  to  the  north  star.  I 
think  this  man's  name  was  Burriss,  or  Burroughs,  and  he  lived,  I 
think,  on  the  Wakarusa,  or  near  Lawrence.  He  said  this  in  the  store 
of  Northup  &  Chick  in  Kansas  City,  in  January  or  February,  1855, 
when  I  myself,  Mr.  Chick,  Mr.  Threlkeld,  and  others  were  present. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  do  not  know  Mr.  Burroughs's  first  name ;  I  cannot  give  his  full  name, 
only  as  Burroughs  or  Burriss.  He  lived,  as  he  said  at  the  time,  near 
Lawrence,  or  on  the  Wakarusa,  as  far  as  I  can  recollect.  He  said  he 
came  from  Iowa.  When  we  speak  of  eastern  men,  we  mean  all  from 
free  States.  I  do  not  know  that  that  man  was  ever  in  Iowa  or  in 
Kansas  Territory,  only  from  his  own  statements.  I  never  saw  him 
except  at  Kansas  city,  where  I  have  seen  him  two  or  three  times. 
He  came  to  use  such  an  expression,  by  being  got  into  a  discussion 
about  slavery.  He  told  us  then  he  was  from  Iowa,  but  not  when  he 
came  from  Iowa,  or  into  the  Territory,  and  I  think  at  that  particular 
time  he  said  he  resided  in  the  Territory  ;  on  Wakarusa,  or  near  Law- 
rence. 

It  was  the  fear  of  Missonrians  generally,  so  far  as  I  know,  that  there 
would  be  interference  with  the  institutions  of  Missouri,  if  Kansas  be- 
came a  free  State  ;  and  this  fear,  so  far  as  I  know,  was  confined  to 
Missouri.     I  account  for  the  rumor  getting  into  circulation  in  one 
way — in  consequence  of  E.  W.  Brown,  editor  of  the  Herald  of  Free- 
dom, writing  a  letter  to  Wm.  Walker,  the  provisional  governor  of 
this  Territory,  that  one  of  his  objects  in  coming  here  was  to  make  this 
a  free  State.     I  suppose  the  basis  of  the  rumor  was,  that  similar  re- 
sults were  expected  to  flow  from  Kansas  being  a  free  State,  as  flowed 
to  Kentucky  in  consequence  of  being  bordered  by  free  States  ;  not  that 
the  people  of  Kansas  really  intended  to  interfere  directly  with  the  in-i 
stitutions  of  Missouri,     I  heard  Missouri  people  say,  that  in  ease  the; 
day  of  election  was  postponed  by  Governor  Keeder,  to  give  these  emi- 
grant societies  time  to  send  emigrants  here  to  control  the  election/ 
they  would  take  steps  to  counteract  it ;  and  many  declared  their  pur-  j 
pose  to  take  claims  for  the  purpose  of  making  their  votes  legitimate- 
I  do  not  think  I  ever  heard  one  say  he  had  come  over  here  and  voted'! 
The  excitement  was  all  over  when  I  returned.    These  Missouriani  J 
thought  it  would  be  illegal  for  the  eastern  people  to  come  out  h  T»J 
merely  to  vote,  and  then  return  ;  but  if  the  eastern  people  did  that 
they  would  have  a  right  to  do  the  same  ;  my  reasoning  being,  tha 
two  wrongs  made  a  right.     I  understood  that  the  manner  of  conn 
teracting  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  was  to  get  up  similar  societies 
and  assist  poor  and  young  men  to  come  here  and  take  claims  for  tb. 
purpose  of  settling  and  making  Kansas  a  slave  State. 

As  well  as  I  remember,  the  conversation  I  have  referred  to,  wito 
Mr.  Burriss,  took  place  in  January  or  February,  1855 — perhaps  D( 
cember,  1854 — certainly  before  I  went  to  New  Mexico. 

M.   J.  PAYNE. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


HENKY  M.  BLOSSOM  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  was  clerk  on  the  Polar  Star  on  the  Missouri  river,  during  t; 
spring  of  1855.  We  brought  up  all  classes  of  emigrants  before  t 
30th  of  March,  1855;  and  one  or  two  parties  who  represented  th< 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  839 

selves  as  coming  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
of  Boston.  Some  of  them  had  emigrant  aid  tickets,  or  tickets  which 
they  said  they  purchased  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society's  agent  in  Bos- 
ton ;  others  were  in  a  manner  consigned  to  Mr.  Slater,  their  agent  in 
St.  Louis,  and  he  made  arrangements  for  them  to  come  up.  We  never 
had  as  many  as  a  hundred  in  any  one  of  those  parties.  We  hr ought 
up  more  than  a  hundred  in  the  month  of  March,  from  the  eastern 
States.  They  had  generally  carpet-sacks,  occasionally  trunks,  and 
occasionally  hoxes  with  movables.  But  they  had  no  farming  im- 
plements or  any  stock  that  I  saw. 

We  brought  up  our  party  and  landed  them  at  Kansas  City  a  few 
days  before  the  election,  and  they  talked  very  freely  about  voting. 
There  was  one  gentleman  in  that  party  who  expressed  his  regrets  to 
me  that  a  great  many  eastern  emigrants  would  be  delayed  till  after 
the  election.  I  did  not  have  much  conversation  with  any  of  them. 
When  we  had  any  very  considerable  number  together,  they  were  very 
free  to  say  that  they  would  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  if  it  could  be 
done ;  that  there  would  be  a  very  large  eastern  emigration,  and  they 
had  no  doubt,  that  Kansas  would  be  a  free  State.  That  was  the  cur- 
rent talk  among  them;  but  there  was  nothing  very  definite  about  it. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  going  back  from  the  Territory  in  the 
month  of  April.  We  brought  up  one  party  of  12  men  who  expected 
to  get  to  the  Territory  sooner  than  they  did,  but  we  did  not  land  them 
at  Kansas  City  until  after  the  30th  of  March,  and  we  took  them 
down  with  us  when  we  came  back  on  that  trip.  It  was  a  notorious 
fact,  that  there  was  a  great  deal  of  returning  emigration  from  the 
Territory  in  the  month  of  April,  of  all  classes,  but  mostly  eastern 
emigrants,  as  most  of  the  emigration  that  spring  during  the  month 
of  March  was  eastern  emigrants.  We  brought  up  one  party  of  east- 
ern emigrants  with  their  families  in  the  month  of  March,  the  only 
party  of  that  kind  we  brought  up;  but  they  were  independent  of  the 
Aid  Society.  Those  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
on  our  boat  had  comparatively  few  women  and  children  with  them. 
Many  with  whom  I  talked  said  they  had  left  their  families  in  the  east, 
and  had  come  out  here  to  see  how  they  liked  the  country ;  if  they 
liked  it,  they  would  have  their  families  out  here,  but  they  did  not 
like  to  run  the  risk  of  bringing  their  families  out  with  them  then. 
Those  returning  in  the  month  of  April  were  comparatively  the  same 
kind  of  emigration  as  those  we  took  up.  We  took  comparatively 
very  few  eastern  emigrants  on  our  boat,  and  we  took  back  as  many  as 
we  brought  up. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

The  emigration  that  spring  was  not  as  generally  armed  as  the  emi- 
gration the  fall  before.  In  the  spring,  about  every  third  man  had  a 
rifle.  I  dp  not  recollect,  in  any  conversation  I  had  with  the  eastern 
emigrants,  that  they  said  they  came  out  here,  but  would  not  live  in 
Kansas  if  it  was  not  a  free  State.  We  took  up  comparatively  few 
emigrants  from  the  east  on  our  boat,  as  we  would  not  make  the  de- 
duction from  the  price  of  their  passage  that  their  agent  in  St.  Louis 
required,  which  was  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  for  each  person ;  of 


840  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

which.  50  cents  a  head  went  to  the  agent.  That  arrangement  could 
only  he  made  with  inferior  boats,  where  they  had  inferior  fare;  and, 
no  doubt,  that  was  the  cause  of  their  great  complaint  about  their  had 
treatment  on  the  Missouri  river. 

To  Mr.  King: 

The  agents  in  St.  Louis,  either  F.  A.  Hunt  or  B.  Slater,  generally 
paid  the  fare  of  the  eastern  emigrants  up  the  river.  The  eastern 
aid  emigrants  were  in  a  manner  consigned  to  these  agents  in  St. 
Louis. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Q.  When  one  man  acting  as  the  agent  for  others  pays  the  fare 
and  travelling  expenses  of  a  company  of  persons,  each  person,  how- 
ever, contributing  his  share  of  those  expenses,  and  only  adopting  the 
mode  of  having  a  common  paymaster,  to  cheapen  their  fare  and  ex- 
penses, does  that  in  your  opinion  constitute  a  consignment? 

A.  When  the  Massachusetts  Emigrant  Aid  Society  send  out  upon 
their  tickets  to  a  recognised  commission  merchant  and  agent  in  St. 
Louis  a  company  of  men  with  their  baggage,  it  would  in  my  opinion 
seem  to  partake  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  a  consignment,  and  the  par- 
lance of  steamboat  men  in  such  cases  was,  that  u,a,  consignment  of 
Yankees  have  arrived/'  In  answer  to  the  question  put  to  me,  I  have' 
to  say  that  I  do  not  consider  the  case  an  assignment. 

We  made  two  trips  in  the  month  of  March  that  spring  before  the 
30th  of  March. 

H.  M.  BLOSSOM. 

STEAMBOAT  POLAR  STAR,  Missouri  river,  June  10,  1856. 


NATHAN  ADAMS  called  and  sworn. 
By  Gov.  King: 

I  was  a  resident  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts.  Came  to  the  Territory) 
in   October,  1854,    from  Provincetown,  in  that  State.  As  a  means  oij 
getting  to  the  Territory,  I  wrote  a  letter  to  the  agent  of  the  Emigrant!) 
Aid  Society  in  Boston,  inquiring  the  advantage  it  would  be  to  me  tc 
goto  Kansas  under  their  auspices,  or  going  on  my  own  responsibility 
I  heard  that  my  passage  would  cost  me  some  eight  or  ten  dollars  less 
by  going  under  that  company.     I  had  a  letter  from  the  agent,  but  i  i 
is  in  possession  of  my  wife,  who  is  now  in  New  Bedford,  Massachu 
setts.     I  had  also  a  printed  circular  that  came  with  the  letter,  an<  i 
all  the  information  I  had  about  that  society  was  contained  in  the  let 
ter  and  circular. 

Q.  Will  you  state  if,  in  any  arrangement  sought  to  be  made  wit! 
the  Emigrant  Aid  Company  to  get  to  Kansas  under  their  auspices,  . 
pledge  was  not  exacted  from  you,  when  you  got  to  Kansas,  to  givi 
your  votes  and  use  all  your  influence  to  make  Kansas  a  free  Statti 
and  that  they  declined  to  aid  any  man  here  who  would  not  give  thai 
pledge  ;  and  if  you  did  not  decline  to  come  under  their  auspices,  sole! 
upon  that  ground? 


uei 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  841 

[Before  the  witness  was  allowed  to  answer  the  foregoing  question, 
Mr.  Sherman  propounded  the  following  question: 

Q.  Had  you  any  communication  from,  or  did  you  attempt  t'o  make 
any  arrangement,  with  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  except  by  the  letter 
and  circular  referred  to? 

A.  I  received  no  other  communication  from  them,  except  the  letter 
and  circular  above  referred  to. 

Q.  By  Gov.  King. — Are  you  willing,,  and  will  you  state  to  the 
committee  that  you  will  write  to  your  wife  at  New  Bedford,  Massa- 
chusetts, immediately,  to  forward  the  letter  in  her  possession,  above 
spoken  of,  to  the  committee  at  Washington? 

A.  I  will  do  so  immediately,  if  so  requested  by  the  committee. 

The  witness  is  requested  by  the  committee  to  have  the  letter  for- 
warded, with  the  assurance  that  it  would  be  received  in  evidence. 

The  committee  exclude  parol  evidence  of  the  contents  of  these 
papers,  and  overrule  the  question  put  by  Grov.  King.] 

Witness  resumes. — I  did  not  come  out  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Society. 

NATHAN  ADAMS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 

[See  letter  of  T.  W.  Webb.] 


JOHN  E.  INGALLS  called  and  sworn. 

By  Mr.  King: 

I  am  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  came  to  Missouri  in  November  > 
1854.  While  in  Massachusetts  I  resided  2^  miles  from  Boston,  and 
was  somewhat  acquainted  there.  I  conversed  with  Mr.  Webb,  the 
agent  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  concerning  the  advantages  I  should 
have  in  coming  out  here  under  their  auspices,  and  what  they  would 
expect  from  me  as  an  emigrant.  I  was  often  in  the  office  of  the  society. 
The  object  in  helping  the  emigrants  to  come  here  was  to  have  them 
vote  their  ticket — the  free-State  ticket.  They  would  make  some  ar- 
rangement by  which  they  could  get  here  cheaper  than  by  themselves, 
and  would  help  them  all  they  needed  after  they  got  here.  The  un- 
derstanding was,  that  they  would  help  none  but  those  who  would  vote 
their  ticket.  I  did  not  come  under  their  auspices,  but  came  along 
with  a  company  that  did  come  under  their  auspices.  After  we  got 
on  the  Missouri  they  wanted  me  to  join  them,  but  I  would  not  do  so. 
I  did  not  intend,  when  I  started,  to  come  any  farther  than  St.  Louis. 
I  knew  some  of  the  company  who  came  out  here.  All  those  who  re- 
mained were  free-State  men ;  but  when  they  got  on  the  river,  and 
were  asked  to  join  .the  society,  those  who  had  money  went  back,  as 
they  had  become  disgusted  with  the  society.  Some  of  them  got  as 
far  as  Kansas  City,  and  then  turned  back ;  and  some  got  into  the  Ter- 
ritory. I  do  not  think  25  of  the  party  who  came  along  then  remained 
here,  and  I  believe  there  ^ould  be  hardly  one  left  if  they  had  money 
to^  get  back.  There  were  some  from  Massachusetts  who  would  not 
join  the  society,  and  who  never  intended  to  take  any  part  in  the 
society,  and  who  went  off  by  themselves  up  the  Fort  Riley  way,  and 


842 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


I  have  never  heard  of  their  going  back.     Those  who  had  no  monej 
to  get  back  went  to  Lawrence. 

Q.  Will  you  state  that,  among  those  emigrants  who  came  out  frorr 
Massachusetts  at  or  about  the  time  you  did,  and  who  have  been  una- 
ble to  return,  and  who  came  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society,  whether  or  not,  under  their  agreement  with  the  Emigranl 
Aid  Society,  they  are  not  under  their  control,  and  by  their  destitutioi 
made  subservient  to  their  will,  in  their  political  movements  in  th< 
Territory? 

A.  I  do  not  know  further  than  these  persons  have  told  me. 

[Mr.  Sherman  here  objects  to  the  declarations  of  persons  as  to  theii 
condition  of  destitution  or  otherwise,  and  as  to  their  connexion  wit! 
or  subserviency  to  any  persons  whatever.  After  discussion,  the  ob- 
jection was  overruled.] 

Witness  continued. — There  was  a  man  from  Lawrence  who  wanted  to 
work  for  me,  and  said  he  would  come  and  work  for  me  if  he  couW 
get  his  property  in  Lawrence  clear  of  this  society.  He  afterward* 
wrote  to  me,  and  said  he  could  not  come  without  losing  all  he  hao 
in  Lawrence — his  lots  and  house.  I  do  not  know  any  further  abou 
the  subservency  of  these  emigrants  to  the  society,  and  their  beinf 
obliged  by  their  destitution  to  remain  here,  and  act  as  they  desire< 
them  to  do,  than  what  I  have  here  told,  as  being  learned  from  thin 
man  from  Lawrence. 

A  number  of  emigrants  from  Massachusetts,  who  came  here  clea 
of  the  Aid  Society,  and  who  avowed  that  they  came  here  to  get  home!! 
for  themselves,  and  not  for  political  purposes,  I  understand  have  re<| 
mained  in  the  Territory.     I  know  nothing  of  the  treatment  of  thes 
men  in  the  Territory,  only  so  far  as  I  have  heard  them  say.     I  haT 
been  kindly  treated  myself.     I  know  of  no  one  being  treated  unkind] 
who  minds  his  own  business. 

I  have  been  at  Lawrence.     I  have  had  conversation  with  Mr.  Col«t| 
man,  a  leading  free-State  man  there.     This  was  during  the  time  tl 
difficulties  took  place  there  last  fall,  and  while  forces  were  camped  c 
the  Wakarusa.     Mr.  Coleman  was  talking  with  me  in  the  puhl 
streets,  and  there  were  some  fifty  or  more  men  about  us,  armed  will 
Sharpe's  rifles.     He  said,  if  the  forces  came  there  to  burn  down  tit] 
town,  they  would  be  resisted.     He  asked  if  the  governor  had  calL 
these  forces,  and  I  told  him  it  was  so  understood  here.     A  stroi 
spirit  of  resistance  was  evinced  by  the  people,  and  they  said,  if  the 
forces  came  there,  they  could  stop  them.     I  asked  them  how  mai ' 
men  they  had.     They  said  there  would  be,  if  they  called  them,  l,60*!i 
They  asked  how  many  on  the  other  side.     I  told  them  that  th€>] 
were  five  or  six  hundred  there  at  the  time,  and  there  were  more    , 
the  way  ;  and  there  were  rumors  that  there  would  be  2,000.     Th 
wanted  to  know  if  the  government  troops  had  been  called  out,  ana 
told  them  such  was  the  rumor  in  Missouri.     They  said,  if  they  we 
called  out,  they  should  not  resist  them.     They  said  they  intended 
form  a  free  State  constitution,  and  apply  to  be  admitted  as  a  Stai 
and  if  they  did  not  succeed  in  that,  they  intended  to  set  up  indepei 
ently  for  themselves.     All  of  them  were  speaking  against  the  la^j. 
did  not  like  the  laws,  and  would  not  live  under  them.     All  this  a  • 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  843 

versation  took  place  while  I  was  in  Lawrence,  during  the  war  last 
fall. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  did  not  hear  them  say  at  that  time,  or  at  any  time,  that  they 
would  directly  resist  the  laws.  Some  few  said  they  would  not  obey 
the  laws  ;  hut  I  did  not  consider  them  of  any  account,  even  then.  I 
heard  none  of  the  leaders  say  so. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  saw  some  emigrants  who  came  out  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Society  last  spring  or  summer.  I  saw  one  of  them 
during  the  latter  part  of  July,  and  he  said  they  gave  him  $50  and  a 
Sharpe's  rifle  to  come  out  there.  This  was  a  man  that  came  from 
Salem,  Massachusetts.  I  saw  some  of  the  company  as  they  were 
scattered  along,  passing  through  this  town.  I  saw  the  man  I  have 
referred  to  in  the  Territory.  I  asked  him  if  the  Aid  Society  were 
sending  men  here  now.  He  said  they  were,  and  were  doing  better  by 
them  than  they  ever  had  done  before  ;  were  giving  them  $50  and  a 
Sharpe's  rifle.  I  saw  some  of  these  persons  have  Sharpe's  rifle. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

All  the  benefit  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  would  agree  to  give  men 
when  they  started  was  to  save  expenses,  as  they  could  get  their  fare 
cheaper  by  coming  along  in  companies.  Each  man  paid  for  his  own 
ticket  in  coming  out  here.  In  my  opinion,  they  did  not  save  anything 
on  their  tickets.  It  cost  them  $30  for  their  tickets  from  Boston  to 
Kansas  City.  I  could  have  come  for  the  same  amount  by  myself.  I 
cannot,  therefore,  say  that  they  derived  any  benefit  from  the  society, 
and  that  is  the  reason  why  so  many  became  disgusted  with  them.  I 
think  I  could  have  come  as  cheap,  or  even  cheaper  than  they  did,  if  I 
had  taken  a  different  route  from  what  they  did  when  these  emigrants 
came  to  the  Territory.  They  went  some  to  one  place  and  some  to  an- 
other. A  great  many  who  came  out  when  I  did,  in  November,  1854, 
;  went  back  again ;  some  because  they  did  not  like  the  country,  some 
because  they  did  not  like  the  society,  some  because  there  were  no 
places  for  them  to  live  during  the  winter.  I  understood  from  mem- 
bers of  the  company  that  the  advantage  they  derived  from  the  society 
was  to  have  a  house  provided  for  them  in  Lawrence,  and  means  loan- 
ed them  to  get  them  a  house.  Mr.  Webb,  the  agent  of  the  society  in 
Boston,  told  me  the  company  were  going  on  to  build  in  Lawrence, 
and  wanted  all  the  mechanics  they  could  get  at  $3  per  day.  They 
found  when  they  got  here  that  they  could  get  but  $1  50  per  day,  and 
many  were  dissatisfied  at  that.  Some  complained  that  they  had  no 
houses  to  live  in — no  settlers  for  them.  It  was  stated  before  we  left 
Boston  that  they  had  an  hotel,  which  would  be  done  by  the  time  the 
party  reached  Lawrence,  and  that  we  could  get  board  for  not  over 
$2  50  per  week  ;  it  was  found  to  be  $1  25  per  day,  and  that  dissatisfied 
a  great  many.  And  for  these  reasons  they  left  and  went  back. 

I  should  think  the  greater  portion  of  the  men  who  came  out  then 
were  mechanics,  who  came  out  for  the  purpose  of  getting  work  and 
bettering  their  condition. 


844  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

The  Mr.  Coleman  I  speak  of  came  out  from  Massachusetts  at  the 
same  time  I  did,  and  was  one  of  the  emigrant  company  coming  out  at 
that  time.  I  do  not  know  what  paper  they  signed  coming  up  the 
river,  hut  I  understood  that  made  them  all  memhers.  I  do  not  think 
that  paper  was  shown  to  me,  and  I  do  not  know  what  was  in  it. 
Coleman  told  me  that  he  lived  three  miles  ahove  Lawrence.  I  saw 
him  in  this  city  ahout  six  weeks  ago ;  he  said  he  was  working  on 
his  farm.  Farming  and  teaming  was  his  business  last  year.  He 
hauled  freight  and  passengers  from  Kansas  City  to  Lawrence.  The 
last  time  I  saw  him  he  was  driving  his  team. 

To  Mr.  King : 

When  the  society  loaned  persons  money  to  get  their  houses  or  farms, 
they  took  mortgages  on  the  property ;  so  the  agent  told  me  before  I 
left  Boston.  He  said  there  was  no  danger  of  their  failing  to  preserve 
their  property,  as  they  would  have  plenty  to  do. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  left  Boston  on  the  17th  of  October,  1854.  The  objects  of  the  so< 
ciety  were  stated  in  the  pamphlet  they  published  and  distributed.  ] 
talked  with  the  agent  in  Boston  about  the  society,  and  I  understood 
that  the  primary  object  of  the  society  was  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State 
He  said  nothing  about  any  further  objects  after  Kansas  was  made  i 
free  State. 

To  Mr.  King : 

In  our  conversations  he  said  they  could  command  money  and  me:< 
to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  Nothing  was  said  about  their  furthe 
operations  after  they  got  Kansas  a  free  State.  They  said  nothin 
about  what  effect  they  would  accomplish  by  making  Kansas  a  frc 
State,  as  regards  making  other  portions  of  the  country  free.  The 
said  that  they  had  five  millions  of  capital,  and  that  they  were  actin? 
under  an  act  of  the  legislature. 

JOHN  E.  INGALLS. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  6,  1856. 


J.  KIDDLESBARGER  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  am  in  the  commission  bum 
ness.     In  the  month  of  March,  1855,  there  arrived  at  Kansas  Ci 
about  five  hundred  emigrants,  who  I  understood  came  from  the  ea&i 
Most  of  them  were  young  men,  and  had  carpet-bags,  trunks,  and  gu 
and  pistols,  and  but  few  ladies.     Generally  speaking,  when  the  bofc 
arrived  General  Pomeroy  would  go  down  to  the  boats  and  meet  t 
emigrants,  and  what  baggage  they  could  not  take  care  of  they  usu«> 
ly  put  in  my  charge.     I  did  General  Pomeroy's  business.     I  undJ 
stood  him  to  be  the  president  of  the  Aid  Society.     We  frequently  j 
ceived  goods,  household  furniture,  bedding,  &c.,  which  were  martj- 
to  General  Pomeroy,  but  would  turn  out  to  belong  to  other  pen 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  845 

who  would  get  them.  I  had  no  particular  conversation  with  these 
men.  I  had  a  conversation  with  two  gentlemen  who  came  out  in 
March.  They  "brought  a  lot  of  cigars,  and  had  them  stored  with  me. 
They  came  in  the  second  hoat  that  spring.  I  cannot  say  that  they 
belonged  to  the  Aid  Society,  hut  my  understanding  was  that  all  that 
came  that  spring,  of  the  character  of  the  emigration  that  arrived  in 
March,  were  under  the  auspices  of  the  Aid  Society,  and  that  these 
two  young  men  were  of  that  character.  They  asked  me  to  dispose  of 
their  cigars,  and  of  two  guns  and  a  pistol,  as  they  wanted  to  go  out 
into  the  Territory,  and  would  be  gone  ten  days  or  two  weeks.  They 
left  Kansas  City  to  go  into  the  Territory  two  or  three  days  before  the 
election  in  March.  They  returned  after  the  election,  sold  their  cigars, 
and  went  back  east.  They  said  nothing  to  me  about  what  they  had 
done  there.  I  have  heard  them  state  that  they  knew  of  the  election 
of  the  30th  of  March  in  Pennsylvania,  and  got  here  before  I  knew  it 
in  Kansas  City.  A  few  emigrants  who  left  their  trunks  and  carpet- 
sacks  with  me  when  they  came  to  Kansas  City  and  went  into  the  Ter- 
ritory never  took  them  again  until  they  got  ready  to  return  down  the 
river,  cursing  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  and  everybody  else,  and  com- 
plaining that  Slater  and  others  had  charged  them  two  or  three  times 
as  much  for  their  passage  and  transportation  as  they  had  agreed  to 
pay. 

Some  of  our  citizens,  and  I  among  the  number,  thought  there  were 
as  many  returning  just  after  the  election,  and  through  the  month  of 
April,  down  the  river,  as  had  come  up,  of  the  same  character  of  men, 
in  the  month  of  March.  The  American  Hotel  at  Kansas  City  was 
purchased  by  General  Pomeroy  for  the  Aid  Company.  I  heard  some 
oi  the  emigrants  that  came  up  on  the  Lucas,  which  had  been  aground 
!below,  and  arrived  after  the  election,  say  that  the  captain  of  the  Lu- 
cas had  agreed  to  deliver  them  at  Kansas  City  at  a  certain  time, 
which  would  have  been  in  time  for  them  to  have  gone  to  the  election. 
I  heard  them  say  nothing  about  the  election.  There  were  a  great 
many  of  them  who  came  to  Kansas  City  before  and  after  the  election, 
who  never  went  any  further,  but  returned. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

To  some  extent  it  is  common  for  the  people,  not  only  from  the 
lorth,  but  from  the  south,  to  be  disappointed  and  then  return.     The 
'migration  from  the  north  is  generally  by  way  of  the  river,  while 
-hose  coming  from  the  south  generally  come  by  land  from  a  southerly 
lirection;  and  therefore  I  know  more  of  the  returning  emigration 
rorn  the  north  than  the  south.     The  emigration  from  Iowa  and  Illi- 
lois  generally  comes  by  land  also.     The  emigration  from  the  south 
>y  the  river  has  been  large  this  spring,  and  much  larger  than  before. 
V  great  many  southerners  have  gone  out  into  the  Territory  this 
pring,  and  I  don't  know  of  any  that  have  returned.     The  southern 
migration  has  generally  been  in  companies,  well  armed.     All  the 
ompanies,  let  them  come  from  where  they  will,  north  or  south,  gene- 
ally  come  with  arms.    They  look  more  like  going  to  war  than  to  cul- 
ivate  the  soil.     In  March,  1855,  the  emigration  was  generally  with- 
ut  furniture,  saw-mills,  &c.     The  river  was  low,  and  freight  was 


846  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

high.  Through  the  summer  following,  and  fall,  saw-mills,  furniture, 
and  agricultural  implements  came  along ;  hut  the  class  of  men  who 
came  with  them  were  different  from  those  who  came  in  March.  They 
had  their  families,  and  looked  like  men  going  to  work. 

I  never  was  in  the  Territory  to  vote,  and  never  wanted  to  go.  The 
day  of  the  March  election  a  "boat  left  Kansas  City  for  Wyandot,  and 
ahout  ten  or  a  dozen  got  on  hoard,  and  I  understood  went  to  vote,  but 
whether  they  did  or  not  I  don't  know.  I  understood  that  these  emi- 
grants, "by  coming  in  companies,  got  their  fare  cheaper ;  and  I  under- 
stood from  that,  that  if  they  could  not  pay  their  fare,  Gen.  Pomeroy 
would  pay  it  for  them.  In  this  I  may  he  mistaken.  Gen.  Pomeroy 
did  assume  to  pay  the  freight  and  passage  hills  of  some  of  them.  Our 
accounts  against  Gen.  Pomeroy  for  freights  of  all  descriptions,  and 
for  passage-money  of  emigrants,  and  for  property  bought  by  him,  and 
drafts  drawn  by  him  on  us,  amounted  to  from  seven  to  ten  thousand 
dollars  per  year,  which  he  paid  by  drafts  on  the  Emigrant  Aid  Socie- 
ty of  Boston,  as  we  called  on  him  and  needed  it. 

To  Gov.  King : 

The  emigration  in  the  spring,  summer,  and  fall  of  1855  was  chiefly 
from  the  northern  States.  I  knew  of  but  little  from  southern  States, 
The  northern  emigrants  had  been  coming  up  the  river  since  the  fall 
of  1854,  in  companies,  and  armed  with  implements  of  war,  such  as  ] 
have  spoken  of;  and  I  have  known  no  southern  emigrants  coming  uj 
the  river  so  equipped  until  this  spring. 

LEAVENWOETH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  2*1,  1856. 


J.  B.  EVANS  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  at  Weston,  Platte  county,  Missouri.     I  came  up  the  rive 
previous  to  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  twice  that  spring.     L 
one  time  there  was  a  large  lot  of  emigrants  got  off  at  Kansas  City^ 
said  to  be  a  hundred  and  fifty  of  them.     There  was  a  large  lot 
baggage,  mostly  trunks  ;  some  carpet-sacks.     They  were  mostly  mei 
I  did  not  see  but  a  few  women  among  them.     Their  destination  wi 
Lawrence.     I  was  on  the  boat  with  them  but  one  day,  and  had  bl 
little  conversation  with  them.     Some  few  days  after   the   30th  n 
March,  I  went  down  the  river  on  the  "  New  Lucy."     A  company  vj 
men  got  on  at  Kansas  City,  of  about  ninety.    I  did  not  hear  tbem  si| 
what  part  of  the  Territory  they  were  from.     They  said  at  differcn 
times  that  they  had  been  in  the  Territory,  and  had  voted  ;  and  i 
understanding  from  them  was  that  they  were  emigrant  aid  m< 
They  said  they  came  out  here,  were  in  the  Territory  a  few  days,  a 
voted,  and  they  were  returning  home.     They  were  western  men  ;  1 
I  did  not  learn  particularly  what  State  they  were  from.     They  si 
nothing  about  their  purpose  in  coming  out  here.     T  did  not  notice  t  \ 
one  thatsl  would  suppose  to  be  a  leader  among  them. 

JAMES  B.  EVANS) 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  847 

MILTON  J.  PAYNE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  reside  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  resided  there  previously  to 
the  2d  of  March,  1855.     I  left  then,  and  went  to  New  Mexico,  and 
did  not  get  hack  till  the  22d  of  April.     Navigation  of  the  Missouri 
was  not  open  when  I  left.     I  do  not  remember  of  seeing  any  persons 
returning  from  Kansas.     After  I  returned  the  Emigrant  Aid  Com- 
pany kept  an  agent  in  Kansas  City,  Samuel  C.  Pomeroy  ;  he  seemed 
to  he  the  general  agent  of  the  Boston  Emigrant  Aid  Society.     I  have 
seen  a  great  deal  of  machinery  there,  sent  to  Pomeroy  as  agent  of 
this  society.     I  was  informed  hy  Mr.  Jenkins  that  he  had  sold  the 
American  Hotel  to  Mr.  Pomeroy  for  the  Boston  Emigrant  Aid  Society, 
and  hy  Mr.  Hoad,  a  tenant  of  the  hotel  under  Pomeroy,  that  he  was 
negotiating  with  Pomeroy  for  the  purchase  of  it,  and  afterwards  in- 
formed hy  Mr.  Eldridge  that  he  was  the  purchaser  of  the  hotel  from 
Mr.  Pomeroy.     Common  report  was  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
had  this  hotel  there  to  afford  facility  to  emigrants  to  this  Territory, 
and  that  their  ohject  was  to  make  this  a  free  State  ;  and  it  was  a  com- 
mon rumor  that  Keeder  delayed  fixing  the  day  of  election  in  order  to 
allow  the  society  time  to  send  out  their  emigrants  to  vote  ;  and  the 
Missourians  determined,  if  that  was  done,  to  come  over  and  vote  to 
counteract  it.     The  time  for  the  election  was  not  known  to  my  know- 
ledge when  I  left  for  New  Mexico.     The  Missourians  got  excited,  and 
said  they  would  take  a  part  in  the  election  if,  as  they  expected,  there 
should  he  extraneous  interference  hy  the  aid  societies  with  the  affairs 
of  this  Territory.     It  was  the  general  rumor  that  they  intended  to 
nake  this  a  free  State,  and  then  interfere  in  the  affairs  of  slavery 
.n  Missouri.     I  did  not  notice  the  haggage  particularly  that  came  to 
Kansas  City,  except  in  some  few  instances.     I  have  seen  placards  on 
,he  hats  of  the  emigrants,  designating  the  aid  company  to  which  they 
Belong,  from  northern  and  eastern  States.     Many  of  these  emigrants 
lad  Sharpe's  rifles — I  refer  to  last  summer,  after  the  election,  as  I  do 
lot  remember  to  have  seen  any  arms  in  there  till  then.     I  noticed 
sharpe's  rifles,  and  some  side-arms.     They  generally  stopped  at  the 
American  hotel,  to  a  man,  I  "believe.     I  am  speaking  now  of  emigra- 
ion  after  I  got  hack  from  New  Mexico.     The  time  that  it  was  rumored 
hat  Mr.  Pomeroy  came  in  possession  of  the  American  Hotel  was  Sep- 
emher  or  Octoher,  1854.    I  do  not  rememher  that  these  aid  emigrants 
ommenced  arriving  hefore  that  time — September,  1854. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  never  heard  a  free-State  man  in  the  Territory,  or  elsewhere,  say 
hat  their  ohject  was  to  interfere  with  the  institutions  of  Missouri, 
ut  only  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  I  have  heard  an  eastern  man, 
3sident  of  the  Territory,  say  that  if  he  should  meet  a  slave  who 
Canted  to  escape,  he  would  lend  him  his  horse  to  ride  to  the  north 
cai.  I  think  this  man's  name  was  Burriss,  or  Burroughs,  and  he 
.ved,  I  think,  on  the  Wakarusa,  or  near  Lawrence.  He  said  this  in 
ue  store  of  North rup  &  Chick,  in  Kansas  City,  in  January  or  Fehru- 
rv,  1855,  when  I  myself,  Mr.  Chick,  Mr.  Threlkeld,  and  others, 


848  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

were  present.     I  do  not  know  Mr.  Bur  roughs 's  first  name.     I  cannot 
give  his  full  name,  only  as  Burroughs  or  Burriss.     He  lived,  as  he 
said  at  the  time,  near  Lawrence,  or  on  the  Wakarusa,  as  far  as  I  can 
recollect.     He  said  that  he  came  from  Iowa.     When  we  speak  of 
eastern  men,  we  mean  all  from  free  States.     I  do  not  knoiv  that  that 
man  was  ever  in  Iowa,  or  in  Kansas  Territory,  except  from  his  own 
statements.     I  never  saw  him,  except  at  Kansas  City,  where  I  have 
seen  him  two  or  three  times.     He  came  to  use  such  an  expression  by 
"being  got  into  a  discussion  ahout  slavery.     He  told  us  then  he  wag 
from  Iowa  ;  hut  not  when  he  came  from  Iowa,  or  into  the  Territory ; 
and  I  think  at  that  particular  time  he  said  he  resided  in  the  Territory, 
on  the  Wakarusa,  or  near  Lawrence.     It  was  the  fear  of  Missouriane 
generally,  so  far  as  I  know,  that  there  would  he  interference  with  the 
institutions  of  Missouri,,  if  Kansas  became  a  free  State  ;  and  this  fear, 
so  far  as  I  know,  was  confined  to  Missouri.     I  account  for  the  rumor 
getting  into  circulation  in  one  way — in  consequence  of  Gr.  W.  Brown, 
the  editor  of  the  Herald  of  Freedom,  writing  a  letter  to  William 
Walker,  the  provisional  governor  of  this  Territory,  that  one  of  his 
objects  in  coming  here  was  to  make  this  a  free  State.     I  suppose  the 
basis  of  the  rumor  was,  that  similar  results  were  expected  to  flow  fron: 
Kansas  being  a  free  State,  as  flowed  to  Kentucky  in  consequence  o< 
being  bordered  by  free  States  ;  not  that  the  people  of  Kansas  realb 
intended  to  interfere  directly  with  the  institutions  of  Missouri. 
heard  Missouri  people  say  that,  in  case  the  day  of  election  were  post 
poned  by  Governor   Keeder  to  give  these  emigrant  societies  time  t 
send  emigrants  here  to  control  the  election,  they  would  take  steps  t 
counteract  it ;  and  many  declared  their  purpose  to  take  claims  for  thi| 
purpose  of  making  their  votes  legitimate.     I  do  not  think  I  eve 
heard  one  say  he  had  ccme  over  here  and  voted.     The  excitement  w£ 
all  over  when  I  returned.     These  Missourians  thought  it  would  1 
illegal  for  the  eastern  people  to  come  out  here  merely  to  vote,  an 
then  return.     But  if  the  eastern  people  did  that,  they  would  have- 
right  to  do  the  same  ;  my  reasoning  being  that  two  wrongs  made' 
right.     I  understood  that  the  manner  of  counteracting  the  Emigra:» 
Aid  Society  was  to  get  up  similar  societies,  and  assist  poor  and  you 
men  to  come  here  and  take  claims,  for  the  purpose  of  settling  ai 
making  Kansas  a  slave  State.     As  well  as  I  can  remember,  the  coi 
versation  I  have  referred  to  with  Mr.  Burriss  took  place  in  Januat 
or  February,  1855 — perhaps  December,  1854;  certainly  before  I  we 
to  New  Mexico. 

M.  J.  PAYNE.  I 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


ALEXANDER  GILHAM  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

t  I  reside  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  am  engaged  in  mercan 
business.  I  was  at  home  the  latter  part  of  March,  1855,  just  be 
the  elections  were  to  come  off  in  the  Territory,  on  the  30th  of 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  849 

. 

There  were  a  great  many  emigrants  arriving  at  our  town  about  that 
time,  mostly  eastern  people.  I  think  I  can  generally  tell  eastern 
ifrorn  western  people  when  I  see  them.  I  had  a  good  deal  of  talk  with 
these  emigrants,  as  I  sold  goods  to  them.  They  said  they  were  going 
to  the  Territory.  I  think  there  were  but  few  families  with  them.  1 
sold  them  a  good  many  buffalo  robes  and  blankets,  and  in  several 
instances  I  sold  companies  of  ten  or  fifteen  buffalo  robes,  and  I  was 
iasked  several  times  what  I  would  give  for  them  on  their  return.  My 
answer  generally  was,  that  I  would  give  what  they  were  worth.  They 
said  they  were  going  to  the  Territory,  and  I  suppose  they  meant  upon 
their  return  from  the  Territory. 

In  two  or  three  instances  I  was  told  that  they  were  going  to  the 
election,  and  that  after  election  was  over  they  were  going  to  return 
home.  In  several  instances  I  would  sell  for  the  companies  to  some 
'one  who  seemed  to  be  the  leader  ;  and  it  was  with  these  leaders  that 
I  had  conversation  about  their  coming  out  here  to  vote. 

I  saw  a  good  many  of  the  same  persons  on  their  return ;  some  were 
gone  ten  days,  I  suppose,  and  some  longer.  A  good  many  of  them 
sold  back  to  me  the  blankets  and  robes  they  had  bought  of  me,  and 
told  me  they  were  going  home.  I  did  not  ask  them  where  their 

•  homes  were,  but  I  heard  them  say  they  were  going  to  Massachusetts 
and  some  of  the  other  northern  and  eastern  States.     I  do  not  think 
they  had  much  baggage ;  a  carpet-sack  and  blanket  or  buffalo  robe 

jwas  about  all  they  had.  I  noticed  no  marks  on  their  baggage  that  I 
'  recollect  of.  I  do  not  think  their  baggage  looked  like  that  of  emi- 
,  grants  who  intended  to  remain  here. 

I  do  not  recollect  of  selling  them  anything  except  robes,  blankets, 
'.  and  provisions.  I  think  after  the  election  they  went  back  as  fast  as 
;  they  came  before  the  election. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

It  was  but  seldom  that  I  saw  any  women  in  these  companies.  I 
i  have  seen  as  many  as  a  hundred  in  a  company  going  out  afoot,  with 
;  nothing  but  carpet-sacks  and  buffalo  robes  or  blankets,  and  averaging 
1  in  age  from  fifty  down,  and  having  neither  women  nor  children  with 

•  them.     Some  of  them  were  armed,  and  some  not.     Those  who  were 
armed  had  mostly  guns  ;  I  think  nothing  more  than  that.     They  ap- 
peared to  be  anxious  to  get  off  immediately  after  leaving  the  boat; 
and  some  expressed  an  anxiety  to  reach  the  place  of  election  before 
the  day  of  election. 

I  could  only  guess  as  to  the  amount  of  that  kind  of  emigration  that 
spring.  Nearly  every  boat  brought  up  a  company,  from  twenty  to 
one  hundred.  They  would  almost  always  go  out  into  the  Territory  on 
foot,  sometimes  with  a  hired  wagon  or  two  to  take  their  baggage.  I 
saw  a  good  many  companies  going  out  that  way.  Those  I  heard 
speak,  who  were  members  of  these  companies,  and  appeared  to  be 
leaders,  said  they  were  coming  to  Kansas  to  vote.  I  do  not  think  I 
had  any  conversation  with  any  who  returned  after  the  election  in  ref- 
erence to  their  voting  here.  I  think  as  many  returned  as  went  there. 

The  emigration  that  passed  up  in  the  spring  of  1855  had  but  few 
fernilies  that  I  saw,  and  generally  no  other  baggage  than  a  hand 
H.  Kep.  200 54* 


850  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

sack,  a  buffalo  robe,  or  a  blanket.  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  ani 
trunks  at  all.  There  was  a  general  opinion  in  the  State  of  Missouri 
that  the  northern  and  eastern  emigration  was  coming  here  merely  t 
vote  and  make  Kansas  a  free  State;  and  I  heard  men  of  Missouri  sa;< 
of  the  election,  they,  (the  north,)  had  commenced  it  and  have  been 
"beaten  at  their  own  game.  I  heard  of  the  northern  men  coming  hen 
for  that  purpose  both  before  and  after  the  election.  These  rumon 
and  the  consequent  apprehensions  created  excitement  in  Missouri,  ii 
regard  to  these  elections,  and  I  understood  that  Missourians  went  ove1 
to  counteract  this  movement  of  the  north  and  east.  I  never  wen 
myself,  bat  I  heard  those  who  spoke  of  going  over  there  to  vote  sa;j 
it  was  for  this  purpose. 

One  or  two  boats  got  up  after  the  30th  of  March  with  the  same  kirn 
of  emigration  as  be'ore,  but  they  were  detained  on  the  river.  I  think 
the  most  of  them  went  back;  some  without  leaving  town.  Ten  day 
after  the  election  this  kind  of  emigration  ceased.  The  river  was  quit. 
low  that  spring,  and  it  was  difficult  for  boats  to  get  up  the  river  wit 
freight.  I  think  the  river  was  lower  that  whole  year  than  I  had  ev& 
seen  it  in  any  one  year  before. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

The  most  of  these  people  stopped  at  the  American  Hotel  in  Kansc^- 
City,  when  they  landed.  I  do  not  know,  but  from  rumor,  who  wer 
the  owners  of  the  American  Hotel. 


To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  think  the  people  of  Kansas  City  would  not  want  the  hotel  torn 
down;  but  there  are  others  in  the  county  who  would  like  to  have  : 
torn  down,  because  it  was  reported  that  it  belonged  to  the  Emigrani 
Aid  Company. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

S>  far  as  I  ever  heard  any  man  express  his  opinion,  it  was  that  thai 
hotel  belonged  to  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  it  was  more  gen 
erally  reported  as  being  so  than  denied. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

I  never  heard  that  contradicted,  except  by  the  present  keepers,  wh, 
claimed  to  own  it  themselves;  and,  in  consequence  of  that  assertion, , 
think  the  people  of  Kansas  City  forbore  to  injure  the  property. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

I  think  Mr.  Eldridge  and  his  brothers  who  keep  the  America1! 
Hotel  in  Kansas  City,  also  keep  the  new  hotel  in  Lawrence. 

General  Pomeroy  has  been  in  our  town  a  good  deal,  ami  it  w# 
understood  that  he  acted  as  agent  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  do  not  recollect  how  many  boats  came  up  before  the  election  th*;| 
rpring.     We  had  a  boat  almost  daily— sometimes  two  or  three  boats  | 
lut  sometimes  only  once  in  two  days.     1  think  the  first  boat  came  u 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  851 

ion  the  20tli  of  March — the  Sonora  ;  but  there  were  no  emigrants  on 
'her;  nor  on  the  Arabia,  which  was  the  nex'  boat. 

The  most  of  those  who  went  out  to  look  up  claims  and  squat,  usu- 
ally bought  buffalo  robes,  or  blankets,  or  provisions,  to  take  with 
them.  I  think  the  settlers  who  first  came  here  from  a  long  distance, 
came  at  first  without  their  families,  and  looked  up  claims  and  then 
located  them,  and  then  went  back  and  brought  their  families.  I  knew 
some  instances  of  this  class  myself.  There  has  been  more  or  less 
coming  and  going  ever  since  the  Territory  was  open  for  settlement. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

I  never  had  any  proposition,  except  from  the  persons  I  have  named, 
to  sell  robes  before  the  election,  and  bring  them  on  their  ret  mn  ailer 
wards.  What  we  term  bona-fide  squatters  have  never  made  any  such 
propositions.  I  never  had  persons  come  to  me  to  buy  robes  for  com- 
panies before  this  time,  though  we  had  sold  robes  to  mercantile  agents 
of  companies  by  wholesale. 

ALEXANDER  GILHAM. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


WILLIAM  T.  DONALDSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

I  reside  in  Westport,  Missouri,  and  came  here  in  March,  1850,  and 
have  resided  here  since  1851.  I  was  engaged  in  the  livery-stable 
business  in  the  spring  of  1855,  and  was  in  that  business  in  March, 
1855.  There  were  a  good  many  eastern  emigrants  arrived  here  just 
before  the  election  in  the  Territory  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855  ;  and 
I  took  a  great  many  passengers  of  them  up  in  my  hack,  which  I  was 
running  all  the  time.  They  were  principally  all  the  passengers  I 
had.  I  do  not  know  that  I  can^say  that  they  told  me  anything  about 
coming  under  the  influence  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  There 
were  a  good  many  from  Pennsylvania,  and  a  good  many  from  New 
York  and  Boston.  Some  of  them  told  me  they  came  here  to  vote, 
and  intended  to  vote.  I  recollect  of  one  hack  load  who  spoke  of 
voting  ;  and  they  seemed  to  have  an  idea  that  the  Pro-slavery  party 
would  take  the  polls,  and  prevent  them  from  voting  ;  and  the  excla- 
mation they  used  was  this:  "We  came  here  to  vote,  and  we  will 
vote."  I  think  on  the  25th  of  March  I  sent  three  carriages  with  pas- 
sengers up  to  the  Territory,  about  twenty  in  all ;  and  in  a  few  days 
after  the  election  I  brought  a  portion  of  the  same  men  back.  After 
the  election  I  had  full  loads  back,  and  I  would  rather  at  that  time 
take  my  hack  to  Lawrence  to  get  a  load,  than  to  depend  upon  getting 
a  load  from  this  place  to  Lawrence.  Some  of  the  men  whom  I 
brought  back  told  me  they  voted.  There  was  a  young  man  I  always 
called  "Scotch,"  because  he  always  called  me  "Scotch"  from  the 
first  time  I  saw  him,  and  I  suppose  I  have  taken  him  up  and  back 
twenty  times.  He  always  came  to  me  with  the  parties  to  make  bar- 
gains for  my  hack.  He  was  in  the  Territory  a  month  ago.  I  gene- 


852  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

rally  took  these  eastern  emigrants  to  Lawrence,  though  I  took  som« 
to  Osawatomie.  I  think  the  principal  portion  of  those  I  took  on 
before  the  election  came  hack  afterwards.  Some  of  these  emigrant! 
had  trunks,  and  some  had  carpet-sacks.  I  think  the  most  of  then 
had  trunks.  I  had  to  take  a  wagon  along  to  take  the  trunks,  as  m} 
hacks  were  full  of  passengers  without  any  haggage.  I  do  not  knov 
as  they  stated  to  me  where  they  lived  when  at  home.  I  generally  in 
quired  what  States  they  were  from,  and  they  told  me  without  hesita; 
tion.  I  never  asked  them  much  about  their  reasons  for  coming  back 
but  I  have  heard  them  curse  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  for  deceiving 
them  in  getting  them  out  here. 

They  were  not  all  young  men.  They  seemed  to  be  from  twenty 
five  to  forty-five  years  of  age,  the  most  I  took  out  there.  Very  fe> 
of  them  had  families.  I  have  taken  families  out  in  the  Territory 
but  in  this  instance  I  do  not  think  there  were  any  families  along. 

WILLIAM  T.  DONALDSON. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  7,  1856. 


CHARLES  E.  KEARNEY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  reside  in  Westport,  Missouri,  and  have  resided  here  for  neari 
four  years.  I  was  in  Boston  the  21st  of  February,  1855,  and  |i 
gome  days  previous.  I  was  purchasing  goods  there  for  this  marke 
and  in  the  course  of  conversation  with  merchants  there,  Kansi 
affairs  were  introduced.  I  was  inquired  of  by  some  when  the  elcfc 
tion  would  take  place,  and  told  them  I  presumed,  from  the  informi 
tion  I  had  when  I  left,  that  it  would  take  place  in  April  or  Mai 
Some  of  them  informed  me  it  would  take  place  earlier  than  that ;  i; 
or  about  the  30th  of  March,  I  think,  some  of  them  said,  I  returns* 
and  was  in  St.  Louis  about  the  5th  of  March.  I  started  for  hoi' 
about  the  fan,  and  reached  this  place  about  the  12th  of  March,  (i 
my  arrival  no  one  in  the  neighborhood,  so  far  as  I  know,  was  awa'i 
of  the  time  of  the  election. 

I  understood  that  they  were  creating  an  excitement  in  Boston  \ 
the  purpose  of  sending  out  emigrants  under  the  auspices  of  the  EBI 
grant  Aid  Society  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  I  saw  numbers- 
these  emigrants  on  steamboats  and  railroads  as  I  came  along.  I  lit 
but  little  conversation  with  them,  except  on  the  boat  up  the  Missou 
river.  I  understood  on  that  boat  that  one  hundred  and  fifty  er- 
grants,  who  were  behind,  were  anxious  to  come  up  on  the  boat ;  a* 
they  offered  double  passage  to  be  brought  up  in  time  for  the  electio 
This  was  my  second  trip  up  the  river,  as  I  had  come  up  from  \\ 
Louis  without  arranging  my  business,  and  had  gone  back  to  arran' 
that,  after  stopping  at  home  a  week  or  so.  I  heard  nothing  in  \ 
Louis  from  these  emigrants.  The  boat  Tcame  up  on  was  crowo 
with  emigrants,  some  of  whom  said  they  were  Aid  Society  e*- 
grants.  We  left  St.  Louis  before  the  30th  of  March,  and  i 
Lexington  we  heard  accounts  of  the  results  of  the  election  in  some  I 
the  districts.  The  boat  made  a  slow  trip.  I  heard  no  complaint*1] 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  853 

their  not  being  at  the  election,  because  when  they  were  at  St.  Louis 
they  knew  they  were  not  in  time  to  be  at  the  election.  Some  of  them 
on  the  boat  said  they  had  endeavored  to  get  here  in  time  for  the 
election. 

My  place  of  residence,  Westport,  Missouri,  is  within  a  half  a  mile 
of  the  Territorial  line,  and  is  a  great  thoroughfare  of  emigrants  into 
;the  Territory.  My  impression,  and  I  am  positive  of  it,  is,  that  such 
a  thing  as  sending  Missourians  into  the  Territory  to  vote  was  not 
dreamed  of  until  those  organizations  were  formed  in  the  east  for  the 
purpose  of  peopling  the  Territory  with  people  of  different  opinions  on 
the  subject  of  slavery  from  those  moving  into  the  Territory.  My  im- 
pression still  further  is,  that  were  it  not  for  the  extraordinary  efforts 
of  the  people  in  the  eastern  States  to  send  an  emigration  at  that  par- 
ticular period,  and  previous  to  the  election,  Missourians  would  have 
taken  no  particular  interest  in  the  struggle,  beyond  those  who  were 
actually  intending  to  settle  in  the  Territory.  There  was  a  generally 
credited  rumor  among  the  Missourians,  that  the  ultimate  object  of 
those  Emigrant  Aid  Societies  was  to  surround  Missouri  with  free 
States,  and  eventually  affect  the  institution  of  slavery  in  Missouri. 
I  had  conversation  with  several  of  the  aid  emigrants  and  free-State 
men  ;  and  the  general  tenor  was,  that  they  intended  to  first  make 
Kansas  a  free  State,  and  the  result  they  expected  from  that  would  be 
to  make  Missouri,  Arkansas,  and  Texas  free  States  ;  and  some  even 
iwent  so  far  as  to  say  that  would  be  done  in  fifteen  or  twenty  years. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

Some  of  the  emigrants  who  came  up  on  the  boat  I  did  were  armed. 
I  saw  two  Sharpe's  rifles  ;  others  had  the  usual  rifles,  and  some  had 
ipistols.  They  made  no  show  of  them  at  all,  but  came  up  as  other 
emigrants  did.  There  were  six  or  eight  women  along.  This  I  say  in 
^reference  to  the  second  trip.  The  river  was  lower  that  spring  than 
iusual  at  that  season. 

To  Mr.  King : 

After  I  reached  Westport  a  good  number  of  these  emigrants,  prob- 
ably a  majority  of  those  I  saw  on  the  boat,  passed  through  our  town 
towards  the  Territory,  and  were  mostly  on  foot,  with  carpet-sacks 
generally  in  their  hands,  and  with  guns  of  various  descriptions  ; 
some  rifles,  &c. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  outfitting  of  implements  of  husbandry  in 
this  place  for  the  Territory,  and  more  done  at  that  season  than  at  any 
other  season  of  the  year.  I  was  in  business  here  myself.  I  think  no 
such  outfitting  was  made  by  these  eastern  emigrants  in  this  town. 
Occasionally  they  bought  an  axe,  but  not  more  than  'that.  At  that 
time  I  believe  Kansas  City  and  Westport,  Missouri,  were  the  only 
points  near  the  Territory  south  of  the  Kansas  river,  and  in  Missouri, 
;where  such  articles  were  kept  for  emigrants. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  think  it  was  a  merchant  with  whom  I  was  dealing  in  Boston,  who 


854  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

told  me  about  the  da^  of  election.  This  merchant  was  the  only  pe: 
eon  with  whom  I  had  a  conversation  npon  the  time  of  election,  an 
the  only  one  I  heard  in  Boston  speak  of  it.  When  I  reached  S 
Louis  there  was  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  day  of  election  ;  som 
fixing  on  one  day,  and  some  on  another.  On  my  first  trip  up,  we  ra 
aground,  but  succeeded  in  getting  up  to  Kansas  City  on  the  boal 
When  I  started  from  St.  Louis,  I  came  part  of  th.G  way  by  railroad 
and  the  rest  of  the  way  by  boat. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  do  not  remember  noticing  the  trunks  and  carpet-sacks  of  the* 
emigrants,  and  saw  no  inscriptions  on  them  that  I  recollect. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  could  not  state  positively  that  any  of  these  emigrants  becam 
actual  settlers  of  the  Territory,  though  I  have  no  doubt  some  of  thei 
have.  I  saw  one  of  the  gentlemen  I  got  acquainted  with  on  his  wa 
back  with  his  son.  I  do  not  think  he  came  out  under  the  auspices  < 
the  Aid  Society  ;  at  least  he  told  me  so. 

CHARLES  E.  KEARNEY. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  2,  1858. 


E.  W.  DONALDSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  reside  at  present  in  Westport,  Missouri.  On  the  30th  of  Ma 
1855,  I  was  travelling  passengers  from  this  point  to  different  parts 
the  country.  I  commenced  about  the  15th  of  March,  and  up  to  tl 
30th  of  March  I  carried  about  150  to  175  men,  besides  women 
children — altogether  perhaps  200.  The  emigrants  I  took  to  Lai 
renee,  some  to  Lecompton,  some  to  Topeka,  and  some  to  Leaven worr 
City.  Some  of  them  told  me  they  came  out  under  the  auspices  of  tt 
Emigrant  Aid  Society.  A  good  many  Tasked  myself,  and  some  tot 
me  voluntarily.  They  said  they  came  out  to  vote  to  make  Kansas* 
free  State.  During  the  last  week  of  March  I  got  detained  with  ot 
load  of  passengers,  who  urged  me  to  hurry  and  get  through.  Tl'! 
was  the  second  or  third  day  before  the  election.  I  never  heard  ma:i 
of  them  say  anything  about  returning.  Some  few  said  they  did  m 
like  the  looks  of  the  country  between  here  and  Lawrence,  and  til 
they  would  go  back  home  ai'ter  the  election.  During  the  month] 
April  I  brought  back  nearly  the  same  number  that  I  had  carried  c< 
before.  Three  of  them  1  knew  positively,  and  knew  by  sight,  I  thini 
some  ten  or  a  dozen  more,  but  did  not  know  them  by  name.  Knoi 
nothing  said  by  them,  that  I  recollect  of,  as  to  what  they  supposi 
would  be  the  eifect  of  their  movement  upon  Missouri.  The  major::] 
of  those  I  carried  into  the  Territory  had  satchels,  some  of  them  hlf 
trunks,  and  some  had  no  baggage  of  any  kind. 

B.  W.  DONALDSON,) 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  2,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  855 

E.  C.  MCCARTY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Gov.  King : 

I  was  a  resident  of  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  about  five  years  prior 
ito  coming  to  the  Territory,  and  came  to  the  Territory  in  March  last. 
The  causes  of  the  excitement  in  the  county  where  I  resided  was  in 
consequence  of  the  formation  of  emigrant  aid  and  other  societies,  for 
the  purpose  of  sending  emigrants  here  to  make  Kansas  Territory  a 
free  State,  and  the  inflammatory  publications  in  the  New  York  Trib- 
une and  other  papers.  This  was  shortly  after  the  passage  of  the  Kan- 
sas-Nebraska bill.  I  do  not  think  there  would  have  been  any  excite- 
ment at  all,  if  free-State  men  had  emigrated  here  in  the  usual  way, 
as  had  always  been  the  case  in  the  settlement  of  western  Territories, 
It  was  my  feeling,  and  the  feeling  of  tlie  community  in  which  I  re- 
sided, that  free-State  men  might  come  and  intermix  among  us  in  the 
Territory  in  a  friendly  and  social  manner,  and  advocate  the  policy  of 
making  it  a  free  State;  and  if,  in  organizing  the  Territory  into  a 
State,  they  should  have  the  majority,  we  were  prepared  to  submit  to 
it  in  peace  and  quietness.  I  do  not  believe  there  would  have  been 
any  extraordinary  excitement,  had  it  not  been  for  the  efforts  male,  as 
was  universally  believed  by  us,  of  organized  bodies  in  the  free  States 
for  the  express  purpose  of  coming  here  to  make  this  a  free  State.  We 
understood  and  believed,  from  the  declarations  of  men  of  their  party 
who  came  here,  and  what  we  saw  in  the  newspapers,  that  the  ultimate 
idesign  was  to  affect  the  institutions  of  Missouri  and  make  it  a  free 
State.  I  heard  free-State  men  say  that,  was  their  design.  I  do  nofc 
iknow  whether  or  not  they  were  Emigrant  Aid  men,  but  I  formed  tbe 
'opinion  that  they  were,  from  conversations  that  I  had  with  them.  On 
jone  occasion  I  invited  some  five  Emigrant  Aid  men  to  my  house.  I 
Jtold  them  I  wanted  them  to  see  how  Missourians  lived,  and,  as  there 
'would  be  a  very  great  intercourse  between  the  citizens  of  Missouri  and 
'those  of  Kansas  Territory,  we  ought  to  live  on  terms  of  friendship, 
land  cultivate  a  feeling  of  good  neighborship.  They  said  that  they 
jwere  pledged,  before  they  left  home,  to  vote  to  make  Kansas  a  free 
State ;  that  they  would  not  have  been  assisted  by  the  Aid  Society,  had 
they  not  made  that  pledge.  Much  more  was  said,  but  I  have  given 
the  substance  of  what  was  said. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

There  was  no  particular  excitement  in  Missouri  before  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  bill  passed.  There  was  [no]  desire  expressed  by  our  people 
about  the  Missouri  compromise  until  after  the  bill  was  introduced  and 
the  question  brought  up  in  Congress;  after  that,  there  was  a  desire 
that  the  hill  would  pass  ;  that  is,  if  the  North  would  yield  the  restric- 
tion against  slavery,  we  would  take  it.  If  the  subject  had  not  been 
introduced  into  Congress  at  all,  there  would  not  have  been  any  excite- 
iment  at  all,  as  far  as  I  know.  The  people  of  Missouri,,  no  doubt,  de- 
sired the  restriction  removed ;  but  they  did  not  suppose  a  majority  in 
Congress  would  do  it,  and  felt  no  great  interest  about  it. 

Immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  bill,  large  numbers  of  Missou- 


856  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

rians  went  over  to  the  Territory  to  make  houses  and  "better  their  coj 
dition.  I  was  at  the  Willow  Spring  election  in  Octoher,  1855,  bu 
did  not  vote.  I  was  at  none  of  the  previous  elections  in  the  Terrrbl 
ry.  I  know  of  none  of  my  neighbors  who  went.  I  know  that  in  tl 
fall  of  1854  secret  societies  were  formed,  the  purpose  and  design 
which  was  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  to  counteract  the  infl1 
ences  of  societies  in  the  eastern  and  northern  States  formed  to  mal 
Kansas  a  free  State.  These  societies  were  pretty  numerous.  "W 
thought  we  had  the  right  to  fight  the  devil  with  fire.  They  wet 
formed  through  many  of  the  counties  in  Missouri,  but  I  cannot  give* 
definite  idea  of  their  number. 
To  Gov.  King  : 

The  object  was  to  induce  emigration  into  Kansas  to  become  bonj 
fide  settlers,  and  our  objects  and  purposes  had  nothing  in  them  of  r 
unlawful  character. 

E.  c.  MCCARTY.. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


CHARLES  C.  SPALDING  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Scott: 

At  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the  TVi 
ritory,  I  resided  in  Westport,  Missouri.  I  had  conversations  almc- 
daily  with  emigrants  passing  through  this  city,  and  they  told  n 
they  came  out  for  the  express  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  Stat 
Some  few  days  previous  to  the  30th  of  March  I  was  returning  free 
the  Territory,  and  at  Cedar  creek  I  met  a  party  of  Massachusetts  er 
i grants  on  their  way  into  the  Territory.  In  a  conversation  with  the^ 
they  told  me  they  had  come  here  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas; 
free  State.  I  asked  them  to  locate,  and  they  said  they  were  going; 
Lawrence.  I  told  them  they  would  find  no  unoccupied  claims  in  ib\ 
neighborhood.  They  said  they  did  not  care  for  that;  that  they  onu 
wished  to  get  to  Lawrence  in  time  to  vote  at  the  30th  of  March  eld< 
tioB.  That  was  the  sum  and  substance  of  what  they  said  to  mf 
There  were  from  ten  to  fifteen  in  that  party.  They  had  one  o^ 
wagon  along  loaded,  but  they  were  mostly  travelling  on  foot.  Thei 
were  no  women  and  children  along.  They  were  all  young  men. 
saw  no  implements  of  husbandry,  only  some  carpet-bags  and  sonn 
thing  to  eat.  I  was  engaged  at  that  time  in  publishing  the  new 
paper  in  this  city,  and  I  used  every  means  in  my  power  to  ascerta* 
every  feature  I  could  about  the  emigration  into  the  Territory  th 
spring.  The  principal  eastern  emigration  landed  that  year  at  Ka> 
sas  City ;  and  the  most  part  of  them  came  with  nothing  but  a  carp^ 
"bag,  and  left  immediately,  on  their  arrival,  for  the  Territory,  goiii| 
to  Lawrence  and  Pawnee — the  Pennsylvania  delegation  generally  | 
Pawnee.  One  of  the  Pennsylvania  delegation  told  rne,  in  my  offi(| 
that  Governor  Reeder  paid  his  fare  out  here.  In  going  from  Kans 
City  to  the  Territory,  they  universally  passed  through  this  place; 
good  many  of  them  during  the  night.  I  used  to  converse  every  d 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS  .  857 

i  with  more  or  less  of  them  who  came  along.  I  cannot  say  that  the 
numbers  increased  as  the  election  approached,  but  very  many  came 
along  during  the  day.  I  know  of  free-State  people  who  arrived  and 
staid°  for  months  in  Kansas  City,  and  at  the  time  for  election  they 
went  up  into  the  Territory.  '  They  did  not  tell  me  they  went  up  to 

i  vote.  A  great  majority  of  those  with  whom  I  conversed  stated  that 
their  great  object  in  going  to  Kansas  was  to  make  it  a  free  State. 
Some  said  they  were  aided  by  emigrant  aid  societies,  east,  to  come 
out  here ;  others  said  they  were  not.  The  free-State  persons  who 

I  went  to  the  Territory  from  Kansas  City  came  back  after  the  election. 
Some  were  men  in  business  there.  I  do  not  know  that  they  voted  in 
the  Territory.  It  was  not  uncommon  to  see  persons  of  this  eastern 
emigration,  after  the  election,  coming  back,  with  their  carpet-bags, 

[  on  their  way  down  the  river.  I  did  not  see  any  great  numbers  of 
them  coming  back.  I  suppose  I  have  had  a  hundred  say  to  me  that 
they  had  been  deceived,  as  regarded  the  Territory,  by  the  emigrant 
aid  societies  in  New  York.  The  emigration  kept  up  all  the  spring 
and  summer ;  but  I  cannot  say  whether  there  was  or  not  any  falling 
off  after  the  election  ;  but  I  should  think  that  the  emigration  just 
prior  to  the  election  was  greater  than  at  any  other  time  during  that 
spring. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

\. 

Nearly  every  one  of  these  eastern  emigrants  would  have  a  gun. 

CHAKLES  C.  SPALD1NG. 
WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June5,  1856. 


JAMES  WHITLOCK  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  moved  into  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  October,  1854,  and  settled 
three  miles  south  of  Lawrence,  on  the  Wakarusa,  where  I  have  re- 
sided since.  I  was  invited  by  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  to  a  public 
meeting,  some  time  in  the  December  or  January  following.  The 
meeting  was  attended  by  the  citizens  of  Lawrence,  both  free-State  and 
pro-slavery,  and  was  intended  their  indignation  against  the  move- 
ments of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  From  the  best  knowledge  I  had, 
and  from  the  general  rumor  in  that  portion  of  the  country,  there  was 
great  excitement  in  reference  to  people's  claims  and  politics;  driving 
men  forcibly  off  their  claims,  or  trying  to  do  so.  It  was  rumored  that 
they  came  there  first,  and  said  that  the  locality  of  Lawrence  was  the 
only  beautiful  town  site  they  had  found,  and  they  were  bound  to  have 
it ;  and  this  Emigrant  Society  took  possession  of  the  town  site  when 
it  had  been  first  settled  by  some  other  persons.  Such  was  the  gene- 
rally credited  rumor ;  that  they  had  taken  possession  of  three  or  four 
of  the  claims  of  persons.  From  the  fact  that  there  were  such  rumors, 
and  they  were  believed,  there  was  quite  an  excitement  got  up  there. 
The  excitement  at  that  time  did  produce  such  an  effect  upon  the  peo- 
ple's minds,  that  they  called  an  indignation  meeting.  The  meeting 
was  quite  largely  attended,  and  there  were  three  or  four  hundred  per- 


858  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

sons  present,  I  should  think,  who  carried  out  their  intention  by  pas8- 
ing  resolutions  expressing  their  feelings.  They  were  published  in  the 
free-State  papers. 

[Mr.  Sherman  objects  to  the  above  testimony  as  being  entirely  ir- 
relevant and  incompetent.] 

Doctor  Robinson  was  generally  considered  the  agent  of  the  Erm% 
grant  Aid  Society,  and  regulated  the  movements  of  the  society.  Th( 
people  there  called  Doctor  Robinson  everything  but  an  honest  mam 
said  right  to  his  face  that  he  was  a  murderer  and  midnight  assassin! 
and  they  could  prove  it. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

Doctor  Robinson  was  at  the  meeting,  and  made  a  speech  there,  anci 
they  rode  him  down  with  a  rush.  He  took  the  position  in  his  speed 
that  he  did  not  intend  to  do  anything  harsh  there ;  that  he  did  noi 
want  to  wrong  any  one ;  tfaat  he  wanted  to  build  up  a  large  towr 
there  ;  that  he  had  had  a  good  deal  of  money  placed  at  his  disposa; 
by  the  people  of  the  north ;  that  he  wanted  to  build  up  some  semi 
nary  buildings  there,  and  do  all  he  could  for  the  good  of  the  plac* 
there. 

CFo  what  the  people  said  of  Doctor  Robinson,  and  to  what  he  saiti 
is  own  purposes,  Mr.  Sherman  objects  as  being  irrelevant  and  in1 
competent,  and  wholly  unimportant.] 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

Common  rumor  did  say  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  of  Massa 
chusetls  did  own  the  town  of  Lawrence.  After  that,  or  about  tha; 
time,  there  was  a  town  company  of  Lawrence  got  up.  My  under 
standing  at  the  time  of  the  indignation  meeting  was,  that  there  wen 
but  two  parties  in  the  town — the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  the  hete 
rogeneous  mass  of  the  people  who  had  come  there  from  all  parts  Of 
the  country.  In  the  November  before  I  had  my  claim  jumped,  and  : 
first  heard,  from  the  man  who  jumped  it,  of  a  town  ompany  there' 
then  called  "New  Boston,"  instead  of  Lawrence.  I  do  not  know  wWi 
were  the  stockholders  in  that  company.  I  heard  Mr.  Miller,  who  wa 
the  editor  of  the  "  Free  State,"  published  there,  who  said  he  was* 
member  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Association,  say  that  the  company  haci 
elected  him  a  member  against  his  own  will,  and  he  would  not  tafcli 
part  in  signing  the  resolutions,  until  he  could  resign,  and  then  hJi 
would  sign  any  resolutions  they  could  draw  up,  no  matter  how  strong 
they  were  against  the  Lawrence  Association.  Mr.  Miller  said  thi 
Massachusetts  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  or  the  Lawrence  Association. 
were  to  have  a  meeting  that  night,  and  he  would  withdraw  from  th'h 
society,  and  did  so,  and  then  signed  the  resolutions.  I  did  not  uni 
derstacd  that  there  was  any  town  association  there  at  that  time.  Am 
my  understanding  was,  that  the  Massachusetts  Emigrant  Aid  Societ;; 
were  to  have  a  meeting  there  that  night.  Mr.  Spear,  who  was  a  menu: 
ber  of  the  association,  said  he  would  sign  the  resolutions.  It  was  mi 
understanding,  and  I  know  it  was  the  understanding  of  the  peopl  | 
there,  generally,  that  the  Massachusetts  Aid  Society  were  to  have  th ••! 
meeting  there  that  night.  Mr.  Baldwin,  Mr.  Wade,  and  another  Mr 
Baldwin,  had  claims  which  this  association  tried  to  take  away  iron 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  859 

them,  though  they  were  there  first.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  any 
title  of  the" town,  except  from  rumor  of  the  people  there.  I  never 
heard  of  the  association  having  any  claim  to  the  land  there  in  town, 
i except  an  arbitrary  claim.  I  never  heard  of  any  Wyandot  float 
until  some  eight  or  nine  months  afterwards,  and  do  not  know  whether 
the  dispute  about  the  title  to  the  land  has  ever  been  settled  or  not.  I 
never  heard  that  General  Whitfield  was  a  stockholder  in  the  town 
association  of  Lawrence. 

JAMES  WHITLOCK. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  7,  1856. 


LEANDER  KER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  came  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas  Territory,  in  the  fall  of  1842, 
as  chaplain  to  the  post,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since. 

I  was  not  acquainted  with  Governor  Reeder  until  he  arrived  in  the 
Territory,  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  in  1854.  He  removed  thereabout 
two  weeks,  when  he  made  a  tour  out  into  the  Territory  to  district  the 
Territory.  A  general  rumor  prevailed — 

Q — \Vill  you  state  that  the  fact  of  Governor  Reeder,  upon  his  arri- 
val in  the  Territory,  and  long  continued  neglect  to  take  any  steps  by 
which  an  organization  of  the  Territory,  by  the  election  of  delegates 
to  the  legislative  assembly,  by  which  laws  might  be  given  to  the 
people,  and  they  be  relieved  from  the  state  of  anarchy  in  which  they 
were  then  placed,  was  not  the  first  and  primary  cause  which  gave  rise 
to  the  excitement  which  first  existed  in  the  Territory. 

Witness, — There  were  great  complaints  of  the  delay  in  calling  the 
elections,  and  it  produced  great  excitement  among  the  people  in  the 
Territory. 

I  have  been  very  intimately  acquainted  with  the  people  of  the 
border  counties  of  Missouri  adjacent  to  my  residence.  There  was  no 
political  excitement  in  the  border  counties  of  Missouri  I  know,  until 
the  movements  of  the  aid  societies  of  the  northern  and  eastern  States 
were  made  public  and  apparent,  a  general  opinion  prevailed  that' 
the  purpose  of  these  societies  was  to  abolitionize  Kansas,  and,  as  a 
consequence,  to  overawe  Missouri.  They  believed  these  things, 
because  they  had  heard  them  stated,  and  seen  them  in  the  papers, 
and  heard  them  from  people  coming  up  the  river.  These  rumors 
created  the  excitement  in  Missouri,  and,  but  for  these  moving  causes, 
I  do  not  believe  that  the  excitement  would  have  prevailed  in  the 
border  counties  of  Missouri.  I  never  heard  Missourians  condemn  or 
deny  the  right  of  free-State  men  to  come  here  and  to  exercise  all  their 
rights,  had  they  come  in  the  usual  manner  of  emigrants.  Had 
the  Territory  been  settled  by  a  majority  of  free-State  men  in  the  ordi- 
nary way,  from  my  knowledge  of  the  Missourians,  they  would  have 
acquiesced  in  it. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  made  a  speech  at  Platte  City  just  prior  to  the  March  election.     I 


860  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

was  invited  by  the  citizens  to  give  my  views  on  slavery.  I  accepte( 
the  invitation,  and  addressed  those  citizens.  The  speech  was  con 
fined  to  the  subject  of  slavery,  and  was  not  political  in  its  character 
I  did  not  advise  the  citizens  to  come  over  here  and  vote.  After  I  left 
I  understood  other  speeches  were  made ;  but  of  their  character  I  d« 
not  know,  except  from  hearsay.  In  the  beginning  of  my  speech 
disclaimed  taking  any  part  in  any  of  the  political  controversies  of  tfe 
day.  I  made  my  speech  early  in  the  day,  on  Monday,  and  left,  am 

fave  no  such  advice.  And  after  I  left,  I  understood  a  meeting  c 
latte  City  Association  was  called,  and  other  speeches  made  as  I  abov 
stated.  At  the  end  of  my  speech,  there  being  great  excitement  i: 
the  country,  I  advised  them  to  be  moderate,  quiet,  and  cautious,  am 
to  use  no  violence  unless  it  was  necessary — not  to  be  the  aggressora 
and  that,  if  driven  to  it,  to  defend  their  rights. 

LEANDER  KEE, 

Chaplain  U.  S.  A. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


WILLIAM  H.  SUMMERS  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  in  Parkville,  Missouri.  I  never  heard  any  citizen  of  Missouu 
state  that  he  would  come  over  to  Kansas  Territory  to  vote,  until  thei 
were  satisfied  that  the  Eastern  Emigrant  Aid  Societies  had  determine! 
to  colonize  Kansas  with  anti-slavery  men,  to  make  it  a  free  State. 
well  remember  that  all  through  the  winter  of  1854  and  1855,  and  a 
up  to  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  the  prevailing  runwi 
was,  that  the  Territory  was  to  be  flooded  with  emigrants  from  tl 
northern  States  to  vote,  at  the  election  of  30th  of  March,  free-sot 
principles  and  free-State  men  ;  and  that  Governor  Reeder  was  dela;t 
ing  the  organization  of  the  Territory  till  navigation  opened,  so  tha 
these  emigrants  might  reach  the  Territory  in  time  to  vote  at  the  300* 
of  March  election.  This  rumor  was  general,  and  was  as  genera!! 
credited  by  all  that  I  ever  heard  speak  of  it,  and  they  were  a  gre« 
many — I  might  say  hundreds. 

The  people  of  Missouri  were  alarmed  at  the  unusual  movement  :] 
the  northern  States  to  fix  the  institutions  of  Kansas  Territory,  act 
were  determined,  if  possible,  to  defeat  the  objects  of  the  disturbiri 
expedient  by  all  reasonable  means.  I  am  satisfied,  beyond  doubt,  bi<j 
for  the  causes  I  have  already  spoken  of,  the  Missourians  would  neWj 
have  thought  of  interfering  with  Kansas  affairs,  but  would  have  ldi| 
the  people  actually  residing  in  the  Territory  to  control  their  ow\ 
affairs,  elections  and  all,  without  any  kind  of  interference  on  tlij 
part  of  Missourians.  I,  and  the  people  of  Missouri  generally,  withn| 
the  scope  of  my  acquaintance,  which  is  quite  extensive,  took  tlti 
ground  that  we  had  the  right,  on  principles  of  self-defence,  to  maj 
an  unusual  and  extraordinary  effort  by  one  of  a  similar  character; 
hence,  as  I  well  know,  the  action  of  the  people  of  Missouri  in  rega:.^ 
to  the  election  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  on  the  30th  of  March,  185  I 

WM.  H.  SUMMERS. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  21,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  861 


ISAAC  M.  KIDQE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  reside  in  Kansas  City,  Jackson  county,  Missouri.  In  the  month 
of  March,  1855,  towards  the  last  of  it,  there  was  considerable  ex- 
citement about  the  ensuing  election  in  Kansas  Territory.  I  saw  a 
party  of  a  dozen  or  a  dozen  and  a  half  of  men  in  a  store.  They  were 
young  men,  and  their  business  was  that  of  purchasing  pistols,  bowie- 
knives,  and  blankets.  One  of  them  informed  me  that  they  were  Penn- 
sylvanians,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  New  Yorkers.  He  informed 
me  that  there  were  fifty  or  upwards  in  their  company  that  arrived  there 
that  morning,  or  the  night  before.  The  cause  of  my  talking  to  him 
at  the  time  was  that  he  was  making  some  bragadocia  remarks.  He 
said  he  was  going  to  Kansas  Territory  to  play  Missouri  game  ;  that 
he  was  going  to  the  polls  to  vote,  and  that  if  he  met  a  patrol  of  Mis- 
sourians  there,  or  men  to  resist  his  voting,  he  would  put  a  pistol- 
ball  through  them,  or  knife  them.  Some  others  of  the  company 
bought  knives.  Most  of  them  bought  blankets  ;  but  none  others 
bought  pistols,  that  I  recollect  of.  Some  of  them  tried  to  make  an 
arrangement  with  the  merchant  to  take  the  blankets  back  again  at 
,  the  expiration  of  two  weeks,  at  half  price,  as  about  which  time  they 
expected  to  return  from  the  Territory  to  go  back  home ;  but  the  mer- 
chant refused  to  make  such  an  arrangement.  I  saw  several  young 
men,  some  two  weeks  afterwards,  on  their  return  from  the  Territory, 
who  were  said  to  be  of  the  party,  but  I  recognised  only  the  young 
man  witbwhom  I  had  conversed  in  the  store.  The  cause  which 
called  forth  the  conversation  between  him  and  myself  was  his  angry 
manner  in  speaking  of  Missourians.  I,  having  always  been  a  mode- 
rate man  on  this  question,  felt  that  the  young  man  had  been  misin- 
formed with  reference  to  the  true  character  of  the  majority  of  Mis- 
sourians. He  moderated  in  his  tone  considerably  from  the  cool  man- 
ner in  which  I  talked  to  him.  When  he  returned  to  Kansas  City  I 
met  him  the  second  time  ;  I  asked  him  if  he  had  been  to  Kansas 
Territory  and  voted,  and  laughed  at  him  as  I  asked  him  the  question, 
and  if  he  met  any  resistance  there.  He  remarked  that  he  had  voted, 
and  damned  the  Territory  ;  said  he  was  satisfied  with  Kansas,  and 
was  going  back  home ;  and  that  was  the  last  I  saw  of  him. 

A  few  days  after  the  party  just  referred  to  arrived  at  Kansas  City 
another  party  arrived,  of  at  least  over  a  hundred  men  ;  but  not  until 
after  the  day  of  election  in  the  Territory.  They  were  represented  as 
coming  from  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  probably  some  from  Ohio. 
I  heard  some  of  them  cursing  the  captain  of  the  "  Lucas"  for  run- 
ning the  boat  on  the  sand-bar,  and  preventing  them  from  getting  up 
into  the  Territory  before  the  day  of  election.  Some  of  those  men  did 
not  go  much  over  the  line  in  Kansas  Territory,  but  returned  within 
three  days  and  went  down  the  river  on  their  way  home.  The  number 
of  them  that  returned  I  cannot  state,  but  I  counted  as  many  as  fifty 
walking  along  with  their  carpet-sacks  down  to  the  river. 


862  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  am  confident  that  some  citizens  of  Kansas  City  did  go  over  in1 
the  Territory  at  the  election  of  March  30.  Probably  a  majority  . 
the  citizens  of  Kansas  City  and  neighborhood  were  in  favor  of  tl 
Missotirians  voting,  as  a  matter  of  retaliation,  in  Kansas  Territor 
There  was,  however,  a  division  of  sentiment  on  that  subject,  man 
contending  that  those  who  went  there  to  vote  should  reside  there,  an 
I  know,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  probably  one-third  subsequent] 
moved  into  and  are  now  residents  of  the  Territory.  Some  of  those 
referred  to  as  having  gone  from  Kansas  City  belong  on  what  is  callc 
the  "  Military  Reserve,"  on  which  they  had  claims,  but  they  workc 
in  Kansas  City  and  lived  on  their  claims.  The  Reserve  I  speak  of  i 
south  of  Kansas  river,  in  the  Territory. 

ISAAC  M.  RIDGE., 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


WILLIAM  H.  MILLER  called'and  sworn. 

I  am  now   residing  in  Parkvillc,  Missouri.     About  the  7th  day 
April,  1855,  I  went  down  the  Missouri  river,  on  my  way  to  St.  Louii 
on  the  steamboat  Sam  Cloon.    When  we  arrived  at  Kansas  City  the* 
was  a  large  number  of  men  came  on  board  the  boat,  some  forty 
fifty.   I  learned  from  them  that  they  had  been  into  KansasTerritorF 
having  gone  into  the  Territory  in  the  latter  part   of  March  of  tit 
same  year,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Eastern  Emigrant  Aid  Suciett 
that  lecturers  went  through  their  country,  and  represented   to   theij 
that  by  going  to  Kansas  Territory  they  would  greatly  better  then 
condition;  that  they  could  get  three  or  four  dollars  per  day  for  labo< 
and  plenty  of  it  to  do.     One  of  the  travelling  lecturers  of  the  Em 
grant  Aid  Society  was  then  on  board  the  boat,  and  was  receiving  a» 
salary  $100  per  month,  as  I  was  informed  by  them  in   his  preseno 
and  he  not  denying  it.     He  was  one  of  the  lecturers  who  had  mai 
these  representations  to   these  men,  and  induced  them  to  come  o*i 
here.     They  said  they  had  gone  to  Kansas  Territory,  to  the  vicinirt 
of  Lawrence,  and  found  that  the  representations  made  to  them  we< 
entirely  false,  and  they  were  now  returning  to  their  eastern  homes*! 
an  almost  destitute  condition,  and  money  was  loaned  to  some  of  thej 
to  enable  them  to  reach  their  homes.     They  said  that  they  were 
the  elections   on   the  30th    of  March,  1855,  in  Kansas  Tcrriton 
They  told  this  lecturer,  whose  name  was  Lincoln,  that  they  believ 
all  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  wanted  with  them  was  to  come  out  he 
and  vote.     The  lecturer  told  them  that  he  expected  to  live  out  here 
the  Territory.     They  replied,  that  perhaps  he  could  live  there _< 
$1,200  a  year — $100  per  month — the  amount  he  was   then  receivir 
from  the  Aid  Society,  and  his  travelling  expenses  paid. 

On  arriving  at  Booneville,  we   lay  at  that  place  in  company  wi 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  863 

another  boat — the  El  Paso — bound  for  St.  Louis.  This  boat  also  had 
on  board  some  twenty  or  thirty  eastern  men  returning  to  their  homes 
from  Kansas  Territory.  A  few  miles  from  Booneville  the  El  Paso 
sank,  and  all  the  passengers  got  on  board  thevSam  Cloon. 

These  eastern  men  made  in  my  presence  and  hearing  about  the 
same  representations  as  those  above  stated  in  this  testimony,  cursing 
and  abusing  this  Mr.  Lincoln,  the  travelling  lecturer,  for  deceiving 
them.  These  men  said  they  had  been  to  Kansas  Territory,  and  were 
now  returning  home  to  the  east,  and  that  they  were  at  the  election  of 
the  30th  of  March,  1855  ;  and  from  what  they  told  me,  I  think  there 
is  no  doubt  but  that  they  voted  at  the  said  election. 

They  said  they  believed  that  all  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  in 
view  in  trying  to  induce  them  to  come  out  here  was  to  make  Kansas 
a  iree  State.  They  told  this  Mr.  Lincoln  that  this  was  the  object  that 
lie  and  his  masters — the  Aid  Society  men — had  in  view.  The  most 
of  these  persons  were  young  men,  and  had  no  families  with  them. 
I  understood  that  the  reasons  the  Missourians  came  over  into  the 
Territory  to  vote  was,  that  they  believed  Governor  Reeder  was  holding 
back  the  elections  until  the  Emigrant  Aid  Societies  of  the  east  could 
pour  in  their  forces. 

The  common  rumor  was  that  great  numbers  of  eastern  men,  sent 
out  by  these  societies,  were  on  the  way  to  Kansas,  and  were  expected 
to  reach  the  Territory  in  time  to  vote,  the  30th  March,  1855  ;  and  it 
was  believed  generally  that  Governor  Reeder  was  holding  back  the 
election  until  they  could  reach  here  ;  and  I  heard  many  Missourians 
speak  of  this  rumor,  and  they  gave  credit  to  it. 

The  first  thing  that  excited  and  alarmed  the  Missourians  was  the 
incorporation  by  the  Massachusetts  legislature  of  a  company  with  a 
bapital  of  five  millions,  as  was  understood,  ibr  the  purpose  of  colon- 
izing Kansas  Territory  with  abolitionists  ;  and  whatever  acts  the  Mis- 
sourians subsequently  did  were  in  self-defence,  and  done  with  a  view 
i)f  counteracting  the  influence  of  these  movements  in  the  east. 

WM.  H.  MILLER. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  Hay  21,  1856. 


J.  T.  REED  called  and  sworn. 

« 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

Prior  to,  and  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  was  residing  in  Platte 
jounty,  Missouri,  at  Camden  point.  There  were  rumors  of  free-State 
voters  being  sent  out  here  to  vote  in  the  Territory  at  the  election  of 
;he  30th  of  March.  I  heard  these  rumors  in  Platte  and  Clay  counties, 
vhere  I  had  been.  I  saw  some  men  who  said  they  were  paid  to 
some  here  ibr  that  purpose.  This"  was  about  the  first  of  March.  I 
Overtook  some  men  between  Liberty  and  Smithland,  Clay  county, 
Missouri — some  forty  in  the  company.  They  were  travelling 
vith  ox-teams.  One  of  them  said  they  had  been  hired  to  come 


864  t  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

here  and  vote.  They  had  some  six  wagons  along.  I  saw  but  01 
woman  in  the  party,  and  think  there  was  no  other  woman  alonj 
They  appeared  to  be  all  Englishmen,  and  the  one  I  talked  with  to^ 
me  the  party  were  all  Englishmen.  I  do  not  think  there  was 
horse  in  the  party,  and  the  men  were  generally  walking  along  by  tl 
wagons.  I  could  not  see  what  the  wagons  were  loaded  with.  I  wi 
travelling  by  myself  in  a  buggy.  I  told  one  of  them,  as  he  appear< 
to  be  tired  of  walking,  that  he  could  have  a  seat  in  my  buggy,  whi< 
he  accepted.  I  expected  they  were  Free-soilers,  and,  in  order  to  fir 
out  whether  they  were  or  not,  I  pretended  to  be  a  Free-soiler  myse" 
He  then  told  me  he  had  been  hired,  as  were  the  most  of  the  compan 
in  St.  Louis,  to  come  here  to  Kansas  and  vote  the  Free-soil  ticket.  ] 
spoke  of  their  party  having  a  captain,  and  that  he  had  gone  ahead: 
pick  out  some  weak  point  where  their  votes  could  be  used  to  adva- 
tage.  I  told  them  they  might  have  some  difficulty  ;  that  some  of  t 
Missouri  ruffians  might  knock  them  over  if  they  did  not  vote  rig] 
and  they  had  better  be  cautious.  He  said  then,  that  if  there  w 
much  danger  he  did  not  know  as  he  would  vote.  He  said  he  w 
paid  to  vote,  and  if  he  was  not  allowed  to  vote  right,  he  should  i 
vote  at  all.  1  was  satisfied  they  were  all  Englishmen  from  th> 
appearance.  He  said  they  were  landed  at  New  Orleans,  and  w* 
about  to  starve  out  there,  and  came  onto  St.  Louis,  expecting  tO'i 
better;  and  when  they  got  there,  they  found  it  was  no  better  than; 
New  Orleans  for  employment. 

They  were  then  hired  to  come  up  here  and  vote,  and  were  put  I 
board  a  boat.     The  ice  prevented  them  from  coming  all  the  wayy 
the  boat,  and  they  had  ox-teams  brought  for  them.     I  did  not  leu 
from  them  what  point  they  expected  to  cross  the  river  ;  but  whe« 
saw  them,  they  were  on  the  road  to  Weston.     I  have  forgotten 
name  of  the  captain,  which  they  told  me.     They  did  not  tell  me  i 
employed  them  to  come  up  and  vote  the  free-State  ticket. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard: 

The  man  who  talked  with  me  did  not  give  his  name.     He  did 
say  how  much  they  were  paid  to  come  here  ;  and  I  never  saw  tit 
after  that  day,  and  I  do  not  know  that  they  ever  came  to  the  Territii 

J.  T.  KEAII 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


Gr.  B.  REDMON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  live  in  this  county,  in  the  Territory.  I  came  here  in  Decem 
1854.  I  moved  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  to  the  Territory^ 
was  an  open  winter,  and  I  was  going  back  and  forward  pretty  B 
all  the  time.  In  the  spring,  just  before  the  March  election,  tw 
three  days,  I  met  a  great  many  emigrants.  They  appeared  t 
eastern  men.  I  conversed  with  a  great  many  of  them,  and  the 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  865 

quired  of  me  for  various  points — Lawrence,  Topeka,  Big  Springs, 
Willow  Springs,  Douglas,  and  other  places.  I  asked  them  if  they 
were  going  to  the  election,  and  they  would  say  yes.  I  asked  them  if 
they  were  going  to  vote  the  Free-soil  ticket,  and  they  said  yes.  Some 
:of  them  told  me  that  a  good  many  were  coming  on  from  the  east.  I 
asked  them  how  many.  They  said  the  estimate  was  from  five  to  ten 
thousand.  I  camped  one  night  with  six  or  seven  Pennsylvanians. 
They  told  me  they  were  from  Keeder's  district  ;  and  I  had  heard  a 
rumor  that  Keeder  had  sent  out  a  lot  of  men,  and  I  asked  them  if  it 
was  so.  They  told  me  that  they  heard  at  home  that  Beeder  had  sent 
out  one  hundred  men.  After  the  election,  in  my  moving,  I  saw  about 
the  same  emigration  going  hack.  I  asked  them  if  the  five  or  ten 
thousand  men  that  they  spoke  of  had  come  on.  They  said  their  boats 
had  grounded  down  the  river.  They  said  they  meant  to  make  a 
general  rally,  and  beat  us  if  they  could  ;  and  if  they  failed  in  that, 
they  would  make  another  general  rally  when  they  came  to  select 
members  to  frame  a  State  constitution. 

G.  B.  REDMON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


THOMAS  E*.  BOTTOM  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided  at  St.  Joseph,  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  on  the  30th 
jf  March,  1855.  I  had  settled  in  St.  Joseph  in  December,  1854. 
I  attended  the  election  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Mr.  Bogart's, 
in  the  Burr  Oak  precinct  of  the  14th  district  of  Kansas  Territory.  I 
think  I  was  acquainted  with  the  objects  and  motives  which  influenced 
Missourians  from  St.  Joseph  to  go  over  to  that  election.  My  own 
pbject  was  not  for  the  purpose  of  voting,  as  I  did  not  believe  I  had  a 
right  to  vote,  differing  from  General  Stringfellow  and  "Judge  Wm.  P. 
Napton  as  to  the  legality  of  Missourians  voting  in  the  Territory,  but 
for  the  purpose,  if  any  violence  was  used  to  prevent  pro-slavery  men, 
who  were  legally  entitled  to  vote,  from  voting,  to  meet  that  violence 
with  violence,  if  necessary.  I  understood  before  I  went  over  that,  in 
all  probability,  a  company  sent  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  would  land 
near  that  precinct  for  the  purpose  of  voting,  and  that  they  were  sent 
just  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  that  election,  and  not  to  become  actual 
residents  ;  there  was  a  general  rumor  to  that  effect.  It  was  said  that 
a  certain  boat — I  forget  the  name  now — had  such  a  party  on,  and  was 
then  on^  her  way  up  the  river.  I  believe  that  a  large  majority  did 
Qot  consider  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  or  went  there  for  the  pur- 
pose of  voting,  though  some  of  them  so  considered.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect of  any  attorney,  except  General  Stringfellow,  being  there,  who 
insisted  that  Missourians  had  a  right  to  vote  in  the  Territory.  I 
think  I  heard  some  of  the  Missourians  who  went  over  say  they  Vent 
:>ver  to  vote,  and  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote  ;  but  I  do  not  recollect 
H.  Kep.  200 55* 


866  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

of  more  than  two  or  three,  and  I  do  not  think  that  I  can  name  then 
Many  based  their  belief  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  upon  Generi 
Stringfellow's  authority.  I  went  armed  that  day,  but  not  with  themi 
sight,  but  did  not  see  any  person  armed  there  openly.  I  saw  no  01 
shot  there  that  day.  I  never  heard  of  it  when  I  got  on  the  grounc 
three  gentlemen  were  pointed  out  to  me,  standing  in  the  corner  i 
the  fence,  as  the  free  State  candidates  ;  and  shortly  afterwards  I  wi 
informed  that  they  had  determined  to  withdraw,  and  I  saw  one 
them,  Mr.  Larzalere,  leave  for  his  home  almost  immediately  afte 
wards — say  ten  minutes.  I  saw  no  excitement,  heard  no  threats,  an 
saw  nothing  up  to  the  time  of  withdrawal  to  influence  them,  for  Sta 
candidates,  to  withdraw,  unless  the  presence  of  the  crowd,  which  w< 
pretty  large,  did  so. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

As  well  as  I  recollect,  Governor  Reeder  issued  a  proclamation  jij 
before  the  election,  in  which  he  stated  his  views  as  to  who  shoui 
vote.  One  party  among  the  Missourians  there,  who  contended  tb! 
they  had  a  right  to  vote  in  the  Territory,  contended  that,  under  t 
organic  law,  no  particular  time  of  residence  in  the  Territory  w 
specified  to  qualify  persons  to  vote,  but  that  all  residents  of  the  T4 
ritory  on  the  day  of  election  had  a*  right  to  vote,  and  if  they  we 
over  there  on  the  day  of  election,  they  were  actual  residents  and.d 
titled  to  vote ;  that  is,  actual  presence  made  actual  residence.  Th 
contended  further,  that  the  word  "actual"  was  surplusage,  and  tit! 
if  it  had  been  left  out,  the  meaning  would  have  been  the  same — tU 
all  residents  were  actual  residents.  The  other  party,  myself  ana 
vast  majority  of  others,  thought  that  the  framers  of  the  act  mean 
by  the  term  " actual  residents/'  "bona  fide  residents."  The  latt 
opinion,  so  far  as  I  know  and  believe,  was  generally  entertained 
the  Missourians  who  went  over  to  the  elections.  The  general  rumi 
about  eastern  emigrants  coming  to  the  election  in  the  Territory,  Y 
common  talk  for  several  months  before  the  election.  The  particuii 
rumor,  about  the  boat-load  coming  up  to  the  precinct  opposite 
Joseph's,  was  afloat  a  few  days  before  the  election.  I  did  not  hi 
of  any  newly  arrived  emigrants  there  on  the  day  of  election,  ancn 
suppose  I  should  have  heard  of  it  if  there  had  been  any  then.  I 
of  opinion,  even  yet,  that  there  was  some  truth  in  these  rumors  abli 
the  boat-load  coming  up,  for  I  understood,  from  rumor,,  that  a  hot 
load  of  passengers,  which  had  been  detained  on  a  sand-bar,  did  Idi 
somewhere  near  Doniphan  the  day  after  the  election-  I  went  ii 
the  interior  of  the  country.  They  did  not  get  to  the  particular 
cinct  where  I  was.  What  I  have  stated  to  be  the  object  of  the  • 
sourians  in  going  over,  I  learned  from  actual  conversation  with  the 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  came  up  on  the  steamboat  Australia  from  St.  Louis  in  the 
of  December,  1854,  or  the  latter  part  of  November,  1854,  with  a 
of  emigrants  sent  out  to  Kansas  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  of  IB- 
ton,  Massachusetts.     One  of  the  men  showed  me  a  constitution  off 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  867 

society.  I  talked  with  them  on  the  subject  of  Kansas ;  they  stated 
that  they  were  sent  out  here  to  settle  in  Kansas.  I  told  them  I  had 
'no  doubt,  myself,  that  they  were  sent  out  here  to  make  Kansas  a 
'free  State,  and  most  of  them  denied  that  they  were  sent  out  here 
especially  for  that  purpose,  but  at  the  same  time  they  considered 
themselves  under  obligations  to  that  society,  after  accepting  their 
funds,  to  vote  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  All  said  they  would  vote 
to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  thought  they  were  at  liberty  to  vote 
just  as  they  pleased.  They  considered  themselves  under  obligations 
to  vote  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  I  saw  the  constitution,  which 
showed  the  object  of  the  society  was  to  afford  facilities  to  free-soil  emi- 
grants to  Kansas.  I  do  not  recollect  that  they  stated  what  would 
be  the  effect  upon  the  State  of  Missouri  of  Kansas  being  a  free  State. 
I  had  most  conversation  with  an  intelligent  young  man  named  Taft, 
agent  of  that  society,  and  who  seemed  to  be  the  leader,  about  the 
morality  of  slavery;  and  he  thought  it  was  a  sin,  a  sum  of  all  vil- 
lanies,  and  should  be  abolished  everywhere.  I  think  in  the  crowd 
there  must  have  been  150  men,  women,  and  children,  and  they  got 
off  at  Kansas  city. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

T  inquired  about  what  they  paid  to  go  through,  and  they  told  me 
;what  they  paid  from  some  point  in  New  York  to  Kansas  city,  and  it 
;was  a  sum  less  than  I  paid,  myself,  over  the  same  route.  There  was 
another  man  along,  named  Bussell,  but  he  said  he  did  not  agree  with 
!the  rest,  that  he  was  under  obligations  to  vote  in  any  particular  way. 
I  understood  that  some  of  them  had  their  passages  paid  out  here,  but 
'  I  cannot  tell  exactly  what  that  impression  was  derived  from,  or  the 
names  of  any  persons  who  conveyed  that  impression  to  my  mind, 
j  except  that  Russell  told  me  he  had  availed  himself  of  the  facilities 
I  afforded  by  the  society,  as  he  had  a  large  family,  and  I  understood 
j  that  he  had  used  the  funds  of  the  society. 

THOS.  E.  BOTTOM. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856. 


F.  M.  MAHAN  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Oliver: 


I  reside  now  at  Palermo,  Doniphan  county,  in  this  Territory.  In 
the  month  of  March,  1855,  I  was  one  of  the" clerks  of  the  steamboat 
New  Lucy,  running  between  St.  Louis  and  St.  Joseph.  We  left  St. 
Louis  on  our  first  trip  that  season  on  the  16th  day  of  March,  1855. 
There  were  a  great  many  emigrants,  as  they  called  themselves,  in  St. 
Louis  before  we  started,  waiting  for  the  boats  to  go  up  the  river.  One 
boat  left  before  our  boat  did,  crowded  with  them,  so  much  so  that 


868  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

they  refused  to  take  any  more.     Our  boat  was  the  next  one  that  le 
I  think,  and  we  were  crowded,  having  over  300  passengers — so  mu 
so  that  we  had  to  refuse  to  take  any  more.     I  do  not  think  that  in  i 
our  lot  of  passengers  there  were  half  a  dozen  families  with  women  a: 
children  on  the  boat.     Their  trunks  were  all  marked  alike:   "Kang 
Company,  Lawrence,  K.  T."     All  were  from  eastern  States — Conn< 
ticut  and  Massachusetts  mostly.     This  I  learned  from  themselvt 
They  asked  me  particularly  about  the  time  we  would  get  to  Kang 
City,  and  were  very  anxious  to  get  there  by  the  last  of  the  month. 
did  not  know  anything  about  any  election  coming  off  at  that  time, 
recollect  particularly  that  one  gentleman,  the  head  man  of  the  coi 
pany,  took  me  one  side  and  asked  me  to  be  candid  with  him  and  t 
him  if  I  thought  we  would  beat  another  boat  lying  by  the  side  of  i 
up.     They  wanted  to  get  in  the  first  and  fastest  boat  up.     I  ad  vis 
him  to  come  on  the  New  Lucy,  and  he  did  with  his  company — abo 
80,  I  think.     On  ^their  way,  a  good  many  told  me  their  object 
coming  was  to  vote.     After  we  started,  I  learned  there  was  an  el 
tion  to  come  off  about  the  last  of  the  month.     Others  were  anxiousi 
get  here  in  time  to  vote.     It  was  too  early  in  the  year  for  ordina 
emigration ;  the  river  was  low  and  the  weather  was  cold.     Nearly 
of  our  passengers  were  of  that  character.     I  do  not  think  that  thu 
were  ten  trunks  on  the  boat,  except  those  marked  "Kansas  Comji 
ny."     I  think  all  had  arms — six-shooters,  some  two  or  three  of  the* 
I  do  not  know  that  I  saw  guns.     They  were  shooting  so  much  fr> 
the  hurricane  deck  at  geese  in  the  river,  as  we  came  along,  thatf 
had  to  put  a  stop  to  it.     I  am  almost  confident  that  Captain  | 
Thayer  came  up  on  our  boat  on  that  trip.     I  believe,  since  it  is  rnn 
tioned,  that  the  name  of  "Eli  Thayer,  agent,"  was  on  the  trunks,  $1 
that  may  be  what  gave  me  the  impression  that  he  came  up  that  til 
I  will  not  be  positive  that  he  did  come  up  that  time.     They  had ! 
other  luggage  except  trunks.     I  do  not  think  there  were  any  but  liji 
boxes,  such  as  we  allow  in  the  cabin.     It  was  an  unusual  season  of:' 
year  for  any  emigration.     We  were  about  five  days  coming  up  • 
river  to  Kansas  City.     We  laid  up  a  week  at  Weston.     The  grj 
body  of  these  people  got  off  at  Kansas  City,  about  the  21st  of  Mar 
We  laid  up  at  Weston  on  account  of  low  water,  and  while  we  ~w 
lying  there  I  went  to  Palermo,  in  this  Territory,  where  my  fatfc 
in-law  had  laid  off  a  town,  and  the  election  came  off  while  I ' 
there,  at  a  house  near  Mr.  Bryant's.     I  was  at  the  election  to  see  w4 
was  going  on,  but  I  did  not  vote.     I  saw  others  vote,  and  some  vc 
challenged.     I  did  not  see  any  of  our  passengers  there. 

About  three  or  four  days  after  the  election,  some  eighty  or  mm 
came  on  our  boat  at  Kansas  City.  A  great  many— I  do  not  knjr 
but  all — were  of  the  same  party  who  came  up  with  us.  They  jfl 
they  had  been  out  to  Lawrence,  and  had  voted.  We  run  them  a  life 
about  going  away  so  soon,  and  asked  them  if  they  had  got  tired  o 
soon.  Their  answer  was  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  not  stjd 
up  to  what  they  had  promised  them,  but  had  misrepresented  to  thiji- 
They  had  the  same  baggage,  marked  "Kansas  company,"  as  tjj 
had  coming  up.  I  do  not  recollect  that  the  name  of  "Eli  Thay  " 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  869 

was  on  the  baggage.     They  generally  told  me  they  had  voted,  and 
Were  going  hack  to  where  they  had  come  from,  as  they  were  satisfied. 
'[  had  a  good  deal  of  talk  with  them.     The  destination  of  most  of 
those  who  went  up  on  the  boat  before  us  was  Kansas  City.     I  did  not 
notice  their  baggage.     We  could  generally  tell  where  a  man  came 
from  fifty  yards  off,  by  his  general  appearance.     I  think  the  boat  that 
spent  up  before  us  was  the  "  Sonora  ;"  and  I  do  not  think  I  ever  saw 
i  boat  so  much  crowded  as  that  was.     We  all  thought  she  could  not 
get  up,  but  she  did.     The  F.  X.  Aubrey  left  the  same  day  we  did, 
:>r  the  day  before  or  after.     Every  boat  that  came  up  the  river  was 
crowded;  something  that  we  did  not  expect.     We  generally  noticed 
:he  boats  that  went  out;  what  their  passengers  were,  &c.     The  pas- 
sengers on  the  "Sonora"  were  generally  eastern  men.     She  lay  at  the 
.evee,  some  one  or  two  boats  from  us.     I  do  not  think  I  went  on  the 
:i  Sonora."     I  do  not  believe  there  were  half  a  dozen  ladies  on  our 
Doat  that  trip..    After  we  had  made  some  three  or  four  trips  that 
;eason.  our  passenger  receipts  down  the  river  were  better  than  going 
tip.     I  think  some  eighty  or  ninety  of  our  passengers  who  got  on  at 
Kansas  City  were  generally  the  same  men  that  we  had  brought  up.  All 
ioats  down  generally  had  a  good  many  passengers.     A  majority  of 
ihem  I  took  to  be  eastern  people,  going  from  Kansas.     This  was  the 
sase  for  three  or  four  trips  after  the  election,  as  I  observed  myself, 
ind  understood  from  others  at  Kansas  City.     On  our  trip  down,  there 
svas  a  good  deal  of  grumbling  about  our  charging  them  so  much  for 
*oing  down,  when  they  had  come  up  with  us  ;  but  I  do  not  know  as 
fhey  said  anything  about  scarcity  of  funds.     They  were  very  much 
init  out  with  the  Emigrant  Aid  Company  for  misrepresenting  matter 
;o  them.     One  little  fellow  swore  that  if  he  ever  laid  his  eyes  upon 
;he  man  who  had  induced  him  to  come  out,  he  would  put  a  u  blue 
i)ill"  in  him,  sure.     I  do  not  recollect  of  ever  hearing  any  of  these 
nen  say  they  had  been  furnished  with  the  means  of  coming  here  by 
he  Emigrant  Aid  Company,  or  any  other  company.     I  heard  them 
ay  there  would  be  thousands  come  out,  and  that  the  Emigrant  Aid 
ociety  had  a  capital  of  $5,000,000.     I  do  not  remember  that  they 
aid  they  had  themselves  come  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant 
Lid  Society.     Of  the  kind  of  emigration  that  came  up  to  Kansas  City 
>rior  to  the  election,  I  should  think  there  were  from  one  hundred 

0  one  hundred  and  fifty  on  each  trip  for  eight  or  ten  trips  down,  on 

1  rough  estimate.     That  was  along  in  April,  and  to  the  midddle  of 
d!ay  ;  and  then  the  passengers  began  to  drop  off. 

Our  up  trips  began  to  fall  off  in  this  kind  of  passengers  in  May  or 
Tune,  and  then  came  up  again  in  the  fall.  I  observed  the  character 
>f  immigration  on  the  boats  up  the  river  in  the  months  of  March, 
Vpril,  and  May,  and  they  were  generally  eastern  and  northern  men. 
Vfter  that,  another  class  of  emigration  in  families  began  to  come  up. 
These  emigrants  were  generally  for  Kansas  Territory.  There  was 
carcely  any  females  the  first  two  or  three  trips  ;  generally  men,  with 
heir  hand-sacks  and  trunks,  and  most  of  them  with  revolvers.  All 
he  companies  appeared  to  have  leaders,  who  made  the  bargains  for 
he  passengers — so  many  men  for  such  a  price  apiece.  I  noticed  the 


870  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

passengers  on  other  boats,  and  when  we  met  a  boat  as  we  were  goi 
up  and  down,  these  passengers  would  crowd  the  hurricane  deck  a 
fire  off  their  revolvers  some  two  or  three  times  as  a  salute.  In  Mai 
the  river  was  so  low  that  I  do  not  think  we  had  forty  tons  of  freig 
on  our  first  trip,  and  those  who  took  freight  could  not  get  up  withe 
putting  some  of  it  out  upon  the  bank.  The  Missouri  river  was  ui 
sually  low  for  that  season  of  the  year.  I  do  not  remember  ever 
have  seen  it  lower  at  any  time  of  the  year. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  was  not  on  board  of  the  New  Lucy  on  the  day  of  election,  bui 
believe  she  made  a  pleasure  trip  to  the  fort,  or  to  this  place,  or 
Delaware  City.     I  know  she  was  not  chartered  to  bring  persons  to  1 
election,  for  I  did  not  receive  any  money  for  it.     She  came  down  a 
went  up  the  same  day.     Palermo  is  about  12  or  13  miles  from  St. « 
seph,,  and  I  went  out  there  to  my  father-in-law's  the  day  of  the  el 
tion.     The  election  was  going  on  while  I  was  there.     I  saw  a  cou1 
of  gentlemen  there  from  St.  Joseph  that  I  was  acquainted  with,  1 
they  did  not  vote.     There  were  not  many  there.     Of  the  80  or  90  IB 
who  came  on  our  boat  at  Kansas  City  on  our  down  trip,  I  heard  n<3 
say  anything  about  Missourians  having  come  to  Lawrence  to  vc 
and  made  no  complaint  except  against  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  tt 
they  had  misrepresented  things  to  them,  and  had  not  come  up  to  tl] 
contract  with  them.     They  did  not  specify  what  things  had  been  DI 
represented  to  them,  or  what  the  contracts  were.     They  only  said  tf 
the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  misrepresented  things  to  them,  btt 
do  not  recollect  of  their  stating  what  those  things  were.     I  do 
remember  the  name  of  the  leader  of  the  party  who  came  up  on 
boat,  or  of  any  other  persons  coming  with  them.     We  always  bronu 
the  leaders  free.     I  do  not  remember  the  names  of  any  of  those  •" 
returned  on  our  boat.     I  do  not  think  I  could  name  any  persons  co 
ing  up  or  returning  with  us,  without  referring  to  the  passenger 
gisters  of  that  season.     On  our  return  trip  we  passed  Kansas 
somewhere  about  the  first  part  of  April,  along  from  the  4th  or  6ti 
the  month.     I  think  the  Sonora  was  the  first  boat  that  started  up 
spring,  and  we  or  the  Aubrey  was  the  next.     I  think  the  James* 
Lucas  left  a  couple  of  days  after  we  did.     I  do  not  remember  when 
Dr.  Kobinson  was  on  our  boat  the  first  trip  up  or  not. 

By  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  do  not  know  where  the  old  passenger  registers  of  the  New  lit-; 
are  now.     They  are  not  generally  kept,  and,  no  care  taken  of  thi 
sometimes  thrown  overboard  or  destroyed  in  some  other  way. 
are  bound   books,   with'  printed  heads  and  columns,  and  are 
merely  as  memoranda,  and  after  being  filled  up  are  of  no  more  ua< 

F.  M.  MAHAi 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  17,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  871 


BENJAMIN  SLATER  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  my  business  is  that  of  commis- 
sion and  forwading.  I  have  been  engaged  in  that  business  for  some 
four  years.  I  have  resided  in  this  city,  off  and  on,  since  1837".  I  was 
acting  as  agent  for  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Society  in  March, 
1855,  iny  office  being  in  the  same  building  as  Mr.  F.  A.  Hunt.  My 
arrangement  with  that  company  was  nothing  more  than  to  engage  the 
passage  of  all  persons  who  came  out  under  their  care  from  this  place 
to  Kansas  city,  at  a  price  not  to  exceed  ten  dollars  each.  So  far  as  I 
knew,  the  society  did  not  pay  for  the  expenses  of  the  passengers,  but 
each  one  paid  for  himself.  All  the  society  did,  so  far  as  I  understood, 
'was  to  get  tickets  through  from  Boston  to  St.  Louis  for  twenty-five 
per  cent,  less  than  ordinary  rates ;  each  passenger  paid  his  own  fare 
at  the  reduced  rates.  I  do  not  know  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
received  any  benefit  at  all  from  the  reduced  rates.  There  were  but 
two  parties  that  went  out  under  the  care  of  that  society  in  the  month 
of  March,  1855.  One  party  was  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Charles  Kob- 
inson,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine  passengers,  leaving 
St.  Louis  on  the  steamer  Sonora,  March  19,  1855.  The  other  party 
was  under  the  care  of  John  Farwell,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
Iforty  passengers,  leaving  St.  Louis  on  the  steamer  Kate  Sweeney, 
jMarch  26,  1855.  I  learned  afterwards  of  Captain  Chouteau,  of  the 
jKate  Sweeney,  that  he  was  some  two  weeks  getting  up  to  Kansas  city. 
|In  each  party  there  were  quite  a  number  of  women  and  children.  In 
iDr.  Robinson's  party  there  were  something  like  thirty  or  forty  chil- 
jdren,  but  I  do  not  remember  the  number  of  women  in  his  party.  I 
jknow  that  Kobinson's  party  had  a  great  many  trunks,  &c.,  and  a 
large  quantity  of  baggage  was  paid  for  as  extra  baggage,  after  allow- 
ing one  hundred  pounds  of  baggage  to  each  passenger.  The  extra 
baggage  was  paid  for  at  prescribed  rates,,  each  passenger  paying  for 
his  own  baggage. 

There  were  other  emigrants  from  eastern,  northern,  and  southern 
States,  going  up  the  river  that  spring.  I  was  not  applied  to  by  any 
of  those  emigrants  during  March,  1855,  to  make  similar  arrangements 
to  that  made  with  regard  to  the  aid  emigrants. 

The  baggage  of  the  aid  emigrants  was  marked  with  a  printed  card 
so  as  to  designate  it,  thus:  " Kansas  party  baggage,  care  of  B.  Slater, 
:St.  Louis."  I  saw  no  cards  on  the  baggage  with  the  name  of  Eli 
Thayer  on  them.  I  think  I  should  have  seen  them  if  they  had  been 
,on  any  of  ^  the  baggage.  The  object  of  the  mark  I  have  mentioned 
was  to  facilitate  and  secure  the  transportation  of  the  baggage.  Many 
of  the  trunks  left  on  the  way  were  identified  by  this  mark,  and  after- 
wards forwarded  to  me  here. 

The  river  was  uncommonly  low  that  season,  and  for  that  reason 
many  of  the  boats  could  not  run,  and  those  that  did  run  could  not 
itake  much  freight.  Many  of  the  boats  ran  aground,  arid  scarcely  a 
boat  went  up  without  running  aground  before  she  reached  her  desti- 
nation. The  winter  had  been  an  open  one,  and  emigration  set  in 
earlier  than  usual.  Some  mill  machinery  for  several  mills  was  sent 


872  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

to  ine  that  spring,  and  forwarded  by  me  to  Kansas  Territory.     The 
was  also  a  large  amount  of  furniture  consigned  to  me  that  spring  f 
forwarding.     The  furniture  was  mostly  in  boxes,  some  old  and  son 
new  boxes,  and,  as  far  as  I  could  see,  was  such  as  would  be  likely 
be  sent  out  here  by  movers. 

The  other  emigrants  I  have  spoken  of  were  not  connected  at  a 
with  the  emigrant  aid  societies,  but  travelled  on  their  own  accouu 
sometimes  in  companies  and  sometimes  in  scattered  small  partie 
They  would  come  here  sometimes  by  boat  and  sometimes  by  railroa 
and  the  runners  of  the  Missouri  river  boats  would  go  after  them  ai 
make  arrangements  for  them.  I  made  no  arrangements  myself  f 
any  parties  in  March  but  the  two  I  have  named,  though  I  did  subs 
quently. 

I  never  wrote  a  letter  to  E.  W.  Brown,  the  editor  of  the  Herald  I 
Freedom,  Lawrence,  Kansas  Territory,  in  which  I  stated  that  the 
were  from  600  to  800  eastern  emigrants  on  their  way  up  the  rive1 
and  would  be  up  in  time  for  the  election,  and  300  of  them  would 
at  Lawrence  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  ne\ 
wrote  him  any  letter  of  the  kind.  I  may  have  written  a  letter  • 
Brown,  stating  the  number  of  some  ^particular  party  then  on  th<3 
way  out.  My  connexion  with  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  was  purr 
of  a  business  character.  I  never  received  any  salary  from  them,  l\ 
received  from  them  merely  the  regular  commission  as  I  did  fro- 
others.  I  was  not  their  agent  in  any  other  sense  than  that  of  a  co-i 
mission  merchant,  and  rendered  them  only  the  same  services  thati 
did  to  other  parties  for  whom  I  transacted  commission  business. 

B.  SLATER! 

ST.  Louis,  MISSOURI,  June  12,  1856. 


F.  A.  HUNT  called  and  sworn. 

My  occupation  is  that  of  a  forwarding  and  commission  merchau 
I  have  been  engaged  in  business  in  St.  Louis  for  nearly  five  years  pai 
I  have   heard  the  testimony  of   Mr.   Benjamin  Slater,  just    takivj 
During  the  month  of  March,  1855,  Mr.  Slater  had  a  desk  in  our  offiii 
and  I  think  in  the  following  April  he  became  a  partner  in  our  fiui 
then  called  F.  A.  Hunt  &  Co.     Mr.  Slater  was  the  passenger  ag«^ 
of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  during  March,   1855,  and  af'terwatti 
F.  A.  Hunt  &  Co.  became  their  agents.     I  recollect  the  party  of  I 
Robinson,  and  also  that  of  John  Far  well,  which  left  here  for  Kan< 
City  during  that  March.     There  were  no  other  aid  emigrant  parfr 
that  went  up  that  month.     The  preceding  winter  had  been  a  v«v 
open  one,  and  the  river  was  then  unusually  low  for  the  season  of 
year.     There  was  other  emigration  from  different  States  during    j 
month  of  March,  much  I  think  from  Ohio.     They  came  generally1! 
small  detached  parties.     They  made  their  own  bargains,  and  got  < 
to  Kansas  City  as  cheaply  as  they  could.     The  regular  fare  from  W 
to  Kansas  City  was  at  that  time  $12.     They  generally  had  to  pay  i 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS,  873 

regular  fare,  unless  they  came  in  large  parties.  Subsequently  to 
March,  1855,  other  parties  of  aid  emigrants  came  out  here,  and  we 
;nade  arrangements  for  them.  The  arrangements  made  by  the  society 
*ras  to  obtain  passage  for  the  emigrants  to  this  place  at  a  reduction  of 
;wenty-five  per  cent.,  and  we  generally  obtained  tickets  for  passen- 
gers up  from  here  to  Kansas  city  at  $2  less  than  the  usual  rates. 
The  emigrants  received  the  full  benefit  of  this  reduction  in  both  cases, 
n  all  instances  paying  their  own  expenses  at  the  reduced  rates.  I 
mow  of  no  instance  where  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  ever  paid  a  dol- 
,ar  of  the  travelling  expenses  of  emigrants. 

While  I  acted  as  agent  for  the  aid  society  there  was  frequently  ship- 
ped to  me  furniture  and  other  property  of  a  similar  character.  It  was 
consigned  and  forwarded  as  usual  in  all  cases  of  forwarding,  being  ad- 
Iressed  to  the  individuals  to  whom  it  was  sent  in  Kansas,  injour  care 
it  this  place.  On  this  we  collected  the  customary  commissions,  regu- 
ated  by  the  chamber  of  commerce  of  this  city,  and  that  was  the  only 
compensation  we  received  for  our  services.  They  shipped  several  steam 
engines,  some  mill  machinery,  &c.,  to  us,  as  also  household  furniture, 
ffliich  was  sent  to  individuals  in  the  Territory  in  our  care. 

I  first  learned  from  the  St.  Louis  papers  of  the  fixing  of  the  day  of 
election  in  March,  1855.  I  received  no  information  in  relation  to  that 
matter  from  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  or  any  persons  connected  with 
;hat  society.  The  coming  of  those  parties  of  emigrants  had  nothing 
50  do  with  the  election,  so  far  as  I  know.  I  never  knew  of  the  aid 
society  ever  sending  any  persons  out  here  merely  to  vote.  From  all 
[  could  learn  from  the  society  and  from  the  conversation  of  the  emi- 
grants, their  sole  object  in  going  to  Kansas  was  merely  to  seek  homes 
ind  to  better  their  condition.  I  know  that  some  of  these  emigrants 
"eturned.  and  the  only  reason  they  gave  to  me  for  doing  so  was  that 
:he  country  was  new,  and  they  had  not  means  enough  to  support 
themselves  until  they  could  make  a  living  there. 

F.  A.  HUNT. 
j    ST.  Louis,  MISSOURI,  June  12,  1856. 


AMOS  A.  LAWRENCE  called  and  sworn. 

The  first  charter  for  an  Emigrant  Aid  Company  was  granted  by 
rlie  legislature  of  Massachusetts  in  April,  1854.  No  action  was  ever 
Jiad  under  it,  on  account  of  supposed  defects.  This  is  the  charter  re- 
ferred to  in  the  majority  report  of  the  United  States  Senate  commit- 
tee, of  which  Mr.  Douglas  was  chairman.  The  first  legal  organiza- 
tion of  the  company  wa.s'under  articles  of  association  dated  July  24. 
1854.  Under  these  the  subscriptions  of  stock  were  made,  and  action 
bad,  until  the  spring  of  1855,  when  a  new  charter  was  obtained,  as 
follows : 


874  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


NEW  ENGLAND  EMIGRANT  AID  COMPANY. 


"  AN  ACT  to  incorporate  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Company. 

" Be  it  enacted  by  the  senate  and  house  of  representatives  in  gene* 
court  assembled,  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  as  follows :  '. 
Thayer,  Amos  A.  Lawrence,  Jolin  M.  S.  Williams,  and  Thomas 
Webb,  their  associates,   successors,  and  assigns,  are  hereby  mad 
corporation  by  the  name  of  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  CG'< 
pany,  for  the  purposes  of  directing  emigration  westward,  and  aid:i 
in  providing  accommodations  for  the  emigrants  after  arriving  at  till 
places  of  destination ;  and  for  these  purposes  they  have  all  the 
and  privileges,  and  are  subject  to  all  the  duties,  restrictions  and 
bilities,  set  forth  in  the  forty-fourth  chapter  of  the  Revised  Status 

"SEC.  2.  The  capital  stock  of  said  corporation  shall  not  exceed  « 
million  of  dollars.  Said  capital  stock  may  be  invested  in  real  t\ 
personal  estate,  provided  the  said  corporation  shall  not  hold  i 
estate  in  this  commonwealth  to  an  amount  exceeding  twenty  thous& 
dollars. 

£'SEC.  3.  This  act  shall  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

"  Approved  by  the  governor,  February  21,  1855." 

The  money  paid  in  for  subscriptions  of  stock,  about  $95,000, ; 
the  donations,  about  $4,000,  was  received  by  me,  as  treasurer,  andi 
been  disbursed  by  me,  under  the  direction  of  the  executive  commit  t 
No  part  of  it  has  been  expended  for  sending  out  emigrants,  nor 
any  purpose  except  those  made  known  to  the  public,  viz :   the  estoj 
lishment  of  saw  mills,  taverns,  a  printing  press,  for  exploring 
Territory,  &c.     No  money  has  been  spent  for  fire  arms.     The  stoc< 
the  company  has  not  been  an  object  of  speculation,  though  many ; 
sons  think  it  will  be  profitable.     Some  prefer  to  give  money  with 
taking  stock.     The  pecuniary  advantage  derived  by  the  emigrants  c 
been  a  reduction  of  fare  of  about  fifteen  per  cent.     The  other  ad\i 
tages  will  be  inferred  from  the  character  of  the  expenditures  off 
company.     The  number  who  have  gone  out  is  about  1,300,  and  tl 
who  have  joined  the  parties  about  as  many  more.     Until  recently  tl 
has  been  no  association  in  New  England  for  sending  out  emigra  i 
I  never  have  known  any  person  sent  out  by  any  society  or  by  i  i 
viduals  to  vote.     This  company  never  has  exacted  any  pledge  f  I 
those  going  out;  all  connexion  with  the  company  ceases  on  their 
rival  in  the  Territory.     The  subscribers  to  the  stock  are  about  I 
and  they  belong  to  various  political  parties.     The  company  never™ 
had  any  connexion  with  any  political  party,  either  directly  or  i  s. 
rectly,  though  its  agents  have  sometimes  spoken  in  political  meetiii  fc 
this  has  been  against  the  wishes  of  some  of  the  officers.     No  diip 
tions  have  been  given  to  the  agents  ot  the  company  in  the  Terri  '" 
to  resist  the  territorial  laws  or  otherwise ;  no  question  was  aske  o 
the  agents  as  to  their  politics  when  they  were  appointed,  nor  zi  j 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  875 

I  have  never  heard  that  any  one  of  them  favored  a  resistance  to  the 
laws  of  the  United  States  under  any  circumstances. 

I  have  read  the  address  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  dated 
Boston,  June  17,  1856,  before  it  was  printed,  and  there  is  nothing  in 
it  but  what  is  true.  As  a  brief  mode  of  stating  the  objects  and  pur- 
poses of  the  company,  I  refer  to  it,  and  make  it  a  part  of  iny  deposi- 
tion. It  is  as  follows : 

TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  executive  committee  of  tlie  Neiv  England  Emigrant  Aid  Company 
respectfully  ask  your  attention  to  ike  following  facts : 

In  consequence  of  the  errors  and  misrepresentations  in  regard  to 
the  Emigrant  Aid  Company  of  Massachusetts,  contained  in  a  report 
made  to  the  Senate  of  the  United  Stales  by  the  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Territories,  March  12,  1856;  and  the  repetition  of  the  mis- 
statements  and  apparent  adoption  of  the  conclusions  of  the  report  by 
members  of  both  Houses  of  Congress,  in  their  published  speeches;  the 
undersigned  have  been  led  to  prepare  a  plain  statement  of  the  facts  of 
the  case,  to  expose  the  grave  mistakes  of  the  report  and  of  those  who 
have  adopted  its  erroneous  views,  and  to  place  before  the  country  a 
true  account  of  the  designs  and  objects  of  this  association. 

As  most  of  the  objections  which  have  been  urged  in  various  quarters 
against  this  company  are  collected  and  embodied  in  the  report,  our 
purpose  will  be  best  attained  by  an  examination  of  that  document. 
fWe  proceed  therefore  to  notice  same  of  its  more  prominent  errors  and 
anisstatements. 

I.  There  is  no  such  "  mammoth  moneyed  corporation"   "with  a 
.capital  of  five  millions  of  dollars,"   "to  control  the  institutions  of 
Kansas,"  as  the  report  supposes.     There  never  has  been  such  an  one. 
(The  act  quoted  by  the  report  was  passed  by  the  legislature  of  Massa- 
jchusetts  in  1854,  but  no  complete  organization  ever  took  place  under 
jit,  and  it  was  soon  abandoned.     The  New  England  Emigrant  Aid 
jCompany,  which  is  the  only  incorporated  society  in  Massachusetts 
(connected  with  the  emigration  to  Kansas,  was  chartered  in  1855.     Its 
capital  is  limited  by  its  charter  to  one  million  of  dollars,  but  in  point 
of  fact  the  capital  of  the  company,  actually  paid  in.,  has  never  exceeded 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

II.  The  act  of  incorporation  does  not,  as  the  report  suggests,  make 
the  State  of  Massachusetts  a  party  to  the  proceedings  of  this  company. 
The  design  of  a  charter  of  incorporation,  as  is  well  known,  is  to 
enable  an  association  of  individuals  to  act  together  more  conveniently 
and  safely  in  the  transaction  of  its  business.     A  State  granting  a 
charter  does  not  render  itself  responsible  for  the  acts  of  the  company 
thereby  created  ;  and  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  although  doubtless 
approving  of  its  objects,  is  no  more  accountable  for  the  transactions 
of  this  company  than  for  those  of  the  numerous  companies  chartered 
by  its  legislature  for  religious,  educational,  mining,  manufacturing, 
or  other  purposes. 

III.  The  report  attributes  to  the  company  the  origin  of  all  the 


876  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

troubles  in  Kansas,  by  its  "unauthorized  and  improper  schemes  i 
foreign  interference  with  the  internal  affairs  and  domestic  concen 
of  the  Territory,"  and  its  "attempt  to  violate  or  circumvent  tl 
principles  and-  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress  for  the  organizatic 
of  Kansas  and  Nebraska." 

The  fact  is  directly  the  reverse  of  what  is  here  stated  ;  and  a  regai 
for  truth  and  justice  should  have  led  to  a  careful  inquiry  into  tl 
facts  before  these  assertions  were  made.  This  Company  has  nev< 
"interfered  with  the  internal  affairs  of  the  Territory."  It  has  nevi 
attempted  to  "violate  or  circumvent"  any  act  of  Congress.  It  hi 
never,  as  a  company,  opposed  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act. 

The  company  was  formed  to  aid  in  the  permanent  settlement  of  tl 
Territory  of  Kansas  by  a  free  and  intelligent  population.  In  tl 
prosecution  of  this  purpose,  it  had  reason  to  expect  the  approval  ai 
co-operation  of  Congress.  It  anticipated  that,  in  accordance  with  tl 
true  intent  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act,  all  citizens  of  the  Unitu 
States  who  should  go  to  settle  in  Kansas  would  receive  the  protect! 
of  the  government. 

The  Territory  of  Kansas  cannot  properly  be  spoken  off  as  in  ai 
sense  "foreign"  to  Massachusetts.  Like  the  other  Territories  of  til 
United  States,  it  is  the  common  property  of  all  the  States.  It  belon.-i 
to  Massachusetts  and  Vermont  as  well  as  to  Missouri  or  Iowa.  Tl' 
citizens  of  every  State  have  an  equal  right  to  go  there  or  to  aid  others* 
go,  either  individually  or  by  means  of  associated  capital.  By  the  Kal 
sas-Nebraska  act,  the  people  of  these  Territories  were  left,  "perfect1 
free  to  form  and  regulate  their  domestic  institutions  in  their  own  way 
Whatever  may  be  the  individual  opinions  of  the  members  of  tli 
association  as  to  the  constitutionality,  justice,  or  expediency  of  tl! 
act,  the  company  has  accepted  it  as  the  law  of  the  land  until  it  show 
be  repealed,  and  has  never  violated  or  evaded  it.  All  its  action,  \; 
the  contrary,  has  been  perfectly  consistent  with  the  principles  a;i 
provisions  of  the  law. 

Upon  the  removal  by  Congress  of  all  restriction  upon  the  futtf 
institutions  of  Kansas,  and  the  granting  to  actual  settlers  the  rip 
to  determine  their  character,  that  Territory  was  regarded  by  all  parti- i 
both  at  the  south  and  north,  as  thrown  open  to  free  competitions! 
settlement,  by  emigrants  from  all  parts  of  the  country.    This  fact  II 
been  recognized  by  leading  men  in  the  southern  States  as  well  as*! 
the  north,  and  warm  appeals  have  been  made  to  the  patriotism  a 
moral  sentiment,  as  well  as  to  the  interest  and  the  political  prejudi 
of  all  sections  of  the  Union.     These  appeals  find  a  ready  < 
from  the  people.    Public  meetings  of  citizens  have  been  held  in  ma 
of  the  States,  and  societies  formed,  to  aid  in  the  settlement  of  1 
Territory,  and  to  assist  in  the  work  of  founding  a  new  State. 

The  report  asserts  that  this  company  was  the  first  association  forno 
to  "control  the  institutions"  of  the  new  Territory;  and  assumes  tl 
the  southern  societies  exist  only  as  a  "  natural  consequence 
operations.  But  we  have  abundant  evidence  that,  before  the  organi 
tion  of  this  company,  associations  were  formed  and  in  active  operati 
in  Missouri,  to  "interfere  with  the  internal  affairs"  of  the  Territd 
in  a  manner  neither  legal  nor  justifiable.  Indeed,  the  existence  ol 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  877 

wide  spread  desire  and  attention,  on  the  part  of  the  southern  States, 
to  use  all  praticahle  means  to  control  the  institutions  of  Kansas,  has 
been  so  openly  and  repeatedly  avowed,  that  it  needs  no  proof.  The 
whole  charge  therefore  against  this  company,  that  it  has  been  the 
occasion  of  the  difficulties  in  Kansas,  on  the  ground  of  its  assumed 
priority  of  action,  is  totally  destitute  of  foundation. 

This  company  has  employed  associated  capital,  and  organized  under 
9,  charter,  for  the  convenience  of  its  business.  But  the  use  of  associ- 
ated capital  is  a  common  principle  of  all  societies,  and  has  never,  so 
far  as  we  know,  been  objected  to,  except  in  the  case  of  this  company ; 
ind  the  organization  under  a  charter,  so  far  from  implying  any  design 
to  "violate  or  circumvent"  the  law,  is  direct  evidence  of  a  contrary 
intent.  It  is,  in  fact,  from  the  " improper  and  unauthorized"  acts 
r>f  unchartered  and  illegal  societies,  that  the  greatest  danger  to  the 
:nstitutions  of  Kansas  has  arisen. 

Although  the  associations  formed  at  the  north  have,  no  doubt,  dif- 
erent  objects  and  different  methods  of  action  from  those  of  the  southern 
States,  the  rights  of  all  of  them  are  equal  under  the  act,  so  long  as 
;heir  proceedings  are  conformable  to  the  laws.  The  citizens  of  the 
southern  States  have  not,  in  general,  shown  the  same  disposition  with 
;hose  of  the  north  to  emigrate  to  Kansas,  or  to  aid  others  to  go  there 
br  permanent  settlement ;  but  they  have  fully  recognized  their  right 
;o  do  this,  and  declare  their  intention  to  exercise  it.  That  they  have 
failed  to  act  more  efficiently  for  this  object  is  not,  perhaps,  owing  so 
nuch  to  the  want  of  a  desire  to  extend  their  peculiar  institutions 
:nto  the  Territory  as  to  other  causes. 

While  the  objects  and  action  of  this  company  are  severely  comdemned 
jy  the  report,,  we  find  in  it-  no  censure  of  the  "  unauthorized  and 
improper  interference"  of  southern  societies  in  the  affairs  of  the  Ter- 
ritory. Indeed  the  language  of  the  report  would  lead  to  the  inference 
rtiat  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act  was  especially  designed  for  the  benefit 
)f  those  individuals  and  societies  who  seek  to  render  the  institutions 
j>f  Kansas  congenial  to  those  of  Missouri.  Their  action  is  spoken  of 
ts  simply  "defensive,"  while  that  of  the  Massachusetts  company  is 
Characterized  as  "aggressive;"  those  therefore,  it  would  seem,  who 
favor  the  establishment  of  free  institutions  in  Kansas  are  guilty  of 
icts  of  aggression ;  while  those  who  aim  to  plant  slavery  there  .are 
icting  only  on  the  defensive,  and  are  not  liable  to  the  charge  of 
endeavoring  to  " violate  or  circumvent'  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act. 

But  whatever  may  be  the  views  of  the  report  in  regard  to  the  design 
ind  effect  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act,  the  people  of  the  United  States 
adll  never  sanction  the  doctrine  that  it  was  intended  for  the  special 
Benefit  of  Missouri.  That  State,  although  lying  in  immediate  prox- 
mity  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  can  have  no  other  rights  there  than 
•hose  which  belong  equally  to  every  State  of  the  Union.  If  the  con- 
itruction  of  the  act  suggested  by  the  report  is  to  be  maintained,  it 
Decomes  indeed  "a  question  of  fearful  import"  how  far  such  legisla- 
;ion  is  " compatible  with  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  people." 

Since  ^  all  the  various  Emigrant  Aid  Societies  of  the  country  have 
xjual  rights  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  no  exception  can  be  taken 
;o  the  action  of  any  one  of  them,  so  long  as  it  confines  itself  to  legiti- 


878  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

mate  objects,  and  employs  only  just  and  lawful  means  to  accompl 
its  ends. 


The  objects  of  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Company  are  j 
and  lawful.    The  means  which  it  employs  are  legal  and  proper.    T 
disturbances  in  Kansas  are  attributed   by  the  report  to  the  "  unua 
and  extraordinary  means"  used  "to  stimulate  an  unnatural  and  frig 
system  of  emigration,"   "with  a  view  of  controlling  the  elections*! 
Kansas."     A  simple  statement  of  the  facts  is  a  sufficient  refutatioi 
this  error. 

It  was  early  perceived  by  the  originators  of  this  company,  thf 

Eortion  of  the  immense  emigration  which,  every  year,  seeks  the  ^ 
^om  the  northern  and   eastern   States,  might  be  directed  tows' 
Kansas.     Information  was  eagerly  sought.for  in  regard  to  its  charaar 
and  resources,  and  its  adaptation  to  the  wants  of  settlers.    The  compj 
obtained  and  supplied  the  needed  information,  facilitated  the  pasw  e 
of  those  who  wished  to  go,  by  aiding  them  to  unite  into  parties 
they  might  make  the  journey  more  conveniently  and  cheaply,^} 
invested  capital  in  the  Territory  in  such  enterprises  as  would  be  iwt 
useful  to  the  newly  arrived  settlers.     These  are  the  only  "  ununjil 
and  extraordinary  means"  which  it  has  employed. 

It  is  well  known  that  one  of  the  chief  difficulties  which  the  setters 
in  a  new  country  have  to  contend  with  is  the  want  of  capital  fcmie 
support  of  those  undertakings  to  which  the  means  of  individuals! f  re 
inadequate.  It  has  been  one  of  the  first  objects  of  the  compauRto 
supply  this  want  by  the  erection  of  hotels,  mills,  and  machinery  ny 
favoring  the  establishment  of  schools  and  churches ;  and  by  cloinj  II 
in  its  power  to  surround  the  settlers,  even  on  their  first  arrival,  jh 
the  comforts  of  civilized  and  cultivated  life.  It  was  at  the  same  ic 
the  belief  of  some  of  the  originators  of  the  company,  that  such  in 
ments  of  capital,  while  in  the  highest  degree  useful  to  the  emigre  s. 
would  also  in  the  end  prove  profitable  to  the  company  itself,  a  h< 
population  should  increase,  and  the  value  of  permanent  proper! 
the  Territory  be  thereby  enhanced.  It  must  be  apparent,  there* 
that  the  whole  plan  of  the  company's  operations  is  based  on  the* 
of  a  permanent  settlement  of  the  Territory.  Its  investments  are  1 
in  property  which  has  a  permanent  local  value,  but  which  wouli 
worthless  unless  surrounded  by  an  active  and  energetic  popula? 
It  could  be  no  part  of  its  plan  therefore  to  send  persons  to  Kt 
for  a  temporary  residence  there. 

Neither  has  it  offered  inducements  to  any  persons  to  emigratt 
paying  for  their  passage  to  the  Territory.  It  has,  in  fact,  never 
the  passage  of  an  emigrant.  It  has  believed  that  its  funds  cou.i 
more  usefully  applied  to  permanent  investments  in  Kansas.  The 
of  persons  in  New  England  who  would  be  induced  to  go  by  such  n 
is  small,  and  still  smaller,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  is  the  number  of' 
who  could  be  "  hired"  to  go  to  Kansas,  to  remain  there  only  t£ 
rarily  for  the  base  and  dishonest  purpose  of  interfering  witft 
elections  in  the  Territory.  The  charge  that  this  company  has 
emigrants  the  long  journey  of  fifteen  hundred  miles  for  the  mere 
pose  of  voting  at  elections,  is  therefore  not  only  unjust  but  absuri 
Those  who  have  gone  to  Kansas  under  the  auspices  of  this  co: 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  879 

frad  the  means  to  pay  for  the  journey,  and  the  ability  and  the  will  to 
work  for  the  support  of  themselves  and  their  families  there.  They 
have  gone  of  their  own  accord  and  at  their  own  expense.  The  energy, 
perseverance,  and  honorable  ambition  which  led  them  to  forsake  the 
Comforts  of  civilized  life,  and  seek  a  home  in  a  distant  and  unsettled 
region,  and  which  have  enabled  them  to  acquire  the  means  for  so  doing, 
ire  precisely  the  qualities  which  render  them  the  most  valuable  and 
lesirable  class  of  settlers  for  a  new  country.  A  few  who  went  out 
without  a  sufficient  acquaintance  with  the  difficulties  and  hardships 
,ncident  to  a  pioneer  life,  became  discouraged  and  wished  to  return. 
But  the  number  of  these  is  small,  compared  with  those  who  remain  as 
permanent  residents  in  the  Territory. 

This  company  makes  no  conditions  with  the  emigrants.  All  persons, 
whether  coming  from  the  north  or  the  south ,  who  wish  to  go  to  Kansas, 
ind  are  able  to  pay  for  the  passage,  are  at  liberty  to  join  its  parties. 
?fcs  hope  and  desire  are  that  all  who  go  should  be  and  remain  bonafide 
settlers.  It  asks  no  questions  as  to  their  political  opinions.  It  exacts 
10  pledge  or  promise,  either  express  or  implied,  as  to  their  conduct  or 
rote.  Such  a  pledge  would  be  equally  dishonorable  to  those  who  gave 
tnd  to  those  who  received  it.  They  are  free  and  independent  citizens 
)n  the  soil  of  Kansas  as  they  have  been  on  that  of  Massachusetts  or 
^"ew  Hampshire. 

While  entirely  disclaiming,  on  the  part  of  this  company,  any  im- 
proper interference  with  the  internal  affairs  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas, 
>r  any  design  to  control  the  political  or  social  conduct  of  its  citizens,  we 
lave  always  hoped  and  expected  that  the  emigrants  who  go  out  under 
Its  auspices  would  favor  the  establishment  of  free  institutions  there. 
I  It  is  for  their  interest  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  The  character 
If  the  men  is,  in  itself,  a  sufficient  guaranty  that  they  will  do  so. 
phey  are  men  of  industry  and  enterprise,  who  believe  in  hard  work 
ind  are  accustomed  to  it.  Such  men  cannot  fail  to  carry  with  them, 
wherever  they  go,  a  love  for  the  institutions  which  recognize  the  dig- 
lity  of  labor,  and  allow  to  every  man  the  just  reward  of  his  toil.  But 
he  very  independence  of  character  which  these  institutions  have  fos- 
ered  would  lead  them  to  repel'the  slightest  attempt  on  the  part  of 
his  company  to  exercise  any  control  over  their  conduct. 

We  have  sufficiently  shown  the  method  of  proceeding  of  the  com- 
>any  which  we  represent.  Societies  early  formed  in  other  sections  of 
he  Union  adopted  different  methods.  Some  of  these  associations  have 
ured  men  to  go  to  Kansas,  have  supplied  them  with  arms,  and  pro- 
>osed  to  support  them  in  the  Territory,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  con- 
lolling  the  elections  by  force  and  fraud,  arid  by  intimidation  of  the 
>eaceable  bona  fide  settlers.  The  disturbances  in  Kansas  have  been  the 
'  natural  consequence"  of  these  illegal  acts,  and  it  is  both  unjust  and 
llogical  to  attribute  them  to  the  influence  of  a  company  whose  object 
s  to  aid  in  the  peaceable  and  permanent  settlement  of  the  Territory 
)y  legitimate  means,  rather  than  to  the  action  of  societies,  the  direct 
pndency  of  whose  proceedings  is  to  produce  hostile  collision  and 
uoodshed.  ±j 

IV.  Another  error  of  the  report  is  the  statement  that  this  company 


880  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

has  invested  its  capital  in  "cannon  and  rifles,  in  powder  and  lead,  j  |; 
in  all  the  implements  of  war." 

The  assertion  is  utterly  untrue.  The  company  has  never  invente*  : 
dollar  in  cannon  or  rifles,  in  powder  or  lead,  or  in  any  of  the  imk 
ments  of  war.  It  was  established  solely  for  peaceable  and  legal  objeli. 
and  it  has  been  no  part  of  its  plan  to  engage  in  any  of  the 


of  war.  The  first  emigrants  who  went  to  Kansas  under  its  ausp] 
were  mostly  unarmed,  or  provided  only  with  such  weapons  as  ¥ 
intended  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  pioneer  life.  They  had  no< 
tention  or  expectation  of  baing  obliged  to  use  them  in  any  other  w 
They  relied  on  the  faith  of  the  government  that  actual  settlers  sho 
be  protected  in  their  rightful  occupation  of  the  soil. 

Subsequent  events  have  shown  that  this  reliance  was  unfoumi 
The  Territory  has  been  invaded  at  various  times  by  armed  men  fl 
the  neighboring  States,  in  defiance  of  law,  and  the  inhabitants  11 
been  obliged  to  resort  to  such  means  of  self-defence  as  they  could! 
tain  for  protection  at  the   ballot-box,  for  the  safety  of  their  he  j^s 
and  families,  and  for  the  preservation  of  their  towns  and  vilLi  is 
from  destruction.     So  far  as  the  facts  have  come  to  our  knowleeJ9, 
they  have  always  used  these  means  judiciously  and  well,  never  injr- 
fering  with  the  rights  of  others,  but  ready  and  determined  to  maim 
their  own. 

Their  patience  and  forbearance  under  every  species  of  provocarta 
and  insult,  while  they  still  hoped  for  a  peaceful  redress  of  their  gi 
ances  by  law  ;  their  wisdom   and  prudence  under  circumstance* 
unexampled  trial  and  difficulty  ;  and  their  brave  and  determined  I 
duct  on  occasions  when  forbearance  had  ceased  to  be  a  virtue,  arf 
had  become  necessary  to  repel  violence  by  force,  have  commanded 
respect  and  admiration.     So  long  as  they  were  exposed  only  to* 
attacks  of  lawless  bands,  acting  without  even  the  pretence  of  authn 
of  the  government,  they  have  been  able  to  defend  themselves. 
the  intolerable  wrongs  and  grievances  which  they  now  suffer,  u> 
color  of  law,  call  loudly  upon  the  government  and  the  countrr 
redress.     The  inhabitants  of  Kansas  demand  only  justice,  and  prr 
tion  for  their  rights  as  citizens  and  freemen.     They  have  never  desii 
to  resist  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  Congress,  but  in  their  brave< 
uncompromising   resistance    to   lawless  invasion    and   violence 
stand  on  the  broad  principles  of  the  inalienable  right  of  self-deft 
and  the  liberties  guarantied  to  every  citizen  by  the  Constitution  o 
United  States. 

We  believe  that  a  full  recognition  of  the  principle  that  actual! 
tiers  should  control  the  institutions  of  the  Territory,  and  an  ac<| 
ance  by  Congress  of  the  constitution  and  form  of  government  wj 
they  have  chosen,  would  be  a  full  and  complete  remedy  for  all 
evils  under  which  they  now  labor. 

V.  The  statements  of  the  report  in  regard  to  the  supposed  vio-ji 
and  hostility  of  northern  and  eastern  emigrants  in  passing  thr  ; 
Missouri  are  also  erroneous.  Although  our  communication  witl  j> 
citizens  of  Missouri,  as  well  as  those  of  Kansas,  is  frequent  and  d  ! 
we  have  never  known  of  an  instance  of  the  violence  referred  to.  i 
Missouri  river  is  one  of  the  common  highways  of  the  nation, 


I 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  881 

- 

waters  are  as  free  to  the  citizens  of  all  the  States  as  those  of  the  har- 
bors of  our  eastern  coast.  That  the  emigrants  passing  up  that  river  to 
Kansas  have  expressed  sentiments  on  political  and  social  questions 
liffering  from  those  entertained  by  many  of  the  citizens  of  Missouri  is 
perhaps  true.  Their  right  to  entertain  or  express  such  sentiments 
cannot  certainly  be  doubted.  But  we  are  sure  that  they  have  never 
committed  any  acts  of  violence  or  hostility  or  interfered  with  the  do- 
mestic institutions  of  that  State.  The  inconveniences  and  annoyances, 
aowever,  to  which  emigrants  from  the  east  are  sometimes  subjected  in 
iheir  passage  through  Missouri,  and  the  risk  to  life  and  property  often 
Encountered,  have  turned  the  attention  of  parties  to  other  routes  to 
Kansas,  which  will  probably  soon  be  completed  by  the  extension  of 
>he  lines  of  railroad  now  in  process  of  construction  through  the  State 
>f  Iowa.  By  the  opening  of  these  routes,  the  citizens  of  Missouri  will 
3robably  be  relieved  in  a  great  degree  of  their  "  apprehensions"  of 
/  danger"  from  the  peaceable  emigrants  to  Kansas. 

VI.  The  views  expressed  in  the  report  respecting  this  company  are 
lot  those  which  are  entertained  by  the  citizens  of  Kansas.  Every 
pail  from  the  Territory  brings  us  assurances  of  this  fact.  The  inhab- 
itants of  that  region  do  not  attribute  to  us  any  design  to  control  their 
political  action,  but  they  regard  our  investment  of  capital  there  as  of 
ijreat  advantage  to  the  settlers,  and  we  have  been  constantly  urged  to 
nake  new  investments  to  a  greater  extent  than  our  resources  have 
heretofore  allowed. 

,  The  interest,  however,  which  recents  have  awakened  in  all  portions 
>f  the  country  in  the  welfare  of  Kansas  has  had  the  effect  to  increase 
|he  resources  of  the  company,  and  it  intends  to  continue  to  make  such 
investments  to  the  fall  extent  of  its  means.    The  emigration  to  Kansas 
from  all  parts  of  the  country  still  continues,  stimulated,  no  doubt,  by 
the  action  of    emigrant  aid  societies  both  at  the  south  and  at  the 
orth.     Experience  has  shown  that  the  proceedings  even  of  some  of 
lose  whose  views  on  the  subject  of  the  settlement  of  Kansas  are  an- 
igonistic  to  our  own,  have  essentially  aided  in  the  success  of  this 
3mpany.     It  has  been  found  that  a  largo  number  of  the  emigrants  to 
Kansas,  from  the  southern  as  well  as  from  the  northern  States,  so  soon 
s  they  have  become  permanent  settlers,  have  recognized  and  desired 
participate  in  the  benefit  of  its  operations. 
The  number  of  emigrants  who  have  gone  to  Kansas  under  the  direct 
uspices  of  this  company  is  not  large,  compared  with  the  great  num- 
ers  from  the  northern  and  western  States  who  have  been  encouraged 
I  p  go  there  by  the  knowledge  of  its  transactions.     The  actual  capital 
|  mployed  by  the  company  is  much  less  than  it  is  represented  by  the 
|  eport,  amounting,  indeed,  to  but  a  small  part  of  the  sum  allowed  by 
ts  charter.     But  it  has  suited  the  designs  of  those  who  oppose  it  to 
'  lake  exaggerated  statements  of  the  character  of  its  operations  and  to 
lisrepresent  its  purposes.     It  has  done  what  it  could,  in  a  pe-aceable, 
3gal,  and  constitutional  way  to  aid  in  the  settlement  of  Kansas  by  a 
opulation  of  freemen.     It  will  continue  to  exert  ail  its  influence  to 
\  be  accomplishment  of  that  great  end,  without  regard  to  misrepresen- 
'  ition  and  abuse  from  whatever  quarter  they  may  come. 

The  number  of  the  stockholders  of  this  association  now  amounts  to 
H.  Hep.  200 56* 


882  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

nearly  one  thousand,  and  is  steadily  increasing.  Among  its  members 
are  persons  eminent  for  intelligence,  moral  character,  and  high  social 
position  and  influence,  men  of  every  class  and  profession  in  life,  andi 
the  representatives  of  every  political  party.  No  one,  in  a  community 
where  they  are  known,  would  venture  to  attribute  to  them  any  unjust 
or  improper  designs.  But  since,  from  a  misapprehension  of  their  men 
tives,  a  committee  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  has  Ibeen  led  intcl 
grave  errors  in  respect  to  them  ;  and  as  such  errors  have  been  widelj 
circulated,  and,  if  not  corrected,  may  injuriously  affect  the  interests  o  - 
Kansas,  we  have  thought  it  expedient  to  make  this  public  denial  of  alt 
the  charges  against  the  company.  But  while  explaining  the  purpose^ 
of  this  association,  we  would  also  express  our  cordial  sympathy  witlll 
the  efforts  of  those  organizations,  of  later  date,  whose  methods  o  I 
action  may  differ  from  our  own,  but  whose  object  is,  by  all  just  an( 
honorable  means,  to  aid  the  emigration  of  freemen  to  Kansas,  and  t< 
enable  the  settlers  already  there  to  maintain  their  rights  on  its  soil.  ,1 

WM.  B.  SPOONER, 
J.  M.  S.  WILLIAMS, 
ELI  THAYEE, 
S.  CABOT,  Jr., 
R.  P.  WATERS, 
L.  B.  RUSSELL, 
C.  J.  HIGGINSON, 
EDWARD  E.  HALE. 
Executive  Committee  of  the  N.  E.  Emigrant  Aid  Co.'  <| 

BOSTON,  June  17,  1856. 

The  officers  of  the  corporation  chosen  at  the  annual  meeting,  Maii 
27,  1856,  are  as  follows : 

President — JOHN  CARTER  BROWN,  of  Providence,  E.  I. 

Vice  Presidents. — ELI  THAYER,  of  Worcester,  Mass.  ;  J.  M.  S.  WrJ 
LIAMS,  of  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Treasurer. — AMOS  A,  LAWRENCE,  of  Boston, 

Assistant  Treasurer. — ANSON  J.  STONE,  of  Boston, 

Secretary. — THOMAS  H.  WEBB,  of  Boston. 

Directors. — Wm.  B.  Spooner,  S.  Cabot,  jr.,  M.  D.,  John  Lo 
Le  Baron  Russell,  M.  D.,  Charles  J.  Higginson,  Samuel  G.  How 
M.  D.,  George  B.  Upton,  Patrick  T.  Jackson,  all  of  Boston;  Wt 
J.  Rotch,  New  Bedford ;  J.  P.  Williston^  Northampton  ;  Wm.  Diti 
ley  Pickman,  Salem  ;  R.  P.  Waters,  Beverly  ;  R.  A.  Chapman,  Sprinii 
field;  Charles  H.  Bigelow,  Lawrence;  Nathan  Durfee,  Fall  Rivei 
Wm.  Willis,  Portland,  Maine  ;  Ichabod  Goodwin,  Portsmouth,  N.  B 
Thomas  M.  Edwards,  Keene,  N.  H.;  Albert  Day,  Hartford,  Co 
necticut;  John  Bertram,  Salem;  George  Howland,  jr.,  New  Bedfor* 
Francis  Wayland,  D.  D.,  Providence,  R.  L;  Edward  Everett  Hal 
Worcester;  Seth  Padelford,  Providence,  R.  L;  Samuel  Boyd  Tobe. 
M.  D.,  Providence,  R.  L;  Prof.  Benjamin  Silliman,  New  Haven,  O 
Horace Bushnell,  D.  D.,  Hartford,  Ct. ;  Moses  H.  Grinnell,  New  Tor 
William  Cullen  Bryant,  New  York;  Henry  H.  Elliott,  New  Yor 
Edwin  D.  Morgan,  New  York  ;  Henry  C.  Bowen,  New  York;  Horar 
B.  Clanm,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.;  Edward  W.  Fiske,  Brooklyn,  N.  "Si 
and  J.  L.  Bailey,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS,  883 

Executive  Committee. — Messrs.  Wm.  B.  Spooner,  J.  M.  S.  Williams, 
Cli  Thayer,  S.   Cabot,  jr.,  M.   D.,  R.  P.  Waters,  Le  Baron  Russell, 
d.  D.,  Charles  J.  Higginson,  and  E.  E.  Hale. 
Attest : 

THOMAS  H.  WEBB,  Secretary. 

AMOS  A.  LAWRENCE. 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  June'26,  1856. 


ELI  THAYER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  reside  in  Worcester,  Massachusetts.  I  have  been  connected  with 
he  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  as  vice-president,  since  its  organization, 
n  April,  1854,  a  law  was  passed  by  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts 
o  incorporate  the  Massachusetts  Emigrant  Aid  Company,  and  that 
3  the  law  referred  to  by  Hon.  S.  A.  Douglas,  in  his  report  to  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States.  No  organization  was  perfected  or  stock 
ssued  under  that  law.  The  reason  was  that  some  provisions  of  the 
aw  were  objectionable  to  capitalists.  The  objection  to  the  law  was, 
hat  the  stock  subscribed  for  was  to  be  payable  in  ten  years,  in  annual 
istalrnents,  and  capitalists  refused  to  assume  responsibilities  to  ex- 
pnd  over  so  long  a  period. 

!  Subsequently,  in  July,  1854,  certain  articles  of  association  were 
)rmed,  called  "Articles  of  agreement  and  association  of  the  Emi- 
irant  Aid  Society/'  These  articles  were  perfected  on  the  24th  day  of 
July,  1854.  Under  these  articles,  Amos  A.  Lawrence,  of  Boston,  J. 
t.  S.  Williams,  of  Cambridge,  and  myself,  were  the  trustees  ;  Mr. 
•awrence  was  also  treasurer,  and  Thomas  H.  Webb,  of  Boston,  was 
^cretary.  Under  these  articles  of  association,  a  company  was  formed, 
pd  arrangements  were  made  for  the  same  purposes  as  under  the  law 
jibsequently  passed.  Objections  were  made  to  these  articles  of  asso- 
jation  on  account  of  individual  liability,  and  an  application  was  made 
J  the  Massachusetts  legislature  for  a  charter  in  January,  1855,  which 
^as  granted.  That  charter  is  embodied  in  the  testimony  of  Mr. 
.mos  A.  Lawrence  before  this  committee.  An  organization  was 
(Fected  under  this  charter.  The  following  are  the  officers  of  this  as- 
sciation  or  company : 

„,  OFFICERS  OF  THE  CORPORATION. 

President. — JOHN  CARTER  BROWN,  of  Providence,  R.  I. 

Vice  Presidents.—  ELI  THAYER,  of  Worcester,  Mass.  ;  J.  M.  S.  WIL- 
IAMS,  of  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Treasurer. — AMOS  A.  LAWRENCE,  of  Boston. 

Secretary. — THOMAS  H.  WEBB,  of  Boston. 

Directors.—  William  B  Spooner,  Samuel  Cabot,  jr.,  M  D,  John 
bwell,  Le  Baron  Russell,  M  D,  Charles  J  Higginson,  Samuel  Gr 
bwe,  M  D,  George  B  Upton,  Patrick  T  Jackson,  all  of  Boston  ; 
Tilliam  J  Rotch,  New  Bedford  ;  J  P  Williston,  Northampton  ;  Wil- 
lim  Dudley  Pickman,  Salem ;  R  P  Waters,  Beverly ;  R  A  Chap- 


884  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

man,  Springfield  ;  Charles  H  Bigelow,  Lawrence ;  Nathan  Durfee. 
Fall  Kiver  ;  William  Willis,  Portland,  Maine  ;  Ichabod  Goodwin.! 
Portsmouth,  N  H  ;  Thomas  M  Edwards,  Keene,  N  H ;  Albert  Day!\ 
Hartford,  Ct ;  John  Bertram,  Salem  ;  George  Rowland,  jr,  New  Bed- 
ford ;  Francis  Way  land,  D  D,  Providence,  R  I ;  Edward  Everet'-j 
Hale,  Worcester  ;  Seth  Padelford,  Providence,  R  I ;  Samuel  Boyc^ 
Tobey,  Providence,  R  I ;  Benjamin  Silliman,  New  Haven,  Ct ;  Horace 
Bushnell,  D  D,  Hartford,  Ct ;  Moses  H  Grinnell,  New  York;  Will] 
liam  Cullen  Bryant,  New  York  ;  Henry  H  Elliott,  New  York  ;  Wil 
liam  M  Evarts,  New  York  ;  Edwin  D  Morgan,  New  York  ;  Willian 
Curtis  Noyes,  New  York  ;  Henry  C  Bowen,  New  York ;  Horace  ]  I 
Claflin,  Brooklyn,  New  York  ;  Edward  WFiske,  Brooklyn,  New  York* 
Rollin  Sandford,  Brooklyn,  New  York  ;  and  J  L  Baily,  Philadelphia! 
Pennsylvania. 

Executive  Committee. — Messrs.  J  M  S  Williams,  Eli  Thayer,  S 
bot,  jr,  M  D,  R  P  Waters,  Le  Baron  Russell,  M  D,  Charles  J 
ginson,  William  B  Spooner,  and  E  E  Hale. 

I  am  familiar  with  the  purposes  and  history  of  this  company.     "W< 
sent,   first,  men  to  explore  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  that  being  tl 
first  Territory  opened  for  settlement,  to  ascertain  the  character  am! 
resources  of  that  Territory.     This  and  other  information  we  publishd 
and  furnished  gratuitously  to  all  who  applied  for  it.     We  then  opemt-! 
an  office  in  Boston,  when  application  could  be  made  by  those  wl  f 
wished  to  emigrate  to  Kansas.     The  secretary  kept  a  book  in  wlii< 
the  names  of  these  applicants  were  recorded.     When  a  party  of  suft 
cient  number  was  formed,  the  day  was  fixed  for  their  departure,  tics 
ets  were  purchased  by  the  company,  at  a  reduced  price,  of  various  liai 
of  transportation,  and  were  furnished  to  the  emigrants  at  cost. 
conductor  was  furnished  by  the  company  for  each  party.     His  dill 
was  to  provide  for  their  safe,  expeditious,  and  economical  conveyanij 
to  Kansas.     We  established  local  agents  in  the  Territory,  whose  du 
it  was  to  receive  these  colonists,  and  to  inform  them  of  the  best  lo 
tions  open  to  settlement.     The  company,   in  no  instance,   paid  t 
passage  of  any  emigrant.     It  made  no  conditions  about  the  politid 
opinion  of  the  emigrants  ;  no  questions  were  asked  of  them,  and  pj 
sons  from  every  State,  and  of  every  political  opinion,  would  have  c 
joyed,  and  did  enjoy,  the  same  facilities.     It  was  not  doubted  that  1 
great  body  of  emigrants  were  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  Stas 
The  company  furnished  these  emigrants  with  no  articles  of  person 
property,  and  never,  directly  or  indirectly,  furnished  them  with  a 
arms  or  munitions  of  war  of  any  kind,  and  never  invested  a  dollar 
any  such  purpose.     The  purposes  of  this  company,  as  given  in  a  o 
cular,  dated  Boston,  June  if,  1856,  and  addressed  "to  the  people*} 
the  United  States,"  are  correctly  stated. 

There  is  and  has  been  no  obligation  imposed  upon  emigrants,  J 
pledges  asked  or  required  of  them,  for  the  facilities  they  receive  frJ 
this  company.  The  moment  they  arrive  at  the  place  named  in  tbl' 
ticket  all  connexion  between  them  and  the  society  ceases.  The  cGf 
pany  bought  a  hotel  at  Kansas  City.  This  hotel  was  open  to  the  erf 
grants  and  the  public  generally,  each  one  paying  his  own  fare. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  885 

company  never  kept  the  hotel,  but  leased  it  to  some  one,  whose  name 
I  do  not  now  recollect,  and  also  to  Mr.  Eldridge,  and  finally  sold  it 
to  Mr.  Eldridge.  It  was  agreed  with  the  proprietors  of  this  hotel 
that  parties  of  emigrants  coming  under  our  charge  should  be  accom- 
modated as  before.  The  company  never  received  any  benefit  from 
'this  hotel,  except  the  ordinary  rent  from  leasing  it.  The  company 
built  a  hotel  in  Lawrence,  at  an  expense  of  about  $20,000.  At  that 
'time  there  was  no  hotel  worthy  of  the  name  in  the  Territory,  there 
being  but  little  capital  in  the  Territory  at  the  time,  as  is  usual  among 
:all  pioneers  in  a  new  country.  This  hotel  the  company  leased  to  Mr. 
Eldridge,  who  furnished  it,  and  it  was  destroyed  on  the  21st  of  May 
last. 

We  also  erected,  and  prepared  to  erect,  mills  in  the  Territory  at 
different  places,  some  eight  or  ten  of  them.  The  company,  I  think, 
had  one  other  building  in  Lawrence,  but  I  do  not  now  recollect  what 
it  is.  Some  temporary  sheds  were  also  erected  by  the  company  for 
the  accommodation  of  emigrants  there  until  they  could  erect  buildings 
of  their  own.  These  were  the  only  buildings  that  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society  ever  were  interested  in.  The  total  expenditures  of  the  com- 
pany, for  all  purposes,  since  its  organization  have  been  less  than 
$100,000.  The  company  had  no  interest  whatever  in  the  residence 
'occupied  by  Dr.  Charles  Robinson. 

The  company  laid  out  no  towns,  and  had  no  interest  in  laying  out 
iany.  The  towns  were  laid  out  by  the  settlers  themselves,  in  some 
;  cases,  the  settlers  making  some  arrangements  to  give  the  company 
(Certain  lots  to  induce  us  to  make  investments  there,  and  thus  aid  in 
'building  up  the  place.  This  was  the  case  with  the  town  association 
of  Lawrence.  The  town  association  would  have  given  similar  advan- 
tages to  any  person  or  company  of  men  who  would  have  made  im- 
iprovements.  Other  offers  were  made  to  us  to  induce  similar  invest- 
Iments  in  other  settlements,  some  of  which  we  were  not  able  to  accept 
jfor  lack  of  means.  It  was  by  means  of  these  investments  /that  the 
(company  expected  to  be  reimbursed  for  what  they  expended.  No 
j  other  investments  were  made  by  this  society  in  the  Territory  except 
j  those  I  have  stated. 

I  have  frequently  expressed  my  individual  opinion  in  regard  to  the 
emigration  to  Kansas,  and  have  differed  with  my  associates  upon  some 
points.  They  are  not  responsible,  nor  is  the  company  responsible,  for 
what  I  have  thus  said.  My  name  was  not  put,  to  my  knowledge,  upon 
any  baggage  belonging  to  these  emigrants  in  any  case. 

In  my  opinion,  the  stock  of  the  company  will  prove  a  profitable  in- 
vestment, if  the  company  shall  receive  that  protection  from  law  enjoyed 
by  other  business  organizations,  as  our  interests  and  the  interests  of 
the  settlers  are  mutual,  never  conflicting. 

Our  investments  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  have  been  for  the  benefit 
of  settlers  of  all  political  parties,  and  from  all  portions  of  the  States, 
without  preference  or  partiality. 

ELI  THAYEE. 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  June  26,  1856. 


886  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


ANSON  J.  STONE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  reside  in  Boston,,  Massachusetts.     I  am  assistant  treasurer  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Society.     A  record  is  kept  by  that  society  of  the  names  ; 
of  those  emigrants  who  are  sent  out  under  its  auspices.     The  party  of  ; 
emigrants  under  Dr.  Robinson,  who  went  out  in  the  spring  of  1855, 
left  Boston  March  13,  1855.     I  have  a  list  of  those  who  composed  '•. 
that  party,  copied  from  the  original  register  in  the  office  of  the  com- 
pany by  myself.     The  list  is  contained  in  a  memorandum  book,  and  I 
is  attached  to  this  deposition.     The  book  also  contains  the  names  of  f 
those  who  went  out  in  company  with  John  T.  Farwell,  leaving  Boston  i 
March  20,  1855. 

The  number  of  persons  who  have  been  sent  out  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  i 
Society  I  should  judge  to  be  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  1^300,  . 
tmt  I  cannot  state,  without  looking  over  the  books,  what  proportion  i 
were  women  and  children,  but  there  were  many  going  out  in  families.  ; 

When  Eobinson's  party  left  we  had  no  information  at  all  of  the  day  r- 
of  election.  I  do  not  think  any  party  went  out  at  all  in  reference  to  > 
the  day.  of  election. 

The  emigrant  aid  society  never  paid  the  expenses  of  any  emigrant. 
I  am  certain  of  this,  because  I  have  carefully  examined  all  the  books 
and  papers  of  the  society.     They  have  expended  no  money  for  fire 
arms  or  ammunition.     They  have  been  extremely  careful  in  regard  to  * 
that  matter,  and  avoided  it  in  any  way.     The  money  of  the  society  has 
been  expended  in  saw  and  grist  mills,  the  hotel  in  Lawrence,  and  in 
other  buildings ;  and  in  no  case  has  money  been  expended  with  any  r 
reference  to  the  political  opinion  of  settlers;  but  all  could  enjoy  the 
facilities  of  the  investments  of  the  society.     The  company  did  not  i 
issue  tickets  of  their  own,  but  purchased  tickets  of  the  various  lines  of'l 
transportation,  and  sold  them  to  the  emigrants  for  cost.     A  conductor  i 
was  seni^felong  with  each  party,  but  the  company  in  no  case  paid  his  * 
fare,  but  he  was  furnished  with  a  free  ticket  by  the  various  lines  of » 
travel.     The  transportation  companions  made  the  same  deduction  oni 
the  tickets  they  sold  to  us  at  a  reduced  rate,  as  they  did  to  all  other  i 
companies,  picnic  parties,  conventions,  &c. 

This  is  the  mode  in  which  business  has  been  ordinarily  done  between  i 
the  company  and  the  emigrants.     When  an  emigrant  comes  into  the* 
office  and  asks  about  Kansas,  for  information,  &c. ,  we  give  him  a  i 
pamphlet  containing  all  the  information  we  have  been  able  to  gather.  • 
It  did  not  contain  any  special  price  of  his  fare  to  the  Territory;  and* 
when  he  asked  what  that  would  be,  we  would  state  what  the  railroads  » 
would  furnish  tickets  for.     They  would  naturally  come  to  our  office  to 
inquire  this,  because  it  is  the  office  of  the  Kansas  Emigrant  Company. 
This  pamphlet  of  information  is  prepared  and  furnished,  not  to  per- 
suade persons  to  emigrate,  but  to  avoid  the  trouble  of  answering  all 
the  questions  persons  would  probably  ask  us,  by  giving  them  the  in- 
formation they  desire  in  a  convenient  form.     We  never  urge  them  to 
go.     Some,  alter  reading  our  books,  would  conclude  to  go,  while  others 
would  not.     We  could  not  tell  how  many  did  not  go,  but  there  were 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


887 


many  who  got  these  pamphlets  did  not  go.  As  soon  as  enough  con- 
cluded to  go,  to  form  a  party,  a  conductor  was  sent  along  with  the 
party.  Their  baggage  was  marked  to  facilitate  and  secure  its  trans- 
portation. The  connexion  between  the  company  and  the  emigrant 
ceased  when  the  ticket  was  sold,,  and  there  was  no  understanding, 
Agreement,  or  promise  on  either  side.  No  man  ever  went  under  the 
auspices  of  this  society,  for  the  mere  purpose  of  voting  and  then  return- 
ing, so  far  as  I  know. 

ANSON  J.  STONE. 
YORK  CITY,  June  27,  1856. 


First  spring  party,  March  13,  1855,  Dr  JRMnson  conducting  agent. 


No. 

Names. 

No. 

Names. 

1 

Loring  Farnsworth,  varnisher  and 

37 

J.  M.  Fogg,  Lowell. 

polisher,  Somerville,  Mass.  (See 

38 

O.  Rawson,  Lawrence. 

No.  80,  which  was  substituted.) 

39 

S.  A.  Wynn,  designer,  Millville, 

2,3,  4, 

William  Easterbrook,  bricklayer, 

Mass. 

and  5 

wife,  mother,  and   2   children, 

40 

J.  Wynn,  engineer,  Millville. 

Cambridgeport,  Mass. 

41 

A.  Wynn,  weaver,  Millville. 

6 

Camuel  C.  Smith,  Cambridgeport, 

42 

.1.  McNannie,  weaver,  Millville. 

Mass. 

43 

Rev.  W.  C.  High,  Northampton. 

7 

George  W.  Fitz,  Cambridgeport, 

44 

C.  Liscom,  Montpelier,  Vermont. 

Mass. 

45 

Amos  Trott,  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 

8 

J.    M.    Lincoln,    Cambridgeport, 

46 

C.  Bragg,  carver,  Lawrence,  Mass. 

Mass. 

47 

C.  A.  Adams,  farmer,  Bedford. 

9 

S.     Perry,    carpenter,      Dighton, 

48,  49 

W.  "Hutchinson  and  wife,  West 

Mass. 

Randolph,  Vermont. 

10 

A.  Lord,  Augusta,  Maine. 

50 

Iram    Higgins,    carpenter,    Fair- 

11 

Jacob  Bragg,  spinner,  Lawrence. 

haven. 

4,  15, 

Joseph  H.   Chase,  Newburyport, 

51 

George   W.    Hathaway,   farmer, 

6,  17, 

Mass. 

Fairhaven. 

.8,  18| 

52 

Alexander  Bliss,  spar  maker,  New 

(See  Nos.  176,  177,  178,  179,  180, 

Bedford. 

and  180|  ) 

53 

William  H.  Gookin,  Portsmouth 

9,  20, 

Nathaniel  H.  Gray,  varnisher,  &c.  ,*? 

54 

Wm.  P.  Henderson,  Portsmouth. 

1,  21| 

wife,  daughter,  and  granddaugh- 

55 

Not  sold. 

ter,  10  years,  and  boy  3  years 

56,  56^ 

Mrs.  Chase. 

old,  Boston. 

57,  58; 

T.  Fessenden,  wife  and  children, 

22 

Converse    S.    Graves,   varnisher, 

59,   60 

Leominster. 

!3,  24, 

Boston. 
Ebenezer  Hersey  ,  shoemaker  ,  wife, 

61 

B.      G.     Livingston,     Fitchbuig, 
Mass. 

!5,  25| 

and  6  children,  10  years,  7  years, 

62 

Mrs.    Fre.Jerick   Kimball,    Fitch- 

3   years,  2  years,  and  1  year, 

burg,  Mass. 

Way  land,  Mass. 

63 

Mrs.  Samuel  Kimball,  Fitchburg, 

26 

James  G.  Bolles,  broker,  Boston. 

Mass 

27 

L.  M.  Herrendeen,  cooper,  Palmer, 

64 

Kate   E.    Kellogg,   teacher,   Bel- 

Mass. 

chertown. 

28 

F.  Davis,  Boston. 

65 

J.  E.  Rice,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

29 

H.  M.  Severance,  Cambridgeport, 

66 

S.  Bullard,  Saxonville. 

30 

Mass. 
H.  Wilson,  Springvale,  Maine. 

67 

R.  Seavy,   carpenter,   Lawrence, 

Mass. 

31 

B.  Gatchill,  Springvale,  Maine. 

68 

S.    Whitaker,     machinist,    Law- 

32 

J.  W.  Brooks,  Springvalft,  Maine. 

rence,  Mass. 

33 

G.    F.    Brown,    carpenter,   Paw- 
tucket. 

69 

George  Rhymes,  machinist,  Law- 
rence, Mass. 

34 

J.  Brown,  farmer,  Paw  tucket. 

70 

G.  Currier,  stone  cutter,  Lawrence. 

35 
36 

J.  C.  Disney,  Boston. 
A.  Doane,  Eastham,  Maine. 

71 

Abiel     Morrison,    painter,     Law- 
rence. 

888 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
FIRST  SPRING  PARTY— Continued. 


No. 


Names. 


No. 


Names, 


72 
73 

74 
75 

76 

77 
78 
79 
80 

81 
82 

83 

84 

85 
86 

87 

88 
89 

90 

91 
92 
93 
94 

95 
96 

97,  98, 
99 
100 
101 
102 

103 
104 
105 
106 
107 
108 
109 
110 
111 

112 
113 
114 

115,115 


Henry  Hammond,  Lawrence.  116 

J.  W.  Luce,  watchmaker,  Law- 
rence. >  117 

J.  M.  Emerson,  carpenter,  Boston. 

William   Clealand,    farmer,   Na-     118,  119, 
tick,  Mass.  119| 

A.  C.  Wright,  shoemaker,  Natick.  120 

C.  L.  Wilbur,  engineer,  Boston. 

Mrs.  C.  L.  Wilbur,  Boston. 

F.  Bolles,  Littleton. 

L.    Farnsworth,    varnisher,   &c.,  j        141 
Nashua 

J.  Lockley,  Leominster.  142 

J.  L.  Locklev,  Leominster. 

F.  A  Abbott",  manufacturer,  Low-  143 
ell. 

Daniel   Downes,  teamster,  Cam-  ;        144 

bridgeport,  Mass. 
J.  C.  French,  Brunswick,  Maine.  145 

G.  B.  French,  Brunswick,  Maine. 

C.    Hathaway,    Montpelier   Ver-  |        146 

mont.     (See  102.) 

(See  84  )  147, 148 

E.   Emerson,   varnisher   and  pol- 
isher, Boston.  149 
H      Evans,     shoemaker,    Lynn, 

Mass.  150 

J.  Evans,  Lynn,  Mass. 
Caroline  Evans,  Lynn,  Mass.  151 

Betsy  Evans,  Lynn  Mass. 
G.    G.    Kimball,    manufacturer,      152,153, 

Lawrence,  Mass.  153£ 

H.  Y.  F.  Fisher,  Lawrence,  Mass.  |        154 
Daniel  Merrill,  Saco,  Maine. 
John   Pike,    carpenter,   wife   and  155 

2  children,  Biddeford,  Maine. 
Granville  Libbey,  Saco,  Maine.  156 

Wm.  Rutter,  Leominster,  Mass. 
Charles    Hathaway,    Montpelier,  j         157 

Vermont.     (See  87.)  158 

David  Ambrose,  carpenter,  Law-  159 

rence,  Mass. 
Joshua  Abbott,   farmer,   Dexter,  160 

Maine.  161 

Samuel  Smith,  shoemaker,  Dor-  !  162,  163 

Chester. 
Samuel    Hall,    carpenter,   stone-  |        164 

ham. 
Moses  Hubbard,  machinist.  South  j         165 

Berwick,  Maine. 
Paul     II.      Hubbard,    carpenter,  :         166 

South  Berwick,  Maine. 
Hanson  Moorej  shoemaker,  South  j         167 

Berwick,  Maine.  168 

William     Sawyer,     storekeeper,  ! 

Saco,  Maine,  169 

Roswell  Phillips,  machinist,  Saco,  j! 

Maine.  170 

Luther  Dame,  Porthmouth,  Me. 
W.  B.  Waite,  Portsmouth,  Me.  171 

W.  A.  Adams,  carpenter,  Milton  J        172 

railway. 
Jes.-e  Stone  and  son,  Wm.  Henry  |        173 

Stone,  Medford,  Mass. 


William  Hutchinson,  West  Ran-, 

dolph. 
Joseph  C.  Miller,  tinman,  Provi-i 

dence,  R.  I. 
Leonard    Litchfield,   Leominster,  • 

Mass. 
Frederick  J.  Locke,  farmer,  West : 

Cambridge,  Mass. 
121  to  140  sent  to  W.  W.  Rice, 

Worcester.     See  after  No.  182. ' 
Joseph  Keller,  cabinet  maker,  Ba-t 

den,  Germany. 
Herman    Vogel,   cabinet    maker, 

Saxony. 

William  Marshall,  mason,  Fitch- 
burg,  Mass. 
George  Dean,  tanner,  West  Taun-  • 

ton,  Mass. 
George  Abel  Crane,  farmer,  West 

Taunton,  Mass. 

Francis  B.  Swift,  printer,  Bruns- 
wick, Maine. 
William  B.  Marshall,  farmer,  and  : 

wife,  East  Weare,  N.  H. 
Andrew     B.    Marshall,    teacher  •> 

East  Weare,  N.  H. 
L.  H.   Pillsbury,  carpenter,  Lon- 

dondery. 
Chas.  F.  Tolman,  jr.,  shoemaker  [ 

Gloucester. 
E.  A.  Landon,  cutler,  wife,  am 

boy  8  years,  Plymouth  Conn,     j 
Albert  Irish,  manufacturer,  Bid  j 

deford,  Maine. 
Josiah  Reed,  tin  plater,  Portland 

Maine 
Sarah  Ann  Fick,  2  children  unde 

5,  New  York. 

William  B.  Lewis,  caulker,  N.  Y  ' 
Samuel  Lewis,  hair  dresser,  N.  Y 
Nathan  E.  Redland,  mason,  Bus 

ton,  Maine. 

Andrew  H.  Field,  Portland,  Me  | 
Thomas  Bickerton,  Portland,  Me? 
J.  W.  Hague,  farmer,  and  wif< 

Plymouth,  Conn. 
H.  J.  Kloppenburg,  farmer,  Lo\*' 

ell,  Mass. 
H.   P.   Waters,  jeweller,   Prov  j 

dence. 
A.    S.    Waters,  jeweller,   Prov  j 

dence,  R.  I. 
(Not  used.) 
J.    G.    Bunker,    cabinet    make 

Providence,  R.  I. 
H.    H.    Wentworth,    machinii 

Providence,  R.  I. 
William    Brown,  farmer,    Pro\ 

dence,  R.  I. 

E.  D.  Ingraham,  Coventry,  R. 
P.   Ingraham,  farmer,  Coventr 

R  I. 
J.   A.  Brown,  carpenter,  Gree 

wich,  R.  I. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
FIKST  SPRING-  PARTY— Continued. 


889 


No. 

Names. 

No. 

Names. 

174 

174| 

175 
76,  177, 
.78,  179, 

G.    A.    Gorton,   carpenter,   East 
Greenwich,  R.  I. 
J.  W.  Bunker,   12  years,  Provi- 
dence, R.  I. 
(Not  used.) 
Joseph    H.   Chase,  farmer,   wife, 
son  Henry,  Eliza,  Le   Roy  S. 

180,180| 
181 

182 

Brown,  and  Hannah  Chase,  and 
3  under  5,  Newburyport,  Mass. 
Horace  W.  Taber,   stone  cutter, 
Holland,  Vt. 
Luther  Bixby,  farmer,  Moretown, 
Vermont. 

Names  omitted  in  numerical  order,  added  to  the  first  party  from  Worcester,  Mass. 


No. 

Names. 

No. 

Names. 

134 
135 
136 

No.  121  to  133,  both  inclusive,  re- 
tained unused. 
E   Trask. 
G.  L.  Crosby. 
Mary  B.  Stone, 

137 
138 
139 

140 

Abram  Stone. 
E.  Jones. 
Abner  C.   Haskell,  North   Brook- 
field,  Mass. 
Chas.  A.  Haskell,  N.  Brookfield. 

I  hereby  certify  that  the  aforegoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original  list  of  the  first  spring 
party  for  Kansas  under  the  auspices  of  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Company,  which 
eft  Boston  on  March  13,  1855. 

THOMAS  H.  WEBB, 

Secretary  Neio  England  Emigrant  *flid  Company. 
BOSTON,  June  26,  1856. 


Second  party,  March  20,  1855,  John  T.  Farwell  conducting  agent. 


No. 


l 

2 
3 

4,  5,  5| 
6,7,8,9 


10 
11 
12,  13 


15, 


14 


17 


Names. 


Edward  Turner,  Olneyville,  R.  I. 

George  Abbott,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Daniel  W  Palmer,  machinist  and 
gunsmith,  South  Andover. 

John  A.  Parkin,  farmer,  son  15 
years,  and  daughter. 

William  H.  Hovey,  farmer,  and 
wife,  Francis  W.  H.,  and  Mrs 
Home  and  daughter  3  years 
old,  Cambridgeport. 

George  Walker,  currier,  Paw- 
tucket,  R.  I. 

Carlos  Cooley ,  teacher,  Worcester, 
Mass 

Edward  Chappell,  farmer,  and 
wife,  Blackstone,  Mass. 

George  Fricker,  laborer,  Black- 
stone,  Mass. 

Benjamin  Davis,  farmer,  son  Jas.. 
12  years,  Pawtucket,  R.  I. 

David  Douglas,  farmer,  Pawtuck- 
et, R.  I. 


No. 


16 

18 
19 
20 

21 


22 
23 

24 
25 

26 

27 
28 


Names. 


Albert  Fuller,  carpenter,  Paw- 
tucket,  R.  I. 

Robinson  Bentley ,  Providence,  R.  I. 

John  McCabe,  Providence,  R.  1. 

Edward  A.  Walton,  farmer,  Sa- 
lem, Mass. 

Thomas  Hodgedon,  South  Ber- 
wick, Maine,  (transferred  to  3d 
party.) 

Henry  S.  Dole,  operative,  Lowell, 
Mass. 

Joseph  Brown,  carpenter,  and  son 
Andrew  F.,  3|  years,  Lowell, 
Mass. 

Susan  W.  Brown,  Lowell,  Mass. 

Levi  E.  Brown,  farmer,  Lowell, 
Mass. 

Jonathan,  Brown,  farmer,  Wil- 
mot,  N.  H. 

Israel  H.  Brown,  farmer,  Wil- 
mot,  N.  H. 

Erastus  Wright,  farmer,  Westford , 
Mass. 


890 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
SECOND  PAKTY— Continued. 


No. 


Names. 


No. 


Names. 


29 
30 

3L 

32 

33,  34 

35,  36 

37 


39 

40 
41 

42,  43 
44,45,46 

47 

48 
49 

50 
51 

52 
53 

54 
55 

56,  57, 
58,  59, 
60,  61, 
62,  63, 
64,  65, 
65| 


66 
67 
68 
69 
70 

71 

72,  73, 

74,  74| 

75,  76, 
76| 


Erastus  E.  Wright,  farmer,  West- 
ford,  Mass. 

Nathan  Hackett,  manufacturer, 
Lowell,  Mass. 

Lavinia  Hackett,  Lowell,  Mass. 

Phebe  A.  Thurston,  Lowell,  Mass. 

Albert  Whitcomb  and  wife,  Keene, 
N.  H. 

Charles  Miller,  shoemaker,  and 
wife,  Walpole,  N.  H. 

Isaac  Mattoon,  blacksmith,  Wal- 
pole, N.  H. 

Thomas  E.  Pierce,  carpenter, 
Walpole,  N.  H. 

Edwin  Guild,  teacher,  Walpole, 
N.  H. 

Benjamin  E.  Chase,  Salem,  Mass. 

Nathaniel  M.  Thomas,  mason, 
Way  land,  Mass. 

Chas.  W.  Smith,  carpenter,  and 
wife,  Lowell. 

Henry  Atherton,  farmer,  and  wife 
and  2  children,  Ellen  M.,  12 
years,  and  Henry  F.,  6  years. 

Isaac  P.  Choate,  teacher,  Naples, 
Maine. 

Wm.  F.  Pray,  So.  Berwick,  Me. 

Edward  Woodman,  Lawrence, 
Mass. 

Henry  Bayes,  Lawrence,  Mass. 

John  H.  Blaisdell,  carpenter, 
Southampton,  N.  H. 

J.  N.  Pierce,  trader,  New  Bedford, 
Mass. 

Monroe  Preston,  Manchester, 
N.  H. 

Marcellus  Preston,  Lowell. 

William  ti.  Morse,  Topsham,  Me. 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Nicholls,  husband, 
John  King,  (servant,)  George 
B.  N.,  one-half,  Jos.  G.  Green, 
wife,  2  sons,  11  years  and  8 
years,  James  Sargent,  farmer, 
Dumnerstown,  Vt.,  Wallace 
Sargent,  Mrs.  Whitney,  (wid- 
ow,) Miss  Sarah  Jones,  (intend- 
ed bride,)  Keene,  N.  H. 

Joseph  Thomas  Damon,  farmer, 
Cochituate. 

Samuel  Colby,  farmer,  Spring- 
field, N.  H. 

Christ.  C.  Colby,  farmer,  Spring- 
field, N.  H. 

John  B.  Colby,  farmer,  Sprinor- 
field,  N.  H. 

Nathan  Johnson,  farmer,  Graf- 
ton,  N.  H 

Alonzo  Johnson,  farmer,  Grafton 

Geo.  W.  Pearce,  tin  plate  worker, 
wife,  1  boy  13,  2  girls  10  and  14 
years,  and  2  boys  3  arid  1  years. 

Peter  Barton,  house  joiner,  wife, 
girl  4  years,  and  boy  3  years, 
and  infant  girl,  Croyden,  N.  H. 


77 
78 
79 

80 
81,  82 

83 

84 

85 
86 

87,  88 

89,  90 

91 

92 
93 
94 
95 
96 

107 

108 

109 
110,  111 

112,  113 
114,  115 

116 

117 

118 
119 

120     | 

121,  122, 
123,  124 

125     \ 

126 

126| 


William     Mitchell,     shoemaker,,; 

Bridgewater,  Mass. 
Thomas  Darling,  farmer,  Middle-it 

boro'  Mass. 
Alpheus   Wright,  farmer,  West- 
ford,  Mass. 
Charles  H.  Young,  Lowell,  Mass'* 
Thomas    Paget   and  Isabella,  hta 

wife,  Lowell. 
Josiah  C.   Goodrich,  farmer,  Mt' 

Verrion,  N.  H. 
Isaac  C.  Trott,  shipmaster,  Bath: 

Maine. 

Walter  C.  Trott,  sailor,  Bath,  Meit 
Charles  S.  Beath,  carpenter,  Bath'; 

Maine. 
Leverett     Haskell,    farmer,    am 

wife,  Clarernont,  N.  H. 
H.    K.    Rawson,    carpenter,   an' 

wife,  Worcester. 
Ellen,  10  years,  Wallace,  7  years*! 

also  Charles,  4  years,  and  Gee-' 

H.  Rawson,  2  years. 
John  Haskell,  operative,  Worces*! 

ter,  Mass. 
Jas.  S.  Haskell,  operative,  Woi 

cester,  Mass. 
John  N.  Wilson,  farmer,  Worces- 

ter,  Mass. 
Walter  Wilson,  farmer,  Worcej" 

ter,  Mass. 
L.     H.    Bas^om,  boot   and    shci 

dealer. 
97  to  106  sent  to  Worcester,  rti 

turned  unsold 
Bernard  Lee,  operative,  Lowel 

Mass. 
Patrick   Lee,   operative,   Lowel 

Mass. 

Jas.  Lee,  operative,  Lowell,  Mas; 
Aaron  E.  Platt,  farmer,  and  wifS. 

Rindge,  N.  H. 

D.  Hagar,    farmer,     and    wifi 
Rindge,  N.  H. 

Benjamin  Stowe,  farmer,  and  wifi 

and  son  9  mos.,  Rindge,  N.  H! 
Warren   Stowe,   farmer,  Rindgr 

N.  H. 
Geo.  W.  Nichols,  lumber  dealei* 

Boston. 

Shad  E.  Sumner,  clerk,  Boston. i. 
Robert  W  Carr,  lawyer,  Medial  | 

ics'  Falls,  Maine. 
S.  C.  Rowe,  painter,  Boston. 

E.  W.  H.  Thomas,  farmer,  wif<! 
son  Edward,  16  years,  2  girl 
11  and  13,  and  infant,  Biddi 
ford  Maine. 

Samuel  M.  Prescott,  blacksmith 

Southampton,  N.  H. 
Benj.    Smith,    carpenter,    Sout 

boro',  Mass. 
Elbridge    G.    Smith,   Southboro 

Mass. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 
SECOND  PAKTY— Continued. 


891 


Names. 

|       NO. 

Namas. 

No. 

r 

127  !  James  R.  Goodwin,  painter,  Bos- 

ton. 

128  !  Ernest  Halbawer,  operative,  Ded- 

ham,  Mass. 
'  129        Charles,  son  of  do. 

130  Christina  Halbawer, 

131  Adolphe  Tansler,  operative,  Dod- 

ham,  Mass. 

132  i  John.  N.   Shaw,  farmer,  Grafton,  |j 

N.  H. 

133  J  Charles    Runja,   operative,    Ded- 

ham,  Mass. 

134  j  Wife,  Min'de    Runja,    Dedham,    I 

Mass. 

134|      Louisa  Runja,  11  years,  Christina  j 
Runja,  4  years,  Dedham,  Mass.    | 

135  John    Janes,    farmer,    Foxboro',  j 

Mass. 


136  Otis  Potter,  jeweller,  Providence, 

R.  I. 

137  Ezra   A.    Potter,   painter,   Provi- 

dence, R.  1. 

138  Geo.  A.  Potter,  Providence,  R.  I. 

139  E.     W.     Burroughs,     carpenter, 

Providence,  R.  1. 

140  I  G.  P.  Richardson,  grocer,  Provi- 

dence, R.  I. 

141  j  James  Farnum,  carpenter,  Salem, 

Mass. 

142  i  Lorenzo  D.  Full,  carpenter,  An- 

dover,  Mass. 

143  |  Willard  Low.  farmer,  Fitchburg, 

Mass. 

144  j  Elisha  F.  Mayo,  farmer,  Orleans, 

Mass. 


[  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original  list  of  the  second  spring 
prty  for  Kansas,  under  the  auspices  of  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Company,  which 
lit  Boston  on  March  20, 1855. 

THOMAS  H.  WEBB, 

Secretary  Neiv  England  Emigrant  Jlid  Company. 
BOSTON,  June  26, 1856. 


-L    ICliI  W/     JJIA.1  VU  j     -iULU.'/   O/t/     £J(    j      J-UUUj     J^/    .      JLJUAjl^liLllU     ^Ull/UjUj^liVlliU     W/UO/M/. 

No. 

Names. 

No. 

Names. 

a,  2 

Corneilus      Holcomb     and     wife, 

20 

William  Dewitt,  Claremont,  N.  H. 

Northampton,  Mass. 

21  and  22  not  taken. 

3 

L.  Dwight  Colman,  Northampton, 

23 

Addison  Wardwell,  farmer,  Penob- 

Mass. 

scot,  Maine. 

4 

Leonard      Dunn,      Northampton, 

24 

Mary  Wardwell,  Penobscot,  Me. 

Mass. 

25 

Charles  R.  Smith,  tin  plater,  East 

>6,  6i 

Benjamin  C.   Booram,    carpenter, 

Cambridge. 

John  B.  and  James  B.,  10  years, 

26 

John  W.  Shepard,  clerk,  Nashua, 

Taunton,  Mass. 

N.  H. 

7 

Ebenezer  Farririgton,  farmer,  Fran- 

27 

Alonzo  Gray,  carpenter,  Newport, 

|       cistown,  J\.  W. 

R.  I. 

59,  9£ 

Asber   R.  Peckham,   carpenter,  1 

28 

G.  W.  Lee,  Cumberland,  R.  I. 

girl  9  years,  2  boys  7  and  5  years, 

29 

Mrs.     H.    H.    Lee,    Cumberland, 

Taunton,  Mass. 

R.I. 

10 

Stephen   H.  Thurlow,   carpenter, 

30 

Allen  B.  Lee,  Cumberland,  R.  I. 

Nevvburyport,  Mass. 

31,  31| 

John  G.  Ricker,  farmer,  and  John 

1.   12        James   Winslow    and   wife,   New 

O'Donnell,  Boston. 

Bedford,  Mass. 

32,  33 

E.    S.    Buffum,    shoemaker,    and 

1,   14     ;  R.  M.  Taber,  sailmaker,  and  wife, 

wife,  Salem. 

New  Bedford,  Mass. 

34,  35 

Frederick  Hubon,  carpenter,  and 

1.    15i      T.  J.  Wright,  farmer,  and  daugh- 

wife,  Salem. 

ter  8  years,  Claremont,  N.  H. 

36 

John  Melcher,  tailor,  Salem. 

Ifi 
17 

Daniel  Keyse,  farmer. 
Miss  E.  Wallingford,  teacher. 

37 

Augustus  Miles,  engineer,  Concord, 

Mass. 

16       J.  Swett,  carpenter. 

38 

Charles  L.  Sawin,  Littleton,  Mass. 

19     I  William  Earle,  Claremont,  N.  H. 

39 

Franklin  Kendall,  fanner,  Boston. 

892 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 
THIRD  PARTY— Continued. 


No. 


40 


41 
42 

43 

44J 

45 

46 
47,  48 

49 
50,  51 


54 
55 

56 
57 


Names. 


Samuel  Fisher,  farmer.  Greenfield, 
N.  H. 

George   M.    Morse,   expressman, 
Providence,  R.  I. 

Timothy  Eaton,  shoe  manufacturer, 
West  Cambridge. 

Charles  Eaton,  Peterboro',  N.  H. 

Charles  R.  Eaton,  Peterboro',  IV. H, 

David     Scott,    carpenter,     Provi- 
dence, R.  I. 

Russell  D.  Armingion,  Providence, 
R.  I. 

Orin    Rogers,    trader,    and    wife, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

|  E.    C.   Parson,   farmer,   Hartford, 
Conn. 

John  T.  Dow,  tailor,  and  wife,  and 

child  3  years,  Hartford,  Conn. 
52,   53     I  Daniel   Rid,  tailor,  and  wife,  also 
child  3  years,  Hartford. 

Joseph   Hicks,   shoemaker,    Plais- 
tow,  N.  H. 

George  Buffum,  carpenter,  Salem, 
Mass. 

Joseph  Kehew,  Salem,  Mass. 

William  E.  Goodnow,  printer,  Nor- 
way, Maine. 


No. 


Names. 


58     I  Jacob  Rowe,  farmer,  Lyme,  N./i 


59 

60 

61,  62, 
63 

64,  65 


GG 
G7 


71 
72 

73 
74 
75 

88 
.89 
89 1 

90 


George  Rowe,  Lyme,  N.  H. 
W.  Y.  Gross,  carpenter,  Duxbiu 

Mass 
Henry  Leis,  printer,  and  wife,  $ 

sons,   Wm.  and   George,  Prt1! 

dence. 
Joseph  Redfield,  wife,  and  2  c'-j 

dren,  under   4  years,  Hartfd 

Conn. 
!  G.  W.   M.   Hibbard,   blacksmi 

Lisbon,  N.  H. 
!  Rev.     William     M.    Cone, 

tucket,  R.  1. 
I  68,  69,  and  70  not  sold. 
Sandford  Jones,  Oxford, 
Patrick  Welch,  Uxbridge,  Masn 
Henry  C.  Webb,  Sutton,  Ma»«.j 
George  W.  Webb  Sutton,  Masn| 
J.  S.  Burt,  Sutton,  Mass. 
76  to  87,  inclusive,  not  used. 
J.  N.  Mathes,  painter,  Lawrence! 
Edward  Seagrave,  minister. 
David    W.    Seagrave,    14    JM 

Providence. 
Francis    Lewis,    machinist,   fi| 

Cambridge,  Mass 


I  hereby  certify  that  the  aforegoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original  list  of  the  third  sp;1 
party  for  Kansas,  under  the  auspices  of  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Company,  w«i 
left  Boston  on  March  27,  1855. 

THOMAS  H.  WEBB, 
Secretary  New  England  Emigrant  Jlid  Com 
BOSTON,  June  26,  1856. 


Names  of   males  in   party  of   aid    emigrants    under    C. 

March,  1855. 


Kobb 


I 

°°i 

a"1 
o 

6 

Names. 

02       . 

-«  0 
!<• 

|s 

ci 

0^3 
°3 

| 

1 

a 

§~ 

& 

Names. 

J 
t 

47 

70 

F.  Bolles  

83 
103 

F.  A.  Abbott  

393 
1055 

161 

IfJQ 

Thomas  Bickerton  

104 

170 

114 

W    A   Adams 

170 

]1 

17^ 

24 

James  G   Bowles 

i        1QO 

32 

J  W   Brooks 

70 

QQ 

G    "P    Rrown 

7^ 

34 

145 

46 

C   Brao-o-  

14 

52 

176 

66 

S.  Billiard..                   

i     135 

G.  L.  Crosby  

KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


893 


Names  of  party  of  aid  emigrants  under  C.  Robinson — Continued. 


fe 

1 

Is 

C^ 
o 

C 

& 

Names. 

CO       . 

^4  O 
JPO 
a 

in 

§1 

0^ 

£^ 

^ 

0, 

1  . 

°.s 

C  ^ 

o 

6 

Names. 

to     . 

-M  0 
OCO 

~0    1-i 

ft 

rt  to 

0:3 

p'.ti 

^^ 

OQ 

1010 

fil 

902 

OK 

jj.  Q   Jjisnev                     

993 

67 

1032 

Of? 

73 

J.  W.  Luce  

1007 

QA 

r>    '  i  n 

81 

T    tin     n 

1030 

82 

J.  L.  Lockley  

I  A  A 

n             n       '  *  ' 

100 

9 

118 

999 

74 

qqn 

120 

Frederick  J    Locke.  .  .  .  .  .    .  .  . 

909 

on 

152 

810 

on 

H    Evans 

157 

William  B.  Lewis  

01 

J   Evans 

158 

7 

George  ^V\T    Fitz 

42 

10 

A    Ford       .           

71 

37 

J   M   Fogg                 

1019 

96 

Daniel  Merrill  

931 

57 

T    Fessenden 

109 

1 

117 

Joseph  C.  Miller  

80 
1     8^ 

J   C   French 

143 
147 

William  Marshall  
William  B.Marshall   

985 

86 

G   B    French 

14Q 

Andrew  B   Marshall          . 

Of; 

101  5 

9 

S   Perry  

160 

97 

10 

Nath   H    G^-iy  .  .  . 

111 

Roswell  Phillips  

I     22 

Converse  L    Graves 

1008 

150 

L.  H.  Pillsbury  

31 
53 

B.  Gatchill  

William  H.  Gookino-  

'*989*' 

38 
65 

O.  Ravvson  
J.  C.  Rice  



174 

G.  A.  Gorton  f.  

943 

69 

1033 

23 

101 

William  Rutter  

992 

27 

L.  M.  Herrenden  

980 

155 

Josiah  Reed  

1025 

!     43 

Rev.  C.  W.  Hio-h  

998 

159 

Nathan  E    Redland    .... 

48 

1  W   Hutchinson 

6 

Samuel  C.  Smith  

116 

,     50 

29 
105 

1000 

51 

110 

54 

William  P.  Henderson  

115 

1     72 

146 

Francis  B.  Swift   .  .  . 

'     87 

137 

TOP, 

1026 

45 

Amos  Trott  

891 

107 

Samuel  Hall  

1021 

151 

Charles  F   Tollman  *ir 

107 

Moses  Hubbard  ....   .... 

1011 

181 

Horace  W   Taber 

108 

Paul  R.  Hubbard  

981 

134 

E.  Trask  

169, 

J.  W.  Hague  

142 

Herman  Vogel     . 

139 

Abner  C.  Haskell  

30 

H    Wilson 

140 

Charles  A.  Haskell  

867 

39 

S   A   Wynn 

154 

Albert  Irish  

983 

40 

J    Wynn 

171 

E.  D.  Ingraham  

41 

A  Wynn 

179 

P.  Ingraham  

68 

L   Whittier 

138 

862 

76 

A.  C.  Wright  

94 

G.  G.  Gimball  

1003 
994 

77 

C.L.  Wilbur  

W    B   Waite 

1014 

141 

Joseph  Keller  

165 

H    P   Waters 

164 

Ififi 

A    S    Waters 

8 

J.  W.  Lincoln.  

IRQ 

II    H    Wentworth 

44 

1004 

Total  of  males  in  the  party ". 126 

Total  of  those  who  voted 37 


894  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

JOHN  SCOTT  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  was  present  at  the  election  of  March  30,  1855,  in  Burr  Oak  pn 
cinct  in  the  14th  district,  in  this  Territory.  I  saw  many  Missouria* 
there.  There  had  been  a  good  deal  of  talk  ahout  the  settlement  I 
Kansas,  and  the  interference  of  eastern  people  in  the  settlement  i 
that  Territory,  since  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill, 
was  but  a  short  time  after  the  passage  of  that  act  that  we  learnt 
through  the  papers  about  the  forming  of  a  society  in  the  east  for  t; 
purpose  of  promoting  the  settlement  of  Kansas  Territory,  with  tH 
view  of  making  it  a  free  State.  Missouri,  being  a  slave  State,  and  1: 
lieving  that  an  effort  of  that  kind,  if  successful,  would  injure  her  ci 
zens  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  slave  property,  were  indignant,  a:;i 
became  determined  to  use  all  means  in  their  power  to  counteract  t 
efforts  of  eastern  people  upon  that  subject. 

They  were  excited  upon  that  subject,  and  have  been  so  ever  sinn 

This  rumor  and  excitement  extended  all  over  the  State,,  and  more  psi 

ticularly  in  the  borders.     The  general  rumor  was  that  this  easte 

society  was  for  no  other  purpose  than  making  Kansas  a  free  Stai 

One  great  reason  why  we  believed  that  was  the  only  object  of  the  * 

ciety  was,  that  we  heard  of  and  saw  no  efforts  to  settle  Nebras^i 

or  the  other  Territories  with  free  State,  men.     The  people  of  the  soul 

have  always  thought  they  have  always  been  interfered  with  by  t 

north,  and  the  people  of  Missouri  considered  this  the  most  open  a* 

bold  movement  the  northern  and  eastern  societies  ever  made.     I  £ 

perfectly  satisfied,  and  I  have  heard  hundreds  of  Missourians  laine 

that  such  a  course  had  been  pursued  by  the  north,  and  gave  it  as  th< 

opinion  that  there  would  have  been  no  excitement  upon  the  subject 

slavery,  except  for  the  extraordinary  movement  made  by  the  noii. 

and  east  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State.     Most  of  tt 

slaves  of  the  State  of  Missouri  are  in  the  western  border  counties, . 

the  hemp  growing  portion  of  Missouri.     The  people  of  Missouri  we' 

a  good  deal  excited  j  as  t  before  the  March  election,  because  it  had  ben 

so  long  postponed,  and  it  was  generally  supposed  that  it  was  pew 

poned  in  order  to  allow  time  for  eastern  emigrants  to  arrive  here^  thi 

they  might  control  the  elections.     Everybody  that  I  heard  speaks 

it  expressed  that  belief,  both  in  and  out  of  the  Territory.     The  san 

rumors  were  in  the  Territory  as  in  Missouri.     Immediately  precedin 

that  election,  and  even  before  the  opening  of  navigation,  we  had  T 

mors  that  hundreds  of  eastern  people  were  in  St.  Louis,  waiting  i 

the  navigation  of  the  river  to  be  opened,  that  they  might  get  up 

the  Territory  in  time  for  the  election,  and  the  truth  of  these  rumo 

was  established  by  the  accounts  steamboat  officers  afterwards  broug1 

up  of  the  emigrants  they  had  landed  at  different  places  in  and  net 

the  Territory,  who  had  no  families  and  very  little  property,  exce 

little  oil  cloth  carpet  sacks.     For  some  two  or  three  weeks  before  t' 

election  the  rumor  was  prevalent  that  a  good  many  eastern  peop 

were  being  sent  here  to  be  at  the  elections,  and  then  were  going  baa 

There  was  a  general  expression  of  opinion  that  the  people  of  Missoi 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  895 

should  turn  out  and  come  to  the  Territory,  and  prevent  this  illegal 
Doting  by  force,  if  necessary.  We  regarded  this  as  invasion  of  the 
lorthern  people  of  a  Territory  which  was  contiguous  to  Missouri,  for 
he  purpose  of  controlling  the  institutions  of  the  Territory,  and  the 
lefeat  of  the  objects  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill. 

I  do  not  recollect  as  I  ever  heard  any  Missourians  advocate  the 
)olicy  of  Missourians  going  over  to  that  election  and  voting,  in  the 
tbsence  of  this  eastern  emigration  about  the  time  of  the  election,  ex- 
tept,  perhaps,  General  Stringfellow,  who  advocated  the  doctrine  that 
ihe  Missourians  had  the  right  to  go  there  any  time  to  vote,  and,  per- 
laps,  urged  them  to  come  for  that  purpose.  It  was  determined  by 
he  Missourians  that  if  the  eastern  emigrants  were  allowed  to  vote, 
7e  would  vote  also,  or  we  would  destroy  the  poll  books  and  break  up 
he  elections  ;  and  the  determination  is,  that  eastern  people  shall  not 
)e  allowed  to  interfere  and  control  the  domestic  institutions  of  Kan- 
as,  if  the  Union  is  dissolved  in  preventing  it,  though  we  are  willing 
hat  all  honest,  well-meaning  settlers  shall  come  and  be  admitted  to 
bll  the  equality  of  the  other  citizens. 

I  went  to  the  Burr  Oak  precinct  with  a  company  of  other  Missou- 
•ians,  with  no  arms  myself,  and  I  saw  one  gun  in  the  party,  and  a 
few  pistols  and  side  arms.  The  determination  of  the  people  of  Mis- 
louri  was  to  interfere  with  no  one  except  this  boat  load  of  eastern  emi- 
grants which  was  expected  at  that  precinct,  and  if  they  arrived  we 
letermined,  if  strong  enough,  to  march  them  back,  to  the  tune  of  the 
Rogue's  March,  to  the  river,  and  make  them  get  on  the  boat  they  got 
fff.  If  we  were  not  strong  enough  and  they  were  allowed  to  vote,  we 
vere  determined  to  vote  too.  I  heard  no  conversation  from  any  Mis- 
fourian  to  interrupt  or  interfere  in  the  slightest  degree  with  any  resi- 
lent  voter  of  the  Territory.  I  have  never  heard  any  Missourians, 
fxcept  General  B.  F.  Stringfellow,  announce  or  advocate  the  doctrine 
fhat  Missourians  ought  to  come  over  into  the  Territory  and  vote  and 
nterfere  in  the  elections  in  any  manner,  except  only  during  the 
ixistence  of  these  rumors  in  regard  to  these  eastern  emigrants,  and 
hen  only  to  prevent  them  from  controlling  the  election  improperly, 
is  we  conceived  it  would  be.  I  did  not  see  the  slightest  effort  made 
>n  the  3'3th  of  March  to  interfere  with  the  voters  of  the  district,  and 
here  was  no  disturbance  in  regard  to  the  election.  There  was  one 
ittle  fight  growing  out  of  whiskey,  and  one  who  had  been  fighting 
net  with  a  young  man  from  Missouri,  and  they  got  into  a  quarrel, 
ind  the  man  drew  a  pistol  on  the  young  man  or  boy,  and  the  boy 
mocked  him  down  with  a  stick,  but  the  pistol  was  not  discharged  at 
ill.  That  was  the  end  of  the  fight. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

^  I  do  not  think  the  Missourians  would  ever  have  got  excited  about 
lansas,  but  for  the  rumors  concerning  eastern  emigrants.  The  extra- 
)rdinary  efforts  made  by  the  eastern  people,  except  these  emigrant  aid 
societies,  that  I  have  heard  of,  is  the  newspaper  reports  of  men,  rifles,  and 
neans  being  sent  out  here,  as  they  say,  to  defend  themselves,  but,  as 
ve  think,  to  control  the  elections  here.  If  the  Missouri  compromise 
lad  not  been  repealed  by  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act,  I  think  Kansas 


396  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Territory  would  have  been  made  a  slave  State,  as  most  of  the  proal 
nent  men  of  Missouri  considered  that  compromise  repealed  since  185^ 
and  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  feeling  in  regard  to  Kansas  then  woul 
have  been  the  same  as  now.  The  avowed  object  of  making  a  frc 
State  by  persons  living  remote  from  the  Territory,  and  having  no  ill 
terest  in  it,  and  the  raising  of  money  and  means  for  that  purpose,  , 
the  obnoxious  feature  of  these  emigrant  aid  societies,  though  there  ! 
nothing  illegal  in  that ;  but  it  is  an  extraordinary  interference  im 
remote  region  of  the  country.  I  think  it  is  a  new  thing  for  free  Statd 
to  get  up  societies  to  make  free  States  out  of  Territories. 

The  first  extraordinary  effort  that  the  Missourians  made  to  me* 
the  action  of  these  emigrant  aid  societies,  was  in  the  fall  of  1854,  < 
the  early  part  of  the  winter,  to  form  societies  in  Kansas  and  Missoun 
in  which  each  member  pledged  himself  to  use  all  honorable  and  legj 
means  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State.  I  cannot  speak  of  but  thrii 
counties,  but  I  have  heard  that,  in  three  counties  there,  societies  $1 
isted.  In  our  county  I  knew  one  society  existed  ;  it  was  a  secnj 
society.  I  do  not  know  that  these  societies  are  now  in  operation  ;  }\ 
attended  one  up  to  the  30th  March,  1855,  and  then  stopped  attendinj 
them,  and  do  not  know  about  them  since. 

I  think,  perhaps,  through  the  influence  of  the  members  of  the*' 
societies  persons  were  induced  to  come  over  here  to  the  election,  butt] 
do  not  think  any  who  did  come  were  members  of  this  society.  T;' 
objects  attempted  to  be  affected  by  this  society,  was  to  hunt  up  ait  I 
induce  pro-slavery  men  to  come  to  this  Territory  and  become  actui| 
settlers.  I  never  heard  of  any  fund  ;  I  deemed  the  society  worth! 
under  the  circumstances  of  the  existing  of  the  aid  societies  in  the  eaa 
For  Missourians  to  have  done  it  at  any  time  I  should  have  consideru 
a  worthy  object  for  the  purpose  of  building  up  a  bulwark  around  the 
domestic  institutions  as  a  matter  of  defence  of  their  slave  properti 
but  not  for  any  political  purpose.  I  consider  it  an  unworthy  objej1 
for  persons  who  derive  no  pecuniary  benefit  from  it,  to  undertake  • 
make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  thus  injure  Missouri. 

But  since  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  I  think  that  society  has  be»< 
superseded  by  another  society,  which  has  a  fund  for  the  purpose, . 
sending  pro-slavery  emigration  to  this  Territory,  and  is  regularly  c< 
ganized  for  that  purpose.     The  fund  is  used  in  aiding  emigrants,  1. 
loaning  them  money  to  get  into  the  Territory,,  in  providing  claim) 
and  entering  the  land.     It  is  a  self-defensive  organization,  intend 
to  have  a  bearing  upon  the  political  institutions  of  the  Territory, 
far  as  slavery  is  concerned. 

So  far  as  I  know  anything  of  the  society,  the  means  of  the  socie 
is  not  to  build  up  mills  and  hotels,  but  to  aid  individual  settlers  | 
their  claims,  and  to  do  with  the  funds  of  the  society  for  them  wbl 
they  individualy  would  do  with  their  own  money  for  themselves. 
think  these  conversations  have  been  formed  pretty  extensively  ov>| 
Missouri,  and  I  think  persons  have  been  selected  in  Missouri  to  go  j 
other  southern  States  and  build  up  similar  societies  there,  but  to  whii 
extent  that  has  been  done  I  do  not  know.  I  think  the  first  steambo! 
that  arrived  at  St.  Joseph's  in  1855  was  on  the  28th  of  February,  a| 
I  think  her  name  was  the  Polar  Star.  Boats  arrived  at  St.  Joseptj 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  897 

from  St.  Louis  in  February,  1854,  and  February,  1855,  if  I  mistake 
not,  and  that  was  considered  an  unusual  thing.  Every  boat  that  ar- 
rived brought  information  by  its  officers  of  this  emigration  from  the 
east,  one  stating  that  so  many  came  up  on  his  boat,  and  another,  that 
his  had  been  chartered  entirely  for  eastern  emigrants,  &c.,  while  the 
papers  of  St.  Louis  contained  accounts  of  the  numbers  arriving  there  ; 
and  we  also  heard  news  by  the  telegraph,  to  the  same  effect,  previous 
to  the  election. 

I  do  not  think  any  eastern  emigrants  arrived  at  St.  Joseph's  that 
spring  before  the  election,  and  they  came  but  in  very  small  numbers 
at  any  time.  I  do  not  recollect  the  names  of  the  steamboat  officers 
who  brought  this  news.  This  new  society  I  have  named  was  formed 
in  the  first  part  of  last  winter,  and  we  sent  lecturers  to  the  southern 
States,  but  I  never  learned  whether  they  succeeded  in  their  errand  or 
not. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  do  not  know  whether  the  charter  by  the  Massachusetts  legislature 
}f  an  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  with  a  capital  of  five  millions  of  dollars 
to  send  out  free  State  emigrants  here,  was  legal  or  not,  as  I  do  not 
know  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts ;  but,  admitting  it  to  be  legal 
and  authorized  by  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts,  I  think  it  -is  an 
unwarranted  interference  on  the  part  of  one  State  of  this  confederacy 
in  the  affairs  of  a  Territory,  and  that  such  an  interference 'is  not  war- 
ranted by  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  that  it  is  bad  faith 
to  the  other  States  of  the  Union,  and  tends  to  a  dissolution  of  the 
Union. 

I  do  not  think  I  would  have  suggested  to  any  one  in  Missouri  the 
forming  of  societies  in  Missouri  but  for  these  eastern  societies,  and 
they  were  formed  but  as  a  means  of  self-defence  and  to  counteract  the 
effect  of  those  eastern  societies,  and  I  think  it  is  the  general  expres- 
sion, and  I  know  it  is  the  ardent  hope  of  every  man  in  Missouri 
'hat  I  have  heard  express  himself,  that  if  the  north  would  cease  ope- 
rating by  these  societies,  Missouri  would  also  cease  to  use  those  she 
has  established. 

All  that  Missourians  asked  was  that  the  principles  of  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  act  should  be  carried  out,  and  the  actual  settlers  of  the  Ter- 
ritory allowed  to  manage  their  own  domestic  institutions  for  them- 
selves. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  do  not  know  that  the  State  of  Massachusetts  ever  passed  the  char- 
ier I  have  referred  to,  but  such  is  the  rumor. 

JOHN  SCOTT. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


MATTHEW  K.  WALKER  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Anderson  :  « 

I  now  reside  in  Wyandott  City,  in  Kansas  Territory,  at  the  mouth 
)f  the  Kansas  river,  about  thirty  miles  from  Leaven  worth  City,  and 
H.  Kep.  200 57* 


898  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

four  miles  from  Kansas  City,  in  Missouri.     I  have  resided  there  f<; 
about  fourteen  years. 

Some  time  in  the  month  of  June  or  July  of  1854,  Mr.  Jenkins,  pr*i 
prietor  of  t'he  Union  hotel,  now  the  American  hotel,  requested  me 
favor  a  friend  of  his  with  the  loan  of  a  horse  to  go  to  Leavenwort'l 
I  requested  Mr.  Jenkins  to  give  his  friend  a  letter  of  introduction  i 
me,  and  he  could  "be  accommodated  with  a  horse.     Some  two  daji 
afterwards,  a  gentleman  presented  himself  to  me  as  Dr.  Charles  Ko\ 
inson,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  with  a  letter  of  introduction  fro»| 
Mr.  Walker.     He  staid  a  few  moments  and  gpt  the  horse;  he  TV« 
gone  two  days,  and  returned;  he  staid  some  time  with  me  on  his  i 
turn,  in  private  conversation.      He  wanted  to  know  if  a  compan 
could  get  a  situation  there  for  a  manufacturing  establishment ;  he  sm 
he  wanted  to  get  the  place  for  that  purpose,  and  asked  what  the  till 
would  be  if  he  concluded  to  purchase ;  he  said  that  the  company  cod 
command  as  much  as  a  capital  of  $5,000,000,  and  that  this  would  foul 
the  nucleus  of  the  future  operations  of  the  company ;  that  their  objcii 
was  to  ma^ke  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  ameliorate  the  condition  of  t 
negro.     u  After  forming  a  free  State,  with  free  suffrage,  by  amalgij 
mation  of  the  Indians  with  the  negroes,"  he  said,   "amalgamate 
with  the  whites  would  be  an  easy  matter." 

He  said  their  object  was  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  th^i 
would  then  be  three  free  States  surrounding  Missouri,  and  that  Mv 
souri  would  be  compelled  to  emancipate  her  slaves.  It  was  comimj 
rumor  prior  to  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  that  Doctor  Charles  Rob  | 
son  was  connected  with  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  of  Massachusei 
as  one  of  their  principals. 

In  the  private  conversation  before  alluded  to,  Mr.  Robinson  wisl- 
to  purchase  a  "town  site"  as  a  nucleus  for  the  operations  of  his  ccj 
pany,  in  the  Wyandott  country,  and  Lawrence  was  shortly  after wa«i 
laid  out. 

Just  preceding  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  large  numbers 
men  from  the  free  States  landed  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,,  and  w 
into  Kansas  Territory ;  some  of  them  went  to  Lawrence  and  som« 
them  to  other  points.  Sometimes  there  would  be  fifty  and  sometii 
one  hundred  of  them  on  a  boat,  and  sometimes  even  more  than  til 
The  boats  were  then  arriving  almost  every  day,,  and  I  recollect  t 
four  arrived  on  one  day  having  great  numbers  of  emigrants  on  bo£< 

I  saw  and  noticed  the  baggage  of  these  men.     They  mostly  had  bt 
carpet  sacks  or  hand  satchels.     I  saw  very  few  women  amongst  th' 
They  appeared  to  be  young  and  unmarried  men  generally.     I 
frequent  conversations  with  these  men.     Some  of  them  told  me  t! 
came  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  su 
of  them  to  secure  homes  for  themselves  and  their  friends.     These  i 
came  into  the  Territory  just  before  the  election  of  the  30th  of  Ma; 
1855,  and  I  saw  many  of  them  returning  shortly  after  the  elec 
and  going  off  on  the  boats. 

The  common  rumor  at  that  time  in  the  mouths  of  everybody,  so  -r 
as  I  heard  any  expression,  both  in  the  Territory  and  in  the  boi  'r 
counties  of  Missouri  was,  that  the  object  of  those  emigrants  sent  lit 
here  was  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  It  was  also  common  rur  ''• 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  899 

and  was  generally  believed,  that  the  object  of  those  who  sent  out  this 
emigration  was  not  only  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  but  also  to  ope- 
rate upon  the  institution  of  slavery  in  the  State  of  Missouri.  These 
ejnigrants  were  generally  armed  with  shot  guns,  rifles,  Colt's  pistols, 
and  bowie  knives. 

It  was  common  rumor  also,  that  Governor  Reader  was  delaying  the 
election  of  the  territorial  legislature  until  the  spring  emigration  from 
the  east  and  north  could  arrive  and  be  present  to  participate  in  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  This  rumor  was  generally  be- 
lieved. I  did  not  know  anybody  in  the  Territory  or  on  the  border  of 
Missouri  who  did  not  give  entire  credence  to  the  rumor.  The  people 
of  Missouri  and  the  old  settlers  of  the  Territory  were  alarmed  and 
very  greatly  excited  at  the  unusual  movements  at  the  north  and  east, 
which  they  considered  would  engender  civil  war.  It  was  the  general 
feeling  in  Missouri  to  resist  these  encroachments  of  the  north  by  all 
reasonable  and  legal  means.  It  is  the  general  impression,  and  it  is 
my  belief,  that  had  it  not  been  for  the  movements  of  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Societies  of  the  east,  the  people  of  Missouri  would  never  have  in- 
terfered with  the  elections  in  Kansas  Territory.  The  people  of  Mis- 
souri acted  upon  the  principle  of  self-defence,  and  to  counteract  the 
unusual  and  extraordinary  movements  which  were  being  made  at  the 
north. 

MATTHEW  E,  WALKER. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  22,  1856. 


CAMP  NEAR  LECOMPTON,  June  6,  1856. 

G-ENTLEMEN  :  Having  seen  a  copy  of  the  testimony  given  by  Mathew 
JR.  Walker,  and  being  deprived  of  the  power  to  appear  before  you  in 
Iperson,  I  desire  to  submit  the  following  statement  of  facts  touching 
the  testimony  of  Mr.  Walker  : 

I  left  Massachusetts  for  Kansas  in  June,  1854,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  information  relative  to  the  same,  partly  on  my  own  account, 
partly  on  account  of  a  business  firm  in  the  place  of  my  residence,  and 
partly  on  account  of  a  gentleman,  a  manufacturer  in  Boston.  At  that 
time  no  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  with  which  I  have  since  been  con- 
nected, was  in  existence,  and,  consequently,  I  could  not  act  as  agent 
of  such  society.  My  first  connexion  with  an  emigrant  aid  society, 
as  official  agent,  was  some  time  in  September,  1854,  and  I  never  had 
any  connexion  with  any  company  with  a  capital  of  $5,000,000. 

The  statement  of  Mr.  Walker  about  amalgamation  is  without  the 
least  foundation  in  truth.  I  am  not  a  friend  of  amalgamation  of  the 
African  and  unglo-Saxon  or  Indian  races,  and  never  have  been  ;  and 
the  fact  that  negro  slavery  is  the  principal  cause  of  this  amalgamation 
in  the  United  States,  is  to  me  a  very  strong  argument  against  the 
institution. 

The  statement  about  surrounding  Missouri  with  free  States  is,  to 
the  best  of  my  recollection,  also  a  fabrication.  I  was  not  acting  for 
any  company  at  all,  except  a  business  firm,  and  never  said  to  Mr. 


900  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Walker  that  I  was  acting  for  a  company  whose  object  was  to  mafok 
Kansas  a  free  State. 

Prior  to  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  but  one  company  arrived  in  th 
Territory,  in  that  year,  under  the  auspices  of  the  New  England  Emi 
grant  Aid  Society,  and  that  contained  about  one  hundred  men  an< 
about  seventy  wom«n  and  children,  most  of  whom  now  reside  i: 
Kansas.  I  came  up  the  Missouri  river  with  that  company  and  foum 
a  large  number,  of  Missourians  coming  to  Kansas,  as  they  said,  t 
vote. 

It  was  estimated  that  the  baggage  of  the  party  with  which  I  cam 
weighed  twenty  tons,  and  I  know  of  no  person  in  the  party  who  hai 
no  baggage  except  a  " carpet  sack/' 

Before  I  left  Massachusetts,  in  June,  1854,  and  months  before  tl 
Emigrant  Aid  Society  of  which  I  am  agent  was  organized,  I  sai; 
published  accounts  of  meetings  held  in  western  Missouri  for  the  avowe 
purpose  of  settling  the  Territory  with  pro-slavery  men  and  keepim 
free  State  men  out.  On  my  way  to  the  Territory,  at  that  time, , 
heard  Mr.  Stringfellow  swear  that  Kansas  should  and  would  be 
slave  State,  and  no  abolitionist  should  be  allowed  to  live  in  the  Ten 
tory.  He  also  said  that  if  he  had  the  power  he  would  hang  eve:< 
abolitionist  in  the  country,  and  every  man  north  of  Mason  and  Dixo: 
line  was  an  abolitionist. 

On  my  first  arrival  in  Kansas,  in  1854,  it  was  generally  unders 
that  secret  societies  were  in  existence  in  Missouri  for  the  purpose 
making  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  of  driving  free  State  men  from  ti 
Territory,  by  every  means  in  their  power.  I  saw  and  conversed  wi' 
persons  who  said  they  belonged  to  such  a  society,  and  had  no  reast 
to  doubt  their  veracity.  This  was  several  weeks  before  any  northeij 
party  of  settlers  had  arrived  in  the  Territory,  as  the  first  party  frcr 
the  northern  States  arrived  in  the  month  of  August,  1854. 

C.  ROBINSON.,  j 

To  the  KANSAS  INVESTIGATING  COMMITTEE. 

TERRITORY  or  KANSAS,  >  gs 
Lawrence  City,          ) 

This  is  to  certify  that  on  the  6th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  at 
office,  near  Lecompton,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  personally  ? 
peared  before  me,  Charles  Robinson,  physician,  who  made  oath 
the  facts  set  forth  in  the  above  communication,  and  to  which  h<3  affi: 
his  signature  in  my  presence,  are  true,  according  to  the  best  of 
knowledge  and  belief. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  a  commissioner  properly 
missioned  for  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  on  the  day 
year  above  written.    As  witness  my  hand  and  private  seal,  my  offi 
seal  having  been  destroyed  by  a  mob  which  entered  my  office  on 
21st  ultimo,  under  the  direction  of  the  United  States  marshal,  I.! 
Donaldson,  and  S.  P.  Jones,  "sheriff  of  Douglas  county." 
r       ..  G-.  W.  BROWN, 

"-  '  S'J  A  commissioner  of  the  commoniuealtli  of  Pennsylvw* 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  901 


WILLIAM  P.  RICHARDSON  testified. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

Question.  Are  you  a  member  of  any  secret  political  society,  having 
for  one  of  its  objects  the  extension  of  slavery  into  any  territory  of  the 
United  States  ? 

Answer.  I  decline  answering  that  question. 

Question.  Does  such  a  society  exist? 

Answer.  I  decline  answering  that  question. 

Question.  Did  such  a  society  directly  or  indirectly  aid  in  any  of  the 
elections  in  Kansas,  either  by  furnishing  money,  by  inducing  voters 
to  come  from  the  States  into  the  Territory,  or  otherwise  ? 

Answer.  I  decline  answering  that  question. 

Question.  Would  your  answer  to  these  questions,  by  the  rules  or 
obligations  of  such  a  society,  impose  upon  you  any  penalty  or  danger 
of  violence,  or  would  it  tend  to  criminate  you  ? 

Answer.  It  would  subject  me  to  no  pains  or  penalties.  I  think  it 
would  be  improper  in  me  to  answer  these  questions,  but  not  that  there 
is  anything  dishonorable  about  it,  I  do  not  think  the  committee  have 
any  right  to  ask  me  any  such  questions,  and,  therefore,  I  respectfully 
decline  answering  them. 

Question.  How  many  members  of  the  legislative  assembly  of  the 
Territory  of  Kansas  belong  to  this  organization  ? 

Answer.  I  decline  to  answer  that  question. 

Question.  Has  there  been  any  regulation  given  by  that  secret  so- 
ciety, or  lodge,  relative  to  testimony  to  be  taken  or  given  before -this 
committee  ? 

Answer.  I  decline  answering  that  question,  upon  the  ground  that 
the  committee  have  no  right  to  ask  me  such  questions. 

WM.  P.  RICHARDSON. 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  15,  1856. 


WM.  P.  RICHARDSON. 

Question.  Has  there  been  any  regulation  given  by  that  secret  so- 
ciety, or  lodge,  relative  to  testimony  to  be  taken  or  given  before  this 
committee  ? 

The  witness  wishes  to  state  that  when  that  question  was  propounded 
to  him  by  Mr.  Sherman  he  did  not  fully  understand  it,  and  now 
wishes  to  give  the  following  answer  : 

I  know  of  no  such  thing. 

WM.  P.  RICHARDSON. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  16,  1856. 


902  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


J.  C.  PRINCE  testifies. 

I  know  that  there  was  a  secret  society  in  Missouri.     I  knew  it  i 
the  fall  of  1854;  but  I  do  not  know  whether  it  exists  now  or  not. 
think  of  the  party  who  went  to  Fort  Scott  in  November,  1854,  to  vot'| 
some  ten  or  fifteen  were  members  of  this  society,  perhaps  all,  for  augl;1 
I  know.     The  society  is  a  pro-slavery  society.,  and  the  object  is  to  gd 
none  but  pro-slavery  men  into  office  ;  and,  I  suppose,  it  had  referent! 
to  making  Kansas  a  slave  State.     They  had  signs  and  pass-words, 
something  similar,  by  which  we  would  know  each  other  to  be  membe* 
of  that  society.     The  members  of  this  society  take  an  oath  when  th 
join  the  society,  administered  by  one  of  the  officers  of  the  society.    TP 
subject  of  the  oath  is  to  keep  secret  the  proceedings  of  the  society,  an 
make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  the  best  way  they  can.     I  do  not  perse* 
ally  know  John  C.  Davidson.     I  have  understood  he  was  a  memberrj 
the  society ;  but  I  do  not  know,  of  my  own  knowledge,  that  he  wrj 
I  do  not  know  that  this  society  exists  in  the  Territory.     I  understaa! 
that  there  is  a  society  in  the  Territory  called  Kansas  League,  but  IN 
not  know  that  there  is  any  pro-slavery  society  in  the  Territory.     I 
not  know  that  this  pro-slavery  society  exists  in  any  State  but  Missouu' 
and  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  have  ever  heard.     I  have  understood  till 
the  society  existed  pretty  generally  in  Missouri,  though  I  think  it  ] 
pretty  much  died  away  now.     I  suppose  this  society  was  concerned, 
getting  persons  from  Missouri  to  come  up  here  into  the  Territory 
vote.     I  do  not  know  that  they  ever  raised  any  money,  or  paid  g 
expenses  for  that  purpose,  or  ever  sent  out  any  communications 
the  purpose  of  getting  up  voters  here.     They  discussed  in  the  lod 
the  question  of  sending  voters  here  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State. . 
do  not  know,  of  my  own  knowledge,  of  how  many  belonged  to  the} 
ciety  in  Missouri,  but  I  have  heard  the  number,  though  I  do  not  IB 
recollect  it,  though  it  was  a  very  large  number.     I  should  not  like 
tell  all  I  know  about  this  society,  because  I  think  it  would  result  to  i 
injury;  and  that  is  one  reason,  though  not  the  only  one,  why  I  r 
like  to  answer  in  relation  to  the  matter.     One  other  reason  is,  that 
members  of  the  society  take  oaths  to  keep  secrets  those  matters.;, 
do  not  know  anything,  of  my  own  knowledge,  about  the  society  calJl 
the  Kansas  League.     I  know  nothing  of  it  of  my  own  knowledge. 

JOHN  C.  PRINCE 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


JORDAN  DAVIDSON  recalled. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  was  not  here  at  the  election  of  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  orr 
1st  of  October,  1855.     There  is  a  secret  society  in  the  State  of  Misso< 
for  the  purpose  of  introducing  slavery  into  Kansas  Territory, 
proper  name  of  the  society,  as  recognized  by  its  own  members 
"Social  Band/'  "  Friend's  Society/7  and  by  some  the  "  Blue1  Lodg 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  903 

and   "  The  Sons  of  the  South."     I  do  not  know  as  I  can  tell  what 
name  it  is  called  in  its  own  constitution  and  organized  proceedings, 
I  have  been  in  a  meeting  or  two.     I  have  never  been  in  any  meeting 
in  the  Territory.     I  have  seen  some  individuals  in  the  Territory  I  be- 
lieved were  acquainted  with  it ;  but  I  have  never  been  in  any  lodge 
here.     I  suppose  the  society  was  formed  some  time  in  the  latter  part  of 
1854.     I  never  had  a  copy  of  the  constitution  of  that  society,  or  of  the 
'forms  and  obligations,  and  do  not  know  that  there  is  any.     I  think 
written  minutes  are  kept  of  the  proceedings  of  the  lodges.     This  so- 
ciety existed  at  the  time  of  the  invasion  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855. 
I  will  give  you  one  sentence  in  the  work  of  the  order.    We  are  ordered 
to  be  governed  by  law.     I  would  say  there  is  no  compulsion  beyond 
the  law.     "  We  are  to  extend  slavery  lawfully  into  Kansas.     We  are 
1  to  do  no  act  contrary  to  law  for  that  purpose."     That  is  the  sentiment. 
We  have  signs  and  pass-words  by  which  we  know  each  other.     The 
:  order  compelled  no  man  to  come  into  this  Territory  and  vote.     The 
1  other  object,  besides  extending  slavery  into  Kansas  Territory,  was  to 
1  !have  a  union  of  the  friends  of  the  south.     The  object  of  the  society 
1  was  to  extend  slavery  into  Kansas  Territory  as  well  as  elsewhere.     I 

•  am  told  the  society  exists  in  other  States ;  but  I  do  not  know.     I  was 
|  'told  by  a  gentleman  that  he  belonged  to  it  in  Virginia;  but  I  have 
1  learned  from  no  member  of  the  order,  except  the  gentleman  from  Vir- 
ginia, that  it  existed  in  any  other  State. 

I  was  first  in  a  lodge  of  the  order  some  time  in  the  latter  part  of 
February,  1854,  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Cass  County,  Missouri. 

Question.  Was  the  organization  of  the  society  used  as  a  means  of 
notifying  and  concentrating  the  body  of  men  who  came  over  from 
Missouri  to  vote  at  the  election  of  the  30th  March,  1855  ? 

Answer.  The  greatest  weight  it  had  was  in  this  way,  for  protection 
'•  (when  we  did  get  here ;  that  when  we  got  into  a  scrape  we  should  not 

-  tfall  foul  of  each  other.     The  friends  of  the  society  were  friends  to 
1:  (slavery  in  the  south,  and   to  extend  it  here  if  we  could  do  it  by 

lawful  means. 

.  I    Examination  continued  : 

i  I    Some  of  the  wisest  of  our  party,  I  suppose,  did  not  fully  believe 
i  that  voting  here  was  lawful,  but  they  contended  that  it  was  right,  as 
e,  there  were  a  good  many  others  coming  here  to  vote  ;  I  considered  it 
;I  right  myself,  and  came  here  of  my  own  accord.     Of  my  own  know- 
ledge I  know  of  no  one  of  the  other  side  of  politics  who  came  to  vote, 
though  there  might  have  been  five  hundred,  for  aught  I  know.     I 
knew  none  of  them.     The  signs  and  pass-words  were  not  made  known 
to  the  body  of  men  who  came  here  to  vote  ;  they  were  not  known  to 
one  fourth  of  the  party.    If  there  were  friends  to  the  society  they 
could  tie  a  piece  of  ribbon  in  their  coats,  and  we  would  know  whom 
to  protect. 

^The  organization  of  the  society  was  used  as  some  means  of  organ- 
4  ^zing  and  collecting  the  body  of  men  who  came  over  here  to  vote  ; 
1  they  were  to  be  used  to  find  out  all  the  friends  of  the  party  we  could. 
t.  There  were  expresses  sent  and  received  by  the  lodges  to  obtain  infor- 
;'jj  mation  in  relation  to  Kansas  emigration  and  election.  There  were 


904  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

no  committees  appointed  to  attend  to  that  matter  in  my  presence,  bi> 
I  heard  that  it  was  done.  There  were  committees  appointed,  I  thin] 
to  receive  and  send  expresses  and  learn  what  was  going  on.  At  thii 
period  the  lodges  were  used  for  the  purpose  of  notifying  persons  I 
come  together  to  attend  that  election. 

I  do  not  know  that  these  societies  had  any  funds  collected,  or  an 
treasury  for  any  purpose.     I  did  not  learn  that  they  had  or  had  no* 
I  am  not  acquainted  with  any  lodge  except  the  one  at  Pleasant  Hil 
I  do  not  think  there  were  any  officers  there  hut  a  recorder  to  keep  :> 
a  book  the  names  of  the  members.     I  do  not  know  that  the  sociei* 
kept  agents  on  the  boats  on  the  Missouri  river  for  the  purpose 
noting    the    northern  and  eastern  emigrants    that  came  on.      Ti 
members  of  the  society  were  sworn  on  their  initiation.     The  penafr 
for  violating  the  rules  and  secrets  of  the  order  was  all  the  honor  r 
man  had.     A  man,  by  violating  the  secrets  and  rules  of  the  ordd* 
was  liable  to  stand  in  society  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  gentleman, 
to  no  personal  injury,  except  as  they  might  take  a  notion  to  inflict  \ 
There  was  nothing  said  in  the  oath  or  forms  of  the  society  aboti 
inflicting  personal  harm  upon  delinquent  members.     I  think  I  hai| 
heard  from  my  fellow-members  who  founded  the  society,  but  I  do  n! 
recollect  what  it  was.     I  first  heard  of  the  society  from  Mr.  Wade,',, 
Westport.     I  never  asked  him  any  questions  about  where  it  cosj 
menced  ;  I  probably  heard  something  about  it  last  year,  but  I  for,'! , 
now  about  it.     I  think  I  heard  it  originated  in  Missouri.     I  nev 
heard  of  its  originating  in  Washington  city.     The  first  lodge  I  ev 
heard  of  was  in  Westport.    A  gentleman  came  to  me  at  Pleasant  Hi 
who  I  supposed  was  the  general  agent  of  the  society.     He  asked  i 
some  questions  privately,  and  I  answered  them.     He  asked  me  ii 
would  become  a  member  of  the  society,  and  told  me  I  would  not ' 
obliged  to  continue  in  it  after  I  was  initiated.     I  was  too  busy  to* 
to  meetings  in  day  times,  and  too  tired  at  night  to  attend  much,  i\' 
perhaps  do  not  understand  much  about  it ;  but  so  far  as  I  do  und; 
stand,  I  see  nothing  in  it  contrary  to  law.    The  gentleman  I  speal 
was  from  Cass  county,  and  was  named  Mr.  Palmer — I  do  not  kni 
his  first  name.     He  initiated  me.     I  did  not  see  him  with  any  parr 
over  here  on  the  30th  of  March.     I  was  never  in  any  lodge  except' 
Pleasant  Hill.     I  do  not  think  I  recollect  the  oath  precisely,  but  ].j> 
the  substance  of  it.     The  substance  of  it  is,  that  I  shall  not  transc^i 
the  bounds  of  law,  but  to  promote  by  all  lawful  means  the  extenaji 
of  slavery.     I  never  heard  any  of  the  leaders  of  the  invasion  of  If 
30th  of  March  say  it  was  illegal  to  come  over  here  and  vote.     I  he-p 
an  investigation  of  that  matter  in  the  lodge.     One  of  the  memljs 
asked  how  they  could  come  here  and  vote  lawfully,   if  they  v<fi 
objected  to  as  not  citizens  of  the  Territory.      The  answer  wasp 
squeeze  it  in  somehow,  and  if  we  could  not  get  to  vote,  there  wa&jO 
violence  to  be  used.     I  do  not  think  the  society  has  existed  k's'j 
though  I  do  not  know  how  long.     The  amount  of  the  conversaio 
with  Mr.  Palmer  was  concerning  my  willingness  to  assist  in  p 
extension  of  slavery  into  Kansas  by  legal  means,  and  I  told  hi' 
was  willing.    We  had  no  talk  about  the  election  at  that  time.    T! ;( 
were  residents  of  this  Territory  in  the  encampments  at  the  time  of  ^ 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  905 

jlection.  I 'do  not  know  how  many.  I  do 'not  know  of  more  than 
ibout  five  or  six,  though  I  may  have  seen  more.  I  do  not  think  that 
iny  wrong  done  here  was  done  by  the  society,  except  by  members 
Totino;  (if  that  be  wrong)  as  'others  did. 

JOED  AN  DAVIDSON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  29,  1856. 


[Mr.  Oliver  objects  and  enters  his  protest  against  the  introduction 
>f  any  testimony  in  regard  to  the  existence  of  any  open  or  secret  or- 
ganization in  Missouri  or  other  States  or  Territories  which  may  have 
aad  for  its  object  the  settling  the  institutions  of  Kansas  Territory. 
Phe  questions  submitted  to  the  investigations  of  the  committee  being 
'  in  regard  to  the  troubles  in  Kansas  generally,  and  particularly  in 
regard  to  any  fraud  or  force  attempted  or  practiced  in  reference  to  any 
>f  the  elections  which  have  taken  place  in  said  Territory,  either  under 
the  law  organizing  said  Territory  or  any  pretended  law,  which,  may 
be  alleged  to  have  taken' effect  therein  since;"  and  also  to  fully  inves- 
tigate and  take  proof  of  all  violent  and  tumultous  proceedings  in  said 
Territory  at  any  time  since  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act, 
whether  engaged  in  by  residents,  &c.,  &c.  The  resolutions  limiting 
she  committee  to  inquiries  as  to  frauds,  force,  or  attempted  force,  in 
regard  to  any  elections  and  tumultuous  proceedings,  &c.,  and  not  as 
to  the  existence  of  societies  in  neighboring  States  or  even  in  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas,  but  as  to  the  facts  in  regard  to  the  specifications  in 
:he  resolutions.] 

PATRICK  LAUGHLIN  called  and  sworn. 

By  Governor  King  : 

I  came  to  Kansas  Territory,  from  Kentucky,  in  May,  1855,  and  set- 
Jed  at  Doniphan  in  June.  When  I  first  went  there  I  was  a  pro- sla- 
very man.  I  heard  a  great  deal  of  complaint  by  free-soilers  of  the 
laws  being  violated  and  people  coming  over  from  Missouri  to  the  elec- 
tion ;  sympathized  very  strongly  with  them,  and  endeavored  as  far  as 
[  could  to  vindicate  their  cause.  I  became  notorious  in  the  neighbor- 
hood for  vindicating  their  cause,  and  I  avowed  myself  a  free-soiler 
about  the  middle  of  August,  1855.  We  had  a  district  meeting  of  our 
party  at  the  house  of  A.  Larzelere.  This  meeting  was  for  the  purpose 
of  sending  delegates  to  a  free  State  convention,  to  be  held  at  Big 
Springs  the  5th  of  September  following.  I  acted  as  secretary  of  that 
meeting,  and  elected  as  a  delegate  to  go  to  that  convention.  I  was 
solicited  the  day  following  the  meeting  by  several  of  the  delegates  to 
go  ahead  of  them  several  days,  for  the  purpose  of  having  some  print- 
ing done,  and  seeing  what  state  the  party  was  in,  in  other  portions  of 
the  Territory.  On  the  27th  of  August  I  started  from  Doniphan  for 
Lawrence,  where  I  was  to  remain  until  the  rest  of  the  delegates  came 
up.  I  stopped  at  Oceana,  a  place  about  ten  miles  from  Atchison  and 
fifteen  from  Doniphan.  I  went  into  the  store  of  Messrs.  Crosty;  I 
had  been  told  before  getting  there  that  these  men  were  Yankees  and 


906  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

abolitionists.     I  went  into  his  house  and  made  known  to  him  my  bu>! 
ness ;  he  then  made  me  acquainted  with  a  secret  military  organization 
by  which  he  said  the  free  State  party  was  strengthened  and  enabL 
to  carry  out  their  designs  more  effectually.     After  initiating  me  in 
this  organization,  he  gave  me  two  books  sealed  up,  also  a  letter  of  i 
troduction  to  man  at  Grasshopper,  all  whose  name  I  do  not  remembij 
I  went  there  to  deliver  the  letter  and  books  to  the  gentleman,  wh<t| 
name  I  now  believe  to  be  Whitney,  who  was  to  gather  a  company  • 
gether,  and  in  the  presence  of  this  company  I  was  to  open  the  m 
around  these  books.     The  company  was  gathered  the  next  mornirj 
about  fourteen  in  number,  and  I  broke  the  seal  and  administered  , 
cording  to  the  directions  of  Mr.  Crosty.     I  not  having  time  to  rema 
among  them,  left  them  to  elect  their  own  officers,  and  organize  ih\ 
company.     I  also  had  a  letter  of  introduction  to  G.  W.  Brown,  of  1 
"  Herald  of  Freedom,"  from  Mr.  Crosty.     I  went  on  to  Lawrem 
and  delivered  the  letter  to  Mr.  Brown  ;  I  told  him  that  I  was  a  met 
ber  of  the  secret  order.     I  then  was  shown  a  good  number  of  Sharrj 
rifles  by  Mr.  Brown,  who  told  me  they  were  sent  out  by  the  Emigrn 
Aid  Company.     I  remained  in  Lawrence  until  the  5th  of  Septemlij 
when  the  convention  before  spoken  of  met;  I  went  to  this  conventti 
and,  together  with  Mr.  Collins,  of  Doniphan,  was  put  by  our  dele«| 
tion  on  the  committee  on  platform,  and  several  other  committees. 
was  also  made  a  member  of  the  executive  committee,  and  was  appoi^ 
ed  it  in  company  with  two  Atkins,  to  act  as  a  kind  of  governing  cc< 
mittee,  for  the  north  side  of  Kansas  river.     It  was  the  duty  of  tn 
governing  committee  to  see  that  all  mails  belonging  to  free  State 
of  Kansas  were  to  be  carried  through  with  safety,  and  in  order  ta 
this  it  was  necessary  to  appoint  mail  carrier  and  other  facilities, 
was  also  their  duty  to  appoint  men  in  the  district  of  the  county  to«|) 
designated  by  them,  whose  duty  it  would  be  to  arbitrate  all  difficij- 
ties  arising  between  the  people.     It  was  also  the  duty  of  this  si 
committee  to  have  speakers  appointed  to  go  through  the  Territory; 
canvass  it  for  a  free  State.     They  were  also  to  attend  to  the  elect^ 
returns  and  see  that  they  were  forwarded  to  the  executive  commiii 
of  Lawrence  ;  a  committee  of  the  same  kind  was  appointed  for 
south  side  of  Kansas  river.     After  the  convention  was  over  I  returi 
to   Lawrence,   and   got  four  more  books  of  the   same   kind   I 
of   Crosty,  there   beifig   two  packages   of  each.     These   books  c< 
tained  the   constitution   and    ritual   of    the   grand   encampment 
the  Kansas  Legion.     I  received  them  from  G.  W.  Brown,  editO'jt' 
the  "Herald  of  Freedom,"  with  instructions  that  I  was  not  to  br-£ 
the  seals  until  I  had  organized  two  subordinate  encampments,  whrf 
was  to  break  the  seals,  and  deliver  one  package  to  the  colonel  of  e 
encampment.     I  was  to  organize  one  at  Doniphan,  and  one  in  \ 
Territory  north  cf  Doniphan,  at  any  place  I  might  think  to  be  a  s 
able  point.    I  organized  the  one  at  Doniphan  the  day  that  I  returr 
and  delivered  as  directed.     I  then  went  put  into  the  Territory 
organize  another,,  but  after  being  out  about  six  miles  I  returned  ID 
to  Doniphan,  where  I  broke  open  the  seal  and  read  the  constitution ;•  J 
ritual  for  the  first  time.     I  did  not  organize  any  in  the  county  ai  \- 
wards.    At  the  meeting  at  which  I  was  appointed  delegate  to  the  |g 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  907 

Spring  convention  the  arguments  of  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutler,  C.  W.  Steward, 
L  Larzelere,  B.  Harding,  and  others,  were  to  urge  the  necessity  of  a 
ecret  society,  something  on  the  order  of  the  Know-nothings,  hy  which 
hey  could  unite  their  force  and  labor  more  effectually  against  the  pro- 
lavery  party.  This  idea  was  received  with  acclamation  by  all  of  them 
;xcept  myself.  I  being  an  Irishman  myself  by  birth,  was  opposed  to 
he  measure,  as  it  was  too  much  like  Know-nothingism,  and  told  them 
f  they  pressed  it  they  would  find  me  their  most  inveterate  enemy. 
I'hey  said  they  had  better  do  without  it ;  that  they  were  too  feeble  to 
fave  any  disturbance  in  their  ranks.  We  had  several  speeches  from 
hose  I  have  named,  together  with  S.  Collins,  John  Free,  and  B.  Gr. 
?ady.  They  told  us  we  must  do  all  we  could  to  keep  slavery  out  of 
Kansas,  and  sooner  than  permit  slavery  in  Kansas,  or  even  submit  to 
he  repeal  of  the  Missouri  compromise,  they  ought  to  go  for  a  disunion, 
nd  to  take  up  arms  against  the  authorities,  and,  in  order  to  effect 
his  purpose,  they  would  shed  the  last  drop  of  their  blood,  as  they 
Tight  to  do.  Those  speeches  were  received  with  applause.  When 
tlr.  Brown  showed  me  the  rifles  at  Lawrence  he  told  me  that  they 
7ould  continue  to  send  arms,  men,  andjneans  to  make  Kansas  a  free 
itate  by  force,  if  necessary.  He  told  me  that  these  arms  and  muni- 
ions  of  war  were  sent  as  dry  goods  to  the  agents  of  the  Emigrant  Aid 
lociety,  who  received  them  and  gave  them  out  to  the  people,  and  gave 
s  a  reason  why  they  were  thus  secretly  sent  was  that  th'ey  might  not 
[e  detected  by  the  United  States^officers.  He  told  me  that  the  agent 

I  am  now  confident  that  he  said  Kobinson,  who  was  recognized  at 
lat  time  as  the  agent  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society)  had  been  on  after 
rms,  and  had  to  remain  two  weeks  over  his  time,  in  order  to  avoid 

ing  detected  in  getting  them  here.  Brown  furthermore  told  me  that 
oing  on  after  those  arms  was  very  delicate  business ;  that  it  would 
ot  do  to  send  everybody.  Kobinson  being  a  very  shrewd  man,  had 
11  he  could  do  to  keep  from  being  caught.  Brown's  instructions  to 
pe  was,  that  when  we  got  thirty  men  in  each  regiment  we  must  send 
j  delegate  to  Boston,  but  that  he  must  first  go  to  Lawrence,  where  he 

Eould  get  letters  of  introduction  to  the  people  in  Boston,  who  would 
rnish  him  with  as  many  arms  as  we  had.  men  in  the  neighborhood 
p  bear  them,  and  that  we  would  get  them  gratis.  When  in  Law- 
ence  I  was  invited  by  a  friend  to  go  up  into  a  private  room  to  see  the 
ind  of  goods  they  received  from  the  east.  I  saw  a  box  which  they 
Fere  opening,  and  a  part  of  the  cover  torn  off  had  "  C.  Kobinson" 

II  it.     I  saw  in  the  box  blue  jackets  and  white  pants,  a  drum  and 
.runisticks.     I  inferred  they  were  military  uniforms,  but  no  one  told 
ne  so.     They  nailed  the  box  up  again  with  the  goods  as  they  came. 

saw  a  large  house  building  ;  it  had  port-holes  in  the  top  of  it.  I 
ras  told  by  Gr.  W.  Brown,  Lowrie,  Hutchinson,  and  Efriery  that  the 
nn\Aing  was  for  the  purposes  of  fortification.  Brown  told  me  it  was 
miH  by^the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  They  expected  they  would  be 
-ttacked  in  their  town,  as  they  were  freemen,  and  would  exercise  the 
lights  of  freemen  in  the  liberty  of  speech  and  the  liberty  of  the  press, 
,nd  that  many  of  their  speeches  and  publications  were  in  violation  of 
he  laws  of  the  Territory,  and  they  thereby  expected  to  come  in  col- 
ision  with  the  authorities  of  the  Territory.  When  I  was  first  intro- 


908  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

duced  to  Brown  at  Lawrence,  about  five  or  ten  months  after,    ;i 
whilst  in  the  room  with  Brown,  Governor  Keeder  came,  and  I  !g 
introduced  as  a  delegate  to  the  Big  Spring  convention.     Governs 
Eeeder  asked  me  some  questions  about  the  Territory  and  some  pe» 
in  Doniphan.     After  he  asked  me  those  questions  he  and  Brown 
up  and  went  into  another  room,  and  stood  about  twenty  or  twenty- 
feet  from  me.    The  door  being  open  full  width,  I  saw  them,, and  o< 
heard  part  of  their  conversation.     I  heard  my  name  in  this  conve 
tion  mentioned.     I  heard  the  name  "  encampment"  mentioned, , 
the  words  " northern,  eastern  portion  of  the  Territory/'  and  the 
of  Dr.  Cutler.    When  they  got  through  a  preacher  came  in.     He 
introduced  to  me  as  late  of  Boston.     His  name  I  do  not  rememi 
After  passing  the  compliments  of  the  morning,  they  sat  down 
began  to  talk  about  the  prospects  of  the  coming  fall  election,  alt  t 
what  aid  they  could  have.     They  said  the  pro-slavery  party  was 
roughly  organized  and  united  to  a  man,  and  that  they  ought  to  I 
well  organized  and  united.     They  then  spoke  of  a  preacher  who  d 
gone  to  Boston  for  aid,  such  as  money,  men,  and  means  to  insure- 1  r 
success.     They  spoke  of  this  preacher  as  a  man  of  great  influence  ijm 
the  men  of  the  right  stripe  in  Boston  to  get  those  things.    The  exx|i- 
tive  committee  had  no  connexion  with  the  Big  Spring  convenl  i. 
Some  of  its  members  were  there  after  the  platform  was   adoj  1. 
Governor  Keeder  came  and  told  me  that  the  executive  comm  ;e 
wanted  me  before  them  immediately.     I  went,  and  he  introducedlie 
to  the  committee.     There  was  a  sentinel  at  the  door  for  the  purtpe 
of  keeping  guard.     When  he  saw  Governor  Keeder  and  myself  gig 
to  the  committee  room  he  immediately  gave  way,  without  asking ;|.y 
questions.     We  w^ent  in,  and  Governor  Reeder  introduced  me  tc«)e 
chairman,  C.  Kobinson,  and  turned  around  and  walked  out.     I  si  a 
man  there  by  the  name  of  McCullom,  I  think.     He  offered  a  3   - 
lution,  Cl  Resolved,  That  every  reliable  free  State  man  in  the  Terri 
be  furnished  with  a  rifle  and  sabre  and  a  brace  of  pistols  gratis,, 
that  he  be  required  to  take  an  oath  to  come  when  called  upon,;, 
muster  into  service  under  his  superior  officer,  and  that  he  go  tcj 
rescue  of  any  person  or  property  brought  forcibly  under  the  juris   - 
tion  of  the  present  laws  of  the  Territory/'    This*  motion,  when  of  ft    • 
was  received  with  applause,  and  seconded  by  several.     The  chair  U 
remained  quiet,  as  though  lost  in  deep  thought,  by  about  two  or  tip 
minutes,  when  he  spoke  up  and  requested  the  gentleman  to  withe  tf 
his  motion,  and  they  would  act  upon  it  in  a  more  private  man  u1. 
All  remained  silent  for  a  while,  when  one  man  spoke  up  and  said  .!• 
think  the  resolution  with  provisions  already  made."     The  chair  jin 
answered  that  he  thought  not,  but  for  reasons  he  cared  not  to   ji 
he  wished  the  gentleman  to  withdraw  his  resolution,  that  they  ID  ^ 
act  upon  it  more  privately.     The  gentleman  then  withdrew  his  :  |'> 
lution. 

The  expenses  of  carrying  out  all  arrangements  under  this  ext 
committee  was  to  be  paid  by  it,  and  they  were  to  draw  their  in  r] 
from  the  eastern  States. 

The  two   sub-committees   that   were   appointed   each   side  of  n 
Kansas  river,  were  to  gather  all  the  information  they  could  TV  <-; 


1 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  909 

•mild  serve  to  weaken  the  pro-slavery  party.  I  being  appointed  a* 
iember  of  one  of  these  sub-committees,  and  living  further  north,  I 
terted  myself  in  gathering  information  in  the  north  more  than  any 
£  the  others  did,  and  did  all  that  was  clone  in  the  north  of  Doniphan 
jad  the  vicinity  around  it.  The  information' that  they  gave  me  was 
?ry  strong  against'"the  pro-slavery  party. 

•  Question.  In  exercising  as  sub-committee  man  under  the  executive 
kamittee,  did  you,  in  collecting  information  of  charges  which  in  their 
aaracter  were  to  weaken  the  prospects  of  the  pro-slavery  party, 
fccure  information  from  different  free  State  men  which  were  intended, 
lough  admitted  not  to  be  true,  to  be  spread  before  the  public  in  order 
>  prejudice  the  public  mind ;  if  so,  state  what  such  information  and 
ircum stances  were? 

Answer.  I  was  engaged  by  the  executive  committee  in  procuring 
tatements  to  be  spread  before  the  public  for  the  purpose  of  injuring 
le  pro-slavery  party.  I  went  from  house  to  house  in  the  northern 
urt  of  the  Territory  taking  the  statements  of  the  free  State  men, 
inong  whom  was  Messrs.  Groomes,  Brown,  Jamison,  and  several 
chers  of  the  St.  Joseph's  bottom,  C.  W.  Steward,  Kichardson,  and 
Iummer,  out  of  the  Territory;  Kichard  Peck,  Dr.  G.  A.  Cutter,  and 
thers,  of  Doniphan  ;  all  of  whom  generally  admitted  to  me  that  they 
tere  exaggerating  their  statements  in  order  to  weaken  the  pro-slavery 
Tarty.  They  would  see  two  or  three  men,  some,  perhaps,  who  had 
illy  canes  in  their  hands,  without  any  visible  sign  of  other  arms. 
]rom  the  fact  that  they  saw  them  on  the  day  of  election  coming  from 
jxwards  Missouri,  they  would  state  to  me  that  they  saw  large  numbers 
£  armed  men ;  some  of  them  told  me  that  they  saw  companies  of  from 
jvo  to  six  and  from  eight  to  ten  men,  who  would  have  shot  guns, 
We  -of  them;  they  would  then  state  that  they  were  armed  with 
uns.  If  they  saw  a  very  large  number,  they  always  gave  the  num- 
er  as  covertly  as  they  could ;  but  when  a  small  number,  they  would 
ly  a  number,  or  a  large  number,  as  a  general  thing.  I  never  chided 
aem  for  making  these  statements,  but  they  generally  said  that 
jlthough  the  statements  might  be  construed  to  mean  differently  from 
that  the  true  facts  were,  they  would  be  easy.  It  was  not  a  part  of 
ky  duty  or  instructions,  as  a  member  of  the  committee,  to  collect 
ither  false  or  exaggerated  statements  of  facts.  My  instructions  were 
3  gather  all  the  information  in  regard  to  the  elections;  and  I  do  not 
now  that  any  portion  of  the  statements  I  collected  have  ever  been 
Tiblished;  and  I  do  not  think  they  have. 

[Objection  was  made  by  Mr.  Sherman  to  the  foregoing  question  and 
nswer,  but  was  subsequently  withdrawn,  on  the  ground  that  the  tes- 
imony  was  not  of  sufficient  importance  or  materiality  to  waste  time 
bout  it.     Mr.  Howard  dissenting.] 
To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  came  from  Ireland  to  Kentucky ;  I  have  been  in  this  country  about 
£n  years.  I  now  reside  in  Atchison.  I  am  not  a  man  of  family. 
?he  memorandum  of  my  testimony,  from  which  I  have  been  ex- 
inined,  is  in  my  own  handwriting.  I  furnished  it  of  my  own 
ccord,  and  not  at  the  request  of  any  one.  When  I  procured  the 


910  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

•statements  of  "free  State  men/'  it  was  the  last  of  September  or  first 
of  October.  I  reduced  them  to  writing,  except  Dr.  Cutlers ;  and  I  am 
not  certain  whether  that  is  or  not.  I  went  to  them  to  solicit  their 
statements,  except  in  and  about  Doniphan.  I  reduced  them  to  writ- 
ing as  they  told  them  to  me.  They  were  not  sworn,  as  I  understood. 
I  know  that  these  statements  were  got  to  give  information  as  to  the 
contest  between  Eeeder  and  Whitfield  for  delegate,  and  also  to  injure 
the  pro-slavery  cause.  I  do  not  know  they  were  not  published.  I 
gave  them  to  Marcus  J.  Parrott,  of  Leavenworth,  who  was,  like  my- 
self, one  of  the  members  of  the  sub-committee,  and  also  a  member  of 
the  executive  committee.  I  do  not  know  what  he  did  with  them. 
The  remarks  I  spoke  of  were  not  made  by  all  those  whose  names  I 
have  mentioned.  I  cannot  state  which  made  the  remark,  and  which 
did  not.  It  was  the  duty  to  make  arrangements  to  have  the  mail 
agents  appointed.  They  were  afraid  to  have  their  letters  go  through 
the  United  States  offices.  They  said  that  their  letters  were  missing, 
and  that  they  could  not  get  them  through  the  post  office.  They  com- 
plained that  letters  generally  were  stopped ;  and,  at  last,  that  their 
official  documents  would  be  opened  and  re-opened;  and,  therefore, 
they  proposed  to  establish  a  mail.  Brown  did  not  complain  that  the 
goods  were  stopped  on  the  way,  but  of  mails  he  did  complain. 

It  was  immediately  after  I  returned  from  the  convention  at  Big 
Springs  that  I  turned  back  and  would  not  organize  a  regiment  back  of 
Doniphan.  After  that  I  took  the  statements  I  have  referred  to.  I 
did  not  communicate  my  intention  not  to  organize  any  more  regiments 
to  any  one  until  some  time  in  October,  when  I  left  the  free  State  party 
and  have  since  acted  with  the  pro-slavery  party.  I  was  present  at  the 
siege  of  Lawrence  when  the  free  State  hotel  was  destroyed,  and  would 
have  been  present  at  the  first  if  I  had  been  able.  I  have  held  no 
office  in  the  Territory  except  under  the  executive  committee  of  the 
free  State  party. 

To  Governor  King : 

I  am  the  individual  who  had  the  difficulty  with  Samuel  Collins,  at 
Doniphan,  about  the  first  of  November  last,  which  resulted  in  his 
death.  I  know  that  that  difficulty  grew  out  of  the  fact  that  I  made 
such  disclosures  to  the  public  as  I  have  referred  to  in  my  testimony. 

PAT  LAUGHLIN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


ANDREW  J.  FRANCIS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  reside  near  Osawkee,  Jefferson  county,  Kansas  Territory.  I  have 
resided  there  since  May,  1855.  I  moved  from  Knox  county,  Missouri, 
into  the  Territory,  and  from  Belmont  county,  Ohio,"  to  Missouri.  I 
lived  in  Missouri  from  August,,  1854,  to  April,  1855.  When  I  came 
into  the  Territory  I  cannot  say  that  I  belonged  to  either  party  ;  I  took 
the  position  that  slavery  was  just  and  legal,  but,  as  a  matter  of  expe- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  911 

diency,  I  would  prefer  to  have  Kansas  a  free  State,  provided  there 
were  no  negroes  allowed  to  live  in  the  Territory.  If  they  were  to  be 
here,  I  preferred  that  they  should  he  under  masters.  There  was  no 
organized  party  of  my  opinion,  when  I  first  came  into  the  Territory, 
in  the  section  of  the  country  where  I  settled.  I  assisted  in  organizing 
•a  party  some  four  or  five  months  afterwards,  called  the  "  free  white 
State  party,"  the  leading  principle  of  which  was  "  slavery  before  free 
negroes/'  In  some  cases  our  free  white  State  party  acted  with  the 
free  State  party  of  the  Territory,  in  some  cases  not ;  most  generally, 
however,  they  acted  with'  that  party.  When  we  were  satisfied  there 
was  not  abolitionists  on  the  free  State  ticket,  we  voted  that  ticket,, 
otherwise  we  had  a  ticket  of  our  own.  I  know  of  a  recent  military 
organization  in  the  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free 
State.  It  is  well  known  that  Governor  Reeder  had  an  election  for  a 
seat  in  Congress,  last  fall,  separate  from  the  election  of  General  Whit- 
field.  Reeder's  election  was  held,  I  think,  on  the  9th  of  October,  and 
I  was  the  bearer  of  the  returns  to  Lawrence,  being  the  clerk  of  that 
election.  The  election  was  conducted  in  rather  a  loose  manner  ;  I  be- 
lieve I  was  the  only  sober  man  in  the  house,  except  Mr.  Adams,  a 
judge  of  election.  The  election  was  held  at  Pleasant  Hill,  about  a 
mile  from  Osawkee.  The  votes  were  taken  in  through  a  window. 
Mr.  Adams  received  the  votes  and  put  them  in  a  ballot  box,  calling 
the  names,  some  of  which  were  put  down  and  some  not,  as  the  votes 
were  given  in  so  fast.  I  kept  both  lists  myself,  the  other  clerk  lying 
down  (as  I  considered)  drunk  and  partially  asleep.  Mr.  Hicks,  one 
of  the  judges,  was  not  much  affected  by  liquor  ;  Mr.  Hoover,  the 
other  judge,  was  not  very  sober.  There  were  a  great  many  blank 
tickets  put  in  the  box,  and  twelve  or  fourteen  more  tickets  in  the  box 
than  we  had  on  the  list.  We  counted  out  tickets  enough  to  corres- 
pond with  the  number  of  names,  and  the  rest  were  not  counted.  I 
made  the  returns  to  Lawrence  according  to  instructions. 

I  started  from  my  home  to  Lawrence,,  I  think,  on  the  morning  of 
the  llth  of  October.  The  first  gentleman  I  spoke  to  when  I  got  to 
Lawrence  was  Governor  Reeder,  as  I  was  afterwards  told,  though  I 
did  not  know  him  at  the  time,  but  took  him  to  be  the  landlord.  I 
ordered  him  to  put  my  horse  away  when  I  rode  up.  He  made  arrange- 
ments to  have  my  horse  put  away,  and  invited  me  in  the  house.  I 
went  in  and  sat  down  and  entered  into  conversation  with  him,  still 
thinking  he  was  the  landlord.  He  asked  me  the  news  in  regard  to 
the  election.  I  told  him,  but  do  not  recollect  my  exact  reply.  I  asked 
him  what  had  become  of  Reeder,  and  made  the  remark  that  Reeder 
could  have  got  a  great  many  more  votes  if  he  had  canvassed  the  Ter- 
ritory and  proved  himself  to  be  such  a  man  as  he  was  represented  to 
be,  while,  for  my  own  part,  I  did  not  think  he  was  a  gentleman  or  any 
part  of  a  nice  man.  He  asked  me  why;  I  told  him  I  had  written 
some  four  or  five  letters  to  Reeder,  upon  different  subjects,  seeking  in- 
formation, and  could  get  no  answer  to  them,  and  I  thought  if  he  had 
been  a  gentleman,  or  anything  like  it,  he  would  have  answered  them. 
He  then  said,  "  Doctor  Francis,  it  is  necessary  for  me  to  undeceive, 
you,  my  name  is  Reeder."  I  merely  dropped  my  head,  being  embar- 
rassed, and  got  up  and  shook  hands  with  him.  He  stated  that  he  had 


912  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

never  received  but  one  of  my  letters,  and  that  so  recently  that  he  had 
not  had  time  to  answer  it.  About  this  time  we  went  in  to  dinner. 
After  dinner  Governor  Keeder  and  myself  took  a  walk  about  the  city, 
conversing  principally  upon  politics.  He  said  he  was  opposed  to  the 
formation  of  a  State  constitution,  and  went  on  to  give  his  reasons  for 
his  opposition.  I  returned  the  poll  books  that  evening  to  Doctor  Ro-. 
binson's  office. 

Offers  were  made  to  me  by  various  persons  to  introduce  me  to  a 
secret  political  organization.  The  only  name  I  ever  received  as  a 
member  of  the  lodge  was  "  Kansas  Regulators/'  The  next  morning 
I  was  conversing  with  Governor  Reeder,  James  EL  Lane,  E.  P.  Lowry, 
and  several  others,  one  by  the  name  of  Chapman  and  one  by  the  name 
of  Hornsby,  but  these  latter  gentlemen  had  merely  come  up  to  us  as 
we  were  standing  on  the  corner  of  the  street  talking.  I  had  noticed 
black  ribbons  tied  in  the  shirt  bosoms  of  several  gentlemen.  I  noticed 
one  also  tied  to  Governor  Reeder7 s  shirt  bosom.  I  made  the  inquiry 
as  to  what  those  black  ribbons  meant.  Colonel  Lane  asked  me  to  go 
with  him,  and  he  would  show  me  something  that  would  please  me 
better  than  what  I  had  seen  the  night  before.  The  night  before  I  had 
attended  a  masonic  lodge.  Colonel  Lane  was  in  the  lodge  while  I  was 
there.  I  made  some  reply  to  Lane  as  though  assenting  to  go  with 
him,  saying,  I  would  have  to  see  something  that  would  please  me  ex- 
traordinarily well  if  it  pleased  me  better  than  what  I  had  seen  the 
night  before.  I  went  with  Colonel  Lane  to  the  law  office  of  John 
Hutchison,  as  I  afterwards  found  out.  Governor  Reeder  did  not  go 
into  the  room  where  I  was  initiated.  Doctor  Robinson  was  standing 
just  before  the  door,  with  a  lady,  I  think.  Colonel  Lane  asked  him 
to  leave  the  lady  and  go  into  the  office  with  us.  Robinson  rather  ob- 
jected at  first,  but  finally  came  in  with  us,  and  said  he  would  explain 
the  nature  of  the  organization  he  was  about  to  initiate  me  into.  The 
substance  of  the  explanation  was,  that  Kansas  was  a  beautiful  country 
and  well  adapted  to  freedom,  and  the  best  Territory  in  the  world  for 
the  friends  of  freedom  to  operate  on,  more  especially  for  those  who 
were  engaged  in  the  free  white  State  cause.  After  proceeding  in  that 
strain  for  a  while,  he  asked  me  if  I  was  willing  to  pledge  my  word 
and  honor  that  I  would  keep  secret  what  I  saw  there,  and^who  I  saw 
there,  provided  he  would  pledge  his  word  and  honor  that  there  was 
nothing  that  would  interfere  with  my  duties  as  a  citizen^  or  that  was 
disloyal  in  any  respect.  I  replied  that  I  was  willing.  He  then  gave 
me  some  other  instructions  that  I 'do  not  now  'recollect,  of  about  the 
same  import  as  the  first.  Colonel  Lane  then  took  me  in  hand,  and 
told  me  he  would  administer  the  grand  obligation,  which  was  clone  by 
my  repeating  after  him  as  follows : 

C(Ij  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty 
God  and  these  witnesses,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  always  forever 
conceal,  and  never  reveal  any  of  the  secrets  of  this  organization  to 
any  person  in  the  known  world,  except  it  be  to  a  member  of  the  order, 
or  within  the  body  of  a  just  and  legal  council.  I  further  make 
promise  and  swear  that  I  will  not  write,  print,  stain,  or  indite  them 
on  anything  moveable  or  imnioveable,  whereby  the  least  figure  or 
character  may  become  intelligible  to  myself  or  any  other  person.  I 
furthermore  promise  and  swear  that  I  will  at  all  times,  and  under  all 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  913 

drcuin  stances,  hold  myself  in  readiness  to  obey,  even  to  -death,  the 
orders  of  my  superior  officers.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear  that 
I  will  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances,  use  my  influence  to 
make  Kansas  a  free-white  State.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear, 
that  all  things  else  heing  equal,  I  will  employ  a  free-State  man  in 
•  preference  to  a  Missourian  or  a  pro-slavery  man.  I  furthermore 
promise  and  swear,  that  all  business  that  I  may  transact,  so  far  as  in 
my  power,  shall  he  transacted  with  free-State  men.  I  furthermore 
promise  and  swear  that  I  will  at  all  times  and  under  all  circum- 
stances hold  myself  in  readiness  to  take  up  arms  in  defence  of  free- 
State  principles,  even  though  it  should  subvert  the  government.  I 
furthermore  promise  and  swear  that  I  will  at  all  times  and  under  all 
circumstances  wear  upon  my  person  the  regalia  of  my  office  and  the 
insignia  of  the  order.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear  that  I  will 
at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances  bear  upon  my  person  a  weapon 
of  death.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear  that  I  will  at  all  times 
and  under  all  circumstances  keep  in  my  house  at  least  one  gun,,  with 
a  full  supply  of  ammunition.  I  furthermore  promise  and  swear  that 
I  will  at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances,  when  I  see  the  sign  of 
distress  given,  rush  to  the  assistance  of  the  person  giving  it,  even  where 
there  is  a  greater  probability  of  saving  his  life  than  of  losing  my  own. 
I  furthermore  promise  and  swear  that  I  will  to  the  utmost  of  my  power 
oppose  the  laws  of  the  so-called  Kansas  legislature.  I  furthermore 
promise  and  swear  that  when  I  hear  the  words  of  danger  given  I  will 
repair  to  the  place  where  the  danger  is.  I  furthermore  promise  and 
swear  that  if  any  part  ot  my  obligations  is  at  this  time  omitted,  I 
will  consider  the  same  as  binding  when  legally  informed  of  it.  I 
furthermore  promise  and  swear,  that  at  the  first  convenient  oppor- 
tunity I  will  commit  this  obligation  to  memory.  To  all  of  this  I  sol- 
emnly swear,  without  equivocation  of  self-evasion,  binding  myself 
under  the  penalty  of  being  declared  a  perjurer  before  Heaven,  and  a 
traitor  to  my  country." 

I  then  remarked  to  Colonel  Lane  that  that  was  a  very  serious  obli- 
gation He  replied  it  was,  and  also  stated  that  it  was  necessary  for 
me  to  become  acquainted  with  the  signs  and  passwords.  The  sign  of 
recognition  is  given  by  placing  the  right  thumb  under  the  chin  and 
the  forefinger  ot  the  right  hand  by  the  side  of  the  nose,  gently  scratch- 
ing or  rubbing  it  two  or  three  times.  The  answer  to  it  was  given  by 
placing  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  left  hand  on  the  lower  lip, 
as  if  rubbing  it.  The  grip  was  given  by  locking  the  two  first  fingers 
of  the  right  hand  over  each  other.  The  words  accompanying  the 
grip  are  these :  the  one  giving  you  the  grip  would  ask,  "are  you  in 
favor  of  Kansas  becoming  a  free  State?"  The  answer  was,  "I  am,  if 
Missouri  is  willing,"  The  means  by  which  persons  procured  admis- 
sion to  the  council  was  by  going  to  the  door,  and  rapping  some  three 
times  on  the  door.  The  sentinel  would  then  present  himself;  the  per- 
son applying  would  say  "  Kansas,"  accenting  the  last  syllable.  The 
person  would  then  advance  to  the  centre  of  the  room  and  salute  the 
colonel  by  placing  his  right  hand  jnst  above  his  forehead.  The  re- 
galia was  this :  the  private  members  wore  a  black  ribbon  tied  upon 
their  shirt  bosoms,  the  colonel  wore  a  red  sash,  the  lieutenant-colonel 
H.  Eep.  200 58* 

..-.'. 


914  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

a  green  sash,  the  major  a  blue  sash,  the  adjutant  a  black  sash,  the 
captains  white  sashes,  the  lieutenants  yellow  sashes,  the  orderly  ser- 
geant a  very  broad  black  ribbon  upon  his  shirt  bosom.  Colonel  Lane 
then  remarked  to  me  that  I  had  been  made  acquainted  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  institution,  and  that  it  was  the  determination  of  the 
free-State  party  not  to  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  legislature,  nor  to 
any  oppression  that  might  come  from  Missouri  or  any  other  quarter. 
I  remarked  to  the  colonel,  that  I  was  sworn  to  support  those  laws  in 
taking  my  oath  as  a  lawyer,  and  that  I  considered  that  that  oath  was 
administered  by  a  higher  power  than  he  exercised,  and  hence  I  should 
not  keep  the  obligations  he  had  given  to  me,  and  that  under  no  cir- 
cumstances would  I  consent  to  do  anything  to  subvert  the  institutions 
of  the  country,  or  place  myself  in  opposition  to  the  laws,  and  he 
might  depend  upon  it  I  would  expose  it  the  first  convenient  oppor- 
tunity. I  also  told  him  I  could  not  consistently  keep  both  obligations 
that  had  been  imposed  upon  me.  That  I  was  also  a  member  and 
minister  of  a  religious  denomination,  and  that  it  would  not  be  con- 
sistent with  my  Christian  duties  to  keep  the  obligations  he  had  im- 
posed upon  me  ;  that  I  should  most  certainly,  when  the  subject  came 
up,  expose  it.  He  stated  then  to  me  that  if  that  was  my  determina- 
tion, and  I  did  express  myself  so  publicly,  I  would  hardly  get  away 
from  the  city  with  my  life.  I  replied  to  him  that  I  should  express 
myself  so  under  all  circumstances,  both  in  public  and  in  private ; 
that  I  was  opposed  to  the  thing,  and  was  also  bitterly  opposed  to  the 
formation  of  a  constitution.  Upon  that  we  went  into  a  long  argu- 
ment with  regard  to  the  propriety  of  forming  a  constitution,  and  the 
subject  of  the  organization  was  then  dismissed.  I  returned  home 
that  day. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

There  were  several  persons  present  that  I  did  not  know  at  the  time, 
one  of  whom  I  have  found  out  since.  Colonel  Lane,  Dr.  Kobinson, 
and  John  Hutchinson  were  present  that  I  know  now,  having  found  out 
John  Hutchinson  since  I  was  initiated.  I  should  think  I  saw  two- 
thirds  of  the  men  I  saw  in  Lawrence  with  black  ribbons  in  their  shirt 
bosoms,  and  with  blue,  white,  and  green  sashes,  &c. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

Governor  Keeder  wore  the  black  ribbon,  the  badge  of  the  order. 
Mr.  Lowry  had  no  such  badge.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Hutchinson  had  the 
badge  on,  as  did  Mr.  Hornsby,  Mr.  Ferrill,  Gr.  W.  Brown,  the  editor 
of  the  "  Herald  of  Freedom,"  and  a  great  many  others.  Major  Smith 
wore  the  badge  and  the  blue  sash. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

The  sashes  are  worn  around  the  waist,  just  under  the  vest,  so  that 
the  ends  can  be  seen. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

Colonel  Lane  wore  the  red  sash,  and  I  think  some  one  else,  but  I 
am  not  certain  who  it  was. ,  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  anybody  with 
a  green  sash.  Dr.  Kobinson  had  a  beautiful  sash  on,  looking  like  a 
blue  and  red  one  joined  together  and  trimmed  with  gold  lace.  I  was  told 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  915 

It  denoted  some  higher  office  than  colonel,  but  I  did  not  learn  what  it 
was. 

I  discovered  a  number  of  these  black  badges  at  the  time  of  the  late 
session  of  our  circuit  court  in  the  county  of  Jefferson.  I  revealed  this 
organization  to  the  grand  jury  of  our  county.  I  did  not  know  that 
there  were  any  members  of  the  order  on  the  grand  jury  at  the  time  I 
gave  in  my  testimony  before  them.  I  did  not  notice  that  any  of  them 
had  badges  at  that  time.  There  were  men  on  that  grand  jury  I  had 
heard  avow  themselves  free-State  men. 

John  Hutchinson  was  called  before  the  grand  jury  at  the  same  term 
of  the  court  that  I  was. 

By  Mr.  King : 

Ques.  When  John  Hutchinson  came  down  stairs;  after  having  been 
up  before  the  grand  jury,  what  did  he  say  to  you  in  reference  to  the 
disclosures  which  you  had  made  about  this  secret  organization,  and 
what  he  said  in  reference  to  your  making  disclosures  before  the  grand 
jury,  and  what  declarations  he  made  in  reference  to  his  making  dis- 
closures before  the  grand  jury  in  relation  to  this  secret  organization  ? 

[The  committee  considered  this  question  as  fully  competent  and 
pertinent.] 

Ans.  I  had  been  employed  to  defend  a  person  there  before  the  court, 
charged  with  a  criminal  offence,  and  the  night  before  the  trial  came  on 
Mr.  John  Hutchinson  arrived  there  to  assist,  as  he  said,  in  defending 
this  person.  Upon  his  arrival  in  town  the  next  morning,  the  trial  im- 
mediately took  place.  After  the  trial  was  over  he  was  called  up  by  the 
clerk  and  sworn,  and  then  went  up  stairs  with  the  deputy  marshal.  In 
a  short  time  he  came  down  to  attend,  as  he  told  me,  to  another  case,  and 
went  up  stairs.  The  next  time  he  came  down  he  took  me  by  the  collar 
and  asked  me  to  walk  out  of  doors  with  him. 

Now,  said  he,  I  am  in  a  great  hurry,  but  I  wish  to  know  whether  you 
have  made,  or  intend  to  make,  any  disclosures  before  the  grand  jury  in 
regard  to  this  secret  organization,  I  told  him  that  it  was  possible  I  had 
told  them  some  things,  and  probable  I  should  tell  them  some  more.  He 
said  they  had  had  him  up  there,  and  that  they  got  nothing,  and  should 
not  have  anything,  from  him  ;  that  a  free-soiler  could  not  get  justice 
there,  and  that  he  would  not  answer  any  of  their  questions.  He  thea 
walked  off  from  me  some  fifteen  steps,  probably,  and  turned  to  me  and 
said  that  I  must  be  careful,  and  not  let  them  get  any  secrets  from  me ;  if 
I  did,  everything  was  ruined.  He  thea  left,  and  I  have  never  seen  him 
since. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

In  regard  to  the  laws  which  were  to  be  resisted,  I  understood  from 
Dr.  Robinson  and  Colonel  Lane  that  they  were  the  laws  of  the  late 
Territorial  legislature.  Nothing  was  said  in  relation  to  the  organic 
law  ;  it  was  not  mentioned.  Colonel  Lane  said,  -"  We  will  not  submit 
to  any  laws  passed  by  that  legislature,  and  we  are  making  prepara- 
tions to  place  in  the  hands  of  every  free-State  man  a  Sharpe's  rifle 
and  a  brace  of  Colt's  revolvers,  and  if  need  be  we  will  resist  even  the 
United  States  troops  if  they  attempt  to  enforce  those  laws."  He  also 
stated,  at  the  same  time,  that  an  attack  had  been  anticipated  on  the 


916  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

town  of  Lawrence  the  day  before,  and  that  he  saw  five  hundred  men 
there  at  their  business  in  the  streets  armed  ;  that  he  had  seen  men  on 
the  eve  of  battle,  and  seen  men  placed  in  every  situation  of  danger, 
but  had  never  seen  as  cool  and  determined  a  set  of  men  as  those  he 
had  seen  the  day  before.  I  objected  to  the  practice  of  shedding  blood. 
He  remarked  to  me  that  he  was  opposed  to  such  things  himself.  He 
said  that  in  Ohio,  where  I  had  come  from,  and  Indiana,  where  he 
came  from,  it  was  a  disgrace  for  men  to  carry  arms  at  all,  but  here  the 
time  had  come  when  they  were  forced  to  carry  arms,  and  that  if  the 
Missourians  did  attack  them,  blood  would  undoubtedly  be  shed.  That 
the  little  children  about  Lawrence  had  caught  the  same  spirit.  That 
his  little  son  (about  seven  or  eight  years  old)  was  wanting  to  know 
when  he  could  have  a  revolver  and  bowie-knife  to  carry  with  him. 
Dr.  Kobinson  and  Colonel  Lane  told  me  they  expected  to  form  lodges 
or  councils  in  every  county  in  the  Territory.  They  proclaimed  me  a 
"  Kansas  regulator/'  and  that  was  all  the  name  I  learned  for  a  mem- 
ber of  the  organization,  and  gave  me  authority  to  institute  lodges, 
and  conferred  upon  me  a  sort  of  brevet  rank  of  captain.  This  was  at 
the  time  I  was  initiated.  During  the  first  Lawrence  war  they  sent 
me  a  commission  as  captain,  which  I  never  used.  I  have  that  com- 
mission at  home.  A  short  time  since,  in  March  last,  there  was  a 
paper  with  some  fifty  names  attached  to  it  and  presented  to  me.  The 
paper  had  a  preamble,  and  some  sixty  names  were  attached  to  it.  It 
was  presented  to  me  to  sign  by  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Bainter. 
The  object  was  to  get  me  to  enrol  myself  as  a  member  of  a  military 
company  of  this  order.  I  refused  to  sign  it,  and  left  it  in  his  hands,  and 
do  not  now  know  where  it  is.  He  told  me  at  the  time  that  it  was  to  be 
sent  to  Lawrence.  I  did  not  know  all  the  names  on  that  paper,  but  all 
that  I  knew  were  citizens  of  Jefferson  county.  Among  them  were  Wil- 
liam Hicks,  Eph.  Bainter,  Lewis  Hoover,  Nathan  Adams,  Jacob  Brown, 
Samuel  Brown,  John  Cunningham,  Sidney  Stuart,  and  many  others  I 
do  not  now  recollect,  but  whom  I  know  live  in  the  county.  The  names 
were  in  different  handwritings.  I  did  not  know  the  handwriting  of  any 
of  them  but  Mr.  Hoover.  His  name  appeared  to  be  in  his  handwriting. 
The  paper  was  drawn  up  in  the  shape  of  preamble  and  resolutions,  as 
follows  : 

Whereas,  bands  of  armed  men  have  come  into  the  Territory  for  the 
express  purpose  of  taking  life  and  destroying  property,  and  whereas 
there  is  no  law  by  which  we  can  be  protected  therefrom — 

Resdved,  That  we  will  organize  a  military  company  for  the  pur- 
pose of  defending  ourselves  and  our  property. 

That  is  about  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  preamble  and  resolutions. 
Mr.  Bainter  said,  "  Doc.  if  you  don't  sign  it  I  will  start  it  off  to-morrow 
or  next  day  to  Lawrence,  and  we  shall  get  our  arms.  Before  I  send 
it  I  shall  put  your  name  down,  whether  you  are  willing  or  not,  so  that 
you  can  draw  your  arms."  I  asked  him  then  what  arms  were  to 
be  drawn,  and  he  replied,  a  Sharpe's  rifle  and  a  brace  of  revolvers.  I 
made  the  remark  that  I  should  like  very  much  to  have  them.  I  did 
not  tell  him  not  to  put  my  name  down.  He  did  not  inform  me  whom 
he  was  to  get  these  arms  from.  Col.  Lane  had  told  me,  when  I  was 
in  Lawrence,  that  several  thousand  Sharpe's  rifles  were  coming  on  from 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  917 

the  east.  Mr,  Bainter  said  that  there  were  several  thousand  Sharpe'g 
rifles  at  Lawrence.  I  made  no  inquiry  who  were  to  furnish  these 
Sharpe's  rifles  in  the  east.  Nothing  was  said  about  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society,  or  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  in  connexion  with  these  Sharpe's 
rifles.  I  did  not  notice  any  black  ribbon  about  the  person  of  Mr. 
Bainter  at  the  time  he  had  this  paper. 

Before  I  was  initiated  Gov.  Reeder  said  there  were  two  organizations 
in  Lawrence,  and  he  belonged  to  one  of  them.  Further  than  that  I  do 
not  know  as  he  said  anything.  One  organization  that  Gov.  Reeder 
spoke  of  was  the  Kansas  Regulators,  and  the  other  the  Kansas  Legion, 
which  Pat.  Laughlin  exposed.  I  did  not  learn  from  Mr.  Reeder 
which  organization  he  belonged  to,  but  I  learned  from  him  that  he 
belonged  to  one  of  them,  and  I  saw  a  black  ribbon  in  his  shirt  bosom, 
and  could  very  readily  judge  which  he  belonged  to.  I  understood  the 
arms  were  to  be  given  gratis  to  those  who  became  members  of  this 
military  organization. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  cannot  tell  the  date  of  the  origin  of  this  military  association,  but 
it  was  some  time  before  I  had  anything  to  do  with  it. 
To  Mr.  Scott : 

The  signal  of  distress  or  danger :  if  a  person  was  coming  to  a  col- 
lection of  people,  or  if  he  met  another  person,  he  would  inquire,  "  Ig 

Doctor  Star  present?    If  so  he  is  wanted  at ,"  naming  some 

place.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  members  of  the  order  to  repair  to  that, 
place.  Politics  I  never  heard  discussed  in  a  Masonic  lodge. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

My  commission  as  captain  was  signed  by  "  Geo.  S.   Hillyer,  by 
order  of  the  committee  of  safety/' 
To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  came  from  Belmont  county,  Ohio.  I  have  lived  in  Pease  town- 
ship, Smith  township,  and  Richland  township,  in  that  county.  I  was 
born  in  Belmont  county,  and  practised  medicine  there  a  part  of  the 
time,  and  part  of  the  time  worked  at  the  printing  business  in  the 
"  Gazette"  office.  When  I  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  I  received 
a  license  in  the  Methodist  church,  and  after  I  became  old  enough  to 
reflect  and  judge  for  myself,  I  left  that  church  and  joined  the  Christian 
church,  and  received  a  license  to  preach  in  that  church.  I  have  not 
been  engaged  in  the  business  of  preaching  for  some  months.  1 1  have 
practised  medicine  now  for  about  five  years.  I  practised  medicine  in 
Scotland  county,  Missouri.  I  never  made  law  a  regular  study.  When 
I  was  a  boy  I  was  going  to  school  in  St.  Clairsville  ;  I  was  constantly 
using  Governor  Shannon's  books,  and  in  that  way  got  a  preliminary 
knowledge  of  law.  I  have  known  Governor  Shannon  ever  since  I  can 
recollect ;  was  born  in  the  same  town  where  he  lived,  and  lived  close 
by  him.  J  have  not  seen  him  since  I  have  been  in  the  Territory. 
I  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law  in  our  county  by  Judge  Le- 
compte,  in  April  last.  I  had  been  admitted  to  the  court  of  common 
pleas  in  our  county  before  this  time,  but  not  to  the  circuit  court. 
I  was  admitted  to  the  court  of  common  pleas  a  very  short  time  pre- 


918  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

vious  to  my  initiation  in  this  secret  society.  I  do  not  know  of 
any  persons  in  Missouri  from  the  counties  of  Scotland  and  Knox3 
coming  over  into  the  Territory  to  vote.  I  know  of  no  secret  polit- 
ical society  in  Missouri.  I  came  into  the  Territory  in  May,  ^1855, 
and  settled  near  Osawkee,  where  I  now  live.  My  political  opinions 
were  generally  known.  My  neighbors  were  divided  in  opinion,  and  I 
do  not  know  of  their  relative  strength.  I  do  not  know  anything 
about  any  organization  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  slavery  into 
Kansas.  With  the  exception  of  the  "Kansas  Legion/'  I  know  of 
no  secret  political  organization  prior  to  October,  1855.  I  cannot  say  - 
of  whom  I  got  my  first  knowledge  of  the  Kansas  Regulators.  My  at- 
tention was  called  prominently  to  it  the  next  morning  after  I  reached 
Lawrence  by  Colonel  Lane.  I  do  not  recollect  of  Colonel  Lane  ever 
telling  me  of  his  supporting  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  though  I  know 
it.  Colonel  Lane  and  Dr.  Robinson,  as  I  know  of,  did  not  tell  me  the 
cause  of  their  forming  this  organization.  It  was  a  common  thing  to 
hear  persons  speak  about  Missourians  coming  over  here  to  vote.  Our 
election  of  the  9th  of  October  was  lield  under  the  authority  of  the 
Big  Springs  convention.  I  took  part  in  that  election,  because  I  had 
been  told  by  men  that  I  thought  reliable  that  Governor  Shannon  had 
said  that  election  would  be  regarded  as  lawful.  Subsequently  I  found 
that  statement  was  not  correct,  and  therefore  I  dissolved  my  connexion 
with  the  party.  I  would  not  have  acted  in  that  election  but  for  the 
representations  made  to  me  in  relation  to  Governor  Shannon.  I  should 
have  gone  to  the  election  of  the  first  of  October  at  Osawkee,  and  voted 
then,  but  for  sickness  in  my  family.  I  had  carefully  read  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Big  Springs  convention  before  the  election.  When  I 
acted  as  clerk  I  did  not  credit  the  allegations  made  in  the  resolutions 
of  that  convention,  as  to  armed  invasions  of  Missourians,  &c.,  but 
regarded  that  as  the  usual  statements  of  partisans,  a  little  too  highly 
colored.  I  cannot  say  that  I  took  any  position  with  regard  to  the 
armed  invasion,  &c.,  either  one  way  or  the  other.  I  have  never  re- 
garded that  there  had  been  sufficient  illegal  voting  at  the  polls  to  con- 
trol either  branch  of  the  legislature.  I  acted  at  that  election  because 
I  regarded  it  a  legal  one  upon  the  representation  made  to  me  as  to 
Governor  Shannon's  views  of  it.  A  great  many  others  took  the  same 
view  in  regard  to  that  election  that  I  did,  but  others  did  not.  I  acted 
upon  the  idea  that  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  legislature  had 
been  legally  chosen. 

My  opinion  has  always  been  this  since  I  came  into  the  Territory, 
that  if  the  legislature  were  legally  elected  by  the  settlers  of  Kansas 
Territory,  they  had  the  right  to  make  the  laws  ;  if  they  were  not  legally 
elected  the  people  had  better  submit  to  them,  as  a  matter  of  policy, 
until  they  could  elect  a  legislature  legally,  upon  the  principle  that 
honest  men  need  no  law,  and  rogues  and  disunionists  needed  it  to  the 
utmost  extremity.  Some  of  my  neighbors  took  a  different  view  of  the 
matter,  and  some  advocated  open  resistance  to  the  laws,  while  my 
course  was  dictated  by  policy  and  expediency.  Those  who  did  not 
submit  to  the  laws,  took  ground  against  the  laws  mostly  on  the  ground 
of  illegal  election  of  the  members  of  the  legislature  by  foreign  votes. 
I  heard  Colonel  Lane  and  Dr.  Robinson  say  they  were  opposed  to  sul 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  919 

mitting  to  the  laws.     I  was  willing  to  submit  to  the  laws  and  they 
were  not. 

I  never  heard  the  obligation  I  have  given  repeated  before  or  since  it 
was  administered  to  me,  except  when  I  repeated  it  before  the  grand 
jury  of  our  country,  and  never  saw  it  written.  I  have  a  very  reten- 
tive memory,  and  can  sit  down  and  listen  to  a  sermon  and  repeat  it 
afterwards  word  for  word.  I  have  frequently  conned  the  obligation 
over  in  my  own  mind. 

At  the  time  I  took  this  obligation,  I  formed  the  determination  to 
disclose  it,  as  I  thought  it  my  duty  as  a  citizen  and  a  law-abiding  man 
to  do  so.  That  design  was  formed  during  the  time  the  obligation 
was  being  administered  to  me.  I  told  Colonel  Lane  my  design  after 
I  had  taken  the  obligation.  Colonel  Lane  gave  me  authority  to  insti- 
tute other  councils,  and  proclaimed  me  a  Kansas  Regulator.  I  think 
he  told  me  that  both  before  and  after  I  had  told  him  I  would  make 
the  disclosure.  I  have  never  attended  a  council  since.  I  do  not  know 
of  my  own  knowledge  that  any  council  ever  existed  except  the  one  in 
which  I  was  initiated.  The  black  ribbon  which  I  have  mentioned 
was  generally  worn  in  the  button-hole,  or  tied  to  the  button  of  the 
shirt  bosom,  in  order,  as  Colonel  Lane  said,  to  let  the  Missourians 
and  the  pro-slavery  men  know  it  concealed  a  weapon  of  death. 
Colonel  Lane  told  me  that  he  had  anticipated  an  attack  upon  Law- 
rence prior  to  that  time,  but  he  did  not  tell  me  from  where,  though 
he  probably  gave  me  the  impression  that  it  was  from  Missourians.  I 
did  not  understand  Colonel  Lane  as  intending  anything  but  a  defen- 
sive movement  on  his  part.  The  first  object,  as  I  understood  it,  was 
not  to  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  so-called  Kansas  legislature,  and  then 
to  defend  themselves  against  some  anticipated  attack.  I  know  that 
among  some  of  the  people  of  the  Territory  there  was  a  deep,  strong, 
determined  hostility  to  the  laws  passed  by  the  so-called  Kansas  legis- 
lature, but  I  cannot  tell  how  many  had  that  feeling  ;  and  among  the 
number  of  complaints  were,  by  some,  that  this  legislature  had  been 
Imposed  upon  them  by  Missourians ;  others,  that  the  laws  were  so 
severe  ;  and  last  fall  it  was  also  a  matter  of  complaint  with  some,  that 
no  portion  of  the  officers,  from  the  constable  up,  were  to  be  elected  by 
the  people.  The  people  were  led  to  suppose  that  no  officers  were  to 
be  elected  for  the  space  of  six  years. 

Question.  Were  not  these  complaints  general  among  the  people  of 
the  Territory,  and  did  they  not  relate  to  the  conduct  of  the  people  of 
Missouri  in  improperly  interfering  with  their  domestic  institutions  by 
controlling  their  elections,  and,  through  a  legislature  selected  in 
whole  or  in  part  by  them,  controlling  all  their  local  offices  and  pre- 
scribing laws  for  their  government ;  and  did  not  all  these  societies  of 
which  you  speak  grow  out  of  their  alleged  unlawful  interference  by 
the  citizens  of  Missouri  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  that  these  complaints  were  general  among 
the  people  of  the  Territory,  because  some  were  complaining  and  some 
were  not ;  some  were  for  submitting  to  the  laws  and  some  were  not. 
Some  complaints  were  made  in  relation  to  the  improper  interference 
of  Missourians,  and  some  of  a  hundred  other  things,  just  according 
to  the  intelligence  of  the  people.  I  cannot  tell  which  was  the  pre- 


920  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

vailing  complaint.  Complaints  were  universal  among  the  free-State 
men,  some  having  four  or  five  complaints.  I  heard  complaints  but 
from  one  pro-slavery  man,  for  whom  due  allowance  should  be  made. 
He  said  the  laws  were  very  poor  things,  but  he  was  for  submitting  to 
them,  and  for  that  should  receive  credit.  I  cannot  say  that  these  so- 
cieties grew  out  of  the  alleged  unlawful  interference  by  the  citizens 
of  Missouri.  They  did  not  tell  me  from  what  cause  they  sprang. 

Question.  Would  there  have  been  any  difficulty  in  this  Territory 
if  no  man  but  a  lawful  resident  voter  had  voted  at  any  of  the  elec- 
tions of  the  Territory  ? 

Answer.  I  was  not  here  to  know  whether  there  was  unlawful  vo- 
ting or  not,  and  therefore  I  cannot  say  whether  there  would  have  been 
or  not  any  difficulty  if  there  had  been  no  unlawful  voting. 

I  do  not  recollect  that  Colonel  Lane,  in  any  of  his  conversations, 
mentioned  anything  about  his  course  on  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill, 
though  he  might  have  done  it  casually  and  I  not  notice  it. 

I  think  it  was  during  the  last  of  March  or  the  first  of  April  last, 
that  I  saw  John  Hutchinson  in  Jefferson  county ,  but  I  have  not  seen 
nor  heard  of  him  since.  He  left  Osawkee  in  very  much  of  a  hurry, 
but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  left  the  Territory  or  not.  I  do  not 
know  that  he  has  been  in  attendance  upon  the  court  at  Lecompton 
this  spring,  but  I  have  not  heard  that  he  was  ;  he  may  have  been,  but 
I  have  not  heard  of  it.  Mr.  Bainter  handed  me  the  paper  I  have 
spoken  of.  I  saw  no  badge  or  mark  of  the  society  about  him;  justice 
to  him  demands  that  I  should  say  he  was  not  the  captain  of  that  com- 
pany. I  did  not  say  that  company  was  connected  with  the  society  of 
which  I  have  spoken  ;  I  merely  made  the  supposition  that  it  was.  I 
have  no  knowledge  that  such  was  the  case.  I  do  not  know  that  that 
company  had  any  design  other  than  that  contained  in  its  preamble 
and  resolution.  I  do  not  know  that  companies  of  armed  men,  with 
cannon,  have  come  over  from  Missouri  ;  I  have  never  seen  them,  and 
cannot  testify  about  things  I  have  never  seen  here.  It  is  about  thirty 
miles  to  Kickapoo  City  from  where  I  live.  The  first  disclosure  I  ever 
made  about  this  society  was  in  private  conversation  with  Judge  Tebbs, 
judge  of  the  probate  court  of  Jefferson  county ;  I  cannot  say  that 
that  was  a  disclosure,  for  I  merely  gave  him  the  knowledge  of  the  ex- 
istence of  such  a  society,  and  of  its  leading  principles.  That  was  a 
few  days  after  I  joined  the  society,  but  I  cannot  say  exactly  at  what 
time  it  was.  The  next  disclosure  I  made  of  it  was  before  the  g-and 
jury  of  Jefferson  county,  during  the  last  of  March  or  the  first  of  April 
last.  That  was  a  voluntary  disclosure.  I  had  been  summoned  before 
the  grand  jury  to  testify  with  regard  to  other  things,  and  they  asked 
me  with  regard  to  that,  and  I  had  no  hesitancy  in  testifying  about  it. 
I  think  I  had  been  admitted  at  the  time  I  gave  that  evidence.  I  was 
not  at  the  siege  of  Lawrence,  and  never  was  engaged  in  any  wars  to 
put  down  the  laws  of  the  country.  The  first  subpoena  I  ever  saw  or 
heard  read  from  this  committee  was  last  Friday  or  Saturday,  through 
Dr.  Tebbs,  to  appear  here  to-day.  I  had  received  a  verbal  message  to 
appear  at  Leaven  worth,  and  would  have  gone,  but  that  my  family  were 
sick.  I  came  here  with  Dr.  Tebbs.  I  have  understood  that  he  was  a 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  921 

member  of  the  legislature.     It  was  to  his  brother  that  I  made  the  dis- 
closure about  this  secret  society. 

To  Mr.  King : 

With  regard  to  resistance  and  non-resistance  to  the  laws,  I  heard 
men  say  in  the  room  where  I  was  initiated,  though  I  did  not  know 
their  names,  that  no  officer  acting  under  the  authority  of  the  laws  of 
the  so-called  legislature  should  ever  serve  a  writ  upon  them,  and, 
from  the  tenor  of  the  obligation  that  I  took,  I  was  led  to  suppose  that 
one  of  the  prime  objects  of  the  society  was  to  resist  those  laws.  I 
supposed  that  the  military  organization  was  to  shoot  down  law-abid- 
ing men  if  they  should  attempt  to  enforce  the  laws.  That  was  my 
supposition  from  the  time  I  was  initiated,  and  has  always  been  my 
supposition.  And  an  avowed  object  of  the  self-defence  spoken  of,  was 
to  defend  themselves  against  the  enforcement  of  those  laws,  even 
though  they  were  enforced  by  United  States  authority  and  United 
States  officers.  I  know  that  our  county  has  been  flooded  with  in- 
flammatory publications,  and  seditious  speeches  have  been  all  over  the 
county.  I  was  deceived  thus  myself.  I  speak  of  the  county  in 
which  I  reside,  because  I  know  more  of  that  than  any  other  parts  of 
the  Territory.  I  know  that  as  good,  and  honest,  and  loyal  men  as 
ever  lived  have  been  deceived  and  led  to  counsel  resistance  to  the  laws 
from  these  inflammatory  publications  and  these  seditious  speeches  I 
have  spoken  of,  and  but  for  them,  they  would  not  have  taken  that  po- 
sition. J.  W.  Clark  was  initiated  in  this  order  at  the  same  time  I 
was,  and  his  name  was  on  this  list  which  Mr.  Bainter  presented  to 
me,  and  that  was  one  of  the  reasons  I  supposed  the  company  was  con- 
nected with  this  society.  I  never  saw  the  captain  of  the  company  in 
my  life.  I  was  told  his  name  was  Smith,  but  I  do  not  know  anything 
about  him  or  where  he  lived.  There  were  others  in  that  company  who 
gave  me  the  sign  of  recognition  of  the  order,  time  and  again. 

After  I  told  Lane  that  I  should  not  consider  myself  bound  by  this 
organization,  I  never  took  any  part  in  the  action  of  those  who  be- 
longed to  the  society  ;  I  merely  listened  to  them  to  see  how  far  they 
would  go,  but  took  no  part  myself  either  one  way  or  other. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  judge  there  would  have  been  no  difficulty  in  this  Territory  if  the 
free-State  party  had  submitted  to  the  laws  passed  by  the  Kansas  legis- 
lature. So  far  as  my  knowledge  extends,  opposition  and  resistance  to 
these  laws  have  caused  all  the  civil  war  and  trouble  in  this  Territory ; 
and  since  these  laws  have  been  published  the  resistance  in  our  county 
has  decreased  ;  and  I  know  of  no  other  cause  of  trouble  in  this  Terri- 
tory but  this  resistance  and  opposition  to  the  laws. 

ANDREW  J.  FRANCIS. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  4,  1856. 


G-.  P.  LOWREY  recalled. 

I  was  with  Governor  Reeder  at  Shawnee  Mission  during  the  ses- 
sion of  the  Territorial  legislature,  and  until  his  removal.     After  Ms 


922  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

removal,  about  the  last  of  August,  1855,  lie  took  his  trunks,  &c.,  from 
Shawnee  Mission  to  Kansas  City,  to  be  stored  temporarily,  until  he 
could  go  up  into  the  Territory  and  make  other  arrangements.  It  was 
at  this  time  that  he  met  Mr.  Parrot,  at  Kansas  City,  about  the  30th 
of  August.  The  governor  went,  about  the  30th  of  August,  into  the 
Territory,  and  made  his  home  at  Lawrence,  where  he  remained  nearly 
all  the  time  up  to  his  departure  for  Washington.  I  was  familiar  with 
his  plans,  and  I  do  not  recollect  ever  hearing  from  him  any  intimation 
that  his  remaining  in  the  Territory  depended  on  his  being  nominated 
as  delegate  to  Congress,  or  any  other  nomination.  If  there  had  been 
any  ground  for  Mr.  Parrot's  "impression"  I  think  I  should  have 
known  it.  I  do  not  think  any  of  the  resolutions  passed  at  Big  Springs 
were  in  Governor  Seeder's  handwriting ;  certainly  the  resolutions 
repudiating  the  legislature  were  not.  I  was  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee to  decide  on  day  of  election  ;  we  reported  a  resolution  calling  the 
election  on  another  day  than  the  one  designated  by  the  Territorial 
legislature  for  reasons  assigned  in  the  report.  That  committee  did 
not  report,  or  even  have  offered  to  them,  anything  coming  from  Gov- 
ernor Reader  ;  I  went  to  him  for  his  advice,  and  he  declined  giving  an 
opinion. 

The  private  letters  which  I  have  seen  published,  purporting  to  come 
from  Governor  Reeder  to  myself,  are  not  correct  copies  of  the  original 
letters  ;  all  his  letters  to  me  were  locked  up  in  rny  trunk,  and  the  key 
is  still  in  my  possession ;  it  is  a  peculiar  one,  and  in  order  to  open  the 
trunk  the  lock  must  have  been  broken.  Governor  Reeder's  trunk  was 
in  the  same  building,  and  also  locked.  I  had  in  my  trunk  no  letters 
or  papers  directed'  to  him,  so  that  the  bundle  of  papers  handed  to  Mr. 
Abel  must  have  been  prepared,  after  the  robbing  of  both  trunks,  by 
mingling  his  papers  with  mine. 

There  was  no  resolution  offered  at  the  Big  Springs  convention  re- 
pudiating the  laws  of  the  Territorial  legislature  except  those  reported 
and  passed,  and  Mr.  Parrot  did  not  object  to  them.  There  was  no  ob- 
jection made  by  any  one  except  a  motion  by  Colonel  Lane  to  strike  out 
two  or  three  words. 

I  am  from  Easton,  Pennsylvania,  and  have  carefully  examined  the 
list  of  voters  at  Pawnee  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  find  the 
names  of  but  four  persons  from  Easton  upon  it.  Of  these  I  know 
that  two  have  returned,  both  in  the  fall  of  1855,  one  of  them  express- 
ing his  intention  to  return  to  the  Territory  to  live. 

Some  time  in  October,  1855,,  I  first  heard  of  the  existence  of.  the 
.secret  society  mentioned  by  Doctor  A.  J.  Francis.  As  I  understood 
from  members  of  this  society,  the  reason  for  its  organization  was  that 
for  a  long  time  free-State  men  in  Lawrence  had  been  subject  to  insult 
and  personal  attack  made  upon  them  singly,  in  and  out  of  the  town, 
in  the  neighborhood,  by  persons  who  were  in  the  habit  of  taking  every 
opportunity  to  harass  and  browbeat  free-State  men  when  they  found 
them  unarmed  and  away  from  assistance.  This  society  was  organized 
expressly  to  make  free-State  men  acquainted  with  each  other,  and  give 
them  a  common  interest  in  defending  each  other.  The  society  was 
purely  a  local  one,  and  never,  to  my  knowledge,  has  been  organized 
elsewhere  than  in  Lawrence.  Very  shortly  after  its  organization  it 


KANSAS   AFFAIES.  923 

produced  its  desired  effect,  and  then  went  out  of  use  and  ceased  to 
exist.  Another  object  of  the  society  was  to  produce  a  combined  effort 
to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  society, 
and  was  never  told  it.  I  identify  it  as  the  society  Doctor  Francis 
speaks  of  by  a  portion  of  his  description  of  it.  I  never  attended  any 
meeting  of  the  society  after  I  was  initiated,  at  which  time  its  organi- 
zation was  broken  up,  and  it  was  but  the  result  of  accident  that  I  was 
initiated.  Some  persons  desired  to  extend  the  organization  to  Leaven- 
worth,  and  I  was  initiated  at  the  time  they  were,  as  a  matter  of  con- 
venience to  them.  I  have  no  distinct  recollection  of  all  the  oath,  but 
I  know  Doctor  Francis  testifies  to  matters  as  being  in  the  oath  which 
were  not  contained  in  it.  The  oath  required  us  to  keep  fire-arms  and 
ammunition  ;  to  use  all  lawful  and  honorable  means  to  make  Kansas 
a  free  State  ;  to  wear  at  all  times  on  our  persons  a  weapon  of  death ; 
and,  I  think,  to  go  to  the  assistance  of  a  brother  when  the  probability 
of  saving  his  life  was  greater  than  of  losing  our  own.  I  do  not  re- 
collect anything  in  the  oath  which  required  us  to  deal  with  free-State 
in  preference  to  pro-slavery  men,  or  to  wear  upon  the  person  at  all 
times  the  insignia  of  the  order,  or  to  obey  at  all  times  the  orders  of 
superior  officers  even  unto  death.  It  was  not  a  part  of  the  oath  to  be 
in  readiness  to  take  up  arms  in  defence  of  free-State  principles,  even 
though  it  should  subvert  the  government.  I  do  not  recollect  that  it 
was  a  part  of  the  oath  to  oppose  the  laws  of  the  so-called  Kansas  le- 
gislature. It  was  not  any  part  of  the  formula  of  the  society  to  resort 
to  any  violent  or  unlawful  means  to  advance  free- State  principles.  I 
never  knew  of  any  society  in  the  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  resist- 
ance to  the  laws  of  the  Kansas  legislature,  and  I  so  testified  upon  a 
former  examination.  I  did  not  consider  this  society  as  coming  within 
the  scope  of  the  interrogatory  propounded  to  me  upon  my  former  ex- 
amination. 

G.  P.  LOWKEY. 
NEW  YORK  CITY,  June  27,  1856. 

~~ 
MARTIN  F.  CONWAY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

There  was  a  secret  society  formed  in  Kansas  Territory,  and  came  to 
my  knowledge  about  the  middle  of  June,  1855.  I  was  informally  in- 
itiated into  it.  The  object  of  the  society  was  to  protect  the 'rights  of 
the  people  against  the  encroachments  of  the  people  of  Missouri.  It 
was  formed  in  consequence  of  the  invasion  at  the  previous  March  elec- 
tion, and  the  recent  outrages  in  Leaven  worth.  There  was  a  printed 
constitution,  form  of  initiation,  &c.  There  were  a  number  of  divi- 
sions formed  in  different  parts  of  the  Territory.  It  was  found  to  be 
cumbersome  and  unwieldy,  and  it  fell  into  disuse,  and  I  do  not  know 
as  it  ever  accomplished  anything.  This  was  the  society  which  Pat 
Laughlin  claimed  to  expose,  and  which  was  referred  to  in  the  report 
of  Hon.  Stephen  A.  Douglas  of  the  United  States  Senate. 

Another  secret  society  was  afterwards  formed,  the  proceedings  of 


924  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

which  were  intended  to  be  secret,  but  the  existence  of  which  was  in- 
tended should  be  known  to  the  public.  It  was  instituted  about  the 
middle  of  September,  1855.  The  object  of  this  society  was  to  protect 
the  movement  of  the  people  of  Kansas  for  a  free-State  organization 
against  those  attempts  which  it  was  expected  the  Missourians  would 
make  to  defeat  the  movement.  I  was  one  of  the  first  to  engage  in 
this  movement  for  a  secret  society,  and  know  all  about  it.  In  pro- 
ceeding to  accomplish  the  object  we  had  in  view  it  was  necessary  for 
us  to  have  meetings,  conventions,  elections,  and  various  other  gather- 
ings of  the  people,  and  knowing  ourselves  liable  at  such  times  to  be 
attacked  by  pro-slavery  men  in  the  Territory,  as  well  as  by  invaders 
from  Missouri,  we  resolved  upon  this  secret  organization  as  a  means 
of  defence  of  ourselves,  and  resistance  to  them.  It  was  a  regimental 
organization,  with  officers  such  as  pertain  to  regiments.  It  was  neither 
the  design  nor  the  effect  of  the  society  to  resist  the  laws  of  the  alleged 
Territorial  legislature,  but  was  purely  a  defensive  organization.  The 
position  we  tc-ok  in  forming  this  secret  society  and  in  perfecting  a 
State  organization  was,  that  as  soon  as  the  State  government  should 
be  put  in  operation  it  would,  supersede  the  Territorial  government, 
and  the  laws  made  under  that  Territorial  government,  not  by  any  vio- 
lent method,  but  in  the  regular  order  of  tilings  as  had  been  the  case 
in  other  Territories  ;  that  even  if  the  Territorial  laws  had  been  valid 
and.of  full  force,  they  would  have  been  superseded  by  the  State  gov- 
ernment as  soon  as  Congress  should  recognise  us  as  a  State.  We  con- 
sidered this  position  established  and  placed  beyond  dispute  by  the 
sanction  given  by  the  federal  government  to  similar  proceedings  in 
other  Territories  of  the  United  States,  and  believing  that  we  had  a 
perfect  right  thus  to  take  preliminary  steps  for  the  formation  of  a 
State  government,  we  believed  we  had  also  a  perfect  right  to  take  all 
necessary  steps  to  defend  ourselves  while  taking  those  preliminary 
steps  against  the  acts  of  citizens  of  a  neighboring  State,  and  it  was 
for  that  purpose  alone  that  this  society  was  formed.  There  was  no 
printed  or  written  constitution  or  formula  of  this  society.  Nearly 
all  the  free-State  men  in  and  around  Lawrence  became  members  of 
this  society.  I  do  not  know  that  this  society  extended  into  any  other 
portion  of  the  Territory  besides  Lawrence,  and  do  not  believe  it  did. 
I  think  the  society  fell  into  disuse  after  the  siege  of  Lawrence  and 
the  election  for  the  ratification  of  the  State  constitution  in  December 
last,  the  object  of  its  organization  having  thus  been  accomplished.  I 
cannot  repeat  the  oath,  and  do  not  remember  it,  as  there  was  no  writ- 
ten form.  It  would  generally  be  given  in  about  the  same  form  ;  that 
is,  with  the  same  ideas,  but  with  change  in  the  language,  to  express 
the  same  ideas.  It  was  given  by  the  colonel  of  the  regiment,  and  at 
different  times.  He  would  give  the  ideas  of  the  oath  in  different  lan- 

fuage,  as  he  had  no  particular  form  of  the  oath  to  which  to  confine 
imself.     I  attended  the  meetings  of  the  society  during  the  month  of 
September.     There  were  a  great  many  initiated  every  night — ten, , 
fifteen,  twenty,  and  thirty  at  a  time — many  who  would  be  strangers  i 
to   me.     I  do  not  recollect  when  Dr.  Francis  was   initiated.     Our 
meetings  were  weekly.    I  heard  the  oath  administered,  I  should  think, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  925- 

a  dozen  times.     I  can  recollect  the  general  objects  of  the  obligation, 
but  do  not  recollect  the  exact  words  of  the  obligation. 

I  do  not  remember  of  ever  hearing  any  obligation  required  of  any 
member  to  transact  all  the  business  he  had,  so  far  as  he  was  able,  with 
free- State  men.  I  am  positive  I  never  heard  any  obligation  required 
that,  under  all  circumstances  and  at  all  times,  members  should  hold 
themselves  in  readiness  to  take  up  arms  in  defence  of  free-State  prin- 
ciples, even  though  it  should  subvert  the  government.  I  do  not  re- 
member of  any  obligation  requiring  members  to  oppose  to  the  utmost 
of  their  powers  the  laws  of  the  so-called  Kansas  legislature.  1  do 
not  remember  of  any  such  obligation  as  :  "  If  any  part  of  any  obli- 
gation is  at  this  time  omitted,  I  will  consider  the  same  as  binding 
when  legally  informed  of  it."  I  do  not  remember  any  portion  of- the 
obligation  requiring  members  to  commit  it  to  memory. 

The  objects  of  the  society  were  plain  and  simple,  and  could  be  easily 
remembered  by  any  one.  No  stress  was  laid  upon  the  particular  form 
of  the  obligation,  nor  upon  any  of  the  forms  connected  with  the  so- 
ciety. There  was  no  act  whatever  done  by  means  of  that  organiza- 
tion, so  far  as  I  know.  No  attack  was  ever  made  upon  the  polls  of 
the  State  elections,  except  at  Leavenworth  and  other  points  where  the 
organization  did  not  exist,  and  therefore  nothing  was  done  by  means 
of  that  organization,  so  far  as  I  know. 

I  was  at  Lawrence  on  the  day  of  the  election  of  the  9th  of  October, 
1855,  and  voted  at  that  election.  I  think  the  number  of  votes  cast 
there  that  day  was  over  five  hundred,  but  the  precise  number  I  can- 
not state.  The  election  was  quiet,  peaceable,  and  orderly. 

M.  F.  CONWAY. 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  D.  C.,  July  3,  1856. 


Dr.  JOHX  H.  STRINGFELLOW  testifies : 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  came  into  the  Territory'from  Missouri,  Platte  county,  in  July, 
1854.  I  contemplated  a  home  in  the  Territory  as  soon  as  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  bill  was  passed,  or  as  soon  as  I  found  that  a  profitable  in- 
vestment could  be  made  in  the  Territory.  I  know  of  no  arrangements 
made  in  Missouri  to  control  the  domestic  institutions  of  the  Territory. ' 
The  controlling  motive  that  started  me  to  the  Territory  was  a  desire 
for  gain.  At  the  time  of  the  passage  of  that  bill,  and  prior  to  that 
time,  I  never  heard  any  man  in  my  section  of  Missouri  express  a  doubt 
about  the  nature  of  the  institutions  which  would  be  established  here 
provided  the  Missouri  restriction  was  removed,  and  1  heard  of  no  com- 
bination of  persons,  either  in  public  or  private,  prior  to  the  time  of 
the. organization  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and,  indeed,  for  months 
afterwards,  for  the  purpose  of  making  united  action  to  frustrate  the 
designs  of  that  society  iu  abolitionizing  or  making  a  free  State  of 
Kansas.  The  conviction  was  general  that  it  would  be  a  slave  State. 
The  settlers  who  came  over  from  Missouri  after  the  passage  of  the 
bill,  so  far  as  I  know,  generally  believed  that  Kansas  would  be  a  slave 


926  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

State.  Free-State  men  who  came  into  the  Territory  after  the  passage 
of  the  bill  were  regarded  with  jealousy  hy  the  people  of  western  Mis- 
souri, for  the  reason  that  a  society  had  been  formed,  by  members  of 
Congress  and  others,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  shaping  the  institu- 
tions of  Kansas  Territory  so  as  to  make  it  a  free  State,  in  opposition 
to  the  interests  of  the  people  of  Missouri.  If  no  emigrant  aid  socie- 
ties had  been  formed  in  the  northern  States,  the  emigration  of  people 
from  there  known  to  be  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State  would 
have  stimulated  the  emigration  from  Missouri.  Had  it  not  been  for 
the  emigrant  aid  societies  the  majority  in  favor  of  slave  institutions 
would,  by  the  natural  course  of  emigration,  have  been  so  great  as  to 
have  fixed  the  institutions  of  the  Territory,  without  any  exciting  con- 
test, as  was  in  the  case  of  the  settlement  of  the  Platte  purchase.  That 
was  the  way  we  regarded  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  as 
by  reserving  a  restriction  to  introduce '  southern  institutions  into 
Kansas.  This  and  the  principle  of  it  was  what  induced  us  to  support 
it.  The  fixed  time  that  any  action  was  taken  to  form  societies  in  Mis- 
souri to  counteract  the  movements  of  emigrant  aid  societies  was  in 
October,  1854.  The  end  sought  to  be  attained  by  the  formation  of 
.these  societies,  was  to  induce  citizens  to  move  into  the  Territory  who 
were  friendly  to  the  institution  of  slavery.  We  held  public  and  pri- 
vate meetings.  The  members  of  these  societies  knew  each  other,  and 
in  public  and  private  pledged  to  use  all  honorable  means  to  make 
Kansas  a  slave  State.  They  raised  no  more  money  than  for  the  inci- 
dental expenses  of  their  meetings.  The  condition  and  affairs  of  Kansas 
were  discussed  in  these  meetings.  We  consulted  and  talked  about  the 
mode  of  carrying  out  our  object,  which  was  by  voluntary  emigration. 
With  respect  to  the  then  approaching  elections  means  were  taken  to 
prevent  underhanded  advantages,  which  we  feared  would  be  taken  to 
control  the  elections  in  favor  of  the  free-State  party.  Part  of  the  means 
taken  was  to  come  into  the  Territory  from  Missouri  to  prevent  or  coun- 
teract illegal  voting  on  the  part  of  hired  voters  from  the  east  and  other 
free  States.  I  can't  state  how  extensive  these  societies  were.  They 
were  pretty  extensive,  however,  along  through  Missouri.  I  don't  know 
that  I  ever  met  with  a  man  from  another  State  who  belonged  to  the 
society.  I  cannot  state  how  many  members  belonged  to  the  society  on 
the  30th  of  March,  but  I  do  not  think  any  more  belonged  to  it  then 
than  at  the  first  election  in  November  previous.  I  can't  say  where  or 
whether  any  division  of  Missouri  was  made  in  these  societies  so  as  to 
go  to  the  different  polls  in  Kansas.  Some  of  these  societies  existed  to 
a  limited  extent  in  the  Territory.  They  were  united  associations, 
with  officers,  and  they  communicate  with  other  societies  through  their 
officers.  The  design  was  to  director  advise  rather  than  to  assist  per- 
sons where  to  settle  in  the  Territory.  Since  the  election  of  the  30th 
of  March  public  organizations  or  aid  societies  have  been  formed  all 
through  the  slave  States,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  to  enable  settlers  favor- 
able to  the  institution  of  slavery  to  reach  the  Territory  without  as- 
suming any  control  over  their  acts  after  they  get  here.  Several  gen- 
tlemen have  left  the  Territory  and  the  border  of  Missouri  since  March 
election  in  1855,  and  visited  the  slaveholding  States  and  addressed  the 
people,  urging  the  importance  pecuniarily  and  publicly  of  a  pro- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  927 

slavery  emigration  to  Kansas  Territory.  The  emigration  from  the 
southern  States  this  spring  has  been  large,  which  I  attribute  more  to 
the  general  belief  of  the  importance  of  such  emigration  rather  than  to 
the  societies  or  Missourians.  I  don't  know  about  money  being  raised 
for  the  aid  of  southern  emigrants  now  here,  except  from  the  newspapers 
of  Missouri.  All  the  elections  that  have  been  held  in  the  Territory 
have  turned  upon  the  question  of  slavery  or  anti-slavery,  free  and 
slave  institutions.  There  are  but  two  parties  in  the  Territory — the 
abolition  and  the  pro-slavery  party  ;  and  the  real  and  immediate  dif- 
ficulties in  the  Territory  are  attributable  solely  to  Governor  Reeder, 
and  his  particular  friends,  in  denying  that  there  was  any  law  in  this 
Territory. 

Cross-examined  by  Governor  King  : 

Some  two  or  three  days' after  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  I 
went  down  the  river  from  Leavenworth  City  to  Kansas  City.  At 
Leavenworth  City  there  were  some  fifty  persons  who  came  aboard  the 
same  boat,  and  in  conversation  with  them  I  learned  they  were  per- 
sons from  the  free  States,  who  had  recently  arrived  in  the  Territory, 
had  voted  in  the  Territory,  and  were  then  on  their  return  to  their 
respective  homes  in  the  free  States,  with  no  expression  of  their  inten- 
tion of  returning  to  the  Territory.  At  Kansas  City  a  still  larger 
party  embarked  on  the  same  boat,  some  of  whom  I  knew  to  be,  from 
their  conversation,  free-State  men,  who  had  arrived  in  the  Territory 
immediately  preceding  the  election,  and  were  then  on  their  return  to 
the  free  States. 

About  the  middle  of  April,  I  started  to  Virginia  on  the  steamer 
"  New  Lucy."  At  Leavenworth  and  Kansas  City  there  were  large 
numbers  of  persons  from  the  free  States,  who  had  gone  into  the  Terri- 
tory just  before  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  and  were  then  on 
their  return  to  the  free  States.  I  learned  from  them  that  they  had 
voted  in  the  Territory. 

JOHN  H.  STRINGFELLOW. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27>  1856. 


AMOS  BEES  called  and  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  July,  1855,  from  Platte  county,  Mis- 
souri. 

Question.  State  what  you  know  about  citizens  of  Missouri  voting 
at  an  election  held  in  this  county  to  fix  your  county  seat.  State  what 
means  were  taken,  if  any,  by  citizens  of  Missouri  to  control  that  elec- 
tion, and  whether  or  not  their  action  led  to  the  selection  of  Delaware 
as  the  county  seat,  instead  of  Leavenworth. 

[Governor  King  objected  to  this  question,  and  the  committee  held 
that  as  the  election  referred  to  was  simply  local  in  its  character,  and 
did  not  grow  out  of  the  political  controversies  in  the  Territory,  they 
would  not  investigate  it.] 


928  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  lived  in  Platte  City  ten  years,  and  came  into  Missouri  in  1818.  I 
was  at  the  election  of  30th  March,  1855,  and  voted  here  at  that  elec- 
tion. I  desire  to  say,  in  connexion  with  my  voting,  that  my  property 
was  here  mostly.  I  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  the  town. 
I  had  fully  determined  on  to  move  here.  I  had  my  contract  out  for 
building  a  house,  and  had  determined  never  again  to  vote  in  Missouri, 
in  my  own  mind,  and  certainly  never  would  have  done  so  unless  I 
altered  my  disposition  to  change  my  residence.  At  the  time  I  voted 
I  looked  upon  myself  as  a  resident  here  as  much  as  I  do  now.  I 
knew  Hon.  David  K.  Atchison  well.  He  lived  in  the  same  town 
with  me,  and  we  practised  law  together.  I  know  from  general  rumor 
that  General  Atchison  and  a  company  from  Platte  county  were  in  the 
Territory.  Upon  reflection,  I  am  of  the  impression  I  did  hear  Gen- 
eral Atchison  say  that  he  was  in  a  camp  on  the  Nemaha  at  the  March 
elections,  but  that  he  did  not  vote.  I  should  say  that  there  were  two 
hundred  persons  in  the  Territory  from  my  neighborhood,  from  Platte 
City,  down  in  the  southeastern  part  of  that  county.  A  great  many 
of  those  who  were  on  here,  were  men  who  had  been  here  and  made 
their  claims  and  improvements,  and  many  of  them  are  here  now. 
Judge  Morton,  I  think,  was  not  in  the  Territory.  Judge  Almore  was 
at  this  place  at  the  election.  I  recognise  the  following  names  as,  at 
the  time  of  the  election,  being  citizens  of  Missouri :  Thomas  Beau- 
rnond,  John  B.  Wells,  George  Quinly,  (but  who  is  now  a  citizen  of 
this  county,)  William  3EL  S.  Pratt,  William  J.  Morris,  John  Yenomon, 
N.  A.  Wilkison,  Eandall  A.  Gordon,  Kobert  Pierce,  K.  N.  Chim, 
(now  a  citizen  of  the  Territory,)  E.  T.  Pierce,  F.  Marshall,  Samuel 
R.  Offutt,  A.  P.  Walling,  T.  R.  Buckhard,  James  Doniphan,  William 
Dickie,  (now  in  the  Territory,)  W.  Christerson,  (now  in  the  Terri- 
tory.) Smith  Calvert,  Joseph  Mowers,  C.  E.  Woolfolk,  Jesse  Vine- 
yard,' George  W.  Dye,  John  D.  Harper,  W.  S.  Orffut,  P.  R.  Wag- 
goner, James  Barbee,  Jacob  Pitts,  William  A.  Gabbolt,  A.  Gilbert, 
Isaac  Archer,  J.  C.  Cockrill,  Edward  Duncan,  L.  P.  Styles,  William 
A.  Gurthie,  Samuel  Fernandes,  (now  in  the  Territory,  and  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  the  town,)  Joseph  Halliday,  Joseph  Murphy, 
William  A.  Newman,  Michael  Birch,  H.  G.  Wolf,  (now  clerk  of  the 
court  of  common  pleas,  but  was  not  on  the  30th  of  March.)  These 
are  principally  citizens  about  Weston.  I  could,  by  taking  time,  fur- 
nish a  list  of  those  about  Platte  City  who  came  here  to  vote,  but  my 
memory  of  names  is  poor,  and  I  cannot  now  do  it,  but  a  great  many 
did  come  over.  I  only  know  about  companies  from  other  counties 
coming  over  by  hearsay.  I  saw  a  few  men  from  Ray  county,  some  of 
whom  I  knew,  who  told  me  they  were  coming  over  into  the  Territory. 

By  Governor  King : 

At  a  very  early  day  after  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act, 
it  was  reported  currently  in  the  newspapers,  and  believed,  that  there 
was  a  regular  organization  of  the  abolitionists  of  the  north  to  colonize 
in  this  Territory  their  men,  through  their  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  to 
carry  and  control  the  elections  upon  the  subject  of  slavery  ;  and,  fur- 
thermore, through  this  organization,  to  control  the  institution  of 
slavery  in  Missouri.  Immediately  after  that  there  was  a  great  deal  of 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  929 

feeling  and  excitement  in  the  upper  part  of  Missouri.  It  was  looked 
upon  as  an  intermeddling  with  our  own  business  by  foreigners.  Fol- 
lowing that  immediately  there  were  repeated  public  meetings  in  Platte 
county,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration  the  effort  on  the 
part  of  northern  men,  and  our  duties  in  connexion  with  it.  I  presume 
I  attended  some  four  or  five  of  these  meetings.  There  the  question 
was  freely  and  fully  agitated  as  to  our  duties  in  that  state  of  things, 
and  for  the  purpose  of  defending  ourselves  against  what  we  looked 
upon  as  an  aggression.  In  these  meetings  different  gentlemen  took 
different  positions.  Some  favored  the  idea  of  coming  over  here  and 
meeting  them  by  voting  at  the  elections,  looking  upon  that  as  being 
of  the  same  character  of  opposition  as  practiced  by  northern  peo- 
ple ;  others  approved  that  idea  and  were  in  favor  of  immediate  and 
extensive  emigration  and  settlement.  It  was  ascertained  that  it  would 
be  impossible  to  emigrate  and  settle,  in  time  for  the  election,  men 
enough  to  meet  the  imported  vote.  Then  it  was  finally  determined 
upon,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  large  masses  of  men  were  reported  to  be 
on  their  way  to  the  Territory  in  time  for  the  March  election,  to  send 
over  our  own  men  and  meet  them  in  their  own  way.  I  fully  believe 
that  there  would  not  have  been  any  excitement  in  the  border  counties 
of  Missouri,  or  illegal  voting  in  the  Territory  by  Missourians,  except 
from  the  reasons  above.  It  was  difficult  to  get  the  people  around 
about  it,  and  I  was  one  of  those  who  was  active  in  doing  it.  The 
knowledge  of  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March  was  kept 
back  from  us,  and  before  we  ascertained  what  day  the  election  would 
be  we  heard,  by  general  rumor,  that  numbers  of  persons  were  coming 
up  the  Missouri  river  belonging  to  the  northern  emigrant  society. 
The  rumor  was  currently  circulated  and  generally  believed,  and  our 
action  was  based  upon  this  rumor. 

To  Mr,  Sherman: 

My  impression  is  that  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  was  passed  on  the 
30th  of  May,  1854.  Upon  the  passage  of  that  bill  it  was  generally 
understood  that  Kansas  would  become  a  slave  State,  as  we  intended 
to  do  all  we  could,  legally,  to  make  it  so.  When  the  two  Territories 
were  organized,  under  the  same  bill,  it  seemed  to  be  a  tacid  under- 
standing, universal  among  our  people,  that  Kansas  was  to  be  a  slave 
State  and  Nebraska  a  free  State,  As  soon  as  the  emigrant  aid  socie- 
ties began  to  interfere  with  this  understanding  it  created  a  great  ex- 
citement. Immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  bill,  and,  indeed, 
before  it,  a  number  of  emigrants  came  across  the  river,  all  entertain- 
ing the  common  belief  that  I  have  expressed — that  here  were  two 
Territories,  one  to  be  a  slave  State  and  the  other  free  ;  although  the 
early  settlers  came  over  to  make  money  and  had  not  the  idea  of 
slavery  in  their  minds.  I  am'  willing  to  state,  then,  that  we  always 
acted  under  the  idea  that  slavery  existed  in  the  Territory  since  the 
passage  of  the  bill.  Any  movement  by  societies  or  organizations 
connected  with  foreign  influence  would  have  heated  the  same  excite- 
ment if  it  tended  to  lead  to  the  prohibition  of  slavery.  The  people  of 
Missouri  felt  a  deep  interest  in  establishing  slavery  in  Kansas,  and 
regarded  it  as  necessary  for  their  safety.  My  opinion  is,  that  without 
H.  Kep.  200 ^59* 


930  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

this  foreign  influence  individual  societies  and  organizations  might 
have  gone  on  to  promulgate  their  opinions,  and  put  forth  their  efforts 
to  make  this  a  free  State,  without  ever  having  produced  any  unnatural 
excitement.  The  people  of  Missouri  felt  that  through  the  institutions 
of  Kansas  their  institution  of  slavery  was  to  be  affected.  And  if  they 
had  seen  large  masses  of  free  State  people  settling  here,  that  they 
would  have  endeavored  to  counteract  it  by  throwing  over  their  citi- 
zens as  settlers  of  the  Territory.  I  saw  no  emigration  from  the  north 
of  the  class  I  have  mentioned  coming  up  the  river. 

I  know  Lewis  Burns.  He  lived  in  Weston  on  June  10,  1854.  J. 
H.  E.  CundifF  lived  in  Parkville,  June  10,  1854.  I  have  looked  over 
die  proceedings  of  a  public  meeting,  published  in  the  Parkville  Lumi- 
nary of  June  10,  1854,  of  which  Mr.  Burns  was  president  and  Mr. 
Cundiff  was  secretary.  I  do  not  recognize  the  proceedings  of  that 
meeting  but  the  eighth  and  ninth  resolutions,  which  were  as  follows  : 

8.  Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the  institution  of  slavery  as  already 
existing  in  the  Territory,  and  recommend  to  slaveholders  to  introduce 
their  property  as  fast  as  possible. 

9.  Resolved,  That  we  afford  protection  to  no  abolitionists  as  settlerg 
in  Kansas  Territory. 

According  to  my  belief  they  embody  the  general  sentiment  at  that 
time,  and  which  has  continued  to  the  present  time,  and  is  worse  now 
than  it  was  then.  When  I  speak  of  this  ninth  resolution  I  mean 
abolitionists  in  its  proper  sense.  I  do  not  mean  a  man  who  is  in  favor 
of  a  free  State,  or  a  man  who  may  be  properly  called  a  free-soiler. 
Such  men  I  esteem  to  be  gentlemen  and  have  no  objection  to  their 
settlement  here.  But  by  abolitionists  has  been  understood  here,  in 
this  community,  to  be  men  who  believed  it  to  be  a  virtue  to  steal  and 
run  off  slaves. 

I  was  over  at  the  election  of  November  for  General  Whitfield  ;  and, 
indeed,  have  voted  at  every  election  in  the  Territory,  as  I  regarded 
myself  a  citizen  of  that  Territory  from  the  beginning. 

AMOS  EEES. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


WM.  H.  TEBBS  recalled. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  was  a  member  of  the  last  grand  jury  of  Jefferson  county,  Kansas 
Territory,  which  sat  about  the  2d  Monday  in  March  last,  and  from 
that  time  on  to  the  first  of  April.  Dr.  Francis  was  examined  before 
the  grand  jury.  I  knew  a  Mr.  Hutchinson  a  lawyer  who  was  before 
the  grand  jury.  Mr.  Hutchinson  made  his  appearance  there  in 
Osawkee,  and  after  those  developements  were  made  before  the  grand 
jury  by  Dr.  Francis,  and  he  had  said  that  Mr.  Hutchinson  was  in  the 
lodge  when  he  was  initiated,  we  summoned  him  to  appear  before  us. 
Before  we  asked  him  any  questions  I  gave  him  to  understand  that 
some  developements  had  been  made  before  us.  I  put  questions  to  him 
in  relation  to  this  order,  which  he  immediately  refused  to  answer,  on 
the  ground  that  they  would  criminate  himself,  and  that  we  had  no 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  931 

jurisdiction  over  the  matter,  as  we  were  enquiring  about  what  was  out 
of  our  county.  The  question  was  then  written  out,  and  submitted  to 
Judge  Lecompte,  who  presided,  and  he  decided  it  was  competent. 
When  we  returned  into  the  jury  room  Mr.  Hutchinson  then  imme- 
diately asked  permission  to  go  into  the  court  room  below  and  attend  to 
a  case  he  had  there.  We  told  him  that  as  a  matter  of  courtesy  we 
would  let  him  go,  but  we  would  expect  him  to  return  as  soon  as  he 
got  through  his  case.  We  waited  some  time,  and  he  did  not  return, 
and  he  never  came  back  again,  and  I  have  never  seen  him  since. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

We  had  been  interrogating  him  in  relation  to  this  secret  society  in 
Lawrence.  Judge  Lecompte  held  that  we  had  no  authority  to  enquire 
as  to  what  took  place  in  Lawrence,  unless  we  believed  it  implicated 
some  one  in  our  county.  We  did  so  hold,  and  upon  that  ground  he 
decided  the  enquiry  competent. 

W.  H.  TEBBS. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  4,  1856. 


JOHX  SCOTT  testifies.  v 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

Prior  to  the  election  in  Burr  Oak  precinct,  in  the  fourteenth  district 
on  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  I  had  been  a  resident  of  Missouri 
and  I  then  determined,  if  I  found  it  necessary,  to  become  a  resident  of 
Kansas  Territory.  On  the  day  previous  to  that  election  I  settled  up 
my  board  «,t  my  boarding-house  in  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri,  and  went 
over  to  the  Territory  and  took  boarding  with  Mr.  Bryant,  near  whose 
house  the  polls  were  held  the  next  day,  for  one  month,  so  that  I  might 
have  it  in  my  power,  by  merely  determining  to  do  so,  to  become  a 
resident  of  the  Territory  on  the  day  of  election.  I  was  present  at 
Mr.  Harding' s  when  the  polls  were  held  on  the  morning  of  election 
prior  to  and  at  the  time  the  judges  were  appointed.  When  my  name 
was  suggested  as  a  judge  of  the  election,  no  such  suggestion  had*  been 
made  to  or  in  regard  to  me  that  I  was  aware  of,  until  the  hour  ol 
opening  the  polls  had  arrived,  when,  by  the  absence  of  two  judges 
appointed  by  the  governor,  it  became  necessary  to  select  others  in 
their  places.  When  my  name  was  proposed  as  a  judge  of'  election, 
objections  were  made  by  two  persons  only,  so  far  I  knew,  Messrs. 
Harding  and  Larzelere,  in  regard  to  my  want  of  residence  in  the 
Territory.  I  then  publicly  informed  those  present  that  I  had  a  claim 
in  the  Territory ;  that  I  had  taken  board  in  the  Territory  for  a  month, 
and  that  I  could  at  any  moment  become  an  actual  resident  and  legal 
voter  in  the  Territory,  and  that  I  would  do  so  if  I  concluded  at  any 
time  during  the  day  that  my  vote  would  be  necessary  to  carry  that 
precinct  in  favor  of  the  pro-slavery  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress, 
and  that  I  knew  of  no  law  requiring  a  judge  of  that  election  selected 
by  the  voters  present  to  be  a  resident  of  the  Territory.  I  was  then 
elected,  took  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  governor,  and  faithfully  and 
impartially  discharged  the  duties  of  judge  of  that  election,  swearing 


932  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

every  man  who  offered  to  vote,  and  was  not  known  to  be  an  actual 
resident  of  the  Terriorty,  requiring  each  one  to  state  that  that  was 
his  actual  place  of  residence  in  preference  to  all  other  places.  I  did 
not  during  the  day  consider  it  necessary  to  become  a  resident  of  the 
Territory  for  the  purpose  mentioned,  and  did  not  vote  or  offer  to  vote 
at  that  election.  The  statements  made  by  Alfred  Larzelere  in  his 
testimony  before  this  committee  in  regard  to  my  declaring  myself  a 
citizen  of  the  Territory  is  false,  and  he  knew  it  to  be  so  when  he  made 
it.  Benjamin  Harding,  the  only  judge  appointed  by  the  governor  who 
was  present,  claimed  the  right  publicly  to  select  the  other  two  judges, 
and  undertook  to  exercise  that  right.,  which  caused  a  great  deal  of  ex- 
citement among  the  people  present.  He  also  claimed  the  right  before 
being  ratified  as  judge  to  determine  who  were  and  who  were  not  quali- 
fied to  vote  for  judges,  or  to  be  selected  as  judges  of  election.  Con- 
cluding I  was  not  qualified  to  act  as  judge,  he  refused  to  put  my  name 
to  vote  when  nominated  by  persons  present,  whereupon  it  was  done 
by  some  of  the  bystanders,  and  I  was  almost  unanimously  chosen  judge 
of  that  election  by  those  present.  No  efforts,  that  I  know  of,  were 
made  to  interfere  with  any  one  entitled  to  vote. 
Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

I  held  the  office  of  city  attorney  for  St.  Joseph's  at  that  time,  and 
had  held  it  for  two  or  three  years  previously,  and  continued  to  hold 
it  afterwards  until  this  spring.  I  never  acted  as  judge  of  election  in 
St.  Joseph's  in  my  life.  I  voted  at  an  election  in  St.  Joseph's;  in  the 
spring  of  1855  I  was  re-appointed  city  attorney.  The  question  oi 
slavery  was  put  in  issue  at  the  election  of  November,  1854,  to  the 
same  extent  as  in  every  election  in  this  Territory.  General  Whitfield 
was  regarded  as  the  pro-slavery  candidate,  and  had  been  selected  as 
the  pro-slavery  candidate  by  the  pro-slavery  party.  I  regarded  the 
the  question  of  slavery  as  the  primarily  prominent  issue  at  that  elec- 
tion, -and,  so  far  as  I  know,  all  parties  agreed  in  making  that  question 
ihe  ksue  of  that  election.  My  removal  into  the  Territory  would  have 
vacated  my  office  without  any  resignation  of  my  office,  and  if  I  had 
determined  to  become  a  citizen  of.the  Territory  on  the  day  of  election, 
when  I  acted  as  judge,  my  office  of  city  attorney  of  St.  Joseph's 
would  have  thereby  become  vacated  without  any  further  action  on  my 
part.  It  is  my  intention,  and  the  intention  of  a  great  many  other 
Missomlans,  now  resident  in  Missouri,  whenever  the  slavery  issue  is 
to  :be  determined  upon  by  the  people  of  this  Territory  in  the  adoption 
of  the  State  constitution,  to  remove  to  this  Territory  in  time  to  acquire 
the  right  to  become  legal  voters  upon  that  question.  The  leading 
purpose  of  our  intended  removal  to  the  Territory  is  to  determine  the 
domestic  institutions  of  this  Territory  when  it  comes  to  be  a  State, 
and  we  would  not  come  but  for  that  purpose,  and  would  never  think 
of  coining  here  but  for  that  purpose.  I  believe  there  are  a  great  many 
in  Missouri  who  are  so  situated.  This  is  one  of  the  means  decided 
upon  by  Missourians  to  counteract  the  movements  of  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society  to  determine  the  character  of  the  institutions  of  this  Ter- 
ritory when  it  comes  to  be  a  State. 

JOHN  SCOTT. 
LEAVENWOBTH  CITY,  K.  T.?  May  2T,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  933 


ANDREW  H.  KEEBER  called  and  sworn  : 

1  was  appointed  governor  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  about  July  1, 
1854,,  and  as  soon  as  the  nomination  was  confirmed  by  the  Senate,  I 
proceeded  to  Washington  city,  at  the  request  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  remained  there  till  the  adjournment  of  Congress, 
In  the  first  week  of  August,  engaged  in  procuring  necessary  legislation 
for  the  Territory.  I  returned  to  Easton,  I  think,  on  the  7th  of  Au- 
gust. My  arrangements  for  closing  up  a  most  extensive  private  and 
professional  business,  extending  over  six  counties,  were  seriously  re- 
tarded and  prevented  by  a  term  of  three  weeks'  court  which  followed  ; 
and  on  the  21st  September  I  departed  for  the  Terrritory,  leaving  my 
business  in  a  most  unsatisfactory  condition.  I  landed  at  Fort  Leaven- 
worth  on  Saturday,  the  7th  day  of  October,  and  made  it  my  first 
business  to  obtain  information  of  the  geography,  settlements,  popu- 
lation, and  general  condition  of  the  Territory,  with  a  view  to  its 
division  into  districts,  the  defining  of  their  boundaries,  the  ascertain- 
ment of  suitable  and  central  places  for  elections,  and  the  full  names 
of  men  in  each  district  for  election  officers,  persons  to  take  the  census, 
justices  of  the  peace,  and  constables.  In  a  very  few  days  I  discovered 
that  the  procurement  of  this  knowledge,  in  consequence  of  the  new- 
ness of  the  population,  was  utterly  impossible,  by  any  other  means 
than  by  a  tour  through  the  Territory.  I  found  that,  unlike  most  new 
Territories,  the  settlements  of  which  cluster  along  a  single  line,  the 
small  population  of  Kansas  was  sparsely  distributed  over  a  surface  of 
about  20,000  square  miles.  With  some  trouble  arising  from  the 
want  of  travelling  facilities,  I  made  the  necessary  arrangements,  and 
on  the  14th  of  October  I  left,  with  two  of  the  Territorial  judges, 
Messrs.  Elmore  and  Johnson,  the  district  attorney,  Mr.  Isaacs,  the 
United  States  marshal^  Mr.  Donaldson,  and  my  private  secretary, 
Mr.  Williams,  for  a  trip  into  the  interior,  to  procure  the  requisite  in- 
formation. The  secretary  and  chief  justice  had  not  then  arrived  in 
the  Territory.  I  took  in  the  route  the  payments  of  the  Pottawat- 
omie  and  Kansas  Indians,  where  a  large  number  of  whites  as  well  as 
Indians  were  assembled  ;  and  having  made  full  notes  of  all  the  inform- 
ation procured  from  Indians  and  whites,  I  completed  my  trip,  and 
arrived  at  Fort  Leavenworth  on  the  7th  of  November.  I  then  saw 
that  if  the  election  for  delegate  to  Congress  (which  required  no  pre- 
vious census)  should  be  postponed  till  an  election  could  be  had  for 
legislature,  with  its  preliminary  census  and  apportionment,  the 
greater  part  of  the  session,  which  would  terminate  on  the  4th  of  March, 
would  expire  before  our  congressional  delegate  could  reach  ,Washing- 
ton  ;  and  I  deemed  it  best  to  order  an  election  for  a  delegate  to  Con- 
gress as  early  as  possible,  and  to  postpone  the  taking  of  the  census 
till  after  that  election.  I  was  more  convinced  of  the  propriety  of  this 
course,  by  the  fact  that  the  common  law  and  many  of  the  United 
States  statutes  were  in  force  over  the  Territory,  and  could  well  be  ad- 
ministered through  the  courts  established  by  Congress,  and  the  jus- 
tices and  constables  whom  I  was  authorized  to  appoint ;  and  by  the 
additional  fact  that  whilst  the  citizens  of  Missouri  were  vehemently 


934  .KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

urging  an  immediate  election  of  the  legislature,  the  citizens  of  the 
Territory  were  generally  of  the  opinion  that  no  immediate  necessity 
for  it  existed.  I  prepared,  without  delay,  a  division  of  the  Territory 
into  election  districts,  defined  by  natural  boundaries,  easily  understood 
and  known,  fixed  a  place  of  election  in  each,  appointed  election  offi- 
cers for  each  poll,  and  ordered  an  election  for  congressional  delegate 
to  take  place  on  the  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  and  by  the  15th  of 
November  my  proclamations  were  issued,  containing  a  description  of 
the  districts,  with  all  the  necessary  information,  instructions,  and 
forms. 

These  proclamations  were  immediately  distributed  by  express 
throughout  the  Territory.  About  the  24th  of  November  the  want 
of  necessary  conveniences  induced  me  to  remove  the  executive  office 
to  Shawnee  Mission.  By  the  fifth  of  December  the  returns  of  the 
congressional  election  were  made,  and  on  the  sixth  a  certificate  of 
election  was  issued  to  J.  W.  Whitfield,  who  stood  highest  on  the 
return.  Immediately  thereafter  public  business  called  me  into  the 
interior  of  the  Territory,  and,  having  attended  to  the  same,  and  also 
to  some  private  business  incidentally,  which  latter,  however,  did  not 
detain  me  over  two  days;  I  returned  to  my  office  about  the  first  of  Jan- 
nary,  and  immediately  commenced  the  preparation  of  books  arid  pre- 
cepts for  taking  the  census,  preparatory  to  an  election  for  the  legisla- 
ture. Much  unavoidable  delay  occurred  in  the  proceeding  from  the 
want  of  mail  and  travelling  facilities,  the  difficulty  of  notifying  the 
various  and  more  remote  persons  appointed  to  take  the  census,  from 
the  sparseness  of  the  population  in  making  the  enumeration  and  re- 
turn ;  and  yet  in  less  than  seventy  days  the  census  books  and  the  in- 
structions were  distributed  over  the  entire  Territory,  and  the  enumera- 
tion was  fully  completed  and  returned.  A  return  day  was  fixed  in  the 
precept  of  each  census  taker,  but  several  of  them  found  it  necessary 
to  prolong  the  time  in  order  to  complete  their  work,  and  the  last  re- 
turns were  made  late  in  the  evening  of  Saturday,  the  third  of  March. 
I  immediately  proceeded  to  make  the  apportionment,  designate  such 
new  election  precincts  as  had  become  necessary,  to  appoint  election 
officers,  and  to  prepare  necessary  forms  and  instructions  ;  and  on  the 
fcixth  or  seventh  of  March  my  proclamation  for  the  election  on  the 
thirtieth  was  completed,  and  despatched  by  express  to  the  printing 
office,  about  forty  miles  distant ;  a  large  number  of  copies  were  re- 
ceived by  me  of  the  printer,  and  immediately  distributed  through  the 
Territory,  under  arrangements  previously  matured  for  that  purpose. 
The  precise  day  of  the  election  was  never  fixed  by  me,  or  communi- 
cated to  any  one  else,  at  home  or  abroad,  until  about  the  sixth  of 
March,  when  I  was  writing  the  proclamation.  Before  the  returns  of 
the  census  had  been  all  received  it  was  impossible  to  fix  the  precise 
day,  and  I  could  only  judge  that  the  election  would  probably  take 
place  about  the  twenty-fifth  to  the  twenty-eighth  of  March,  and  I  did 
not  hesitate  so  to  state,  without  reserve,  to  citizens  of  the  Territory 
who  made  inquiry.  I  so  stated  to  a  number  of  prominent  men  of  the 
pro-slavery  party,  and  it  was  editorially  announced  in  the  Frontier 
News,  published  at  Westport,  some  time  before  the  election,  (I  think 
more  than  four  weeks  before,)  that  the  election  would  take  place  on 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  935 

the  twenty-eighth  of  March.  Among  the  gentlemen  to  whom  I  rec- 
ollect having  communicated  this  information  were  Thomas  Johnson, 
A.  S.  Johnson,  Daniel  Woodson,  and  John  A.  Halderman,  all  prom- 
inent men  in  the  pro-slavery  party.  The  first  men  to  whom  the  pre- 
cise day  was  made  known  after  I  had  determined  it  were  Daniel 
Woodson  and  John  A.  Halderman,  esqs.,  which  was  on  the  sixth  or 
seventh  of  March,  and  it  was  at  once  made  public  by  them  and  my- 
self. I  did  not  hesitate  at  any  time  to  state  to  persons  around  me,  of 
both  parties,  all  that  I  could  know  myself  in  relation  to  the  day  of 
election,  and  I  did  not  communicate  it  to  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
or  their  agents,  or  to  any  one  else  in  the  States,  except,  perhaps,  to 
some  persons  in  the  State  of  Missouri.  In  the  appointment  of  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  constables,  census  takers,  and  officers  of  election,  I 
was  careful  to  select  men  indiscriminately  from  both  parties,  with  a 
view  to  treat  all  persons  fairly,  and  afford  no  cause  of  complaint.  At 
the  election  of  the  twenty-ninth  of  November  a  large  majority  of  the 
officers  of  election  were,  as  I  believe,  pro-slavery  men.  Of  the  twelve 
men  appointed  to  take  the  census  six  were  pro-slavery  men.  A  fail- 
proportion  of  the  justices  and  constables  were  also  pro-slavery  men. 
My  private  secretary,  Mr.  Williams,  having  resigned,  in  November, 
1854,  I  appointed  a  pro-slavery  man,  John  A.  Halderman,  esq.,  who 
served  until  July  1,  1855.  At  the  election  of  the  thirtieth  of  March 
more  than  one-third  of  the  election  officers  were,  as  I  believe,  pro- 
slavery  men.  Anticipating,  however,  an  invasion  of  illegal  voters 
from  the  State  of  Missouri,  I  was  careful  to  appoint  in  most  of  the 
districts,  especially  in  those  contiguous  to  Missouri,  two  men  of  the 
free-State  party  and  one  of  the  pro-slavery  party.  Notwithstanding 
all  my  efforts,  however,  at  fair  and  impartial  action,  my  person  and 
my  life  were  continuously  threatened  from  the  month  of  November, 
1854.  As  early  as  the  15th  day  of  November,  1854,  a  meeting  was 
held  at  Leavenworth,  composed  almost  exclusively  of  Missourians, 
presided  over  by  a  citizen  of  Missouri,  at  which  I  was  bitterly  de- 
nounced, and  a  committee  appointed,  composed  partly  of  citizens  of 
Missouri,  who  waited  upon  me,  and  insisted  upon  an  immediate  elec-' 
tion  for  the  legislature.  Their  communication  and  my  reply  can  be 
found  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day.  This  meeting  was  held  imme- 
diately after  the  appearance  of  my  first  proclamation,  and  is  gener- 
ally attributed  by  both  parties  to  the  fact  that  that  proclamation  con- 
tained a  provision  for  contesting  elections  before  me  illegally  held, 
and  did  not  provide  for  an  election  for  the  legislature.  The  election 
was  held  on  the  thirtieth  of  March,  as  ordered,  and  an  invading  force 
from  Missouri  entered  the  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  voting,  which, 
although  it  had  been  openly  threatened,  far  exceeded  my  anticipa- 
tions. About  the  time  fixed  as  the  return  day  for  that  election  a  ma- 
jority of  the  persons  returned  as  elected  assembled  at  Shawnee  Mis- 
sion and  Westport,  and  remained  several  days,  holding  private  cau- 
cuses at  both  places.  I  had  frequent  conversations  with  them,  and 
they  strenuously  denied  my  right  to  go  behind  the  returns  made  by 
the  judges  of  the  election,  or  investigate  in  any  way  the  legality  of 
the  election.  A  committee  called  upon  me  and  presented  a  paper, 
signed  by  twenty-three  or  twenty-four  of  them,  to  the  same  effect. 


936  KANSAS   AFFAIKS. 

Threats  of  violence  against  my  person  and  life  were  freely  afloat  in 
the  community,  and  the  same  threats  were  reported  to  me  as  having 
"been  made  hy  members  elect  in  their  private  caucuses.  In  conse- 
quence of  its  being  reported  to  me  that  a  number  of  the  members  in 
their  caucuses  in  their  speeches  had  declared  that  they  would  take 
my  Kfe  if  I  persisted  in  taking  cognizance  of  the  complaints  made 
against  the  legality  of  the  elections,  I  made  arrangements  to  assem- 
ble a  small  number  of  friends  for  defence,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
sixth  of  April  I  proceeded  to  announce  my  decision  upon  the  returns. 
Upon  the  one  side  of  the  room  were  arrayed  the  members  elect,  nearly 
if  not  quite  all  armed,  and  on  the  other  side  about  fourteen  of  my  friends, 
who,  with  myself,  were  also  well  armed.  My  official  action  upon 
those  election  returns  was  entered  upon  the  executive  minutes,  and  is 
already  in  the  possession  of  the  committee.  Lwas  not  then  aware  of 
the  frauds  perpetrated  in  the  other  districts,  which  were  not  set  aside, 
as  no  complaints  had  been  filed,  and  the  facts  had  not  been  commu- 
nicated to  me.  Sufficient  opportunity  for  contesting  the  election  had 
been  given  by  the  proclamation.  The  form  of  complaint  required  was 
very  simple,  and  full  five  days,  exclusive  of  the  day  of  the  election, 
were  allowed  for  filing  it.  The  most  remote  polls  were  within  three 
days'  journey,  or  less,  of  my  office,  which  was  kept  open  till  mid- 
night of  the  last  day.  The  reasons  why  they  were  not  contested  have 
been  already  stated  by  other  witnesses.  I  left  the  Territory  about  the 
middle  of  April,  and  came  east  for  the  purpose  of  taking  out  my 
family  and  attending  to  private  business,  as  well  as  for  the  purpose  of 
consulting  with  the  President  in  regard  to  the  state  of  things  in  the 
Territory.  In  the  month  of  December,  1855,  or  January,  1856,  I 
communicated  my  intention  to  the  town  association  of  Pawnee  to  call 
the  legislature  at  that  place,  provided  they  would  erect  a  suitable 
building  for  their  accommodation,  which  they  did.  About  the  time 
of  the  decision  on  the  returns  of  the  election  the  members  elect  then 
assembled  requested  that  I  should  convene  them  at  the  Shawnee  Mis- 
sion, which  I  could  not  consent  to  do,  inasmuch  as  the  Pawnee  Asso- 
ciation had  already  expended  considerable  money  in  the  erection  of 
their  building,  and  because  I  did  not  consider  the  Shawnee  Mission  a 
suitable  place  for  their  meeting.  They  immediately  declared  their 
intention  to  adjourn  to  the  Mission  if  convened  at  Pawnee,  and  au- 
thorized Kev.  Thomas  Johnson  to  purchase  furniture,  bedding,  and 
provisions  for  their  accommodation  at  the  Mission.  Before  leaving 
the  Territory  I  issued  my  proclamation  for  convening  the  legislature 
at  the  town  of  Pawnee  on  the  second  day  of  July.  I  returned  to  the 
Territory  about  the  twenty-fourth  of  June,  and  proceeded  to  Pawnee, 
where  the  legislature  met  on  the  day  appointed.  The  building  in 
which  they  assembled  was  of  stone,  two  stories  high,  about  forty  feet 
by  eighty,  well  provided  with  seats  and  writing-tables.  Ample  ac- 
commodations for  boarding  and  lodging  existed  in  the  town  :  a  com- 
fortable boarding-house,  kept  by  Major  Klotz,  which  would  have  ac- 
commodated forty  or  fifty  ;  a  large  boarding-house,  kept  by  Mr.  Tee- 
pies,  which  would  have  accommodated  at  least  twenty  ;  another 
boarding-house,  kept  by  Mr.  Knapp,  which  would  have  accommo- 
dated nearly  as  many ;  and  a  comfortable  boarding-house,  kept  by 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  937 

Mr.  Lowe,  at  the  fort,  which  would  accommodate  from  fifteen  to 
twenty — this  was  ahout  two  miles  distant,  and  a  carriage  was  run 
back  and  forwards  for  the  accommodation  of  their  hoarders.  Ahout 
the  sixth  of  July  they  adjourned  from  that  place  to  Shawnee  Mission. 
The  disagreement  between  the  legislature  and  myself  as  to  this  removal, 
and  all  subsequent  proceedings,  are  already  in  the  possession  of  the 
committee.  I  was  removed  from  office  the  last  of  July,  and  received 
notice  on  the  fifteenth  of  August.  During  my  presence  in  the  States 
I  went  to  the  city  of  Washington,  where  I  arrived  in  the  beginning 
of  May,  1855.  I  at  once  saw  President  Pierce,  and  had  a  full  con- 
sultation with  him  on  the  state  of  things  in  Kansas,  which  was  pro- 
tracted for  more  than  two  weeks,  and  kept  up  almost  daily.  I  gave 
him,  in  the  fullest  manner,  all  the  information  which  I  had  upon  the 
subject,  and  endeavored  to  impress  upon  him  the  conviction  which 
was  upon  my  mind,  that  unless  some  decided  course  was  taken  the 
actual  settlers  of  the  Territory  would  be  subjected  to  most  cruel  per- 
secution ;  that  there  was  evidently  a  settled  determination  on  the  part 
of ,  the  border  counties  of  Missouri — strong  in  men  and  means — to  de- 
prive them  of  the  right  of  governing  themselves  and  regulating  their 
own  affairs.  I  stated  to  him  that  the  seizure  of  the  polls  at  the  two 
elections  which  had  been  held,  together  with  the  intermeddling  and 
tyrannic  spirit  which  pervaded  the  entire  action  of  our  Missouri  neigh- 
bors, concurred  with  all  the  information  I  had  received  to  convince 
me  that  there  was  a  settled  determination,  by  intimidation  and  force, 
to  subjugate  the  Territory  entirely  to  their  will,  in  defiance  of  the 
right  of  the  majority  and  the  principle  of  the  organic  law.  I  had 
learned  some  new  facts  since  the  grant  of  the  certificates  of  election, 
which  I  also  made  known  to  him.  Indeed,  I  stated  to  him  all  my 
knowledge  and  all  my  views  in  the  most  candid  manner,  for  I  had 
still  the  fullest  confidence  that  he  would  share  all  my  indignation  at 
the  gross  wrong  of  this  foreign  interference.  I  had  several  times 
written  him  on  this  subject  from  the  Territory.  Immediately  after 
the  election  of  the  twenty-ninth  of  November,  at  which  the  most  dis- 
graceful scenes  had  been  enacted,  I  wrote  him  fully  what  had  taken 
place,  and  expressed  my  views  on  the  subject  without  reserve.  Pre- 
vious to  that  election  I  had  also  written  him,  and  that  such  an  inva- 
sion was  openly  threatened,  but  expressed  the  opinion  that,  by  careful 
provisions  in  my  proclamation,  I  could  counteract  it,  for  I  did  not 
then  credit  that  it  would  be  carried  to  such  extremes  of  recklessness 
and  violence.  A  short  time  previous  to  the  election  of  the  thirtieth 
of  March  I  had  again  written  him  that  the  same  thing  was  again 
threatened.  These  letters,  however,  were  private,  and  I  now  see  that 
I  committed  an  error  in  making  them  so  ;  but  I  then  had  confidence 
,  that  he  felt  upon  the  subject  as  I  did,  and  that  the  cause  of  truth  and 
Justice  would  be  best  subserved  by  intrusting  the  whole  matter  to 
:his  discretion,  without  forestalling  or  hampering  his  future  action. 
iThe  President,  in  our  interviews,  expressed  himself  highly  pleased 
and  satisfied  with  my  course,  and  in  the  most  unequivocal  language 
approved  and  endorsed  all  I  had  done.  He  expressed  some  regret, 
however,  that  my  speech  in  Easton  had  omitted  all  allusion  to  the 
illegalities  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  thought  it  was  perhaps 


938 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


unnecessarily  strong  in  its  denunciation  of  the  Missouri  invasion.  I 
told  him  I  had  no  knowledge  of  the  operations  of  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Company  except  what  was  before  the  whole  public,  and  that  so  long 
as  they  had  not  sent  out  men  merely  to  vote  and  not  to  settle,  (of 
which  I  had  no  evidence  and  which  I  did  not  believe,)  I  could  not  con- 
sistently denounce  their  course  as  illegal.  He  stated  that  this  Kansas 
matter  had  given  him  more  harassing  anxiety  than  anything  that  had 
happened  since  the  loss  of  his  son ;  that  it  haunted  him  day  and  night, 
and  was  the  great  overshadowing  trouble  of  his  administration.  Hd 
stated  that  the  most  pertinacious  complaints  of  me  had  been  made  to 
him,  and  the  most  urgent  demands  had  been  made  for  my  removal 
upon  every  ground  that  could  be  got  up  ;  that  Gen.  Atchison  pressed 
it  in  the  most  excited  manner,  and  would  listen  to  no  reasoning  at  all. 
As  to  the  charges  of  purchasing  Indian  lands  and  interests  in  towns, 
he  said  he  was  entirely  satisfied  as  to  the  former,  that  it  was  all  fair 
and  honorable,  and  that  hundreds  had  done  so  before  me — ridiculed 
Mr.  Mannypenny's  objection  to  it,  and  said  he  had  rebuked  him  when 
he  talked  to  him  of  it ;  he  was,  nevertheless,  sorry,  under  the  circum- 
stances of  this  case,  that  I  had  made  any  purchases,  as  they  made  a 
pretext  for  my  enemies  to  annoy  him  with  demands  for  my  removal. 
As  to  the  purchases  of  town  property  he  said  he  was  entirely  satisfied, 
from  his  confidence  in  me,  that  they  were  all  right,  but  he  wished  me 
to  explain  them  to  him  and  refer  to  the  acts  of  Congress  under  which 
towns  were  laid  out,  so  that  he  might  be  prepared  to  justify  me  and 
himself  when  the  subject  came  up  before  him.  I  accordingly  gave  him 
all  the  information  on  the  subject,  both  as  to  law  and  fact,  which  was 
in  my  power,  and  stated  what  was  the  fact,  that  in  no  one  case  had  li 
been  concerned  as  an  original  projector  in  the  laying  out  of  any  town,, 
but  in  every  case  had  acquired  my  interest  subject  to  the  original  lay- 
ing out.  He  expressed  himself  satisfied  except  that  he  thought  the' 
act  of  Mny  28,  1844,  did  not  authorize  the  laying  out  of  towns  except! 
on  lands  which  had  been  surveyed.  I  replied  that  the  Commissioner 
of  the  Land  Office  had  so  construed  the  act  as  to  recognise  towns' 
which  had  been  laid  out  before  the  survey,  and  that  Mr.  Wilson  would! 
go  state  to  him  if  he  would  inquire  ;  and  that  this  construction  wags 
right  and  necessary,  for  it  was  idle  to  expect  the  Territory  to  be  settled 
if  it  was  to  remain  two  years  without  towns.  He  expressed  himself 
satisfied,  and  the  subject  was  then  dropped.  He  wished  no  explana- 
tion nor  found  any  fault  as  to  the  contract  for  half-breed  Kaw  lands, 
but,  as  I  have  already  stated,  he  expressed  himself,  in  strong  language, 
entirely  satisfied  as  to  the  fairness  and  honorable  character  of  thec 
transaction. 

I,  however,  pressed  that  and  another  matter  upon  his  attention.  The* 
contracts  for  these  lands  had  been  before  him  with  the  accompanying, 
papers  in  the  month  of  January  previous,  and  upon  Mr.  Mannypenny'gi 
making  a  most  violent  and  high-tempered  report  against  them  uponr 
the  grounds  of  unfairness,  as  well  as  of  technical  want  of  conformity 
to  the  rules  of  the  department,  he  had  returned  them  to  me,  simply 
declining  to  confirm  them.  I  now  called  his  attention  to  them  again, 
and,  as  he  had  expressed  himself  fully  satisfied  of  their  honesty  and  fair- 
ness, I  requested  him  to  examine  the  additional  papers  and  depositions 
which  we  had  procured  to  supply  technical  defects  and  a  legal  argu-| 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  939 

ment  I  had  made  to  demonstrate,  from  the  decisions  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  opinions  of  the  Attorney  Generals, 
that  the  whole  case  and  all  we  had  to  say  upon  it  was  "before  him,  and 
requested  him  to  examine  them  and  decide  it.  He  asked  me  to  hand 
the  papers  to  Gov.  McClelland,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  and  I  did  so. 
The  second  matter  to  which  I  called  his  attention  was  the  town  site  of 
Pawnee.  I  had  informed  him  that  my  proclamation  named  that 
place  for  the  meeting  of  the  legislature,  and  gave  him,  as  a  reason  for 
so  doing,  that  it  was  remote  from  the  influence  of  Missouri.  He  ap- 
proved of  it  very  cordially,  and  a  day  or  two  thereafter  I  complained 
to  him  of  what  I  considered  the  unfair  action  of  the  War  Department. 
I  stated  to  him  that  as  soon  as  it  was  ascertained  or  suspected  that  I 
would  call  the  legislature  together  at  that  place,  it  was  at  once  assail- 
ed through  the  press  and  otherwise  to  break  it  down;  that  a  free- 
State  population  recently  had  commenced  settling  in  and  around  it ; 
that  it  was  obvious  its  natural  advantages  would  attract  emigrants  ; 
that  its  distance  from  Missouri  would  constitute  a  great  objection  to 
the  projectors  and  friends  of  the  foreign  invasion  of  our  Territory, 
whilst  the  same  reasons  would,  in  a  few  years,  make  it  a  rallying 
point  for  northern  men,  and  draw  about  it  a  large  settlement ;  that 
this  was  foreseen  by  the  Missourians,  and  hence  their  hostility  to  it 
and  their  determination  to  break  it  up  ;  that  I  had  been  informed  by 
a  reputable  and  credible  citizen  of  Missouri  that  General  Atchison  had 
written  to  General  Davis  on  the  subject,  and  that  difficulties  had  been 
started  in  regard  to  the  military  reserve  of  Fort  Eiley,  and  as  to  a  dis- 
pute between  the  commanding  officer  there  and  a  couple  of  intruders, 
which  had  so  resulted  as  that  the  War  Department  had  declared  it, 
wrongfully  as  I  believed,  within  the  military  reservation  ;  that  after 
a  number  of  houses  had  been  erected,  besides  a  large  hall  for  the  meet- 
ing of  the  legislature,  and  after  it  was  known  throughout  the  States 
that  my  proclamation  had  convened  the  legislature  there.  I  explained 
that  Colonel  Montgomery  had  been  ordered  to  survey  and  proclaim 
a  military  reservation  at  that  place,  and  not  being  prepared  to  do  so 
early  enough  to  keep  off  settlers,  had  made  a  provisional  reservation 
without  survey  of  ten  miles  by  eighteen,  until  he  could  fully  comply 
with  the  order  by  selecting  what  land  he  would  want,  and  surveying 
and  proclaiming  it.  That  in  the  mean  time  some  of  the  officers  of  the 
post,  the  sutler,  and  some  other  gentlemen,  had  conceived  the  idea  of 
a  town  in  that  vicinity,  and  some  of  them  had  addressed  Col.  Mont- 
gomery a  letter,  stating  their  wish  to  lay  out  a  town,  designating  two 
places  which  they  supposed  he  would  not  include  when  he  came  to 
survey  his  reservation,  and  asking  his  permission  to  use  one  of  the 
points  for  the  purpose  contemplated ;  that  the  Colonel,  although  not 
yet  prepared  exactly  to  define  the  reserve  he  would  make,  was  satis- 
rfied  that  one  of  the  places  they  named  would  not  be  needed  or  included 
by  him,  and  had,  in  his  reply  to  their  letter,  so  informed  them,  and 
•that  he  had  no  objection  to  their  taking  possession  of  it ;  that  they 
had  accordingly  proceeded  to  locate  and  lay  out  upon  this  ground  the 
town  of  Pawnee  ;  that  all  this  had  happened  in  the  summer  before 
I  had  arrived  in  the  Territory,  or  had  any  knowledge  of  the  town,  or 
the  men  who  had  laid  it  out ;  that  in  November,  1854,  in  our  tour 


940  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

through  the  Territory  we  had  stopped  at  the  fort,  and  were  very  hos- 
pitably treated  by  the  officers,  and  were  then  for  the  first  time  made 
acquainted  with  the  fact  that  such  a  town  existed.  The  officers  and 
sutler  of  the  post  showed  us  their  town  site,  informed  us  that  it  was 
outside  of  the  reserve,  and,  as  a  matter  of  courtesy  to  the  five  Terri- 
torial officers,  including  myself,  whom  I  have  mentioned  as  constitu- 
ting our  party,  presented  to  each  of  us  a  share,  being  one  twenty-fifth 
part,  at  the  same  price  as  the  original  stockholders  had  theirs,  viz  :  a 
proportion  of  expenses,  which  we  of  course  accepted  ;  that  the  officers 
of  the  post  were  probably  led  into  this  project  by  the  fact  that  the 
same  thing  had  been  done  by  a  number  of  citizens  and  officers  at  Fort 
Leavenworth,  who  had  laid  out  a  town  upon  ground  excluded  from 
the  Leavenworth  military  reserve,  and  that  the  Secretary  of  War,  in 
a  correspondence  arising  out  of  the  transaction,  had  defended  them 
and  approved  the  act ;  that  Colonel  Montgomery  had,  subsequently  to 
the  laying  out  of  the  town,  made  and  returned  a  survey  of  so  much  of 
the  one  hundred  and  eighty  square  miles  as  he  needed  for  the  purposes 
of  a  reserve  at  the  post,  and,  to  exhibit  the  whole  transaction,  had 
returned  a  draught  showing  the  lines  of  the  surveyed  reserve,  the 
lines  of  the  town  adjoining  it,  and  the  correspondence  to  which  I 
have  alluded ;  that  Quartermaster  General  Jesup  had  endorsed  the 
return  "  recommended  to  be  approved  according  to  Colonel  Mont- 
gomery's draught  and  specifications,"  the  effect  of  which  would  have 
been  to  exclude  the  town ;  that  the  Secretary  of  War,  instead  of  fol- 
lowing or  adopting  the  recommendation  of  General  Jesup,  had  en- 
dorsed the  return  u  recommended  to  be  approved  according  to  Colonel 
Montgomery's  draught,  as  shown  by  the  exterior  lines."  the  effect  oi 
which  was,  by  excluding  all  except  the  draught  and  adopting  the 
exterior  lines,  to  extend  the  reserve  over  the  town  with  all  its  inhabi- 
tants and  improvements ;  and  as  this  recommendation  had  been  approved 
by  himself  (the  President)  probably  without  being  aware  of  its  object 
or  effect,  which  would  be  discrediting  and  disastrous  to  the  free-State 
party  of  the  Territory,  I  stated  to  him  that  if  he  did  not  choose  to  re- 
voke his  approval  and  adopt  the  recommendation  of  General  Jesup, 
the  same  result  might  perhaps  be  effected  if  the  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior would  include  the  town  in  the  public  surveys.  He  stated  that 
lie  was  not  aware  of  the  condition  of  things  when  he  approved  of  the 
reserve,  regretted  that  he  did  not  know  it,  and  requested  me  to  call 
upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  and  state  to  him  the  facts,  and  he 
would  afterwards  have  a  consultation  with  him.  I  accordingly  called 
upon  Governor  McClelland,  and,  after  a  conversation  with  him,  was 
referred  by  him  to  General  Wilson,  Commissioner  of  the  Land  Office. 
to  whom  I  also  stated  the  facts.  The  conversations  in  regard  to  thei 
purchases  of  half-breed  lands  and  the  town  of  Pawnee  took  place  at 
different  times  throughout  our  interviews,  although  I  have  stated 
them  here  separately,  for  the  sake  of  convenience.  I  stated  to  hinu 
also,,  that  the  Secretary  of  War,  by  adopting  all  the  reductions  of  the 
provisional  reserve  ascertained  by  the  survey,  with  the  exception 
the  town  plot  alone,  had  abandoned  the  provisional  reserve  and  recog-; 
nised  the  survey,  in  contradistinction  to  the  provisional  reserve,  as 
compliance  with  the  original  order.  I  also  informed  him  that  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  941 

Secretary  of  War  had  commissioned  Generals  Churchill  and  Clark  to 
proceed  to  Fort  Kileyto  investigate  and  report,  and,  as  it  was  entirely 
obvious  that  the  town  plot,  a  part  of  which  extended  at  least  two  miles 
from   the   fort,  afforded  neither  water  nor   timber,  I  had  no   doubt 
Generals  Clark  and  Churchill  would  recommend  the  exclusion,  (as  I 
have  since  learned  they  did.)     The  two  subjects  to  which  I  have  al- 
luded were  discussed  incidentally  during  our  interviews,  but  the  prin- 
cipal question  which  occupied  our  attention  was  the  general  political 
condition  of  the  people  of  the  Territory.     He  was  profuse  in  his  ex- 
pressions of  approval  of  my  course,  but  expressed  himself  deeply- 
solicitous  as  to  the  probable  consequences  of  my  return  to  the  Terri- 
tory.    He  declared  that,  in  the  excited  state  of  the  community,  he 
was  fearful  of  personal  violence  to  myself;  and  that  if  violence  was 
committed  upon  me  the  whole  North  would  be  inflamed,  civil  war 
would  probably  ensue,  and  no  man  could  predict  the  result.     He  re- 
peated this,  and  enlarged  upon  it  much  and  often;  said  that  it  would 
be  a  fearful  calamity,  the  beginning  of  the  end,  &c.,  concluding  with 
the  opinion  that  it  would  be  unsafe  for  myself,  and  for  the  country, 
that  I  should  return  to  Kansas  in  the  capacity  of  governor.     I  told 
him  promptly  and  decidedly  that  I  would  not  resign  the  office  ;  that 
two  considerations  forbade  me  to  think  of  it ;  that,  as  things  now 
stood,  the  executive  office  in  my  hands  was  the  only  means  of  pro- 
tection for  the  people  against  the  persecutions  and  oppressions  which 
had  been  perpetrated,  and  would  be  continued,  from  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri ;  that  it  would  be  base  and  dishonorable  in  me  to  betray  and 
abandon  them,  and  that  no  considerations  of  personal  danger  to  my- 
self would  induce  me  to  think  of  it;  that,  besides  this  consideration, 
the  whole  country  had  resounded  with  threats  against  myself  in  case 
I  should  return,  and  that  a  resignation  of  my  office  under  such  cir- 
cumstances would  be  attributed  to  pusillanimity  and  cowardice.     He 
concurred  in  this  view  of  the  case,  and  proposed  to  effect  all  that  was 
desirable  for  the  public  safety  and  for  the  public  good  by  removing 
me  from  office  in  a  way  that  would  obviate  all  my  objections,  and  pro- 
ceeded at  length  to  give  his  ideas  as  to  what  should  be  done.     He  pro- 
posed that  I  should  make  to  him  in  writing  a  full  report  of  all  the 
proceedings  in  the  Territory,  with  my  views  and  opinions,  referring 
the  whole  subject  and  the  remedy  to  him,  and  professing  to  my  wil- 
lingness to  abide  by  any  plan  he  should  adopt  for  redressing  the 
existing  wrongs  and  adjusting  the  present  difficulties  ;  that  he  would 
reply  in  writing  to  this  communication,  and  would  take  upon  himself 
the  responsibility  of  removing  me  from  office  as  a  part  of  the  remedy, 
and^  at  the  same  time  would  give  the  most  full,  satisfactory,  and  un- 
equivocal approbation  of  my  course ;  that  whilst  he  would  declare  my 
removal  to  be  necessary  in  order  to  allay  the  existing  excitement  and 
bring  about  a  more  calm  and  sober  state  of  public  feeling,  and  avert 
the  danger  of  violence  or  outbreak,  he  would  exonerate  me  from  all 
blame  in  producing  that  excitement;  that,  in  order  fully  to  testify  the 
sincerity  of  his  approbation,  he  would  confer  upon  me  some  unmis- 
takable mark  of  his  favor,  and  xwent  on  to  say  that  the  mission  to 
China  would  be  very  shortly  vacant  by  the  return  of  Mr.  McLane,  to 
which  vacancy  he  would  appoint  me  at  once.  To  his  written  answer  he 


942  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

proposed  that  I  should  reply  by  saying,  in  effect,  that  I  was  not  pre- 
pared to  say  he  had  acted  unwisely.  After  considerable  discussion 
and  much  reflection  upon  this  proposition,  I  finally  answered  that  if 
we  could  both  agree  upon  the  terms  of  the  entire  correspondence  be- 
tween us,  and  if  I  could  be  satisfied  that  our  people  would  be  as  fully 
cared  for  and  protected  as  if  I  remained  in  office,  and  a  successor 
would  be  appointed  who  would  resist  the  aggressive  invasions  from 
Missouri,  I  would  co-operate  with  him.  He  assured  me  that  the  lat- 
ter conditions  should  be  complied  with,  and  said  there  would  be  no 
difficulty  in  agreeing  mutually  upon  the  correspondence.  He  re- 
quested me  then  to  prepare  my  communication,  which  I  did,  and 
submitted  it  to  him.  He  retained  it  one  day,  and  then  suggested 
various  modifications.  After  discussing  them  it  was  agreed  I  should 
re-write  it,  which  I  did,  and  submitted  it  to  him  a  second  time.  This 
did  not  entirely  meet  his  approbation,  and  he  again  suggested  altera- 
tions and  modifications.  He  then  informed  me  that  despatches  had 
been  received  from  Mr.  McLane  in  England  which  seemed  to  indicate 
the  necessity  of  his  returning  in  person  to  China,  and  expressed  his 
fears  that  it  would  be  out  of  his  power  to  confer  upon  me  that  ap- 
pointment, but  that  he  would  find  some  other  in  lieu  of  it,  which 
would  be  equally  or  more  desirable.  I  told  him  that  the  obtaining  ot 
that  or  any  other  office  was  to  me  a  matter  of  indifference,  in  the  con- 
dition of  my  family  and  private  affairs,  and  constituted  no  part  of  the 
inducement  to  me  to  agree  to  his  proposition ;  that  I  preferred  rather 
to  go  on  and  ascertain  whether  we  could  adjust  the  matter  in  its  other 
aspects,  and  if  we  could  agree  upon  them  the  matter  of  another  ap- 
pointment would  be  no  obstacle  to  their  adjustment.  We  then  dis- 
cussed his  objections  to  my  second  draught,  and  I  agreed  to  re-write 
my  communication  for  the  third  time.  Having  prepared  and  submit- 
ted it  to  him,  I  left  it  with  him,  and  proceeded  to  Virginia  for  my 
wife,  who  was  there  upon  a  visit  to  two  of  her  brothers.  After  an 
absence  of  two  or  three  days  I  returned,  and  he  submitted  to  me,  in 
his  own  handwriting,  a  draught  of  my  communication,  which  very 
much  condensed  and  generalized  what  I  had  written,  and  which  he 
said  he  had  prepared  himself;  this  draught  wanted  the  concluding 
portion,  in  which  I  was  to  refer  the  whole  difficulty  to  him,  and 
profess  my  willingness  to  abide  by  any  remedies  he  should  adopt 
for  adjusting  it.  After  examining  and  discussing  this  draught, 
I  required  that  certain  alterations  and  modifications  should  be  made, 
which  I  noted,  and  to  which  he  assented.  He  also  read  to  me  then, 
or  at  some  previous  interview,  I  can't  recollect  which,  a  portion  of  his 
reply  to  my  communication,  which  came  fully  up  to  what  he  had  pro- 
posed, so  far  as  it  went.  But  my  recollection  is,  that  the  paper  was 
not  entirely  finished.  I  took  with  me  his  draught  of  my  communica- 
tion, wrote  out  the  conclusion,  and  submitted  it  to  him ;  he  was  dis- 
satisfied with  it,  and  said  it  would  not  answer.  I  requested  him  to 
specify  particularly  the  portions  which  were  wrong,  and  the  reasons 
why  they  were  wrong.  He  declined  doing  so ;  he  said  that  the  whole 
npirit  and  tenor  of  it  was  unsatisfactory ;  that  it  appeared  to  cast  too 
much  responsibility  upon  him.  I  replied  that  it  had  been  distinctly 
understood  throughout  all  our  negotiations  that  I  would  neither 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  943 

resign  my  office  nor  invite  a  removal ;  and  that  I  did  not  see  how  I 
could,  short  of  this,  say  anything  less  than  I  had  written.  He  sat 
down  and  wrote  in  pencil  a  substitute,  which  he  handed  me,  which  I 
said  I  would  .take  with  me,  and  from  the  two  might  perhaps  prepare 
something  which  would  satisfy  us  both.  I  then  conversed  with  him, 
as  I  had  done  several  times  before,  as  to  the  extent  of  protection  he 
would  afford  to  our  people.  He  assured  me  he  would  appoint  some 
honorable,  upright  northern  man,  who  was  above  intimidation  or 
corruption,  and  would  faithfully  perform  his  duty,  and  named  one 
individual  upon  whom  he  was  willing  to  confer  the  appointment. 
He  inquired  of  me  what  particular  action  I  proposed  that  he  should 
take.  I  told  him  that  one  great  means  of  protecting  our  people 
would  be  to  have  all  his  appointees  in  the  Territory  understand  that 
the  administration  strictly  required  of  them  to  set  their  faces  and  use 
their  influence  against  all  sorts  of  foreign  interference;  that  there 
were  some  sixteen  officers  of  the  general  government  in  the  Territory, 
and  that  their  combined  influence  would  be  all-powerful  for  good  or 
evil.  I  also  suggested  the  idea  of  a  proclamation,  to  be  issued  by 
himself,  reciting  what  had  been  done,  sternly  disapproving  it,  and 
pledging  his  administration  against  foreign  interference  as  a  violation 
of  the  principles  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill ;  and  the  use  of  the 

;  government  troops,  if  necessary,,  to  prevent  a  repetition  of  past  out- 
rages ;  and  spoke  of  the  moral  influence  upon  Congress  and  upon  the 
nation  of  a  fixed  and  unyielding  opposition  to  them  of  the  adminis- 

i  tration.  The  manner  in  which  he  met  these  suggestions,  the  objec- 
tions which  he  stated  to  issuing  a  proclamation,  the  doubts  he  ex- 

.  pressed  of  his  legal  authority  to  support  such  a  proclamation  if  issued, 
and  his  evasion  of  the  true  point  at  issue  by  talking  of  the  Emigrant 

,Aid  Society,  made  me  very  distrustful  of  any  sincere  intention  on  his 
part  to  give  adequate  protection  to  our  people,  and  I  left  him,  saying 
that  I  would  come  in  again  in  the  morning.  My  reflections  that 

'night  brought  me  to  the  conclusion  that,  if  I  was  removed,  our  people 

•would  be  left  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  their  invaders,  and  that,  unless 
I  could  have  some  distinct  and  positive  security  for  their  protection,  I 
would  proceed  no  further  with  the  present  negotiation.  I  saw  him 
again  the  next  morning,  and  so  informed  him.  Our  conversation 
then,  though  entirely  courteous,  did  not  have  that  same  amicable  spirit 
which  had  characterized  all  our  preceding  interviews  except  that  of 
the  night  before.  I  said  to  him  that  it  was  evident  to  me  that  he 
was  about  to  make  concessions  in  the  wrong  direction ;  that  he  was 
perfectly  aware  that,  in  all  previous  angry  collisions  between  north 
3rn  and  southern  sentiment,  I  had  favored  the  compromises  which 
had  satisfied  the  South,  and  "had  secured  their  rights  against  the 
iamor  of  the  anti-slavery  men ;  that  I  considered  this  a  clear  case  of 
iggression  on  northern  rights ;  in  whatever  there  was  to  be  of  conces- 
sion or  compensation  should  be  made  to  the  North,  and  not  to  the 
South.  The  interests  of  the  North,  the  interests  of  the  Democratic 
party,  and  the  principles  of  truth  and  justice,  loudly  required  it;  and 
:hat,  if  lie  would  boldly  and  promptly  take  that  course  at  this  time, 
Before  the  mass  of  the  southern  people  had  taken  any  position  upon 
;his  question,  he  would  be  largely  sustained  even  at  the  south;  and 


944  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

that  the  longer  the  evil  was  allowed  to  progress,  the  more  perplexed 
and  complicated  would  the  case  become,  and  the  more  difficult  of 
remedy.  I  failed  to  convince  him  of  my  views,  which  he  rather 
evaded  than  answered;  and  finally  told  him  that,  as  we  could  not 
agree,  there  was  nothing  left  but  for  him  to  take  the  responsibility  of 
his  acts,  and  I  of  mine.  He  spoke  of  the  dangers  of  my  returning  in 
office;  to  which  I  replied  that  they  had  no  terrors  for  me,  so  long  as 
I  felt  I  was  in  the  performance  of  my  duty.  He  said:  "  Well,  I  shall 
not  remove  you  on  account  of  your  official  action  ;  if  I  remove  you  at 
all,  it  will  be  on  account  of  your  speculation  in  lands  of  the  Terri- 
tory." I  told  him  they  were  not  speculations,  but  simply  lawful 
purchases.  After  I  had  risen  to  leave  the  room,  I  remarked  to  him 
that  the  additional  papers  relating  to  the  purchase  of  half-breed  lands 
were  now  before  him;  that  he  had  the  whole  case,  and  myse\f  and 
colleagues  were  very  anxious  to  have  his  confirmation  or  rejection  of 
them  before  the  1st  of  June,  as  several  of  the  contracts  expired  on 
that  day  by  their  own  limitation.  He  remarked  that  he  had  not  had 
time  to  examine  the  papers.  I  then  alluded  to  the  town  of  Pawnee 
and  the  military  reservation,  which  was  an  important  matter  in  its 
bearings  upon  the  political  parties  of  the  Territory,  and  in  regard  to 
which  he  had  promised  me  to  speak  to  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior.  He  replied  that  he  would  have  no  time  to 
think  of  the  matter  or  attend  to  it,  but  that,  if  the  vacation  of  my 
office  could  be  satisfactorily  adjusted,  he  thought  all  these  matters 
could  be  arranged  in  such  a  shape  as  to  promote  my  private  interests. 
I  felt  insulted  by.  the  proposition  to  such  an  extent  that  I  dared  not 
trust  myself  to  reply.  I  was  conscious  of  a  state  of  temper  so  angry 
and  excited  as  to  leave  only  the  alternative  of  silent  contempt,  or  an 
angry  and  indecorous  reply.  I  chose  the  former,  and,  as  I  was  stand- 
ing near  the  door  with  my  hat  in  my  hand,  I  bade  him  good  morning 
and  left  him.  Some  seven  to  fourteen  days  after  this  I  received,  at 
Easton,  Pa.,  a  note  from  him  requesting  me  to  send  to  Washington 
the  honorable  Asa  Packer,  member  of  Congress  from  that  district. 
This  request  I  communicated  to  Judge  Packer,  who  proceeded  to 
Washington  in  a  few  days.  I  made  my  arrangements  to  proceed  to 
the  Territory  without  my  family.  I  had  previously  made  all  the 
necessary  arrangements  to  take  my  family  with  me,  but  abandoned 
the  idea  after  I  had  come  to  the  States  in  consequence  of  information 
received,,  which  disappointed  me  as  to  the  quarters  I  expected  and 
had  provided  for  them  in  the  Territory.  About  10  o'clock  at  night 
on  the  evening  preceding  the  day  I  was  to  leave  Easton  for  Kansas,  I 
received  a  letter  from  the  State *Department  asking  explanations  in 
regard  to  the  purchase  of  half-breed  lands,  and  other  speculations  in 
lands  of  the  Territory.  This  letter  was  enclosed  in  an  ordinary  en- 
velope, not  franked  by  any  person,  and  without  the  endorsement  in- 
variably used  upon  all  envelopes  of  letters  coming  from  the  depart- 
ment on  official  business,  so  that,  had  I  proceeded  to  Washington  in 
consequence  of  receiving  it,  and  there  closed  the  negotiation  which 
had  previously  failed,  there  would  have  been  no  trace  before  the 
public  of  any  evidence  that  I  had  received  an  official  communication 
to  call  me  there.  Instead  of  going  to  Washington,  however,  I  de- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  945 

rmined  to  go  to  Kansas.  A  duplicate  of  that  letter,  as  I  afterwards 
learned,  was  forwarded  to  the  city  of  New  York,  to  meet  me  there  in 
case  I  should  fail  to  receive  the  one  directed  to  Easton.  The  sequel 
of  the  correspondence  is  before  the  public.  On  the  26th  of  June  I 
mailed  a  letter  containing  the  explanations  called  for,  which,  by  due 
course  of  mail,  must  have  reached  Washington  on  the  9th  of  July ; 
and  the  letter  notifying  me  of  my  removal,  on  the  day  of  its  date,  was 
mailed  on  the  30th  July,  (Monday,)  although  dated  on  the  28th. 
This  removal,  which  had  been  thus  suspended  for  twenty-one  days, 
was  immediately  preceded  by  the  intelligence  of  my  veto  message, 
which  repudiated  the  legislature,  dissolved  all  connexion  with  it,  and 
treated  as  void  all  its  laws  passed  at  the  Shawnee  Mission.  This 
message  had  created  much  excitement  in  the  legislature,  and  a  peti- 
tion for  my  removal  was  thereupon  prepared  and  signed  by  the  mem- 
bers, and  one  of  their  body  despatched  to  present  and  press  it  in  per- 
son. This  messenger  was  met  on  the  way  in  the  States  by  the  intel- 
ligence which  made  his  further  progress  unnecessary,  and  thus  the 
President  was  saved  the  embarrassment,  or  deprived  of  the  oppor- 
tunity, of  considering  the  main  question  at  issue  between  the  legisla- 
ture and  myself.  The  papers  showing  the  contract  for  the  half-breed 
i  lands  had  been  before  the  President  in  January,  1855,  and  had  been 
of  course  examined  by  him,  as  they  were  returned  to  me  by  him  with 
a  note  from  his  private  secretary,  stating  that  he  declined  to  con- 
firm them,  without  concurring  in  all  the  reasons  mentioned  in  Mr. 
Manypenny's  report.  There  was  no  final  rejection  of  the  contracts, 
and  I  at  once  proceeded  to  supply  the  alleged  defects,  of  proof.  Nor 
was  there  any  allegation  or  intimation  in  any  correspondence  or 
otherwise  that  the  contracts  were  illegal  or  dishonest,  or  that  they 
liwere  finally  rejected.  Having  supplied  the  alleged  defects,  the  whole 
case  was  again  laid  before  him  in  May,  and  about  the  middle  of  June 
il  was  called  on  to  explain  it.  The  papers  then  before  the  President, 
;  and  which  had  been  before  him  in  January,  contained  my  own  state- 
ment and  argument,  with  the  depositions  and  certificates  of  other 
•  persons,  giving  a  history  and  elucidation  of  the  whole  transaction  far 
more  thorough  than  any  explanations  I  could  make  in  the  absence  of 
lithe  papers.  I  have  never  been  informed  to  this  day,  and  do  not  know 
in  what  aspect  and  for  what  reasons  these  contracts  were  considered 
la  cause  of  removal.  Whether  they  were  treated  a^  unfair  and  dis- 
honorable, or  simply  illegal,  or  whether  the  position  wras  taken  that 
a  public  officer  has  not.  the  same  right  to  purchase  as  a  private  indi- 
vidual, I  have  never  been  informed.  The  "other  speculations  in 
lands  of  the  Territory,"  of  which  explanation  was  demanded  after  I 
was  removed,  was  shown  to  mean  the  participation  in  locating  the 
town  of  Pawnee  on  the  military  reservation.  Before  the  removal  I 
3ould  obtain  no  explanation  of  what  it  meant,  although  I  urgently 
solicited  it.  There  was  nothing  to  be  desired  of  explanation  in  regard 
••to  this  matter,  which  I  had  not  given  to  the  President  in  May  in  the 
most  full  and  ample  manner,  and  I  had  especially  and  particularly 
explained  to  him  that  I  was  not  in  the  country,  and  had  never  heard 
)f  the  town  until  after  it  had  been  located  and  surveyed  in  1854 ;  and 
;hat  the  reservation  had  been  extended  over  the  town  in  May,  1855 
H.  Rep.  200 60* 


946  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

The  third  draught  of  my  communication  to  the  President,  which  I 
made  as  above  stated,  as  well  as  the  redraught  thereof  in  his  hand- 
writing, and  the  draught  by  him  in  pencil  of  the  intended  conclusion, 
were  all  preserved  by  me,  and  taken  with  me  to  Kansas  Territory  in 
April,  1856.  They  were  left  in  mj  trunk  in  the  hotel  in  Lawrence 
when  I  left  there  in  May,  and  I  can  now  give  no  information  of  them, 
except  that  I  have  been  informed  by  persons  who  were  present,  that 
on  the  21st  day  of  May,  1856,  when  the  said  hotel  was  destroyed  by 
incendiaries,  the  possee  of  the  sheriff  of  Douglas  county  broke  open 
and  rifled  my  trunk,  and  stole  all  my  clothes  and  papers.  Since 
then  I  have  not  seen  these  papers,  or  heard  of  them.  The  President 
requested  me  to  recite  in  that  communication  his  approval  of  my  con- 
duct, and  in  his  draught  recited  it  himself  in  his  own  handwriting. 

My  attention  has  been  called  to  the  testimony  of  Marcus  J.  Parot. 
and  I  find  in  it  many  errors,  though  I  do  not  consider  them  material. 
He  is  entirely  mistaken  in  saying  that  he  saw  at  Kansas  City  any 
resolutions,  in  my  possession  or  written  by  me,  in  favor  of  holding  an 
election  on  a  clay  different  from  that  provided  by  the  Territorial  law. 
I  never  wrote  any  such  resolutions  ;  and  when  I  met  Mr.  Parot,  al 
Kansas  City,  was  in  favor  of  participating  in  the  election  on  the  1st  of 
October.  I  did  not  change  my  mind  until  I  had  got  to  the  Big 
Springs  convention,  and  was  persuaded,  by  an  examination  of  the 
Territorial  election  law,  that  our  voters  would  be  excluded,  and  found 
that  there  was  a  general  concurrence  of  opinion  in  favor  of  a  separate 
election.  Nor  did  he  see  any  resolutions,  in  my  possession  or  written 
by  me,  "looking  to  the  repudiation  of  the  laws  by  force/'  as  he  states 
it,  unless  he  means  resolutions  which  declared  the  laws  to  have  been 
framed  by  representatives  of  a  foreign  power,  and  not  binding  on  us  ; 
that  we  would  first  resort  to  all  peaceful  remedies  in  the  courts,  the 
ballot-box,  and  Congress,  and  when  they  were  all  exhausted,  and  we 
were  compelled  to  choose  between  a  permanent  enslavement  of  our- 
selves and  resistance,  that  we  would  then  resist.  This  is  probably 
what  he  called,  in  loose  language,  "  looking  to  a  repudiation  by 
force." 

In  the  testimony  of  W.  Barbee,  I  notice  that  he  states  his  knowledge 
of  the  sentiments  of  the  voters,  as  ascertained  by  him  from  them  when 
he  took  the  censns  in  the  5th  and  6th  electoral  districts.  The  5th 
district  was  not^  taken  by  him,  as  he  informed  me.  It  was  a  part  ol 
my  arrangement  to  furnish  the  judges  of  election  of  each  district  a 
list  of  all  the  voters  of  the  district,  copied  from  the  census  ;  and  when 
a  district  wras  divided  for  convenience  into  several  precincts,  to  ascer- 
tain from  the  person  who  took  the  census  of  the  district,  which  of  the 
voters  lived  in  each  precinct,  so  as  to  furnish  to  the  judges  of  each 
a  list  of  the  voters  in  their  particular  precinct.  The  5th  district  was* 
divided  into  four  precincts.  I  called  on  Mr.  Barbe  for  the  informa-* 
tion  necessary  thus  to  divide  them.  He  evaded  me  for  some  time,  and 
finally  acknowledged  that  he  could  not  tell  me,  as  he  had  not  taken 
the  census.  I  insisted  on  knowing  who  had  taken  it,  and  he  said  he 
had  employed  Joseph  C.  Anderson  and  Lykins,  both  of  whom  were 
elected  to  the  Territorial  legislature,  and  that  he  had  copied  their  lists 
into  his  census-book  at  the  hotel  in  Westport. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  947 

All  the  knowledge  I  have  of  any  secret  society  or  societies  in  Kan- 
sas Territory,  is  the  following  : 

In  the  month  of  September,  1855,  I  was  invited  to  become  a  mem- 
ber; assented,  and  proceeded  to  the  place  of  meeting;  found  about  25 
to  30  men  assembled  ;  was  assured  by  the  presiding  officer,  that  the 
objects  were  such  as  would  not  conflict  with  any  of  the  obligations  of 
an  honorable  man  and  a  good  citizen,  and  an  assurance  that  if  I  so 
found  them,  I  would  not  reveal  the  existence  of  the  society,  in  case  I 
desired  to  take  the  oath  when  I  should  hear  it.  I  gave  this  promise,, 
and  the  presiding  officer  then  administered  the  oath.  I  found  it  unex- 
ceptionable, and  assented  to  it.  I  have  never  attended  a  meeting 
since  that  evening,  and  have  never  seen  a  written  or  printed  constitu- 
tion ;  have  forgotten  the  pass-words,  except  the  question  and  answer, 
"Are  you  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State?  Yes^  if  Missouri 
is  willing."  The  principal  points  of  the  oath  of  initiation  were — to 
labor  by  all  honorable  means  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State;  mutually 
to  protect  and  defend  each  other  against  violence ;  always  to  keep  a 
firelock  and  ammunition  in  the  house;  to  wear  a  weapon  of  defence, 
in  the  shape  of  a  knife  or  revolver ;  to  rush  to  the  rescue  of  a  brother 
who  should  be  assailed  by  violence,  whenever  there  was  a  greater 
probability  of  saving  his  life  than  of  losing  my  own.  I  have  read  the 
oath,  as  stated  by  A.  J.  Francis,  and  I  am  confident  that  there  are 
many  things  recited  by  him  of  which  I  never  heard  as  a  part  of  the 
oath,  viz:  the  pledge  to  deal  with  and  employ  free-State  men  in  pre- 
ference to  pro-slavery  men  or  Missourians;  to  obey  unto  death  the 
order  of  superior  officers  ;  to  be  in  readiness  to  take  up  arms  in  de- 
fence of  free-Slate  principles,  even  though  it  should  submit  the  gov- 
ernment to  wear  at  all  towns  the  insignia  of  the  order:  and  to  con- 
sider binding  any  part  of  the  obligation  which  may  have  been  omitted 
in  the  formula.  Of  all  these  I  have  not  the  slightest  recollection, 
and  do  not  at  all  believe  they  constitute  a  part  of  the  oath.  I  am 
very  confident  I  took  no  such  pledges;  and  had  they  been  proffered, 
I  should  have  refused  at  once ;  and  I  could  not  have  taken  such  an 
obligation,  or  had  it  offered  to  me,  without  recollecting  it.  As  to  the 
laws  of  the  so-called  Kansas  legislature,  that  any  pledge  was  made 
in  regard  to  them,  it  is  possible  that  there  may  have  been  a  pledge 
to  oppose,  disavow,  or  repudiate  them  as  not  binding,  and  not  to 
avail  myself  of  them,  and  such  a  promise  I  may  have  made  and  for- 
gotten. I  am  confident,  however,  there  was  no  pledge  to  resist  them 
in  gross  by  force.  Such  a  pledge  I  would  not  have  taken,  and  could 
not  have  forgotten ;  because,  although  there  were  some  I  would  never 
have  submitted  to  when  enforced  after  all  peaceful  remedies  had  been 
exhaused,  there  were  others  of  so  indifferent  a  character,  and  not 
peculiarly  obnoxious  in  themselves,  which  I  would  have  considered  it 
unnecessary  to  resist,  even  though  they  had  no  binding  force.  I  do 
not  know  the  name  of  this  society;  I  did  know  it  at  one  time,  but 
"A^e  forgotten  it. 

I  am  confident  there  was  no  pledge  to  wear  the  insignia  of  the 
order,  whi  h  was  a  black  ribbon  in  the  button-hole;  because  the  pre- 
siding officer,  immediately  after  my  initiation,  informed  me,  in  the 
meeting,  that  I  would  be  excused  from  wearing  it,  if  I  desired.  The 


948  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

object  of  the  society  was  combined  effort  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State, 
but  no  illegal  means  were  alluded  to  in  tbe  formula,  so  tar  as  I  can 
recollect,  or  contemplated  or  practised  outside  of  the  formula,  to  my 
knowledge.  Another  object  was  mutual  protection  against  violence. 
In  the  spring  and  summer  previous,  I  learned  that  political  opponents 
were  in  the  habit  of  coming  into  the  town  in  parties,  and  seeking  pre- 
texts for  individual  quarrels,  in  the  course  of  which  some  of  the  citi- 
zens of  the  town  were  beaten ;  and  this  society  (which,  I  understand, 
was  purely  a  local  one,  and  confined  to  Lawrence)  was  then  got  up 
for  defence  against  these  assaults.  I  have  been  told  by  members 
that  it  has  gone  into  disuse,  and  that  no  meeting  has  been  held  for 
some  time. 

I  have  said  that  it  was  local,  and  confined  to  Lawrence.  I  have 
learned  that  some  of  the  citizens  of  Leaven  worth,  finding  that  it  ope- 
rated beneficially  to  repress  violence  in  Lawrence,  adopted  it,  or 
undertook  to  adopt  it  there.  I  do  not  know  how  far  they  proceeded. 
I  know  of  no  other  secret  society. 

I  have  examined  the  testimony  of  Eobert  Wilson,  who  testified  that 
a  large  number  of  men  came  to  Pawnee  immediately  before  the  30th 
of  March,  of  whom  60  or  70  were  from  Pennsylvania,  and  a  good 
many  from  Easton,  Pennsylvania.  I  have  examined  the  poll-list  of 
that  election,  and  I  find  upon  it  the  names  of  four  men  from  Easton  and 
the  vicinity.  There  are  no  others  that  I  know  of,  or  can  recognise. 
(I  was  born  and  have  always  resided,  until  ten  years  ago,  in  Easton, 
Pennsylvania,  and  am  well  acquainted  there  and  in  the  surrounding 
country.)  They  are  Charles  Weithneacht,  Jacob  Shelly,  John  Mc- 
Cracken,  and  John  Westover.  Of  these  one  has  returned,  as  he  told 
me,  for  his  family,  having  taken  a  claim  and  built  a  small  cabin  on 
it.  One  was  in  Westport  when  I  last  heard  of  him.  One,  not  liking 
the  county,  had  gone  to  Minnesota  ;  and  one,  after  working  at  vari- 
ous places  in  the  Territory  until  fall,  then  returned' to  Easton.  I 
find  only  twelve  other  men  whom  I  know  to  be  from  Pennsylvania, 
of  whom  two  are  dead.  Several  were  still  there  in  September,  1855 ; 
and  some  I  know  returned  home  in  the  summer.  All  of  these  except 
two  were,  as  I  believe,  from  Pike  county,  the  village  of  Monroe,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  went  there,  as  they  informed  me,  for  the  purpose  of  set- 
tling and  remaining.  The  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  Pawnee 
and  vicinity  were  discouraged  by  the  extension  of  the  military  re- 
serve over  Pawnee,  and  the  subsequent  driving  out  of  the  inhabitants 
under  the  order  of  the  War  Department,  and  left.  They  were  noti- 
fied by  an  order  of  the  commanding  officer,  and,  as  I  have  learned 
from  various  persons,  their  houses  were  torn  down  and  destroyed,  ex- 
cept three.  The  house  of  Robert  Wilson  (the  witness)  was  spared : 
a  house  T  had  erected  for  myself  was  torn  down  or  blown  up,  I  do  not 
know  which.  Of  the  twelve  men  I  refer  to,  I  feel  tolerably  confident 
that  I  saw  five  or  six  there  as  late  as  September.  The  Reserve  was 
extended  over  the  town  as  early  as  May,  and  the  order  to  leave,  I 
think,  was  in  September  or  October. 

I  brought  or  sent  no  man  to  Kansas  Territory  to  vote.  Of  those  I 
find  on  the  list,  I  find  two  who  were  very  anxious  to  go  out,  and 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  949 

wished  me  to  assist  them. .  I  loaned  them  the  money,  taking  their 
notes  for  the  amount.  One  of  them  is  the  man  I  have  mentioned  as 
having  returned  to  Easton  ;  and  the  other  has  not  returned,  to  my 
knowledge,  and  I  believe  is  still  in  the  Territory,  or  in  Missouri.  I 
assisted  none  of  the  others  to  go.  There  is  one  other  young  man  yet 
in  the  Territory,  who  was  desirous  to  go  out  from  Pennsylvania,  and 
I  advanced  him  money  to  assist  him,  taking  his  note.  He  has  re- 
mained, and  is  still  there,  as  I  have  recently  heard ;  hut  he  has  never 
been  to  Pawnee.  I  have  assisted  other  men  who  were  pressed  in  the 
Territory,  buc  this  is  the  extent  of  my  taking  men  there. 

I  was  not  an  original  stockholder  in  Pawnee,  as  is  well  known  by 
all  persons  connected  with  the  project.  I  first  came  in  at  the  same 
time  with  Judges  Elmore  and  Johnson,  United  States  marshal  Don- 
aldson, and  district  attorney  Isaacs,  in  the  manner  I  have  stated, 
about  the  2d  of  November,  1854,  after  the  association  was  formed, 
constitution  adopted,  town  located  and  surveyed,  or  partly  surveyed. 
I  afterwards  purchased  two  other  shares  from  Mr.  Wilson,  making 
twenty  sub-shares,  as  nearly  as  I  can  recollect ;  some  of  them  were 
for  other  persons,  to  whom  they  have  been  transferred.  I  disposed  of 
one  of  them  to  Mr.  Marshall,  as  stated  by  Mr.  Wilson,  but  did  not 
sell  it  to  him  at  all  ;  on  the  contrary,  I  exchanged  it  for  other  town 
stock,  and  before  Mr.  Marshall  had  been  elected  to  the  legislature,  or 
before  I  knew  he  was  a  candidate  ;  all  of  which  facts  Mr.  Marshall,  a 
gentleman  of  the  same  politics  as  Mr.  Wilson,  will,  I  have  no  doubt, 
state  if  called  on.  As. to  the  residue  of  Mr.  Wilson's  evidence,  I  can- 
not consent  to  meet  it  with  any  statements  of  my  own.  It  was  taken 
when  I  was  not  present,  and  was  not  represented,  and  when  there 
was  no  opportunity  to  object,  or  cross-examine  him,  and,  as  I  sup- 
pose, was  only  received  in  a  time  of  great  haste,  through  mere  inad- 
vertence, as  I  had  offered  evidence  opening  up  the  subject  of  my  offi- 
cial conduct  in  fixing  the  seat  of  government  at  Pawnee,  which  was 
objected  to  as  irrelevant,  and  ruled  out  by  the  committee. 

A  cross-examination  would  have  fully  explained  Mr.  Wilson's  tes- 
timony, as  it  will  be  seen  he  testifies  to  disconnected  scraps  of  conver- 
sation, declarations  of  other  persons,  contents  of  papers  not  produced, 
j  &c.  I  was  the  first  to  offer  evidence  on  this  subject;  and  having  been 
>verruled,  I  cannot  consent  now  to  meet  this  evidence  by  my  own 
statements  alone,  at  a  time  when  other  evidence  is  beyond  my  reach, 
and  cannot  be  waited  for1 

A.  H.  REEDER, 


950  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


SQUATTER  MEETINGS. — BURNING  OF  OAKLEY'S  HOUSE,  BY  S.  J.  JONES. — • 
MOBBING  OP  KEY.  PARDON  BUTLER. — MOBBING  OF  PHILLIPS,  AND  HOMI- 
CIDE OF  CLARK. — HOMICIDE  OF  COLLINS. — SEIZURE  OF  BALLOT-BOX  AT 
LEAVENWORTH,  DECEMBER  15,  1855. — MURDER  OF  R.  P.  BROWN. — 
SUNDRY  ARRESTS. — ZIMMERMAN  AT  ATCHISON. — REEDER'S  LETTERS. 

JOHN  A.  WAKEFIELD  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  July,  1854,  from  Iowa,  and  settled 
about  six  miles  west  of  this  on  the  California  road  in  the  second  dis- 
trict and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  We  undertook  to  have  squat- 
ter meetings  to  pass  by-laws  for  the  government  of  citizens  in  holding 
their  claims.  At  those  meetings  we  were  met  lay  the  people  of  Mis- 
souri. A  meeting  held  late  in  July  or  first  of  August,  1854,  was  or- 
ganized by  electing  myself  president,  and  S.  N.  Wood  secretary  of  the 
meeting,  and  it  was  held  on  Judge  Miller's  claim,  on  what  was  then 
called  "  Backbone  Ridge."  The  first  meeting  proved  a  failure  on  ac- 
count of  those  men  wishing  to  vote.  We  adjourned  the  meeting  for 
a  few  days,  I  think  for  two  days.  We  came  ;  the  Missourians  were 
there,  and  claimed  to  take  a  part  and  did  take  a  part  in  the  meeting. 
The  actual  settlers  were  dissatisfied  with  this  and  adjourned  from 
Thursday  to  meet  on  the  Saturday  following.  After  the  Missourians 
left  the  ground  the  citizens  re-assembled  on  the  same  day,  and  then 
passed  a  code  of  by-laws  for  the  government  of  claims  and  elected 
officers,  what  was  termed  a  chief  justice,  a  marshal,  and  a  register  of 
claims.  Some  few  weeks  after  a  notice  was  given  of  a  new  meeting, 
at  the  same  place,  to  adopt  amendments  to  their  by-laws.  When  we 
assembled  in  the  morning,  on  the  ground,  we  found  between  one  and 
two  hundred  men  there  from  Missouri.  Myself  being  the  presiding 
officer,  I  called  the  meeting  to  order.  The  Missourians  presented 
themselves  to  vote.  I  then  rose,  made  a  short  speech  and  told  them 
that  none  but  actual  settlers  of  the  Territory  would  be  allowed  to  vote 
at  that  meeting.  The  meeting  then  was  addressed  in  a  very  lengthy 
and  inflamatory  speech  by  a  man  from  the  State  of  Missouri,  of  the 
name  of  Dunham,  claiming  that  the  Missourians  had  a  right  to  vote 
at  that  meeting.  He  was  followed  in  a  short  speech  by  a  Mr.  Lyon, 
a  citizen  of  the  Territory.  A  Dr.  Lykins,  of  Kansas  city,  then  spoke, 
claiming  the  right  to  vote  there.  I  then  took  the  privilege  of  respond- 
ing to  Dr.  Lykins  myself,  in  a  speech,  denying  the  right  of  Missou- 
rians to  vote.  This  produced  very  great  excitement.  A  man  by  the 
name  of  McGee,  from  near  Westport,  Missouri,  made  gestures  with 
his  fist  towards  me,  and  cried  out  '"Beware  what  you  are  doing."  At 
this  time  there  was  a  great  deal  of  shoving  and  pushing,  and  such 
excitement  as  appeared  likely  to  lead  to  blows.  A  gentleman  there, 
whose  name  I^cannot  call  to  mind,  but  he  claimed  to  be  from  Louisi- 
ana, sent  me  a  note,  that  he  wished  to  address  the  meeting.  I  then 
gave  orders  for  them  to  open  the  way  and  let  the  gentleman  come  for- 
ward, which,  after  some  difficulty  was  done.  He  went  on  to  make  a 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  951 

speech  to  quell  the  excitement,  and  recommended  a  committee  of  con- 
ference of  the  settlers  and  the  Missourians  to  try  to  make  a  compro- 
mise. A  resolution  was  then  adopted  raising  that  committee  of  con- 
ference, which  committee  took  the  by-laws  we  had  adopted  at  the  first 
meeting  and  went  out.  They  came  back  and  reported  the  by-laws  to 
the  meeting  with  some  amendments  to  them,  and  all  voted,  of  both 
parties,  for  its  adoption,  except  some  of  the  actual  settlers.  A  minor- 
ity reyort  was  then  made  by  the  actual  settlers  and  was  concurred  in, 
all  voting  for  it.  That  was  the  end  of  the  meetings  concerning  the 
rules  and  regulations  for  the  government  of  claims. 

JOHN  A.  WAKEFIELD. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


Constitution  of  the  Delaware  Squatter  Association,  embracing  all  the 
laws  passed  by  the  different  Squatter  meetings  from  June  10,  to  De- 
cember 2,  1854. 

Constitution  of  the  Delaware  Squatter  Association,  upon  the  Dela- 
ware lai)ds  ceded  to  the  United  States,  by  the  Delaware  Indians,  in 
the  Territory  of  Kansas  : 

ARTICLE  I.  This  association  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the 
" Kansas  Delaware  Squatter  Association,"  and  by  such  name  shall  be 
able  to  hold  a  court  for  the  trial  of  all  difficulties,  growing  out  of  the 
settlement  of  the  public  lands  within  said  district,  in  regard  to  its 
occupancy. 

ARTICLE  II.  The  officers  of  the  association  shall  be  a  president  and 
two  associate  judges,  a  secretary,  treasurer  and  marshal,  who  shall 
be  elected  annually  from  among  the  actual  settlers  upon  said  lands. 

ARTICLE  III.  The  president,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  shall  be  chief  jus- 
tice of  the  squatters'  court ;  he  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the 
association,  and  be  judge  of  the  first  judicial  district. 

ARTICLE  IV.  The  associate  justices  shall  be  judges  of  and  reside 
within  the  district,  which  shall  be  assigned  them  by  the  association. 

ARTICLE  V.  The  president  and  associate  judges  shall  each  respectively 
be  competent  to  try  and  determine  all  causes  to  them  submitted  for 
trial. 

ARTICLE  VI.  The  said  president  and  associate  justices  shall  have 
power  to  appoint  their  own  clerks  and  sheriffs,  and  remove  them  at 
pleasure. 

ARTICLE  VII.  The  said  clerks  and  sheriffs  so  appointed,  shall  per- 
form all  and  singular  the  duties,  and  be  entitled  to  receive  the  same 
eompensation  as  the  clerks  and  sheriffs  would  be  for  like  services  in 
the  district  courts  of  the  United  States  for  Territories. 

ARTICLE  VIII.  The  president  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the 
association. 

ARTICLE  IX.  The  secretary  shall  keep  a  correct  record  of  all  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  association  in  a  book  kept  for  that  purpose,  which 
shall  be  open  for  inspection  at  all  times  ;  and  in  a  book  kept  for  the 
purpose,  keep  a  record  of  all  claims  which  shall  be  made  in  accordance 


952  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

with  the  provisions  of  the  association  and  for  which  he  shall  receive 
fifty  cents. 

ARTICLE  X.  The  treasurer  shall  safely  keep  all  moneys  belonging  to 
the  association,  and  pay  them  out  as  directed  by  the  general  court. 

ARTICLE  XI.  The  marshal  shall  be  the  executive  officer  of  the  associa- 
tion, and  the  general  court,  and  give  personal  attendance  at  their  sit- 
tings, and  at  the  general  court  shall  perform  all  the  duties  required  of 
him  in  order  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  the  association,  in  bring- 
ing its  decision  to  a  speedy  termination. 

ARTICLE  XII.  In  bringing  suit  it  shall  be  necessary  for  the  complain- 
ant to  make  his  complaint  to  the  judge  in  whose  district  he  may  reside, 
in  a  plain  and  intelligible  manner,  setting  forth  his  complaint  under 
oath,  and  if  the  judge  shall  think  his  complaint  just  and  deserves  a 
hearing,  he  shall  demand  of  the  complainant  an  amount  of  money 
sufficient  to  indemnify  the  officers  for  all  costs  which  may  accrue  in 
the  event  of  a  failure  of  making  good  his  charge,  and  direct  the  clerk 
to  issue  his  warrant  to  the  sheriff  commanding  the  defendant  to  appear 
before  him  at  a  time  to  be  fixed,  therein  to  show  cause  why  he  should 
not  be  disposessed  and  deliver  possession  to  the  complainant,  and  also 
issue  his  subpoena  for  all  such  witnesses  as  either  party  may  require. 
Which  warrant  and  subpoenas  shall  be  served  and  returned  as  process, 
directed  to  the  sheriff  from  the  district  court  of  the  United  States. 

ARTICLE  XIII.  On  the  trial  of  such  cause>  the  same  laws  and  evidence 
shall  be  applicable  as  in  the  district  court  of  the  United  States. 

ARTICLE  XIV.  There  shall  be  a  general  court  at  Leavenworth  on 
the  first  Monday  of  each  month,  composed  of  all  the  judges,  or  a  ma- 
jority of  them,  for  the  trial  of  such  causes  as  may  be  taken  by  appeal 
or  writ  of  error  from  the  district  courts  of  the  several  districts  to  the 
general  courts,  at  which  time  and  place  all  causes  shall  be  heard  and 
determined  in  their  order,  arid  finally  adjudicated  upon. 

ARTICLE  XV.  In  any  cause  which  has  been  decided  in  any  of  the  dis- 
trict courts,  if  either  party  shall  think  himself  aggrieved  by  the 
decision  of  the  judge_,  he  may  make  his  appeal  or  have  a  writ  of  error 
to  the  general  court  under  the  same  rules  and  regulations  as  in  the 
district  courts  of  the  United  States,  by  first  depositing  with  the  clerk 
sufficient  money  for  the  payment  of  all  costs  which  has  or  may  accrue 
in  the  cause. 

ARTICLE  XVI.  Should  the  court  or  judge  grant  an  appeal  or  writ  of 
error,  the  clerk  shall  make  a  correct  transcript  of  the  judgment  and 
all  the  proceedings  had  in  his  court,  and  cause  the  same  to  be  filed 
with  the  clerk  of  the  general  court,  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  the 
term  thereof,  and  if  an  appeal,  also  the  papers  in  the  cause  which 
may  be  heard  de  novo,  but  in  either  case  the  cause  shall  be  heard  at 
the  first  term. 

ARTICLE  XVII.  Upon  the  final  determination  of  any  cause  before  the 
district  court,  or  the  general  conrt  as  the  case  be,  the  court  shall  direct 
the  clerk  to  issue  a  notice  to  the  sheriff  or  marshal!  as  the  case  may  be, 
commanding  the  losing  party  to  forthwith  leave  and  surrender  to  the 
successful  party  the  immediate  possession,  and  should  the  losing  party 
refuse  to  comply  with  the  order  of  the  court,  when  thus  notified,  he 
shall  be  declared  out  of  the  protection  of  the  association,  and  the 


ICANSAS    AFFAIRS.  953 

sheriff  may  command  a  posse  to  assist  if  necessary,  to  put  into  execu- 
tion his  orders. 

ARTICLE  XVIII.  On  the  trial  of  any  cause,  if  either  party  should  de- 
mand a  jury,  the  court  shall  cause  the  clerk  to  issue  a  venire  to  the 
sheriff  commanding  him  forthwith  to  summons  six  disinterested  squat- 
ters to  appear  before  him  as  jurors  to  try  the  cause,,  (naming  it,)  which 
shall  he  served  and  returned  as  other  process,  and  should  either  party 
object  to  any  of  the  jurors,  the  pannel  may  be  filled  by  the  bystanders ; 
in  making  up  the  jury  the  same  rules  shall  be  observed  as  in  the  dis- 
trict courts  of  the  United  States,  but  there  shall  in  ru>  case  be  more 
than  two  challenges  without  cause  shown. 

ARTICLE  XIX.  In  any  cause  submitted  to  the  court  or  jury  for  trial, 
the  defendant  before  he  shall  be  permitted  to  put  in  any  defence,  shall 
deposit  with  the  clerk  an  amount  of  money  sufficient  to  indemnify  the 
court  for  all  costs  which  has  or  may  accrue  in  the  cause,  and  on  a  final 
determination  of  the  cause,  the  costs  shall  be  taxed  up  a  ainst  the 
losing  party,  and  tlie  money  deposited  by  the  successful  party  refunded 
to  him. 

ARTICLE  XX.  All  the  officers  of  either  of  the  courts  herein  specified, 
before  entering  upon  the  duties  of  their  respective  offices,  shall  take 
an  oath  faithfully  and  impartial  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their  res- 
pective offices. 

ARTICLE  XXI.  The  clerk  and  treasurer  shall,  before  entering  upon  the 
duties  of  their  office,  give  bond  to  the  president  of  the  association  by 
his  individual  name,  for  the  faithful  application  of  all  moneys  in- 
trusted to  them,  and  should  they  or  either  of  them  fail  so  to  do,  suit 
may  be  forthwith  brought  on  said  bond,  in  the  name  of  the  president, 
(by  his  individual  name,)  for  the  use  of  the  injured  party,  before  any 
court  in  the  Territory,  and  collected  as  other  debts  are  collected,  and 
said  delinquent  declared  out  of  the  protection  of  this  association,  and 
all  his  claims  as  such  disregarded. 

ARTICLE  XXII.  In  case  of  the  absence  of  the  president  at  any  of  the 
meetings  of  the  association,  one  of  the  associate  justices  shall  preside 
and  perform  all  the  duties  required  of  the  president. 

ARTICLE  XXIII.  In  deciding  causes  submitted  to  the  courts,  all  the 
rules  and  regulations  of  the  squatters'  association  in  regard  to  claims 
shall  be  strictly  observed,  and  be  the  supreme  law. 

ARTICLE  XXIV.  Any  squatter  upon  the  Delaware  lands  ceded  to  the 
United  States  may  become  a  member  of  this  association  by  signing 
his  name  to  its  books. 

ARTICLE  XXV.  The  president  and  associate  justices  shall  each  be 
entitled  to  receive  two  dollars  per  day,  for  every  day  they  or  either  of 
them  may  be  engaged  in  trying  causes,  to  be  taxed  and  collected  as 
other  costs. 

ARTICLE  XXVI.  The  boundary  lines  of  the  association  shall  be  as  de- 
fined at  the  squatters'  meeting,  held  on  the  4th  day  of  November,  A. 
D.  1854. 

Salt  Creek  resolutions,  adopted  June  10,  1854. 

WHEREAS,  We,  the  citizens  of  Kansas  Territory,  and  many  other 
citizens  of  the  adjoining  State  of  Missouri,  contemplating  a  squatter's 


954  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

home  on  the  fair  plains  of  said  Territory,  are  assembled  at  Salt  Creek 
Valley  for  the  purpose  of  taking  such  steps  as  will  secure  safety  and 
fairness  in  the  location  and  preservation  of  claims : 

Therefore,  be  it  resolved, 

1st.  That  we  are  in  favor  of  bona  fide  squatter  sovereignty  and 
acknowledge  the  right  of  any  citizen  of  the  United  States  to  make  a 
claim  in  Kansas  Territory,  ultimately  with  the  view  of  occupying  it. 

2nd.  That  such  claim,  when  made,  shall  be  held  inviolate,  so  long 
as  a  bona  fide  intention  of  occupying  it  is  apparent,  and  for  the  pur- 
pose of  protecting  and  defending  such  claim,  we  agree  to  act  in  concert, 
if  necessary,  to  expel  intruders. 

3d.  That  every  persons  of  lawful  age  who  may  be  the  head  of  a 
family,  who  shall  mark  out  his  claim  of  160  acres,  so  that  it  may  be 
apparent  how  the  same  lies,  and  proceed  with  reasonable  diligence  to 
erect  thereon  a  cabin  or  tent,  shall  be  deemed  to  have  made  a  proper 
claim. 

4th.  That  any  person  marking  out  his  claim  shall  be  deemed  to 
have  forfeited  it  unless  he  commences  his  cabin  or  pitches  a  tent 
within  two  weeks  thereafter,  unless  the  same  shall  be  on  lands  such  as 
prohibit  it  by  military  or  Indian  reservations. 

5th.  That  all  persons  now  holding  claims  shall  have  two  weeks 
from  this  day,  in  which  to  make  the  improvements  contemplated  by 
the  foregoing  resolutions. 

6th.  No  person  shall  be  protected  by  the  squatter  association  who 
holds  in  his  own  right  more  than  one  claim. 

7th.  That  a  citizen  of  the  Territory  be  appointed  as  register  of 
claims,  who  shall  keep  a  book  in  which  he  shall  register  the  name  and 
description  of  all  squatters,  and  their  claims  and  the  date  of  making 
the  same,  for  which  registration  he  shall  be  allowed  the  sum  of  fifty 
cents  for  each  claim,  to  be  paid  by  the  claimant. 

8th.  That  we  recognise  the  institution  of  slavery  as  already  existing 
in  this  Territory,  and  recommend  to  slave-holders  to  introduce  their 
property  as  early  as  possible. 

9th.  That  we  will  afford  protection  to  no  abolitionist  as  settlers  of 
Kansas  Territory. 

Stocltbridge  resolutions,  adopted  July  8,  1854. 

3d.  Resolved,  That  we  adopt  the  resolutions  and  proceedings  of 
the  Salt  Creek  Squatter  Association,  held  on  10th  June  1854,  so  far 
as  they  do  not  conflict  with  the  following. 

4th.  That  the  making  of  improvements,  by  erecting  a  cabin,  tent 
or  fence  is  essential  to  the  validity  of  any  claim  laid  on  the  Delaware 
lands. 

5th.  That  all  claims  must  be  registered  with  intelligible  metes 
and  bounds. 

6th.  That  all  persons  holding  claims  shall  be  allowed  two  weeks 
from  this  day  in  which  to  make  the  required  improvements. 

7th.  That  D.  Dodge,  Fort  Leavenworth,  be  appointed  register  for 
the  Delaware  lands — that  all  claims  must  be  registered  within  two 
weeks  from  the  time  of  making  them — that  the  sum  of  fifty  cents 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  955 


shall  be  the  registration  fee,  and  that  in  case  of  a  transfer  the  fee  shall 
be  fifty  cents. 

8th.  That  a  bona  fide  purchaser  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  rights 
and  privileges  of  an  original  claimant. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted  at  a  meeting  held  at  Leaven- 
worth,  on  Friday,  September  29,  1854: 

Resolved,  That  we  concur  in  and  approve  of,  and  will  defend  and 
support  the  laws  and  regulations  as  passed  at  Salt  Creek  on  the  10th 
of  June,  and  at  Stockbridge  on  the  8th  of  July,  1854,  until  altered  or 
annulled  by  the  settlers  of  this  Territory. 

Leavenworth  resolutions,  adopted  November  4,  1854. 

WHEREAS,  The  welfare  of  Kansas  Territory  requires  the  immediate 
settlement  of  the  lands  ceded  to  the  United  States  by  the  Delaware 
Indians,  and  that  the  claimants  of  said  lands  should  become  actual 
residents  of  said  Territory  and  occupants  in  good  faith  of  the  respective 
claims  made  by  them,  and  whereas  the  best  portions  of  said  lands  are 
claimed  by  non-residents,  thereby  depriving  others  of  the  privilege  of 
making  actual  settlements,  and  retarding  the  progress  of  the  Terri- 
tory, debarring  the  citizens  thereof  of  the  aid  and  society  that  they 
would  otherwise  enjoy,  preventing  production  and  improvement,  im- 
posing upon  the  pioneer  settlers  all  the  hardship  of  frontier  life,  in 
preparing  the  country  for  occupation,  while  such  non-residents  are 
enjoying  the  advantages  and  comforts  of  civilized  life  in  the  States 
and  their  claims  enhancing  in  value  from  the  privations  and  labors  of 
the  actual  residents,  therefore. 

1st.  Resolved,  That  we  recognize  as  a  valid  claim  upon  the  Dela- 
ware lands,  only  such  as  is  occupied  as  the  actual  and  only  residence 
of  the  claimant  or  of  some  person  or  persons  residing  on  the  same  as 
his  tenant  or  by  his  procurement. 

2nd.  That  after  the  expiration  of  twenty-live  days  from  this  date, 
all  lands  within  the  Delaware  purchase  and  within  the  boundaries 
hereinafter  described,  except  those  held  as  above  mentioned,  shall  be 
subject  to  claim  by  any  person  who  may  be  entitled  to  hold  a  pre- 
emption under  the  United  States  laws. 

3rd.  That  no  claim  shall  contain  more  than  160  acres  of  land,  and 
that  the  same  shall  be  selected  in  bodies  according  to  the  United 
States  laws  regulating  pre-emptions. 

4th.  That  for  accomplishing  these  ends,  an  association  be  organized 
to  be  known  as  the  Delaware  Squatter  Association,  and  that  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  same  shall  be  co-extensive  with  the  Territory  ceded 
to  the  United  States  by  the  Delaware  Indians. 

Leavemoortli  resolutions,  adopted  November  15,  1854. 

Resolved,  That  all  squatter  laws,  passed  by  the  settlers_  upon  the 
Delaware  lands,  prior  to  this  date,  are  adopted  by  this  association. 

The  following  report  and  resolutions  were  adopted  at  a  squatter 
meeting  held  at  Leavenworth,  on  the  2nd  day  of  December,  1854. 


956  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Your  committee  appointed  to  examine  into  the  propriety  of  amend- 
ing the  first  and  second  resolutions,  passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  squat- 
ter association  on  the  4th  day  of  November,  1854,  have  had  the  same 
under  consideration,  and  would  ask  leave  to  make  the  following 
report ;  and  would  recommend  the  following  amendment :  Strike  out 
the  preamble,  the  first  and  second  resolutions,  and  insert  the  fol- 
lowing: 

1st.  Resolved,  That  we  recognize  as  a  valid  claim  all  such  claims 
as  were  recognized  as  valid  under  the  squatter  laws  of  the  Delaware 
squatters  prior  to  the  29th  day  of  November,  1854. 

2nd.  Resolved,  That  after  the  expiration  of  three  months  from  this 
date,  all  lands  within  the  Delaware  purchase  not  occupied  as  a  home, 
shall  be  subject  to  be  claimed  by  any  person  who  may  become  an 
actual  settler. 

3rd.  Resolved,  That  all  rights  which  have  accrued  under  the  res- 
olutions of  the  4th  of  November,  1854,  shall  remain  as  valid  as  though 
these  resolutions  had  never  passed. 

OFFICERS  OF  THE  COURT. 

R.  R.  REESE,  chief  justice. 

A.  PAYNE,  associate  justice,  Stranger  district. 

A.  RUSSELL,      "          "        Salt  Creek  district. 

MILES  SHANNON,  marshall. 

GREEN  D.  TODD,  deputy  marshall. 

S.  D.  PITCHER,  chief  clerk  of  court  and  recorder  of  claims. 


Colonel  A.  M.  MITCHELL  being  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  St.  Joseph's,  Missouri,  and  have  so  resided  for  several 
years.  I  was  present  at  a  public  meeting  held  on  the  24th  of  June, 
1854,  at  Whitehead,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  and  the  following  is 
a  true  report  of  the  proceedings  of  that  meeting  : 

KANSAS  MEETING. 

At  a  large  and  enthusiastic  meeting  of  the  settlers  of  Kansas  Ter- 
ritory, held  on  the  24th  June,  1854,  at  Whitehead,  in  accordance  with 
notice  previously  given,  the  following  proceedings  were  had  : 

Colonel  A.  M.  Mitchell  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  James  R.  White- 
head  appointed  secretary. 

On  motion  of  Colonel  W.  Broadus  Thompson,  the  chairman  ex- 
plained the  object  of  the  meeting,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  pre- 
sent resolutions  for  their  consideration.  The  committee  consisted  of 
Colonel  W.  Broadus  Thompson,  Captain  John  H.  Whitehead,  Benja- 
min Wharton,  James  B.  O'Tool,  and  John  R.  Carter. 

During  the  absence  of  the  committee  the  chairman  made  an  able 
address,  showing  the  necessity  of  an  immediate  organization  for  mu- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  957 

tual  protection  against  intruders,  and  for  the  promotion  of  the  inte- 
rests of  the  Territory. 

The  committee,  through  their  chairman,  W.  Broadus  Thompson, 
reported  the  following  resolutions  : 

Whereas,  we,  citizens  of  Kansas  Territory,  intending  to  fix  our 
homes  upon  its  fertile  soil,  have  this  day  met  at  Whitehead,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  measures  to  secure  safety,  certainty,  and  fairness  in 
the  location  and  preservation  of  claims,  be  it  resolved, 

1.  That  we  are  in  favor  of  bona  fide  squatter  sovereignty,  and  ac- 
knowledge the  right  of  any  citizen  of  the  United  States  to  make  a 
claim  in  Kansas  Territory,  with  the  ultimate  view  of  occupying  it. 

2.  That  such  claim,  when  made,  should  be  held  inviolate,  so  long 
as  a  ~bona  fide  intention  of  occupying  it  is  apparent ;  and,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  protecting  and  defending  such  claims,  we  agree  to  act  in  con- 

•  cert,  if  necessary,  to  expel  intruders. 

3.  That  any  person  of  lawful  age,  or  who  may  be  the  head  of  a 
family,  who  shall  mark  out  his  claim  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
so  that  it  may  be  apparent  how  the  same  lies,  shall  be  deemed  to  have 
made  a  proper  claim. 

4.  That  any  person  marking  out  his  claim  shall  be  deemed  to  have 
forfeited  it  unless  he  commences  his  cabin  or  pitches  his  tent  within 
thirty  days  thereafter,  unless  the  same  shall  be  on  such  lands  as  pro- 
hibit it  by  military  or  Indian  reservation. 

5.  That  all  persons  now  holding  claims  shall  have  thirty  days  from 
this  day  in  which  to  make  the  improvements  contemplated  by  the 
foregoing  resolutions. 

6.  That  no  person  shall  be  protected  by  the  squatter  association 
who  holds  in  his  right  more  than  one  claim. 

7.  That  any  person  building  his  cabin  or  tent* within  less  than  half 
a  mile  of  another  shall  be  deemed  an  intruder. 

8.  That  a  citizen  of  the  Territory  be  appointed  as  register  of  claims, 
who  shall  keep  a  book  in  which  he  shall  note  the  names  and  descrip- 
tion of  all  squatters  and  their  claims,,  and  the  date  of  the  same,  for 
which  he  shall  be  allowed  the  sum  of  fifty  cents  for  each  claim,  to  be 
.paid  by  the  claimant. 

9.  That  the  bona  fide  purchaser  of  a  claim  located  and  registered 
'•  be  recognized  as  entitled  to  the  same,  under  the  laws  of  this  associa- 
tion, provided  his  intention  be  to  occupy  the  same  as  a  citizen  of  this 
Territory. 

10.  That  we  will  afford  protection  to  no  abolitionist  as  a  citizen  of 
this  Territory. 

11.  That  we  recognize  the  institution  of  slavery  as  already  existing 
in  this  Territory,  and  recommend  to  slaveholders  to  introduce  their 
property  as  early  as  practicable. 

12.  That  a  vigilance  committee  be  appointed  by  the  chair,  consisting 
of  thirteen  members  of  this  association,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  decide 
upon  all  disputes  in  relation  to  claims,  and  to  insure  an  execution  of 
their  judgments  in  regard  to  rightful  claimants,  shall  have  power  to 
call  together  the  entire  squatter  association. 

13.  That  all  persons  who  wish  to  become  members  of  the  "  Squatter 
Association"  shall  subscribe  to  the  foregoing  preamble  and  resolutions. 


958  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

The  foregoing  preamble  and  resolutions,  presented  and  supported  by 
Colonel  W.  Broadus  Thompson,  in  a  forcible  and  eloquent  speech,  were 
unanimously  adopted. 

By  unanimous  consent,  the  chair  appointed  James  E.  Whitehead 
register  of  claims. 

As  vigilance  committee.,  John  H.  Whitehead,,  Samuel  P.  Blair. 
Thomas  W;  Waterson,  Carey  B.  Whitehead,  James  B.  O'Tool,  Hen- 
derson Small  wood,  Anderson  Cox,  John  W.  Smith,  sen.,  Samuel 
Montgomery,  Benjamin  Harding,  John  Keaton,  Joseph  Siceliff,  and 
John  W.  Smith,  jr. 

On  motion,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  appoint  five  delegates  to  the  general 
territorial  convention  to  be  held  at  Salt  Creek  on  the  4th  day  of  July 
proximo. 

Whereupon,  Captain  John  H.  Whitehead,  Benjamin  Wharton. 
Albert  Head,  Samuel  P.  Blair,  and  John  K.  Carter,  were  appointed 
said  delegation. 

It  was  further  resolved  that  the  papers  of  St.  Louis,  Independence, 
Weston,  St.  Joseph's,  and  Savannah,,  be  requested  to  publish  these 
proceedings,  for  reference  and  guidance  of  all  interested. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned,  to  meet  again  at  this  place  on  this 
day  four  weeks. 

A.  M.  MITCHELL,  President. 

JAMES  R.  WHITEHEAD,  Secretary. 

A.  M.  MITCHELL. 


SAMUEL  SMITH  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  on  the  1st  of  April,  1855,  from  Illinois, 
and  settled  near  Lecompton.  Mr.  Joseph  Oakley  and  myself  bought 
a  claim  there  of  Mr.  L.  D.  Hendricks.  Immediately  after  we  took 
possession,  Mr.  Oakley  left  for  Michigan  for  his  family.  I  remained 
there.  I  went  to  Kansas  City  to  take  down  Mr.  Oakley,  leaving  my 
boys  to  build  a  cabin  on  my  portion  of  the  claim,  Mr.  Oakley  and  my- 
self having  divided  it.  A  committee  waited  upon  me  after  my  return 
and  informed  me  I  was  trespassing  upon  a  claim  owned  by  S.  J. 
Jones,  aftewards  sheriff,  and  a  Dr.  Davis.  A  gentleman  calling 
himself  Dr.  Davis  was  present,  and  told  me  this.  They  ordered  me 
to  appear  before  a  commission  established  at  Benecia,  but  I  did  not 
do  so.  It  was  the  8th  of  April  that  we  took  possession  of  the  claim. 
On  the  2d  of  May,  Mr.  Jones  came  with  a  party.  I  wras  sick  and  in 
bed  in  Mr.  Oakley's  caoin,  as  mine  had  not  much  accommodation  in 
it.  Mr.  Oakley's  cabin  was  on  the  claim  when  we  bought  it.  Mr. 
Jones  told  me  he  had  burned  rny  cabin,  and  told  me  I  must  leave  the 
claim,  that  it  was  his.  There  was  some  conversation  about  the  penal- 
ties of  this  associatiation,  among  which  were  hanging,  tarring  and 
feathering,  &c.  I  was  somewhat  threatened  with  these  penalties  in 
the  name  of  the  association.  I  have  never  been  able  to  ascertain 
that  either  Jones  or  Davis  had  ever  been  in  possession  of  this  claim. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  959 

I  did  not  leave,  but  continued  to  work  on  the  claim.  I  found  my 
cabin  burned  down.  On  the  28th  of  May  I  was  invited  to  assist  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Hancock,  who  lived  near  by,  in  building  a  house, 
and  went  over  there  for  that  purpose.  We  were  cutting  logs  a  short 
distance  from  where  the  house  was  to  be  erected  ;  and  shortly  after 
we  commenced  work,  an  alarm  was  given  that  a  crowd  of  armed  men 
were  coming  towards  us.  There  were  some  half  a  dozen  of  us  at  work, 
and  we  all  left  immediately  and  went  to  the  house  that  Mr.  Hancock 
was  then  living  in.  When  we  got  there,  I  saw  a  crowd  of  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  men  coming  towards  the  house;  and  when  they  got 
there  we  were  ordered  by  Mr.  Jones,  the  leader,  to  disperse.  We 
stood  our  ground,  and  they  marched  up  in  front  of  the  house.  Jones 
ordered  the  crowd  to  make  ready  and  take  aim,  and  in  that  position 
they  came  up.  They  were  all  armed  with  shot  guns,  rifles,  and  re- 
volvers. Among  them  I  recognized  Mr.  Jones,  Mr.  Evans  Todhunter. 
Mr.  Roderick,  now  postmaster  in  Lecompton,  Mr.  Taylor,  a  lawyer, 
Mr.  Ellison,  called  "  Squire  Ellison,''  and  a  Mr.  Gentry.  When  the 
crowd  had  got  near  enough  to  fire,  after  they  had  taken  aim,  Mr. 
Ellison  called  out  not  to  shoot.  We  showed  no  resistance,  but  stood 
perfectly  quiet.  Mr.  Ellison  spoke  to  me,  and  said  we  ought  to  be 
careful,  for  some  of  the  boys  would  shoot.  After  some  conversation, 
Mr.  Jones  ordered  Mr.  Hancock  to  leave  the  premises,  which,  at  first, 
he  refused  to  do ;  but  after  some  threats,  he  took  out  his  goods  from 
the  house  and  went  off.  I  understood  at  that  time  that  Jones  was 
postmaster  at  Westport,  Missouri.  Mr.  Hancock's  family  were  turned 
out  of  doors,  and,  for  some  weeks  afterwards,  I  saw  his  goods  out  on 
the  open  prairie,  until  he  could  build  a  house  for  himself.  At  that  time  I 
had  some  conversation  with  Jones,  after  Mr.  Ellison  had  told  me  he  had 
been  to  my  cabin,  and  had  advised  me  to  leave  it;  possibly  for  fear  Jones 
and  his  party  would  turn  me  out  by  force.  Mr.  Jones,  in  conversation, 
acknowledged  that  he  had  threatened  to  shoot  me  if  he  found  me  in  Oak- 
ley's cabin  again.  I  returned  to  the  cabin  after  that,  and  sent  two  of  my 
boys  out  to  arouse  the  neighbors.  The  rest  of  us  went  to  work  to 
fortify  the  cabin,  so  that  we  might  defend  it,  by  loading  our  guns  and 
knocking  out  some  chinks  between  the  logs  to  put  our  guns  through. 
I  found  written  on  the  cabin  door,  "  You  are  hereby  ordered  to  leave 
these  premises  by  4  o'clock  this  evening."  This  was  written  with 
red  chalk;  but  had  no  signature.  About  4  o'clock,  Jones  came  to  the 
cabin,  leading  a  crowd.  I  went  out  and  had  a  conversation  with  him. 
He  was  anxious  for  me  to  leave  without  further  trouble,  and  insisted 
that  I  must  leave  at  all  hazards.  After  consulting  my  friends,  I  con- 
cluded to  leave  the  cabin ;  and  we  all  did  so,  and  went  off  from  it  for 
a  short  distance,  and  stopped  to  see  what  would  be  done.  Jones  went 
back  and  consulted  his  friends  for  a  while,  and  then  some  man  of  the 
crowd  went  up  on  the  roof  of  the  cabin  and  set  the  shingles  on  fire. 
I  was  not  near  enough  to  recognize  that  man.  The  cabin  was  burned 
down.  One  of  my  sons  and  a  Mr.  Grout  went  to  the  cabin  and  took 
my  goods  out  after  the  cabin  was  set  on  fire.  I  left  the  claim  then 
for  several  months,  until  after  Mr.  Oakley  returned.  Jones  put  a 
man  in  a  house  outside  of  the  claim  we  had  bought,  and  they  took 
our  rails  we  had  cut,  and  raised  a  crop  of  corn  on  our  claim.  Mr. 


960  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Jones  never  lived  in  that  house,  and  did  not  live  in  the  Territory,  so 
far  as  I  know.  After  Mr.  Oakley  returned,  he  built  a  house  on  his 
claim,  and  we  then  went  on  the  claim  again  and  occupied  it.  I  went 
on  my  share  of  the  claim  shortly  after  Mr.  Oakley  did,  and  I  com- 
menced building  a  house.  In  the  conversation,  at  the  time  Mr.  Han- 
cock was  turned  out  of  the  house  he  was  living  in,  Mr.  Jones  told  me, 
when  I  threatened  to  apply  for  civil  redress,  that  Judge  Lecompton 
was  interested  in  the  claim.  In  September  last,  an  injunction  was 
served  upon  me,  issued  by  Judge  Lecompton,  forbidding  me  to  com- 
mit any  more  waste  by  cutting  timber  on  this  land;  and  the  case  is 
still  before  his  court,  and  I  have  ever  since  been  under  that  injunc- 
tion. After  my  house  was  burned,  I  went  to  Tecumseh,  and  applied 
to  the  grand  jury  for  redress  against  these  persons  for  having  burned 
my  house  and  threatened  my  life,  but  they  refused  to  give  me  any 
hearing.  This  was  before  the  county  lines  were  established.  Attor- 
ney General  Isaacs  told  me  there  was  no  law  in  regard  to  burning 
houses  or  mobbing  persons,  and  they  had  no  jurisdiction  over  it. 

SAM'L  SMITH. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


EDWARD  OAKLEY  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  out  here  and  landed  in  Kansas  city  the  first  day  of  April, 
1855,  with  my  father,  Joseph  Oakley,  and  settled  near  Lecompton. 
The  town  site  was  laid  out,  but  there  were  no  buildings  there.  We 
settled  about  a  mile  from  the  town  line.  My  father's  house  was 
burned  by  S.  J.  Jones  and  his  party,  on  the  28th  of  May,  1855,  while 
my  father  was  about  on  his  way  to  Michigan.  He  and  his  party  had, 
some  two  or  three  weeks  before,  burned  down  Mr.  Samuel  Smith's 
house.  I  was  in  my  father's  home,  with  Mr.  Smith  and  others,  when 
Jones  and  his  party  came  up.  After  the  house  was  set  on  fire  one  of 
Mr.  Smith's  sons  and  a  neighbor,  by  the  name  of  Grout,  went  to  the 
house  and  took  the  goods  out  of  it.  I  saw  the  man  get  up  on  the  roof 
and  set  the  shingles  on  fire,  but  was  not  near  enough  to  recognize 
who  it  was. 

EDWARD  OAKLEY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


Rev.  PARDEE  BUTLER  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Reeder  : 

I  came  first  into  the  Territory  about  the  middle  of  May,  1855,  from 
Iowa.  I  came  in  at  St.  Joseph's,  went  up  on  Wolf  river,  came  down 
on  the  Kansas  river,  and  then  returned  and  settled  on  Stranger  creek, 
about  twelve  miles  from  Achison.  On  the  16th  of  August  I  went  to 
Achison  for  the  purpose  of  taking  a  boat  down  the  river.  Mr.  Kelly 
was  postmaster  at  Achison,  and  is  also  co-editor  of  the  " Squatter 
Sovereign."  After  transacting  some  business  at  the  post  office,  I  said 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  961 

to  him,  in  the  presence  of  Archibald  Elliott,  esq.,  "  I  should,  some 
lime  since,  have  become  a  regular  subscriber  to  your  paper,  only  I  do 
not  like  the  spirit  of  violence  that  characterises  it."  He  said,  "I 
look  upon  all  free-soilers  as  rogues,  and  they  ought  to  be  treated  as 
such."  I  replied,  "  Well,  sir,  I  am  a  free-soiler,  and  expect  to  vote 
for  Kansas  to  be  a  free  State."  He  said,  "  I  do  not  expect  you  will 
be  allowed  to  vote."  I  went  from  the  post  office  to  my  boarding 
house  and  remained  that  day.  I  related  to  a  number  of  gentlemen 
the  conversation  I  have  just  given,  and  said  to  them  "an  attempt  has 
been  made  to  cow  free-soilers  into  silence ;  but  it  is  our  right  to  speak, 
and  I  intend  to  utter  my  sentiments  when  I  please."  Nothing  more 
transpired  on  that  day.  The  next  morning  Kelly  entered  my  board- 
ing house,  accompanied  by  a  number  of  men,  and  presented  me  certain 
resolutions,  cut  out  of  the  Squatter  Sovereign  and  pasted  on  a  sheet 
of  white  paper,  and  demanded  that  I  should  sign  them.  They  were 
as  follows  : 

" Whereas,  by  recent  occurrences  it  is  now  known  that  there  are 
among  us  agents  of  the  underground  railroad,  for  the  express  purpose 
of  abducting  our  slaves  ;  and,  whereas,  one  J.  W.  B.  Kelly,  hailing 
from  some  infernal  abolition  den,  has,  both  by  words  and  acts,  proved 
himself  a  worthy  representative  of  such  an  association  ;  and,  whereas- 
others  in  the  vicinity,  whose  idle  habits  and  apparent  plenty  of 
money,  induce  us  to  believe  that  they  are  hirelings  of  some  such  in- 
famous society  ;  believing  it  due  not  only  to  ourselves,  but  to  the  ad- 
joining portion  of  Missouri,  to  rid  ourselves  of  so  great  an  evil,  and 
for  the  furtherance  of  this  end  : 

Resolved,  1st.  That  one  J.  W.  B.  Kelly,  hailing  from  Cincinnati,, 
having,  upon  sundry  occasions,  denounced  our  institutions  and  de- 
clared all  pro-slavery  men  ruffians,  we  deem  it  an  act  of  kindness  to 
rid  him  of  such  company,  and  hereby  command  him  to  leave  the  town 
of  Atchison  in  one  hour  after  being  informed  of  the  passage  of  this 
resolution,  never  more  to  show  himself  in  this  vicinity. 

"Resolved,  2d,  That  in  case  he  fails  to  obey  this  reasonable  com- 
mand, we  inflict  upon  him  such  punishment  as  the  nature  of  the  case 
and  circumstances  may  require. 

"Resolved,  3d,  That  other  emissaries  of  this  Aid  Society  who  are 
now  in  our  midst  tampering  with  our  slaves  are  warned  to  leave,  else 
they  too  will  meet  the  reward  which  their  nefarious  designs  justly 
merit — hemp. 

"Resolved,  4th,  That  we  approve  and  applaud  our  fellow-townsman, 
Grafton  Thomasson,  for  the  castigation  administered  to  the  said  J. 
W.  B.  Kelly,  whose  presence  among  us  is  a  libel  on  our  good  standing 
and  a  disgrace  to  the  community. 

1  'Resolved,  5th,  That  we  have  commenced  the  good  work  of  purging 
our  town  of  all  resident  abolitionists,  and  after  cleansing  our  town  of 
such  nuisances,  shall  do  the  same  with  settlers  on  Walnut  and  Inde- 
pendence creeks,  whose  propensities  for  cattle  stealing  are  well  known 
to  many. 

"Resolved,  Qth,  That  the  chairman  appoint  a  committee  of  three  to 
H.  Rep.  200 61* 


962  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


wait  upon  the  said  Kelly  and  acquaint  him  with  the  action  of  this 
meeting. 

"Resolved,  *Jth,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  published, 
that  the  world  may  know  our  determination. 

"On  motion  of  Henry  Allen,  copies  of  these  resolutions  were  ordered 
to  be  made  out,  and  a  committee  of  three  be  requested  to  circulate 
them,  with  a  view  of  obtaining  signatures,  thereby  showing  who  are 
abolitionists." 

This  was  a  difference  that  grew  up  between  a  J.  W.  B.  Kelly  from 
Cincinnati  and  Robert  S.  Kelly,  of  the  Squatter  Sovereign,  and  others 
known  as  "  border  ruffians."     I  declined  to  subscribe  to  these  resolu- 
tions.    I  commenced  reading  the  resolutions  aloud.     Kobert  S.  Kelly, 
editor  of  the  Squatter  Sovereign,  finally  interrupted  me  and  demanded 
I  should  sign  them.     I  rose  up  ;   walked  down  stairs  into  the  street ; 
here  they  stopped  me  and  demanded,   "  will  you  sign?''     I  refused  ; 
when  they  seized  me  and  dragged  me  to  the  river,  cursing  me  for  a 
damned  abolitionist,  and  saying  they  were  going  to  drown  me.     When 
we  arrived  at  the  bank,  Mr.  Kelly  painted  my  face  with  black  paint, 
marking  upon  it  the  letter  "K."     The  company  had  increased  to  some 
thirty  or  forty  persons.     Without  any  trial,  without  witnesses,  judge, 
counsel,  or  jury,  for  about  two  hours  I  was  a  sort  of  target  at  which 
were  hurled  imprecations,  curses,  arguments,  entreaties,  accusations, 
and  interrogatories.     I  told  them  my  coming  to  Kansas  was  projected 
before  it  became  apparent  that  there  would  be  any  controversy  about 
slavery  here  ;  that  I  came  for  reasons  independent  and  extraneous  to 
this  question  ;  that  I  never  had  any  connexion  with  any  Emigrant 
Aid  Society,  and  never  made  any  communication  to  any  paper  con- 
cerning Kansas  affairs.     I  was  not  accused  of  tampering  with  slaves. 
I  explained  to  them  that  I  could  not  countenance  any  interference  be- 
tween master  and  slave  in  Kansas,  while  that  was  an  open  question. 
They  alleged  nothing  more  against  me  than  that  I  had  spoken  among 
my  neighbors  favorably  to  making  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  had  said 
in  the  office  of  the  Squatter  Sovereign,  "I  am  a  free-soiler  and  intend 
to  vote  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State."     Ira  Norris,  esq., 
late  of  Platte  City,  who  was  with  the  company,  said,  "Mr.  Butler,  I 
will  advise  you  for  your  good,  as  a  friend,  when  you  get  away  just 
keep  away."     I  said  I  intended  to  go  away,  but  intended  to  come 
back  again ;  that  I  could  not  leave  ;  that  I  owned  real  estate  near 
Atchison,  in  Missouri,  and  had  a  claim  on  Stranger  creek.     Some  one 
remarked,  you  can  sell  your  claim  through  an  agent.     I  said  I  would 
not  sell  my  claim  through  an  agent  nor  in  my  own  proper  person  ; 
and  that  if  my  life  was  not  taken  by  them  I  intended  to  live  upon  it. 
They  said,  stay  on  your  claim,  but  keep  away  from  Atchison.     I  said 
I  should  come  back  to  Atchison  if  my  life  was  not  taken  and  Providence 
permitted  me  to  do  so.     They  said  if  I  came  back  again  to  Atchison 
they  would  hang  me.     They  offered  to  show  me  the  very  tree  on  which 
they  would  hang  me.     They  made  another  proposal,  that  I  might  live 
in  the  country  and  vote  as  I  thought  best,  but  hold  my  tongue.     I 
said  I  would  speak  when  I  pleased.     I  told  them  I  had  done  no  wrong ; 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  963 

that  I  had  as  good  a  right  to  come  there  as  they  had,  and  should  do 
my  duty  as  I  understood  it,  and  they  might  do  the  same.  I  said, 
"you  are  many,  I  am  but  one  man ;  dispose  of  me  as  you  think  best ; 
I  ask  no  favors  of  you/'  They  constructed  a  raft  of  two  cottonwood 
saw  logs,  fastened  together  with  inch  plank  nailed  to  the  logs,  upon 
which  they  put  me  and  sent  me  down  the  Missouri  river.  The  raft 
was  towed  out  into  the  middle  of  the  stream  with  a  canoe.  Robert  S. 
Kelly  held  the  rope  that  towed  the  raft.  They  gave  me  neither  oar, 
rudder,  nor  anything  else  to  manage  my  raft  with.  They  put  up  a 
flagon  the  raft  with  the  following  inscription  upon  it:  "  Eastern  Emi- 
grant Aid  Express.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Butler,  agent  for  the  underground 
railroad.  The  way  they  are  served  in  Kansas.  For  Boston.  Cargo 
insured,  unavoidable  danger  of  the  Missourians  and  the  Missouri  river 
excepted.  Let  future  emissaries  from  the  north  beware.  Our  hemp 
crop  is  sufficient  to  reward  all  such  scoundrels."  They  threatened  to 
shoot  me  if  I  pulled  my  flag  down.  I  pulled  it  down,  cut  the  flag  off 
the  flag-staff,  made  a  paddle  of  the  flag-staff,  and  ultimately  got 
ashore  about  six  miles  below. 

To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  I  had  not  had  any  conversation  in 
the  presence  of  slaves.  I  neither  had  sought  to  entice  slaves  away 
from  their  masters,  nor  did  they  accuse  me  of  it.  They  all  admitted, 
when  we  were  together,  that  I  was  not  an  abolitionist,  but  a  free- 
soiler.  By  freesoiler  I  mean  one  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  free 
State. 

[Part  of  Mr.  Butler's  deposition  is  struck  out,  according  to  the  ruling 
in  the  case  of  James  Harris.] 

PARDEE  BUTLER. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9.  1856. 


GEORGE  F.  WARREN  was  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  at  Leavenworth  at  the  time  of  the  lynching  of  William  Phil7 
lips.  It  was  May  17,  1855.  He  had  written  a  protest  to  the  governor 
signed  by  himself  and  a  number  of  others.  He  is  a  citizen  of  Leaven- 
worth,  a  lawyer.  A  committee  served  a  notice  on  him  to  leave  the 
Territory.  I  saw  the  notice.  The  committee  consisted  of  thirty,  viz: 
William  Hughes,  now  clerk  in  the  land  office  of  Mr.  Calhoun,  sur- 
veyor general ;  H.  Rives  Pollard,  associate  editor  of  the  Kansas  Herald 
at  Leavenworth  ;  William  Adams,  publisher  of  the  same  paper  ;  D. 
Scott  Boyle,  then  and  now  clerk  of  the  territorial  court  under  Judge 
Lecompte  ;  Eli  Moore,  deputy  city  marshal  of  Leavenworth  ;  J.  M. 
Lyle,  chief  clerk  of  the  Shawnee  legislature;  D.  J.  Johnson,  lawyer; 
Bennett  Burnam,  city  surveyor ;  J.  M.  Alexander,  a  lawyer  from 
Pennsylvania ;  J.  C.  Posey,  surveyor.  I  do  not  remember  the  names 


964  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

of  any  more  now.  This  notice  was  served  some  days  before  the  mob- 
bing. There  was  to  be  a  meeting  in  town  on  the  day  the  notice  re- 
quired him  to  leave.  Mr.  Phillips  and  myself  left  on  that  day.  To- 
wards evening  we  returned.  An  hour  or  two  after  we  arrived  in  town 
some  one  wanted  to  speak  to  Mr.  Phillips  in  the  Herald  printing  office. 
He  went  there,  and  I  remained  part  of  the  time  on  the  outside  where 
I  could  see  in  and  hear  them  talk.  They  asked  him  to  sign  that  paper 
to  leave  the  Territory  the  next  day  at  noon,  at  the  same  time  holding 
a  pistol  at  his  head.  He  would  not  sign  it.  A  man  asked  him  then 
if  he  would  fight.  He  reached  his  hand  to  him  and  told  him  yes. 
Some  one  spoke  then  and  said  the  man  who  proposed  to  fight  should 
not  do  so,  and  thus  throw  away  his  valuable  life  for  that  damned  abo- 
litionist. They  then  proposed  to  tar  and  feather  Phillips.  They 
could  not  find  any  tar  and  feathers.  He  told  them  that  molasses- 
would  do  just  as  well.  I  then  left,  and  shortly  afterwards  I  saw 
Phillips.  Some  days  afterwards,  while  I  and  Phillips  were  helping 
to  raise  a  building,  there  was  a  company  of  thirteen  came  there. 
They  were  J.  M.  McAlear,  William  Hughes,  Boyle,  Burnam,  Pollard, 
Adams,  Moore,  Heath,  Lyle,  Johnson,  Posey,  Mr.  Blair,  deputy  mar- 
shal, and  one  other.  Hughes  came  close  to  Phillips  and  told  him  he 
must  leave  the  Territory  and  go  with  him.  McAlear  put  his  hand  on 
Phillips'  shoulder  and  told  him  he  must  go.  All  of  them  had  re- 
volvers. Phillips  was  unarmed,  and  only  three  or  four  of  his  friends 
were  around,  who  were  all  unarmed  except  myself,  and  I  had  a  re- 
volver. There  were  but  few  persons  in  sight.  Phillips  made  no 
reply  to  McAlear.  Myself  and  Mr.  Gould  rushed  towards  him  and 
was  pushed  back,  and  my  pistol  was  taken  from  me  by  a  friend  of 
mine  from  Tennessee  who  wanted  to  fire,  but  I  prevented  him.  They 
then  took  Phillips  to  the  river,  put  him  on  a  flat  boat,  and  all  got  in 
and  crossed  the  river.  While  they  were  crossing,  a  magistrate  or- 
dered a  posse  out  with  arms  to  rescue  him.  Only  three  of  us  appeared, , 
and  they  were  then  crossing  the  river.  They  shook  their  fists  at  us, 
and  told  us  we  would  have  to  go  next.  They  landed  on  the  other 
side,  and  that  was  the  last  I  saw  of  them  that  day.  I  saw  Phillips 
next  morning.  He  had  just  finished  getting  tar  off  from  him  and  was 
running  bullets.  One  side  of  his  head  was  shaved.  These  men  were 
never  punished  for  this  offence.  They  were  at  one  time  brought  before 
Judge  Lecompte  and  bound  over  to  keep  the  peace.  He  said  it  was  his 
duty  to  remove  the  clerk  and  prevent  the  lawyers  from  practicing  at 
the  bar,  but  he  would  not  do  it  for  that  time.  To  my  knowledge  they 
were  never  indicted  or  tried.  Most  of  them  are  still  living  in  the 
Territory  and  holding  office. 

G.  F.  WAEEEN. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  965 

A.  PAYNE  called  and  sworn. 


To  Mr.  Sherman: 


I  reside  in  Leaven  worth  county,  in  this  Territory,  since  June, 
1854.  I  was  appointed  on  a  committee  of  ten,  at  a  public  meeting  of 
the  citizens  held  on  the  30th  of  April,  1855,  relating  to  William 
Phillips,  and  was  president  of  that  meeting.  In  pursuance  of  the 
resolutions  of  that  meeting,  we  notified  William  Phillips  that  he  had 
rendered  himself  obnoxious  to  this  community,,  and  supposed  that  he 
had  been  accessory  to  the  death  of  Malcolm  Clark,  who  was  killed  on 
that  day  by  Cole  McEea. 

He  did  not  comply  with  the  notice,  and  did  not  leave  at  the  time 
designated.  When  the  time  expired  we  held  an  adjourned  meeting, 
and,  in  pursuance  of  the  resolution  of  the  adjourned  meeting,  we 
went  to  Mr.  Phillips'  house  again,  and  was  told  by  his  brother  that 
he  was  not  there.  The  committee  retired,  being  satisfied  that  such 
was  the  fact.  My  impression  is,  that  I  next  saw  Mr.  Phillips  the 
evening  of  the  adjourned  meeting,  about  dusk,  in  the  city,  near  the 
Herald  office.  Some  person,  I  don't  know  who,  remarked,  in  my 
hearing,  that  Phillips  had  deceived  us,  that  he  was  now  in  town. 

Some  one,  I  think  Mr.  Posey,  went  to  him  and  arrested  him,  or 
took  hold  of  him,  and  told  him  to  walk  with  him  into  the  printing 
office,  that  being  the  nearest  room.  He  went  with  Mr.  Posey,  and 
some  six  or  eight  others  followed  ;  I  don't  exactly  remember  the  num- 
ber, where  a  consultation  was  held  as  to  what  disposition  should  be 
made  with  Mr.  Phillips.  Various  modes  were  suggested  as  to  what 
means  should  be  used  to  carry  out  the  resolutions,  none  of  which  were 
adopted,  and  Mr.  Phillips  was  released  by  partially  promising  that 
he  would  leave  as  soon  as  he  could  wind  up  his  business ;  that  is  all 
I  know  of  it.  I  was  not  with  him  when  he  was  taken  over  to  Weston, 
and  know  nothing  about  it  except  from  hearsay.  The  paper  hereto 
attached,  cut  out  from  the  Kansas  Weekly  Herald,  I  believe  is  the 
published  account  of  the  proceedings  of  the  two  meetings  to  which  I 
have  referred. 


PUBLIC  MEETING. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Leavenworth  and  vicinity,  held  on 
the  evening  of  the  30th  of  April,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  some  ac- 
tion in  regard  to  one  William  Phillips,  who  is  reported  to  have  been 
accessory  to  the  murder  of  Malcolm  Clark,  D.  J.  Johnson  was  called 
to  the  chair,  and  Joseph  L.  McAleer  chosen  secretary. 

On  motion,  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unani- 
mously adopted. 

Whereas,  by  facts  elicited  on  the  coroner's  inquest  held  over  the 
body  of  Malcolm  Clark,  as  well  as  from  other  circumstances  that  have 
come  to  our  knowledge,  it  appears  that  William  Phillips,  of  Leaven- 


966  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

worth,  was  an  accessory  to  the  murder  of  one  of  our  most  respectec 
^citizens ;  and  whereas,,  the  conduct  of  said  Phillips,  heretofore,  haj 
fully  demonstrated  his  un  worthiness  as  a  citizen  or  gentleman  ;  there- 
fore, 

Resolved,  That,  in  accordance  with  the  expressed  desire  of  the  in- 
dignation meeting  to-night,  William  Phillips  he  ordered  to  leave  thi* 
Territory  hy  two  o'clock,  Thursday  evening  next;  and  that  a  com- 
mittee of  ten  be  appointed  to  notify  him  instanter  of  the  requisitior 
of  this  meeting. 

Resolved,  That  the  notice  be  written  and  signed  by  the  committee 
who  shall  proceed,  immediately  after  the  adjournment,  to  the  resi- 
dence of  William  Phillips,  and  deliver  it  to  himself  in  person. 

Resolved,  That  the  course  to  be  pursued  in  regard  to  the  other  abo^ 
litionists  and  to  the  other  matters  of  importance,  be  left  for  the  deci- 
sion of  the  meeting  of  the  citizens,  to  be  held  next  Thursday. 

Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  signed  by  th< 
officers  and  other  members  of  the  committee. 

The  Chairman  appointed  the  following  named  gentlemen  to  waii 
upon  Mr.  Phillips:  Jarrett  Todd,  John  C.  Posey,  N.  B.  Brooks 
William  C.  Berry,  Thomas  C.  Hughes,  H.  Kives  Pollard,  Joseph  L 
McAleer,  John  H.  McBride,  James  M.  Lyle,  A..  Payne. 

On  motion,  the  meeting  adjourned  to  meet  again  on  Thursday 
May  3. 

D.  J.  JOHNSON,  Chairman. 

JAMES  M.  LYLE,  Secretary. 

Signed  by  Jarrett  Todd  and  others  of  the  committee. 

The  following  is  a  duplicate  of  the  notice  served  on  Willian 
Phillips : 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  April  30,  1855. 

SIR  :  At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Leavenworth  and  vicinity,  w 
the  undersigned,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  inform  you  that  the 
have  unanimously  determined  that  you  must  leave  this  Territory  ~ 
two  o'clock  of  Thursday  next.  Take  due  notice  thereof,  and  act  a 
cordingly. 

JAKEETT  TODD, 
JOHN  C.  POSEY, 
N.  B.  BROOKS, 
WILLIAM  C.  BEREY, 
H.  RIVES  POLLARD, 
JOHN  H.  McBEIDE, 
JAMES  M.  LYLE, 
A.  PAYNE, 
THOMAS  C.  HUGHES, 
WILLIAM  L.  BLAIR. 
WILLIAM  PHILLIPS. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  967 


Public  Indignation  Meeting. 

Pursuant  to  adjournment  of  the  indignation  meeting  on  the  30th, 
the  citizens  of  Leaven  worth  re-convened  on  Thursday  last,  at  11 
o'clock,  Colonel  A.  Payne  presiding,  and  James  M.  Lyle  acting  as 
secretary  of  the  meeting. 

The  committee  appointed  to  draft  resolutions  reported  the  following 
through  their  chairman,  J.  M.  Alexander,  which  were  unanimously 
adopted : 

Resolved ,  That  we  regret  the  death  of  our  esteemed  fellow-citizen, 
Malcolm  Clark,  and  most  bitterly  condemn  the  cowardly  act  "by  which 
he  was  murdered ;  'hut  we  would  deprecate  any  violation  of  the  laws 
of  the  land  "by  way  of  revenge,  and  stand  ready  to  maintain  and  de- 
fend the  laws  from  any  violation  by  any  mob  violence  ;  that  we  do  not 
deem  the  time  has  arrived  when  it  is  necessary  for  men  to  maintain 
their  inalienable  rights  by  setting  at  defiance  the  constituted  authori- 
ties of. the  country. 

Resolved,  That  we  deeply  and  sincerely  sympathize  with  the  family 
of  Malcolm  Clark,  deceased,  in  their  sad  and  irreparable  bereavement, 
which  has  deprived  them  of  an  affectionate  and  doting  father,  and 
the  community  of  one  of  her  most  useful,  enterprising,  and  esteemed 
citizens. 

Resolved,  That  the  interests  of  our  young  and  lovely  Territory 
have  lost,  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Clark,  an  energetic  and  praiseworthy 
friend ;  one  who  was  ever  ready  to  put  forward  his  best  energies  to  ad- 
vance the  public  weal,  and  whose  sentiments  were  liberal,  and  at  all 
times  expressed  with  a  bold  and  fearless  defiance  of  the  errors  of  the 
day. 

Resolved,  That  no  man  has  a  right  to  go  into  any  community  and 
disturb  its  peace  and  quiet  by  doing  any  incendiary  acts  or  circulating 
incendiary  sentiments  ;  we  therefore  advise  such  as  are  unwilling  to 
;a     submit  to  the  institutions  of  this  country  to  leave  for  some  climate 
M     more  congenial  to  their  feelings,  as  abolition  sentiments  cannot,  nor 
A ,   will  not,  be  tolerated  here — and  while  we  do  not  say  what  may  be  the 
c|k;   consequences,  for  the  peace  and  quiet  of  the  community  we  urge  all 
j  entertaining  and  expressing  such  sentiments  to  leave  immediately, 
,   claiming  the  right  to  expel  all  such  as  persist  in  such  a  course. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  present  state  of  public  excitement  there  is  no 
j  such  thing  as  controlling  the  ebullition  of  feeling,  while  material  re- 
j  mains  in  the  country  on  which  to  give  it  vent.  To  the  peculiar 
j  friends  of  northern  fanatics,  we  say,  this  is  not  your  country,  go  home 
1  and  vent  your  treason,  where  you  may  find  your  sympathy. 

Resolved,  That  we  invite  the  inhabitants  of  every  State,  north, 

1  south,  east,  and  west,  to  come  among  us  and  to  cultivate  the  beautiful 

.  jl  prairie  lands  of  our  Territory,  but  leave  behind  you  the  fanaticisms  of 

1  higher  law  and  all  kindred  doctrines,  come  only  to  maintain  the  laws 

I  as  they  exist,  and  not  to  preach  your  higher  duties  of  setting  them  at 

1  naught ;  for  we  warn  you  in  advance  that  our  institutions  are  sacred 

to  us,  and  must  and  shall  be  respected. 


968  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Resolved,  That  the  institution  of  slavery  is  known  and  recognized 
in  this  Territory,  that  we  repel  the  doctrine  that  it  is  a  moral  and 
political  evil,  and  we  hurl  back  with  scorn  upon  its  slanderous  authors 
the  charge  of  inhumanity,  and  we  warn  all  persons  not  to  come  to  our 
own  peaceful  firesides  to  slander  us  and  sow  the  seeds  of  discord  be- 
tween the  master  and  the  servant,  for  much  as  we  may  deprecate  the 
necessity  to  which  we  may  be  driven,  we  cannot  be  responsible  for  the 
consequences. 

Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the  right  of  every  man  to  entertain  his 
own  sentiments  in  all  questions  and  to  act  them  out  so  long  as  they 
interfere  with  neither  public  or  private  rights,  but  that  when  the  acts 
of  men  strike  at  the  peace  of  our  social  relations  and  tend  to  subvert 
the  known  and  recognized  rights  of  others,  such  acts  are  in  violation 
of  morals,  of  natural  law,  and  systems  of  jurisprudence  to  which  we 
are  accustomed  to  submit. 

Resolved,  That  a  vigilance  committee,  consisting  of  thirty  members, 
shall  now  be  appointed,  who  shall  observe  and  report  all  such  persons 
as  shall  openly  act  in  violation  of  law  and  order,  and  by  the  expression 
of  abolition  sentiments  produce  disturbance  to  the  quiet  of  the  citizens 
or  danger  to  their  domestic  relations,  and  all  such  persons  so  offend- 
ing shall  be  notified  and  made  to  leave  the  Territory. 

The  committee  appointed  on  Monday  last  to  notify  Mr.  Phillips  of 
the  requisition  of  the  citizens  of  Leaven  worth,  reported  to  the  meet- 
ing that  the  said  Phillips  had  left  town  in  compliance  with  the  in- 
structions given  him.  On  motion  of  J.  Marion  Alexander,  a  com- 
mittee of  vigilance,  consisting  of  thirty,  was  appointed  for  the  purpose 
of  carrying  out  the  resolutions  of  the  meeting.  The  following  gentle- 
men compose  the  committee : 

HIKAM  RICH, 

A.  PAYNE, 

S.  D.  PITCHER, 

A.  J.  SCOTT, 

THOMAS  C.  HUGHES, 

WM.  W.  CORUM, 

JARRETT  TODD, 

ALEXANDER  RUSSELL, 

D.  J.  JOHNSON, 

SAMUEL  BURGESS, 

C.  C.  HARRISON, 

R.  E.  STALLARD, 

G.  D.  TODD, 

M.  P.  RIVELEY, 

H.  RIVES  POLLARD, 

JAMES  M.  LYLE, 

JAMES  SUNETT, 

JOEL  HIATT, 

LEWIS  N.  REES, 

L.  P.  STYLES, 

C.  N.  BURGESS, 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  969 

JOHN  C.  POSEY, 
G.  W.  WALKER, 

D.  SCOTT  BOYLE, 

E.  A.  LONG, 

WM.  G.  MATTHIAS, 
H.   D.  McMEEKIN, 
JOHN  MILLER, 
W.  L.  BLAIR, 
NATHANIEL    HENDERSON, 
H.  LONG. 

The  meeting  was  ably  and  eloquently  addressed  by  Judge  Lecompte, 
Colonel  J.  N.  Burnes,  of  Westori,  and  D.  J.  Johnson. 

On  motion  of,,  Bennett  Burnham,,  it  was  unanimously  confirmed, 
that  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  published  in  the  Kansas 
Herald,  Platte  Argus,  and  in  all  other  papers  friendly  to  the  cause. 

On  motion  the  meeting  adjourned  sine  die. 

A.  PAYNE,  President. 

JAMES  M.  LYLE,  Secretary. 

Question.  Was  you  present  on  the  22d  of  December,  1855,  at  the 
time  the  press  of  M.  W.  Delehay  was  thrown  into  the  river,  and,  if 
so,  state  the  circumstances  of  that  transaction? 

Ansicer.  I  was  here  at  the  time  the  press  was  thrown  into  the  river. 
It  was  done  about  dusk.  I  could  not  tell  how  many  persons  were 
engaged  in  the  work  of  destroying  the  press.  I  was  in  the  store  be- 
low, as  much  engaged  in  the  protection  of  property  of  my  friends  as 
anything  else.  I  saw  the  press  when  falling  from  the  upper  door  to 
the  ground.  It  was  injured  to  some  extent  in  the  fall,  but  I  can't 
say  to  what  extent ;  and  I  understand,  although  I  did  not  see,  it  was 
thrown  into  the  river.  I  suppose  the  type  and  other  materials  were 
either  thrown  into  the  river  or  scattered  upon  the  ground  ;  the  whole 
printing  establishment  was  destroyed.  I  do  not  know  of  any  legal 
warrant  or  process  by  virtue  of  which  this  was  done  ;  I  do  not  know 
that  the  parties  engaged  in  this  were  ever  brought  to  any  judicial  trial. 
I  was  here  on  the  15th  of  December,  and  remember  the  time  of  the 
adoption  of  the  free  State  constitution.  I  saw  no  other  difficulty  ex- 
cept the  taking  of  the  ballot  boxes  ;  they  were  not  destroyed,  but  I 
gave  them,  or  ordered  them  to  be  given,  to  the  sheriff,  Green  D.  Todd, 
of  the  county,  who  probably  has  them  now. 

The  election  did  not  go  on,  to  my  knowledge,  after  that.  I,  and 
others  engaged  in  this  transaction,  had  no  legal  process,  and  acted 
under  no  legal  process  in  seizing  the  ballot  box.  But  three  or  four 
of  us  entered  the  house,  but  a  number  were  outside  to  assist,  I  sup- 
pose, if  necessary.  To  my  knowledge,  no  one  has  been  arrested,  tried, 
or  examined  for  the  mobbing  of  Phillips,  the  destruction  of  Delehay's 
press,  or  the  seizing  of  the  ballot  boxes.  These  acts  were  done  by 
persons  well  known,  and  no  effort  was  made  to  conceal  the  persons  or 
the  acts. 


(«*70  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


To  Governor  King : 

The  cause  of  the  meeting  of  which  I  have  spoken  was  in  conse- 
quence of  the  killing  of  Clark.  I  was  at  the  squatter's  meeting  held 
on  the  30th  of  April,  at  which  Clark  was  shot.  While  some  one  was 
speaking  at  that  meeting  McCrea  interrupted  the  speaker  frequently. 
I  remarked  to  Mr.  Clark,  who  was  standing  near  me,  that  McCrea  was 
not  a  Delaware  squatter,  that  he  lived  on  the  "government  cut-off," 
as  it  was  called,  and  that  I  thought  only  those  interested  in  the  Dela- 
ware lands  should  participate  in  the  meeting.  Clark  remarked  that, 
if  McCrea  was  not  a  Delaware  squatter,  he  would  request  him  to  re- 
tire and  not  to  interrupt  the  meeting  any  more.  Clark  went  to  Mc- 
Crea and  told  him  that  he  understood  he  was  not  interested  in  the 
Delaware  lands,  and  it  was  the  wish  that  only  such  as  was  should 
participate  in  the  meeting.  McCrea  remarked  that,  if  such  was  the 
wish  of  the  meeting,  that  he  would  retire,  and  did  so.  Soon  after- 
wards a  resolution  was  offered,  and  a  vote  taken  ;  the  ayes  and  nays 
being  called,  McCrea  and  others  of  his  friends  voted. 

The  chairman  being  unable  to  decide,  a  division  was  called  for,  and 
the  question  was  decided  in  the  affirmative,  and  the  chairman  an- 
nounced'that  the  resolution  was  carried.  McCrea  remarked  that  it 
was  a  damned  fraud,  and  that  it  was  through  the  instrumentality  of 
Malcolm  Clark.  Clark  remarked,  "it  is  not  so,  sir."  McCrea  told 
him  it  was  a  God  damned  lie.  Clark  made  towards  him,  and  I  saw 
McCrea  attempting  to  draw  his  pistol.  Clark  seemed  to  be  picking 
up  something,  but  I  cannot  say  what.  At  this  time  Clark  must  have 
seen  McCrea  in  the  act  of  drawing  his  pistol,  being  nearer  to  him  than 
I  was.  Just  at  this  time  the  crowd  rushed  in  between  myself  and 
Clark  and  McCrea,  and  I  saw  nothing  further.  I  heard  the  report  of 
the  pistol,  anA  Clark  exclaimed,  "the  scoundrel  has  shot  me,"  and 
saw  McCrea  running  with  a  pistol  in  his  hand.  Clark  died  in  a  few 
moments.  The  general  rumor  prevailed,  and  I  believe  it,  that  Phil- 
lips had  advised  the  killing  of  Clark  ;  and  the  rumor  prevailed,  also, 
that  he  had  been  seen  to  hand  McCrea  something  which  was  supposed 
to  be  a  pistol. 

I  don't  know  that  the  matters  relative  to  the  destruction  of  Dela- 
hay's  press  and  the  taking  of  the  ballot  boxes  were  ever  investigated 
before  a  grand  jury. 

A.  PAYNE. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


RICHARD  R.  REES  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  middle  of  November,  1854,  and 
have  resided  here  ever  since.     I  presided  at  a  meeting  of  the  pro- 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  971 

slavery  party  held  in  this  city  on  the  19th  of  May,  1855.  1  think 
0.  C.  Harrison,  a  citizen  of  the  district,  was  secretary  of  that  meeting. 
My  recollection  is  that  the  resolutions  were  presented  in  writing  and 
passed,  and  those  published  in  the  Kansas  Weekly  Herald  of  the  25th 
of  May,  1855,  in  this  city,  are  correct,  as  far  as  I  recollect.  The 
"  memorable  30th,"  referred  to  in  the  fifth  resolution  there  published, 
I  presume  refers  to  a  meeting  held  on  the  30th  of  April,  but  I  do  not 
recollect  of  being  present  at  that  meeting.  I  was  at  that  time  a 
member  elect  of  the  legislative  council  of  this  Territory.  Ewen  D. 
Todd,  I  understood,  resided  in  the  Territory  at  that  time,  but  my  im- 
pression is  that  Jared  Todd  resided  on  his  farm  across  the  river.  I  do 
not  recollect  that  the  resolutions  of  the  meeting  of  April  30th  were 
referred  to  except  as  above. 

On  the  30th  of  April,  1855,  Judge  Lecompte  was  judge  of  the 
court  of  this  district,  I  think  called  by  the  governor  the  first  dis- 
trict. Colonel  J.  N.  Burnes  I  understood  to  reside  at  that  time  in 
Weston,  Missouri.  I).  J.  Johnson  resided  here  in  Leavenworth  at 
that  time,  and  I  am  not  aware  of  his  holding  any  office  here  then 
or  since.  D.  Scott  Boyle  was  the  clerk  of  the  first  district  court,  and 
has  been  ever  since.  Mr.  William  G.  Matthias  was  then  a  member 
elect  of  the  house  of  representatives  of  this  Territory,  according  to 
the  returns  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  II.  D.  McMeekin  held  the 
same  office  then  as  Mr.  Matthias  did,  and  is  now,  as  I  understand, 
a  deputy  marshal  of  the  Territory,  and  also  a  deputy  sheriff  of  this 
county.  Green  D.  Todd  is  now  sheriff  of  this  county,  but  held  no 
office,  as  I  am  aware  of,  at  that  time.  A.  Payne  was  at  that  time  a 
member  elect  of  the  legislature,  according  to  the  returns  of  the  30th 
of  March,  and  I  believe  is  now  a  colonel  of  militia.  Thomas  G. 
Hughes  was  afterwards  engrossing  clerk  of  the  house  of  representa- 
tives, and  upon  the  resignation  of  Judge  Halderman  was  chosen  chief 
clerk  of  the  council,  and  is  now  constable  of  Leavenworth  township,  in 
this  county.  M.  P.  Eively  is  now  county  treasurer.  H.  Kives  Pol- 
lard was  connected  with  the  Kansas  Herald  as  associate  editor.  James 
M.  Lyle  was  afterwards  judge  of  the  election  on  the  22d  of  May,  and 
then  chief  clerk  of  the  house  of  representatives,  and  now  is  clerk  of 
the  county  board  of  commissioners  of  this  county.  Alexander  Kussell 
is  now  a  justice  of  the  peace.  Lewis  N.  Piees  was  judge  of  the  elec- 
tion of  the  30th  of  March,  and  is  now  postmaster  at  this  place.  W. 
L.  Blair  has  been  deputy  constable  since  then.  L.  P.  Stiles  resided 
the  last  time  I  knew  in  Farleigh,  Platte  county,  Missouri.  C.  M. 
Burgess  was  judge  of  election  of  the  29th  November,  1854.  The  rest 
of  the  names  published  in  that  connexion  are  of  persons  that  I  do  not 
know  of  having  held  offices  here,  though  some  of  them  may  have  been 
on  the  grand  or  petit  juries  here. 

The  following  is  the  copy  of  resolutions  published  in  the  Kansas 
Herald  on  the  25th  of  May,  1855  : 


972  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


PUBLIC  MEETING. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  pro-slavery  party  of  this  city  and  vicinity,  held 
on  Saturday  last,  on  motion  of  Jarret  Todd,  K.  R.  Rees  was  called  to 
the  chair,  and  C.  C.  Harrison  was  chosen  secretary. 

After  an  explanation  of  the  ohjects  of  the  meeting,  the  following 
resolutions  were.,  on  motion  of  Judge  Payne,  unanimously  adopted  : 

1st.  That  we  heartily  endorse  the  action  of  the  committee  of  citi- 
zens that  shaved,  tarred  and  feathered,  rode  on  a  rail,  and  had  sold  by 
a  negro,  William  Phillips,  the  moral  perjuror. 

2d.  That  we  return  our  thanks  to  the  committee  for  faithfully  per- 
forming the  trust  enjoined  upon  them  by  the  pro-slavery  party. 

3d.  That  the  committee  be  now  discharged. 

4th.  That  we  severely  condemn  those  pro-slavery  men  who  from 
mercenary  motives  are  now  calling  upon  the  pro-slavery  party  to  sub- 
mit without  further  action. 

5th.  That  in  order  to  secure  peace  and  harmony  to  the  community 
we  now  solemly  declare  that  the  pro-slavery  party  will  stand  firmly 
by  and  carry  out  the  resolutions  reported  by  the  committee  appointed 
for  that  purpose  on  the  "  memorable  3Qth." 

On  motion  of  Green  D.  Todd,  it  was  adopted  that  the  proceedings 
of  this  meeting  be  published  in  the  Kansas  'Herald,  Platte  Argus,  and 
all  other  papers  friendly  to  the  cause  ;  after  which,  on  motion  of 
Samuel  Burgess,  the  meeting  adjourned. 

R.  R.  REES,  Chairman. 

C.  C.  HARBISON,  Secretary. 

I  cannot  identify  the  proceedings  of  the  meeting  of  the  30th  of 
April,  1855,  as  published  in  the  Kansas  Herald  of  May  4,  1855. 
Thomas  C.  Hughes,  I  understand  from  reputation,  is  a  clerk  in  the 
surveyor  general's  office  of  this  Territory. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

There  was  a  public  rumor  that  at  a  squatters'  meeting  here  Malcolm 
Clark  had  been  killed  by  Cole  McCrea  ;  the  report  stating  that  William 
Phillips  had  furnished  McCrea  the  pistol  with  which  Clark  was  killed. 
Meetings  were  held,  as  I  understand,  and  Phillips  was  notified  to  leave. 
He  persisted  in  remaining,  and  was  taken  by  some  seven  or  eight  men, 
I  do  not  recollect  how  many,  across  the  river  to  Weston,  Missouri,  and 
there  tarred  and  feathered.  Such  was  the  rumor,  but  I  do  not  know 
of  the  fact.  Phillips  was  publicly  charged  with  being  an  accessory  to 
the  shooting  of  Clark.  The  community  here  were  indignant  at  Phil- 
lips also  for  his  affidavit,  swearing  that  voters  were  deterred  from 
voting  here  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and  the  prevailing  opinion 
here  was  that  the  affidavit  was  false.  This  affidavit  related  to  the 
contest  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March.  These  were  the  circum- 
stances I  understood  led  to  the  lynching  of  Phillips.  On  account  of 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  973 

these  prevailing  rumors  and  the  death  of  Clark  the  meeting  was  held 
at  which  the  resolutions  embodied  in  this  deposition  were  passed. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

Several  of  the  persons  who  attended  this  meeting  and  took  part  in 
it  were,  as  I  understood,  parties  to  the  lynching  of  Phillips.  I  never 
talked  with  any  of  the  free  State  men  about  the  correctness  of  Phil- 
lips' affidavit,  but  I  knew  it  to  be  false  myself. 

RICHARD  R.  REES. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  IT,  1856. 


H.  H.  JOHNSTON  called  and  sworn. 


To  Mr.  Scott : 


I  was  present  at  an  election  held  in  Leavenworth  in  December, 
1855,  when  the  ballot  boxes  were  taken.  My  house  is  about  fifty  or 
sixty  yards  from  where  the  election  was  held.  I  heard  a  fuss  and  dis- 
turbance in  the  street  and  went  down  to  where  the  crowd  were  gath- 
ered. I  went  up  immediately  to  the  house  and  saw  Captain  Charles 
Dunn  at  the  window  where  their  votes  were  received.  I  heard  him 
demand  of  Mr.  Geo.  Keller  the  ballot  box,  and  asked  him  repeatedly 
to  give  it  up,  on  the  ground  that  the  election  was  illegal.  Mr.  Keller 
refused  to  give  it  up,  and  Captain  Dunn  said  he  would  be  forced  to 
take  it,  and  he  then  pulled  the  window  out  and  went  into  the  house, 
and  I  think  one  or  two  were  in  company  with  him.  Mr.  Keller  got 
out  of  the  way  in  an  instant.  Mr.  Wetherell  was  engaged  some  time 
in  trying  to  get  the  ballot  box,  and  in  getting  out  from  between  the 
wall  and  the  table.  He  ran  through  the  bar  room  of  the  house  where 
the  election  was  held,  and  in  the  hurry  let  the  ballot  box  fall  in  the 
bar  room.  Captain  Dunn  followed  him  out  on  the  porch,  and  being 
excited,  demanded  the  ballot  box.  Mr.  Wetherell  drew  a  bowie  knife 
on  him  ;  Captain  Dunn,  in  endeavoring  to  ward  off  the  blow,  knocked 
the  knife  out  of  Wetherell's  hand  ;  Dunn  then  took  Wetherell  by  the 
coat  collar,  by  one  hand,  and  struck  him  several  times  in  the  face,  and 
then  pulled  him  down  in  the  mud  on  his  face  and  hands.  A  man 
jumped  on  Wetherell  once  or  twice  with  his  feet  when  he  was  down  in 
the  mud,  bruising  him  considerably  about  the  face  and  head.  Captain 
Murphy  came  up  at  that  time  and  seeing  Mr.  Wetherell,  took  him  up,, 
raised  him  on  his  feet,  and  told  the  people  round,  he  was  a  good  man, 
and  he  believed  a  law-abiding  citizen,  and  any  person  attempting  to- 
strike  him,  would  have  to  fight  him  first.  Mr.  Wetherell  was  then 
taken  by  two  or  three  men  to  his  store,  and  in  a  few  minutes  after- 
wards I  went  in  to  see  him.  He  told  me  he  was  not  hurt  very  badly ., 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

that  he  was  more  frightened  than  anything  else,  and  would  get  all 
over  it  in  a  short  time. 

H.  H.  JOHNSTON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


JOHN  LYNCH  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  reside  at  Doniphan  city^  in  this  Territory,  and  have  resided  there 
since  March,  1855.  I  was  there  at  the  time  of  the  difficulty  in  which 
Samuel  Collins  was  killed.  I  was  in  Dr.  Brown's  office  the  night 
hefore  Collins  was  killed.  Up  to  that  time  Mr.  Collins  and  myself 
had  "been  on  very  friendly  terms,  though  we  were  of  different  politics. 
I  was  sitting  down  in  a  chair  with  my  legs  crossed,  in  Dr.  Brown's 
office,  when  Collins  was  advancing  towards  me,  as  I  supposed,  to 
attack  Laughlin,  who  was  "behind  me,  and  "between  whom  and  Collins 
some  very  hard  words  had  just  passed,  the  lie  being  several  times 
passed  between  them.  Mr.  Collins  was  standing  close  to  me,  and  I 
thought  Laughlin,  from  the  sound  of  his  voice,  was  almost  directly 
behind  me,  which  made  me  afraid  to  change  my  position.  I  requested 
Mr.  Collins  not  to  run  over  me.  He  said  "  Damn  you,  I  will  kick 
every  rib  in  you  out  of  you."  I  could  not  say  anything  I  was  so  em- 
barrassed at  that.  I  still  remained  in  the  chair,  and  did  not  leave  the 
-office  until  Mr.  Collins  had  left  it.  '  As  Collins  left  the  house,  he  stood 
in  the  door  and  shaking  his  finger  at  me,  he  said  l '  Damn  you,  I  will 
take  your  life."  I  made  no  reply  to  him  and  he  left.  I  also  left  and 
went  with  Mr.  Laughlin  to  Squire  Vandevere  and  got  out  a  peace 
warrant  against  Collins,  and  then  I  put  in  the  hands  of  a  constable, 
and  told  him  where  I  understood  the  threats  would  be  put  in  execu- 
tion, and  requested  him  to  be  in  before  that  time. 

I  was  at  my  breakfast  the  next  morning  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the 
hotel,  when  I  heard  some  yelling  out  of  doors.  I  heard  some  one  say 
that  Mr.  Collins  was  going  to  kill  everybody  in  town.  I  looked  out 
of  the  window  and  then  rushed  out  of  the  door,  supposing  I  was  one 
of  the  threatened.  When  I  got  out  of  doors  I  saw  Mr.  Collins 
flourishing  a  knife  before  Mr.  Laughlin.  I  could  not  say  what  Mr. 
Laughlin  was  doing,  but  I  thought  he  was  dodging  behind  Mr.  Fore- 
man, who  seemed  to  be  trying  to  intercede  between  them.  This  was 
between  thirty  and  forty  feet  from  the  hotel,  perhaps  fifty  feet.  As 
my  life  had  been  threatened  the  night  before,  I  seized  my  gun  when  I 
got  up  from  the  breakfast  table,  and  took  it  with  me  out  of  doors, 
and  when  I  got  to  the  corner  of  the  hotel  in  sight  of  the  parties,  I 
fired  it  in  the  direction  of  Mr.  Collins.  I  then  advanced,  and  we  met: 
each  other  and  struck  at  each  other  with  our  guns,  which  we  had  I 
•clubbed,  and  I  fell,  and'  I  know  nothing  of  what  took  place  there 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  975 

afterwards.  From  the  threats  that  had  been  made  against  my  life,  I 
shot  at  Collins  in  what  I  considered  a  necessary  defence  of  my  life.  I 
cannot  tell  whether  I  hit  Mr.  Collins  or  not. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

My  gun  was  a  smooth  bore  shot  gun.  I  do  not  know  what  it  was 
loaded  with,  as  it  had  been  loaded  by  some  one  else,  and  I  suppose 
had  been  brought  home  loaded.  I  do  not  know  who  had  borrowed  it, 
but  I  frequently  loaned  it  to  persons  to  go  duck  hunting.  I  suppose 
I  was  between  forty  and  fifty  feet,  perhaps  sixty  feet,  from  Collins  when 
I  fired  on  him,  and  then  we  both  advanced  towards  each  other. 

JAMES  LYNCH. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


ALLEN  B.  LYON  called  and  sworn. 


To  Mr.  Scott : 


I  reside  at  Doniphan  city,  in  Doniphan  county,  in  this  Territory ; 
and  was  there  building  a  house  in  October  and  November,  1855,  and 
was  there  at  the  time  of  the  difficulty  between  Patrick  Laughlin, 
James  Lynch,  and  Samuel  Collins,  residents  of  Doniphan  ;  in  which 
difficulty  Collins  was  killed.  The  circumstances  of  the  killing  of 
Collins,  so  far  as  I  know  them,  were  these  :  On  the  evening  prior,  I 
was  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Oscar  Brown,  where  I  slept.  Mr.  Laughlin 
came  in  inquiring  for  the  doctor.  Mr.  Collins  came  in  about  fifteen 
minutes  afterwards.  Laughlin  was  lying  on  the  bed,  complaining  of 
being  sick.  Several  gentlemen  came  in  with  Mr.  Collins.  After  they 
had  been  there  some  time,  Laughlin  got  up  and  walked  around  near 
Collins,  and  inquired  of  him  why  he  had  hailed  him  on  the  street  the 
day  before  when  passing  Collins'  mill,  and  insulted  him  in  the  man- 
ner that  he  had.  Collins  denied  having  done  so.  Laughlin  declared 
he  had,  as  he  could  not  be  mistaken  in  the  man  at  that  distance. 
Collins  then  told  he  was  a  damned  liar,  and  a  damned  perjured  scoun- 
drel, that  he  had  published  infamous  lies  to  the  world,  and  that  he 
(Collins)  would  make  him  take  them  all  back  ;  "  or,"  said  he,  "  you 
or  I,  one  will  land  in  hell" — or  eternity,  I  forget  which — "before 
breakfast  to-morrow  morning."  *  Laughlin  told  Collins  he  was  a 
damned  liar  ;  upon  which  Collins  rose  from  the  sofa  upon  which  he 
was  sitting  by  my  side,  and  advanced  towards  him.  I  caught  Collins 
by  the  arm,  and  tried  to  persuade  him  to  desist.  He  sat  down,  but 
soon  got  up  again  ;  told  Laughlin  to  prepare  himself ;  that  he  would 
up  in  the  morning  early,  and  that  he  would  make  him  take  back 
he  had  said  and  published,  stating  that  he  was  not  then  armed, 
'  he  knew  Laughlin  was  armed.  Collins  did  not  say  what  publi- 


976  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

cations  of  Laughlin's  he  alluded  to.  This  was  a  few  days  after 
Laughlin  had  published  what  purported  to  be  an  exposition  of  a 
secret  military  society  in  the  Territory  ;  and,  so  far  as  I  know,  there 
was  no  other  publication  of  Laughlin's  made  at  or  about  that  time. 
Mr.  Laughlin  replied  to  Collins  that  he  had  nothing  to  take  back  of 
what  he  had  stated,  and  what  he  had  published  was  true  ;  and  as  he 
had  done  nothing  more  than  what  every  honest  man  ought  to  do,  he 
was  not  afraid  to  meet  Collins  in  any  way.  Collins  made  a  statement 
in  regard  to  Laughlin,  that  he  understood  James  Foreman  had  given 
Laughlin  a  cow  to  change  his  politics,  and  publish  this  exposition. 
Laughlin  told  him  he  was  a  damned  liar,  and  Collins  started  towards 
him,  as  though  he  intended  to  attack  him.  Mr.  Lynch,  who  was 
sitting  between  the  two,  threw  up  his  hands,  and  requested  Mr.  Col- 
lins not  to  advance.  Mr.  Collins  threatened  to  kick  every  rib  out  of 
Lynch' s  body ;  and  told  him,,  damn  him,  he  would  kill  him.  Mr. 
Lynch  immediately  left  the  room,  and  a  few  minutes  afterwards  Mr. 
Collins  left,  saying,  as  he  went,  that  he  would  certainly  be  back  in 
the  morning,  and  Laughlin  should  be  ready.  A  short  time  after- 
wards, we  heard  the  report  of  a  gun,  and  then  while  we  looked  out  of 
the  window^  I  saw  the  flash  and  heard  the  report  of  two  guns,  appar- 
ently in  the  yard  of  Mr.  Collins'  house.  Mr.  Lynch  and  Mr.  Laugh- 
lin went  that  night  to  get  out  a  peace  warrant  against  Collins.  Early 
the  next  morning,  somewhere  about  sunrise,  young  Mr.  Collins  came 
over  and  told  me  he  wished  to  re-measure  some  lumber  his  father  had 
sold  me,  stating  that  he  thought  it  had  not  been  measured  correctly. 
He  went  to  the  lumber  pile,  and  measured  some  small  quantity,  not 
one  half  of  the  lumber,  and  then  young  Collins  went  back  home. 
Laughlin  at  that  time  was  standing  in  the  main  street  of  Doniphan, 
about  twenty  steps  from  me,  talking  with  Mr.  James  Foreman  and 
some  others.  A  few  minutes  afterward,  I  started  to  breakfast.  When 
I  got  to  the  corner  upon  which  the  hotel  stands,  I  met  Mr.  Collins, 
his  two  sons,  and  a  nephew.  Mr.  Collins  had  a  double-barrel  shot 
gun  in  his  hand,  both  barrels  cocked.  Mr.  Laughlin  was  walking 
directly  from  Collins,,  about  twenty  yards  in  advance,  with  his  back 
towards  Collins.  I  tried  to  attract  the  attention  of  Mr.  Collins,  but 
he  paid  no  attention  to  me.  He  called  to  Laughlin,  and  said,  "  stop, 
God  damn  you,  and  take  back  everything  you  have  said,  or  I  will  put 
sixteen  through  you,"  and  kept  advancing  on  him  all  the  time,  fre- 
quently repeating  his  demand  to  Laughlin  to  take  back  what  he  had 
said  and  published.  Laughlin  turned  round,  and  stood  with  a  bucket 
of  flour  on  his  arm,  and  told  Collins  he  had  nothing  to  take  back,  and 
nothing  that  he  could  take  back.  When  within  about  six  yards  of 
him,  Collins  drew  up  his  gun,  pointed  it  at  Laughlin,  and  pulled  one 
trigger  ;  the  gun  did  not  go  off.  He  then  rushed  upon  Langhlin, 
cursing  furiously,  drew  a  large  knife  from  his  breast,  flourished  it  in 
front  of  Laughlin's  neck  two  or  three  times,  demanding  that  he  should 
take  back  what  he  had  said.  Laughlin  refused,  and  he  plunged  the 
knife  into  Laughlin's  left  side.  Laughlin  staggered  several  steps 
back,  retreating  from  him.  Collins  then  drew  up  his  gun  again, 
and  presented  it  at  Laughlin  ;  and  as  he  pulled  the  trigger,  Mr.  Fore-< 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  977 

man  got  his  hand  upon  the  barrel  of  the  gun,  and  forced  the  muzzle 
down,  and  the  contents  entered  the  ground  between  Laughlin's  ieet. 
At  this  moment,  a  gun  was  fired  from  the  bar  of  the  hotel.  I  heard 
the  shot  strike  against  the  fence  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street. 
Mr.  Collins  immediately  wheeled  round,  throwing  up  the  breach  of 
his  gun,  and  advanced.  Mr.  Lynch  met  him  with  a  shot  gun  in  his 
hand,  holding  it  by  the  barrel.  Mr.  Collins  struck  at  Mr.  Lynch, 
who  received  the  blow  on  his  gun,  and  the  breeches  of  both  guns  were 
broken  off;  the  next  blow  Mr.  Collins  knocked  Mr.  Lynch  down.  It 
was  not  until  Mr.  Collins'  attention  was  drawn  towards  Mr.  Lynch 
that  Mr.  Laughlin  attempted  to  draw  a  weapon.  I  had  been  watching 
him  very  closely,  wondering  why  he  did  not  do  it  before.  After  Mr. 
Collins  had  knocked  Mr.  Lynch  down,  he  turned  round  and  advanced 
towards  Laughlin,  with  the  barrels  of  his  gun  raised  as  for  a  blow. 
Mr.  Laughlin  had  his  pistol  out  and  fired  at  Mr.  Collins,  who  dropped 
his  gun  barrels,  and  clasped  his  arms  around  his  breast,  and  cried 
out,  ci  Oh,  Lord!"  He  soon  sank  down  on  the  ground,,  and  died  in  a 
few  minutes.  Mr.  Laughlin  was  knocked  down  with  a  club,  just 
after  he  had  fired  his  pistol,  by  a  son  of  Mr.  Collins,  I  think.  After 
Laughlin  fell,  Mr.  Collins'  nephew  threw  a  piece  of  brick  at  him, 
which  just  brushed  his  hair.  Mr.  Laughlin's  brother  ran  up  at  this 
moment,  and  seized  the  pistol  which  had  fallen  out  of  the  hands  of 
his  brother,  and  fired  at  Mr.  Collins'  nephew,  who  was  running  away, 
and  the  ball  just  grazed  the  side  of  his  neck.  He  then  turned  and 
presented  the  pistol  at  young  Collins,  who  had  knocked  his  brother 
down,  who  threw  up  both  hands  and  asked  him  not  to  shoot,  that  his 
father  was  dead,  and  he  desisted.  I  then  went  up  to  Mr.  Collins, 
opened  his  bosom,  saw  that  he  had  received  several  shot  in  his  right 
side.  The  fight  then  stopped,  and  those  who  had  been  shot  and 
knocked  down  were  then  carried  away.  ^The  ground  was  covered  with 
blood,  like  one  had  been  butchering  a  hog,  and  I  thought  there  were 
at  least  three  persons  killed — Collins,  Laughlin  and  Lynch. 

The  town  was  in  a  state  of  disquiet  and  alarm  for  some  weeks  after- 
( wards,  in  consequence  of  what  had  taken  place,  and  the  threats  that 
'were  made  against  the  lives  of  Laughlin  and  Lynch.  While  Mr. 
Laughlin  was  confined  to  his  bed  at  the  house  of  Mr.  James  Forinan, 
some  excitement  was  caused  by  the  report  that  some  one  had  attempted 
to  break  into  the  house,  whereupon  a  guard  was  placed  around  the 
house  to  protect  him.  As  soon  as  possible,  Laughlin  was  removed  to 
St.  Joseph,  Missouri.  I  did  not  myself  hear  any  threats  made  against 
Laughlin  and  Lynch,  but  such  was  the  rumor.  The  officer  told  me 
that  a  peace  warrant  was  taken  out  and  placed  in  his  hands  to  be  used 
on  Collins  the  night  before  the  fight,  and  he  got  into  town  a  few 
minutes  after  the  fight  had  taken  place.  Collins  was  notorious  for 
being  a  free  State  man. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard. 

I  understood  that  Mr.  Collins  had  been  living  in  that  neighborhood 

for  some  months,  and  at  the  time  he  was  killed  was  running  a  steam 

saw  mill.     I  also  understoou  that  Mr.  Laughlin  had  been  living  there 

for  some  months  ;  both  of  them  were  comparatively  old  residents,  and 

H.  Rep.  200 62* 


978  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

had  been  free  State  men  and  acting  together  up  to  a  short  time  before 
>this  difficulty,  when  Laughlin  had  changed  his  politics  and  published 
to  the  world  what  he  styled  an  exposition  of  a  secret  military  organi- 
zation, and  had  implicated  Mr.  Collins  in  it,  as  colonel  of  the 
Doniphan  regiment  in  that  organization.  Mr.  Collins  was  from 
Andrew  county,  Missouri,  where  I  had  been  acquainted  with  him. 
Mr.  Lynch  was  from  Kentucky,  and  a  pro-slavery  man.  Mr.  Laugh- 
lin was  from  Kentucky,  and  was  a  pro-slavery  man.  Collins'  two 
sons  and  his  nephew  were  free  State  men.  Mr.  James  Foreman  was 
a  pro-slavery  man.  Mr.  Foreman  tried  to  stop  Mr.  Collins  as  he 
first  went  towards  Laughlin,  and  succeeded  in  pushing  down  Collins' 
gun  as  he  fired.  He  seemed  to  be  using  every  effort  to  prevent  the 
shedding  of  blood.  I  think  that  this  was  a  political  difficulty.  Mr. 
Lynch  and  Mr.  Collins  seemed  to  be  friendly  up  to  the  time  of  the, 
altercation  in  Mr.  Brown's  office.  All  seemed  anxious  to  prevent  the 
shedding  of  blood  except  Mr.  Collins,  his  sons,  and  his  nephew.  On 
the  morning  of  the  fight,  one  of  the  young  Collins  had-  a  dogwood 
club  in  his  hand  about  four  feet  long,  and  as  large  round  as  a  man's 
wrist.  I  did  not  notice  whether  the  other  two  young  men  had  any- 
thing or  not.  I  never  learned  why  the  guns  were,  fired  in  Collins' 
yard  after  he  had  left  Brown's  office. 

A.  B.  LYON. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


WILLIAM  BURGESS  called  and  sworn. 
By  Governor  King : 

I  am  a  resident  citizen  of  Leaven  worth  county,  and  was  present  at 
the  election  in  Leavenworth  city  for  the  adoption  of  the  free  State 
constitution  the  15th  of  December  last.  I  know*  George  WetherelL 
I  saw  the  encounter  between  Wetherell  and  Charles  Dunn  about  the 
ballot-box.  After  Charles  Dunn  demanded  the  ballot-box  and  told 
the  judges  it  was  an  unlawful  election  that  they  were  holding,  that  ii 
was  unconstitutional  and  against  the  laws  of  the  Territory,  Mr; 
Keller  told  Dunn  that  he  would  not  deliver  the  ballot-box.  Duni 
then  jumped  into  the  window,  when  Wetherell  seized  the  ballot-bo5 
and  ran  into  another  room  and  out  through  into  the  street,  and  as  h« 
ran  had  a  revolver  and  a  bowie  knife  in  his  hand  at  the  same  tim.6 
Just  about  the  time  he  got  to  the  door  Dunn  overhauled  him  and 
seized  the  ballot-box.  I  am  confident  that  Wetherell  had  a  bowi 
knife  and  revolver  in  his  hand,  as  I  have  stated. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Wetherell  must  have  dropped  the  pistol  at  the  scuffle  for  tk 
ballot-box.  While  Dunn  had  hold  of  Wetherell,  the  latter  drew  hi 
bowie  knife.  Dunn  then  knocked  him  down.  This  was  all  I  saw. 

To  Governor  King : 

After  knocking  Wetherell  down  Dunn  returned  into  the  house,  an 
did  nothing  more. 

WILLIAM  BURGESS. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  979 

GEORGE  WETHERILL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  August,  1855,  I  think,  from  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  settled  in  the  city  of  Leavenworth,  where  I  have  since 
resided.  I  keep  a  grocery  store  here.  I  was  one  of  the  clerks  of  an 
election  held  here  on  the  15th  of  December  last,  on  the  adoption  of  the 
State  constitution.  We  opened  the  polls  about  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  the  voting  went  on  without  interruption  until  noon. 
Then  Captain  Charles  Dunn  came  to  the  window,  in  a  very  boisterous 
manner,  and  demanded  the  ballot-box.  Mr.  George  Keller,  H.  M. 
Hook,  and  Adam  Fisher  were  the  judges  of  election.  When  the  de- 
mand was  made  Mr.  Keller  tried  to  reason  with  hina,  and  induce  him 
leave.  There  was  some  talk  between  the  two  parties.  He  then 
smashed  in  the  windows  and  jumped  in,  together  with  several  men, 
none  of  whom  I  knew  except  Dunn.  I  cannot  name  any  of  the  others, 
and  have  not  been  able  since  to  find  out  who  they  were.  Before  this 
time  one  of  the  judges  and  one  of  the  clerks  had  gone  to  dinner,  but 
the  voting  was  going  on  until  Dunn  came  up.  The  judges  rushed  out 
into  the  next  room,  in  the  same  building,  and  made  their  way  out 
and  made  off.  In  the  hurry  of  the  moment,  I  snatched  up  the  ballot- 
box  and  followed  them.  I  threw  the  ballot-box  behind  a  counter  in 
the  adjoining  room  as  I  passed  out.  As  I  was  passing  out  of  doors 
Dunn  caught  me  by  the  throat  and  pushed  me  up  against  the  outside 
of  the  building,  and  demanded  the  ballot-box.  I  no  not  exactly  re- 
member my  reply,  but  I  think  I  told  him  I  had  not  got  it,  but  did 
not  tell  him  where  it  was.  He  then  struck  me  in  the  mouth  with  his 
fist,  and  another  person  struck  me  on  the  right  side  of  the  face.  I 
either  fell  or  was  pushed  down  into  the  mud,  the  crowd  at  the  time 
rushing  on  to  me.  They  jumped  upon  my  head  and  back,  and  kicked 
me  in  the  side.  Mr.  R.  P.  Brown,  Mr.  Anthony,  and  others  came  to 
my  rescue,  and  carried  me  to  Mr.  McCracken's  store.  I  was  very 
much  injured  on  the  15th  of  December.  I  was  bruised,  but  received 
no  cut  wounds.  I  was  able  to  be  about  the  store  a  day  or  two  after- 
wards a  little.  In  a  day  or  two  I  was  able  to  attend  to  my  ordinary 
business.  I  was  not  right  well  afterwards.  About  the  first  of  Jan- 
uary I  was  taken  down  sick  with  the  rheumatism,  and  have  not  been 
well  since.  I  never  had  the  rheumatism  before.  I  supposed  it  was 
the  effect  of  cold  weather,  and  partly  from  my  business.  After  the 
".attack  upon  the  judges  the  election  was  suspended. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  King  : 

I  had  no  weapons  about  me  at  the  time,  and  did  not  draw  a  pistol 
upon  Dunn  when  he  came  into  the  room, 

GEORGE  WETHERILL. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


980  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

GrBORGE  H.  KELLER  recalled. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  was  one  of  the  judges  of  election  in  1855,  in  this  city,  at  the  elec- 
tion upon  the  adoption  of  the  Topeka  State  constitution.  I  acted  as 
one  of  the  judges.  About  one  o'clock  in  the  day,  while  the  election 
was  going  on,  Captain  Charles  Dunn  came  there  and  ordered  us  to 
desist.  I  told  him  I  reckoned  not.  He  commanded  me,  under  the 
authority  of  the  territorial  laws,  to  desist  immediately.  I  told  him 
not  to  be  too  fast ;  that  I  did  not  think  we  would  desist.  He  said  we 
should,  and  then  called  his  men,  and  they  rallied  around,  and  he  then 
demanded  the  ballot-box.  I  told  him  he  could  not  have  it ;  that  I 
should  not  give  it  up.  When  I  told  him,  he  then  seized  the  sash  of 
the  window  where  we  had  been  receiving  votes  and  pulled  it  out,  and 
all  his  party  and  himself  came  through  the  window  into  our  room. 
They  were  armed  with  guns,  revolvers,  and  bowie  knives.  I  think 
Mr.  Wetherell  and  myself  were  the  last  of  our  people  who  left  the 
room  after  Dunn  and  his  party  came  in.  I  saw  no  more  of  Mr. 
Wetherell  on  account  of  the  great  crowd  around  there  until  1  .saw 
some  three  or  four  men  carrying  him  along  apparently  very  much  ex- 
hausted and  bruised.  Mr.  Wetherell  had  no  arms  that  day  to  my 
knowledge.  When  the  first  demand  was  made  for  the  ballot  box.  and 
Captain  Dunn  had  stepped  back  into  the  street  to  call  his  men,  I  re- 
marked that  we  had  no  arms  to  defend  ourselves,  and  those  in  the 
room  with  me,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Wetherell,  assented  to  rny  ob- 
servation. I  saw  no  bowie  knife  or  pistol  on  Mr.  Wetherell,  and 
think  he  had  nothing  of  the  kind.  I  had  no  arms  myself  more  than 
a  small  penknife.  I  saw  some  of  the  crowd  going  up  the  street  after- 
wards holding  up  the  ballot-box,  with  exultive  shouts,  and  I  do  not 
know  what  became  of  it. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

Mr.  Dunn  said  he  considered  our  election  an  unlawful  assemblage, 
and  therefore  demanded  the  ballot-box.  I  think  he  said  something 
about  our  proceedings  being  against  all  law,  and  that  the  people  were 
determined  not  to  have  it  go  on.  The  election  was  held  under  the 
authority  of  the  Topeka  convention.  I  do  not  know  of  any  other  au- 
thority claimed  for  it  at  that  time. 

a.  H.  KELLER. 

LRAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


G.  W.  HOLLIS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  reside  in  this  city,  and-  have  been  here  since  April,  1855.     1  was 

here  in  December  last,  and  attended  an  election  where  votes  were  taken 

upon  the  adoption  of  a  State  constitution,  the  polls  being  held  on 

herokee  street.     I  was  there  when  the  ballot-box  was  taken  away. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  981 

Mr.  Dunn  came  clown  about  one  o'clock  and  demanded  the  ballot-box, 
in  the  name  of  the  territorial  laws,  of  the  judges,  Mr.  Keller  and 
others,  Mr.  Wetherell  being  one  of  the  clerks.  The  ballot-box  was 
not  given  upon  the  first  demand,  and  he  demanded  it  again.  He  then 
called  the  boys  to  come  on,  and  broke  in  the  window,  and  went  into 
the  window,  I  think.  I  saw  him  afterwards  come  oiit  of  the  front 
door  on  M^ in  street.  He  caught  Mr.  Wetherell  at  the  door  just  as 
Mr.  Wetherell  came  out.  He  drew  back  his  hand  to  strike  him,  but 
I  do  not  know  whether  he  struck  him  or  not.  The  crowd  marched 
together,  and  Wetherell  was  carried  by  a  rush  of  some  eight  or  ten  off 
the  stoop,  Wetherell  falling  on  the  ground  as  he  fell  off  the  stoop.  I 
saw  a  man  kick  him,  but  I  did  not  see  any  one  jump  on  him.  I  do 
not  think  Wetherell  had  any  weapons  of  any  kind  ;  I  saw  him  draw 
none.  Wetherell  was  taken  down  on  the  cover  to  Mr.  McCracken's 
store  by  his  friends. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  do  not  know  what  authority  this  election  was  held  under,  except 
the  Topeka  convention.  I  cannot  say  whether  he  had  a  bowie  knife 
or  not ;  I  do  not  think  he  had  one  ;  I  did  not  see  him  have  an}r ;  he 
may  have  have  had  one,  as  he  was  concealed  a  portion  of  the  time,  to 
some  extent,  by  the  crowd.  I  do  not  know  that  Mr.  Wetherell  had 
the  ballot-box  ;  do  not  know  who  had  it.  I  think  Mr.  Dunn  de- 
manded the  ballot-box  in  the  name  of  the  territorial  laws.  I  do  not 
know  what  grounds  he  had  for  demanding  it.  I  saw  no  violence 
offered  to  the  judges.  I  saw  no  one  strike  Wetherell ;  and  all  the  vio- 
lence I  saw  was  some  one  kick  him. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  did  not  see  Mr.  Dunn  show  any  warrant  for  demanding  the  ballot- 
box,  and  I  do  not  know  whether  he  had  any  or  not. 

GL  W.  HOLLIS. 
LEAVEN  WORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


H.  M.  HOOK  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

I  have  lived  in  Leavenworth  City  since  the  fall  of  1854.  I  was  at 
-an  election  in  December  last  when  the  ballot-box  was  taken.  I  was 
•one  of  the  judges  of  the  election  that  day.  I  was  at  home  at  dinner 
at  the  time  the  box  was  taken.  When  I  got  back  the  window  was 
taken  out  and  the  judges  were  away.  I  did  not  see  Mr.  Wetherell 
when  he  was  hurt  that  day.  I  saw  no  arms  about  him  that  day. 

H.  M.  HOOK. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


JOSEPH  H.  BIRD  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  at  the  election  at  Easton  on  the  17th  of  January,  1856.     I 
live  in  Leavenworth,  and  am  by  occupation  a  house-carpenter.     The 


982  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

night  of  the  election  I  staid  at  Easton,  at  Mr.  Mmard's  house,  the 
place  where  the  election  was  held.  We  had  not  been  disturbed  before 
the  election  was  about  being  closed.  Afterwards,  about  six  o'clock  at 
night,  a  large  party  of  horsemen,  I  should  think  forty  or  fifty,  not 
more,  came  down  towards  the  house,  and  a  few  of  them,  some  five  or 
six,  demanded  the  ballot-box.  They  were  not  answered  right  away, 
and  they  threatened  to  come  and  take  the  ballot-box  ;  that  they  would 
have  it,  if  they  had  to  shoot  every  man  there,  or  something  to  that 
effect.  I  do  not  remember  the  precise  words  they  used.  There  Avas  a 
report  during  that  day  that  there  was  to  be  an  attempt  to  take  the 
ballot-box,  after  they  had  collected  in  a  sufficient  body  to  do  so.  After 
tkis  party  demanded  the  ballot  box,  the  persons  at  the  house  came  out 
in  front  of  the  house  and  ranged  themselves  in  a  line.  The  free  State 
party  then  tried  to  choose  a  commander,  but  did  not  do  so  on  account 
of  the  disorder  among  them.  The  horsemen  then  went  away.  The 
next  that  was  done,  some  fifteen  from  our  house,  and  I  was  one  of  them, 
went  up  to  the  grocery  to  see  how  many  were  there.  Brown  was  the 
leader  of  the  party.  When  we  got  up  there  all  the  men  on  the  op- 
posite side  turned  out  and  formed  in  a  line,  and  we  did  the  same  our- 
selves. Brown  stepped  out  and  said  we  came  up  to  get  a  drink,  and 
we  would  have  it.  There  was  some  little  show  of  fight.  Some  of 
both  parties  were  pretty  much  drunk,  but  there  was  no  disturbance, 
and  we  went  in  and  got  a  drink  and  then  went  back  to  the  house. 
Then  about  twelve  o'clock  or  later,  Mr.  Sparks  and  one  of  his  sons, 
and  a  person  named  Tritt,  who  lived  with  Sparks,  started  for  home. 
Mr.  Tritt  was  riding  but  the  rest  were  on  foot.  Mr.  Sparks  was 
armed;  with  a  double  barrelled  gun,  and  his  son,  I  think,  had  a  rifle. 
Mr.  Tritt  I  think  was  not  armed.  The  first  thing  we  heard  was  Tritt; 
came  along  on  his  horse,  very  much  frightened,  saying  that  they  had! 
got  Sparks  prisoner,  and  that  as  many  as  nine  persons  had  shot  atl 
him.  Then  Mr.  Brown  said  all  must  go  to  the  rescue  of  Sparks,  and! 
fifteen  of  us  seized  our  arms  and  went  up  to  the  rescue.  Of  those  whoi 
went  were  Mr.  Knight,  Mr.  Brown,  Mr.  Lucas,  Mr.  Taylor,  Mr.. 
Kobertson,  Mr.  Wright,  and  myself,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect.  I  know/ 
there  were  quite  fifteen  of  us,  because  when  we  were  some  way  fromi 
the  house  Brown  drew  us  up  in  a  line  to  count  us  and  see  how  many 
we  were,  and  then  went  back  to  the  house  to  get  more.  No  more 
came,  and  we  then  went  up  to  Dawson's  and  found  Sparks  and  his? 
son  in  a  lane  formed  of  two  fences.  We  went  to  the  upper  end  as  ifj 
we  were  going  to  march  right  down  through.  Brown  called  out  toJ 
them  that  we  would  have  Sparks  and  must  have  him ;  that  they  must j 
deliver  him  up.  When  they  saw  a  body  of  us  by  moonlight  theyi 
opened  and  let  the  Sparks'  come  out  up  to  us,  which  they  did.  At  thd 
end  of  the  lane  Mr.  Sparks  shook  hands  with  Brown  and  myself,  and 
seemed  to  be  glad  we  had  come.  They  said  we  need  not  think  we<| 
had  got  Sparks  secure,  for  they  would  take  him  before  he  got  across! 
the  prairie.  They  also  said  they  would  shoot  him  before  he  got  across! 
the  prairie.  We  were  all  very  much  excited.  When  we  came  out  of  theJ 
lane  we  went  off  towards  a  log  house  to  the  left,  towards  Mr.  Minard's yj 
and  the  other  party  took  the  other  road  towards  Dawson's,  the  parties 
diverging  from  each  other.  When  we  got  just  opposite  the  log  house  J 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  983 

we  heard  a  good  deal  of  hollowing  from  the  other  party,  and  turned 
round  and  some  one  of  the  party  fired,  and  I  heard  the  ball  distinctly 
as  it  passed  over  my  head.  They  had  got  just  up  to  the  back  of  Daw- 
son's  store.  That  was  the  first  firing  I  heard  that  night.  Brown 
then  turned  around  to  us  and  said,  "boys  they  have  fired  on  us,"  and 
appeared  very  much  excited.  They  then  fired  again,  one  shot  striking 
a  man  by  the  side  of  me,  Mr.  Sparks'  son,  on  the  arm,  making  a  very 
bad  bruise,  but  did  not  draw  blood,  but  went  through  his  coat  close  to 
his  skin.  Then  Brown  turned  round  and  leveled  his  rifle,  one  of  these 
rifles,  and  a  great  portion  of  us  did  the  same,  and  fired.  There  was 
then  a  general  firing  by  both  parties.  I  noticed  after  we  had  fired 
that  there  was  quite  a  collection  got  round  one  place,  but  I  could  not 
tell  what  for.  While  we  had  been  firing  we  had  been  retreating  to- 
wards Mr.  Minard's  house,  and  coming  up  to  another  house  on  our 
way  there,  we  took  protection  behind  it.  We  then  loaded  up  our 
guns,  and  some,  if  not  most  of  us,  fired  again,  as  others  did  on  the 
other  side.  There  was  pretty  sharp  firing  for  about  ten  minutes.  The 
moon  was  shining  on  our  guns  and  prevented  our  taking  aim.  We 
then  retreated  towards  Minard's  and  staid  there  all  night.  Nothing 
more  happened  during  the  night,  except  that  we  heard  that  there  was 
a  man  at  Dawson's  either  killed  or  dangerously  wounded.  None  of 
our  party  was  wounded  but  Sparks.  I  found  a  shot  in  my  scalp  a  day 
or  two  afterwards,  but  did  not  know  it  at  the  time.  Young  Sparks 
also  had  a  wound  on  the  top  of  his  head  which  made  him  very  sick 
and  kept  him  in  the  house  all  night. 

We  started  home  in  the  morning  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock,  I 
should  think.  When  we  got  within  about  a  mile  of  the  road  that 
turned  to  Salt  creek,  which  we  intended  to  take,  two  wagon  loads  of 
men,  eight  in  a  wagon,  each  in  a  four  mule  team,,  came  rushing  down 
hill,  full  speed,  past  us  without  saying  anything.  Our  horses  were 
walking  at  the  time  going  up  hill.  They  drove  past  a  little  ways 
and  stopped.  One  of  them  drove  back  past  us,  and  turned  partly 
across  the  road  as  if  to  stop  us.  They  then  hailed  us  and  asked  us 
where  we  came  from,  and  where  we  were  going  ;  whether  we  were 
free  State  or  pro-slavery.  Some  one  of  us  answered  that  it  was  no 
time  to  answer  such  questions.  We  were  all  the  time  driving  on. 
They  then  jumped  out  of  their  wagons  and  came  up  towards  us,  and 
we  then  jumped  out  of  our  wagon.  Brown  called  to  them  and  told 
them  to  keep  their  distance,  that  we  were  well  armed  and  could 
defend  ourselves  against  them.  Our  wagon  had  stopped  when  we 
jumped  out  of  it,  and  we  stood  by  it.  We  looked  at  the  top  of  the 
hill  and  saw  a  body  of  horsemen  coming,  who  came  down  to  us  and 
told  us  to  go  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill.  We  did  so,  and  the  other 
persons  in  the  two  wagons  ;%the  horsemen  went  up  with  us.  When 
we  got  up  there,  there  was  a  cry  that  they  had  got  Brown  sure,  and 
they  made  a  rush  towards  our  wagon.  Captain  Martin  interfered, 
and  told  them  there  must  be  no  violence,  and  that  we  must  be  treated 
as  prisoners.  He  also  told  us  we  must  give  up  our  arms.  Brown 
then  stood  up  in  the  wagon  and  told  Martin  we  were  ready  to  give  up 
our  arms  if  he  would  treat  us  as  prisoners  should  be  treated,  but  we 
did  not  want  any  Kickapoo  rangers'  treatment.  There  was  a  rush 


984  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

then  made  by  a  man  named  Gibson,  before  any  reply  was  made,  at  a 
Mr.  Taylor,  who  had  a  Sharpens  rifle,  the  only  one  in  our  company. 
He  took  away  his  rifle  and  passed  it  over  to  some  one  else,  and  then  I 
saw  Taylor  was  down  and  Gibson  was  on  him  ;  with  his  hatchet 
make  a  pass  at  Taylor  and  knock  off  his  hat,  scraping  his  head  very 
closely.  Some  person  then  interfered  to  prevent  Gribson  from  hurting 
Taylor.  Taylor  then  got  up  and  went  away  from  Gibson,  who  made 
another  dash  at  him,  and  the  person  defending  Taylor  from  the 
hatchet  was  severely  cut  in  his  hand.  He  was  one  of  their  party, 
but  I  do  not  know  who  he  was.  Martin  then  went  to  Brown  and 
told  him  he  must  give  up  his  arms  ;  that  he  pommanded  that  com- 
pany, and  would  assure  Brown  good  usage.  Brown  gave  up  his 
revolvers  and  two  guns  in  the  wagon.  They  also  took  the  guns  from 
the  rest  of  our  party.  We  retained  our  pocket  arms  until  we  got 
back  part  way  to  Easton,  when  they  also  were  given  up  to  Martin. 
I  never  heard  of  those  arms  again.  We  were  then  taken  back  to 
Easton.  They  said  we  must  go  back  with  them,  and  they  would  deal 
with  us  in  accordance  to  how  many  were  killed  the  previous  night. 
When  we  arrived  at  Easton  we  were  put  in  Dawson's  store,  where  we 
staid  some  half  an  hour,  when  Captain  Martin  came  in  and  told 
Brown  he  must  go  with  them  into  the  next  room,  as  they  wanted  to 
try  him.  Brown  was  then  taken  and  carried  into  the  other  room  in 
Dr.  Motter's  office.  We  were  left  with  a  body  to  guard  us.  A  great 
many  of  the  other  party  had  got  rather  excited  by  liquor,  and  were  in 
the  room  with  us,  and  bought  ropes  and  made  nooses,  and  declared 
they  would  use  them  to  hang  us.  They  made  a  great  many  threats 
of  the  like  character.  They  next  called  on  me  to  go  in  and  be 
examined.  I  went  in,  and  Brown  was  still  there.  They  had  just 
commenced  to  examine  me,  when  the  door,  which  was  locked,  was 
burst  open  and  a  crowd  rushed  in,  headed  by  Gibson.  Gibson  had 
the  Sharpe  rifle,  which  he  presented  to  Brown's  heart.  Brown  then 
took  hold  of  it  and  pushed  it  away  from  him.  Gibson  then  took  his 
hatchet  and  struck  Brown  a  blow  on  the  side  of  the  forehead.  There 
was  a  general  rush  in  and  out,  some  coming  in  and  some  going  out. 
A  great  many,  excited  by  liquor,  declared  they  would  kill  Brown, 
and  many  rushed  out,  as  I  supposed,  so  that  they  should  not  witness 
it.  I  knew  I  could  not  help  Brown,  and  I  rushed  with  the  crowd  that 
were  going  out.  Brown  had  no  arms  when  he  was  struck  with  the 
hatchet.  I  did  not  see  Brown  fall  as  soon  as  the  blow  was  made.  I 
did  not  consider  it  sufficient  to  knock  him  down.  It  was  on  the  left 
side,  and  was  rather  a  gash  on  the  temple.  I  saw  the  cut  and  the 
blood.  Dr.  Hotter,  Captain  Martin,  and  others,  were  in  the  room 
when  the  rush  was  made  in.  I  was  not  there  afterwards,  and  never  i 
saw  Brown  afterwards.  When  Brown  was  struck  he  was  standing 
up  and  said :  "Keep  him  off!"  "Keep  him  off!"  and  tried  to  defend 
himself.  I  went  back  into  Dawson's  store.  Captain  Martin  came  in 
shortly  after  and  told  us  there  was  a  poor  chance  for  Us,  but  he  would 
do  all  he  could  for  us  ;  that  his  men  were  getting  drunk  very  fast  and 
he  could  not  control  them.  He  said  if  we  would  put  our  names  to  a 
piece  of  paper  he  would  give  us  a  chance  to  escape.  He  said  we  had 
better  start  a  foot,  and  he  would  send  the  team  on  after  us.  We  then 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  985 

put  our  names  on  a  piece  of  blank  paper,  and  Captain  Martin  said  we 
had  better  start  and  make  the  best  of  our  way  borne.  Tbis  was  about 
five  o'clock  in  tbe  afternoon,  I  think.  We  then  left  and  made  the 
best  of  our  way  home.  We  had  got  some  two  miles  when  we  saw 
some  six  or  eight  horsemen  full  chase  after  us.  We  went  off  to  the 
side  of  the  road  and  stopped  until  they  passed,  and  we  heard  them 
say  if  they  caught  us  again  we  should  not  get  away  so  easy .  I  got 
home  here,  to  Leavenworth,  between  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock  that 
night. 

Crosa-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

When  we  signed  that  paper  some  of  them,  Mr.  John  Dunn  among 
them,  said  he  knew  the  most  of  us  ;  that  we  were  generally  inclined 
to  mind  our  business  and  stay  at  home,  and  he  thought  Brown  was 
the  leader  of  this,  and  other  talk  to  that  effect,  and  then  Captain 
Martin  asked  us  to  sign  that  blank  piece  of  paper,  as  I  believe,  for 
the  purpose  of  using  it  to  save  us.  I  think  he  did  all  he  could  to  that 
effect,  and  acted,  so  far  as  I  could  see,  like  a  gentleman.  Many  others 
behaved  well ;  but  others  had  got  drunk  at  the  grocery.  I  was  pretty 
certain  that  Gibson  and  a  man  called  Isaacs  were  not  drunk,  and  they 
were  worse  than  any  who  were  drunk,  though  there  were  many  of 
them . 

JOSEPH  H.  BIRD. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  16,  1856. 


HENRY  J.  ADAMS  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  Leavenworth  city.  I  first  came  here  about  the  first  of 
July  last.  I  am  a  native  of  New  York,  but  came  from  Washington 
city  here,  and  have  been  engaged  in  public  surveys. 

I  was  at  the  election  of  Easton  the  17th  of  January,  1856.  It  was 
an  election  for  State  officers  under  the  State  constitution  of  Kansas. 
It  is  in  this  district  and  the  twelfth  election  district  under  the  State 
apportionment.  I  went  from  this  city  to  that  election,  accompanied 
by  R.  P.  Brown,  J.  C.  Greene,  Calvin  Lucas,  and  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Robinson,  and  one  by  the  name  of  Byrd,  whose  first  names  I  do 
not  remember,  George  Taylor,  and  a  Frenchman  employed  by  Mr. 
Brown  to  drive  his  team.  There  were  eight  of  us  in  the  wagon. 

After  the  election  was  over,  a  party  of  men  came  up  from  Mr.  Daw- 
son' s  store,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  Mr.  Minard's,  where  the 
election  was  held,  I  think,  twenty-five  or  thirty  in  number,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  the  ballot-box  or  poll-list,  as  we  understood.  Some 
of  our  party  were  out  with  their  guns,  drawn  up  in  line  near  the  door 
to  resist  any  such  attempt.  Considerable  altercation  took  place  back 
and  forth,  but  I  do  not  recollect  exactly  what  was  said.  Some  of  our 
party  were  considerably  excited  and  I  thought  were  going  rather  too 
far,  and  Mr.  Minard  and  I  were  apprehensive  they  might  fire  upon 
this  party  coming  up,  and  we  urged  them  not  to  do  so,  to  commit  no 
act  of  hostility  except  in  self  defence.  After  some  parleying,  and,  I 
thought,  urging  by  the  leader  of  the  party  coming  up,  to  get  his  men 


986  KANSAS    AFFAIRS 

over,  they  retired  without  doing  anything.  The  main  body  went 
back  to  Mr.  Dawson's,  three  or  four  of  them  remaining  about  halfway 
between  Minard's  and  Dawson's,  apparently  on  the  watch.  Soon  after 
they  retired  they  sent  a  messenger  up  with  a  written  demand,  not 
signed,  but  addressed,  I  think,  to  Mr.  Minard,  for  the  ballot  box. 
Mr.  Minard  knew  the  individual  who  brought  it,  and  told  him  he  was 
surprised  to  see  him  in  that  business,  arid  to  take  the  message  back  to 
him  who  sent  it  and  tell  him  if  he*  had  any  message  to  send  him,  to 
sign  it.  He  went  back  with  it,  and  shortly  afterwards  another  man 
came  up  with  another  message  of  the  same  import,  and  with  a  threat, 
I  think,  to  come  and  take  the  ballot  box  in  an  hour,  if  it  was  not  de- 
livered up.  It  was  signed,  I  think,  by  Doctor  Hotter.  I  am  not  cer- 
tain that  he  signed  himself  "  Doctor,"  but  that  is  what  he  is  called. 
No  further  attempt  was  made  to  take  the  ballot-box.  Two  or  three 
persons  from  this  party  came  up  to  Minard's  house  at  different  times 
during  the  evening.  One  man,  whose  name  was  said  to  be  McAlier, 
I  recollect  as  one  of  them.  Mr.  Minard  was  acquainted  with  McAlier, 
and  he  talked  with  him  for  about  an  hour,  and  I  thought  there  would 
be  no  disturbance.  Some  of  our  party  at  two  different  times  went  to 
Dawson's.  No  hostility  was  displayed  towards  them  that  I  heard  of. 
I  did  not  go  myself,  and  with  several  others  advised  our  men  not  to 
go  down  there  for  fear  something  might  give  rise  to  disturbance. 
About  forty  of  us  staid  with  Mr.  Minard,  by  agreement,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  assisting  him  to  defend  his  house,  as  we  were  apprehensive  it 
would  be  attacked.  I  was  satisfied  there  would  be  no  further  disturb- 
ance^ and  about  one  or  two  o'clock  in  the  night  I  went  to  bed.  Shortly 
after,  before  I  had  got  asleep,  I  heard  a  stir  in  another  room  and  went 
out  of  mine  to  see  the  cause  of  it.  I  learned  that  Mr.  Sparks  and  one 
or  two  of  his  sons  had  started  to  go  home,  and  while  going  by  Mr. 
Dawson's  house  had  been  captured,  and  that  Mr.  Brown  and  a  party 
of  twelve  or  fifteen  had  gone  to  their  rescue.  I  heard  firing  a  short 
time  afterwards,  and  saw  the  flash  of  guns  and  thought  there  might 
have  been  twenty-five  shots  consisting  of  one  volley  at  one  time,  and 
several  scattering  ^hots  before  and  after.  .  Shortly  after  the  firing, 
Mr.  Brown  and  the  party  with  him  returned  with  Mr.  Sparks  and  his 
sons.  One  of  the  sons  had  been  slightly  wounded  in  the  arm,  he  said. 
No  further  disturbance  arose  during  the  night,  and  early  the  next 
morning  all  of  our  party  had  dispersed  and  gone  home. 

I  left  about  eight  or  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.  When  we  were 
about  half  way  from  Easton  to  Leavenworth,  we  met  two  wagons 
loaded  with  men,  and  one  of  the  wagons  was  drawn  by  four  animals — 
mules,  I  think.  They  hailed  us  to  know  where  we  were  from,  and 
wanted  us  to  stop.  There  was  a  double  track,  and  Mr.  Brown  drove 
by  them  without  stopping.  Shortly  after  we  passed  them,  we  saw 
another  and  a  larger  party  in  front  of  us,  two  wagons,  and  about 
thirty  on  horseback.  The  party  in  the  wagons  we  already  met, , 
shouted  to  those  in  front  of  us,  and  they  answered  by  a  shout,  and 
then  all  rode  around  us  and  surrounded  us.  We  got  out  of  the  wagon, , 
and  Mr.  Brown  said,  "  I  think  the  time  has  come,"  or  something  like 
that,  and  raised  his  gun  as  the  party  were  rushing  in  upon  us,  levell- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  987 

ing  their  guns  and  shouting.  I  suggested  to  Mr.  Brown  not  to  fire. 
I  do  not  know  as  he  had  any  intention  of  firing ;  but  I  thought  there 
was  no  use  in  our  small  party  making  any  resistance.  I  recognized 
Mr.  Pierce  Kisely,  and  asked  him  if  he  had  any  authority  in  that 
crowd.  He  said  he  had  not;  that  Captain  Martin  commanded  these 
men.  I  asked  him  to  point  out  Captain  Martin  to  me.  He  did  so. 
Martin  was  near  by  on  a  horse,  and  hearing  his  name  mentioned,  he 
rode  up  where  we  were  standing.  At  this  time  there  was  a  great 
deal  of  noise  and  disorder.  I  asked  Captain  Martin  if  he  commanded 
these  men.  He  said  he  did.  I  asked  him  if  he  could  bring  them  to 
order,  and  I  think  he  said  he  could ;  and  I  either  asked  or  insisted 
that  he  should  do  it;  and  he  made  an  effort  to  do  so,  and,  I  think, 
partially  succeeded.  When  I  had  done  speaking  to  Martin,  I  turned 
round  and  saw  George  Taylor,  one  of  our  party,  on  the  ground,  and 
two  or  three  men  were  around  him,  and  partially  over  him,  and  he 
was  making  an  effort  to  get  up.  As  he  got  partly  up,  his  head  came 
in  sight,  and  a  man  who  had  a  hatchet  struck  at  his  head.  I  have 
understood  that  that  man's  name  was  Gibson.  I  sprung  there  and 
caught  the  hatchet  in  time  to  prevent  its  hitting  Taylor.  Some  per- 
son on  the  other  side  of  Taylor  caught  Gibson  about  the  same  time, 
and  pulled  him  round  out  of  my  reach.  It  was  one  of  his  own  party, 
trying  to  prevent  his  killing  Taylor,  which  he  seemed  bent  on  doing. 
Gibson  made  a  second  blow  at  Taylor's  head,  and  one  of  his  own 
party  caught  the  hatchet.  He  then  commenced  hacking  Taylor's  cap 
to  pieces,  which  was  on  the  ground.  I  told  Martin  to  put  Taylor 
under  the  protection  of  some  one  who  would  take  care  of  him,  as  I 
thought  he  was  hurt.  I  told  Martin  to  put  Gibson  under  guard,  as 
te  seemed  bent  on  killing  somebody,  and  I  was  afraid  he  would  do  it. 

These  me.n  were  all  armed  with  guns,  pistols,  some  of  them  with 
>owie  knives,  and  a  great  many  with  hatchets  stuck  in  their  belts, 
most  of  them  were  hatchets  apparently  just  taken  from  some 

re. 

We  asked  them  what  they  meant  by  stopping  us  in  that  way,  and 
what  they  were  going  to  do  ?  and  they  said  they  had  understood  that 
several  pro-slavery  men  had  been  killed  out  at  Easton  ;  that  there 
was  a  large  party  of  free  State  men  from  Lawrence  there,  and  they 
were  going  out  to  see  if  it  was  so,  and  they  were  going  to  hang  those 
who  had  killed1  the  pro-slavery  men.  There  was  a  good  deal  said 
about  hanging  ;  I  do  not  remember  it  all.  They  said  they  had 
already  procured  the  ropes.  They  insisted  upon  our  getting  into  one 
wagon  and  going  back  to  Easton  with  them.  We  objected  to  that, 
but  were  obliged  to  submit ;  and  I  proposed  to  Captain  Martin  that 
some  of  his  men  should  ride  in  our  wagon,  and  some  of  our  men  ride 
in  his  wagon.  I  was  satisfied  that  there  were  some  men  in  his  party 
so  excited  that  I  did  not  consider  we  would  be  safe,  surrounded  by 
them,  with  none  of  their  men  with  us.  Martin  consented  to  that 
arrangement.  Two  of  his  men  rode  in  our  wagon  and  two  of  our 

len  in  his.  When  these  men  first  stopped  us  they  took  everything 
rat  of  the  wagon,  including  some  five  or  six  guns.  Brown's  gun  was 

ken  from  his  own  hands,  I  think,  and  I  saw  Gibson  take  Taylor '& 


988  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

gun  away  from  him.  They  took  two  blankets  from  the  wagon  and  a 
small  carpet  satchell,  containing  some  child's  clothing,  which  Mrs. 
Brown  had  left  at  Minard's  some  days  before.  One  of  our  party  had 
worn  his  blanket  around  him,  as  is  customary  in  this  country.  As 
we  were  .going  back  he  complained  of  being  cold.  I  spoke  to  Martin 
about  those  blankets,  and  insisted  upon  their  being  restored  immedi- 
ately. He  made  or  professed  to  make  some  effort  to  find  them,  but 
they  were  not  restored.  After  we  had  been  taken  back  to  Easton, 
they  put  us  all  in  Mr.  Dawson's  store,  and  placed  as  many  men  in 
there  to  guard  us  as  could  well  get  in,  and  had  a  strong  guard  out- 
side. I  was  there,  I  think,  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  or  an  hour. 
There  was  a  good  deal  of  threatening,  talking  of  hanging,  and  while 
I  was  there  some  two  or  three  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood  were 
brought  in  prisoners.  One  of  them  was  one  I  saw  the  evening  before 
at  Minard's,  and  they  told  him  they  were  going  to  hang  him.  They 
told  us  all  they  were  going  to  hang  us  ;  assured  us  repeatedly  of  that, 
and  showed  us  the  rope  they  were  going  to  hang  us  with,  and  said 
they  had  enough  to  hang  us  all  with.  And  while  I  was  in  Dawson's 
store  a  man  came  in,  whom  I  understood  was  one  of  the  editors  of  the 
Kickapoo  Pioneer,  and  enquired  if  Brown  was  in  the  room,  and  which 
one  he  was.  Brown  was  pointed  out  to  him,  and  he  levelled  a  rifle  at 
him,  and  asked  him  if  he  was  responsible  for  what  he  had  said,  o-r 
something  to  that  effect.  Some  one  suggested  to  him  that  this  was 
not  Brown  the  editor  of  the  Herald  of  Freedom.  He  lowered  his  gun 
then,  and  made  some  remark.  I  am  not  positive  what  it  was. 

They  let  me  go,  I  think,  three-quarters  of  an  hour  or  an  hour  after 
I  was  taken  there.  Something  was  said  about  my  being  a  United 
States  surveyor,  and  I  suppose  that  was  the  reason  they  let  me  go. 
No  reason  was  given  why  they  let  me  go.  One  of  their  party,  a  Mr. 
Sharp,  was  talking  to  me  in  a  very  excited  manner,  when  a  Mr. 
Grover  whispered  something  to  him  ;  whereupon  Sharp  turned  round 
and  apologised  to  me,  and  told  me  he  had  been  under  a  misapprehen- 
sion in  regard  to  me,  and  I  could  go  if  I  wished.  I  at  first  told  him 
I  would  not  leave;  but,  after  a  little  reflection,  I  concluded  it  would 
be  better  for  me  to  go,  as  I  might  be  able-  to  get  some  assistance  to 
get  my  friends  out  of  their  hands.  Before  I  left  I  saw  a  Mr.  Burn- 
ham  and  a  Mr.  Lyle,  from  this  place,  come  into  the  room  where  we 
were.  I  asked  Mr.  Burnham  to  use  his  influence  with  these  men  for 
the  protection  of  the  party.  I  knew  he  was  a  pro-slavery  man,  and 
supposed  he  had  influence  with  them.  Burnham  promised  he  would 
do  what  he  could  for  them.  I  asked  Mr.  Sharp  to  go  with  me  and 
find  Captain  Martin,  Mr.  Kively,  and  Dr.  Harris;  I  wanted  to  see 
them  together  before  I  left.  He  went  with  me  and  we  found  these 
men;  I  think  all  three  of  them.  I  asked  them  what  they  intended  to 
do  with  our  party.  They  told  me  that  not  one  of  them  should  be 
harmed,  except  Brown.  I  do  not  remember  precisely  what  they  said 
they  would  do  to  Brown.  They  left  the  impression  on  my  mind  that 
he  was  in  very  great  danger,  and  that  he  would  be  killed  if  he  was 
not  got  out  of  their  hands.  My  impression  now  is,  that  they  avoided 
stating  distinctly  what  they  would  do  with  him.  I  learned,  either 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  989' 

from  them  or  others  standing  by,  that  they  had  sent  parties  out  in 
pursuit  of  Minard  and  Sparks,  and  those  parties  were  out  when  I  left. 
I  understood,  I  think,  from  Martin,  that  they  intended  to  punish 
Minard  and  Sparks  as  well  as  Brown.  I  asked  them  why  they  wished 
to  injure  Minard,  and  they  answered  that  he  had  made  himself  ob- 
noxious, or  odious,  in  that  neighborhood,  but  they  did  not  state  how. 
I  came  away  then,  after  they  promised  me  that  they  would  not  harm 
any  of  the  rest  of  the  party  but  Brown;  "that  not  a  hair  of  their 
heads  should  be  hurt."  I  saw  none  of  the  rest  of  the  party  until 
nine  or  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening.  I  left  there  about  two  or  three 
o'clock.  Before  I  left  there  I  charged  them  to  take  certain  excitable 
individuals  out  of  the  room,  and  put  sober  men  in  their  places,,  if  they 
wanted  to  keep  from  injuring  any  of  the  rest  of  the  party.  Before  I 
could  get  any  relief,  I  heard  of  the  discharge  of  the  others  of  the 
party,  and  that  Brown  was  taken  home  mortally  wounded. 

I  do  not  think  I  knew  any  of  the  first  party  who  came  up  on  the 
clay  of  election  and  demanded  the  ballot  box.  Of  the  party  who  took 
us  prisoners  I  recognized  but  two  ;  one  Mr.  Rively,  of  Salt  creek,  and 
Dr.  Harris,  of  Kickapoo.  I  subsequently  learned  the  names  of  Mr. 
Sharp,  Mr.  Daniel  Grover,  and  I  have  understood  a  member  of  the 
council  of  this  Territory,  Captain  Martin,  captain  of  the  Kickapoo 
rangers,  Mr.  Gibson  and  Mr.  Posey.  There  was  a  company  from 
here  who  joined  the  rangers  there  after  we  were  carried  to  Easton  as 
prisoners.  Among  them  was  Mr.  Bennett  Burnham,  county  sur- 
veyor, appointed  by  the  legislature,  I  believe,  and  Mr.  Lyle,  now 
clerk  of  the  probate  court  in  this  county.  I  saw  a  Mr.  John  Dunn 
there,  but  do  not  know  whether  he  was  with  the  party  who  took  us  or 
joined  them  afterwards.  The  company  of  men  who  took  us  is  ordi- 
narily called  the  Kickapoo  Rangers,  and  at  that  time,  I  understand, 
was  a  volunteer  company.  After  that  I  saw  an  announcement  in  the 
Kickapoo  Pioneer  of  their  organization,  and,  I  understood,  regularly 
organized  under  the  military  law,  Captain  Martin  as  captain,,  and  Mr, 
Rively  as  one  of  the  lieutenants.  None  of  these  men  have  been 
arrested  that  I  know  of,  and  none  publicly  examined  for  this  offence 
that  I  know  of.  A  grand  jury  has  been  empanelled  here,  but  I  think 
the  court  did  not  sit  for  the  trial  of  causes.  None  of  the  property 
taken  from  us  was  returned,  except  one  pistol.  Mr.  Minard  is  a  man 
of  a  very  peaceable  and  quiet  disposition,  and  I  should  not  consider 
him  one  to  cause  any  trouble  in  a  neighborhood.  So  far  as  I  know, 
Brown  was  a  quiet,  peaceable  man  also  ;  no  fighting  man,  though  a, 
resolute  one. 

HENRY  J.  ADAMS. 

LEA  YEN  WORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  15,  1856. 


990  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


J.  C.  GREEN  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  this  city.  I  came  here  the  20th  of  March,  1855.  I  was 
here  in  January  last,  and  went  over  to  Easton  to  an  election  held  on 
the  17th  of  January,  1856.  Mr.  Adams,  Mr.  E.  P.  Brown,  Mr. 
Bird,  Mr.  Lucas,  Mr.  Kohinson,  Mr.  Taylor,  myself,  and  a  French- 
man, I  think,  called  Jareau,  to  drive,  joined  our  party.  There  were 
eight  of  us  who  went  to  Easton  together  in  Mr.  Brown's  wagon.  I 
remained  in  Easton  all  day.  There  were  various  reports  that  a  party 
were  coming  to  take  the  ballot-box.  Towards  night  a  party  of  men 
came  up  within  a  hundred  yards  of  Mr.  Minard' s  house,  where  the  elec- 
tion was  held.  They  appeared  to  he  generally  armed,  and  were  yelling. 
A  party  of  men  who  were  at  the  house  stepped  out  and  told  them 
they  must  come  no  further.  They  then  stopped  and  used  a  good  deal 
of  abusive  language.  The  one  who  seemed  to  be  in  command  of  the 
party  coming  up,  told  them  to  charge  several  times,  but  they  did  not 
do  so.  After  standing  there  a  short  time,  they  turned  and  went  back. 
During  the  evening  one  or  two  men  from  that  party  came  to  the  house, 
and  said  they  wanted  the  ballot-box.  One  man  came  up  on  horseback, 
and  brought  a  note  to  Mr.  Minard,  which  he  read,  stating  that  if  we 
would  wait  an  hour  they  would  come  and  take  the  ballot-box.  Mr. 
Minard,  I  think,  sent  the  note  back.  About  one  or  two  o'clock  that 
night,  Mr.  Sparks,  who  was  there,  and  lived  some  four  or  five  miles  from 
there,  said  he  would  go  home,  and  started  off,  with  one  or  two  of  his 
sons,  and  another  man  named  Clark  Tritt,  I  think.  They  had  been 
gone  but  a  short  time,  when  Tritt  came  back,  apparently  very  much 
alarmed,  stating  that  the  other  party  had  taken  Mr.  Sparks,  and 
were  going  to  kill  him.  As  soon  as  that  was  known,  Mr.  Brown, 
with  some  fifteen  men,  I  think,  started  to  rescue  Sparks.  I  did  not 
go  myself.  They  had  been  gone  not  half  an  hour  when  we  heard 
considerable  firing  in  that  direction.  Brown  and  his  party  returned 
with  Mr.  Sparks  and  his  sons,  one  of  whom  was  slightly  wounded. 
After  breaki'ast  in  the  morning  we  started  for  home.  After  riding 
about  six  miles,  we  met  two  wagons  filled  with  men,  who  told  us  to 
stop.  Mr.  Brown  told  the  driver  to  go  on,  and  we  passed  them  ;  and 
then  their  two  wagons  were  turned  about  and  followed  us.  Some  of 
them  jumped  out  of  their  wagons,  and  said  they  would  see  if  we 
would  not  stop.  We  then  jumped  out  of  our  wagon,  and  Mr.  Brown, 
I  think,  told  them  if  they  wanted  anything  to  come  on.  We  then 
saw  in  the  road  in  front  of  us  some  forty  or  fifty  more  men  armed,  some 
with  horses  and  some  with  wagons.  They  had  stopped  at  a  house  near 
there.  We  kept  walking  along  until  we  came  up  to  them.  They 
began  cursing  us,  saying  that  they  had  got  us,  and  were  going  to 
hang  us.  Finally,  they  said  we  must  get  into  our  wagon  and  go  back  to 
Easton.  Some  of  our  party  objected  to  our  all  getting  into  our  wagon, 
and  thought  it  was  not  safe  to  do  so.  They  then  put  some  of  us  in 
our  wagon,  and  some  in  another,  and  the  whole  party  started  with 
us  towards  Easton.  While  on  the  way,  some  one  of  their  party  saw 
that  I  had  a  revolver,  and  he  remarked  to  me  that  I  had  better  give 
it  up.  I  told  him  I  would  give  it  to  the  captain  of  their  company,  if  ' 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  991 

they  had  any  captain.     He  said  they  had,  and  that  his  name  was  Mar- 
tin.    Presently  Martin  came  along  on  horseback  by  the  side  of  the 
wagon,  and  I  gave  him  two  revolvers.     I  had  one  in  a  belt,  and  the 
other  I  had  in  my  pocket.     Upon  arriving  at  Eastou,  we  were  taken 
into  Mr.   Dawson's  store.     Some  men  were  left  to  guard  us  in  the 
house,  while  others   were  sent  for  Mr.  Minard.     After  a  while  the 
party  returned,  and  one  of  them  said  that  Minard  had  too  good  a 
horse  for  them,  and  they  could  not  catch  him,  but  they  thought  they 
had  wounded  him,  as  they  had  fired  at  him,  and  had  seen  him  reel 
on  his  horse.     I  do  not  know  who  said  this.     The  party  who  took  us 
prisoners  were  joined  by  others  at  Easton,  and  this  man  was  one  of 
the  men,  but  I  do  not  know  which  of  those  parties  he  belonged  to. 
I  heard  them  express  some  anxiety  with  regard  to  a  party  they  said 
had  been  sent  after  Mr.  Sparks.     Some  one  remarked  that  there  had 
been  only  eight  sent,  and  he  did  not  think  eight  men  could  take 
Sparks  from  his  neighborhood.     We  had  not  been  there  long  before 
these  men  brought  in  Mr.  Tritt,  thrusting  him  into  the  door,  saying, 
"Damn  you,  we  have  got  you  now,  and  we  will  hang  you/'     Some 
one  of  their  party,  who  was  in  the  room  with  us,  proposed  that  they 
should  buy  a  rope  to  hang  us  all  with.     They  then  asked  the  clerk  of 
the  store  if  he  had  any  rope  there,  and  he  said  he  had.     Presently  I 
saw  one  of  these  men  with  a   piece  of  new  rope  wound  around  his 
arm,  and  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Eli  Moore,  who  lived  at  this 
place  at  that  time,  but  now,  I  understand,  at  Lecompton,  came  in,  and 
reviewing  most  of  us,  remarked  to  some  of  us  that  they  had  got  us, 
and  were  going  to  hang  us  all.     About  four  o'clock,  I  should  think, 
some  of  them  came  in  and  told  Mr.  Brown  that  he  must  go  with  them. 
I  think  previous  to  this  they  had  released  Mr.  Adams.     I  should  ^think 
we  were  first  put  into  the  store  about  one  or  two  o'clock.     Mr.  Brown 
hesitated  considerably  about  going  out  with  these  men.     They  in- 
sisted upon  his  going  with  them,  and  one  man  took  hold  of  him.     He 
finally  went  with  them.     Most  of  the  party  who  had  taken  us  pris- 
oners went  out  with  Mr.   Brown,  and  said  they  were  going  to  try 
him.     They  had  been  gone  half  an  hour,  perhaps,  or  more,  when 
Captain  Martin  came  into  the  room  where  we  were,  and  said  that  the 
men  were  determined  to  kill  Brown.     He  did  not  think  they  could 
be  restrained  ;  and  if  they  killed  Brown  they  would  kill  all  of  us, 
unless  we  were  let  go  there.     He  then  put  it  to  a  vote  with  the^men 
who  were  guarding  us,  and  they  all  consented  to  let  us  go.     We  went 
out  with  them  until  we  passed  the  building  where  Brown  was  said  to 
be,  and  there  they  left  us  ;  and  five  of  us  went  to  the  woods  as  soon 
as  we  could,  the  Frenchman  remaining  there  with  the  team  of  Brown. 
We  had  been  in  the  woods  some  twenty  minutes,,  when  we  heard 
these  men  going  -along  the  road  with  their- wagons  and  horses  to- 
wards Kickapoo.     It  was  then  a  little  dark.     Of  those  who  went  with 
Brown  to  rescue  Sparks,  I  recollect  George  Taylor,  Joseph  Byrd,  and 
Calvin  Lucas,  I  think.     The  others  I  do  not  recollect. 

Of  those  who  tool* us  prisoners,  I  recognised  Mr.  D.  A.  N.  Grover, 
[r.  Ptively,  John  Dunn,  and  a  man  they  called  Gibson,  another  they 
tiled  Blake,  I  think,  Dr.  Harris,  and  Mr.  Berry.  Of  those  who 
>ined  the  party  at  Easton,  I  recognised  D.  J.  Johnson,  J.  M.  Lyle, 


992  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Bennett  Burnhain,  Mr.  Shockley,  Mr.  McAlear,  Eli  Moore,  James 
Rich,  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Donner,  I  think — they  called  him 
Major  Donner — and  Mr.  Alexander  Russell,  a  justice  of  the  peace 
there,  and  appointed  by  the  territorial  legislature.  I  do  not  now  re- 
member any  others. 

I  saw  Gibson  have  a  hatchet  when  we  were  taken  prisoners,  and 
also  after  we  had  been  taken  to  Easton.  Many  of  the  men  on  horse- 
back had  small  hatchets — I  should  think  ordinary  lath  hatchets — 
which  appeared  to  be  new.  As  we  were  in  the  store  before  we  were 
discharged,  I  heard  many  of  the  men  say  that  Brown  should  never 
get  away  from  Easton  alive.  One  man  came  into  the  store  and  said 
that  Brown  had  as  many  friends  in  the  room  where  they  were  trying 
him  as  he  had  enemies,  and  he  would  be  damned  if  Brown  should 
get  away  from  there  alive.  Some  one  said  that  Brown  ought  not  to 
be  killed,  but  ought  to  be  given  up  to  the  law.  Some  one  then  said 
they  would  be  damned  if  Brown  should  get  away  alive.  Some  among 
these  men  appeared  to  be  anxious  to  have  no  one  killed.  As  we  came 
out  of  the  store,  where  we  were  discharged,  I  heard  considerable 
noise  in  the  adjoining  building,  where  Brown  was  said  to  be.  Some 
one  outside  objected  to  our  going  away.  Mr.  Burnham,  who  was 
with  me,  told  them  that  it  was  all  right. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Oliver  : 

I  have  not  said  that  Mr.  Sparks  was  taken  prisoner,  but  that  I 
heard  so.  I  do  not  know  that  Mr.  Tritt,  who  belonged  to  our  party, 
and  who  said  that  Sparks  was  taken  prisoner,  was  with  us  with  any 
message.  All  I  know  about  Sparks'  being  taken  prisoner  was  from 
Tritt  and  Sparks,  both  of  whom  were  of  our  party. 

I  was  present  when  Brown's  party  started  to  rescue  Sparks.  They 
were  armed  with  rifles,,  most  of  them,  and  some,  I  presume,  had  re- 
volvers ;  but  I  do  not  know  that  they  had  any  other  weapons.  I  was 
not  with  that  company.  I  should  think  there  were  about  fifteen  of 
them  when  they  started  from  Mr.  Minard's  house.  I  do  not  know 
how  many  they  had  when  they  reached  the  place  where  Sparks  was 
held.  It  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  grocery  where  Sparks 
was  said  to  be — perhaps  half  a  mile.  The  party  said  they  were  going 
down  to  rescue  Mr.  Sparks — I  supposed  in  any  way  they  could,  and 
at  all  hazards.  I  do  not  know  how  many  persons  had  Sparks  in 
charge.  They  brought  Mr.  Sparks  back  with  them.  I  do  not  know 
that  any  of  the  opposite  or  pro-slavery  party  attempted  to  vote  at  Eas- 
ton. I  do  not  remember  that  any  of  the  free-State  party  said  any- 
thing about  the  pro-slavery  party  attempting  or  offering  to  vote.  I 
do  not  remember  of  any  of  the  pro-slavery  party  offering  to  vote  that 
day,  and  being  prevented  by  the  free-State  party.  I  should  judge 
there  were  about  seventy  free-State  men  at  that  election,  many  of  them 
armed  with  rifles  and  revolvers,  and  perhaps  some  of  them  with  small 
pistols  and  bowie-knives.  I  do  not  think  any  of  them  had  hatchets. 
I  did  not  see  any.  I  should  presume  that  half  <ff  them  were  armed, 
but  I  think  not  with  rifles.  I  saw  many  there  who  did  not  appear  to 
have  arms.  I  think  likely  one- half  of  them  had  arms  in  sight.  The 
election  was  for  members  of  the  legislature  and  officers  of  the  State 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  993 

government  and  a  representative  to  Congress.  I  think  about  seventy 
votes  were  cast  that  day.  I  do  not  know  of  any  pro-slavery  men 
having  voted.  I  am  satisfied  no  objection  would  have  been  made  if 
any  pro-slavery  man  had  attempted  to  vote.  That  election  was  held 
upon  the  ground  that  the  people  of  Kansas  had  adopted  a  State  con- 
stitution which  had  been  framed  at  Topeka  ;  and  believing  that  that 
constitution  had  been  adopted  by  the  people,  they  were  voting  for 
State  officers  under  it,  and  also  in  accordance  with  the  proclamation 
issued  by  the  executive  committee.  I  understood  that  James  H.  Lane, 
Cyrus  K.  Holliday,  J.  K.  Goodwin,  G.  W.  Brown,  G.  W.  Smith,  and 
Marcus  J.  Parrott,  were  on  that  committee.  Dr.  Charles  Robinson, 
I  think,  was  treasurer  of  the  committee,  though  he  may  have  been  a 
member  of  the  committee.  I  think  Governor  Reeder  had  nothing  to 
do  with  that  committee. 

Question.  Was  not  that  election  held  upon  the  alleged  ground, 
among  other  reasons,  that  the  laws  passed  by  the  Kansas  legislature, 
held  at  Shawnee  Mission,  were  null  and  void,  and  to  which  no  alle- 
giance was  owed  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  that  it  was  held  upon  those  grounds.  I  un- 
derstood it  to  be  held  upon  the  ground  that  the  people  of  Kansas  had 
a  right  to  frame  and  adopt  a  State  government  whenever  they  pleased, 
and  that  even  if  the  territorial  laws  were  valid,  yet  the  people  ot  Kan- 
sas had  a  right  to  vote  under  a  constitution  framed  by  themselves,  the 
election  being  held  by  order  of  the  executive  committee,  and  under 
the  State  constitution  formed  at  Topeka. 

Question.  From  whence  did  you  claim  to  derive  the  authority  to 
frame  this  constituflon  ? 

Answer.  We  claimed  to  derive  it  from  the  organic  act,  and  from 
the  fact  that  the  people  had  a  right  to  irame  their  own  institutions  to 
suit  themselves.  | 

Question.  Was  not  the  ground  assumed  by  your  party  that  the  laws 
of  the  legislature  held  at  Shawnee  Mission,  convened  under  the  procla- 
mation of  Governor  Reeder  at  Pawnee  at  first,  were  null  and  void? 

Answer.  That  was  the  ground  assumed,  perhaps,  by  a  majority  of 
the  party. 

Question.  Did  Governor  Robinson  assume  that  ground? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  heard  him,  or  Governor  Reeder, 
say  anything  about  that. 

Question.  What  is  your  ground  on  the  subject? 

Answer.  My  ground  has  been,  that  I  did  regard  those  enactments 
as  really  legal;  but  still  I  have  always  obeyed  them  when  summoned 
before  the  court,  as  I  was  once  as  a  witness.  My  opinion  was,  and  is, 
that  those  laws  are  null  and  void. 

I  understood  the  captain  to  say  that  they  had  determined  to  kill 
Brown,  and  I  understood  him  to  refer  to  some  of  his  men,  and  to  all 
who  were  then  in  the  room  with  Brown.  I  got  the  idea  that  Martin 
did  not  want  Brown  killed.  The  free-State  party  took  their  arms 
with  them  to  defend  the  ballot-box,  because  it  had  been  taken  from 
them  at  an  election  in  this  city  ;  and  they  had  understood  that  it 
would  be  taken  away,  or  an  attempt  made  to  do  so,  at  any  place  in 
this  county.  The  ballot-box  was  taken  in  this  city.  I  think,  on  the 
H.  Rep.  200 63* 


994  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

15th  of  December 3  1855,  at  an  election  upon  adopting  the  free-State 
constitution.  I  saw  a  man  (Charles  Dunn)  go  into  the  room  where 
the  ballot-box  was,  and  come  out  with  it.  It  was  the  intention  of  the 
free-State  party  at  the  election  at  Easton  to  resist  any  mob  trying  to 
take  the  ballot-box,  or  break  up  the  election.  I  do  not  remember  that 
anything  was  said  that  day  about  the  election  being  against  the  ter- 
ritorial laws.  I  never  understood  that  the  governor  or  the  territorial 
authorities  would  interfere  with  that  election,  and  we  did  not  expect 
any  such  thing.  I  have  heard  a  good  many  free-State  men  say  that 
the  territorial  laws  were  null  and  void,  because  they  were  passed  by  a 
legislature  imposed  upon  them  by  foreign  votes  ;  but  others  thought 
it  better  to  get  along  with  them  the  best  they  could.  I  think  most 
all  I  have  heard  speak  of  it  said  they  thought  the  laws  were  null  and 
void  ;  but  some  would  try  and  get  along  with  them  the  best  they 
could.  I  think  the  most  of  the  free-State  party  think  they  owe  no 
allegiance  to  those  laws,  and  if  they  obey  them,  it  is  to  preserve  peace 
and  have  no  difficulty.  I  have  heard  men  of  our  party  express  con- 
tempt for  these  laws,  and  have  heard  them  say  they  were  not  valid, 
and  have  heard  them  also  say,  that  even  if  they  were  valid,  they  had 
the  right  to  make  a  State  government  for  themselves.  I  think  because 
the  free-State  party  regarded  those  laws  as  oppressive,  as  well  as  null 
and  void,  perhaps  they  proceeded  with  the  State  organization  leading 
to  this  election. 

I  think  the  people  of  Kansas  counselled  this  election.  I  do  not 
really  know  who  were  the  leaders  in  this  movement.  I  have  heard 
J.  B.  Chapman,  of  Kansapolis,  (Whitfield  City  formerly,)  say  he  was 
the  first  man  who  proposed  it.  He  holds  no  office  under  the  State 
government.  I  have  had  considerable  conversation  with  Dr.  Kobin- 
son,  but  I  do  not  recollect  that  there  was  anything  said  particularly 
in  regard  to  that  matter.  His  views  were,  that  the  people  of  Kansas 
had  a  right  to  form  a  State  government,  and  quoted  the  example  of 
Michigan,  Arkansas,  and  California.  I  cannot  say  that  he  ever  said 
anything  to  me  in  regard  to  the  validity  of  the  laws  of  this  Territory. 
I  may  have  heard  him  say  something  about  them,  but  I  do  not  recol- 
lect what  he  said.  I  have  heard  him  refer  to  the  bogus  legislature  in 
contradistinction  to  other  legislatures,  but  I  cannot  state  what  he  said. 
I  think,  from  his  calling  the  legislature  at  Shawnee  a  bogus  legis- 
lature, that  he  regarded  their  laws  null  and  void. 

[Mr.  Howard  objects  to  this  testimony  in  relation  to  the  elections 
being  taken  in  this  connexion,  as  the  whole  course  of  the  committee 
has  been  to  take  the  testimony  upon  different  subjects,  in  different 
depositions  ;  and  also  that  it  is  not  strictly  a  cross-examination  ;  and 
claiming  the  witness  as  his  witness  in  chief  in  this  examination,  in 
reference  to  the  death  of  Brown. 

Mr.  Oliver  states  that  he  has  not  understood  any  such  course  as 
having  been  followed  by  the  committee ;  that  he  did  not  appear  as 
an  attorney,  but  as  a  member  of  this  committee,  and  therefore 
not  to  be  restricted  to  rules  of  cross-examination,  as  would  apply  to* 
party  and  party  ;  and  that  this  having  nothing  to  do  with  the  con- 
tested election  between  Eeeder  and  Whitfield,  and  neither  of  these 
gentlemen,  nor  their  attorneys,  being  present,  nor  any  person  repre- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  995 

senting  any  party  of  people  in  this  Territory,  he  insists  that  he  has 
the  right  to  ask  any  question  of  the  witness  touching  the  troubles  in 
this  Territory,  whether  they  bear  immediately  or  mediately  upon 
them  ;  and  further,  that  it  does  not  lie  with  the  majority  of  this  com- 
mittee to  restrain  him  in  that  examination. 

Mr.  Sherman  understood  the  rule  under  which  the  committee  have 
heretofore  acted  to  be  this  :  that  in-all  public  matters  relating  to  elec- 
tions their  examinations  should  be  with  open  doors  ;  in  all  matters 
where  individuals  are  charged  with  crime,  and  especially  with  homi- 
cide, the  examination  should  be  in  secret.  This  rule  was  adopted  by 
general  consent.  This  witness  was  called  during  a  recent  session  to 
testify  as  to  facts  connected  with  the  homicide  of  Brown,  and  there- 
fore, he  thinks,  that,  according  to  the  rule,  the  question  of  the  validity 
of  the  laws  of  the  Territorial  legislature  ought  not  to  be  examined 
into  in  secret  session,  but  that  the  testimony  will  be  competent  and 
proper  at  another  time,  and  with  open  doors.  It  has  also  been  the 
practice  of  the  committee  to  keep  each  subject  by  itself;  and  where  a 
witness  is  examined  on  two  distinct  matters,  his  testimony  is  separated, 
and  each  part  signed  ;  and  Mr.  Sherman  thinks  that  this  rule  ought 
to  be  adhered  to,  and  that  this  subject  ought  to  be  embraced  in  a  sep- 
arate deposition;  but  as  it  has  proceeded  thus  far,  as  a  part  of  the  ex- 
amination of  this  witness,  touching  the  homicide  of  Brown,  it  may 
as  well  be  completed. 

Mr.  Howard  thinks  the  examination  in  this  connexion  about  the 
election  of  the  free-State  party  as  irregular  at  present,  though  not  in- 
competent as  a  separate  deposition,  that  being  the  rule  heretofore  fol- 
lowed by  the  committee.] 

Examination  resumed  by  Mr.  Oliver,  who  did  not  claim  to  be 
strictly  cross-examining. 

Witness.  I  do  not  think  I  ever  conversed  with  Governor  Keeder 
about  this  matter.  I  had  an  introduction  to  him  about  a  year  ago, 
but  had  not  much  acquaintance  with  him  until  he  was  at  this  city, 
about  a  month  ago. 

I  think  at  Easton,  while  we  were  prisoners  there,  I  heard  two  or 
three  different  individuals  remark  that  they  did  not  want  any  fight- 
ing, or  any  injury  done  to  any  one,  but  I  did  not  know  who  said  so. 
I  was  at  the  election  in  Easton  the  day  before,  and  voted  there.  I 
voted  for  Charles  Eobinson  for  governor,  N.  Y.  Roberts  for  lieutenant- 
governor,  Colonel  Mark  W.  Delaha  for  member  to  Congress.  I  ar- 
rived at  the  place  of  election  at  10  or  11  o'clock  on  the  17th  of  Jan- 
uary, and  remained  there  through  the  night,  until  perhaps  8  or  9 
o'clock  the  next  day.  I  think  I  saw  one  or  two  individuals,  free-State 
men,  drink  from  a  bottle  that  would  hold  about  a  pint,  that  they  had 
in  a  wagon  near  the  house.  I  saw  some  that  I  thought  were  under 
the  influence  of  ardent  spirits,  as  I  saw  some  persons  drink  there.  I 
saw  Mr.  Brown,  the  deceased,  drink  out  of  the  bottle  I  have  referred 
to,  but  I  do  not  know  as  I  could  state  that  I  saw  any  body  else  drink. 
This  was  about  9  or  10  o'clock  at  night.  I  told  Mr.  Brown  that  I 
thought  he  was  a  little  intoxicated,  and  he  said  he  was  not.  I  should 
think  it  was  one  or  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  that  Brown  and  his 
party  went  down  to  rescue  Sparks.  I  think  he  had  been  asleep  that 


996  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

night,  but  I  do  not  know  certainly  about  that.  I  was  up  when  they 
started,  but  did  not  go  with  them.  There  was  a  call  for  all  who  had 
guns  to  go,  and  I  did  not  consider  myself  called  upon  to  go,  as  I  had 
no  guns.  I  had  two  revolvers,  but  there  were  other  reasons  why  some 
of  us  did  not  go.  I  should  think  about  fifteen  went.  I  noticed  them 
first  particularly  ;  they  were  on  loot,  and  were  armed  with  their  guns, 
and  some  had  revolvers  and  knives,  and  one  or  two  young  men  had 
small  pistols.  The  understanding  when  they  left  was  that  they  were 
going  to  rescue  Sparks,  Sparks  had  left,  some  fifteen  minutes  or  half 
an  hour  before  they  started  for  him,  for  home.  I  think  two  of  Mr. 
Sparks' s  sons  and  Mr.  Tritt  went  with  Sparks,  when  he  left.  I  think 
Mr.  Sparks  had  a  double-barrelled  gun,  but  I  do  not  think  the  rest 
were  armed,  though  I  am  not  positive  about  that.  I  do  not  know- 
that  any  of  the  pro-slavery  party  were  up  there  before  the  election 
was  over,  but  two  came  up  after  the  election  was  over.  I  think  there 
was  no  interruption  by  the  pro-slavery  party  to  the  election  while  it 
was  going  on,  except  what  I  have  stated  about  a  party  having  come 
up  near  the  polls,  about  thirty  or  forty  in  number,  and  their  officer 
ordered  them  to  charge,  when  some  of  our  party  went  out,  but  they 
did  not  do  so. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

The  election  was  not  held  here,  in  Leavenworth  city,  because  the 
business  men  of  this  place  were  afraid  if  it  was  held  here  it  would 
result  in  bloodshed  and  the  destruction  of  property,  and  that  was  the 
general  impression.  It  was  feared  that  it  would  result  in  a  general 
riot.  It  was  expected  by  the  citizens  that  the  opposing  force  would 
consist  of  citizens  of  this  town  and  from  Missouri. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  cannot  say  that  I  know  of  any  Missourians  who  threatened  to  in- 
terfere with  this  election. 

J.  C.  GREEN. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  16,  1856. 


DAVID  BROWN  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  middle  of  September,  1854.  I 
am  no  relation  to  Mr.  R.  P.  Brown.  I  lived  about  three  miles  north- 
west from  here,  in  Salt  Creek  valley.  R.  P.  Brown  lived  upon  a 
claim  west  of  me,  adjoining  mine,  some  600  yards  from  where  I  lived, 
upon  another  man's  claim  of  the  name  of  McCrea,  and  lived  in  the 
cabm  of  McCrea.  I  understood  there  was  some  partnership  in  regard 
to  the  living  on  the  claim.  Mr.  Brown  had  a  wife,  and  a  little  girl 
some  two  and  a  half  years  old,  living  with  him.  I  was  at  the  house 
some  three  or  four  hours  after  Brown  was  brought  home.  I  was  the 
first  man  who  was  sent  for.  About  12  o'clock  at  night  a  messenger 
came  to  me  to  come  to  this  place  to  get  a  doctor.  I  did  not  get  any 
one  to  go  out,  but  spoke  to  one,  who  promised  to  come.  The  one  who 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  997 

brought  me  tlie  message  was  a  Frenchman,  named  Charles  Jareau,  I 
think  a  teamster  for  Brown.  I  got  back  to  Brown's  house  about  3 
o'clock,  and  found  him  in  a  dying  condition,  lying  upon  a  pallet  on 
the  floor,  his  clothes  literally  covered  with  blood.  I  sat  down,  took 
his  head  upon  my  lap,  and  examined  the  wound.  I  asked  him  how  he 
was  ;  he  said  he  was  dying,  but  should  die  in  a  good  cause.  I  com- 
menced opening  his  vest  to  ascertain  if  there  were  any  further  wounds 
in  his  body,  and  he  told  me  they  were  all  in  his  head.  I  opened  his 
vest,  but  found  no  other  wound.  He  raised  apparently  from  one  side 
as  if  he  wanted  to  turn  over  to  the  other  side,  and  exclaimed,  Ci  I  am 
dying  ;"  and  immediately  died,  with  his  head  upon  my  lap.  When  I 
was  unbuttoning  his  vest,  Mrs.  McCrea,  of  the  house,  handed  me  some 
warm  drink  to  offer  him,  but  I  discovered  he  was  too  far  gone,  and 
returned  it  to  them.  The  man  who  was  present  stated  that  they  had 
been  giving  him  some  warm  drinks  at  the  grocery  before  they  brought 
him  home.  This  man's  name  was  Charles  Dunn,  and  he  was  captain 
of  one  of  the  companies  out  there  in  the  affair.  He  insisted  on  my 
offering  it  to  Brown,  but  I  refused.  After  Brown  died,  I  proceeded  te 
superintend  the  burial,  changing  the  clothes,  getting  a  coffin,  &c. 
He  was  buried  on  Sunday,  the  20th  of  January.  Dunn  told  me  that 
he  had  befriended  Brown,  notwithstanding  they  had  been  personal 
enemies,  and  had  brought  him  home  from  Easton,  where  the  affray  took 
place.  He  said  when  he  first  discovered  Brown  he  had  received  this 
wound  ;  and  after  receiving  the  wound,,  Brown  had  made  his  escape, 
fled  to  the  woods,  and  had  been  caught  and  brought  back  ;  an<j  Dunn 
had  been  instrumental  in  keeping  them  there  from  shooting  or  hang- 
ing Brown,  as  some  wanted  to  do. 

Dunn  showed  me  a  fresh  wound  he  had  received  on  his  hand,  he 
said,  while  doing  this,  in  shielding  off  a  gun,  to  prevent  a  man  from 
shooting  Brown.  Dunn  was  at  that  time  very  much  intoxicated. 
After  Brown  died,  Dunn  promised  to  come  back  immediately,  but  he 
did  not.  I  saw  nothing  ol  him  until  about  11  o'clock  the  next  day. 
He  lives  about  a  mile  from  where  Brown  lived. 

The  wound  on  Brown's  head  was  on  the  left  side  of  the  head,  cut- 
ting the  inside  of  the  left  ear,  and  extending  perhaps  two  inches  long 
to  the  left  temple,  cutting  off  a  lock  of  hair.  His  body  was  taken  up 
about  a  week  after  he  was  buried,  when  his  brother  came  on  here,  and 
was  examined  by  three  physicians  of  this  place.  I  helped  to  take  the 
body  up,  and  saw  the  physicians  examine  the  wound,  and  run  the 
middle  finger  of  their  hands  into  the  skull  the  whole  length  of  the 
finger. 

I  have  never  known  of  the  public  examination  of  any  of  the  men 
engaged  in  this  matter,  or  of  any  attempt  to  arrest  any  of  those  men. 
After  Brown  died,  his  wife  and  child  came  to  my  house  and  lived  vith 
me  until  about  the  first  of  April,  when  I  saw  her  on  a  steamboat  and 
start  on  her  way  home  to  Michigan.  Mrs.  McCrea  lived  with  me. 
during  the  same  time,  and  left  with  Mrs.  Brown.  After  Brown  was 
killed,  Mrs.  McCrea  sold  her  claim. 

I  was  at  the  election  at  Easton  on  the  17th  of  January,  1856  ;  and 
on  my  way  there  I  was  stopped  by  the  Kickapoo  Rangers,  who  de- 
manded where  I  was  going  and  where  my  business  was.  I  declined 


998  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

for  a  time  to  tell  them.  They  insisted,  and  I  told  them  one  portion 
of  my  business,  which  was  to  go  and  see  a  Mr.  Dawson,  a  pro-slavery 
man,  to  get  some  money  he  owed  me.  That  did  not  seem  to  satisfy 
them  altogether,  and  they  asked  me  if  I  was  going  to  the  election  to 
vote.  I  told  them  I  thought  probably  I  would  go  to  the  polls.  I  said 
I  did  not  know  whether  I  should  vote  or  not.  Two  of  them,  who 
seemed  to  be  the  most  forward  of  them,  separated — one  taking  my 
horse  by  the  bridle,  and  the  other  went  back  in  the  grocery  where  I  was 
stopped,  some  two  miles  this  side  of  Easton,  where  these  Rangers  were 
stationed.  The  one  who  went  to  the  grocery  was  named  McAleary, 
and  the  other  was  named  Hubbard.  Hubbard  flourished  a  little  pistol 
around,  which  he  said  sometimes  silenced  abolitionists.  Mr.  Mc- 
Aleary, after  he  returned  from  the  grocery,  told  me  I  could  pass  on, 
and  I  did  so,  and  went  to  the  election  after  having  collected  the  money 
of  Mr.  Dawson,  and  then  returned  back  and  stopped  with  the  Kickapoo 
Hangers,  voluntarily,  at  the  grocery.  They  inquired  if  I  had  been  to 
the  election.  I  told  them  I  had.  They  asked  me  who  were  sitting  as 
judges  of  the  election.  I  told  them  I  did  not  know  them.  They  said 
they  were  going  up  to  take  the  ballot-box.  I  told  them  they  had  not 
force  enough  to  do  that ;  that,  in  the  first  place,  there  was  no  ballot- 
box  ;  that  the  voting  was  done  in  a  man's  hat.  They  said  they  would 
go  and  take  the  hat.  I  said  they  could  not  do  that,  for  there  were 
about  sixty  men  there  who  I  believeci  wer6  able  to  and  would  defend 
the  ballot-box.  I  then  left  them  and  went  home.  This  McAleary 
did  most  of  the  talking  with  me.  I  did  not  know  this  Hubbard,  and 
may  have  mistaken  his  name.  I  did  not  see  Dunn  that  day.  I 
should  think  this  company  of  Kickapoo  Rangers  consisted  of  about 
twenty-five  when  I  was  stopped  going  out.  When  I  came  back,  I 
should  think  there  were  only  twelve  or  fifteen  of  them.  On  my  return 
some  of  them  appeared  to  be  intoxicated,  but  none,  I  think,  when  I 
went  out. 

After  Brown  died,  I  came  to  town  to  get  a  shroud  and  a  coffin  made, 
and  on  my  way  back  I  met  this  Dunn  coming  towards  the  town. 
Just  after  I  got  back  to  where  Brown's  body  was,  a  man  who  was 
working  for  Merrill  Smith  came  in,  and  said  that  a  Mr.  Harvey  had 
sent  him  to  forbid  me  or  any  one  else  touching  the  body  till  a  cor- 
oner's inquest  could  be  held  over  it.  I  therefore  left  him  until  that 
night  at  candle-lighting,  when  the  same  messenger  came  back  and 
told  me  Mr.  Harvey  had  declined  acting  in  the  matter,  as  he  could 
not  get  enough  to  come  with  him.  I  then  helped  to  dress  the  bodyp 
and  it  was  buried  the  next  day. 

To  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  came  from  East  Tennessee  to  Minnesota  Territory,  and  then  here. 

DAYID  BROWN. 
LEAVENWORTH'  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  15,  1856. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  999 


M.  P.  RIVELY  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  at  Salt  creek,  three  miles  west  of  this  place,  and  keep  store 
there.  I  was  near  Easton  on  the  18th  of  January,  1856.  I  first  saw 
Mr.  R.  P.  Brown  near  Easton  on  that  day,  with  a  numher  of  men  with 
him,  whose  names  I  do  not  recollect.  He  was  walking,  hut  I  do  not 
recollect  whether  hy  his  wagon  or  not.  As  that  was  some  time  ago, 
I  do  not  recollect  much  that  took  place  ;  not  much  took  place  while  I 
was  there.  Some  men  had  him,  hut  I  don't  know  whether  they  were 
Kickapoo  Rangers  or  not.  They  had  him  at  Easton,  after  they  took 
him  in  Dawson's  store,  where  they  kept  him.  I  thought  I  would  he 
brought  up  here  to  testify  in  relation  to  the  elections,  and  not  in  re- 

fard  to  any  little  difficulties  that  have  occurred  in  the  Territory.     I 
id  not  come  up  here  to  give  any  testimony  about  anything  but  elec- 
tions. 

SMr.  Howard  stated  to  the  witness  the  object  of  the  examination, 
read  to  him  the  authority  given  to  the  committee  by  the  House  of 
Representatives.] 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

Q.  Will  true  answers  to  questions  as  to  what  was  done  that  day  by 
the  persons  you  have  spoken  of  to  R.  P.  Brown,  tend  to  criminate  you 
personally  ? 

A.  Upon  due  reflection,  I  think  they  might  in  some  slight  degree. 

By  Mr.  Howard : 

Q.  What  persons  were  there  of  Mr.  Brown's  party? 

A.  I  am  acquainted  with  but  one  of  them — a  Mr.  Adams,  I  think,  a 
surveyor.  The  rest  I  do  not  know,  and  don't  think  I  should  know 
any  of  them  now,  except  a  Mr.  Green.  There  were  some  six  others,  I 
think,  besides  tho'se  two. 

Q.  Did  you  see  Brown's  party  before  they  got  to  Easton? 

A.  I  saw  his  party,  and  suppose  Brown  was  with  them,  though  I 
did  not  see  him,  some  five  or  six  miles  this  side  of  Easton. 

They  had  a  wagon  with  them,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  they  had 
just  got  out  of  it  or  not.  A  Frenchman  named  Jareau,  I  think,  was 
driving.  When  the  wagons  met,  I  think  there  were  of  our  party  a 
man  named  Capt.  John  W.  Martin,  of  Kickapoo  ;  a  Mr.  G-ibson,  who, 
I  think,  lived  at  Kickapoo  at  that  time,  but  I  don't  know  where  he 
lives  now,  though  I  have  seen  him  at  Kickapoo  and  at  Weston  within 
the  last  three  weeks.  Charles  Dunn  was  not  with  us  when  the  two 
parties  met,  but  joined  us  at  Easton  in  the  afternoon.  A  Mr.  D.  A. 
N.  Grrover,  now  member  of  the  council,  and  brother  to  the  district  at- 
torney, was  there.  Mr.  Sharp  was  there  from  Kickapoo.  Dr.  Harris, 
from  near  Kickapoo,,  was  there.  Mr.  Adkins  was  there  ;  I  do  not  know 
his  first  name,  nor  where  he  lives.  I  think  that  is  about  all  I  can  re- 
collect. I  should  think  there  were  about  twelve  or  fifteen  of  our  party. 
I  think  Brown's  party  consisted  of  from  seven  to  nine.  I  think  all 
our  party  were  on  horseback,  but  I  do  not  recollect  of  their  having  a 
wagon,  though  they  may  have  had.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  other 


1000  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

wagons  there  but  Brown's,  and  if  there  had  been  I  think  I  should 
have  recollected  it.  There  may  have  been,  but  I  do  not  now  recollect 
of  any  other  wagons  there  but  Brown's.  Brown's  party  had  guns  and 
revolvers  with  them,  but  I  do  not  know  that  all  had.  Our  party  took 
them  prisoners,  and  made  them  go  back  to  Easton  with  us.  I  think 
they  did  not  make  any  resistance  to  going  back,  though  they  did  not 
seem  to  like  it.  In  going  back  they  rode  in  their  wagon  part  of  the  way 
and  part  of  the  way  they  walked.  I  was  on  horseback,  part  of  the  time 
ahead  and  part  behind.  I  think  they  were  put  in  Dawson's  store  when 
we  got  to  Easton.  We  got  there,  I  think,  about  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon ;  it  might  have  been  before  noon.  I  kept  along  near  them 
all  the  time  going  there.  We  did  not  let  them  all  go  at  one  time  ;  most 
of  them  went  off,  I  think,  near  about  four  o'clock.  We  had  no  war- 
rant to  stop  these  men.  We  heard  that  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  number  of 
others,  had  been  out  holding  an  illegal  election  at  Easton ;  that  there 
had  been  some  misunderstanding  between  Brown  and  his  party  and 
some  gentlemen  who  lived  at  Easton,  and  that  Mr.  Brown  was  the 
leader-  of  the  party  who  fired  upon  those  gentlemen,  killing  a  gentle- 
man by  the  name  of  Cook,  a  pro-slavery  man,  a  resident  of  the  Terri- 
tory. We  then  determined  to  take  back  this  party,  and  see  whether 
they  had  fired  upon  the  gentlemen  at  Easton,  and  whether  Mr.  Cook 
had  been  shot.  They  went  back  with  us,  and  we  ascertained  that 
there  had  been  a  fight,  and  that  they  had  shot  at  a  party  of  pro-slavery 
men  with  guns  and  pistols,  and  had  shot  Mr.  Cook.  Mr.  Cook  was 
an  old  settler,  so  I  understand  ;  a  man  of  family,  and  a  very  clever 
man.  He  subsequently  died.  When  we  got  there,  Mr.  Cook  was  ly- 
ing in  Mr.  Dawson's  house,  groaning,  as  I  heard  him  do,  but  I  did 
not  see  him.  The  citizens  were  very  much  exasperated,  and  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  that  they  should  retaliate  ;  I  fully  expected  they 
would.  The  prisoners  were  questioned,  and  all  let  go  home,  but  Mr. 
Brown.  It  was  proven  that  Mr.  Brown  was  the  leader  of  the  band 
who  had  made  the  attack  the  night  before,  and  shot  several  rounds  at 
the  gentlemen  of  Easton.  Brown  did  not  deny  it.  They  then  con- 
sidered what  should  be  done  with  Brown,  but  did  not  agree  upon  any- 
thing. All  considered  him  guilty  of  a  very  bad  act,  in  heading  the 
mob  and  first  firing  upon  the  citizens  at  Easton.  Some  did  not  wish 
to  punish,  as  he  was  in  the  power  of  a  dozen  or  more  men  by  himself, 
though  they  thought  he  had  acted  badly.  He  was  then  taken  out  of 
the  store  by  some  one,  I  do  not  recollect  whom  ;  and  it  was  proposed 
by  some  person,  I  do  not  recollet  whom,  that  Brown  and  Gibson 
should  fight,  which  they  did.  Brown  fought,  and  Gibson  knocked 
him  down  with  his  fist ;  that  I  saw.  While  he  was  down,  Brown 
hallooed  "  Enough."  He  then  got  up,  and  I  led  him  to  the  wagon 
and  put  him  in  it,  and  he  went  home  in  the  wagon.  That  is  all  I  re- 
collect of  it.  I  went  off  in  advance  of  the  wagon,  and  the  next  day  I 
heard  Brown  was  dying*  I  did  not  see  the  fight  between  Brown  and 
Gibson  when  it  commenced.  I  saw  Gibson  knock  him  down,  and  saw 
Brown  strike  at  him.  I  did  not  see  Gibson  use  any  weapon  at  that  time, 
though  I  saw  Gibson  have  a  hatchet  as  we  were  going  out  there  that 
day.  I  did  not  see  him  have  a  hatchet  at  the  time  of  the  fight.  I  do 
not  know  that  Brown  was  bleeding  when  I  helped  him  in  the  wagon, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1001 

for  it  was  about  dusk.  Mr.  Charles  Dunn  helped  me  to  lead  Brown 
to  the  wagon,  and  Brown  got  in  himself.  I  was  not  at  Easton  on  the 
day  of  this  illegal  election.  I  did  not  see  either  Brown  or  Gibson,  at 
the  time  of  the  fight,  have  any  weapon.  It  was  about  dusk,  and  I 
should  probably  not  have  seen  the  weapons  if  they  had  had  any. 
The  fight  took  place  near  the  store,  but  no  ring  was  formed.  I  do  not 
know  how  large  the  party  of  Easton  men  was  that  Brown  had  fired 
on  the  day  before.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of  Brown's  party  was 
wounded.  The  pro-slavery  men  were  taking  no  part  in  the  election. 
I  heard  that  they  were  at  Mr.  Dawson's  store,  and  Brown  and  his 
party  came  down  there  to  attack  them.  I  do  not  recollect  of  hearing, 
the  day  Brown  was  hurt,  that  the  pro-slavery  men  of  Easton  had  de- 
manded the  ballot-box  the  day  before.  The  pro-slavery  party  that 
Brown's  party  fired  at  were  represented  as  being  much  smaller  than 
the  other. 

When  our  party  met  Brown's  party,  before  we  went  back  to  Eas- 
ton, I  recollect  of  seeing  Gibson  strike  at  a  young  man  with  a  hatchet. 
I  think  the  young  man  was  on  his  feet  running  from  Gibson,  and  I 
saw  Captain  Martin  take  hold  of  Gibson  to  hold  him.  This  young 
man  had  no  gun  at  that  time.  I  do  not  know  what  became  of  the 
arms  of  Brown's  party,  and  do  not  recollect  what  was  said  about  or 
done  with  them  when  we  took  them.  These  prisoners  did  not  have 
their  arras  when  they  were  in  Dawson's  store,  and  I  do  not  know 
what  had  become  of  them. 

Dr.  Harris,  of  Kickapoo,  came  over  here  and  said  they  had  been 
killing  some  of  our  men  at  Easton,  and  wanted  us  to.  go  and  see  if  it 
was  so.  I  do  not  know  whether  our  party  was  armed.  I  had  none 
myself.  I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  any  one  with  a  hatchet  but  Gib- 
son. Gibson  might  have  struck  Brown  with  a  hatchet,  and  I  not 
have  seen  it.  I  did  not  look  on  all  the  time.  The  fight  did  not  last 
more  than  a  minute  or  two.  I  did  not  see  Gibson  knock  Brown  down 
more  than  once.  I  saw  no  rope  put  around  Brown's  neck,  though  I 
heard  some  threats.  I  heard  there  at  Easton  that  Brown's  party  had 
come  down  from  Minard's,  where  the  election  was  held,  and  had  chal- 
lenged the  pro-slavery  men  of  Easton  to  fight ;  had  used  insulting 
language,  and  that  had  incensed  the  pro-slavery  men.  I  did  not  hear 
that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  taken  any  free-State  man  prisoner  just 
before  the  fight,  or  that  Brown  had  come  to  rescue  any  one  :but  I 
heard  that  he  had  come  there  simply  to  fight.  I  heard  nothing  about 
a  free-State  man  named  Sparks  being  captured  by  the  pro-slavery  par- 
ty. I  do  not  know,  of  my  own  knowledge,  that  the  grand  jury  has 
made  any  inquiry  into  this  matter,  or  have  ever  attempted  to  inquire 
into  this  fracas.  I  have  been  a  member  of  the  grand  jury  since  that 
time,  and  nothing  was  said  about  it  then,  and  no  one  ever  came  be- 
fore the  grand  jury  to  make  any  complaints  that  I  know  of.  Easton 
is  in  this  county.  I  did  not  know  Brown  before  that  day  ;  but  I  had 
seen  Gibson  once  or  twice.  So  far  as  my  recollection  goes,  I  do  not 
think  there  were  more  than  twelve  or  fifteen  in  our  party  that  day. 
There  may  have  been  a  wagon  in  our  party  that  day,  but  I  don't  re- 
collect about  it.  I  am  confident  there  were  not  four  wagons  in  our 
party.  Brown's  party  had  been  stopped  by  some  gentlemen  ahead  of 


1002  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

us,  and  "behind  them  as  we  came  up.  Gibson  was  of  that  party,  but 
I  do  not  recollect  whether  he  was  on  horseback  or  on  foot.  So  far  as 
I  recollect,  there  were  not  three  wagons  in  our  party  ;  but  I  am  not  so 
confident  as  I  was  about  there  not  being  four,  though  I  have  no  idea 
that  there  was  that  many  in  our  party,,  and  I  do  not  recollect  our  hav- 
ing any  four-horse  or  mule  team.  I  am  not  positive  that  there  were 
not  twenty  men  in  our  party.  There  may  have  been  more  than 
twelve  or  fifteen,  but  that  is  as  near  as  I  can  recollect.  I  would  not 
like  to  say,  upon  my  oath,  there  were  not  thirty  ;  but  my  impression  is 
that  there  were  not.  Mr.  Sharp,  who  was  with  us  at  Easton,  was  on 
the  grand  jury  when  I  was.  There  might  have  been  others  of  our 
party  on  that  day  on  the  grand  jury,  but  I  recollect  of  none  but  Sharp 
and  myself.  Deputy  Marshal  McMeekin  summoned  us  to  serve  on  the 
grand  jury.  I  am  not  sure  he  was  not  at  Easton  that  day.  He  lives 
in  this  city.  I  do  not  recollect  whether  the  judges  of  the  illegal  elec- 
tion on  the  17th  of  January  last  have  been  indicted  or  not.  There 
has  been  some  inquiry,  I  believe.  There  have  been  indictments 
found  against  those  who  acted  as  judges  on  the  election  of  the  adop- 
tion of  the  State  constitution.  I  know  our  utmost  endeavors  were  made 
to  find  out  who  acted  as  judges  and  clerks  on  the  17th  of  January  last, 
and  at  all  the  bogus  elections  held  by  the  abolitionists  here  ;  but  I  do 
not  recollect  whether  or  not  their  names  have  ever  been  found  out. 
We  were  very  anxious  to  find  them  out;,  as  we  thought  they  acted 
illegally.  I  am  from  Philadelphia  to  this  Territory,  and  came  out' 
here  in  April,  1852.  I  do  not  know  of  any  indictments  having  been 
found  against  persons  for  political  offences. 

They  killed  one  of  the  pro-slavery  men,  and  the  pro-slavery  mem 
killed  one  of  the  others,  and  I  thought  it  was  about  mutual.  I  ami 
opposed  to  all  these  quarrels. 

M,  P.  EIYELY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  15,  1856. 


GEORGE  A.  TAYLOR  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  at  Easton  at  the  election  of  the  17th  of  January,  1856.  1 
went  up  with  Mr.  Brown.  A  Mr.  Sparks  had  been  at  the  election! 
that  day.  After  the  election  was  over,  I  heard  that  he  had  been 
stopped  and  taken  prisoner,  while  on  his  way  home,  by  a  company  at 
Dawson's  store.  When  we  heard  that,  some  twenty  of  us  started  on 
foot,  and  went  down  and  found  Mr.  Sparks  surrounded  by  the  conn 
pany,  down  a  lane  a  little  to  the  right  of  Mr.  Dawson's  store.  Whem 
I  first  saw  Mr.  Sparks  he  was  standing  near  a  fence,  and  had  a  double-- 
barrelled gun  with  him,  and  the  others  were  standing  around  him 
Some  one  of  our  party  asked  if  Mr.  Sparks  was  there,  and  it  was  an 
swered  that  he  was.  Mr.  Brown,  I  believe,  said  that  we  had  come 
down  after  him,  and  wanted  him  delivered  up.  They  said  Mr.  Sparks 
could  go,  as  they  did  not  wish  to  detain  him  there.  Mr.  Sparks  then 
came  over  and  joined  us,  as  we  were  all  mixed  up  together  in  a  crowd.1 
We  then  separated,  and  after  we  had  got  about  one  hundred  yardtf 
from  that  party,  with  Mr.  Sparks  with  us,  there  was  a  shot  from  the 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1003 

other  side,  which  I  thought  was  fired  at  us.  "We  immediately  returned 
the  fire,  and  it  was  kept  up  on  both  sides  for  perhaps  fifteen  minutes. 
One  of  our  men  was  wounded.  As  soon  as  the  firing  stopped  we  all 
returned  to  Mr.  Minard's.  When  we  got  to  the  house,  we  found  that 
one  of  Mr.  Sparks's  sons  was  wounded,  a  ball  having  broken  the  skin 
on  the  top  of  his  head  so  as  to  draw  blood.  We  remained  at  Minard's 
till  the  next  morning  at  sunrise  without  any  more  trouble.  Most  of 
the  free- State  men  had  gone  home  at  that  time; 

Mr.  Brown  and  his  party,  eight  in  all,  including  the  driver,  then 
started  to  return  to  Leavenworth.  We  had  got  about  a  mile  from 
where  the  Kickapoo  road  joins  the  Fort  Kearney  road,  where  we  saw 
two  wagon  loads  of  about  fifteen  men.  When  we  got  up  against  them 
they  asked  us  if  we  were  free-State  or  pro-slavery.  There  was  no  an- 
swer made  to  that.  They  ordered  us  to  halt,  and  we  drove  directly 
along  without  saying  a  word.  After  we  got  about  twenty-five  yards, 
there  were  two  rifles  pointed  at  us  from  the  two  wagons  we  had  just 
passed.  A  part  of  our  party,  all  but  the  driver,  then  got  out  of  our 
wagon  and  walked  along  by  the  side  of  it.  We  went  on  very  slowly, 
and  one  man  came  on  foot  and  passed  us,  with  a  revolver  in  each  hand, 
and  joined  the  other  party. 

When  we  got  to  the  top  of  a  knoll,  we  saw  another  party — I  should 
think  of  a  hundred  men — who  were  at  a  double  log-house.  We  walked 
on  up  the  road  to  where  they  were.  Directly  one  of  them  came  to  me 
and  told  me  he  wanted  my  rifle.  I  gave  it  to  him.  I  was  standing 
among  the  crowd  about  five  minutes,  and  the  man  who  took  my  rifle 
came  up  to  me  and  knocked  me  down,  and  several  hit  me  while  I  was 
down.  He  caught  hold  of  my  hair,  and  when  I  raised  up  I  saw  him 
trying  to  hit  me  with  a  hatchet.  I  raised  up  and  pulled  away  from 
him.  I  dodged  about  then  for  some  time,  and  he  followed  me  with 
his  hatchet.  Some  one  caught  him  and  held  him,  so  as  to  prevent  his 
hitting  me.  In  the  mean  time  the  horses  had  started,  and  some  one 
fired  a  revolver  at  the  driver.  The  horses  were  then  turned  around, 
and  we  were  put  in  our  wagon — two  pro-slavery  men  exchanging  places 
with  two  of  our  party — and  we  were  taken  back  to  Dawson's  store 
and  kept  there.  I  was  let  off  about  three  hours  after  Mr.  Adams  left. 

There  was  a  man  there  who  said  his  name  was  Sharp,  who  came  into 
the  store  and  told  Mr.  Brown  that  they  wanted  him  to  come  out.  Mr. 
Brown  then  went  out  with  them,  and  that  was  the  last  time  I  saw 
him.  After  Mr.  Brown  went  out,  they  came  in  for  Mr.  Bird,  and  he 
went  out  and  came  back  directly.  We  were  all  discharged  about 
three-quarters  of  an  hour  after  Mr.  Brown  was  called — a  little  after 
sunset.  As  we  came  out,  we  saw  a  crowd  very  near  the  door  gath- 
ered around  some  one,  I  understood  to  be  Mr.  Brown,  some  crying 
out,  "kill  him/'  and  others  saying  they  had  better  not.  I  should 
think  there  were  at  least  125  men,  consisting  of  those  who  took  us, 
and  others,  from  Leavenworth.  Those  who  took  us  called  themselves 
the  Kickapoo  Eangers.  Of  those  I  saw  there,  I  knew  Mr.  Burnham, 
of  this  city,  and  a  Major  Donner,  I  think  they  called  him. 

These  men  were  all  armed  with  rifles,  double-barrelled  shot-guns, 
•epu  nearly  all  with  revolvers  and  knives.  While  we  were  kept  in  the 
•eseiosq.  prisoners,  I  heard  men  say  that  Brown  should  never  go  away 


1004  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

alive  ;  and  others,  that  they  had  rather  not  kill  him.  They  appeared 
to  be  angry  with  him  because  he  was  the  leader  of  our  party.  They 
complained  of  his  being  at  the  election,  and  the  leader  of  the  party 
who  came  down  the  night  before  to  rescue  Mr.  Sparks.  I  heard  no 
demand  made  for  the  poll-books.  There  was  a  party  came  up  about 
sundown,  but  I  do  not  know  what  they  came  for.  I  have  never  seen 
iny  rifle  since  it  was  taken  from  me.  It  is  fourteen  miles,  I  think, 
from  here  to  Easton.  Mr.  Sparks,  I  think,  lives  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Easton.  I  do  not  know  his  full  name. 

GEORGE  A.  TAYLOR. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  15,  1856. 


DR.  JAMES  DAVIS  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  to  this  place  about  the  4th  of  April,  1855,  and  have  resided 
here  ever  since.  I  was  here  last  winter,  and  attended  the  post  mortem 
examination  of  Mr.  R.  P.  Brown,  when  he  was  taken  up  from  hisrt 

frave  for  that  purpose,  in  February  or  March  last.  His  brother  cameq 
ere  and  requested  that  this  examination  should  be  made.  Whenj 
the  body  was  taken  up,  I  took  particular  pains  to  examine  the  wound. 
It  was  in  the  left  temple,  severing  the  temporal  bone  to  the  length  of 
about  two  and  a  half  inches.  I  judge  that  the  wound  was  made  with 
one  blow  of  a  hatchet  or  tomahawk,  or  some  weapon  of  that  kind.  The 
temporal  bone  was  opened  sufficiently  to  admit  my  finger  anywhere 
along  it  for  two  inches.  I  ran  my  fore-finger  into  the  wound  up  to 
its  second  joint.  I  have  no  doubt  it  was  a  mortal  wound.  Dr.  Few 
and  Dr.  Park,  of  this  city,  were  also  present  at  the  examination.  I 
am  a  physician,,  and  have  been  a  practising  physician  for  about  twenty- 
seven  years. 

JAMES  DAVIS. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  16,  1856. 


Dr.  J.  Gr.  PARK  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  to  this  city  in  May,  1855,  and  have  resided  here  ever  since.i 
I  attended  a  post  mortem  examination  of  Mr.  R.  P.  Brown,  when  his' 
body  was  taken  up  from  his  grave — I  think  in  March,  1856.  We' 
discovered  but  one  wound  upon  his  person,  except  a  slight  flesh  wound 
over  the  left  eyebrow,  though  we  did  not  examine  particularly — only] 
what  appeared  externally.  We  found  a  wound  on  the  left  temple, 
about  a  line  from  the  outer  end  of  the  socket  of  the  eye,  and  running: 
towards  the  ear,  and  about  an  inch  and  a  half  or  two  inches  long,  so< 
far  as  I  can  now  recollect.  I  ran  my  finger  through  the  squamousi 
portion  of  the  temporal  bone,  which  is  the  thinnest  part  of  the  skull 
bone.  The  opening  into  the  skull  was  sufficiently  large  to  admit  myl 
fore-finger,  which  I  ran  into  the  brain.  Fragments  or  pieces  of  bone<| 
were  sticking  on  the  inside  into  the  brain,  no  doubt  forced  in  by  the' 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1005 

instrument  with  which  the  "blow  was  inflicted.  So  far  as  the  flesh 
was  concerned,  I  should  think  the  wound  was  made  by  a  sharp-edged 
instrument,  and  the  bone  seemed  to  he  broken  in  wider  than  it  was 
cut.  From  the  appearance  of  the  wound  and  the  appearance  of  the 
hone,  it  would  seem  to  have  been  made  by  a  hatchet,  and  the  blow 
must  have  been  struck  from  behind,  or  when  the  head  was  inclined 
downwards.  The  wound  could  have  been  made  by  a  tomahawk  or 
lath-hatchet.  The  wound  was  one  that  must  have  produced  death, 
and  the  only  wonder  is  that  the  person  should  have  lived  so  long  after 
he  received  it. 

I  have  been  a  practising  physician  for  ten  years  past.  This  exami- 
nation was  made  some  weeks  after  Brown's  death.  He  was  buried  irf 
the  coldest  weather  we  had.  There  was  no  decay  in  the  body,  except 
that  we  could  rub  up  the  outer  cuticle  of  the  skin  with  our  fingers  ; 
but  the  body  was  in  sufficient  state  of  preservation  to  allow  us  to 
make  a  satisfactory  examination. 

J.  G.  PARK. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  H,  1856. 


SAMUEL  F,  FEW  called  and  sworn. 

I  have  been  a  practising  physician  for  five,  and  a  consulting  phy- 
sician at  the  Hot  and  Warm  Springs,  Virginia,  for  nearly  three  years. 
I  now  reside  near  Leaven  worth  city,  and  have  been  residing  there 
since  1854.  I  was  called  upon  to  examine  the  body  of  Mr.  R.  P. 
Brown  on  a  Sunday,  on  an  intensely  cold  day.  On  account  of  the 
cold  I  rather  declined  going,  but  promised,  if  the  parties  would  bring 
the  body  near  by  my  cabin,  I  would  examine  it,  in  connexion  with 
any  other  physician  they  would  call.  They  tried  to  make  the  arrange- 
ment, but  they  failed  to  do  so,  and  they  took  it  to  the  graveyard  and 
buried  it.  Some  time  after  that  I  was  introduced  to  a  gentleman  of  the 
name  of  Brown,  who  asked  me  to  accompany  Drs.  Park  and  Davis,  of 
this  town,  to  examine  the  body  of  his  brother.  I  went  up  to  the  grave  a 
little  before  they  had  exhumed  the  body .  After  they  had  taken  it  up, 
I  think  I  examined  the  body  first.  There  was  no  decomposition. 
The  body  had  been  frozen  stiff,  and  was  about  thawing  then.  I 
examined  only  the  head,  where  I  found  two  wounds :  one  was  a 
sharp  cut,  a  mere  flesh  wound,  that  would  have  done  no  harm,  over 
one  of  the  eyebrows  ;  another  was  upon  the  left  temple.  From  what 
I  had  heard,  I  had  expected  to  find  only  a  depression  or  a  fracture  of 
the  skull  pressing  upon  the  brain  ;  but  on  opening  the  lips  of  the 
wound  to  examine  it,  I  introduced  my  fore-finger,  its  full  length,  to 
the  base  of  the  brain  ;  I  also  ran  it  in  front  and  in  rear  of  the  brain, 
and  up  and  down.  I  found  lying  upon  the  brain  the  soft  portion  of 
the  temporal  bone.  I  tried  to  pull  it  out  with  my  finger,  and  could 
not  do  it ;  and  then  I  introduced  two  fingers  into  the  cavity  at  the 
same  time.  I  did  not  get  the  bone  out,  because  I  could  not  manage 

y  two  fingers.     I  did  not  know  Mr.  Brown ;  I  may  have  seen  him. 


mj 


1006  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

This  wound  was  caused  by  a  sharp  instrument.     A  hatchet  could  havi 
caused  such  a  wound,  and  was  necessarily  mortal. 

SAMUEL  F.  FEE. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  17,  1856. 


NICK  SMITH  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  Leavenworth  city.  I  am  acquainted  with  Eli  Moore 
he  is  now  a  deputy  marshal  or  deputy  sheriff  of  this  county,  and 
.have  seen  him  engaged  in  the  public  service  of  writs,  processes,  &c 
I  was  in  the  office  of  Mr.  D.  J.  Johnson,  an  attorney  in  this  city,  whe3 
Captain  Dunn  and  Eli  Moore  were  present.  This,  I  think,  was  abou 
a  month  ago,  perhaps  more  or  less.  There  were  several  other  gentk 
men  present.  The  conversation  turned  upon  the  murder  of  Brown 
last  January.  I  observed  that  I  had  heard  that  Brown  had  bee; 
treated  very  brutally  and  outrageously  by  the  members  of  the  com 
pany  who  took  him,  and  said  that  I  had  heard  he  had  been  kicked  i. 
the  face  by  some  member  of  the  company.  After  expressing  dis 
approbation  and  disgust  myself,  Captain  Dunn  remarked  that  h 
would  give  me  a  full  history  of  the  case,  and  then  proceeded  to  do  it1 
and  before  completing  it,  was  called  out.  Mr.  Moore  said  that  he  wa 
there  himself.  The  treatment  of  Brown  was  not  denied  by  any  one= 
but  I  think  Captain  Dunn  disapproved  of  the  murder,  and  stated  thg; 
he  had  opposed  it  in  council.  Captain  Dunn  said  Brown  was  kille*; 
with  a  hatchet,  but  did  not  say  who  had  done  it.  Eli  Moore  did  n« 
say  what  part  he  took  in  it,  though  he  said  he  was  there  ;  but  dii 
not  say  whether  he  approved  it  or  not.  I  do  not  think  Moore  wa 
deputy  sheriff  or  marshal  when  this  murder  took  place.  I  neve 
conversed  with  any  one  but  Captain  Dunn,  of  those  who  witnessed  i' 
about  this  murder. 

NICK  SMITH. 

LEAVENWOKTH,  K.  T.,  May  16,  1856. 


EDWARD  HOTTER  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  to  this  Territory  in  November,  1855,  and  was  residing  £ 
Easton  in  January  last.  On  the  15th  of  January,  1856,  an  electio 
was  to  be  held,  but  it  was  put  off  until  the  l*7th,  on  which  day  a  bod 
of  men  came  in  armed  with  a  number  of  Sharpe's  rifles.  I  do  not  kno'i 
the  men,  but  I  understood  them  to  be  free-State  men  going  to  th! 
election,  and  65  or  *70  in  number  I  think.  The  election  went  on,  tld 
men  standing  around  with  arms  and  voting.  All  were  armed ; 
heard  that  some  five  or  six  had  Sharpe's  rifles,  and  saw  one  ;  other 
weie  armed  with  revolvers  and  bowie-knives  in  any  quantity.  Aboti 
10  o'clock  a  man  named  Brown  came  to  Easton  with  eight  or  ten  mer 
all  armed  to  the  teeth.  During  the  day  nothing  occurred  of  any  IDC 
portance,  About  6  o'clock  in  the  evening  Mr.  Brown  came  down ; 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1007 

went  up  to  him  and  said,  uMr.  Brown,  I  think  it  would  he  advisable 
for  you  to  return  with  your  men/'    He  threw  open  his  coat  and  said, 
"by  God,  you  think  I  am  not  armed/'     I  said,  "  that  makes  no  dif- 
ference tome,"  and  left  him  for  a  few  moments.     Ahout  an  hour 
afterwards  T  went  over  to  the  grocery  and  saw  Brown  reading  a  letter, 
and  told  him  things  were  getting  to  a  critical  position,  and  he  had 
better  go  home  with  his  men.     I  did  not  then  see  anything  more  of 
him  until  about  9  o'clock  that  evening.     He  brought  about  twenty 
men  down  to  the  grocery,  part  of  them  armed  and  part  not.     I  told 
Mr.  Brown  that  his  men  could  not  come  into  the  grocery,  because 
they  were  getting  drunk  and  there  would  be  violence  committed. 
Nine  of  them  rushed  into  the  grocery,  and  I  kept  eleven  of  them  out.  * 
Brown  was  one  of  those  who  came  in — the  first  one  who  went  in. 
About  11  o'clock  men  were  running  both  ways.     Brown's  party  had 
gone  back  to  Mr.  Minard's  house.     They  sent  down  a  messenger  to 
us,  calling  us  cowardly,  thieving,   niggardly  sons  of  bitches,   and 
dared  us  to  come  up  to  Minard's  house,  and  that  if  we  did,  there 
would  not  be  one  to  tell  the  tale.     That  was  just  the  expression  Mr. 
Minard  used,  and  they  all  said  so.    After  that  news  came  down  I  sent 
them  a  note  as  follows :  that  if  they  would  hold  on,  probably  we 
would  call  to  see  them  upon  any  demand  they  had  requested.    I  have 
that  note  at  home  yet.     About  12  o'clock  Mr.  Sparks  came  down,  and 
instead  of  going  directly  home  he  walked  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
to  come  down  where  our  men — the  pro-slavery  party — were.    He  knew 
that  his  most  bitter  enemies  were  there  and  intoxicated  at  the  time. 
I  was  sitting  in  the  office,  in  company  with  Mr.  Samuel  J.  Kookogey, 
Samuel  Burgess,  and  Dr.  Kennedy,   when  he  passed  by.     I  heard 
someone  outside  exclaim,  "there  goes  old  man  Sparks,  with  his  rifle 
on  his  shoulder."     Some  ten  or  twelve  of  our  boys  ran  after  him, 
hallooing  after  him.  Mr.  Kookogey  and  myself  immediately  ran  down, 
to  where  Sparks  had  stopped,  and  got  on  the  fence  and  made  a  speech, 
that  they  should  let  the  old  man  go  on  home  ;  that  it  would  not  do 
to  commit  any  violence  on  him.    Ten  or  twelve  of  the  men  were  about 
leaving,  when  Sparks  commenced  cursing  and  swearing  about  some- 
thing— I  could  not  tell  what.     I  went  to  him,  and  tried  to  persuade 
him  to  go  on  home,  and  he  refused  to  go.     Then  Mr.  Brown  came 
down  from  Mr.  Minard's  house,  with  I  think  25  or  30  men.     He  was 
at  their  head  himself,  and  had  a  double-barreled  gun,  cocked.    When 
he  got  to  the  head  of  the  lane  where  we  were,  I  was  standing  there  in 
i  company  with  Mr.  Kookogey.     Brown  came  up  to  me  and  called  me  a 
:oi;  God  damned  cowardly,  thieving,  niggardly  son  of  a  bitch,  and  told  us 
\  to  clear  the  lane,  and  took  Mr.  Sparks  out ;  after  he  had  got  him  out, 
101'  he  then  commanded  the  pro-slavery  men  to  march  in  front.    Mr.  Bur- 
tb  gess  told  our  men  they  should  not  do  it ;  to  go  behind,  as  he  thought 
i  Brown's  intention  was  to  fire  on  us.     I  myself  went  behind  all  of  the 
;    folks  there,  for  fear  that  they  would  fire  upon  us.     We  arrived  at  the 
;:   forks  of  the  road,  where  an  Indian  trail  led  off,  and  they  had  got  be- 
tween 80  and  90  yards  ahead  of  us,  when  there  was  a  pistol  fired  from 
.   Brown's  party.     Immediately  after  the  first  fire,  firing  commenced 
i   on  both  sides.     One  man  named  Kichardson,  on  the  pro-slavery  side, 
was  shot  in  the  leg,  the  ball  penetrating  the  anterior  portion  of  the 


1008  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

leg,  striking  the  tibular  bone  and  glancing  off,  and  lodged  in  th 
posterior  portion  of  his  leg.  I  came  up  while  the  firing  was  still  go 
ing  on.  I  stepped  behind  a  stump,  and  as  I  did  so,  a  man  I  took  if 
be  Mr.  Sparks  fired  at  me  both  barrels  of  a  double-barreled  gun 
loaded  as  I  thought  with  buck-shot,  from  the  way  they  rattled  agains> 
the  fence.  While  I  remained  behind  the  stump  there  were  four  rifle 
shot  into  the  stump,  of  course  by  some  of  Mr.  Brown's  men.  Aftet 
the  firing  ceased  I  went  to  my  office.  A  man  came  over  and  told  mi 
that  Mr.  John  Cook  was  shot ;  1  went  over  to  see  him,  and  renders 
services  as  a  surgeon.  He  was  shot,  the  ball  entering  the  groin,  an 
passing  out  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  hip-bone.  I  probed  the  wound 
and  found  it  had  cut  the  posterior  portion  of  the  colon  ;  striking  th 
spine,  and  passing  up  and  cutting  off  the  posterior  portion  of  the  righ 
kidney.  I  remained  with  him  until,  through  fear,  I  left  the  plac 
about  3  o'clock  that  night,  and  did  not  come  back  until  the  next  da 
between  12  and  1  o'clock. 

Believing  that  our  place  was  in  danger,  I  sent  an  express  to  Kicks 
poo.     Mr.   Kookogey  sent  an  express  to  Messrs.  Johnson  &  Lyle, 
this  city.     Companies  came  down  from  Kickapoo  and  Leavenwort 
the  next  day  (Friday)  between  twelve  and  one  o'clock,  at  the  time 
did.     Mr.  Brown  and  his  company  were  taken  on  the  road,  somewhei 
between  Leavenworth  and  Easton.     We  examined  Mr.   Brown, 
asked  him  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  free-soil  party  the  night  pr< 
vious.     He  said  he  was.     I  asked  him  who  fired  the  first  shot.     B 
said  some  one  from  his  company,  but  he  did  not  know  who  it  waa 
Then  I  asked  him  if  he  had  not  done  wrong.     He  said  he  had. 
then  left  the  room.     Captain  Martin  was  present  and  heard  all  thii 
I  went  down  to  see  Mr.  Cook  and  attend  to  his  wounds,  as  I  had  m 
seen  him  since  the  night  before.     I  came  back  there,  and  Mr.  Brow 
was  still  in  the  room  where  I  had  left  him.     There  were  many  then 
intoxicated  on  both  sides.     I  did  not  see  Mr.   Brown  killed.     I  ^ 
in  Mr.  Dawson's  store  at  the  time  he  was  wounded,  and  do  not  kno 
who  inflicted  the  wound.     I  ascertained  that  they  had  put  Brown  i 
a  wagon  and  brought  him  somewhere  near  Leavenworth  city,  but 
do  not  know  to  what  place.     I  remained  with  Mr.  Cook  until  Satu 
day  eveniiig  at  eight  o'clock,  when  I  received  information  that  a  parl 
of  free-soilers  had  threatened  to  mob  me  that  night ;  for  what  cause 
do  not  know.     I  again  left  the  place,  and  Mr.  Cook  was  dead  wheni 
returned  the  next  evening.     This  is  all  I  can  recollect  of  what  too 
place,  and  I  give  it  without  prejudice  or  favor  towards  any  one. 

I  came  from  Baltimore  city,  Maryland,  to  this  place. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  lived  at  this  time  in  Easton,  my  office  adjoining  Mr.  Dawson 
store.  I  do  not  know  who  told  me  there  were  five  or  six  Sharpet 
rifles  in  the  free-soil  party.  I  think  there  were  about  sixty  or  sevent 
of  the  free-soil  party  at  that  election.  I  do  not  think  there  were  ov* 
fifteen  or  twenty  of  the  pro-slavery  party  at  Mr.  Dawson's  store  thii 
night  after  the  election.  Mr.  Dawson's  is  just  the  length  of  a  quarto 
section  of  land  from  Mr.  Minard's  house,  which  stands  about  the  midd 
of  his  claim,  and  Mr.  Dawson's  about  the  same  on  his  claim.  Tl 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1009 

houses  are  in  sight.  Of  those  fifteen  or  twenty  men  who  were  at 
Dawson's,  I  know  but  four  or  five  ;  Mr.  Burgess,  Mr.  Kennedy,  Mr. 
Kookogey,  Mr.  Cook,  Mr.  Woodward,  and  myself.  Mr.  Cook  lived 
about  four  or  five  miles  from  them,  and  got  there  about  half  an  hour 
before  he  was  shot.  This  fighting  took  place  between  twelve  and  one 
o'clock  at  night.  Mr.  Cook  had  been  there  during  the  day,  and  left 
in  the  evening  about  eight  o'clock,  and  then  returned.  I  think  the 
fight  continued  about  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  Along  the  first  the 
firing  was  in  volleys.  The  moon  was  shining  that  night.  I  cannot 
say  whether  they  tried  to  hit  each  other.  One  ball  passed  along  my 
foot,  cutting  my  boot.  Mr.  Eichardson  lived  about  two  and  a  half 
.  miles  above  Easton.  Sparks  lived  about  south  from  Mr.  Minard'a 
house.  There  is  no  north  and  south  road  there.  The  Fort  Kiley 
road  runs  along  by  Minard's  and  Dawson's  houses.  I  think,  by  going 
across  the  prairie,  Sparks  could  have  saved  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distance,  and  he  did  go  home  that  way  after  the  fight.  Sparks  was 
about  half  way  between  the  creek  and  the  head  of  the  lane  when  I 
was  talking  to  him.  After  that  I  went  up  to  where  Mr.  Brown  was, 
and  he  called  me  a  thieving,  niggardly,  cowardly  son  of  a  bitch,  and 
ordered  us  to  clear  the  lane,  and  of  course  we  backed  out.  The  lane 
was,  I  think,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  long.  Sparks  was 
standing  at  the  fence  when  I  talked  with  him  ;  he  had  his  gun  with 
him.  I  did  not  hear  him  threaten  to  fire  on  any  one.  Those  from 
Dawson's  store  were  standing  around  Sparks  as  if  surrounding  him. 
John  Sparks,  his  son,  was  with  him.  I  saw  two  or  three  guns  among 
those  who  were  surrounding  him,,  but  I  do  not  know  as  all  were 
armed.  Among  them  were  Mr.  Burgess,  Mr.  Kennedy,  Mr.  Kookogey, 
Mr.  Cook,  Mr.  Woodward,  and  myself.  There  were  about  ten  others, 
but  I  do  not  recollect  them.  I  was  standing  at  the  head  of  the  lane, 
on  the  way  back  to  my  office,  when  Brown  got  there  with  his  party. 
Brown  spoke  first,  and  spoke  to  me,  and  called  me  a  cowardly,  thiev- 
ing, niggardly  son  of  a  bitch,  and  ordered  us  to  leave  the  lane.  The 
pro-slavery  men  then  left,  as  Brown's  party  was  twenty-five  or  thirty 
to  our  twelve  or  fifteen.  Brown  then  went  down  the  lane  with  his 
party  and  got  Sparks  and  his  son,  every  man  having  his  gun  ready 
to  fire,  and  went  from  the  head  of  the  lane  towards  Minard's  before 
the  firing  commenced.  Our  men  went  on  up  towards  Dawson's  store. 
The  first  shot  was  then  fired  from  Brown's  party  towards  our  party, 
about  ninety  yards  off.  One  road  from  the  lane  led  to  Minard's  and 
the  other  led  to  the  store.  Brown's  party  took  one  road  and  ours  took 
the  other.  The  parties  kept  up  the  two  roads  until  they  got  to  be 
about  ninety  yards  apart.  I  learned  that  Cook  was  shot  shortly  after 
the  firing  ceased.  I  took  him  to  my  room  at  Mr.  Dawson's  house 
and  put  him  on  my  bed,  where  he  remained  until  he  died.  I  cannot 
say  how  many  men  came  down  from  Kickapoo  and  Leavenworth  the 
next  day,  but  I  should  think  there  were  fifty  or  more.  I  was  not  pres- 
ent when  Brown's  party  were  released.  Mr.  Dawson's  house  is  about 
two  hundred  yards  from  his  store,  and  1  was  clown  there  attending 
to  Mr.  Cook.  The  lane  I  have*  spoken  of  is  back  of  the  house  and 
south  of  the  store.  Some  of  our  men  said  one  thing  and  some  another 
about  what  they  were  going  to  do  with  Brown.  I  do  not  remember 
of  hearing  Captain  Martin  try  to  persuade  his  men  not  to  kill  Brown. 
H.  Rep.  200 64* 


1010  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  know  Mr.  Gibson,  and  saw  him  there  that  day.  I  judge  he  was 
armed.  I  did  not  see  him  with  any  arms  until  after  Brown's  party 
were  taken.  I  was  in  the  room  where  they  were,  and  asked  Brown 
some  questions.  I  asked  Brown  if  he  was  the  leader  of  the  party 
the  night  before.  He  said  he  was.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  not  been 
doing  wrong.  He  said  he  had.  I  judge  he  meant  that  he  was  viola- 
ting the  laws  of  the  Territory  by  supporting  a  legislature  not  recog- 
nised by  the  governor,  and  in  supporting  an  election  which  was  illegal. 
I  do  not  know  what  else  he  meant.  He  must  have  had  reference  to 
the  firing,  also,  upon  our  men.  He  was  not  a  citizen  of  Easton.  I 
cannot  say  what  he  referred  to,  but  I  thought  that  must  have  been; 
what  he  referred  to.  I  did  not  specify  what  I  meant  when  I  asked! 
him  if  he  had  been  doing  wrong.  I  heard  others  specify  to  him 
what  they  meant.  I  think  Dr.  Harris  talked  with  him  about  the 
election.  Captain  Martin  was  also  in  the  room,  and  asked  Brown* 
the  same  questions  I  did.  Mr.  Rively  was  in  the  room.  I  never 
heard  Mr.  Gibson  say  anything  about  who  wounded  Brown.  Mc- 
Nish  lives  in  Easton,  and  was  there.  I  did  not  see  Brown  after  he 
was  wounded.  I  was  in  the  store  at  the  time  and  did  not  go  out  at 
all.  I  heard  some  noise  and  hallooing  outside,  but  not  much,  as  the 
most  of  the  men  had  gone  off.  Brown  was  out  of  the  store  at  the 
time.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  had  been  taken  out  of  the  room 
where  he  was,  or  had  gone  out  himself.  He  had  been  in  a  room 
adjoining  the  store,  and  I  think  was  taken  in  there  for  protection. 
Brown  was  in  that  room  when  he  told  me  that  one  of  his  men  fired 
the  first  shot.  There  were  some  seven  or  eight  men  in  there.  I  do 
not  recollect  all  of  them.  I  was  in  there  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 
Brown's  men  were  not  there,  but  I  think  were  about  town  somewhere, 
but  I  do  not  know  where.  Mr.  Cook  stated,  after  he  was  shot,  that 
he  thought  some  man  in  or  about  the  grocery  had  shot  him,  but  we 
examined  that  man's  revolver  and  it  was  all  loaded.  Mr.  Cook  was 
in  front  of  the  grocery  when  he  was  shot,  not  up  where  the  fighting  was. 
By  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  heard  Mr.  Brown  say  to  men  who  asked  him,  that  he  came  outi 
there  to  vote,  and  I  know  he  did  vote.     They  said  they  brought  their 
arms  to  protect  the  election.     I  did  not  hear  any  of  Brown's  party  sayi 
that  day  that  there  were  no  laws  in  the  Territory.     All  the  difficulties* 
that  happened  that  day  grew  out  of  that  election.     I  think  if  Mr. 
Sparks  had  not  come  down  by  the  grocery  there  would  have  been  no 
difficulty.     I  think  there  were  about  fifteen  of  the  pro-slavery  party 
at  the  grocery,  and  about  sixty  or  seventy  free-soil  men  at  Mr.  Mi- 
nard's  house.     I  don't  recollect  of  hearing  Mr.  Brown  say  at  any 
time  that  he  had  come  to  this  Territory  to  make  this  a  free  State. 

By  Mr.  Howard : 

Some  drunken  men  of  the  pro-slavery  party  did  say  something i 
about  going  to  take  the  ballot-box,  and  they  were  so  drunk  I  don'tt 
think  they  could  have  carried  the  box  if  it  weighed  six  pounds. 

By  Mr.  Oliver : 

I  heard  no  sober  man  of  our  party  saying  anything  about  taking. 


, 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1011 


,he  ballot-box  until  they  had  dared  us  to  come  up  and  there  had  been 
considerable  swearing. 

By  Mr.  Howard : 

After  the  excitement  began  to  grow  pretty  high,  liquor  might  have 
had  some  effect,  but  I  think  it  commenced  from  the  effects  of  the  elec- 
tion and  men  coming  there  to, vote  with  arms. 

The  ball  which  hit  Mr.  Cook  was  probably  about  a  quarter  or  a  half 
ounce,  I  should  think,  though  I  did  not  see  it.  I  should  think  it  was 
a  rifle-ball,  that  run  about  seventy  or  eighty  to  the  pound. 

E.  S.  MOTTER,  M.  D. 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  16,  1856. 


STEPHEN  SPARKS  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  to  the  Territory  in  October,  1854,  from  Platte  county,  Mis- 
souri, where  I  had  been  living  since  1845.  An  election  was  called  to 
be  held  on  Tuesday,  the  15th  of  January,  A.  D.  1856,  at  Easton  ; 
and  upon  learning  a  rumor  that  prevailed  through  the  neighborhood 
that  Kickapoo  Eangers  were  collecting  in  force  to  prevent  the  election, 
it  was  postponed  until  the  Thursday  following,  the  17th.  On  the 
evening  before  that  day  I  went  up  to  Easton.  The  polls  were  opened 
about  noon  ;  everything  was  quiet  then;  but  we  saw  a  company  at 
Janesville,  half  a  mile  or  a  mile  from  us,  passing  on  horses  once  in  a 
while  on  a  bluff  there,  and  several  persons  came  in  and  complained  of 
being  insulted  by  them,  and  were  stopped  by  them. 

Among  others,  my  son,  Moses  Sparks,  was  halted,  also  Mr.  Pen- 
nock,  and  some  two  or  three  with  them  were  stopped,  and  their  >guns 
taken  out  of  their  sleds  or  wagons.  From  a  blun  near  the  polls  we 
could  see  the  party.  It  passed  on  so  until  a  little  before  sundown. 
They  came  over  into  Easton  across  the  creek,  and  stopped  at  a 
grocery  near  Dawson's.  About  dusk,  between  thirty-five  and  forty-five 
men,  as  near  as  I  could  guess,  came  up  towards  Minard's,  where  the 
election  was  held.  I  heard  some  one  of  the  crowd,  who  appeared  to 
be  the  leader,  say,  "  Charge  on  them,  God-damn  them,  laint  afraid!" 
About  this  time  our  men  had  nearly  formed  themselves  from  the  door 
to  the  road.  Upon  seeing  our  force  they  halted,  and  returned  with- 
out further  difficulty.  Some  time  after  a  note  was  sent  to  the  house 
where  we  were,  from  them.  The  note  was  directed  to  me  and  Mr. 
Minard,  and  had  no  name  to  it.  After  looking  at  it,  we  concluded  to 
give  no  answer  until  some  one  would  put  his  name  to  it.  Another 
note  was  sent  by  a  messenger  with  Dr.  Motter's  name  signed  to  it. 
Mr.  McAlear  then  came  up,  and  Kookogey  with  him,  to  reason  with 
us,  and  said  it  would  be  better  for  us  to  give  up  the  ballot-box,  or  it 
would  turn  out  worse.  We  concluded  there  would  be  no  difficulty. 
This  was  late  at  night,  and  I  proposed  that  I  would  go  home,  and 
started  home  with  my  son  and  nephew.  My  road  was  through  Easton. 
Snow  was  on  the  ground,  and  that  was  the  only  broken  way  to  my 
house,  and  it  is  the  road  I  always  go.  When  getting  near  Dawson's 


1012  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

store,  I  saw  several  men,  and  heard  several  say,  "  God  damn  him, 
there  he  is,"  and  called  old  man  Sparks,  and  said  they  had  got  me 
now.     There  was  a  great  deal  of  talk,  and  the  men  had  been  drink- 
ing.    I  walked  on  and  came  near  the  store  door  ;  several  men  threat- 
ened me  very  heavy,  and  demanded  that  I  should  surrender.     They 
were  then  all  round  me,  some  in  front  and  some  behind,  and  on  each 
side.     I  kept  on  until  where  the  road  turned  off  between  the  store  and 
the  grocery.     They  demanded  that  I  should  go  in  and  drink  with 
them,  but  I  refused.     My  son  wanted  me  to  surrender,  but  I  spoke  to 
him  low,  and  told  him  to  keep  near  me  and  close  by  my  side.     We 
then  turned  south  from  Easton  towards  home.     The  company  then 
fell  back  and  gathered  as  if  in  consultation,  so  that  I  got  several  rods 
ahead  of  them.     They  then  burst  loose  with  a  good  many  threats  and 
cursings,  and  followed  me.     I  kept  on  at  my  usual  pace,  and  kept  the' 
boys  close  by  me.     They  again  stopped  to  consult,  and  then  the  crowd 
came  on  and  made  a  heavy  charge  on  me,  and  their  common  expres- 
sions were,  God-damn  him,  shoot  him  !   kill  him  !  damned  abolition- 
ist!     There  were  then  two  guns  fired.     Upon  this  I  turned  and  lev- 
elled my  gun,  but  my  son  dissuaded  me  and  I  did  not  fire,  but  started: 
on  again,  and  was  then  near  Dawson's  house.     I  turned  into  the  lane 
leading  to  his  house,  and  part  of  the  crowd  formed  a  line  across  the 
lane,  so  that  I  could  get  neither  way,  and  were  making  towards  me., 
My  son  and   nephew,  at  my  suggestion,  got  into  a  corner  of  the1 
fence — a  rail  fence,  staked  and  ridered.     We  were  there  at  bay,  and! 
were  prepared  to  make  the  best  defence  we  could.     I  reasoned  witht 
them,   and  said  there  were  plenty  of  my  old  neighbors  in  Platte 
county  with  them  ;  that  I  knew  I  would  not  surrender  to  a  drunken i 
mob.    Benjamin  Foster  then  fetched  his  fist  in  my  shoulder,  and  said, 
God  damn  you,  I  could  (or  would)  smash  you.     I  then  told  him  to  stand 
back,  and  told  him  if  he  laid  his  hands  again  on  me  he  would  regretr 
it.     They  demanded  our  general  surrender,  and  that  we  should  go 
back  to  the  grocery.     They  had  guns,   pistols,  &c.,  and  presented 
them  at  me,  and  told  me  to  march  or  they  would  shoot  me.     I  told 
them  to  shoot.     No  gun  was  fired  there.     I  said  they  must  shoot  me, 
as  I  would  not  give  up  to  a  drunken  mob.     David  Large  then  toot 
hold  of  my  son's  gun  and  demanded  that  he  should  give  it  up.     He 
refused,  and  in  their  struggling  I  presented  mine,  and  told  him  to  let 
go.    He  did  so.    They  then,  with  threats,,  hallooed  several  times  ;  and 
we  remained  in« that  position  some  fifteen  minutes,  until  K.  P.  Brown] 
came  and  rescued  me. 

At  the  time  they  fired,  as  I  spoke  of,  the  man  who  was  riding  my 5 
horse  went  back  to  Minard's  and  gave  the  word.  I  had  no  idea 
of  this.  The  first  I  saw  of  Brown  he  was  near  by,  and  his  party  afoot, 
stretched  across  the  road,  and  inquired  if  I  was  there.  I  answered 
that  I  was.  He  told  me  to  march  to  him.  I  started  and  was  about  I 
half  way  when  Sam.  Burgess  caught  hold  of  my  shoulder.  I  told  him 
to  let  me  go,  and  prepared  for  defence,  and  he  did  let  me  go.  Hot 
marched  forward  around  me,  and  my  son  and  nephew  also  came  into* 
the  ring.  Brown  told  his  men  to  march  back,  and  all  did  so,  friend 
and  foe  going  together  in  a  crowd,  I  being  in  the  centre.  Then  we< 
went  to  the  forks  of  the  road  ;  there  the  other  party  took  the  straight- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1013 

forward  road,  and  we,  with  Brown's  party,  turned  to  the  left.  Ahout 
forty  or  fifty  yards,  Brown  urged  me  to  walk  in,  as  they  were  going 
to  shoot.  This  he  told  me  three  times  distinctly.  The  last  time,  I 
told  him  I  would  ohey  him.  He  was  marching  backwards  looking 
towards  the  other  crowd,  conversing  with  them  not  to  fire,  and  told 
them  that  if  they  did,  he  would  return  the  fire.  When  we  were  ahout 
sixty  or  eighty  yards  off,  the  fire  was  opened  upon  us.  The  first  fire 
was  from  the  northwest  of  their  crowd.  I  am  sure  they  fired  first,  as  I 
saw  the  fire  distinctly.  Then  Brown  ordered  a  fire  in  return,  and 
both  parties  fired,  and  a  great  many  guns  were  fired.  The  men  were 
scattered  in  Indian  file,  and  the  fire  was  kept  up  for  some  time.  My 
son  was  wounded  and  knocked  down,  within  six  or  eight  feet  of  me, 
at  the  second  fire,  but  he  raised  again  and  fired.  He  was  wounded  in 
the  arm  and  head  slightly.  We  finally  marched  back  to  Minard's. 
I  staid  there  all  night,  and  started  home  before  breakfast.  About 
3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  I  heard  of  Brown's  capture,  and  that  Mi- 
nard  was  also  taken,  and  that  they  were  to  be  hung.  I  never  saw 
Brown  afterwards. 

Cross-examined  by  D.  A.  N.  Grover : 

There  was  a  rumor  that  the  Kickapoo  Rangers  were  mustering  on 
Sunday,  in  Kickapoo,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  ballot-box  at 
Easton.  I  heard  this  in  my  neighborhood  before  Tuesday;  I  think  I 
heard  it  on  Sunday  or  Monday.  The  election  was  put  off  from  the 
15th  to  the  IVth,  on  account  of  this  rumor.  There  was  an  election 
held  by  the  free-State  party  at  Easton  on  the  17th  of  January,  1856. 
The  purpose  of  the  election  was  to  elect  State  officers  under  the  State 
organization.  I  can't  say,  for  my  life,  whether  the  organization  was 
either  a  free-State  or  slave-State  organization,  but,  as  I  understood, 
an  organization  of  the  people  of  Kansas.  Bobinson  and  Roberts 
were  the  candidates  for  governor  ;  Miles  Moore  was  a  candidate  for 
attorney  general  *  I  was  a  candidate  for  the  legislature,  and  was  de- 
clared elected  to  the  lower  branch,  and  was  at  Topeka,  and  served  as 
such.  Over  fifty  votes  were  cast  at  Easton  that  day.  I  belong  to  the 
free-State  party,  but  am  no  abolitionist  either. 

I  can't  say  whether  the  men  at  Minard's  house  were  armed.  There 
were  arms  at  the  house.  I  ditt  not  see  men  come  there  with  arms,  as  far 
as  I  now  recollect.  I  did  not  go  to  the  polls  that  morning,  and  I  did  not 
go  there  that  day.  I  went  the  evening  before,  but  I  did  not  take  my  , 
gun  with  me.  I  had  two  sons  there  with  me,  and  I  did  not  see  either 
of  my  sons  or  my  nephew  taking  any  arms  there  with  them.  I  saw 
my  sons  and  nephew  have  guns  the  night  of  the  election.  I  think 
Brown's  company  had  guns — all,  I  think,  who  came  for  me.  There 
was  a  rumor  that  the  Kickapoo  Rangers  had  taken  the  ballot-box  at 
Leaven  worth  city,  and  were  coming  to  Easton  to  get  the  ballot-box 
there.  How  true  the  rumor  was  I  do  not  know.  While  I  was  at 
Minard's  I  saw  a  company  of  men  across  on  the  bluffs,  on  the  other 
side  of  the  creek,  riding  back  and  forth,  during  the  day.  I  only  know 
from  hearsay  whether  these  men  were  armed  or  not.  I  should  think 
it  was  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  Minard's  to  where  these  men  were. 
I  do  not  know  who  these  men  were,  except  from  hearsay,  where  they 


1014  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

were  from,  or  where  they  were  going.  I  do  not  think  I  went  from 
the  polls,  during  the  day,  alone  down  to  Dawson's  store.  I  went  to 
Bristow's  store,  hut  I  did  not  go  alone.  That  was  in  the  evening. 
I  had  no  difficulty  with  the  pro-slavery  men  at  that  time  near  the  store; 
not  a  word,  as  far  as  I  recollect.  There  was  some  whiskey  at  Minard's. 
It  was,  I  think,  ahout  sundown  that  I  went  down  to  Bristow's.  I 
had  not  a  word  of  difficulty  with  any  individual  that  I  now  recollect.  I 
was  there  hut  a  very  short  time  when  I  saw  a  crowd  coming  up;  I  walked 
up  to  keep  out  of  difficulty.  I  had  no  difficulty  with  John  Moore, 
did  not  see  him,  to  my  knowledge-,  until  I  started  for  home  that  night, 
and  he  pitched  around  me  and  said,  Damn  you,  I  have  got  you  now. 
There  has  heen  a  private  difficulty  hetween  us,  and  my  opinion  was 
that  he  sought  that  difficulty.  There  had  heen  unpleasant  feelings ; 
between  us  for  some  time.  Dr.  Motter  came  to  me  in  Dawson's  there,, 
when  more  than  twenty-five  or  thirty  men  were  standing  around  me 
making  threats,  and  said  to  the  company,  "  as  Mr.  Sparks  is  on  his* 
way  home  and  has  got  thus  far,  let  him  go/'  He  requested  that  of! 
the  company,  and  then  went  round  hetween  me  and  home,  and  the 
last  I  saw  of  him  was  standing  there  in  the  lane.  I  do  not  know  as- 
any  messages  were  sent  by  the  men  at  Minard's  down  to  the  men  at! 
Dawson's  to  provoke  them.  I  heard  nothing  of  any  challenge  being 
sent  down  to  the  pro-slavery  men  to  come  up  and  fight.  I  sent  none 
myself,  and  I  never  heard  of  any,  though  there  might  have  been.  Ai 
man  by  the  name  of  Woodward  came  up  to  Minard's  with  one  of  the 
notes,  and  I  saw  the  same  man  around  me  in  the  lane.  Shep.  Wood- 
ward was  not  sent  back  to  the  store  to  tell  the  boys  to  come  on,  as  II 
recollect.  My  answer  was,  I  think,  that  if  they  got  the  ballot-box 
they  would  get  it  at  all  hazards,  as  they  said  they  would  have  it.  I 
had  but  little  to  do  with  the  notes,  but  handed  them  over  to  Mr.  Mi- 
nard  :  the  second  one  ;  I  never  handed  any  more.  I  may  have  had: 
a  conversation  with  Shep.  Woodward,  but  I  did  not  know  it.  I  feltt 
a  little  fired  when  I  was  noted  out  as  an  individual,  and  the  threats 
were  made  that  they  would  have  the  ballot-box,  and  I  may  have  said 
something  harsh,  but  I  do  not  now  recollect.  I  saw  a  crowd  come  up 
towards  Minard's  house,  and  I  heard  one  of  them  call  out  to  charge  ; 
he  was  not  afraid  ;  but  he  did  not  charge.  Our  company  were  drawn 
out  from  the  door,  pretty  much  towards  the  road,  and  I  think  some- 
had  arms  and  some  had  not,  but  whether  the  most  of  them  had  arms; 
or  not  I  cannot  say.  I  do  not  know  as  any  one  commanded  our  com- 
pany at  that  time.  I  could  have  gone  from  Mr.  Minard's  house  on  a 
bee-line  home,  which  would  have  been  nearer  home  than  the  way  II 
went,  but  it  would  have  been  over  rocks  and  drifts.  I  went  the  road 
I  usually  go — and  go  yet.  I  saw  one  young  man  who  was  drunk  oni 
that  day,  and  there  were  several  Vho  went  down  to  Dawson's  for 
drink  ;  and  there  was  some  whiskey  at  Minard's.  Mr.  K.  P.  Brown? 
wanted  me  to  go  down  with  him  once  and  get  some  liquor  ;  but  I  did 
not  go,  and  cannot  say  whether  he  went  or  not,  but  I  think  he  did.i 
I  do  not  know  that  Brown  got  into  any  difficulty  there  that  day,  but 
I  heard  of  such  a  thing,  I  think,  a  day  or  two  afterwards.  I  have  no- 
recollection  of  Brown  coming  back  and  making  hard  assertions  against 
those  down  there  ;  I  think  some  one  did,  but  I  do  not  recollect  who  it 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1015 

was.  I  saw  John  Moore  and  his  brother  in  the  crowd  that  surrounded 
me  in  the  lane.  There  was  one  man  laid  his  hand  on  my  shoulder  and 
said  he  would  or  could  trash  me,  and  a  great  many  harsh  threats  were 
made  against  me.  I  do  not  know  how  many  men  staid  at  Minard's 
that  night.  I  remained  there  that  night  until  12  o'clock,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  threats  made  against  the  ballot-box.  I  did  request  a 
large  number  to  stay,  when  reports  were  brought  to  me  of  what  was 
said  down  town.  After  staying  there  a  while  I  concluded  that  I  would 
go  home,  as  I  thought  the  mob  had  gone  away,  or  would  go  away,  and 
there  would  be  no  difficulty. 

STEPHEN  SPARKS. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  22,  1856. 


JOHN  WILFLEY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  was  at  the  free-State  election,  at  Easton,  on  the  17th  of  January, 
1856.  The  election  was  held  at  Mr.  Minard's  house.  I  was  at  Mi- 
nard's house,  and  saw  voters  coming  in  armed  with  guns,  and  they 
generally  came  in  armed.  They  remained  at  that  house  all  day. 
Every  man  (so  far  as  I  saw  them)  voting  was  armed.  No  pro-slavery 
men  voted,  so  far  as  I  saw.  I  should  think  there  were  about  sixty- 
five  free-State  men  there.  There  were  pro-slavery  men  in  town  that 
day  ;  some  fifteen  of  them  while  I  was  there,  which  was  until  dark. 
The  pro-slavery  men  were  not  armed  that  I  saw,  and  they  interfered 
in  no  way,  so  far  as  I  saw.  Mr.  Brown,  in  the  afternoon,  went  down 
into  town  some  half  a  mile  from  the  place  where  the  election  was  held, 
and  publicly  declared  he  had  an  organized  company  with  him  of  armed 
men,  and  made  threats  that  he  would  sjioot  holes  through  any  man 
faster  than  he  could  count,  if  any  man  dared  to  touch  him,  and  de- 
clared that  he  would  get  on  his  hands  and  knees  and  crawl  through 
the  snow,  as  bad  as  it  was,  a  mile,  to  get  pro-slavery  men  to  fight  him 
and  his  men.  He  also  stated  that  his  company  had  sixty-eight  shot 
ready  to  fire.  That  was  about  all  the  threats  I  heard  Brown  make. 
There  was  no  fuss  in  town  until  after  these  threats  were  made.  No 
man  had  made  any  threats  to  him  before  that,  and  no  one  said  any- 
thing to  his  threats.  There  was  no  difficulty  or  quarrelling  up  to  the 
time  I  left,  which  was  about  dark.  I  understood  afterwards  that  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Cook  was  shot  that  night,  and  Brown  killed  the 
next  day. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard : 

I  did  not  vote  that  day,  because  I  did  not  want  to  vote  ;  I  staid 
there  merely  to  see  the  people,  and  see  what  was  done.  I  was  down 
in  town  when  Brown  came  down  and  made  those  threats.  Brown  had 
two  men  with  him  whom  I  did  not  know,  and  stood  in  front  of  Daw- 
son's  store  when  he  said  this.  There  were  some  fifteen  men  at  the 
store — Dr.  Motter,  Mr.  Kookogey,  the  two  Messrs.  Eose,  Mr.  Price, 
nd  others  I  do  not  now  recollect.  This  was,  I  should  think,  about,  or 


1016  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

a  little  before,  sundown.  I  think  they  had  liquor  to  sell  at  Dawson's 
store.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  men  with  Brown  came  down  with 
him,  hut  they  went  away  with  him.  Brown  said  he  and  his  company 
had  sixty-eight  shots  ready.  I  supposed  his  company  were  up  to  Mr. 
Minard's.  I  do  not  know  who  came  with  Brown  to  the  election.  He 
said  he  had  sixteen  shot  himself,  and  he  showed  them.  Nobody  spoke  a 
word  to  him,  but  he  did  all  the  talking.  I  do  not  think  Brown  was 
drunk  then. 

To  Mr.  Scott: 

These  twelve  or  fifteen  men  at  the  store  where  Brown  made  these 
threats,  I  do  not  know  whether  they  were  all  pro-slavery  men  or  not ; 
I  think  they  were  mostly,  though  one  or  two  that  I  knew  were  not. 
I  do  not  know  whether  any  of  those  twelve  or  fifteen  men,  except  my- 
self, had  been  up  to  the  place  of  voting  or  not ;  I  do  not  recollect  of 
having  seen  any  of  them  up  there.  No  difficulty  had  occurred  at  the 
place  of  voting  before  I  left  for  home,  and  I  do  not  think  any  pro- 
slavery  men  were  there  when  I  left.  When  I  left  the  place  of  voting 
the  free-State  party  were  putting  out  armed  guards.  I  had  stopped 
there  a  time,  after  Brown  made  his  threats,  while  I  was  on  my  way 
home. 

JOHN  WILFLEY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


S.  J.  KOOKOGEY  called  and  sworn  : 

To  Mr.  Scott  : 

I  was  clerking  for  Dawson,  at  Easton,  at  the  time  the  free-State  party 
had  an  election  at  Minard's.,  the  Ifah  of  January,  1856.  The  election 
was  said  to  have  been  appointed  for  the  15th,  and  was  postponed 
till  the  17th,  but  I  do  not  know  for  what  reason.  I  saw  a  numberr 
of  men  there  that  day  that  I  never  saw  before  or  since.  All  the« 
men  who  came  there  to  vote  were  armed.  I  do  not  know  of  any* 
pro-slavery  men  who  came  to  that  election  ;"  and  at  night,  when  1 
•went  up  to  Minard's  with  his  wife,  who  was  down  town,  I  saw  some* 
seventy  or  eighty  men  in  the  room  there  ;  it  was  about  ten  o'clock  at 
night.  I  was  quite  well  acquainted  with  nearly  all  the  persons  in 
that  neighborhood,  as  they  traded  where  I  was  clerking.  I  saw  but 
three  men  in  the  room  that  I  recognised ;  the  rest  appeared  to  be 
strangers  to  me.  I  recognised  James  Comstock,  a  Mr.  Davis,  and  old 
Mr.  Sparks.  There  might  have  been  others  I  knew,  but  I  did  not 
notice  them.  I  was  not  challenged  by  sentinels  when  I  went  up  to* 
the  house,  though  I  saw  some  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  house.1 
After  I  came  back  to  the  store,  I  went  up  again  to  see  Mr.  Minard,  as 
I  had  just  received  notice  from  General  Whitfield  that  Dawson  had 
been  appointed  postmaster  at  Easton.  Mr.  McLear  went  up  with  me, 
and  went  into  the  house,  while  I  stopped  outside  and  talked  with  Mr. 
Minard,  who  had  just  come  out,  about  the  post  office.  We  walked 
back  to  the  door,  and  old  man  Sparks  rushed  out  very  much  excited; 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1017 

and  said  "Here  is  this  damned  McLear  up  here  ;  Minard,  let's  kill 
him,"  or  hang  him,  I  forget  which.  Minard  went  into  the  house, 
and  at  the  same  time  Sparks  recognised  me,  and  asked  what  I  was 
doing  up  there.  I  told  him  I  thought  I  had  a  right  to  go  anywhere 
I  chose.  He  asked  me  if  I  did  not  know  these  were  very  ticklish 
times.  I  told  him  I  did  not  know  of  any  difficulty  anywhere.  He 
took  me  one  side  and  endeavored  to  get  me  into  a  political  discussion, 
detaining  me  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  longer  than  I  wanted  to 
stay.  I  told  him  we  were  so  far  apart  on  the  slavery  question,  there 
was  no  use  in  our  talking  ahout  it.  I  then  went  back  to  the  store, 
leaving  McLear  at  the  house.  I  met  Mr.  Samuel  Burgess  at  the  store, 
and  told  him  that  McLear  was  at  Minard' s,  and  he  had  better  go  up 
and  see  about  it.  We  had  some  talk  as  to  what  we  should  do  about 
McLear,  and  while  we  were  talking  McLear  came  down,  saying  that 
he  had  been  released.  Everything  appeared  then  to  be  quieting 
down.  The  first  time  I  saw  Mr.  Brown  in  my  life  was  that  day,  be- 
fore the  store,  about  sundown.  He  had  two  men  with  him,  and  said 
that  they  had  come  there  to  have  an  election,  and  to  vote,  and  would 
not  be  molested,  as  they  were  armed  for  resistance.  He  remarked 
that  he  was  prepared,  and  said  if  we  did  not  believe  it  he  would  show 
us,  and  then  he  threw  open  his  coat,  and  I  saw  one  or  two  pistols  on 
him.  No  one  had  spoken  to  him  then.  That  is  all  the  remark  I 
heard  him  make,  as  I  was  called  off  in  the  store.  At  night,  after 
McLear  and  myself  had  been  at  Minard' s  and  returned  to  the  store, 
Brown  marched  down  with  ten  or  twelve  armed  men,  and  the  party 
threw  the  muzzles  of  their  guns  down,  and  he  said  "  We  act  upon  the 
defensive."  We  told  him  to  come  on,  and  he  should  not  be  molested. 
All  the  men  in  the  grocery  then  came  out,  and  Brown's  party  went 
into  the  grocery.  He  called  for  something  to  drink  all  round,  and 
got  a  jug  of  liquor  and  a  fiddle.  They  then  came  out  of  the  grocery, 
and  Brown  commenced  a  conversation  with  Dr.  Motter  and  myself. 
He  said  he  had  seen  one  ballot-box  taken,  and  he  would  be  God 
damned  if  he  would  see  another  taken  unless  they  went  over  his  dead 
body.  We  told  him  we  had  no  such  idea  ;  and  that  even  if  we  had 
had,  it  was  then  too  late.  Brown  and  his  men  then  left,  and  went 
off  leisurely  towards  Minard's.  In  an  hour  or  so  after  that,  while  I 
was  nearly  asleep,  old  man  Sparks  came  along  in  front  of  Dr.  Mot- 
ter's  office,  leading  his  horse,  with  a  crowd  of  men  about  him,  and 
turned  around  the  store  towards  Dawson's  house,  two  or  three  men 
walking  along  talking  to  him,  one  of  whom  he  was  not  on  good  terms 
with  ;  the  main  crowd  was  walking  along  behind.  He  turned  into  a 
lane  near  Dawson's  house,  and  when  he  had  got  down  the  lane  about 
jifteen  steps  he  stopped,  but  whether  of  his  own  accord,  or  because  the 
men  made  him  stop,  I  do  not  know.  I  was  sitting  about  ten  steps 
from  Sparks,  and  heard  some  talking  to  him,  condemning  his  course. 
While  they  were  talking  to  him,  I  heard  some  noise  behind  me,  and 
looked  around  and  saw  Mr.  Brown  and  a  party  coming  along.  Some 
of  his  men  seemed  disposed  not  to  come,  and  he  was  saying  to  them, 
"  God  damn  you,  come  along."  When  he  got  to  the  entrance  of  the 
lane,  they  levelled  their  guns,  and  Brown  said,  "  You  God  damned 
lousy,  pro-slavery  sons  of  bitches,  we  demand  old  man  Sparks."  We 


1018  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

then  turned  and  walked  up  to  his  party.  He  told  us  to  march  on  be-- 
fore  his  party,  and  we  refused.  We  then  came  along  together  towards  j 
Dawson's  store.  When  we  got  ahout  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from; 
the  lane,  there  was  a  road  that  turned  off  to  Minard's  from  the  one' 
that  led  to  Dawson's  store  ;  we  separated  ;  the  free-State  party,  who; 
had  old  man  Sparks  in  the  middle  of  their  crowd,  turned  off  towards^ 
Minard's  while  we  kept  on  to  the  store.  Dr.  Hotter  and  myself  were- 
some  five  or  six  steps  from  our  main  party,  and  were  talking.  After' 
they  turned  off,  and  had  got  some  ten  or  fifteen  steps,  some  one  in  the- 
free-State  party  fired  a  pistol,  which  I  considered  was  rather  in  exul- 
tation of  their  having  got  old  man  Sparks,  and  not  intended  to  be> 
fired  at  our  party.  There  was  then  a  general  firing  on  both  sides,, 
and  then  the  free-State  party  broke  and  ran,  some  behind  some  houses,, 
and  some  behind  the  bank  of  a  creek  there.  The  principal  portion  of! 
our  party  got  behind  Dawson's  store.  Several  of  our  party  had  no:* 
guns  at  all,  while  the  others  had  double-barrelled  guns  and  rifles;, 
but  I  do  not  think  more  than  fifteen  or  eighteen  of  our  party  hadl 
arms.  The  firing,  I  think,  lasted  some  minute  or  a  minute  and  ai 
half,  not  longer.  I  saw  a  man  fall  in  front  of  the  grocery,  and  I! 
heard  some  one  cry  out,  "  Cook  is  shot/'  Mr.  Comstock  and  myself, 
I  think,  were  the  only  men  behind  Dawson's  store  then,  while  thej 
rest  of  our  men  ran  over  to  the  grocery,  some  thirty  yards  from  the 
store,  where  Cook  was  shot.  We  then  oame  out  from  behind  the- 
store,  and  as  we  stepped  out  some  man  on  the  free-State  side  fired  att 
us  twice,  striking  the  fence  near  us,  and  then  they  ran  away  from  be- 
hind the  house  where  they  were.  I  then  went  into  the  store  and  gott 
some  blankets,  and  took  Mr.  Cook  down  to  Dawson's  house.  When  II 
came  back,  everything  was  still  and  quiet,  and  I  saw  no  men  of  either' 
side.  I  heard  that  the  free-State  men  were  going  to  stay  that  night  t 
at  Minard's.  I  went  to  bed.  The  next  morning  I  saw  Mr.  Browoi 
and  his  party — some  six  or  seven  of  them — start  for  Leaven  worth.  II 
think  that,  if  it  had  not  been  for  Mr.  Sparks  and  Mr.  Brown,  them 
would  have  been  no  difficulty  at  all. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

When  I  went  up  to  Minard's  with  McLear,  it  was  about  elevei 
o'clock  at  night. 

S.  J.  KOOKOGEY. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  29,  1856. 


ESSENETH  SPARKS  called  and  sworn. 

My  husband's  name  is  Stephen  Sparks.  We  live  on  the  other  sidd 
of  Stranger  creek,  about  twelve  miles  from  this  place,  and  four  milefi 
south  of  Easton.  My  husband  and  son  were  arrested,  as  they  told 
me,  on  the  night  of  the  17th  of  January  last,  by  the  Missourians  and 
Kickapoo  Hangers,  and  they  were  rescued  by  K.  P.  Brown,  and  others., 
I  know  that  they  came  home  from  some  conflict  by  their  wounds/j 
My  son  was  grazed  by  shots  on  his  head  and  arm. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1019 

In  the  evening  of  the  next  day,  about  3  o'clock,  a  party  of  from  10 
to  18,  a  right  smart  company  of  men,  came, to  our  house  and  inquired 
for  Mr.  Sparks,  my  husband.  At  the  time  they  were  coming,  Fran- 
cis Browning  was  at  the  house.  He  had  just  rode  up,  and  asked  two 
men,  who  were  going  along  the  road,  to  help  him  rescue  Brown.  One 
of  them  said  he  could  not  go.  The  other  said  he  did  not  know  how 
soon  it  might  be  his  case,  and  took  the  harness  off  his  horse,  and  one 
of  the  guns  which  the  man  had,  and  rode  off  with  him.  This  man 
was  Francis  Browning ;  the  name  of  the  other  who  went  with  him 
was  Kichard  Houcks. 

Just  as  they  started,  two  men  rode  up  and  called  for  Mr.  Sparks. 
I  told  them  he  was  out  on  business.  They  said  they  had  private  busi- 
ness with  him. 

Just  then  Mr.  Browning,  seeing  a  party  of  horsemen  on  a  little  rise, 
coming  from  Dawson's,  turned  back  and  asked  these  two  men  what  it 
meant.  They  said  "  they  did  not  know;  there  was  a  great  excite- 
ment at  Dawson's,  they  had  he'ard,  but  they  had  not  been  there." 
They  then  gave  the  sign  by  firing  two  pistols  in  the  air,  and  motion- 
ing to  the  party  with  their  hands.  The  party  then  came  riding  on  as 
fast  as  they  could,  shouting.  When  they  came  up,  they  all  joined  in 
pursuit  of  Browning  and  Houcks,  shouting  "kill  them,"  "kill 
them,"  "  kill  the  damned  abolitionists,"  and  firing  upon  them;  but 
they  divided,  one  going  one  way,  round  the  hill,  and  the  other  the 
other  way,  and  escaped. 

The  party  of  horsemen  then  returned,  and  stopped  before  the  door, 
and  held  council  for  a  few  moments,  and  one  man  said,  "Capt.  Dunn, 
give  orders  ;"  and  the  man  he  spoke  to  gave  orders.  He  said,  "Now 
we  will  take  the  house;  shoot  down  Capt.  Sparks  at  sight." 

I  then  told  them  I  had  an  afflicted  son,  and  that  anything  that  ex- 
cited him  threw  him  into  spasms  right  at  once  ;  and  that  Mr.  Sparks, 
and  all  but  him,  were  away  from  home.  When  I  stepped  to  the  door 
and  looked  in,  I  saw  Captain  Dunn,  with  a  six-shooter  presented  at 
my  son's  breast.  I  did  not  hear  the  question  asked,  but  I  heard  my 
son's  answer—"  I  am  on  the  Lord's  side,  and  if  you  want  to  kill  me, 
kill  me  ;  I  am  not  afraid  to  die."  Dunn  then  left  him,  and  turned  to 
my  little  son,  about  twelve  years  old,  and  put  the  pistol  to  his  breast, 
and  asked  him  where  his  father's  Sharpe's  rifle  was,  and  my  son  told 
him  he  had  none.  Dunn  asked  him  where  those  guns  were,  pointing 
to  the  racks,  and  told  him  if  he  did  not  tell  the  truth,  he  would  kill 
him ;  and  my  son  told  him  the  men-folks  generally  took  care  of  the 
guns. 

When  they  came  out,  I  asked  Captain  Dunn,  "What  does  all  this 
mean?"  He  answered  that  they  had  "taken  the  law  into  their  own 
hands,  and  they  intended  to  use  it." 

McAleer,  who  formerly  lived  here  in  Leavenworth,  was  one  of  the 
party,  and  one  of  the  Scotts,  from  Missouri,  and  some  said  there  were 
two  of  them  there.  One  John  Dunn,  a  brother  of  the  captain,  was 
there.  I  heard  the  name  of  Dunn  from  others,  but  the  Scotts  and 
McAleer  I  know  myself.  The  Scotts  were  raised  within  a  mile  or  so 
of  where  we  lived,  in  Platte  county,  Missouri.  The  party  then  left. 

Late  in  February,  eight  men  came  to  the  house.     Two  men  came 


1020  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

up  first,  and  the  others  followed  to  the  house  on  foot,  in  the  afternoon, 
and  asked  for  Mr.  Sparks,  and  left  the  following  paper  with  me : 

To  Stephen  Sparks : 

"The  undersigned,  as  you  are  aware,  are  citizens  of  this  neighbor- 
hood. Many  of  us  have  come  here  with  our  families,  intending  to< 
make  Kansas  our  permanent  home.  It  is  our  interest  and  desire  thatt 
peace  and  good- will  prevail  among  us  ;  and  whatever  may  conduce 
to  this  desirable  end,  will  meet  our  hearty  approval. 

"The  local  excitements  that  have  occurred  in  this  vicinity,  havd 
been  principally  attributed  to  you,  and,  we  believe,  justly.  You  have 
figured  in  them  conspicuously,  and,  in  the  affair  at  Easton,  rnoreJ 
reprehensible  than  ever. 

"Believing,  therefore,  that  your  further  residence  among  us  isJ 
incompatible  with  the  peace  and  welfare  of  this  community,  we  advise 
you  to  leave  as  soon  as  you  can  conveniently  do  so. 

"Joseph  Thomas  John  Moore 

Abner  Foster  H.  E.  Kennedy 

Keuben  Button  George  W.  Brown 

Lark  Farrell  William  Gill 

Geo.  W.  Browning  James  Foster 

Wm.  McLain  Simon  B.  Pankake 

Carom  Norvell  C.  H.  Allen 

Augustine  White  K.  P.  Briggs 

Matthew  A.  Kegister  W.  Z.  Thompson 

John  M.  White  0.  S.  Allen 

Thomas  Hickman  Morgan  Wright 

Benjamin  Foster  Edward  McClain 

Joseph  Moore  C.  C.  Harrison 

Joseph  Moran  Wesley  Davidson 

Andrew  J.  Scott  Edward  M.  Kennedy 

Samuel  Burgess  Andrew  J.  Davis 

John  0.  Scott  John  W.  Burgess 

John  Burgess  James  Norvell 

Joseph  L.  McAleer  Joseph  Gray/' 

Only  one  of  the  signers  is  an  actual  resident  in  the  neighborhood 
Most  of  them  are  Kickapoo  Bangers  and  Missourians.  One  of  tlm 
two  who  first  came  to  the  door,  said  his  name  was  Kennedy,  from 
Alabama;  the  other,  I  think,  emigrated  from  Missouri  to  Kansas.  '. 
asked  him  what  he  had  against  Mr.  Sparks.  He  said  he  had  nothing 
against  him,  but  he  was  too  influential  in  his  party,  and  they  in 
tended  to  break  it  down.  He  told  me  to  tell  Mr.  Sparks  to  leave  by 
the  10th  of  March,  or  abide  the  consequences. 

A  night  or  two  before  the  10th  of  March,  four  men  came  into  th«i 
house,  about  10  o'clock,  and  searched  for  Mr.  Sparks,  but  did  not  fine 
him.  They  asked  for  the  "notice  to  leave,"  and  if  I  had  given  it  t<t 
Mr.  Sparks,  and  made  many  threats,  and  charged  us  to  leave  at  than 
time,  and  said  that  if  he  was  there,  they  would  cut  him  in  pieces. 

her 

ESSENETH  +  SPARKS. 

mark. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  24,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1021 

BENJAMIN  H.  BROOK  testifies  : 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  was  taken  into  custody  at  the  first  term  of  the  district  court,  in 
Doniphan  county,  in  spring  of  1856.  I  was  summoned  as  a  juror  to 
attend  the  first  term  of  the  court ;  I  did  not  understand  which,  the 
grand  or  petit  jury.  1  fell  on  the  panel  of  the  petit  jury.  The 
first  two  days  of  the  term,  I  was  unwell  and  could  not  attend.  On 
Friday,  the  fifth  day  of  the  term,  while  I  was  in  attendance  upon  the 
court,  I  was  arrested  on  a  bill  of  indictment  for  sitting  as  a  judge  of 
the  election  at  which  Eeeder  was  said  to  have  been  elected  to  Con- 
gress. They  brought  me  before  the  court  and  arraigned  me  before 
the  bar  for  trial,  as  I  understood  it.  The  indictment  was  quashed. 
The  judge  ordered  the  clerk  to  quash  the  indictment  and  hold  me  in 
custody.  I  got  my  attorney  to  get  me  out  on  bail  to  go  home  that 
night,  that  I  might  appear  next  morning.  I  gave  bail  to  appear 
next  morning.  The  next  morning  I  appeared,  and  my  attorney  got  it 
laid  over  until  the  next  term  in  August,  and  I  was  let  off  until  the 
next  term  on  the  same  bail  I  had  given  before.  This  was  for  acting 
as  judge  of  the  election  on  the  9th  of  October,  1855. 

B.  H.  BKOOK. 
•  LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  May  23,  1856. 


BENJAMIN  HARDING  testifies : 

I  acted  as  judge  of  the  election  upon  the  adoption  of  the  State 
constitution,  held  on  the  15th  December,  1855.  I  think  I  was  not 
arrested,  indicted,  or  imprisoned  for  that ;  but  I  was  arrested  and 
imprisoned  upon  the  charge  of  serving  as  judge  of  an  election  on  the 
9th  of  October,  1855  ;  but  I  did  not  serve  on  that  day.  The  indict- 
ment was  found  by  the  grand  jury  which  sat  at  Whitehead  ;  Judge 
Lecompte,  I  have  understood,  presiding.  I  was  indicted,  and  some 
months  afterwards  arrested.  I  was  confined  because  I  declined  to 
ive  bail,  and  was  kept  in  custody  for  eight  days,  and  then  I  gave 

il  and  was  discharged  from  custody.  The  indictment  is  still  pend- 
ing. An  attachment  was  also  served  upon  me  at  the  same  time, 
which  I  understood  to  be  for  contempt  of  court  in  failing  to  appear 
when  summoned  as  a  juror.  Bail  was  also  required  for  my  appear- 
ance on  that  charge  ;  at  the  same  time  I  gave  bail  on  the  other  charge. 
The  amount  of  the  bail  for  the  attachment  was  $200,  and  for  the  in- 
dictment  $500. 

[The  question  was  overruled,  Major  Oliver  dissenting.] 

Question.  Why  did  you  fail  to  serve  as  a  juror? 

[The  question  was  overruled,  Major  Oliver  dissenting.] 

Question.  Why  did  you  refuse  to  give  bail  under  the  indictment 
and  under  the  attachment  ? 

[The  question  was  overruled,  Major  Oliver  dissenting.] 

B.  HAKDINGK 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K,  T,?  May  24,  1856. 


1022  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


E.  E.  ZIMMERMAN  testifies  : 

Shortly  before   the   election,    last  fall,    for   delegate  to  Congress, 
about  a  week  "before  the  election  of  the  first  of  October,  I   took  some 
handbills  with  reference  to  a  meeting   to  be  held  at  Kickapoo,    of  all 
persons  who  would  attend,  in  relation  to  a  free-State  convention,  and 
also  handbills  in  reference  to  the  free-State  election  of  the  9th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1855.     I  then  went  to  Atchison,,  sticking   up  and  distributing 
these  notices  on  the  way.     I  stopped  at  the  hotel  at  Atchison,  and 
gave  some  of  these  handbills  to  the  landlord,  and  asked  him  to  puti 
them  up  in  some  public  place.     There  was  a  man  who  said   he  lived 
in  Missouri  and  owned  a  lot  of  niggers  there,  who  was  called  General, 
I  think,  who  came  up  to  me  and  snatched  the  bills  out  of  my  hands. 
He  then  read  the  notice  about  the  State  constitutional  convention  to  the 
crowd,  putting  in  and  leaving  out  words  to  make  it  read  ridiculous., 
There   was  a  big  fat  fellow  there,  I  believe  they  called  Thomason, 
walked  up  towards  me  and  said  I  was  a  damned  abolitionist.    I  stood! 
up  against   the  wall,  as   I  was   standing  in  the  passage,  and  put  my\ 
hand  under  my  coat-tail  as  if  to  get  a  pistol,  though  I  was  unarmed; 
I  was  asked  if  I  had  read  the  Squatter  Sovereign,  and  I  said  I  did! 
sometimes  ;  I  was  asked  if  I  did  not  know  that  they  allowed  no  such! 
documents  put  up  there,  and  that  I  was  guilty  of  high  treason,  &c.; 
and  there  was  some  talk  of  having  me  tried  before  some  justice  of  the 
peace  there.     They  took  the  bills  before   my  face   and   lighted   their1 
cigars  with  them,  and  burned   them,  and  took  off  others  ;  I  stepped! 
out,,  and  as  it  was  after  dark,  I  asked   the  landlord  for  a  room.     He 
said  he  could  not  give  me  a  room  then,  but  showed  me  into  one  about! 
an  hour  afterwards.     I  heard  the  crowd  talking  outside.     Bob  Kelly 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  Squatter   Sovereign,  and  this   fat  man,  were 
in  the   crowd.     This   Bob  Kelly  suggested  that  it  would  be  a  gooc 
plan  to  hang  me,   and  set  an  example   to  all  abolitionists  coming  to 
Atchison.     Another  suggested  that  I  had  better  not  be  killed,  but 
that  it  would  be  better  to  tie  my  pony  on  one  side  of  a  raft^  and  my- 
self on  the   other   side,   and   be  sent  down  the  Missouri  river.     And 
then  one  suggested  that  perhaps  they  had  better  keep  me  there  until 
the  day  of  speaking  came  off,  and  riot  let  any  of  the  handbills  be  cir 
culated,  and  have  some  fun  with  Lane  and  others  who  were   to  come 
there  to  address  them.     That  was   about  the  substance  of  the  convex 
sation.     I  was   at  the  window  listening   to  this,  but  I  went  to   bed 
again  then.     The  next  morning  a  number  came  tome  and  asked  me 
where  I  was  going.     Among  them  was  a  doctor  from  Platte  city,  who 
said  he  knew  me  at  Kickapoo.     He  asked  what  all  this  meant.  I  told 
him  what  the  object  of  the  State  convention  was.     After  the  convex 
sation  he  spok?  to  these  men,  and  as  I  had  no  more  bills    I  promised 
not  to  go  to  Doniphan,  as  I  had  intended,  but  to  go  across  the  river  and 
return  home  that  way.     There  were  some  fifteen  there,  and  they  ap- 
peared  to   be   considerably  excited.     They  advised   me  when   I  left 
never  to  call  there  again  with  abolition  documents,  if  I  knew  what  wa« 
good  for  me  ;    that  1  would  find  that  latitude  very  unhealthy  for  abo- 
litionists, who  were  short-lived  ;  that  these  handbills  were  treasonable! 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1023 

and  opposed  to  the  laws.  I  crossed  over  into  Missouri,  and  went 
home  that  way.  The  night  before,  as  I  have  forgotten  to  mention, 
they  said  they  were  determined  I  should  not  go  to  Doniphan. 

[Mr.  Whitfield  objected  to  this  evidence  being  received,  on  the 
ground  th&t  it  was  a  mere  personal  difficulty.  The  majority  of  the 
committee  'overruled  the  objection,  and  admitted  the  evidence  ;  from 
which  Mr.  Oliver  dissents.] 

I  had  never  seen  any  of  those  men  before  that  time,  and  never  have 
seen  them  since. 

To  Mr.  Oliver: 

The  conversation  I  heard  at  Atchison  after  I  went  to  bed  seemed 
to  relate  to  the  bills  I  had  brought  with  me,  and  they  seemed  deter- 
mined to  have  no  free-State  men  speaking  there. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  had  handbills  for  calling  a  meeting  to  be  held  at  Atchison,  an- 
nouncing speakers  and  their  names  on  it,  the  meeting  to  relate  to  the 
propriety  of  a  State  constitutional  convention  at  Topeka,  and  stating 
that  so  many  delegates  were  to  be  elected  from  Atchison ;  and  it  was 
an  invitation  to  all  electors  to  attend,  and  I  think  headed_,  "  A  call 
to  the  people  of  Kansas."  Other  handbills  I  had  were  for  giving 
notice  of  an  election  to  be  held  for  delegate  to  Congress,  and  was  a 
general  notice  to  all  parties  ;  not  a  word  was  said  about  the  laws  of 
the  Territorial  legislature,  that  I. can  recollect,  in  the  handbills  in  ref- 
erence to  the  convention  at  Topeka. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  was  not  at  a  meeting  where  these  notices  of  the  convention  were 
agreed  to  be  sent  out.  1  happened  to  be  down  at  Leavenworth  city, 

|  and  i  was  asked,  as  it  was  on  my  way,  to  take  some  of  these  bills 
along  and  distribute  them. 

I  think  Mr.  Robert  Riddle  handed  me  some  of  them.     The  conven- 

:  tion  for  the  State  constitution  was  proposed  to  be  held  at  Topeka.  I 
had  understood  that  pro-slavery  men,  as  well  as  free-State  men,  were 

;  to  take  part  in  it.  I  know  pro-slavery  men  who  voted  for  the  State 
constitution.  I  did  not  understand  that  the  persons  who  called  the 
convention  were  opposed  to  the  laws  of  the  Territory  ;  nor  did  I  ever 
know  of  any  such  understanding  among  those  in  favor  of  .the  conven- 
tion. ^  I  heard  free-State  and  pro-slavery  men  talk  about  the  matter, 
and  they  said  they  were  heartily  tired  of  the  excitement  here,  and  they 
thought  the  best  way  was  to  have  a  State  organization,  with  the  offi- 
cers elected  by  the  people.  I  was  never  at  a  meeting  where  it  was 
resolved  to  repudiate  the  laws  of  the  Territory.  I  was  at  a  meeting 
at  Leavenworth  city.  Mr.  Parrott  was  called  upon  to  state  the  object 
of  the  meeting,  and  he  stated  it  was  to  nominate  delegates  to  be  voted 
for  by.  the  people  to  sit  at  Topeka  to  frame  a  State  constitution.  I 
understood  that  it  was  not  to  be  a  free-State  convention.  I  know  that 
some  free-State  men  nominated  pro-slavery  men.  Mr.  Halderman 
was  nominated,  but  declined;  another  pro-slavery  man  was  nominated, 
but  declined.  I  understood  that  all  parties  were  to  be  represented. 


1024  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

I  was  not  present  at  the  Big  Springs  or  the  Topeka  conventions, 
have  seen  and  read  the  resolutions  passed  hy  the  Big  Springs  conven- 
tion, and  believe  they  were  generally  endorsed  by  our  party. 

In  Atchison,  while  I  was  standing  in  the  passage  of  the  hotel,  I 
judge  there  were  eleven  men  present,  but  do  not  know  whether  therci 
were  any  more  or  less  in  the  party  after  I  went  to  bed.  I  can  give  no 
opinion  as  to  the  number  of  people  in  Atchison.  I  should  thintl 
there  were  a  great  many  more  than  eleven  there. 

EDMUND  R.  ZIMMERMAN. 

TBCUMSBH,  K.  Tv  May  7,  1856. 


PETER  T.  ABELL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I,  with  a  number  of  other  persons  of  Atchison,  of  this  Territory 
was  at  Lawrence  a  few  days  ago,  with  the  United  States  marshal'1 
posse.  During  the  time  we  were  there  some  of  the  gentlemen  of  thi 
posse,  from  my  town,  picked  up  those  letters,  with  a  number  of  others' 
and  other  papers,  near  the  big  hotel,  and  handed  them  to  me.  Thi 
papers  that  were  with  those  letters  were  notes  and  bonds,  and  otha 
papers,  directed  some  to  A.  H.  Reeder-,  and  some  to  G-rosvenor  B 
Lowry.  The  reason  I  am  not  willing  to  surrender  them,  but  haw 
prepared  copies  for  this  investigation,  is,  that  I  have  been  requested  tt 
give  them  to  attorney  general  Isaacks. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

I  did  not  regard  the  letters  in  any  light  at  all  when  I  receive 
them,  either  as  private  or  otherwise,  for  they  were  handed  to  me  wliil 
I  was  then  in  the  posse,  and  I  took  them.  I  heard  them  read;  an 
the  gentleman  who  read  the  letters  said  that,  as  Reeder  was  one  of  thi 
persons  the  marshal  wished  to  arrest,  he  thought  it  right  to  look  hit 
his  letters.  After  hearing  the  letters  read,  I  supposed  they  were  pri 
vate  letters  written  by  Reeder  to  Lowry  ;  but  I  had  no  regard  aboi 
them,  as  there  was  much  confusion  there — many  men  about  there  i 
the  time  ;  and  I  took  them  when  they  were  handed  to  me.  I  hav 
exhibited  the  letters  to  others  since  then.  I  do  not  know  as  I  ca 
recollect  all  who  have  seen  them.  They  have  been  read  since  the 
came  in  my  possession  ;  and  I  do  not  recollect  of  but  two  or  three  in 
dividuals  who  have  read  them  since  I  came  back  here.  I  do  not  kno' 
the  private  relations  between  Mr.  Lowry  and  Gov.  Reeder.  I  ha\ 
heard,  since  I  came  here,  for  the  first  time,  that  Mr.  Lowry  was  Grou 
Reeder's  private  secretary.  The  question  of  the  propriety  of  exhibit 
ing  these  letters  has  never  been  raised  by  the  persons  I  have  shoTW 
them  to,  or  who  have  heard  them  read.  At  the  time  the  letters  \vei 
read,  it  was  said  that  Reeder  was  one  of  the  very  men  the  marshi 
wished  to  arrest ;  and  he  was  generally  regarded  as  the  instigator  < 
all  the  devilment  in  the  Territory,  and  anything  was  fair  with  hin 
I  exhibited  them  after  I  ascertained  they  gave  no  clue  to  his  wher-i 
abouts,  merely  because  I  thought  they  were  evidence  to  show  Reeder 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1025 

connection  with  the  disturbances  in  the  Territory,  and  for  no  other 
purpose.  All  to  whom  I  have  shown  these  letters  have  taken  the 
same  view  I  do  with  regard  to  the  propriety  of  exhibiting  them  ;  at 
least,  I  judge  so,  as  nothing  was  said  against  it.  Under  ordinary 
circumstances  I  would  be  the  last  man  to  examine  private  letters.  I 
have  shown  the  letters  to  my  private  friends,  but  I  do  not  think  I  am 
called  upon  to  say  who  those  persons  are.  Others  of  my  private 
friends  I  have  refused  to  show  them  to,  even  since  they  have  been 
brought  before  this  committee  ;  and  I  would  suppose  that,  at  that 
time,  there  were  some  twenty  or  thirty  persons  present  when  they 
were  read.  I  think  a  gentleman  named  Palmer,  of  Atchison,  picked 
these  letters  up  in  the  street,  near  the  hotel,  and,  I  think,  before  the 
hotel  was  destroyed,  though  I  will  not  be  positive  about  that.  I  do 
not  know  that  Gov.  Boeder's  trunk  was  broken  open,  though  I  heard 
that  one  of  his  trunks  was  found.  I  do  not  think  these  letters  were 
taken  from  his  trunk,  though  they  may  have  been.  When  Mr.  Palmer 
handed  me  these  letters,  some  one,  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was 
Palmer  or  some  one  else,  said  those  letters  were  important  ones,  and 
should  be  preserved.  When  I  received  them  I  understood  them  to  be 
letters  from  Gov.  Reeder,  for  some  one  read  out  his  name  at  the  bot- 
tom of  some  of  them.  When  the  property  was  being  carried  out  of 
the  hotel,  I  was  in  a  room  with  General  Pomeroy  writing  ;  and  when 
I  came  out  they  were  handed  to  me.  They  appeared  like  a  parcel  of 
letters  put  up  in  a  hurry  when  I  saw  them.  I  saw  that  some  were 
directed  to  Lowry,  and  some  to  Reeder,  and  looked  as  if  the  papers 
of  both  persons  had  been  hurriedly  tied  up  together.  All  these  pa- 
pers, except  some  I  have  here,  were  sent  to  Atchison  with  the  com- 
pany that  went  from  Atchison  ;  and  I  think  they  are  now  at  Weston, 
Missouri,  to  be  returned,  so  far  as  the  valuable  papers  are  concerned, 
to  those  to  whom  they  belong,  if  they  can  ever  be  found.  I  cannot 
say  in  whose  possession  they  are  now.  I  heard  of  no  money  being 
found  with  the  papers.  I  did  not  read  any  of  them  myself,  but 
merely  heard  others  read  them.  I  never  took  possession  of  any  but 
these  letters.  I  did  not  see  or  hear  of  any  letters  to  Reeder  the,re 
from  his  wife.  The  papers  were  read  before  the  crowd  ;  and  one  ar- 
ticle on  free  love,  said  to  be  in  Reeder 's  handwriting,  which  seemed 
to  cause  some  amusement.  I  did  not  hear  of  there  being  any  letters 
in  this  bundle  from  Mr.  Reeder's  family.  I  do  not  think  there  was 
any  particular  authority  for  taking  the  bonds  and  papers  to  Weston ; 
but  I  took  them  there  myself.  I  will  not  tell  in  whose  custody  I 
placed  them,  because  I  think  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  letters 
Drought  here.  No  communication  has  been  made  to  Mr.  Reeder,  or 
any  of  his  family,  at  Easton  Pennsylvania,  in  regard  to  these  papers, 
to  my  knowledge.  This  bundle  of  papers  was  picked  up  in  town, 
taken  to  camp,  and  there  read  to  some  persons  in  the  camp  ;  after 
which  they  came  into  my  possession  for  the  first  time.  In  the  fore- 
going testimony  I  do  not  mean  to  convey  the  idea  that  these  letters 
were  read  to  the  whole  crowd  in  the  town  as  soon  as  they  were  picked 
up,  for  I  did  not  hear  any  of  them  read  until  after  we  went  back  to 
camp. 

P.  L,  ABELL. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May '27, 1856. 
H:  Rep.  200 — -65* 


1026  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

D.  J.  JOHNSON  testifies : 

To  Mr.  Matthias  : 

When  the  difficulty  commenced  which  led  to  the  tarring  and  feather 
ing  of  Phillips,  politics  had  nothing  to  do  with  it.     Malcolm  Clarl 
had  been  killed,  and  an  inquest  was  held  on  his  body.     When  mon 
facts  were  brought  to  light  which  led  the  community  to  believe  tha 
Mr.  Phillips  was  accessory  to  the  death  of  Clark,  a  meeting  of  th 
citizens  was  called,  at  which  I  myself  made  a  speech,  and  declare^ 
that  if  politics  had  anything  to  do  with  Mr.  Phillips'  case,  I  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it.     It  was  believed  by  the  citizens  and  my) 
self  that  there  was  no  law  to  bring  Mr.  McCrea  or  Mr.  Phillips  to  pun 
ishment.     The  citizens  at  that  meeting  appointed  a  committee  of  te: 
men  to  inform  Mr.  Phillips  to  leave  town  in  five  or  ten  days,  or  som 
such  time.     At  the  time  appointed  for  him  to  leave,  there  was  a  larg 
number  of  the  citizens  assembled  on  the  levee,  who  instructed  t§ 
committee  to  go  and  see  if  Mr.  Phillips  had  left.     We  went  to  loo:i 
for  him  and  could  not  find  him.     We  reported  him  gone.     The  citt 
zens  refused  to  discharge  the  committee  as  they  were  certain  he  woul 
return.     He  did  return  that  night.     The  committee,  assembled  som 
two  or  three  days  after  that  and  arrested  Mr.  Phillips — took  him  ovf 
on  the  island  opposite  here,  and  there  took  a  vote  as  to  what  the' 
should  do  with  him,  after  he  had  refused  to  sign  a  written  agreeme 
to  leave  the  Territory.     A  majority  of  the  committee  voted  to  tar  ar 
feather  him.     The  committee  could  get  no  tar  and  feathers  this  si 
of  Rialto  ;  and  we  took  him  up  there  and  feathered  him  a  little  abo 
Rialto,  Missouri.     The  only  politics  ever  connected  with  the  affair  w 
afterwards  by  the  newspapers.     On  the  day  that  Malcolm  Clark  w 
killed  there  was  a  large  Delaware  squatter  meeting  to  regulate  the 
claims,  and  perhaps  elect  some  officers.     Mr.   McCrea,  I  think,  liv< 
on  Kickapoo  lands,  as  I  understood,  and  was  not  regarded  by  tl 
Delaware  squatters  as  a  member  of  this  meeting.  1  was  not  preset 
art  the  meeting,  but  was  sick,  until  after  I  heard  Malcolm  Clark 
dead. 

D.  J.  JOHNSON. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  30,  1856. 


Captain  JOHN  W.  MARTIN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1856,  about  11  o'clock  at  night,  I  go 
letter  from  Dr.  Motter,  of  Easton,  requesting  us  to  come  down  the 
and  assist  them  against  the  free-soilers,  who  were  going  to  drive  the 
out.  I  answered  his  note  by  telling  him  I  apprehended  no  dangc 
and  he  had  better  go  on  until  they  commenced  to  fight.  About  su 
rise  the  next  morning  I  received  another  note  from  him,  saying  tr. 
one  of  their  men  named  Cook  had  been  killed  by  the  free-soilers  t 
night  before.  I  then  went  down  to  Kickapoo,  and  told  the  men  wr 
had  happened,  and  showed  them  the  notes,  and  we  concluded,  a  go 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1027 


many  of  us,  to  go  out  to  Easton  and  see  -vhat  was  up.     We  started 
Off — citizens  of  the  place,  as  they  chose  to  go.     I  was  asked  if  I  was 
going  to  call  out  the  Kickapoo  Rangers,  and  I  said  I  was  not.     We 
went  about  three  miles  from  Kickapoo,  and  then  stopped  at  the  house 
of  a  man  named  Kenedy,  who  lived  on  the  military  road.     Some  of 
the  men  went  on  while  we  were  stopping  there.     They  had  been  gone 
some  five  or  ten  minutes,  and  we  heard  them  coming  back  in  company 
with  another  wagon.     They  came  up  and  said  they  had  caught  some 
men  from  Lawrence,  who  had  been  at  Easton  in  the  fight  the  night 
before.     That  caused  a  good  deal  of  excitement,  and;  some  questions 
were  raised  as  to  what  we  should  do  with  them.     Some  of  them  got 
into  a  fight  with  one  young  man  who  had  been  taken  in  the  wagon, 
by  the  name  of  Taylor.     I  was  asked  what  we  had  better  do  with  the 
party,  and  I  said  that  I  thought  it  would  be  better  to  take  them  back 
to  Easton,  and  then  we  could  see  who  they  were.     About  that  time, 
Dr.  Hotter  recognised  Mr.  Brown  as  being  the  captain  of  the  party 
who  were  in  the  fight  at  Easton  the  night  before.     Some  of  the  free- 
State  men  in  the  wagon  asked  me  what  we  were  going  to  do  with 
them,   and  I  told  them  we  were  going  to  take  them  back  to  Easton. 
,  They  asked  me  if  I  would  protect  them,  and  I  said  I  would,  so  far  as 
:  I  could.     I  requested  Mr.  D.  A.  N.  Grover  and  Mr.  Williams  to  get 
1 1  into  the  wagon  with  them,  to  protect  them  from  injury,  they  being 
sober,  discreet  men.    We  then  went  on  to  Easton,  and  all  of  the  free- 
i  State  men  got  out  of  the  wagon,  and  we  put  them  in  Mr.  Dawson's 
i  j  store  for  protection  against  some  of  the  men  who  had  got  to  drinking 
-j  and  had  become  excited.     Some  were  excited  before  we  got  there,  and 
belonged  to  the  party  who  had  been  there  the  night  before.     We 
I  found  no  free-State  men  in  Easton,  who  made  any  show  of  fight,  as 
;  had  been  represented  to  us.     I  took  Mr.  Brown  out  of  the  room  where 
i  we  had  placed  him  and  his  party,  and  took  him  into  another  room 
.  !  where  there  were  some  four  or  five  of  our  party,  in  order  that  we  might 
i  examine  him,  and  decide  what  was  best  to  be  done  with  him.     Dr. 
-  Motter  questioned  him  as  to  what  he  (Brown)  had  done  the  night  be- 
fore.    Brown  went  on  to  state  that  they  had  come  to  Easton  to  the 
election  to  vote,  and  to  defend  the  polls  if  necessary  ;  that  he  had  un- 
derstood that  the  Kickapoo  Rangers,  or  the  pro-slavery  party,  were 
coming  there  to  take  the  ballot-box  away  from  them.     He  stated  the 
cause  of  the  difficulty  of  the  night  before,  to  have  grown  out  of  the 
fact  that  Mr.  Sparks  was  going  from  Mr.  Minard's  house  home,  and  the 
news  came  to  Mr.  Minard's  that  Sparks  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and 
he  went  down  with  some  30  or  40  men  to  rescue  him.     They  went 
down  and  found  Sparks  up  in  a  corner  of  the  fence,  with  some  15  or 
20  men  around  him.     He  demanded  that  Sparks  should  be  given  up, 
and  they   did   so,  and   he   ordered   the   party  who  had   Sparks   to 
inarch  back  in  front  of  his  party.     They  refused  to  do  it,  and  told  him? 
to  go  before  and  they  would  come  after  him  ;  and  they  marched  that 
way  about  a  hundred  yards  to  where  the  road  forked.     He  (Brown) 
and  his  party  took  the  left-hand  road,  and  the   other  party  took  the 
right-han'd  road.     He  said  that  where  the  roads  are  about  40  or  50 
yards  apart,  and  the  two  parties  were  about  opposite  to  each  other, 
there  was  a  gun.  fired,  and  he  thought  it  was  from  the  pro-slavery 


1028  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

party,  and  he  and  his  party  then  returned  the  fire.  He  said  ther 
were  some  two  or  three  rounds  exchanged,  and  all  of  his  men  ran  off 
pretty  much,  and  went  up  to  Minard's. 

That,  I  think,  is  about  the  substance  of  what  he  said  at  that  tim 
about  the  matter. 

When  Brown  had  made  this  statement,  the  question  came  up  as  1 
what  we  should  do  with  him.     Myself  and  Mr.   Elliott,  Mr.   Grove 
and  Mr.  Burgess,  advised  them  to  bring  Brown  back  to  Leavenworl 
city,  and  place  him  in  the  hands  of  the  proper  authorities  her 
There  were  others  in  the  room  at  that  time  ;  and  I  went  out,  and  th 
crowd  asked  what  conclusion  we  had  come  to,  and  I  told  them.    The 
swore  that  would  not  do,  because  Brown  would  get  away  as  McCrei 
had,  and  they  were  determined  to  have  Brown  or  shoot  him.     I  to! 
them  that  would  be  wrong  and  cowardly,  as  Brown  was  a  prisone 
and  that  I  would  be  responsible  for  him — would  take  him  back  nr 
self,  and  he  should  not  get  away.     Several  other  men  promised  th! 
same  thing,  and  then  went  back  into  the  house  to  get  some  other  stead 
men  to  go  out  and  talk  with  the  crowd,  and  try  to  pacify  them  ;  am 
they  did  so.     While  I  was  in  the  room  some  drunken  men,  some  wii 
lived  out  on  the  Stranger,  some  from  Leavenworth,  and  probably  or 
or  two  from  Kickapoo,  but  none  who  belonged  to  the  Rangers,  broi 
open  the  door  of  the  room  and  came  in.     Myself,  Mr.  Rively,  and  M! 
Elliott  put  them  out  again.     After  the  crowd  got  out,  Mr.  Elliot 
who  was  an  old  gentleman,  advised  me  to  come  out,  as  the  cro^w 
would  kill  me  and  Brown  both.     He  said  he  would  not  stay  there  at 
be  exposed  to  such  a  set  of  drunken  fools,  and  advised  me  to  con 
away.     I  went  out  in  a  few  moments  afterwards,  and  went  into  tl 
other  room  where  the  rest  of  the  prisoners  were,  and  got  them  aw? 
while  the  crowd  was  breaking  the  second  time  into  the  room  whe 
Brown  was.     I  then  went  back  into  the  room  where  Brown  was,  ai 
the  crowd  succeeded  in  breaking  in  the  second  time.     Some  of  the 
caught  hold  of  him  and  tied  his  hands  with  a  rope,  and  some  tried 
shoot  him.     Mr.  Rives  and  myself  tried  to  protect  him  all  we  cou 
by  throwing  the  muzzles  of  the  guns  up  and  trying  to  take  them  aw* 
from  them.     Brown  said  I  had  done  all  I  could  do  to  save  him,  an 
if  he  was  killed  his  blood  would  not  be  on  my  head.     I  cursed  t1 
men,  and  told  them  they  were  doing  wrong,  and  declared  if  thl 
would  kill  Brown  in  spite  of  all  I  could  do,  I  would  not  stay  to  e 
them  do  it.     These  men  were  not  a  company  of  which  I  had  any  coi 
mand.     The  company  of  Kickapoo  Rangers  was  not  called  out,  ai 
the  only  way  I  had  any  control  over  those  who  were  there  was  by  e 
treaty  and  expostulation.     I  then  went  out  of  the  room,  and  got  r 
horse  and  went  home  to  Kickapoo,  after  having  done  all  in  my  povi 
to  prevent  any  harm  being  done  to  the  prisoners,  and  trying  to 
the  sober  men  to  put  the  drunken  men  in  the  wagons  and  bring 
away.     I  did  succeed  in  getting  some  of  the  more  sober  and  di 
men  to  come  away. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

We  started  from  Kickapoo  for  Easton  about  8  o'clock. 
Brown's  wagon  was  brought  up  to  Kennedy's,  I  suppose  our 


APFAIES.  1029 

party  consisted  of  about  forty  inen.  Kennedy's  is  about  fire  miles  from 
Easton.  Our  party  consisted  of  only  such  men  as  chose  to  go ;  but 
there  was  no  organization.  There  were  some  seven  of  Brown's  party 
with  the  driver,  I  think.  I  think  there  were  two  wagons  in  one  party, 
and  one  was  a  four-mule  wagon.  Some  of  Brown's  party,  when  we 
decided  to  take  them  back  to  Easton,  asked  who  was  the  captain  of 
our  party,  and  some  said  that  I  was.  Brown  himself  came  to  me  and 
asked  me  to  take  charge  of  his  pistol,  as  I  did  also  some  of  the  others 
of  his  men.  ISoine  of  them  gave  their  arms  to  others  of  our  paity. 
There  were  some  of  ours  in  Brown's  wagon,  and  I  think  Taylor  had 
»Sharpe's  rifle.  After  we  got  about  a  mile  from  Kennedy's,  a  man 
the  name  of  Green  gave  me  his  two  pistols.  I  do  not  know 
whether  all  of  Brown's  party  gave  their  arms  up  or  not.  When 
Brown's  party  came  up  to  Kennedy's  tirst  with  the  tour  or  rive  of  our 
party  who  had  gone  ahead  o'f  the  rest  of  us,  one  of  Brown's  party, 
wno  said  his  name  was  Taylor,  and  a  man  named  Gibson,  got  into  a 
fight.  Gibson  tried  to  strike  Taylor  with  a  hatchet,  but  not  while 
was  down.  I  do  not  think  Taylor  was  ever  down  on  the 
but  only  on  his  knees.  When  Gibson  struck  at  Taylor  with 
hatchet  Taylor  ran  away.  I  caught  hold  of  Gibson  as  he  was 
nmning  after  Taylor  and  stopped  him.  I  asked  Gibson  what  he 
nt,  and  he  said  Taylor  had  drawn  his  gun  on  him  when  they  first 
.  When  we  started  back,  Mr.  Adams,  I  think,  asked  me  if  we 
going  to  take  them  back  to  Easton,  and  I  told  them  we  were  ; 
he  asked  if  I  would  protect  them,  and  I  told  him  I  would  as  far 
as  I  could.  I  do  not  think  the  surrender  of  their  arms  was. connected 
'with  any  condition  or  promise  of  protection.  They  were  given  up  to 
•ferent  persons  of  our  party. 

Some  of  those  men  who  tied  Brown's  hands,  and  were  about  him 
when  the  crowd  broke  open  the  door  the  second  time,  were  Sharp, 
(Moore,  and  some  two  or  three  men  they  called  Moore.     Jo.  Moore 
(was  one  of  them,  though  I  did  not  know  them  ;  and  one  by  the  name 
ore,  (Eli  Moore,)  from  this  place.     He  seemed  to  be  pretty  active 
against  Brown,  and  against  what  I  desired  to  have  done.     There  were 
B*678  *n  *ne  room  engaged  in  the  affair  that  I  did  not  know.     I  do 
recollect  of  seeing  Gibson  there  in  the  room.     It  was  about  sun- 
when  I  left,  and  I  do  not  think  any  one  had  harmed  Brown 
There  was  a  great  uproar  about  Brown  in  the  room,  and  also 
ide  the  house.     As  far  as  I  could  hear,  Brown  desired  the  crowd 
ID  follow  my  advice,  and  bring  him  back  to  Leaven  worth.     There 
were  more  than  a  dozen  in  the  room  when  they  broke  in  the  second 
ame  :  but  there  were  a  great  many  outside.     I  have  never  heard  any 
•an  say  he  struck  Brown  any  blow,  and  I  never  desired  to  hear  any- 
tiling  about  the  matter.     I  do  not  know  whether  the  arms  given  up 
>y  Brown's  party  were  ever  returned.     I  did  not  keep  the  arms,  but 
*ave  them  to  some  of  the  men.     Brown's  pistol  was  sent  for  by  his 
rife,  and  I  gave  it  to  the  messenger.     Mr.  Grove  sent  for  his,  and  I 
lad  loaned  them  to  some  one,  and  had  forgotten  who  had  borrowed 
•hem  ;  and  I  did  not  know  the  pistols.     I  sent  word  to  Grove  that  if 
ie  would  come  up  I  would  assist  him  in  finding  them. 

J.  W.  MAKTIK. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


1030  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

WILEY  WILLIAMS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  know  nothing  of  the  circumstances  that  led  to  the  killing  of 
Brown.     I  lived  in  Kickapoo  last  January,  but  I  went  with  some  citi- 
zens to  Easton.     As  I  went  down  to  Kickapoo  in  the  morning  from 
my  house,  Capt.  Martin  to]d  me  that  he  had  received  a  despatch  from 
Dr.  Hotter,  of  Easton,  that  there  had  been  an  election  of  the  free- 
State  party  the  day  before  ;  and  about  seventy-five  men,  commanded 
by  a  Mr.  Brown,  had  attacked,  in  the  night,  a  party  of  pro-slavery 
men,  consisting  of  about  fifteen,  in  the  town  of  Easton,  and  shot  at 
and  wounded  Mr.  Cook,  who  at  that  time  was  perhaps  dead;  and  thai 
this  man  said  that  there  would  be  a  hundred  and  fifty  free-State  mer 
on  the  ground  the  next  day  for  a  fight.     Capt.  Martin  said  that  then 
were  but  few  of  the  pro-slavery  party  in  Easton  to  protect  themselves — < 
not  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  he  knew  of  in  that  neighborhood — anc 
he  thought  it  was  right  and  just  for  us  to  go  out  as  law-abiding  citii 
zens  and  stop  the  difficulties  that  might  arise  on  either  side.     I  tolc 
him  that  I  would  go  out  as  a  citizen  to  assist  in  suppressing  the  diffi.' 
culties,  but  that  I  would  not  go  as  one  of  the  company  of  Kickapo* 
Eangers.     Capt.  Martin  said  that  it  had  been  proposed  to  him  bytw* 
or  three  of  the  company,  to  have  them  called  out  to  go  as  a  company) 
He  had  told  them  he  had  no  right  to  call  them  out  unless  ordered  by  thi 
governor,  or  some  legal  authority  ;  and  therefore  he  should  not  call 
them  out.  .  I  agreed  with  him  in  that  opinion.     I  suppose  some  fifteen 
or  twenty  of  us  started  from  Kickapoo  for  Easton ;  some  on  horseback 
some  on  foot,  and  one  wagon,  with  about  five  in  it.     It  is  about  te. 
miles  to  Kickapoo  from  Easton.     There  were  not  more  than  six  < 
the  Kickapoo  Rangers  in  the  fifteen  or  twenty  who  started  with  u 
We  went  on  about  four  miles  from  Kickapoo,  and  stopped  at  a  Mi 
Kennedy's,  on  the  road,  to  warm  ourselves.     Before  we  got  to  Mi 
Kennedy's,  we  met  a  wagon  with  two  men  in  it,  and  they  Burned  the" 
wagon  and  went  back  with  us,  after  we  had  told  them  what  we  hear 
had  occurred  at  Easton.     After  we  had  been  at  Kennedy's  a  few  mil 
utes,  Capt.  Martin  came  tome  and  said,  "  Williams,  get  in  our  wage* 
and  go  on  with  our  boys — we  will  come  after  you  ;  there  are  two  c 
three  of  the  boys  drinking  a  little,,  and  as  you  do  not  drink  any,  yo 
can  see  that  they  behave  themselves.     If  you  meet  any  persons  on  tt 
road  before  I  catch  up  with  you,  treat  them  gentlemanly,  and  ha\ 
no  difficulty  with  them  if  you  can  help  it."     I  started  off  with  th 
boys  and  wagon,  and  when  we  had  got  between  half  a  mile  and 
mile,  the  wagon  that  had  turned  back  to  Kennedy's  with  us  was  aboi 
two  hundred  yards  ahead  of  our  wagon.     We  saw  a  wagon  pass  thii 
and  come  towards  us  with  some  six  or  seven  men.     I  saw  Mr.  Hodgq 
in  our  first  wagon  look  back  towards  the  wagon  that  they  met,  aDi 
motion  his  hand.     He  immediately  turned  his  wagon  and  came  toware 
us,  some  forty  or  fifty  steps  behind  the  wagon  he  had  met,  and  whic 
was  coming  towards  us.     When  the  wagon  got  within  some  five  or  si 
steps  of  ours,  I  said  to  the  boys,  < c  Boys,  there's  a  party  of  the  pro-slavei 
men  just  from  Easton.     The  difficulty  is  all  over,  and  we  will  £ 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1031 

back.    Levi,  turn  your  wagon. ' '    Levi  Bowman  was  driving  the  wagon, 
and  did  not  turn  as  I  asked  him  to  do,  but  said  he  did  not  believe 
they  were  pro-slavery  men.    I  told  him,  l fl  know  better;  there  is  Mr. 
Oldham  driving,  and  I  know  him  to  be  a  good  pro-slavery  man." 
About  this  time  they  got  nearly  opposite  our  wagon.     I  said  to  them 
"  How  do  you  do,  gentlemen?"  being  pretty  confident  that  it  was  Mr. 
Oldham.    I  said,  "  Is  the  difficulty  over  at  Easton  ?  tell  us  the  news/' 
A  man  sitting  in  the  wagon,  whom.  I  learned  afterwards  was  Mr. 
Brown,  did  not  make  any  reply,  but  turned  around  to  the  men  sitting 
back  of  him  and  looked  pretty  savage,  motioned  to  the  company  with 
i  his  hand,  and  they  seemed  to  assent  silently  to  something.     I  then 
said,  "  Boys,  I  certainly  am  not  mistaken  ;  that  is  Mr.  Oldham,  and 
they  are  trying  to  play  a  trick  off  on  us. "  They  moved  very  slowly,  and 
by  this  time  had  got  a  little  past  our  wagon.     I  said  to  them  again, 
"  Gentlemen,  please  to  tell  us  the  news  ;  we  have  started  to  Easton, 
and  if  there  is  no  difficulty  at  Easton  we  want  to  go  back.     Is  that 
Mr.  Oldham  driving,  or  am  I  mistaken?"     This  man  Brown  seemed 
again  to  rule  the  company  by  a  motion  of  his  hand  ;  and  nothing  more 
was  said  by  any  of  the  party.     Brown's  driver  seemed  to  make  a  kind 
of  a  halt.     One  of  our  boys  said,  "they  are  a  set  of  abolitionists,  and 
will  not  give  a  man  an  answer  when  he  asks  them  in  that  gentlemanly 
1 1  kind  of  style."     Two  or  three  of  our  boys  became  excited;  I  told  them 
i  to   keep   cool  and   say  nothing — I  would  ascertain  who  they   were, 
i   I  then  looked  on  the  other  side,   and  saw  the  other  wagon — Mr. 
|  Hodges'  wagon.     One  of  the  boys  in  that  wagon  took  up  his  gun; 
1 1  and  hallooed  to  Brown's  wagon,  and  told  them  if  they  did  not  stop  he 
j  would  shoot  them.     Brown's  wagon  was  seventy-five  yards,  perhaps 
I  less,  from  ours.     When  one  of  our  men  said  that  those  in  Brown's 
:j  wagon  were  abolitionists,  another  of  our  men  asked  them  if  they  were 
abolitionists  or  pro- slavery  men  ?     I  heard  no  answer  ;  but  one  of  our 
|  men  said  that  he  heard  Brown  say  that  he  answered  no  such  damned 
I  questions.     When  one  in  Hodges'  wagon  said  that  he  would  shoot 
i  them  if  they  did  not  stop,  Brown's  wagon  stopped,  and  seven  men  got 
,;!  out  and  faced  about  in  pretty  good  order  I  thought,  towards  us,  shoul- 
;  i  der  to  shoulder.     The  driver  did  not  get  out.     When  Brown  got  out 
i  he  held  his  gun  about  half  presented,  and  the  others  not  so  much  so. 
Bowman,  our  driver,  then  picked  up  his  gun  and  said  he  would  shoot. 
I  caught  him  by  his    pantaloons  and  pulled  him  down  on  the  seat. 
When  he  put  down  his  gun,  I  then  told  the  boys  to  raise  no  fuss,  and 
:  not  to  shoot ;  that  that  was  certainly  Mr.  Oldham,  and  they  were  try- 
ing to  play  off  a  trick  on  us,  and  I  would  go  and  see  them.     Two  of 
the  boys  in  our  wagon  said  they  were  younger  than  I  was,  and  they 
would  go  and  see  who  they  were.     I  said,  talk  to  them  coolly.     Find 
out^who  they  are,  and  what  they  are  after.     Brown's  party  still  kept 
their  ground.     Our  boys  passed  by  them  instead  of  talking,  to  them, 
as  directed  by  me.     Brown  and  his  party  then  started  on  foot  and 
followed  our  boys  on  towards  Kennedy's.     I  then  said,  "  Boys,  we 
will  go  on  and  see  what  they  are  after,"  &c.     Some  of  the  boys  got 
out  of  our  wagon  and  went  on  foot,  and  when  two  or  three  of  us  in  the 
wagon  got  to  Kennedy's,  I  saw  Brown  and  his  party  in  our  crowd  ex- 
cept the  driver,  who  was  in  Brown's  wagon.     One  or  two  of  the  pro- 


1032  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

slavery  party  were  fighting  them.     Brown's  party  were  not  fighting 
at  all.     Capt.  Martin  was  trying  to  keep  peace,  and  commanded  our 
boys  not  to  touch  them.     I  went  to  Martin  and  asked  him  not  to  let 
those  men  he  hurt,  as  they  were  in  the  hands  of  the  pro-slavery  party, 
who  greatly  outnumbered  them.     Martin  said  he  had  been  trying  all 
he  could,  but  two  of  the  boys  were  drinking,,  and  swore  they  would 
have  a  fight.     By  this  time  a  young  man  of  Brown's  party,,  named 
Taylor,  whom  one'of  the  pro-slavery  men  had  been  fighting,  ran  up 
to  me  rather  for  protection.     His  cap  was  cut,  as  he  said,  with  a 
hatchet.     He  asked  me  what  he  should  do  ;  and  if  they  would  kill 
him  ;  and  if  he  had  better  run.     T  told  him  no  ;  that  the  boys  were 
excited,  and  might  shoot  him,  and  I  would  protect  him  as  long  as 
I  could  stand  up,  as  he  said  he  had  been  taken  a  prisoner.     While  we 
were  talking,  I  saw  a  man,  whom  I  do  not  now  recollect,  running 
towards  Taylor  with  a  hatchet  in  his  hand  ;  and  I  saw  Capt.  Martin, 
and  Taylor  saw  him  about  the  same  time,  and  asked  if  that  was  Capt. 
Martin  ?     I  told  him  it  was,  and  I  called  the  Captain  to  me,  and  he 
came  towards  me.     I  asked  him  not  to  let  those  men  be  hurt.     He  said 
he  would  not  if  he  could  help  it.     I  then  called  Major  Berry,  at  which 
time  he  seemed  to  be  keeping  some  one  from  fighting  one  of  Brown's 
party.     I  asked  him  if  he  was  assisting  in  keeping  order,  and  he  said  he 
was.    Mr.  Taylor  and  Capt.  Martin  were  standing  by  me ;  and  Mr.  Mar- 
tin said  to  me  that  it  was  damned  strange  that  two  or  three  of  the  boys, 
who  had  been  drinking,  and  who  had  been  the  cause  of  the  whole 
fighting  here,  could  not  be  kept  in  subjection  by  that  crowd.     The 
difficulty  there  was  then  suppressed.     Captain  Martin  selected  two  or  • 
three  men — Dan  Grover  was  one  of  them — to  go  into  Brown's  wagon 
with  his  men,  as  they  were  taken  back  to  Easton,  and  see  that  they 
were  not  ill-treated.     We  all  then  went  en  to  Easton  ;  and  when  we 
got  there,  there  were  a  good  many  of  the  pro-slavery  party  at  the  store 
of  Dawson — two  or  three  drinking  ;  and  there  appeared  to  be  a  good 
deal  of  excitement.     One  of  them  swore  he  would  kill  Brown  ;  that 
he  was  the  damned  rascal  that  shot  Cook  the  night  before.     I  asked 
how  he  knew  that ;  and  he  said  he  saw  him  do  it.     Brown's  wagon 
had  got  there,  and  he  and  his  party  had  been  put  in  Dawson's  store. 
I  went  into  the  store,  saw  Brown  and  his  party  there,  and  there  was 
no  person  saying  anything  to  them  ;  but  there  was  a  great  deal  of  ex- 
citement outside.     I  went  to  a  house  about  two  hundred  yards  from 
the  store  to  see  Mr.  Cook,  who  had  been  shot.     I  went  back  to  the 
store  in  about  an  hour  afterwards,  and  Brown  and  his  party  were  still 
in  the  store.     About  that  time  Brown  was  taken  out  of  the  store.     I 
did  not  see  how  he  went.     In  about  twenty  minutes  I  went  out  and 
asked  where  Brown  was.     Some  one  told  me  he  was  in  Dr.  Motter's 
drug-store,  adjoining  Dawson's  store.     I  asked  what  they  were  going 
to  do  with  him ;  and  that  person  said  he  did  not  know,  but  he  be- 
lieved they  would  hang  him.  About  this  time  two  men,  I  was  told,  whoi 
hired  about  Easton,  and  had  been  in  the  fight  the  night  before,  came 
up  near  the  door  and  said  that  they  might  as  well  hang  him  ;  if  they 
did  not,  they  would  shoot  him.     They  had  guns;  and  one  said  he 
would  shoot  Brown,  and  said  to  the  other,  "  I  will  go  around  to  the 
back  window  and  shoot  through  now,  God  damn  him."     He  was 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1033 

pretty  drunk  at  the  time,  as  I  thought.  I  followed  him  around,  and 
put  my  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  told  him  not  to  do  so  hy  any  means 
in  the  world.  By  this  time  Captain  Martin  came  up  where  I  was, 
and  said  to  this  man,  "  God  damn  your  soul,  if  you  do  not  stop  tell- 
ing about  shooting,  I  will  shoot  some  of  you."  I  turned  around  and 
saw  an  old  gentleman  hy  the  name  of  Elliott,  and  asked  him  what  he 
thought  of  the  proceedings,  and  what  they  were  doing  in  there  with 
Brown?  Said  he,  "  I  do  not  know  ;  these  drunken  rebels  are  acting 
so,  I  cannot  get  in  there."  I  asked  him  what  he  thought  ought  to  be 
done?  He  said,  "  Why,  we  have  laws  here;  I  think  we  ought  to 
take  him  and  have  him  tried  before  Judge  Lecompton  ;  what  do  you 
think  of  that?"  I  said  that  was  decidedly  my  opinion,  and  that  I 
had  consulted  with  Judge  Kussell,  and  he  and  Captain  Martin  and 
others  were  of  the  same  opinion.  Directly  after  that,  I  said  I  would 
try  to  get  into  the  house  and  see  what  they  were  doing.  Squire  El- 
liott said  he  wished  I  would,  and  proposed  that  we  should  try  and  get 
the  boys  home,  and  let  Brown  be  dealt  with  according  to  law  ;  and 
that  from  what  he  had  understood.,  Brown  had  confirmed  many  to 
hang  him.  I  then  went  to  the  door.  A  man  followed  me  there  with 
a  gun  in  his  hand,  who  I  understood  afterwards  lived  near  Easton. 
He  said  to  me,  cc  If  you  go  in  there  I  will  go  in  too,  and  shoot  that 
God  damned  abolitionist  Brown,  for  I  intend  to  kill  him."  I  do  not 
think  I  learned  his  name.  I  did  hear  that  it  was  a  man  named  Moore, 
so  some  thought  from  my  description.  I  knocked  at  the  door,  and  it  was 
immediately  partly  opened,  and  this  man  rushed  in  before  me.  Cap- 
tain Martin  was  either  in  there  or  went  in  there  about  that  time.  I 
stood  at  the  door  and  saw  Captain  Martin  catch  this  man's  gun  as  he 
said  he  would  shoot  Brown,  and  seemed  to  try  to  take  it  away  from 
him,  cursed  him  and  told  him  he  should  not  shoot,  and  lhat  he  was 
a  damned  fool.  In  the  encounter  Captain  Martin  and  this  man  fell, 
rather  up  against  the  house.  I  did  not  go  in,  but  went  away  just  at 
that  time.  Directly  I  saw  Captain  Martin  outside,  and  asked  him 
what  we  should  do  ?  He  asked  what  I  thought  should  be  done  ?  I 
said  that  we  should  take  Brown  down  to  Leavenworth  City  and  give 
him  up  to  the  civil  authorities.  He  said  "  I  can't  do  anthing,  nor  you 
either  ;  let  us  go  home.  Go  and  get  in  the  wagon,  and  if  any  of 
these  drunken  sons  of  bitches  want  to  stay  here  let  them  stay.  I  have 
done  all  I  could  do  with  them.  But  look  around  for  the  boys  a  little 
and  tell  them  we  will  go."  I  then  went  to  see  if  I  could  find  any  of 
the  boys,  and  saw  two  or  three  by  the  door  of  the  house  where  Brown 
still  was.  One  of  them  I  knew,  and  he  lived  in  Kickapoo.  I  asked 
where  our  boys  were  that  came  in  our  wagon?  He  said  he  thought 
one  or  two  of  them  were  in  the  house  where  Brown  was.  I  knocked 
at  the  door.  It  was  opened,  and  I  went  in.  They  were  then  taking  a 
rope  from  off  Brown's  hands,  which  seemed  to  have  been  tied.  Brown 
was  then  standing  in  the  corner,  with  some  four  or  five  boys  standing 
around,  and  some  were  talking  rather  harsh  to  him.-  One  of  them 
was  named  Sharp,  from  Kickapoo.  The  other  I  did  not  know,  but 
was  told  they  lived  about  Easton.  I  said,  "  Boys  what  in  the  world  are 
you  doing  ?  You  have  been  fooling  here  all  day,  and  it  is  now  almost, 
night  and  it  is  time  for  us  to  go  home."  Brown  then  said,  speak- 


1034  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


ing  to  me,  " My  friend,  can  you  do  anything  for  me?   I  am  in  a 
condition."    I  was  just  about  saying  something,  when  some  thre 


bad 

^^^  three  or 

four  persons  got  in  between  us,  and  I  did  not  get  to  speak  to  him.  I 
then  started  out,  and  said,  "  Boys,  let  us  go  home.  The  only  way  ot 
deal  with  Brown  is  according  to  law."  I  went  out  ;  the  first  man  I 
met  was  Levi  Bowman,  our  driver.  I  told  him  to  get  into  our  wagon 
and  we  would  go  home  ;  and  then  he,  Robert  Wooding,  and  myself 
got  into  the  wagon,  which  was  about  fifty  yards  from  the  house  where 
Brown  was. 

After  we  had  got  in  the  wagon  we  saw  a  good  many  men  around 
the  door  of  Dr.  Motter's,  where  Brown  was;  and  some  one  in  the 
crowd  up  there  said,  "  Come  here,  Bob  Gribson."  Bob  was  then  com- 
ing towards  our  wagon  j  but  when  called,  turned  around  and  said, 
"  What  in  hell  do  you  want  with  me?"  The  other  one  said,  "Come 
here,  you  and  Brown  are  to  fight ;  and  whichever  whips,  that  shall 
settle  the  question,  and  he  has  agreed  to  it."  I  saw  some  persons 
then  come  out  of  Motter's  office  with  Brown,  and  when  he  came  out 
there  was  a  crowd  some  twenty  or  thirty  about  the  office.  They  then 
went  across  the  road,  taking  Brown  with  them,  and  went  behind  a 
log-house,  as  I  supposed,  to  fight.  The  two  men  who  were  in  the 
wagon  with  me  got  out  and  went  around  there,  leaving  me  alone  in 
the  wagon,  having  asked  me  to  go  ;  which  I  refused,  saying,  I  did  not 
believe  in  such  fighting,  and  I  could  do  no  good  if  I  went  and  com- 
manded the  peace. 

It  was  then  between  sundown  and  dark.  After  they  had  been  gone 
a  very  short  tkne,  I  heard  hollooing  behind  the  house,  "  Hurrah  for 
Gibson,"  "  Hurrah  for  Brown."  In  a  short  time  after  that,  I  saw 
Brown  come  running  towards  the  wagon  I  was  in,  his  wagon  being 
close  to  mine,  with  the  driver  still  in  it.  I  said,  "Come  on,  Brown,  and 

fet  in."  Several  of  the  boys  were  close  behind  him  ;  and  one3 1  do  not 
now  who  he  was,  struck  Brown  in  the  face  and  turned  him  around. 
That  was  not  more  than  ten  steps  from  my  wagon.  As  he  turned,  I 
saw  the  blood  spouting  out  of  his  head  or  neck,  I  could  not  tell  which. 
He  turned  and  ran  down  the  lane,  and  was  pursued.  Some  person 
fired  a  gun,  but  I  saw  it  as  it  went  off,  pointed  up  in  the  air.  Brown 
was  caught  and  brought  back,  put  in  his  wagon,  and  we  all  then 
started  home,  Brown's  wagon  going  on  with  us.  We  stopped  about 
half  a  mile  from  Easton,  at  a  grocery  kept  by  Martin  Hefness,  and 
Brown's  wagon  stopped  also.  I  asked  some  of  the  boys  if  Brown  was 
hurt  badly  ;  and  some  said  he  was,  and  he  was  bleeding  very  bad.  I 
had  borrowed  a  large  buffalo-robe  of  Dr.  Motter  before  I  started  from 
Easton,  and  while  the  boys  went  into  Hefness' s  I  went  to  see  Brown 
in  his  wagon,  and  said,  u  Brown,  how  do  you  feel?  Are  you  badly 
hurt?"  He  said,  "  I  think  I  am  not  very  badly  hurt,  but  I  am  very 
cold."  I  then  told  him  if  he  would  accept  of  my  robe,  he  was  welcome 
to  it.  He  said  he  had  a  blanket  over  him,  and  he  wanted  me  to  keep 
the  robe,  or  I  would  get  cold.  I  insisted  upon  his  taking  it,  but  he 
refused,  as  he  said  I  needed  it  myself.  I  then  went  back  to  our  wagon 
and  got  in  it,  and  we  went  on  towards  home — Brown's  wagon  going 
along  before  ours.  When  we  got  to  Kennedy's,  about  six  miles  from 
Easton,  Brown's  wagon  and  some  of  our  party  went  the  Leaven  wort' 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1035 

road  ;  some  of  the  Kickapoo  boys  went  that  way  that  I  know  of ;  but 
we  all  went  on  home. 

WILEY  WILLIAMS. 
LBAVBNWOETH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  26,  1856. 


ISAAC  S.  HASCALL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  in  1854  and  went  up  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Fort  Riley,  and  settled  there.  In  the  spring  of  1855 — I  think 
the  first  part  of  March — General  Pomeroy  came  up  there,  saying  he 
was  looking  out  locations  for  the  men  coming  out  under  the  Emi- 
grant Aid  Society,  and  concluded  to  settle  a  quantity  of  them  at  the 
mouth  of  Blue  river,  and  made  arrangements  with  a  Presbyterian 
minister  from  Illinois,  named  Blood,  with  regard  to  their  coming  on. 
Shortly  after  that  a  party  of  some  forty  or  fifty  came  in  from  the  New 
England  States,  by  the  way  of  Lawrence.  After  staying  a  short  time 
with  the  party,  he  left  to  bring  up  more  recruits.  He  came  back  with 
a  few  more,  and  then  left  again  for  the  New  England  States.  He  said 
he  was  paid  by  the  Aid  Society  to  lecture  in  the  East  to  drum  up  per- 
sons to  come  to  Kansas.  He  said  his  object  was  to  make  it  a  free 
State.  A  Methodist  preacher  from  New  Hampshire,  of  the  name  of 
Lovejoy,  was  one  of  the  men  who  came  out  with  Lincoln.  He  said 
he  came  solely  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State  ;  that 
he  did  not  like  the  country,  but  would  remain  there  for  that  purpose. 
Lincoln  said  he  had  a  free  pass  to  go  back  upon  ;  that  he  went  free  ; 
that  it  did  not  cost  him  anything.  This  company,  in  connection  with 
a  Cincinnati  company,  mobbed  Osborne,  and  drove  him  off  his  claim. 
There  was  a  company  who  came  from  Cincinnati,  chartering  a  boat 
by  the  name  of  "  Hartford,"  and  called  themselves  the  Cincinnati 
Land  Company.  They  were  free-State  men.  Osborne  came  on  and 
made  a  claim  near  the  mouth  of  the  Blue  river,  and  they  said  that 
unless  they  ousted  him  immediately  he  could  hold  his  claim  by  law. 
They  alleged  against  him  that  he  was  a  pro-slavery  man  ;  that  they 
never  could  associate  with  him  ;  that  they  must  get  rid  of  him  soon 
or  he  would  hold  his  claim  by  law,  and  consequently  they  would  use 
force  to  make  him  go.  The  first  company  that  came  on  from  the 
New  England  States  were  the  oneis  who  took  the  most  active  part  in 
this  matter,  and  the  reverend  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  the  noisiest  one  among 
them.  He  said  that  he  wanted  none  but  his  kind  of  men  to  settle  in 
that  country ;  and  the  substance  of  what  he  said  was,  that  they  would 
rid  the  country  of  that  kind  of  men  if  they  could.  Osborne  made  his 
claim  about  the  time  this  company  got  there.  I  have  no  knowledge 
of  his  claim  conflicting  with  any  claim  that  was  there.  A  man  by 
the  name  of  Russell  went  on  the  claim  the  winter  before,  but  he  left, 
and  said  that  he  did  not  intend  to  come  back  again,  as  he  was  dis- 
gusted with  the  country.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  had  anything  to 
do  with  this  company  or  not,  or  whether  he  sold  the  claim  to  them  or 


1036  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

not.     Osborne  did  not  go  on  the  claim  until  after  Russell  left ;  and 
there  was  no  conflict  that  I  know  of  between  Osborne  and  Russell. 
The  company  collected  in  a  force  of  thirty  or  thirty-five  men  and 
went  upon  the  claim  where  he  was  at  work,  and  forcibly  seized  him 
and  took  him  off.     Before  they  gathered  this  force  I  was  down  near 
where  the  boat  "  Hartford"   lay,  in  the  Kansas  river,  and  I  heard 
this  man  Lincoln  advise  the  men  generally  to  mob  him,  as  that  was 
the  only  way  to  get  rid  of  him.     The  substance  of  their  desire  to  get 
rid  of  him  was,  that  he  was  not  a  man  of  their  stripe,  and  they  did 
not  want  any  such  man  there.     I  think  there  were  five  preachers  in 
the  crowd  who  had  a  hand  in  getting  this  thing  up — four  Methodists 
and  one  Presbyterian.     After  seizing  Osborne  and  taking  him  by 
force  down  to  the  boat  they  kept  him  a  prisoner  for  a  while,  and  then 
let  him  off.     They  told  that  if  he  left,  and  did  not  show  his  head  again, 
his  neck  would  be  safe,  but  if  he  did  come  back  they  would  do  some- 
thing serious  to  him.     Osborne  had  a  friend  by  the  name  of  Garrett, 
living  up  on  Blue  river,  and  he  went  up  there.     Garrett' s  brother 
was  a  clerk  on  the  boat  "  Financier,"  which  lay  above,  in  the  river. 
He  went  up  to  that  boat.,  and  when  on  his  way  back  they  arrested 
him,  without  claiming  to  have  any  legal  warrant  to  arrest  him  upon 
any  criminal  charge.    They  made  an  allegation  against  him  as  a  rea- 
son for  arresting  him  the  second  time,  that  he  had  threatened  the  life 
of  Captain  Miller  for  the  proceedings  the  day  before.     And  as  Os- 
borne stopped  at  my  house  and  took  dinner  the  day  before,  they 
thought,  I  suppose,  that  I  could  give  some  evidence  against  him,  and 
they  came  out  on  the  claim  where  I  was  at  work,  and  demanded  that 
I  should  give  evidence  against  him.     One  man  on  each  side  had  hold 
of  Osborne' s   coat-collar,  pulling  him   along,  and  one  behind  was 
pushing  him  along,  and  one  was  walking  before  him,  swinging  a 
cane  over  his  head.     In  this  manner  the  man  was  brought  up  to 
where  I  was  at  work.     I  refused  to  give  testimony  against  him  until 
they  showed  some  authority  for  doing  so.     They  said  they  had  ar- 
rested him,  and  intended  to  deal  with  him,  and  threatened  me  when 
I  refused  to  give  testimony  against  him.    I  demanded  their  authority, 
and  they  gave  me  to  understand  that  their  authority  was  in  their  own 
strong  hands.    They  tried  to  intimidate  me,  and  get  me  to  state  some- 
thing that  they  alleged  I  knew  against  him.     After  some  parley,  I 
gave  them  to  understand  that  I  knew  nothing  against  the  man. 
They  then  carried  him  back  to  the  boat  in  the  same  manner  they  had 
brought  him  up  to  where  I  was.     They  put  him  in  the  cabin,  and 
stationed  a  guard  over  him.     I  followed  the  party  to  the  boat  when 
they  took  him  there.     There  was  a  man  from  Arkansas  camped  a 
short  distance  up  the  river,  and  I  went  after  him  to  get  him  to  assist 
Osborne.     The  people  said  we  were  making  some  stir  in  the  matter  ; 
and  they  brought  his  horse  down,  and  brought  Osborne  out  and  told 
him  if  he  left  it  was  all  well  and  good,  but  if  he  did  not  they  would 
fix  him.    Osborne  then  left,  and  has  not  been  back  there  since.    One  of 
the  Cincinnati  company  stated  that  they  intended  to  regulate  matters 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  and  if  a  man  settled  there  he  would  have 
to  come  under  their  regulations.     When  Osborne  was  brought  up  to 
me,  one  of  the  company  was  riding  Osborne' s  horse  around  as  if  try- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1037 

ing  his  speed.  This  company  have  now  staked  out  Oshorne's  claim 
into  a  town,  called  Manhattan.  I  have  never  known  anything  against 
Oshorne  ;  he  seemed  to  he  a  young  man  of  intelligence,  and  moved  in 
the  hest  circles  in  the  Territory.  I  think  Oshorne's  given  name  was 
W.  J.  or  J.  W.  Since  that  time  he  has  heen  made  postmaster  at 
Wyandott. 

I  understand,  from  the  company  these  four  methodist  preacher 
came  with,  that  they  came  from  the  New  England  States.  I  came 
from  New  York,  where  I  was  horn,  to  this  Territory. 

Cross-examined  hy  Mr.  Sherman : 

Mr.  Oshorne  was  from  New  York,  I  think  from  Schoharie  county. 
I  came  from  Erie  county.  The  Manhattan  Town  Company  came  from 
Cincinnati.  They  set  up  some  claim  to  the  land  after  they  drove  off 
Oshorne.  They  claimed  that  they  got  their  claim  from  this  New  Eng- 
land company.  They  allege  that  Oshorne  had  jumped  the  claim  he 
was  on.  I  did  not  understand  from  them  that  the  question  had  heen 
tried  hy  a  squatters'  court,  and  I  think  it  had  not.  There  was  a  case 
subsequent  to  that  where  a  person  was  driven  off  his  claim  hy  this 
company  ;  I  "believe  it  is  not  an  unusual  thing  for  disputes  to  arise  and 
for  men  to  he  driven  off  their  claims  in  this  Territory.  Osborne 
claimed  to  he  a  strong  pro-slavery  man  at  that  time. 

To  Mr.  King: 

The  New  England  company  they  claimed  to  get  their  title  from 
was  the  one  that  came  on  under  Lincoln.  The  Cincinnati  company 
came  in  there  as  a  separate  organization,  hut  united  with  the  New 
England  company  afterwards.  I  heard  of  no  pretence  hy  that  com- 
pany of  holding  a  title  under  Kussell.  They  claimed  it  hy  a  gift  from 
some  of  their  own  party. 

ISAAC  S.  HASCALL. 

WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  5,  1856. 


PETER  T.  ABELL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I,  with  a  number  of  persons  of  Atchison,  of  this  Territory,  was  at 
Lawrence  a  few  days  ago  with  the  United  States  marshal's  posse.  During 
the  time  we  were  there,  some  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  posse  from  my 
town  picked  up  those  letters,  with  a  number  of  others,  and  other  papers, 
near  the  big  hotel,  and  handed  them  to  me.  The  papers  that  were 
with  those  letters  were  notes  and  bonds,  and  other  letters,  directed, 
some  to  A.  H.  Keeder  and  some  to  Grosvenor  P.  Lowry.  The  reason 
that  I  am  not  willing  to  surrender  them — but  have  prepared  copies  for 
this  investigation — is,  that  I  have  been  requested  to  give  them  to 
the  atttorney  general. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  did  not  regard  the  letters  in  any  light  at  all  when  I  received  them, 


1038  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

either  as  private  or  otherwise,  for  they  were  handed  to  me  while  I 
was  then  in  the  posse,  and  I  took  them  and  heard  them  read  ;  and  the 
gentleman  who  read  the  letters  said,  that,  as  Keeder  was  one  of  the 
persons  the  marshal  wished  to  arrest,  he  thought  it  right  to  look  into 
his  letters  after  hearing  his  letters  read.     I  supposed  they  were  private 
letters,  written  "by  Keeder  to  Lowry,  hut  I  had  no  regard  about  them, 
as  there  was  much  confusion  there.     Many  were  about  there  at  the 
time,  and  I  took  them  when  they -were  handed  to  me.     I  have  ex- 
hibited the  letters  to  others  since  then.     I  do  not  know  as  I  can  recol- 
lect all  who  have  seen  them.     They  have  been  read  since  they  came 
into  my  possession  ;  and  I  do  not  recollect  of  but  two  or  three  indi- 
viduals who  have  read  them  since  I  came  back  here.     I  do  not  know 
the  private  relations  between  Mr.  Lowry  and  Gov.  Eeeder.     I  have 
heard,  since  I  came  here,  for  the  first  time,  that  Mr.  Lowry  was  Gov. 
Keeder's  private  secretary.     The  question  of  the  propriety  of  exhibt- 
ing  these  letters  has  never  been  raised  by  the  persons  I  have  shown  i 
them  to,  or  who  have  heard  them  read.     At  the  times  the  letters  were 
read,  it  was  said  that  Keeder  was  one  of  the  very  men  the  marshal 
wished  to  arrest ;  and  he  was  generally  regarded  as  the  instigator  o1 
all  the  devilment  in  the  Territory,  and  anything  was  fair  witli  him. 
I  exhibited  them,  after  I  ascertained  they  gave  no  clue  to  his  where- 
abouts, merely  because  I  thought  they  were  evidence  to  show  Seeder's- 
connexion  with  the  disturbances  in  the  Territory,  and  for  no  other 
purpose.     All  to  whom  I  have  shown  these  letters  have  taken  the 
same  view  I  do  with  regard  to  the  propriety  of  exhibiting  them  ;  at: 
least,  I  judged  so,  as  nothing  was  said  against  it.     Under  ordinary, 
circumstances,  I  would  be  the  last  man  to  examine  private  letters.     II 
have  shown  the  letters  to  my  private  friends,  but  I  do  not  think  [  ami 
called  upon  to  say  who  those  persons  were.     Others  of  my  private 
friends  I  have  refused  to  show  them  to,  even  since  they  have  beeni 
brought  before  this  committee,  and  read  before  this  committee  ;  andi 
I  would  suppose  that  at  that  time  there  were  some  twenty  or  thirty 
persons  present  when  they  were  read.     I  th^nk  a  man  named  Palmer,, 
of  Atchison,  picked  these  letters  up  in  the  street,  near  the  the  hotel,  andi 
I  think  before  the  hotel  was  destroyed,  though  I  will  not  be  positive 
about  that.     I  do  not  know  that  Gov.  Reeder's  trunk  was  broken  open, 
though  I  heard  that  one  of  his  trunks  was  found.     I  do  not  thinks 
these  letters  were  taken  from  his  trunk,  though  they  may  have  been. 
When  Mr.  Palmer  handed  me  those  letters,  some  one — I  do  not  knows 
whether  it  was  Palmer,  or  some  one  else — said  these  letters  were  im- 
portant ones,  and  should  be  preserved.     When  I  received  them,  I  un- 
derstood them  to  be  letters  from  Gov.  Keeder,  for  some  read  out  his« 
name  at  the  bottom  of  some  of  them.     When  the  property  was  being 
carried  out  of  the  hotel,  I  was  in  a  room  with  Gen.  Pomeroy  writing, 
and  when  I  came  out  they  were  handed  to  me.     They  appeared  like  ai 
parcel  of  papers  put  up  in  a  hurry  when  I  saw  them,  and  saw  that 5 
some  of  them  were  directed  to  Lowry  and  some  to  Keeder,  and  looked  i 
as  if  the  papers  of  both  persons  had  been  hurriedly  tied  up  together. 
All  those  papers,  except  some  I  have  here,  were  sent  to  Atchison  with 
the  company  that  went  from  Atchison  ;  and  I  think  they  are  now  at 
Weston,  Missouri,  to  be  returned,  so  far  as  the  valuable  papers  a»e< 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1039 

• 

concerned,  to  those  to  whom  they  "belong,  if  they  can  be  found.  I 
cannot  say  in  whose  possession  they  are  now.  I  heard  of  no  money 
"being  found  with  the  papers.  I  did  not  read  any  of  them  myself,  hut 
merely  heard  others  read  them  ;  and  I  never  took  possession  of  any 
hut  these  letters.  I  did  not  see  or  hear  of  any  letters  to  Keeder  then 
from  his  wife.  The  papers  were  read  before  the  crowd,  and  one 
article  on  free-love,  said  to  be  in  Keeder 's  handwriting,  which  seemed 
to  cause  some  amusement.  I  did  not  hear  of  there  being  any  letter 
in  this  bundle  from  Mr.  Eeeder's  family. 

I  do  not  think  there  was  any  particular  authority  for  taking  the 
bonds  and  papers  to  Weston  ;  but  I  took  them  there  myself.  I  will 
not  tell  in  whose  custody  I  placed  them,  because  I  think  it  has  nothing 
to  do  with  the  letters  brought  here.  No  communication  has  been  made 
to  Mr.  Keeder,  or  any  of  his  family,  at  Easton,  Pennsylvania,  in 
regard  to  these  papers,  to  my  knowledge.  This  bundle  of  papers  was 
picked  up  in  town,  taken  to  camp,  and  then  read  by  some  persons  in 
the  camp  ;  after  which  they  came  into  my  possession  for  the  first  time. 

In  the  foregoing  testimony,  I  do  not  mean  to  convey  the  idea  that 
these  letters  were  read  to  the  whole  crowd  in  the  town  as  soon  as 
they  were  picked  up,  for  I  did  not  hear  any  of  them  read  until  after 
we  went  back  to  camp. 

P.  T.  ABELL. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  27,  1856. 


1040  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


MUKDER   OF    DOW.— RESCUE   OF   BRANSON.— SIEGE    OF 
LAWRENCE.— MURDER  OF   BARBER. 

The  following  testimony  in  regard  to  the  homicide  of  Charles  W. 
Dow  was  taken  in  secret  session  : 

WILLIAM  McKiNNEY  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  in  the  Territory,  at  a  place  called  Hickory  Point,  on  the 
Santa  Fe  road.  I  have  resided  there  since  the  first  Monday  in  De- 
cember last,  I  think.  I  lived  within  four  miles  of  where  I  now  live 
since  last  May,  at  Willow  Springs,  and  lived  there  at  the  time  Dow 
was  killed.  I  was  at  work  on  my  house  where  I  now  live  on  the  day 
that  Dow  was  murdered.  I  saw  Mr.  Dow  that  morning  some  two 
hours  before  he  was  shot ;  that  was  the  first  time  I  saw  him  that  day. 
The  next  time  I  saw  him  he  was  coming  from  the  blacksmith's  shop,  on 
•ihe  Santa  Fe  road,  towards  my  house  where  I  now  live.  Mr.  Coleman 
was  standing  at  the  corner  of  the  house,  where  I  was  at  work,  witli' 
a  bouble-bar relied  shot-gun.  As  Mr.  Dow  got  opposite  the  house. 
Mr.  Coleman  was  standing  at  the  corner,  of  the  house.  He  left  ano 
went  out  towards  the  road  where  Dow  was  passing.  I  called  to  Mr. 
Coleman  to  hold  on  a  little,  that  I  wanted  to  see  him.  He  observed,  ] 
will  see  you  again  this  evening.  They  both  went  off  down  the  road 
together  towards  Coleman's  house.  When  they  got  opposite  his  house 
I  heard  a  gun  fired  down  there,  and  I  looked  and  saw  the  smoke  ol» 
the  gun,  and  Mr.  Coleman  throwing  the  gun  on  his  shoulder.  I  ob- 
served to  my  son,  "  I  wonder  what  Coleman  is  shooting  at."  The- 
place  where  Coleman  was,  when  I  saw  him  throwing  his  gun  on  his' 
shoulder,  was  some  three  hundred  or  four  hundred  yards  from  where' 
I  was. 

Some  time  before  this,  Harrison  Buckley  came  up  to  where  I  was  at] 
work  on  my  house,  inquiring  for  "  the  third  man/'  calling  no 
names.  He  came  from  towards  Mr.  Hargous's  house.  I  just  observed 
to  him,  "  you  must  have  been  drinking  this  morning,  and  your  eyes 
are  in  an  eclipse,  and  you  cannot  see."  He  turned  round  and  went 
off  towards  the  blacksmith's  shop.  I  heard  some  loud  talking  in  the 
direction  of  the  shop,  which  is  west  of  my  house,  in  sight. 

The  first  I  saw  of  Mr.  Coleman  that  day  was  between  ten  and  eleven] 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  He  was  going  westward  toward  the  black-*' 
smith's  shop.  He  met  Mr.  Buckley,  Mr.  Hargous,  and  Mr.  Wagner, 
as  I  thought,  about  half  way  between  my  house  and  the  blacksmith's 
shop.  They  seemed  to  be  conversing  for  some  time,  but  I  did  not 
hear  anything  that  was  said.  Neither  of  them  had  a  gun  at  that 
time,  as  I  remember.  Coleman  went  north  across  the  prairie  towards! 
a  Mr.  Runnell's.  The  next  thing  I  saw  of  Mr.  Coleman  was,  he  was. 
coming  from  towards  Mr.  Hargous's,  and  came  up  to  my  house  where  j 
I  was  at  work  at  the  time  I  have  before  mentioned.  He  observed  to, 
me,  "you  will  soon  have  your  house  done."  He  had  a  double-bar- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1041 

relied  gun  with  him.     I  heard  the  report  of  the  gun  sometime  between 

twelve  and  two  o'clock.     When  I  saw  Mr.  Coleman  throwing  his  gun 

on  his  shoulder  he  was  nearly  opposite  his  house,  which  is  about 

i  one  hundred  yards  from  the  road.     Some  little  time  after  that  I  and 

j  my  son  went  down  to  the  grocery,  which  is  nearly  opposite  the  black- 

;  smith's  shop,  to  eat  our  dinner.     There  I  heard  from  John  Bradbury 

what  had  taken  place  that  morning  between  Dow  and  Buckley  at  the 

blacksmith's  shop.     While  we  were  eating  dinner,  Mr.   Buckley  came 

to  the  grocery,  and  said  to  me,  "  Mac,  did  you  hear  that  gun  down 

the  road  ?"     I  observed  that  I  did.     "  Well/'  said  he,  "  there  is  a 

man  lying  dead  in  the  road."     I  observed  to  him,   "  I  reckon  not, 

Buckley."     He  said,  "  you  can  go  and  see  for  yourself."     While  we 

were   in   conversation  a   Dr.  Chapman  came  to  where  we  were,  and 

Li  got  in  conversation  with  him  concerning  the  matter.     I  observed  to 

him,  "  I  believe  I  will  go  down  there."     Chapman  said,  "  I  would 

not  go  nigh  them.     You  know  how  it  is  here.     They  do  not  like  you 

'very  well  for  building  on  this  claim  here,  and  you  might  be  in  a  little 

'ganger  yourself."     That  was  the  reason  I  did  not  go  to  take  charge 

pf  the  body  of  Dow. 

About  the  time  Dow  passed  my  house,  and  Coleman  started  after 
uim,  Mr.  Harrison  Buckley  left  the  blacksmith's  shop  and  came  follow- 
ing along  the  road,  passed  my  house,  and  went  on  after  Coleman  and 
"Vow ;    and   about  the  time   the  gun  was  fired  he  had  come  up  with 
Ihem  nearly  opposite  Coleman's  house.     At  the  time  I  saw  Coleman 
throwing  his  gun  on  his  shoulder,  I  saw  Mr.   Buckley  and  Mr.  Wag- 
ter  on  the  ground,  off  their  horses,  exchanging  them — Mr.  Buckley 
LJaving  passed  my  house  on  Mr.  Wagner's  horse.     I  saw  no  other 
.person  there  at  that  time. 

I  Mr.  Dow  had  a  claim  adjoining  Coleman's,  but  being  an  unmarried 
Mian,  he  lived  at  Mr.  Branson's,  about  a  mile  or  a  mile  and  a  quarter 
Northeast  of  Colemau's  house.  Branson's  claim  is  north  of  Dow's 
Maim,  and  Dow's  is  east  of  Coleman's,  and  mine  is  south  of  Coleman's. 
largous  did  live  at  that  time  on  the  claim  I  now  live  on.  Hargous 
fcas  from  Missouri.  Wagner  was  from  Kentucky.  Buckley  was  from 
Missouri.  Coleman  claimed  to  be  a  Virginian  by  birth.  I  am  from 
Missouri  to  the  Territory,  but  originally  from  Kentucky.  I  came  to 
'llissouri  four  years  ago  last  fall.  Dow  was  from  Ohio. 
1  Coleman  and  Dow  did  not  speak  to  each  other  at  the  time  Dow  passed 
»y  house,  and  I  do  not  know  that  they  spoke  on  the  road.  I  did  not 
le  Dow's  body  in  the  road,  but  saw  blood  where  he  was  said  to  have 
wen  found,  some  fifteen  or  twenty-five  yards  from  where  Coleman  was. 
•len  I  saw  him  throwing  his  gun  on  his  shoulders.  Dow  was  not 
Jmed,  so  far  as  I  know,  but  had  in  his  hand,  as  he  passed  my  house,. 
'jmat  I  took  to  be  the  skane  of  a  wagon. 

jlSome  time  during  the  last  winter  Mr.  Coleman  was  at  my  house,  and 
Md  me  that  he  was  the  man  that  shot  Dow.     That  was  early  in  the 
''-jbrning,  about  8  or  9  o'clock.     James  P.  Saunders,  Samuel  Clark, 
rjld  one  or  two  others  I  do  not  recollect,  were  there  at  the  time  he 
jijd  this.     He  said  that  he  did  it  in  self-defence.     He  observed  this: 
>m  am  the  man  that  shot  Dow,  and  nobody  else  had  anything  to  do- 
-*Wth  it,  and  I  did  it  in  self-defence." 
H.  Rep.  200 66* 


1042  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Dow's  body  was  not  removed  from  where  he  fell  until  some  tim< 
between  sundown  and  dusk.  As  I  was  going  home  I  saw  a  company 
in  the  road,  where  his  body  was,  making  preparations  to  take  it  away 
as  I  supposed.  His  body  was  afterwards  removed  to  Mr.  Branson'i 
house,  and  taken  charge  of  by  him,  as  I  understood.  He  was  kille< 
on  Thursday,  the  21st  day  of  November,  and  buried,  I  think,  on  th« 
following  Saturday.  At  the  time  of  the  murder,  a  man  named  Mooch 
was  at  work  at  Coleman's. 

Mr.  Coleman's  house  was  burned  on  the  night  of  the  26th  of  Novem 
her,  1855.     Mr.  Buckley's  house  was  burned  about  daylight  on  tl 
morning  of  the  27th  of  November.     On  Sunday  before  the  burning 
Coleman's  house,  Mr.  Moody  took  a  portion  of  Mr.  Coleman's  furnitur 
and  loaded  it  in  a  wagon,  and  started,  as  he  said,  for  Missouri, 
man  by  the  name  of  James  Campbell  took  Mrs.  Coleman  and  her  chil 
or  children,  in  his  carriage  to  Missouri.     The  rest  of  the  plunder  w 
left,  as  I  was  told  by  my  son,  in  his  charge  and  that  of  a  Mr.  Jone 
I  was  present  at  a  meeting  of  persons — many  of  them  I  knew  to  " 
citizens — held  at  the  place  where  Dow  was  killed,   on  the  26th 
November.     I  did  not  hear  any  resolutions  that  were  passed.     I 
not  know  who  was  chairman  of  the  meeting.     They  asked  for  ii 
formation  in  regard  to  the  murder,  and  I  gave  them  some  ;  but  n 
near  so  much  as  I  have  told  here.     Since  the  time  of  the  murderi 
have  seen  Coleman  passing  along  Hickory  Point  several  times.     I 
not  know  as  he  has  ever  assisted  as  deputy  sheriff,  or  that  he  was 
•the  arrest  of  Branson. 

I  saw  Mrs.  Jones,  who  lives  about  four  miles  from  where  I  nc 
live,  passing  along  by  my  house,  towards  Mr.  Coleman's  just  after  M 
.Buckley,  and  just  before  I  heard  the  gun  fired. 

WM.  McKINNEY 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  2,  1856. 


SALEM  GLEASON  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  present  at  the  blacksmith  shop,  near  Mr.  McKinney's,  on  1 
'21st  day  of  November,  1855.  I  drove  up  to  the  blacksmith's  slj 
gome  time  between  12  and  1  o'clock.  I  heard  hard  words,  and  he* 
the  blacksmith,  a  Mr.  Poole,  say  he  would  not  have  such  words  i 
his  shop,  and  they  must  go  out  of  doors.  I  heard  him  say,  "  1 
Buckley,  if  you  cannot  behave  yourself,  go  out  of  the  shop.  I  v 
not  have  such  words  in  the  shop."  I  then  went  into  the  shop,  i 
saw  Mr.  Buckley  and  Mr.  Dow  there.  The  blacksmith  was  mend:] 
a  small  wagon  skane  for  Mr.  Dow.  The  conversation  lowered  as  s< 
as  I  stepped  into  the  shop.  They  soon  had  the  wagon  skane  and  ly 
pin  fixed.  Mr.  Dow  paid  for  his  work,  and  left  in  the  directi 
his  house.  Then  there  was  something  said  between  the  black 
and  Mr.  Buckley.  And  the  blacksmith,  Mr.  Poole,  said,  "  Wh 
you  not  shoot  him  then?"  Said  Buckley,  "I  hated  to  shoot  a 
on  hearsay  ;  but  if  he  has  said  it,  I'll  be  damned  if  I  won't  shoot 
yet."  Buckley's  gun  was  then  cocked  at  both  barrels  ;  it  was  a 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS,  1043 

ble-barrelled  shot-gun.  He  said  he  cocked  it  to  shoot  him.  He  then 
left  the  shop,  and  started  on  his  horse  in  the  direction  after  Dow. 
When  he  took  up  the  gun,  which  was  sitting  near  the  door,  it  was 
still  cocked.  I  left  the  shop  very  shortly  after  Mr.  Buckley  did.  He 
went  east  and  I  went  west  from  the  shop.  Buckley  took  his  gun  with 
him.  Some  three  or  four  hours  after  this  there  came  along  a  team- 
ster who  lives  at  or  near  Council  City,  named  Henry  Smith.  He  in- 
formed my  son  that  a  dead  man  lay  in  the  road  east  of  the  blacksmith's 
shop  a  little  ;  he  did  not  say  how  far.  I  started  for  my  horse,  which 
was  some  eight  or  ten  rods  from  where  I  was.  I  mounted  him,  and 
rode  up  to  the  place  where  the  body  lay,  some  mile  or  so  from  where 
I  started.  I  saw  the  murdered  man,  Who  was  Dow,  lying  with  his 
head  in  the  wagon-track  and  his  feet  on  the  side  of  the  road,  with  the 
skane  and  lynch-pin  still  in  his  hand.  When  I  came  in  sight  of  the 
corpse,  there  were  some  eight  or  ten  men  standing  over  him.  As 
soon  as  I  got,  as  I  supposed,  so  as  to  be  seen  by  them,  they  left.  In 
this  company  I  recognised  Mr.  Poole,  Mr.  Coleman,  Mr.  Buckley,  and 
Mr.  Hargous.  The  company,  all  except  one  or  two,  had  guns,  mostly 
double-barrelled  shot-guns.  There  seemed  to  be  a  couple  of  young- 
sters in  the  company  who  were  not  armed.  Mr.  Poole  came  directly 
towards  me  as  I  was  going  up.  I  observed,  "  Buckley  has  shot  Dow  at 
last."  "  No,"  said  Mr.  Poole,  "  It  was  not  Buckley,  it  was  Coleman." 
I  did  not  get  off  my  horse  when  I  reached  the  corpse,  but  I  saw  the 
blood  running  from  his  neck,  his  mouth,  and  nose  ;  and  saw  the  blood 
on  his  breast.  I  merely  stopped  to  look  at  him  a  moment,  and  then 
rode  past  him  and  went  to  Mr.  Branson's,  where  Dow  made  his  home. 
I  informed  them  there  that  Dow  was  shot.  Mr.  Branson  was  a  good 
deal  alarmed  at  the  news,  and  said  he  wished  me  to  go  on  and  give 
information.  I  rode  from  there  to  a  Mr.  Hopkins'  to  inform  them. 
But  my  daughter  had  got  there  before  me  and  informed  them.  My 
health  would  not  permit  me  to  ride  any  more,  and  I  returned  home. 
1  noticed  two  shot-holes  in  Dow's  neck  as  I  was  looking  at  him. 

I  was  not  at  the  meeting  called  at  the  spot  where  Dow  was  found. 
Mr.  Poole  left  ttie  neighborhood  about  that  time,  and,  I  think,  is  now 
in  the  State  of  Missouri.  Coleman  has  been  backward  and  forward 
since  that  time,  during  this  spring,  to  Washington  creek,  which  is 
about  six  or  eight  miles  from  where  I  live ;  generally  with  a  pretty 
strong  guard  of  from  six  to  eight  men  with  him.  We  knew  nothing 
of  where  he  was  for  some  time  after  the  murder  of  Dow.  Dow  was 
buried  on  the  Saturday  afterwards.  At  the  grave,  just  after  it  was 
filled  up,  a  motion  was  made  by  a  man  named  Farley  to  burn  the 
house  of  Coleman,  who  had  left  his  house,  with  his  family.  I  told 
them,  saying,  "  Here  is  this  man  murdered,  and  for  us  to  go  to  doing 
such  a  thing  as  that,  it  will  operate  against  us.  It  will  be  better  to 
fetch  the  offender  to  justice  than  to  destroy  property."  The  per- 
sons there  fell  in  with  me,  and  argued  not  to  do  it.  Dow  was  not 
armed  when  he  left  the  blacksmith's  shop  ;  and  I  know  he  owned  no 
small  arms.  He  had  there  nothing  in  his  hand  but  the  wagon  skane, 
which  is  a  piece  of  iron  about  12  or  15  inches  long,  between  a  quarter 
and  a  half-inch  wide,  and  perhaps  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick,  and  is 
used  to  go  over  the  end  of  the  axle-tree  where  the  wheel  goes  on,  and 


1044  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

the  lynch-pin  is  passed  through,  it.  Dow  was  considered  a  peaceable 
citizen.  Dow  made  his  home  at  Branson's,  but  I  think  there  was  no 
relationship  between  them.  Their  claims  adjoined.  I  am  myself  a 
native  of  New  York,  but  emigrated  from  Pennsylvania  to  the  Terri- 
tory. Poole  left  his  shop  and  the  neighborhood  shortly  after  the  forces 
began  to  gather  on  the  Wakarusa.  I  believe  the  Mr.  Farley  I  have 
mentioned  came  from  the  State  of  Missouri.  Coleman's  house  was 
burned  some  few  days  after  Dow  was  buried.  Farley  was  still  in  the 
neighborhood  when  the  house  was  burned,  but  left  shortly  afterwards. 

SALEM  GLEASOK 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


THOMAS  BREESE  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  about  three  miles  from  where  Coleman  lived  last  fall,  and 
about  the  same  distance  from  Dow  and  Branson.  I  was  at  home  at 
work  at  the  time  Dow  was  killed.  For  some  five  or  six  weeks  pre- 
vious to  the  death  of  Mr.  Dow,  H.  H.  Buckley  used  to  visit  my  house. 
On  one  occasion,  as  he  was  sitting  at  my  dinner-table — he,  his  wife, 
and  two  other  neighbors  were  there — he  commenced  with  his  great 
threats  on  the  abolitionists  and  Yankees;  what  they  would  do  with 
them;  how  many  they  would  shoot  down,  and  so  forth.  I  named  to 
him,  as  he  got  my  feelings  rather  warmed,  "  Mr.  Buckley,  the  way  to 
shoot  down  the  abolitionists  Fand  Yankees  is,  to  use  them  well,  and 
when  you  go  to  the  polls,  then  give  your  vote,  and  let  them  do  the 
same."  His  wife  was  sitting  present,  and  ordered  me  to  say  nothing 
to  Mr.  Buckley  on  that  occasion  whatever,  and  let  him  alone  ;  and  let 
him  do  what  he  pleased,  and  no  matter  what  he  did,  he  belonged  to 
a  society  that,  if  his  property  was  destroyed,  would  give  him  three 
times  as  much  more.  I  got  up  from  my  own  table,  and  told  her,  if 
that  was  the  game,  just  go  ahead,  I  should  say  no  more.  After  I  got 
up  from  the  table,  Mr.  Buckley  observed  that  he  meant  to  shoot  the 
paunch  of  old  Branson  and  Dow,  because  they  were  abolitionists,  and 
would  steal  his  niggers.  That  led  to  our  neighborly  intercourse  being 
broken  up.  I  heard  no  more  threats  from  Mr.  Buckley.  I  heard  of 
the  murder  of  Dow  about  the  dusk  of  the  evening  he  was  killed.  I 
had  a  daughter  that  had  stopped  at  Buckley's,  and  they  had  sent  my 
horse  home.  I  put  my  horse  away,  and  started  to  see  after  her, .and 
she  came  running  up  to  the  yard  fence ;  and  I  asked  what  kept  her. 
She  stated  that  Mr.  Buckley  had  gone  out  hunting,  as  his  wife  said, 
and  she  wanted  her  to  stay  with  her  that  night,  as  she  did  not  think  ; 
Mr.  Buckley  would  get  home.  "And,"  says  she,  "pap,  they  have  • 
killed  Mr.  Dow,  and  he  is  lying  in  the  middle  of  the  road  alone, 
about  opposite  Coleman's." 

I  ran  then  afoot  just  as  fast  as  I  could.     When  I  got  there,  the « 
body  had  just  been  removed  to  Mr.  Branson's  house.      I   saw  the  < 
puddles  of  blood  in  the  road.     I  then  turned  back  home.     The  next  . 
morning  I  went  to  Mr.  Branson's,  and  saw  the  body  of  Dow  there.    I 
helped  to  dress  the  body,  and  saw  the  wounds.     There  was  one  slug 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1045 

went  into  the  jugular  vein  on  the  left  side,  and  one  in  the  jugular 
vein  on  the  right  side  of  the  neck,  entering  in  front.  There  were  four 
shots  went  into  his  "breast  on  "both  sides,  just  ahove  the  pit  of  his 
stomach,  three  of  which  went  clear  through  his  body,  and  lodged  in 
the  back  of  his  coat.  These  slugs  were  scattered,  two  on  each  side,  a 
short  distance  apart,  some  six  inches  below  the  wounds  in  the  neck. 
The  slugs  that  passed  through  his  body  were  of  lead,  and  looked  as  if 
they  were  made  of  lead  beaten  out  and  cut  off;  were  of  irregular 
shape,  and  are  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Branson.  We  buried 
him  on  the  Saturday  following. 

I  was  not  present  at  the  meeting  at  Hickory  Point.  I  emigrated 
into  the  Territory  from  Missouri  nearly  two  years  ago,  but  was  born 
in  Montgomery  county,  Maryland.  I  lived  some  years  in  Kentucky. 
I  first  saw  Buckley  in  Johnson  county,  Missouri,  but  had  no  personal 
acquaintance  with  him  until  he  came  into  the  Territory.  I  first  saw 
Coleman  at  Hickory  Point.  I  first  knew  Dow  at  Hickory  Point,  also. 
I  first  knew  Branson  here  in  the  Territory;  he  came  here  from  Indi- 
ana. Dow  was  one  of  the  finest  young  men  I  ever  got  acquainted 
with — a  quiet,  peaceable  man,  and  worked  for  me  a  great  deal. 

THOMAS  BREESE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


NICHOLAS  McKiNNEY  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  at  work  with  my  father  on  his  house  on  the  day  Dow  was 

killed.     I  saw  Coleman  on  that  day,  between  12  and  1  o'clock,  as  he 

came  to  our  house.    I  saw  Mr.  Dow  before  noon,  about  10  or  11  o'clock, 

going  towards  the  blacksmith's  shop  ;    and  I  saw  him  returning  in 

about  an  hour  and  a  half  with  a  small  piece  of  iron  in  his  hand.     He 

said  good  evening  or  good  morning,  I  forget  which,  as  he  passed  and 

went  on  towards  his  house.     Mr.  Coleman  was  at  our  house  as  he 

passed,  and  he  started  after  Mr.  Dow  just  as  he  got  opposite  the  house, 

ind  I  saw  them  going  off  side  by  side.     I  went  to  work  on  the  house 

a-fter  they  passed,  and  was  chinking  the  house.     I  saw  Mrs.  Jones  go 

oy  a  few  minutes  after  they  left,  in  the  same  direction.     I  kept  at 

vork  until  I  heard  the  report  of  a  gun,  and  looked  and  saw  the  smoke 

>f  it.    Coleman  was  standing  some  fifty  yards  or  so  from  his  house.    I 

aw  the  flash  and  smoke  of  Coleman' s  gun,  and  saw  him  throw  it,  first 

»n  his  arm  and  then  on  his  shoulder,  and  then  turn  off  towards  his 

jaouse,     I  should  think,  that  from  where  Coleman  stood  when  I  saw 

dm  to  where  Dow's  body  was  found,  was  some  thirty  or  forty  yards. 

Buckley  passed  our  house  just  behind  Mrs.  Jones,  riding  on  horse- 

'ack.     When  I  turned  around  at  the  report  of  the  gun,  Buckley  had 

;ot  off  his  horse,  and  was  standing  near  Coleman,  and  Hargous  was 

here  at  the  same  time  on  foot.     When  I  looked  around,  Mrs.  Jones 

78,8  about  fifty  yards  this  side  of  where  Dow's  body  was  found. 

Mr.  Buckley  came  riding  up  on  his  horse  from  towards  Mr.  Har- 

ous's,  about  10  or  11,  and  had  a  double-barrelled  shot-gun  with  him. 

Vhen  he  rode  up  near  the  house  he  called  out,  "  where  is  the  third 


1046  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

man?"  I  told  him  there  was  no  third  man  there.  My  father  said 
to  him,  that  he  had  too  much  liquor  in  him.  He  said  he  reckoned 
not,  and  then  turned  away  and  went  towards  the  blacksmith's  ship. 
The  next  time  I  saw  him,  was  when  he  went  on  after  Coleman  and 
Dow.  When  Coleman  went  off  with  Dow  he  had  a  double-barrelled 
shot-gun  in  his  hand.  I  first  saw  Coleman  on  that  day  in  the  morn- 
ing, about  8  or  9  o'clock  ;  he  had  no  gun  with  him  then,  and  was  on 
horseback.  When  he  and  Dow  went  off  from  our  house,  which  was 
the  next  time  I  saw  him,  they  were  on  foot.  Something  like  half  an 
hour  after  that  I  heard  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Dow,  from  Mr.  Buckley, 
I  was  then  in  a  grocery  near  the  blacksmith's  shop,  and  Mr.  Buckley, 
rode  past  it  and  went  to  the  shop,  then  turned  back  to  the  grocery 
and  said  there  was  a  man  lying  dead  by  the  side  of  the  road.  He 
asked  me  if  I  heard  the  report  of  the  gun,  and  I  told  him  I  did  ;  thai 
was  all  I  said  to  him.  I  did  not  go  down  to  Dow's  body,  or  to  the 
funeral. 

I  was  at  the  public  meeting  held  at  Hickory  Point,  in  relation  tc 
the  murder  of  Dow.  I  think  there  were  about  100  persons  there,  and 
it  was  held  at  the  place  where  the  murder  was  committed  ;  the  men 
standing  in  a  circle  around  the  spot  where  Dow  was  found.  I  do  noi 
think  any  steps  had  been  taken  to  arrest  Coleman  at  the  time  of  th( 
meeting.  I  heard  he  was  then  down-  at.Shawnee  Mission,  or  in  Mis 
souri.  He  has  never,  that  I  have  heard  of,  been  arrested  since  then 
and  has  been  at  large  ever  since.  I  do  not  recollect  much  about  thi 
resolutions  passed  at  the  meeting  at  Hickory  Point ;  I  cannot  identif 
them.  I  never  heard  Coleman  or  Buckley  say  anything  about  tha; 
affair  afterwards.  I  do  not  recollect  of  ever  hearing  Coleman  say  any] 
thing  about  any  difficulty  between  him  and  Dow.  As  Coieman  ami 
Dow  went  off  from  our  house  together,  I  noticed  that  they  kept  get  I 
ting  further  and  further  apart, 

NICHOLAS  McKINNBY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


JOHN  C.  DAVIDSON  called  and  sworn, 

I  live  about  eight  miles  from  here,  and  about  four  miles  fro 
Hickory  Point.     I   know  Mr.   Buckley  and    Mr.   Coleman  and   M 
Hargous,  and  had  seen  Dow  once  or  twice  before  he  was  killed.     Sin 
Dow  was  killed,  I  heard  Mr.   Buckley  say,  that  on  the  day  of  t 
difficulty  he  went  to  Mr.  Hargous  to  help  him  kill  a  beef.     At  diiiDJ 
time  Mr.  Coleman  came  to  Mr.  Hargous'   with  his  gun,  and  look] 
rather  mad ;  and  when  asked  to  eat  some  dinner,  said  he  did  not  w 
any.     They  asked  him  what  was  the  matter  ?     And  Coleman  sai" 
had  been  driven  off  his  claim.     There  was  nothing  more  said  a 
it  then;  and  Mr.  Buckley  said  that  after  he  got  through  dinne 
got  on  his  horse  and  went  to  the  grocery  near  Mr.  McKinney's  t 
some  tobacco  and  a  horn.     From  the  grocery  he  said  he  went  to 
blacksmith's  shop.     At  the  shop  he  found  Mr.  Dow.     Some  one 
told  Buckley,  so  he  said,  that  Dow  had  said  something  about 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1047 

but  lie  did  not  tell  me  what  it  was.  He  and  Mr.  Dow,  he  said,  talked 
the  matter  over,  and  Mr.  Dow  denied  ever  saying  anything  of  the 
kind  ;  and  he  told  me  that  everything  was  right  between  them  then. 
He  did  not  tell  me  how  he  got  to  where  Dow  was  killed,  and  he  did 
not  tell  me  he  was  there.  He  said  that  after  Dow  was  killed,  a  Dr. 
Chapman  came  on,  and  Coleman  said  he  wanted  to  give  himself  up 
and  have  a  fair  trial ;  and  Chapman  advised  him  to  go  to  the  governor, 
who  was  then  at  Shawnee  Mission,  and  give  himself  up.  Buckley 
said  that  Mr.  Coleman  wanted  him  to  go  with  him,  and  he  went  to  the 
Mission  with  him.  But  he  said  if  he  had  known  he  would  have  been  im- 
plicated in  the  matter  by  going  with  Coleman,  he  would  not  have  gone. 
Buckley  told  me  that  Coleman  had  shot  Dow— that  Mr.  Dow  had  driven 
him  off  his  claim.  He  said  that  before  this,  Mr.  Dow  had  had  his  claim 
marked  out,  and  when  the  reserve  line  was  run,  it  threw  Mr.  Dow's 
claim  over  on  Coleman's  claim.  Mr.  Coleman  was  engaged  in  the 
burning  of  lime,  and  Mr.  Dow  came  and  told  him  to  stop  ;  and  he 
would  not  do  it.  And  Dow  went  down  and  got  Mr.  Branson  ;  and 
when  Coleman  saw  them  coming,  he  left.  He  told  me  that  Coleman 
had  shot  Dow,  but  did  not  say  how  it  came  about.  He  told  me  that 
the  controversy  about  the  lime  kiln  took  place  the  day  of  the  murder. 
There  were  no  witnesses  subpoenaed  in  our  neighborhood,  and  no  ex- 
amination made  of  the  charge  against  Coleman  that  I  know  of. 

JOHN  C.  DAVIDSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 

(The  secret  session  was  here  closed.) 


THOMAS  BREESE  testifies : 

It  was  some  time  in  March,  1855,  that  Lewis  Farley  was  living  on 
a  claim  near  Hickory  Point,  with  his  family.  In  the  first  settlement 
of  the  Territory  the  squatters  met  and  made  a  law  that  every  settler 
might  hold  two  claims — a  prairie  claim  and  a  timber  claim,  of  160 
acres  each.  I  was  at  their  meeting  of  the  15th  of  August,  1854. 
They  wanted  me  to  vote  upon  the  subject ;  and  I  told  them  I  should 
not  vote,  because  I  had  not  taken  a  claim,  and  had  no  right  to  do  so. 
After  they  had  voted  on  that  proposition,  they  then  agreed  that  the 
claimants  were  to  be  upheld  in  their  claims  at  the  risk  of  life,  death, 
property,  or  what  not.  I  then  told  them  that  I  did  not  think  the 
squat  law  could  rule  the  government.  Mr.  Farley  was  by,  and  made 
a  proposition  to  the  meeting  to  support  him  in  the  holding  of  claims 
for  his  father,  brother,  and  brother-in-law  ;  arid  they  agreed  to  do  so 
unanimously.  He  said  his  father  and  brother  and  brother-in-law  had: 
been  out  here  and  made  their  claims,  and  were  coming  back  ;  and  I 
know  that  they  did  come. 

After  that  Mr.  Farley  built  a  house  on  each  of  those  claims.  Men 
came  on  them  afterwards  and  jumped  those  claims,  leaving  him  in 
possession  of  his  own  claim.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  winter,  or  the 
first  of  the  spring,  in  1855,  a  little  squad  came  up  from  Missouri.  I 
advised  Farley  to  relinquish  his  prairie  claim,  and  go  on  upon  his 


1048  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

timber.     He  did  so.     When  the  squad  came  up  they  told  him  he  ha( 
to  leave  that  timber.     He  told  them  he  was  the  first  claimant  there 
and  had  relinquished  his  prairie  claim.     The}7  undertook  to  compro 
mise  with  him,  and  coaxed  him  out  to  Willow  Springs,  to  go  before  ai 
referee.     There  had  been  a  foundation  for  a  cabin  made  on  the  claim, , 
which  Farley  had  torn  down.     He  was  not  seen  by  his  family  for 
some  time  after  he  went  up  to  Willow  Springs.     One  of  the  mob,  my 
near  neighbor,  said  to  me,  "  They  had  run  off  Farley — the  stinking: 
scoundrel;  and  now  they  would  starve  out  his  wife  and  children." 
Some  time  after  that  Mrs.  Farley  came  to  my  house  crying,  and  II 
found  that  the  house  had  been  torn  down.     The  main  leader  of  therm 
was,    I  think,  a  Mr.  James  Morrison,  who  lives  about  two  and  a  half! 
or  three  miles  from  Westport,  with  whom  I  talked.     He  gave  as  thei 
reason  for  tearing  down  Farley's  house  that  he  was  a  free-soiler,  andi 
claiming  more  land  than  he  deserved.     Mr.  Farley  and  his  family 
finally  left  the  neighborhood. 

Cross-examined  by  Colonel  Woodson  : 

Lewis  Farley  was  from  Indiana.  James  Morrison,  near  Westport,, 
and  his  son  George  Morrison,  and  Coleman,,  (who  was  charged  withi 
killing  Dow),  a  man  called  Ripeto,  Thomas  Hopkins,  and  Joe  Lager,, 
and  a  number  more  I  do  not  know,  were  engaged  in  this  matter.  Of! 
these  men,  Coleman  and  Hopkins  lived  in,  the  Territory  then.  Ripeto 
told  me  that  they  tore  Farley's  house  down.  Farley  was  on  the  claim  i 
when  I  came  into  the  Territory.  The  house  that  was  torn  down  wass 
finished  about  a  week  before.  The  one  that  Farley  tore  down  was  at 
cabin  not  finished,  put  up  by  a  Mr.  McKinney,  so  Farley  told  rne. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

Ripeto  said  about  Farley,  "  The  damned  abolition  son  of  a  bitch, 
he  intended  to  kill  him."  I  learned  from  the  company  that  they  had 
mobbed  Farley  at  Willow  Springs. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

This  was  just  before  the  March  election,  and  the  company  did  not 
leave  the  neighborhood  until  after  the  election  ;  at  least  I  saw  them 
at  the  election  in  this  district.  I  want  you  to  understand,  gentlemen, 
that  I  am  a  pro-slavery  man,  and  voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket ;  but  I 
want  to  see  things  done  fair. 

To  Colonel  Woodson : 

I  heard  from  Ripeto  and  Morrison  that  they  had  mobbed  Farley.    I 
saw  James  Morrison  here  at  the  election  of  March,  1855.     Morrison  i 
was  the  only  one  of  the  mob  from  Missouri  that  I  saw  at  the  election. 
Lager  lives  at  Hickory  Point.     Hopkins  lives  close  by  me.     I  do  not  t 
know  whether  Ripeto  is  living  in  the  Territory  or  not. 

THOMAS  BREESE, 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1049 

WILLIAM  McKiNNEY  testifies : 

I  understand  that  Eipeto  makes  his  home  at  John  Wells',  near 
New  Santa  Fe,  Missouri.  Bipeto  said  to  me,  "we  have  torn  down 
Farley's  house  ;"  and  he  told  me  that  some  150  persons  had  camped 
on  the  claim  he  was  claiming  at  that  time.  Kipeto  said  also,  "  They 
have  given  Branson  notice  to  leave  there,  and  that  damned  old  abo- 
litionist  is  so  badly  scared  that  he  dares  not  step  out  50  yards  from  his 
house  to  cut  a  stick  of  timber  for  firewood."  I  saw  a  party  start  out 
from  Missouri  towards  the  Territory  a  few  days  before  the  election, 
the  30th  of  March,  and  they  returned  in  five  or  six  days.  My  eldest 
son,  Wilday  McKinney,  was  along  with  them.  I  did  not  hear  them 
say  that  they  were  coming  out  here  to  vote,  or  why  they  were  coming. 
It  was  after  the  party  returned  that  my  son  told  me  that  Farley's 
house  had  been  torn  down  on  that  trip.  That  party  went  to  Sweet- 
zer's  creek,  some  28  miles  from  Hickory  Point,  as  they  told  me. 
There  was  but  a  small  party  of  them,  and  they  went  out  in  two-horse 
wagons.  I  understood  from  them  that  an  election  was  held  at  Sweet- 
zer's  creek  on  the  30th  of  March. 

WM.  McKiNNEY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


WILDAY  McKlNNBY  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  at  Hickory  Point  last  fall,  the  day  after  Dow  was  killed.  I 
was  down  in  the  State  of  Missouri  the  day  Dow  was  killed,,  and  left 
Westport  the  evening  of  that  day.  I  stopped  at  a  place  that  night 
on  Indian  creek,  and  Colemari  came  in  after  I  had  been  in  bed  some 
time.  I  waked  up  as  he  came  in,  and  raised  up  in  my  bed  and  asked 
him  what  was  up,  and  he  said  nothing  particular  ;  that  was  all  that 
was  said  that  night  between  us.  The  next  morning  he  told  me  he 
had  killed  Mr.  Dow — that  he  had  shot  him.  I  don't  think  he  told 
me  anything  more  about  the  matter  then.  He  said  he  was  going 
down  to  Westport  and  to  the  Mission  to  give  himself  up.  I  then 
went  on  home.  I  live  with  my  father,  William  McKinney,  and  keep 
the  grocery  he  spoke  of  in  his  testimony.  The  day  after  I  got  back 
Mrs.  Colernan  sent  for  me,  to  see  me  as  to  what  she  had  better  do,  to 
go  or  to  stay  there.  After  some  converation,  she  concluded  to  go  to 
Missouri.  I  helped  to  load  most  of  her  furniture  and  things  into  a 
wagon  ;  some  things  were  left  there.  About  a  month  after  that  I 
saw  Mr.  Coleman  again,  but  he  said  nothing  about  Dow  at  that  time. 
Some  other  time  after  that  Coleman  told  me  that  on  the  day  Dow  was 
killed,  in  the  morning  he  and  Moody  was  down  fixing  a  limekiln,  and 
Branson  and  Dow  came  up  with  their  guns  where  they  were,  and  drew 
them  on  them,  and  ordered  them  off.  He  then  left  and  went  up 
home,  he  said.  He  saw  Mr.  Dow  in  the  evening  again,  and  Dow 
made  at  him  with  a  wagon  skane,  and  he  shot  him. 

WILDAY  McKiNNEY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


1050  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


DANIEL  T.  JONES  called  and  sworn. 

I  know  F.  M.  Coleman.  I  have  heard  of  the  death  of  Charles  W. 
Dow,  of  Hickory  Point,  last  fall.  I  saw  Mr.  Coleman  some  time  the 
last  of  November  in  company  with  Mr.  Buckley,  about  half  a  mile  west 
of  Westport,  Missouri.  He  told  me  there  at  that  time  of  the  death 
of  Dow,  and  that  was  the  first  I  had  heard  of  it.  I  had  a  slight  per- 
sonal acqaintance  with  Mr.  Dow.  Coleman  told  me  that  he  had  killed 
Dow — that  he  had  shot  him.  He  gave  as  a  reason,  that  while  he  was 
at  work  on  his  own  claim,  cutting  timber,  Dow  had  come  there  and 
forbade  him  to  cut  any  more.  He  also  said  that  Dow  had  threatened 
to  kill  him,  and  he  thought  that  one  or  the  other  of  them  had  to  die, 
and  therefore  he  had  shot  Dow.  Coleman  said,  when  I  saw  him,  that 
he  was  going  to  see  the  governor  of  the  Territory  to  give  himself  up, 
after  he  had  been  to  Westport  and  got  some  legal  advice.  I  have 
never  seen  Mr.  Coleman  since  that  time.  I  was  well  acquainted  with 
Coleman.  So  far  as  I  saw  ot  Mr.  Dow,  he  was  still  and  quiet.  I  never; 
saw  anything  wrong  of  him.  I  never  saw  Dow  intoxicated  in  nrp 
life.  So  far  as  I  know,  Coleman  was  a  man  of  temperate  habits,  and 
I  think  he  was  a  peaceable  man,  for  I  never  saw  anything  to  thei 
contrary. 

D.  S.  JONES. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


Mrs.  ALMINA  JONES  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  at  Hickory  Point,  in  Douglas  county,  in  this  Territory. 
lived  there  last  November.  I  did  not  know  Charles  W.  Dow. 
know  there  was  a  man  shot  there,  and  I  saw  him  shot.  I  did  no 
know  at  the  time  the  man  who  shot  him.  I  was  travelling  at  th 
time  I  saw  him  shot.  I  do  not  recollect  the  day  of  the  month  upoi! 
which  this  was  done  ;  but  it  was  during  the  latter  part  of  November 
I  was  between  Mr.  Coleman's  house  and  Mr.  McKinney's,  just  paa 
Mr.  McKinney's,  going  towards  Mr.  Colernan's  house.  I  did  nc< 
hear  the  report  of  the  gun,  as  the  ground  was  frozen,  and  the  buggn 
made  so  much  noise  ;  but  I  saw  the  smoke  of  the  gun,  and  sa> 
the  man  fall.  The  one  who  shot  him  then  went  into  Mr.  Coleman' 
house.  I  passed  by  where  the  man  that  was  shot  was  lying  in  th 
road,  but  I  did  not  know  who  he  was.  I  did  not  notice  particular!! 
those  persons  until  I  saw  the  smoke  of  the  gun  and  the  man  fall 
When  the  gun  was  fired,  I  should  think  those  persons  were  some  2 
or  25  yards  apart.  When  I  drove  by,  the  man  seemed  to  be  deadJ 
lying  perfectly  still.  I  noticed  him  particularly,  to  see  if  I  knei 
him.  I  did  not  see  the  man  who  shot  after  he  went  into  the  hous<{ 
I  was  acquainted  with  Mr.  Coleman  before  the  murder,  but  w 


1 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1051 

the  gun  was  fired  and  I  saw  the  man  fall,  I  was  not  close  enough  to 
see  who  it  was.     I  have  not  seen  Mr.  Coleman  since  that  time. 

I  know  Mr.  Buckley.  I  have  never  heard  him  say  anything  ahout 
the  murder.  I  know  Mr.  Hargous.  I  have  heard  him  speak  about 
the  murder  several  times.  At  the  time  of  the  murder  I  saw  Mr. 
Hargous  going  from  his  house  across  to  Mr.  Coleman' s,  and  he  was 
in  sight  of  the  murder  at  the  time. 

When  I  passed  the  body  it  was  lying  on  the  back  ;  his  left  hand 
lying  on  the  breast,  arid  the  right  arm  stretched  out  somewhat,  and 
lying  on  the  ground.  I  saw  a  little  blood  on  his  chin.  I  live  about 
three  miles  east  of  where  this  occurred.  I  saw  no  weapon  about  or 
near  the  body  as  I  passed  it. 

ALMINA   JONES. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


HORATIO  OWENS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  moved  into  Kansas  Territory  the  8th  of  June,  1854,  and  settled 
at  Hickory  Point,  in  the  1st  district,  and  have  resided  there  ever 
since.  I  know  something  about  the  difficulty  between  Coleman  and 
Dow.  There  was  no  political  excitement  there  at  that  time.  There 
were  persons  of  both  parties  residing  there,  and  their  opinions  were 
well  known.  I  know  the  time  when  the  difficulty  between  Coleman 
and  Dow  took  place.  Immediately  after  the  death  of  Dow  there  was 
a  company  of  armed  men  gathered  near  Coleman's  house.  They 
wished  to  hold  a  meeting  to  see  what  course  they  would  pursue.  I 
understood  the  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  devise  some  plan  to  get 
possession  of  Coleman,,  in  order  that  they  might  be  revenged  on  him. 
Mr.  Coleman  was  advised  by  some  of  his  friends,  Dr.  Chapman  and 
others,  to  leave  the  neighborhood,  and  give  himself  up  to  the 
authorities  of  the  Territory,  as  his  life  was  in  danger  if  he  remained 
there.  He  did  leave,  and  gave  himself  up  to  the  sheriff  of  Douglas 
county.  After  he  left  the  neighborhood,  there  was  a  company  of 
armed  men,  more  or  less  in  the  body  at  different  times,  from  ten  to 
forty  men.  After  they  held  this  meeting  in  the  evening,  Mr.  Cole- 
man's house  was  set  on  fire,  and  then  put  out  by  the  company.  That 
night  the  house  was  fired  again,  arid  burned  down.  Buckley's  house, 
in  the  ^neighborhood,  was  burned  the  same  night.  I  do  not  know 
who  did  it.  Every  thing  Buckley  had  in  his  house  was  burned.  Mrs. 
Coleman  did  succeed  in  saving  a  portion  of  what  was  in  Mr.  Cole- 
man's house.  The  band  was  travelling  around  through  the  country. 
I  have  seen  them,  and  I  had  a  conversation  with  two  of  my  neigh- 
bors who  were  present  at  the  first  meeting.  I  never  had  any  conver- 
sation with  Mr.  Branson  about  it.  At  that  time  and  afterwards  the 
two  parties  separated,  and  the  free-State  and  pro-slavery  men  looked 
upon  each  other  as  unfriendly.  As  to  Coleman  and  Dow,  they  never 
had  any  arguments  about  political  affairs  ;  but  the  difficulty  grew 
out  of  a  claim.  The  free-State  men  have  come  there  in  the  neighbor- 


1052  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

hood  and  settled  there,  and  said  that  they  had  the  numhers  to  hold 
their  claims  ;  that  if  they  found  a  piece  of  land  they  liked  they  aimed 
to  get  it.  This  was  the  talk  among  the  free-State  men  at  different 
times.  The  first  time  I  saw  S.  N.  Wood,  was  at  Lewis  Farley's 
house,  near  to  me.  He  came  there  in  a  two-horse  "buggy,  and  his 
vife  and  child  was  with  him.  He  was  a  stranger  to  me.  The  first 
word  he  spoke  after  he  came  into  the  house  where  Mr.  Farley,  myself, 
Mr.  Bounds,  and  Mr.  Johnson  were,  was  to  inquire  who  owned  niggers 
in  that  neighborhood.  Mr.  Farley  told  him  of  several  who  owned  nig- 
gers, and  among,  others,  said  that  Mr.  Owens,  pointing  to  me,  owned  a 
nigger.  Wood  remarked,  that  if  he  was  a  nigger  he  would  not  serve  his 
master  an  hour  after  he  came  into  the  Territory  ;  that  it  was  a  free 
country,  and  niggers  were  free  the  moment  they  were  fetched  there. 
I  told  him  if  he  was  a  nigger  and  belonged  to  me,  and  attempted  to 
cut  up  any  of  his  shines,  I  would  would  whip  him  like  hell,  and  make 
him  behave  himself.  His  wife  then  spoke,  and  begged  us  not  to  say 
anything  more  about  politics,  and  have  no  disturbance.  Nothing  more 
was  said  then,  and  Wood  got  a  bite  to  eat,  and  drove  off  with  his 
family.  The  feeling  among  the  pro-slavery  men  at  one  time,  at  the 
time  of  the  difficulty  between  Coleman  and  Dow,  in  that  neighbor- 
hood, was,  that  they  wanted  the  actual  settlers  to  vote  themselves, 
and  settle  the  question  of  slavery  for  themselves.  It  was  the  general 
talk  among  the  eastern  men,  in  my  neighborhood,  that  they  had  the 
numbers.  They  made  their  boast  and  brags  about  the  pro-slavery 
men,  and  said  that  they  had  better  send  their  niggers  away  ;  that 
they  had  the  men,  money,  and  power  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State, 
and  they  were  determined  to  d'o  it,  at  all  hazards.  They  spoke  in 
this  connexion,  as  I  understood  them,  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society, 
who  were  helping  men  to  come  here  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kan- 
sas a  free  State. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

These  conversations  I  speak  of,  and  the  first  talk  I  heard  of  the 
Aid  Societies,  was  in  October,  1855.  There  was  no  political  difficulty 
in  the  neighborhood  before  the  difficulty  between  Coleman  and  Dow; 
but  after  that  it  sprung  up,  and  has  been  getting  more  bitter  ever 
since. 

To  Mr.  King: 

It  was  the  talk  about  the  Aid  Society  of  the  North,  and  the  making 
Kansas  a  free  State,  at  all  hazards,  that  served  to  create  this  political 
feeling. 

HORATIO  OWENS. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  6,  1856. 


F.  M.  COLEMAN  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  am  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  emigrated  to  California  in  1850,  and 
from.  California  to  Kansas  Territory,  stopping  in  Missouri  some  three 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1053 

months,  in  1854.     While  in  Missouri  I  was  proprietor  of  the  Union 
Hotel,   in  Kansas  City.     I  came  into  the  Territory  in  September, 
1854,  and  settled  at  Hickory  Point,  in  the  first  election  district.     I  am 
the  individual  who  had  the  difficulty  with  Mr.  Dow,  which  resulted  in 
his  death.     Mr.  Dow's  claim  and  my  claim  joined — his  on  the  east  and 
mine  on  the  west.     Our  claims  formerly  were  occupied  by  other  per- 
sons.    Dow  took  possession  of  the  claim  formerly  belonging  to  a  Mr. 
White.     I  moved  my  house  five  hundred  yards  or  more  from  where  it 
stood,  in  order  to  be  more  convenient  to  the  timber,  for  fear  that  the 
lines,  when  they  came  to  be  run  by  the  government,  should  be  be- 
tween me  and  the   timber,   and  throw  me  entirely  on  the  prairie. 
There  was  a  conditional  line  between  me  and  Mr.  Dow,  which  was 
mutually  agreed  upon  ;  and  it  was  agreed  upon  by  the  people  of  the 
neighborhood  that  such  lines  should  stand  until  the  government  lines 
should  be  run.     I  cut  timber  on  this  claim  of  mine  from  May,  1855, 
until  late  in  the  fall,  and  had  no  difficulty  with  Mr.  Dow,  as  regards 
our  claims,  until  after  the  Shawnee  reserve  line  had  been  run.     This 
reserve  line  was  some  two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  my  claim.     Some 
two  or  three  of  the  neighbors,  Dow  among  the  number,  run  off  their 
lines  from  the  half-mile  stones  placed  on  the  reserve  line,  supposing 
,  that  the  government  survey  would  make  those  half-mile  stones  corners 
of  sections.     A  majority  of  the  neighbors  protested  against  it.    Jacob 
Branson  and  Mr.  Dow,  seeing  that  these  new  lines  would  be  advan- 
tageous to  them,  surveyed  their  lands  off  so  that  they  would  run  over 
on  my  claim  and  the  claim  of  Mr.  Hargous,  which  joined  me  on  the 
north.     Branson  went  to  Hargous,  where  he  was  at  work  on  his  claim 
with  some  five  or  six  men,  Dow  being  one  of  them.     They  threatened 
I  him  and  prevented  him  from  cutting  timber  on  his  claim,  so  far  as 
;  they  claimed.     I  had  burned  one  lime-kiln  on  my  claim,  and  was  pre- 
paring to  burn  another  the  week  after  I  had  burned  the  first  one.  Mr. 
Moody  was  working  with  me.     Mr.    Dow  came  to  me  one  day  about 
ten  o'clock,  and  said  he  wanted  me  to  stop  cutting  timber.     I  told  him 
1  was  inside  of  our  conditional  lines,  and  was  not  interfering  with  his 
claim.     I  showed  him  I  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  inside  of  rny 
claim,  according  to  the  conditional  lines.     He  said  he  had  never  made 
any  lines  himself,  and  that,  according  to  the  Shawnee  reserve  line,  he 
i  would  be  thrown  over  on  my  claim  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
j  further  than  by  the  conditional  line.     I  told  him  that  I  had  been  con- 
|  versing  with  the  surveyor  who  had  run  the  reserve  line,  and  was  well 
j  satisfied  that  it  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  government  sur- 
\  Tey,  and  that  the  laws  of  my  country  protected  me  in  holding  that 
I  )ortlon  of  my  claim.     He  swore  he  did  not  care  a  God  damn  for  the 
•saws  of  the  country,  and  that  I  should  quit  cutting  timber  on  that 
I^art  of  the  claim.    He  said,   "  God  damn  you,  you  think  you  will  get 
•ill  the  timber  off  the  claim  and  let  me  pre-empt  the  bare  rocky  land." 
then  offered  to  make  a  compromise  with  him.     I  tolcl  him  the  dis- 
j  ance  he  wished  to  claim  cut  ine  out  of  the  timber  entirely,  and  that  I 
I  ould  not  make  a  support  for  my  family  without  timber  for  farming 
I'urposes.     He  said  he  did  not  care  a  God  damn ;  that  I  had  made  my- 
I  slf  very  meddlesome  at  the  time  he  had  taken  possession  of  the  claim 
»:6  then  occupied.     I  told  him  I  had  been  appointed  as  one  ot  a  com- 


1054  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

mittee  to  investigate  the  burning  of  White's  house,  and  asked  him  if 
I  had  not  told  him  that  I  wished  to  live  neighbors  with  him,  and  that, 
if  he  was  not  concerned  in  the  burning  of  White's  house,  my  door  was 
always  open,  and  he  would  be  a  welcome  guest.  He  said  I  should! 
stop  cutting  timber  there.  I  asked  him  how  he  would  stop  me?  He: 
said  he  would  stop  me  in  a  way  I  would  not  like,  and  that  if  I  was- 
not  careful  he  would  break  my  hide.  Mr.  Moody  asked  Mr.  Dow  if! 
he  would  let  us  have  that  kiln  of  lime  we  were  at  work  upon?  Dow» 
said  he  would  see  about  it,  and  then  he  left.  No  one  was  with  Dowv 
at  that  time,  and  he  had  no  arms  with  him.  Mr.  Branson  and  Dow 
came  up  towards  us  in  an  hour  or  so  afterwards,  with  what  I  supposed 
were  Sharpe's  rifles,  and  I  left  before  they  got  up.  Out  of  this  diffi- 
culty about  the  claim  resulted  the  first  difficult}r,  which  resulted  in 
Dow's  death. 

There  was  no  excitement  in  the  neighborhood  at  that  time,  and  nc< 
hard  feelings  between  persons  there  in  relation  to  political  matters^,  sci 
far  as  I  knew.     There  were  no  hard  feelings  between  me  and  Dow  asd 
regarded  politics — so  far  as  I  was  concerned,  at  all  events.     I  inyselj 
was  indifferent  in  regard  to  whether  Kansas  was  made  a  slave  Stat 
or  a  free  State.     I  was  willing  for  the  bona  fide  settlers  of  the  Terri 
tory  to  settle  that  matter  for  themselves,  and  was  willing  to  abide  b 
the  decision  they  made. 

The  reason  I  left  the  kiln  when  I  saw  Branson  and  Dow  coming  up 
was  that  I  knew  Branson  was  an  avowed  enemy  of  mine,  and  ha< 
heard  he  had  made  a  great  many  threats  against  me.  Dow  lived  wit 
Branson  at  that  time. 

For  the  alleged  charge  of  killing  Dow  I  came  to  the  Shawnee  Mis 
sion  and  surrendered  myself  into  the  custody  of  sheriff  Jones,  of  th" 
county  in  which  I  resided,  the  governor  directing  that  I  should  I 
taken  before  a  magistrate  of  my  county.  I  was  carried  by  the  sheri 
to  Bull  creek,  and  there  met  an  express  warning  me  of  the  danger  < 
going  back  into  the  neighborhood  to  appear  before  the  justice,  thei 
being  a  large  armed  force  there  greatly  excited.  I  returned  back  i 
the  governor,  and  he  then  ordered  the  sheriff  to  take  me  to  Lejomj 
ton, 'before  Judge  Lecompte.  The  sheriff  took  me  to  Lecompton,  am 
I  was  there  in  the  custody  of  the  sheriff  some  eight  days.  Judge  L< 
compte  did  not  arrive  there.  My  witnesses  did  not  appear  on  accouu 
of  the  excitement  existing  in  the  country,  and  I  requested  to  be  L 
go  to  the  Wakarusa  camp,  where  Squire  Saunders  and  some  of  m 
witnesses  were.  Being  unable  to  get  witnesses  to  appear,  to  fully  ii 
vestigate  the  matter,  Tgave  my  recognizance  before  Squire  Saunders 
appear  before  the  circuit  court  of  Douglas  county,  and  so  far  us 
know  that  recognizance  is  in  force  against  me  yet,  and  I  stand  reac 
to  answer  the  charge.  I  attended  at  Lecompton  at  the  last  circuit. 
the  Douglas  county  court,  and  saw  Governor  Shannon  and  Judge  L 
compte,  and  told  them  I  wanted  the  matter  investigated.  The  tin 
appointed  for  the  investigation  was  about  the  time  Governor  Keed 
resisted  the  officers.  The  court  had  been  in  session  there  more  thai 
week.  I  told  them  I  wished  to  have  the  matter  investigated,  and 
not  safe  in  travelling  through  the  Territory.  My  reasons  for  tel 
them  so,  was  that  I  had  been  shot  at  several  times,  and  just  b 


KANSAS    AFFAIES.  1055 

that  I  had  been  shot  at  more  than  twenty  times  by  men  from  Law- 
rence,, somewhere  between  Lawrence  and  "  Blanton's  bridge."  Be- 
fore this,  during  the  fall  before,  I  had  been  attacked  by  twenty-three 
men,  and  my  mule  was  shot,  but  I  escaped.  I  was  bound  to  be  there 
when  the  investigation  took  place,  and  I  wanted  it  over  as  soon  as 
possible.  The  matter  has  not  yet  been  investigated,  because  the  court 
adjourned  on  account  of  the  excitement  in  the  county. 

To  Mr.  Howard  : 

The  amount  of  bail  fixed  in  my  recognizance  was  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. It  was  signed  by  Mobillon  McGee  and  Thomas  Mockaby.  I 
was  at  the  Wakarusa  camp  several  days,  going  there  from  Lecomp- 
ton.  I  took  no  part  with  the  forces  there,  and  merely  remained  there 
for  my  own  protection.  I  never  had  any  appointment  tendered  to 
me  in  any  of  the  companies,  and  took  no  part  in  it.  The  time  I  was 
shot  at  by  twenty-three  Lawrence  men  was  while  I  was  going  from 
Lecompton  to  the  Wakarusa  camp.  I  was  right  opposite  Lawrence, 
on  the  California  road.  I  cannot  say  what  their  names  were.  Mr. 
Miller,  who  was  then  holding  office  under  Robinson  and  Lane,  told 
me  afterwards  that  it  was  reported  in  Lawrence  that  night  that  I  had 
been  shot  at,  but  they  did  not  think  they  had  killed  me.  They  shot 
my  mule  at  that  time,  but  I  escaped.  I  know  these  men  were  from 
Lawrence ;  because  they  told  the  picket  guard  of  Franklin  so  about 
ten  minutes  before  I  met  them,  which  was  after  dark,  about  8  o'clock. 
I  think  Mr.  Dow  died  on  or  about  the  24th  of  November.  I  do  not 
recollect  the  day  of  the  week.  The  interview  I  had  with  Dow  at  the 
lime-kiln  was  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  am  not  willing  to 
answer  any  more  questions  in  regard  to  this  matter,  only  so  far  as  its 
political  bearing  is  concerned.  I  saw  Mr.  Hargous  and  Mr.  Buckley 
and  Mr.  Wagner  that  day,  after  my  first  interview  with  Mr.  Dow. 
I  went  to  Mr.  Hargous's  house,  and  there  was  no  person  at  home  ; 
and  I  then  started  from  there  over  towards  Mr.  McKinney's.  About 
three  hundred  yards  from  Mr.  Hargous's,  I  met  Mr.  Hargous,  Mr. 
Buckley,  and  Mr.  Wagner.  I  told  them  I  wanted  them  to  go  with  me 
down  into  the  timber,  to  establish  the  line  between  Mr.  Hargous  and 
myself,  as  we  had  never  had  any  line  established  between  our  claims.  I 
told  Mr.  Hargous  that  Mr.  Branson  and  Mr;  Dow  had  run  me  away 
from  where  I  was  at  work;  and  as  there  was  no  conditional  line  be- 
tween Hargous  and  myself,  I  wanted  it  established  that  I  might  not 
intrude  upon  him.  He  said  he  had  not  time  to  go  just  then,  but  told 
me  to  call  at  his  house  in  a  short  time,  as  he  was  going  down  into  the 
timber  to  receive  some  corn  he  had  bought  from  Mr.  Wagner,  and 
Mr.  Buckley  was  going  along  to  kill  a  beef.  They  went  on  to  Mr. 
Hargous's,  and  I  returned  home.  Some  time  afterwards,  on  that  day, 
I  returned  to  Mr.  Hargous's  house,  and  these  three  were  there. 
Wagner  asked  me  if  I  had  let  Branson  and  Dow  clear  me  out.  I  told 
him  that  they  had.  They  insisted  on  my  sitting  down  and  eating 
dinner,  which  I  refused.  They  said  they  would  accompany  me 
down  to  establish  the  line  between  Hargous  and  myself,  as  it  was 
the  way  they  were  going.  '  l3uckley  started,  saying  he  would  go 
to  the  whiskey  shop  and  get  some  liquor,  and  then  meet  us  at  my 


1056  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

house.  After  he  had  heen  gone  some  time,  and  while  the  rest  were 
not  ready  to  leave,  I  told  them  I  would  go  on  and  meet  Buckley,  and 
meet  them  at  my  house.  I  did  not  see  anything  more  of  them  until 
after  the  final  difficulty  with  Dow.  There  was  no  agreement  and  un- 
derstanding between  me  and  Mr.  Buckley  that  he  should  go  to  the 
blacksmith's  shop  and  pick  a  difficulty  with  Dow;  for  I  had  no  idea  he 
knew  Dow  was  there.  I  did  not  myself  know  that  Dow  was  there. 
I  saw  Mr.  liargous,  Mr.  Wagner,  and  Mr.  Moody  together  after  the 
final  difficulty  between  myself  and  Dow.  I  heard  afterwards  that 
Dow  had  been  at  the  blacksmith's  shop,  and  had  had  some  difficulty 
with  Mr.  Buckley.  The  difficulty  between  Dow  and  myself  was  in  no 
way  a  political  one.  The  politics  of  Hargous,  Wagner,  and  Buckley 
were  pro-slavery  at  that  time.  Mr.  Moody  was  a  free-State  man.  I 
was  at  Lecompton  a  prisoner  when  Branson  was  rescued ;  and  I  have 
never  had  any  office  or  acted  as  an  officer  in  Kanzas  Territory.  I 
had  accepted  a  commission  from  Governor  Shannon  as  justice  of  the 
peace  ;  but  in  consequence  of  the  difficulty  between  myself  and  Dow, 
I  threw  up  my  commission. 

F.  M.  COLEMAK 
WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  5,  1856. 


JOHN  M.  BANKS  testifies : 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  live  in  the  same  neighborhood  where  Golem  an  and  Dow  lived,  be- 
tween whom  there  was  a  difficulty,  which  resulted  in  the  death  of 
Dow.  About  the  time  Dow  first  came  to  the  neighborhood  I  made  a 
claim,  Mr.  Coleman  being  there  at  that  time.  There  was  a  house 
burned  on  a  claim  of  William  White,,  who  was  a  free-State  man.  The 
day  after  the  house  was  burned  this  Dow  commenced  to  build  another 
house  on  that  claim.  Some  of  the  neighbors  went  up  to  Mr.  Dow  to 
see  who  had  burned  the  house  of  Mr.  White,  being  a  committee  ap- 
pointed by  the  neighbors  to  see  who  had  burned  the  house.  Mr.  Cole- 
man and  myself  were  on  that  committee.  We  talked  to  him  about  it. 
He  said  he  did  not  burn  the  house.  He  was  asked  if  he  knew  who 
did  burn  it,  and  he  would  not  answer.  Mr.  Coleman  and  he  then  got 
to  talking  about  it,  and  Mr.  Coleman  remarked  that  if  he,  Dow,  did 
not  burn  it,  and  had  no  hand  in  it,  and  knew  nothing  about  it,  he 
could  answer  it  quietly,  and  also  told  him  that  if  a  man  wanted  to 
live  peaceably  in  the  neighborhood  he  would  not  engage  in  such  things 
as  that.  And  so  they  got  to  talking  about  it,  and  at  last  they  really 
seemed  to  get  into  a  quarrel  about  it.  Mr.  Coleman  told  him  this  : 
"  You  deny  doing  it  yourself,  but  will  not  say  you' do  not  know  of  its 
being  done,  and  I  think  such  men  as  those  are  dangerous  in  the  country. 
We  have  come  here  to  make  our  homes  and  settle  here,  and  we  do  not 
want  any  houses  burned  ;  we  want  to  live  peaceably  and  neighborly 
here  in  the  community. ' '  Just  as  we  started  away,  Mr.  Coleman  turned 
round  and  said,  "  Mr.  Dow,  we  are  strangers  here  together,  and  we 
wish  to  live  peaceably  with  every  person."  Dow  said  that  was  all 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1057 

right;  that  he  did  not  burn  the  house  ;  and  then  Coleman  said,  Let  us 
live  like  neighbors  and  put  a  stop  to  all  such  things  as  burning  of 
houses."  Dow  said  that  was  the  right  way  to  get  along. 

There  was  very  little  said  about  the  slavery  question  just  about  this 
time  ;  it  was  not  an  exciting  subject  at  all.  Dow  was  living  at  Jacob 
Branson'  at  that  time,  and  I  do  not  think  they  were  on  good  terms 
with  Coleman  at  all  after  this  matter  -of  the  burning  of  White's  house. 
Before  the  house  was  burned  Coleman  and  Branson  were  not  on  good 
terms,  having  had  some  difficulty  and  a  neighborhood  law-suit  about 
a  claim.  I  never  heard  Dow  say  anything  about  it ;  but  I  heard 
Branson  say  Coleman  had  better  keep  out  of  the  window  and  away 
from  abouthim,  and  that  if  he  did  not  he  would  hurt  him.  I  never 
heard  Dow  say  anything  about  Coleman.  Coleman  and  Dow's  claims 
joined,  when  they  made  their  claims  there  first.  When  Dow  first 
came  there  Coleman  was  living  on  a  prairie  claim,  and  after  Dow  had 
made  his  claim  Coleman  went  over  on  an  adjoining  claim  to  Dow's. 
The  one  that  Coleman  went  on  was  marked  out  before  Coleman  went 
on  it,  and  before  Dow  settled  on  his  ;  and  when  Dow  went  on  his 
claim  he  respected  the  lines  of  the  claim  that  Coleman  afterwards  went 
on.  I  think  It  was  in  May  1855,  that  Coleman  went  on  that  claim, 
and  I  heard  of  no  difficulty  at  all  about  the  lines  until  in  the  fall, 
when  the  Sbawnee  reserve  lines  were  run.  I  helped  Coleman  to  cut, 
timber  on  his  claim,  and  no  one  disputed  his  right  to  do  so.  The  re- 
serve line  did  not  interfere  with  either  of  their  claimsT  and  one  or  two 
of  the  neighbors,  who  lived  right  along  their  lines,  who  considered, 
the  stones  put  up  by  the  reserve  surveyor  would  be  corners  of  sections, 
got  a  surveyor  and  had  their  lines  run  off  so  as  to  correspond  with., 
their  stones  on  the  reserve  line.  In  this  way  Mr.  Dow's  claim  was. 
thrown  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  on  to  Mr.  Coleman's  claim. 
A  majority  of  the  neighbors  protested  against  the  lines  being  altered' 
so  as  to  correspond  with  their  corner-stones.  Dow  claimed  in  to  the* 
new  lines  on  Coleman's  claim  a  strip  of  some  two  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  wide  of  timber  land.  Coleman  insisted  upon  the  line  that  they 
had  fixed  upon  when  they  first  settled  there,  but  said  when  the  gov- 
ernment survey  was  made  he  would  agree  to  whatever  line  was  then 
made.  Coleman  had  a  lime-kiln  on  this  disputed  strip,  and  I  had 
helped  him  to  cut  timber  there  before  they  undertook  to  section ize  the 
country  there,  and  had  burned  one  kiln  there  and  made  use  of  the  lime 
without  any  objection  being  made  by  any  one  to  it,  and  he  was  pre^ 
paring  the  second  one,  when  I  understood  the  difficulty  arose  on  that 
account ;  but  I  do  not  know  the  particulars  about  the  difficulty  only 
as  I  have  heard  from  there. 

Late  in  the  evening  that  Dow  was  killed  I  heard  of  it.  I  was  sick 
and  not  able  to  go  up,  but  I  went  up  to  Coleman's  the  next  morning. 
Just  as  I  was  starting  I  stopped  in  a  neighbor's  house,  and  there 
were  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  men  came  in  from  around,  and  asked  me 
if  I  had  heard  anything  of  this  murder,  and  I  told  them  I  had.  They 
asked  if  1  knew  where  Coleman  was  ;  1  said  I  did  not,  but  had  heard 
that  he  had  gone  down  to  the  governor  to  give  himself  up.  They 
then  started  off  and  went  in  the  direction  of  Coleman's  house,  saying 
they  were  going  to  hunt  Coleman,  though  they  did  not  say  what  they 
H.  Rep.  200 67* 


1058  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

were  going  to  do  with  him.     They  did  not  say  anything  about  having 
any  legal  authority  to  arrest  Coleman.     I  went  along  up  after  them 
to  Coleman's  house,  and  after  we  got  upon  the  prairie,  Mr.  Hargous 
having  joined  me  by  that  time,  we  saw  they  were  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  from  Coleman' s  house,  where  they  were  joined  by  a  party  of 
about  as  many  more,  who  came  up  from  the  timber,  in  the  direction  of 
Branson's.    All  these  went  on  up  to  Coleman' s  house,  and  stopped  at 
the  fence.     Three  men  went  into  the  yard,  and  walked  up  to  the  door 
and  opened  it,  and  one  of  them  went  in.     I  rode  on  past  them,  and 
went  over  to  Hargous's  house,  where  Mrs.  Coleman  then  was.     I  was 
there  some  half  an  hour,  and  on  looking  up  towards  Coleman's,  I 
saw  these  men  there  yet.     They  were  all  armed,  principally  with 
Sharpens  rifles,  some  with  common  rifles.     Mr.  Branson  was  among 
them.     Mr.  Hargous  and  I  walked  over  to  a  grocery,  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  off,  and  were  there  a  little  while,  and  I  looked  up  towards 
Coleman' s  house  again,  and  saw  these  men  about  half-way  between 
Coleman's  and  Hargous's,  going  towards  Hargous's.     Some  ten  or 
.•fifteen  stopped  between  the  two  houses,  and  the  rest  went  on  to  Har- 
g'ous's  house.     Mr.  Hargous,  a  Mr.   King,  and  I  went  over  to  Har- 
gous's house.     When  we  got  near  the  house  these  men  left  it,  and 
came  towards  us.     King  and  I  were  walking  foremost,  and  we  passed 
those  men,  but  they  slopped  Hargous.     King  and  I  walked  on  to 
the  house,  where  we  were  told  these  men  had  been  in  there  searching 
for  Coleman.     Hargous  was  detained  a  good  while  by  these  men, 
about  four  or  five  rods  from  the  house.     I  heard  them  talking  to  him 
as  I  stood  in  the  door.     I  heard  Branson  ask  him  if  he  knew  where 
Coleman  was.     Hargous  said  he  did  not  know  where  he  was  then, 
but  he  knew  he  had  started  to  the  Shawnee  Mission  to  give  himself 
up  to  the  governor.     Branson  said  Hargous  lied;  that  Coleman  had 
not  gone  down  there.     Hargous  said  he  had  started,  for  he  knew  it. 
Branson  insisted  that  that  was  not  so ;  that  Hargous  knew  where 
Coleman  was,   and  had  helped   to  murder  Dow.     I  could  not  hear 
what  else  Branson  said,  but  I  heard  Hargous  say,  "  Gentlemen,  you 
have  got  me  in   yonr  power,  and  you  can  kill  me,  but  you  cannot 
make  me  tell  a  lie."     I  saw  no  officer  of  the  law  there  at  all.     The 
men  then  went  over  to  the  grocery  where  we  had  been.     I  left  there 
and  went  home.     After  the  men  had  left  the  house  of  Hargous,  Mrs. 
Coleman  requested  me  to  go  or  send  some  one  down  to  see  Mr.  Cole- 
man.    She  said  she  knew  Mr.  Coleman  would  go  down  to  the  gov- 
ernor and  give  himself  up,  get  bail,  and  come  right  back  ;  and  then 
these  men  would  meet  him,  and  kill  him.     I  told  her  I  would  go 
down,  and  I  started  early  the  next  morning,  Saturday,  down  to  see 
Coleman.     I  met  Mr.  Coleman  about  seventeen  miles  from  Hickory 
Point   returning  with  Mr.  Jones,  the  sheriff,  who  had  him  in  cus- 
tody, as  the  governor  had  told  them  they  had  better  go  back  before  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  have  the  matter  investigated.     I  told  them  I 
thought  they  had  better  not  go  up  there  then,  as  there  was  consider- 
able excitement,  and  many  men  were  there  under  arms.     Mr.  Jones  ' 
said  he  did  know  what  to  do,  but  he  thought  he  could  go  up  there  in 
safety.     I  told  them  again,  I  thought  the  better  plan  was  not  to  go 
there  at  present,  as  I  had  seen  some  thirty  or  forty  armed  men  hunt- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


1059 


ing  for  Coleman.  I  had  passed  Bull  creek,  coming  this  way,  about 
four  miles,  when  I  met  them,  and  I  turned  and  went  back  with  them 
to  Bull  creek,  and  stopped  there  all  night.  Jones  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  would  be  better  to  go  back  to  the  governor,  and  decide 
upon  what  course  should  be  taken,  and  I  went  back  with  them  to 
Gov.  Shannon's.  Gov.  Shannon  advised  the  sheriff  to  take  Coleman 
to  Lecompton.  Mr.  Jones  started  with  him  to  Lecompton,  and  I 
went  on  with  them  until  we  got  opposite  to  Lawrence,  and  then  left 
them  and  went  into  Lawrence.  Mr.  Babcock  and  I  were  personally 
friendly,  and  he  advised  me  not  to  go  back  home,  as  there  were  some 
200  or  300  men  in  arms,  who  had  had  a  meeting  there  that  day  to 
investigate  the  killing  of  Dow.  I  said  I  did  not  suppose  there  was 
any  danger,  but  he  said  there  might  be  a  good  deal.  He  said  the 
men  that  had  went  over  there  said  they  were  going  to  kill  Coleman 
and  all  his  friends.  Mr.  Babcock  is  a  free-State  man,  and  the  post- 
master at  Lawrence.  I  started  and  went  home.  I  met  several  between 
Lawrence  and  Hickory  Point,  some  twenty  or  thirty  in  all,  going  to- 
wards Lawrence.  Some  of  them  I  knew  to  be  citizens  of  Lawrence. 
They  were  armed,  but  did  not  molest  me  as  I  passed  them.  After  I 
got  home  some  ten  or. twelve  men  came  down  by  my  house,  and  some 
of  them  told  me  they  had  been  at  the  meeting  at  the  Point.  They 
were  also  armed,  some  with  Sharpe's  rifles  and  some  with  other  guns. 
These  armed  men  were  free-State  men.  One  pro-slavery  man  by  the 
name  of  Jones  was  with  this  party  by  my  house,  but  he  had  no  arms. 
I  said  to  these  men  that  I  had  heard  they  had  had  a  meeting  up  on 
the  hill  by  Coleman 's  claim.  They  said  they  had  ;  and  I  asked  them 
the  nature  of  the  meeting.  They  said  they  had  met  for  the  purpose 
of  finding  out  how  the  murder  was  committed,  and  to  hunt  Coleman. 
I  told  them  I  could  tell  them  where  Coleman  was,  and  that  I  had 
left  him  near  Lawrence  that  morning,  and  he  had  gone  on  to  Lecomp- 
ton  in  the  custody  of  the  sheriff.  This  was  on  Monday.  Coleman' s 
house  was  burned  that  night.  I  saw  the  remains  of  it  the  next  morn- 
ing.  While  I  was  looking  at  the  remains  of  Coleman's  house,  I  saw 
smoke  rise  in  the  direction  of  Buckley's  house,  and  found  out  after- 
wards that  Buckley's  house  was  burned.  While  these  men  were  at 
my  house,  on  the  evening  before  Mr.  Jones  was  with  them,  I  asked 
the  men  if  they  were  going  to  commit  any  depredations,  as  I  had  heard 
they  were  to  burn  the  houses  of  all  the  pro-slavery  men  at  the  Grove. 
One  said  he  did  not  know  anything  about  that.  I  asked  Mr.  Jones 
if  they  had  committed  any  depredations  on  Coleman' s  property  ;  Mr. 
Jones,  said  that  some  of  the  men  had  set  the  house  on  fire,  and  others 
had  put  it  out.  The  men  were  a  little  off  on  one  side  when  Jones 
told  me  this,  and  they  went  away  then.  These  men  who  were  going 
about  armed  were  free-State  men,  and  Branson  was  the  leader  of 
them.  I  saw  a  Mr.  Dexter,  Mr.  Cant  well,  Mr.  McAllister,  Mr.  Chap- 
man, and  a  number  of  others.  As  far  as  I  knew  them  they  were  free" 
State  men,  except  this  Mr.  Jones,  who  was  with  them  at  my  house  on 
Monday.  Mr.  Buckley  was  a  warm  friend  of  Mr.  Coleman' s,  and 
had  gone  with  him  down  to  the  governors.  Coleman's  and  Buckley's 
houses  were  burned  on  the  same  night.  I  never  heard  Mr.  Coleman 
Bay  much  about  his  opinion  upon  the  slavery  question.  I  heard  him 


1060  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

say  frequently,  that  he  wished  Kansas  to  come  in  as  a  State,  upon  a 
fair  vote  of  the  people,  and  if  it  was  made  a  free  State,  and  negroes 
were  excluded,  he  would  he  satisfied. 

When  the  government  came  to  survey  the  lands  upon  which  Dow's 
and  Coleman's  claims  were,  Coleman's  claim  was  thrown  some  250 
yards  over  on  what  Dow's  claim  was  when  he  first  took  it.  The 
squatter  lines  were  only  to  stand  until  the  government  lines  were 
run. 

JOHN  M.  BANKS. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  4,  1856. 


JACOB  BRANSON  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  this  Territory  in  March,  1854,  and  stopped  down  in  the 
Wyandott  nation,  and  staid  there  until  August,  1854,  and  then 
moved  out  to  Hickory  Point,  and  have  heen  theie  ever  since.  I  came 
to  the  Territory  from  Indiana.  Mr.  Dow  came  to  my  house  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1855,  and  went  on  his  claim,  backwards  and  forwards,  from 
my  house,  until  just  hefore  the  election  in  March",  1855,  and  then  came 
to  my  house,  and  remained  there  all  the  time  until  he  was  killed. 
Mr.  Coleman  lived  nearly  a  mile  from  my  house  at  the  time  of  the 
murder.  There  was  no  previous  difficulty  between  Dow  and  Coleman, 
hefore  the  one  that  took  place  the  morning  Dow  was  killed.  Coleman 
and  Dow  used  to  speak  together  when  they  met.  On  the  morning  of 
the  21st  of  November  last,  Dow  and  I  went  down  on  his  claim  to  set 
a  log  heap  on  fire,  to  burn  some  lime,  which  we  did  ;  and  after  re- 
maining a  while  with  him,  I  returned  home,  and  Dow  went  off  to- 
wards the  blacksmith  shop  to  get  a  wagon-skane  mended.  The  skane 
was  a  piece  of  iron  about  12  or  14  inches  long,  for  a  common  lumber- 
wagon,  and  was  very  thin  and  very  much  worn.  It  is  hardly  an  inch 
wide,  and  not  more  than  an  eighth  of  an  inch  thick.  About  half 
an  hour  after  I  left  him,  he  came  back  to  my  house,  and  complained 
that  Coleman  and  Moody  were  on  his  claim  cutting  timber.  He  asked 
me  to  go  down  with  him,  as  Coleman  refused  to  leave  when  he  had 
told  him  to  do  so.  I  did  so,  and  took  my  gun  along ;  but  Dow  re- 
fused to  take  his  with  him,  although  I  endeavored  to  get  him  to  do  so. 
He  went  back  with  me  with  nothing  but  this  skane  in  his  hand.  We 
went  up  to  where  they  were  at  work,  and,  before  we  got  there,  we 
saw  Coleman  leaving,  when  he  was  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
lime-heap,  going  up  a  hill.  We  were  from  50  to  100  yards  from  the 
lime-heap  when  we  saw  him.  Moody  was  still  there,  and  after  some 
talk  with  him,  I  returned  home,  after  trying  to  persuade  Dow  to  go 
back  with  me  and  get  his  gun,  which  he  refused  to  do,  or  even  to  go 
and  get  a  pistol. 

Dow  went  off  towards  the  blacksmith  shop.  This,  I  should  think, 
was  about  11  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  I  never  saw  Dow  alive 
after  that.  I  first  heard  of  his  death  in  the  evening  about  four  or  five 
o'clock,  when  the  sun  was  about  half  an  hour  high. 

Mr.  Gleason  was  the  first  man  who  told  me  Dow  was  killed.     I 


I 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1061 

learned  from  him  that  Coleman  had  killed  Dow  just  above  in  the  road. 
I  understood  from  Mr.  Gleason  that  Coleman  had  come  down  towards 
my  house,  with  some  persons  with  him,  and  I  was  afraid  they  would 
attack  me,  though  I  have  since  learned  that  I  misunderstood  Gleason. 
I  remained  in  my  house,  expecting  an  attack,  my  wife  having  left  for 
the  neighbors',  and  I  stood  there,  with  my  gun  in  my  hand,  about  an 
hour.  I  had  before  this  time  become  so  uneasy  about  Dow's  long  ab- 
sence, that  I  had  come  up  from  my  house  by  the  log-heap  into  the 
road,  and  went  up  so  that  I  could  see  the  blacksmith  shop,  and,  as  I 
afterwards  learned,  from  100  yards  to  150  from  where  Dow  lay  dead. 
I  saw  Coleman,  and  five  other  men  I  did  not  recognise  perfectly,  come 
from  towards  Mr.  Hargous's  house  across  the  road,  near  where  Dow' 8 
body  was  lying.  I  took  those  with  Coleman  to  be  Hargous,  Buckley, 
Moody,  and  two  other  men — I  could  not  tell  who  they  were.  They 
went  into  Mr.  Coleman's  house.  Then,  as  I  stood  watching  che  black- 
smith's shop,  I  saw  two  men  coming  from  that  direction,  and  going 
by  Dow's  body  within  a  few  steps,  pass  into  Mr.  Coleman's  house  also. 
I  saw  no  more  stirring,  and  after  waiting  awhile,  I  went  back  home 
some  other  way ;  though  I  was  afraid  something  had  happened,  or 
would  happen,  from  what  I  bad  seen  of  the  actions  of  these  men.  I 
did  not  know,  at  that  time,  that  Dow  was  killed ;  and  though  I  was 
near  enough  to  have  seen  something  lying  in  the  road,  yet,  as  I  did 
not  expect  it,  and  my  eye-sight  was  rather  bad,  I  did  not  see  anything. 

Nearly  an  hour  after  Gleason  had  come  to  my  house — and  it  was 
getting  quite  dark — Moody  came  to  my  house,  and  told  me  that  Dow 
was  killed.  I  asked  him  who  killed  him,  and  he  said  Coleman.  I 
asked  him  if  he  saw  Coleman  do  it,  and  he  said  he  did.  Then  I  asked 
him  how  far  he,  Moody,  was  from  Coleman  when  Coleman  killed  Dow, 
and  he  said  he  thought  he  was  pretty  near  a  hundred  yards  off.  Then 
I  asked  him  how  near  Coleman  was  to  Dow  when  he  shot  him,  and  he 
could  not  tell  exactly;  but  it  was  not  less  than  25  nor  more  than  50 
yards.  Coleman  was  behind  Dow,  he  said,  and  bursted  a  cap  at  him, 
without  discharging  his  gun.  Dow  turned  round,  and  he  saw  Dow 
raise  his  hand  and  motion  with  his  finger  to  Coleman,  as  if  he  was 
talking  earnestly  to  him  ;  but  he  could  not  hear  what  was  said.  He 
said  that  Coleman  put  another  cap  on  his  gun  after  Dow  turned  round, 
and  then  raised  his  gun,  pointed  it  towards  Dow,  and  fired,  when 
Dow  immediately  fell  backwards,  a  little  sideways,  and  he  did  not 
see  him  move  afterwards. 

I  asked  him  what  Coleman  did  then.  And  he  said,  nothing  but  to 
walk  to  his  house.  I  asked  Moody  why  he  had  not  let  me  know 
about  it  sooner.  He  said  he  thought  some  of  the  rest  of  them  had 
come  down  to  let  me  know.  I  asked  him  who  else  was  by  when  Cole- 
man killed  Dow,  and  he  told  me  that  Wagner  was  along  with  him. 
Moody  and  Hargous  were  a  little  behind.  Then  I  asked  young  Hop- 
kins, who  had  come  to  my  house  about  the  same  time  that  Moody  had, 
if  he  would  go  along  with  me.  He  said  he  would,  and  then  I  and. 
Hopkins  and  Moody  went  up  the  road  where  Dow's  body  was  lying. 
After  we  got  there,  Mr.  Hargous  and  a  young  man,  who  I  think  was  also 
named  Hargous,  came  along  with  part  of  the  running  gear  of  a  wagon 


1062  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

without  the  body,  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen,  and  stopped  where  we 
then  were. 

The  body  was  lying  mainly  north  and  south  across  the  road,  the 
head  in  the  road  near  the  centre,  and  the  feet  along  a  Ittle  angling 
towards  the  side  of  the  road.  His  hands  were  lying  little  from  his 
body,  as  he  was  lying  nearly  on  his  back,  but  a  little  towards  the 
right  side  ;  and  the  wagon-skane  was  lying  on  the  fingers  of  his 
right  hand,  as  it  was  lying  open,  with  a  leather  glove  on.  Without 
examining  his  body,  we  put  it  on  the  wagon  and  took  it  down  to  my 
house.  After  we  got  there,  we  laid  out  his  body  and  took  off  his 
clothes,  and  saw  where  he  was  shot. 

There  were  nine  slug  holes,  eight  in  his  body  and  one  in  his  arm. 
One  went  into  his  neck — and  there  might  have  been  .two — and  the 
rest  in  his  breast,  scattered  from  the  pit  of  his  stomach  up  above  for 
fully  twelve  inches.  We  did  not  notice  at  the  time  that  any  went 
through  the  body  ;  but  when  we  took  up  his  clothes,  two  or  three 
slugs,  I  do  not  know  which,  dropped  out.  They  were  bloody,  and 
had  lint  from  his  clothes  on  them.  They  were  preserved,  and  my  wife* 
has  them  now.  They  looked  as  if  they  were  not  run,  but  cut  off  a 
square  piece  of  lead,  and  then  rounded  a  little.  I  should  think  they 
would  have  run  about  100  or  150  to  the  pound. 

We  buried  him  the  second  day  after  he  was  killed.  A  good  many 
neighbors  gathered  in,  and  were  a  good  deal  excited.  But  nothing 
particular  happened  before  Dow  was  buried.  There  was  some  search! 
made  for  Coleman,  but  he  was  not  to  be  found  in  the  neighborhood! 
There  was  a  meeting  at  Hickory  Point,  the  Monday  following  the  fu-i 
neral  on  Saturday.  The  neighbors  had  appointed  to  meet  at  myi 
house  on  Monday  to  take  some  further  steps  to  bring  Coleman  to  jus- 
tice. They  met  there,  and  went  up  to  where  Dow's  body  was  found, 
and  then  examined  some  witnesses,  but  not  under  oath,  and  passed 
certain  resolutions  which  were  published  in  the  papers  shortly  afterjj 
After  that  we  separated  and  went  towards  our  homes.  I  went  home 
myself.  It  was  then  getting  a  little  late,  and  I  went  to  bed  soon  af-i 
ter  I  got  home — I  should  think  shortly  after  seven  o'clock. 

My  wife  woke  me  up.     I  do  not  know  how  long  I  had  been  asleep 
but  thought  it  was  but  a  short  time.     I  found  that  a  good  many  pen 
sons  were  coming  towards  my  house,  and   by  the  time  I  was  fairlji 
awake  I  heard  a  rap  at  the  door.     I  asked  who  was  there  ?  and  thd 
answer  was,  "Friends."     Before  I  could  tell  them  to  come  in,  th« 
door  was  burst  open,  and  the  room  was   filled  with  persons.     I  had 
got  out,  and  was  sitting  on  the  side  of  the   bed,  with  nothing  on  buii 
my  shirt.     One  of  them  asked   me  if  my  name  was  Branson,  and  3! 
said  it  was.     He  then  drew  his  pistol,  cocked  it,  and  presented  it  to 
my  breast  and  said,  "  You  are  my  prisoner,  and  if  you  move   I  wil. 
blow  you  through.     Don't  you  move."     I  went   to  stoop  to  get  mji 
pants,  and  he   stopped  me  two  or  three   times,  saying,  <f  Don't  yoij 
move,  or  I  will  blow  you  through."     I  heard  the  others  cock  thein 
guns,  and  I  saw  them  present  them  to  me  all  around  me,  except  ai 
the  back  of  my  bed,  where  they  could  not  get. 

After  awhile  they  let  me  put  on  my  pants  and  coat  that  lay  by  me. 
and  then  they  marched  me  out,  and  took  me  off  with  them      Thejj 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1063 

were  on  horseback,  and  when  we  got  out  to  the  yard  fence  they  told 
me  there  was  a  mule  Mr.  Coleman  had  been  riding  around,  and  now  I 
might  get  on  him  and  try  him,  and  see  how  I  liked  it.  They  then 
took  me,  in  the  first  place,  up  to  Mr.  Buckley's  house.  Buckley,  and 
I  think  one  or  two  others,  then  got  off  and  went  into  the  house,  and 
got  a  bridle,  and  caught  another  horse.  There  were  several  trunks 
set  outside  the  house ;  some  of  them  were  open  ;  Buckley  pushed  one 
back  into  the  house  and  said  that  the  damned  Yankees,  or  aboli- 
tionists, I  do  not  recollect  which,  had  been  robbing  his  house,  and 
that  was  the  way  he  had  found  it  when  he  got  home.  I  saw  none  of 
his  family.  I  think  I  should  have  seen  some  of  them  if  they  had  been 
there  ;  for  I  was  sitting  on  my  mule  just  before  the  door,  and  the 
moon  was  shining  brightly  into  the  door,  which  was  open.  After  he 
caught  his  horse  we  went  on  to  Mr.  Freeland's  house,  I  think,  and 
then  all  got  off  but  two,  who  were  left  to  guard  me,  and  went  into 
the  house. 

They  remained  in  there  for  some  time,  I  think  from  half  an  hour 
to  an  hour.  They  brought  some  liquor  out  to  the  other  men  in  a  jug, 
and  gave  me  some.  I  was  almost  frozen — very  much  chilled,  as  it 
was  a  clear  cold  night.  When  they  came  out  they  got  on  their  horses, 
and  came  on  to  within  half  a  mile  of  Blanton's  bridge,  across  the 
Wakarusa.  I  did  not  count  the  company.  Sheriff  Jones,,  who  called 
himself  the  high  sheriff  of  this  county — the  one  that  first  presented 
the  pistol  to  me  in  my  house  and  called  me  his  prisoner — claimed  to 
be  the  leader  of  the  company.  He  never  showed  me  his  warrant,  and 
did  not  tell  me  for  what  I  was  arrested,  until  a  short  time  before  I 
was  rescued.  He  then  rode  up  to  where  I  was,  and  I  asked  him  what 
great  criminal  act  I  had  been  doing,  that  he  brought  so  many  men  to 
take  me?  He  said  nothing  muxh,  only  he  had  a  peace-warrant  or  two 
against  me.  I  then  said,  it  took  a  great  many  men  to  come  after  an 
old  man  like  me.  He  said,  "  these  men  that  came  along  with  me 
we  expected  would  have  a  little  fun  ;  we  heard  that  there  were  about 
a  hundred  men  at  your  house  to-day,  and  we  hoped  to  find  them  there 
to-night,  as  we  wanted  to  have  some  sport  with  them  ;"  and  said  he 
regretted  they  were  not  there,  and  that  they  were  cheated  out  of  their 
sport.  I  asked  him,  "  how  many  are  there  of  you?"  There  were  only 
thirteen  of  them  then  ;  he  did  not  say  whether  there  had  been  any 
more.  I  did  not  count  them,  but  I  think  there  were  thirteen  there. 
I  think  there  were  a  good  many  more  at  my  house  when  they  took 
me,  but  I  did  not  see  Buckley  nor  Salters  after  they  got  to  Feelan's. 
Of  those  who  were  in  my  house  I  knew  and  recognised  Hargous,  Buck- 
ley, Berry,  McDaniel,  Wolf,  Wallace,  of  the  town  of  Franklin,  Sal- 
ters, and  sheriff  Jones.  I  had  never  seen  Salters  and  sheriff  Jones 
before,  but  heard  their  names  called  in  the  company  by  the  rest. 

When  we  were  within  about  half  a  mile  of  Blanton's  bridge,  I 
saw  some  men  who  appeared  to  come  from  behind  a  house  ;  and  as 
we  were  going  on  at  a  pretty  smart  canter  they  stretched  out  across 
the  road  where  we  were,  I  should  suppose  about  fifty  yards  from  the 
house.  Those  men  were  on  foot.  Those  men  who  were  with  me 
then  spurred  on,  presented  their  guns,  leaving  me  a  little  behind,  un- 
til they  got  within  twenty  or  thirty  feet  of  those  men,  and  as  they 


1064  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

did  not  give  way,  they  halted.     I  rode  up  to  the  party  that  had  me 
with  them.     I  heard  Jones  say,  "What's  up?"     I  heard  some  one 
from  the  other  party  say,  "  That's  what  we  want  to  know  ;  what's 
up?"     I  then  spoke,  and  said  :   "  They  have  got  me  here  a  prisoner/' 
One  from  the  other  party  said  :  "  Is  that  you,  Branson  ?"     I  said  it 
was,  and  he  told  me  to  come  over  to  the  other  side.     Two  men  were 
hy  me  then,  and  one  said:   "  Don't  you  go,  or  we  will  shoot  you." 
I  told  them  to  shoot  if  they  wanted  to,  as  I  was  going.     I  then  rode 
forward,  and  got  to  the  other  company,  and  got  off  my  mule,  and! 
asked  what  I  should  do  with  it.     Some  one  said,  "  let  it  go  to  hell ;"' 
and  I  let  go  of  it,  and  some  one  gave  it  a  kick,  and  it  went  back  to- 
wards Jones's  party.    Both  parties  stood  there  for  some  short  time  with 
their  guns  presented  to  each  other.     The  party  that  I  rode  up  to.» 
told  me  to  go  into  the  house,  and  I  walked  around  the  corner  to  the- 
door  and  went  into  Mr.  Abbott's  house.     I  did  not  count  the  party 
who  rescued  me,,  but  I  thought  the  parties  were  about  equal  in  num- 
ber.    After  Jones's  party  left  I  saw  six  others  come  up,  and  I  was* 
told  that  three  others  had  come  up  after  I  was  rescued,  before  these i 
six  and  while  I  was  in  the  house.     After  the  six  came  up  I  counted  1 
the  men,  and  there  were  twenty-one  besides  myself. 

All  of  Jones's  party  that  were  at  my  house  were  armed,  as  far  as  II 
saw,  either  with  guns  or  pistols.     The  party  that  rescued  me  were- 
armed — some  with  rifles,  some  with  shot-guns,  and  some  only  had> 
stones  in  their  hands.     One  or  two  of  them  had  pistols.     Jones's 
party  went  off  after  I  went  into  the  house,  and  I  saw  nothing  more  off] 
them.     Abbott's  house  is  about  four  miles  and  a  half  from  Lawrence, 
and  I  should  think  it  was  five  and  a  half  or  six  miles  from  my  house 
in  a  straight  line ;  but  the  way  we  came  it  was  eight  or  nine  miles. 
Of  the  party  who  rescued  me,  I  knew  the  names  of  some,  but  not  all. 
Of  those  I  knew  were  Mr.  Wood,  Mr.  Abbott,  Mr.   Lock,   and  Mr. 
Hupp  and  son.     I  do  not  recollect  the  names  of  the  others.     Of  those 
I  name  but  one  lives  in  Lawrence,  and  the  others  are  farmers  scattered 
around,  living  on  the  Wakarusa  and  Cole  creek.     Mr.  Lock  was  at 
my  house  when  Jones  and  his  party  arrested  me,  and  started  off  and il 
let  the  neighbors  know  of  it ;  and  as  Jones  and  his  party  were  so  long.' 
on  the  way,  the  others  got  in  the  road  ahead  of  them. 

Coleman's  house  was  burnt  the  night  I  was  taken,  and,  as  I  waw 
told,  about  the  same  time  Buckley's  house  was,  the  same  night.  I  do] 
not  know  who  burnt  their  houses,  or  who  were  engaged  in  it. 

They  have  been  frequently  around  after  me  since.  Sheriff  Jone*^ 
has  not  been  there,  that  I  know  of,  but  Mr.  Salters  has  been,  and,  as* 
I  understood,  to  arrest  me  on  the  peace  warrant.  I  did  not  happen  toe 
be  at  home  when  they  called.  I  was  not  in  Lawrence  during  the* 
siege,  as  the  people  would  not  let  me  remain  here,  and  I  took  no  part( 
in  the  affairs  here.  They  never  have  charged  me  with  any  offences,-' 
BO  far  as  I  know,  except  making  threats  about  the  murder  of  Dow.  I 
I  never  said  anything  about  the  matter,  more  than  to  agree  to  the] 
resolutions  passed  at  the  meeting  at  Hickory  Point.  I  never  threat-j 
ened  any  one,  and  never  expressed  any  desire  except  that  those  en-i 
gaged  in  the  murdering  of  Dow  should  be  brought  to  justice.  Dow 
was  a  right  peaceable  man,  and  a  good,  quiet  citizen  ;  a  man  I  thought 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1065 

as  much  of  as  any  I  ever  got  acquainted  with  in  my  life.  He  never 
drank  any  liquor,  and  so  far  as  I  know,  was  never  in  any  controversy 
with  any  one  before  the  day  he  was  killed.  He  told  me  a  few  days 
before  he  was  killed  that  he  would  be  twenty-seven  or  twenty-eight 
years  old  in  a  few  days.  He  was  unmarried.  He  boarded  in  my 
family,  and  we  were  all  attached  to  him.  I  am  a  plasterer  by  trade, 
but  follow  farming  now.  I  am  forty-nine  years  old.  I  came  from 
Huntington  county,  Indiana,  here,  but  was  born  in  Highland  county, 
Ohio.  Dow  claimed  the  land  the  lime-kiln  was  on,  and  it  was  within 
the  stakes  of  his  claim  at  the  time  he  was  killed.  I  understood  that 
Coleman  claimed  it  also,  coming  after  Dow  did,  having  left  a  claim 
he  was  on  when  Dow  came  there,  and  moved  his  house  over  towards 
Dow's  claim. 

I  do  not  know  that  Coleman  has  ever  been  arrested  or  examined  for 
this  crime,  but  I  have  heard  that  he  gave  himself  up  at  one  time. 
But  I  have  never  heard  that  he  has  been  tried  for  his  crime,  and  none 
of  the  others  have  been  arrested.  I  have  heard  of  Coleman  being  there 
backwards  and  forwards  in  that  neighborhood  several  times  since  the 
murder,  but  I  have  not  seen  him. 

Within  a  few  days,  I  think  last  week,  while  this  commission  was 
here  at  Lawrence,  Salters,  with  a  detachment  of  United  States  troops, 
was  at  my  house,  as  they  said,  to  get  me,  but  they  did  not  find  me. 
I  saw  the  party  coming  towards  my  house. 

JACOB  BRANSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  Hay  10,  1856. 


L.  A.  FURTHER  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

My  residence  is  just  a  little  west  of  the  Shawnee  reserve  line,  south- 

,east  of  Franklin,  perhaps  a  mile  from  where  the  Missourians  camped 

•  last  fall.     The  day  before  Branson  was  said  to  be  rescued,  Mr.  Wal- 

•lace,  of  Franklin,  asked  me  to  attend  to  his  store,  which  I  agreed  to 

ido.     After  I  went  to  the  store  the  next  morning  I  went  to  the  hotel 

and  saw  Mr.  Jones  writing.     Mr.  Wallace  and  myself  went  into  the 

room  together.     Before  we  went  into  the  room  he  had  told  me  that 

Mr.  Branson  had  been  rescued  from  Mr.  Jones  and  his  posse,  of  which 

he  was  one,  by  thirty  or  forty  men.     He  then  told  me  that  Mr.  Jones 

was  going  to  send  to  Missouri  for  aid,  and  it  was  suggested  that  we 

should  go  to  Mr.  Jones  to  try  to  stop  it.     Mr.  Wallace  expressed 

himself  opposed  to  sending  to  Missouri.     After  we  went  into  the  room 

and  found  Mr.   Jones  writing,  Mr.  Wallace  remarked  to  me,  "Mr. 

Jones  is  now  writing  the  despatch  to  send  to  Colonel  Boone."     Before 

going  into  the  room  I  said,   "Why  not  send  to  Governor  Shannon  ?" 

I  should  think  I  was  not  more  than  two  feet  from  Mr.  Jones  when 

he  was  writing  what  I  was  told  by  Mr.  Wallace  was  the  despatch  to 

Missouri.     The  conversation  was  loud  enough  for  Mr.  Jones  to  hear, 

although  the  room  was  nearly  as  full  of  persons  as  it  could  well  hold. 

Mr.  Jones  walked  to  the  door,  and  Mr.  Wallace  and  myself  walked 


1066  KANSAS  -  AFFAIRS. 

out  nearly  at  the  same  time.  He  gave  the  paper  he  had  written 
some  man,  either  Coleman,  Hargous,  or  Buckley,  as  the  man  wa 
called  hy  various  persons  in  the  crowd,  hut  I  do  not  know  who  hi 
was.  As  the  man  started  off  with  the  despatch  Mr.  Jones  said 
"That  man  is  taking  my  despatch  to  Missouri,  and  hy  God  I  wil 
have  revenge  "before  I  see  Missouri."  In  the  course  of  half  ai 
hour  I  saw  another  despatch  start  off,  and  Mr.  Wallace  told  me  i 
was  a  despatch  to  Governor  Shannon  to  raise  the  militia  for  aid. 
complained  publicly  of  the  despatch  being  first  sent  to  Missouri,  in 
stead  of  to  Governor  Shannon.  Afterwards  a  gentleman,  I  thin! 
called  Hargous,  started  off,  as  Mr.  Wallace  told  me,  to  take  a  de 
spatch  to  Governor  Shannon. 

The  next  thing  I  know  in  connection  with  the  war  was  a  few  dayv 
after  this,  not  exceeding  four  days.  I  went  up  to  Franklin,  and  sav 
a  body  of  armed  men  from  Missouri  there  ;  they  told  me  they  wen 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Shaw.  I  knew  several  of  them  per 
sonally.  Amongst  them  was  a  Mr.  Kalston,  living  just  west  of  Indei 
pendence,  on  the  road  to  Westport ;  also  a  gentleman  I  had  alway\ 
heard  called  Dr.  Henry  ;  also  a  Mr.  Lucas — I  have  always  heard  him 
called  Lieutenant  Lucas ;  and  others  whose  names  I  do  not  nov 
remember.  They  encamped  there  in  Franklin,  and  after  they  hau 
encamped,  Mr.  Salters,  who  was  acting  as  deputy  sheriff,  came  to  m 
and  observed,  u  Now  I  will  have  revenge  upon  Lawrence.  TheFi 
shall  not  be  left  one  stone  upon  another."  More  and  more  cam 
pouring  into  Franklin  and  vicinity  for  some  seven  or  eight  days,  ano 
perhaps  longer,  coming  from  the  eastward,  towards  Missouri ;  and 
saw  but  few  companies  that  did  not  contain  men  I  had  known  in 
Missouri.  Several  of  them  said  they  had  come  to  serve  Governoc 
Shannon,  if  he  would  let  them,  and  if  not  they  would  do  their  dut;t 
anyhow.  After  they  had  been  to  Franklin  a  little  while  they  remove* 
their  camp  to  the  Wakarusa.  I  was  in  their  camp  off  and  on 
great  many  times.  They  were  armed,  I  think,  almost  without  excepi 
tion,  with  rifles  and  guns,  with  pistols  and  bowie-knives.  I  saw  ; 
great  many  swords  and  two  pieces  of  artillery,  one  of  which  I  hear<r 
belonged  to  Missouri,  as  I  had  seen  it  there  repeatedly.  They  told 
me  they  were  organized  in  companies,  but  I  did  not  see  them  parade* 
I  saw  them  marked  "A,"  "B,"  &c.  They  tried  to  raise  a  company 
of  Territorial  militia  at  Franklin,  and  did  raise  it ;  Mr.  Leak  comi 
manded  it,  and  I  think  Mr.  Laley  was  lieutenant.  Mr.  Leak  was  11 
travelling  gambler,  and  he  told  me  so  himself.  I  saw  this  company 
parade  repeatedly,  and  heard  the  roll  called.  I  did  not  see  any  othec« 
Territorial  militia  that  I  knew  to  be  such,  and  I  heard  of  none  tha;< 
were  called  such.  These  were  quartered  in  Franklin.  In  the  fira* 
place  I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Wallace  that  Mr.  Jones  was  in  command 
of  these  forces.  Afterwards  I  was  told  by  somebody  else,  I  do  noi' 
know  who,  that  General  Strickler  was  in  command.  I  afterward* 
saw  General  Eichardson,  and  I  was  told  by  himself  that  he  was  iii 
command.  Mr.  Wallace  told  me  that  he  was  aid  to  Mr.  Jones,  anc 
that  was  the  office  he  claimed  to  hold  all  the  time. 

The  Mr.  Wallace  I  allude  to  is  Mr.  John  M.  Wallace.    I  went  witt 
liirn  several  times  to  the  camp,  but  did  not  see  him  exercise  any  com- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1067 

mand  there.  After  the  camp  was  moved  to  Wakarusa  he  appeared 
to  take  command  in  Franklin,  or  the  direction  of  affairs  in  general. 
The  officers  of  the  Franklin  company  of  militia  went  to  him  for  direc- 
tions. They  got  some  of  their  supplies  from  the  store,  and  also  a 
parcel  of  rifles  that  were  in  the  store. 

Mr.  Wallace  told  me  he  aided  Mr.  Jones  in  arresting  Mr.  Branson. 
Mr.  Wallace  brought  me  a  written  note  from  Governor  Shannon, 
requesting  me  to  call  upon  him  immediately  at  Blue  Jacket's.  After 
I  received  that  note  I  went  forth  with,  within  five  minutes,  to  Governor 
Shannon  at  Blue  Jacket's,  at  the  Wakarusa  crossing.  The  governor 
wanted  to  know  what  had  transpired  in  public  meetings  here  in 
Lawrence,,  which  he  had  heard  I  had  attended ;  and  whether  threats 
had  been  made  against  sheriff  Jones,  or  any  other  person  of  the 
government.  After  that  conversation  nothing  important  happened 
before  I  left. 

I  saw  persons  in  that  camp  who  told  me  they  were  of  the  Wyandott 
tribe  of  Indians,  and  I  knew  them  to  be  Indians,  as  far  as  I  could 
judge.  There  were  two  Indians  I  am  acquainted  with  in  the  company 
at  Franklin,  of  the  Shawnee  tribe.  When  I  saw  the  Wyandotts  they 
were  in  their  camps  cooking  their  dinner;  and  I  saw  arms  lying 
about  their  camp,  which  was  separate  from  the  others.  I  do  not 
know  whether  they  were  their  arms  or  not.  I  saw  a  man  meet  at 
least  three  Indians  of  the  Delaware  tribe,  as  they  said,  and  pour  into 
the  hands  of  one  of  them  some  bullets,  and  tell  him  he  wanted  him 
•to  save  a  Yankee  scalp  for  each  bullet ;  and  he  promised  to  do  it. 
The  same  man — I  think  his  name  was  Joseph  Morris — took  the 
Indians'  bottle  and  got  it  filled,  and  brought  it  back  to  them.  While 
he  was  gone  the  Indian  told  me,  "  Me  no  kill  Yankee  ;  me  want  to 
get  whisk." 

Mr.  Wallace  never  brought  me  any  messages  from  Mr.  Jones.  I 
;  do  not  recollect  that  he  ever  brought  me  any  messages  from  any  one 
•  but  Governor  Shannon,  during  those  difficulties.  He  expressed  a  de- 
i  cided  determination  to  corne  with  the  Missouri  troops  to  La\\  rence, 
(and  die  with  them,  if  necessary. 

Guards  were  stationed  by  some  person  within  eighty  or  one  hundred 
i  yards  from  my  house,  at  my  ford,  and  there  was  no  other  ford  along 
there  but  the  one  I  had  made  for  my  own  use.  From  about  sundown 
to  sunrise  I  was  prevented  from  passing  that  ford,  as  were  visitors  to 
my  house.  This  was  not  the  case  in  the  day-time.  I  lost  a  cow  and 
calf  during  that  time,  and  considered  that  it  was  because  I  could  not 
attend  to  my  cattle  as  usual,  on  account  of  my  being  prevented  from 
doing  so  by  this  guard.  Of  a  night,,  they  prevented  my  going 
home  from  Franklin,  where  I  was  accustomed  to  be  in  the  day-time, 
though  they  did  not  prevent  my  going  to  Franklin  from  home  in  the 
day-time.  I  was  doing  business  in  the  store,  and  wanted  to  go  home 
after  dark,  and  the  officer  refused  me  leave  to  do  so.  My  mail  matter 
came  here  to  Lawrence,  and  they  turned  me  back  twice  when  I  started 
to  come  after  it.  Captain  Leak  refused  to  grant  me  a  permit  to  come, 
saying  that  the  reason  was,  because  I  was  seen  talking  to  Dr.  Robinson 
just  after  the  troubles  broke  out.  I  complained  to  Mr.  Bledsoe,  who 
claimed  to  be  captain  of  the  guard,  of  the  treatment  I  had  receivedj 


1068  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

and  threatened  to  appeal  to  the  law  ;  and  he  said,  "  By  God,  I  wouldj 
like  to  see  you  get  any  benefit  from  the  law  against  us."  He  used  ad 
great  deal  of  rough  and  abusive  language  to  me,  and  treated  me  some- 
what contemptuously  when  I  claimed  to  be  an  independent  citizen.  ]• 
know  of  no  depredations  committed  in  the  neighborhood,  except  as 
regards  myself,  though  I  heard  of  a  great  many. 

A  gentleman  with  whom  I  was  acquainted  being  in  this  place,  DrJ 
Wood  fell  in  with  me  and  Mr.  Wallace,  as  we  were  riding  into  campy 
where  Governor  Shannon  had  sent  a  message  to  me.     Dr.  Wood  told 
us  that  General  Richardson  and  his  retinue  had  come  down  from  Le-- 
compton  ;  and  that  at  about  three  or  four  miles  above  Lawrence  therd 
were  two  men  riding  across  the  prairie,  and  that  Mr.  Clark,  and 
Burns,  of  Weston,  Missouri,  rode  out  and  headed  them  off.     Aftei 
they  had  passed  out  of  sight,  General  Richardson  directed  Dr.  Wooed 
himself  to  go  and  call  Clark  and  Burns  back,  for  fear  they  would  gelj 
into  a  difficulty.     The  doctor  said  that  as  he  rode  over  the  hill,  h«j 
saw  Mr.  Clark  and  Burns,  and  one  of  the  two  strangers,  popping 
away  at  each  other  with  pistols.     After  three  or  four  fires  each,  h$ 
saw  the  two  men  leave  Burns  and  Clark,  and  gallop  away,  and  thab 
Burns  said  he  had  struck  one,  because  he  had  seen  the  fur  fly  froHi 
his  coat-back  as  he  turned  his  back  upon  him.     I  was  introduced  tc 
Major  Clark  after  supper,  and  heard  him  telling  the  thing  over.     He 
told  it  about  as  Dr.  Wood  did,  and  added,  "  we  gave  one  Yankee  hiii 
winter  quarters,  for  I  saw  him  reel  on  his  horse."     Dr.  Wood  di»* 
tinctly  disclaimed  participating  in  the  firing  at  all.     I  heard  another 
man  talking  the  same  evening,  who  confirmed  the  statement  made  bj 
Mr.  Clark. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

The  first  conversation  I  had  with  Mr.  Wallace,  that  I  haw 
mentioned,  was  about  the  latter  part  of  November,  and  some  ten  oi> 
twelve  days  before  the  close  of  the  war.  It  was  the  morning  I  wah 
told  Branson  hapl  been  rescued  the  night  before.  The  conversation 
began  in  the  store  of  Mr.  Wallace,  and  Mr.  Charles,,  of  Franklin,  anci 
we  continued  talking  until  we  got  to  the  tavern,  which  was  nearlj 
opposite.  Mr.  Joseph  Norris,  Capt.  Leak,  and  perhaps  Mr.  Grand 
and  his  son,  I  am  not  certain,  were  in  the  room  when  Mr.  Wallaai 
told  me  Mr.  Jones  was  writing  a  despatch  to  Missouri.  The  man  whd 
told  me  he  was  Bledsoe,  I  understood  from  some  one  else,  was  fron 
Cass  county,  Missouri.  When  I  demanded  his  name,  he  said  it  wad 
Bledsoe,  and  said,  "I  command  the  guard/'  I  believe  I  have  hearcw 
him  called  Colonel  Bledsoe,  though  I  will  not  be  certain.  Mr.  John 
M.  Wallace  brought  me  the  message  from  Governor  Shannon.  Whenj 
Major  Clark  was  talking  about  the  shooting  of  Barber,  it  was  at  Blue. 
Jacket's,  and  there  was  a  crowd  there,  but  I  cannot  tell  who  were]; 
there. 

To  Mr.  Reeder  : 

When  I  heard  that  General  Pomeroy  was  a  prisoner,  I  asked  Mr.  j 
Ralston,  Capt.  Shaw,  and  others,  to  see  him,  and  they  refused  to  lejjj 
me  see  him,  saying  that  there  was  a  secret  organization,  and  I  might) 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1069 

be  a  damned  spy,  and  get  some  secret  sign  from  General  Pomeroy, 
and  post  off  to  Lawrence  with  it. 

L.  A.  PRATHER. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  1,  1856. 


CHARLES  ROBINSON,  recalled. 

To  Mr.  Reeder : 

I  heard  about  the  last  of  November  of  a  murder  or  homicide  about 
ten  miles  from  here,  near  Hickory  Point.  A  few  days  after,  I  heard 
of  a  meeting  to  be  held  there  to  take  that  affair  into  consideration. 
The  night  after  the  meeting,  a  party  of  about  a  dozen  men  called  at 
my  house,  perhaps  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  with  them 
was  a  man  called  Branson,  whom  they  said  had  left  sheriff  Jones. 
They  stated  the  circumstances  of  Mr.  Branson's  arrest,  as  they  under- 
stood them,  and  the  circumstances  of  his  leaving  the  sheriff.  I  told 
them  it  was  a  matter  of  their  own,  and  they  could  not  expect  me  or 
the  people  of  Lawrence  to  have  anything  to  do  with  it.  They  passed 
on  to  the  village,  and  I  afterwards  met  them  there.  They  were 
talking  of  having  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  when  I  saw  them  again  ; 
I  told  them  I  thought  such  a  meeting  would  do  them  no  good,  and 
discouraged  it.  I  left  the  village,  perhaps  it  was  six  or  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  did  not  return  until  nine  or  ten  o'clock.  When 
I  did  return,  I  found  a  gathering  in  the  hall  ;  I  found  the  meeting 
had  been  in  session  some  time ;  that  they  had  appointed  a  committee 
of  ten,  I  think,  and  I  was  one  of  the  number.  1  was  notified  by  the 
phairman  of  my  appointment  on  the  committee,  and  immediately 
proceeded  to  a  private  consultation  of  the  committee.  It  was  decided 
j)y  the  committee,  tbat  we  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  affair,  and  that 
we  would,  as  individuals,  say  as  much  to  parties  concerned.  The 
•ommittee  reported  to  the  meeting  a  brief  statement  of  our  condition. 
The  following  is,  I  think,  substantially  the  report  made  by  Mr. 
Lowry,  as  published  in  the  papers  : 

(  We,  the  citizens  of  Kansas  Territory,  find  ourselves  in  a  condi- 
ion  of  confusion  and  defencelessness  so  great,  that  open  outrage  and 
nidday  murders  are  becoming  the  rule,  and  quiet  and  security  the 
exception .  And  whereas  the  law,  the  only  authoritative  engine  to 
orrect  and  regulate  .the  excesses  and  wrongs  of  society,  has  never 
ret  been  extended  to  our  Territory — thus  leaving  us  with  no  fixed  or 
efinite  rules  of  action,  or  source  of  redress — we  are  reduced  to  the 
.ecessity  of  organizing  ourselves  together  on  the  basis  of  first  prin- 
iples,  and  providing  for  the  common  defence  and  general  security, 
tnd  here  we  pledge  ourselves  to  the  resistance  of  lawlessness  and 
utrage  at  all  times,  when  required  by  the  officers  who  may  from 
ime  to  time  be  chosen  to  superintend  the  movements  of  the  organiza- 
.on." 

In  consequence  of  the  threats  said  to  have  been  made  by  Mr.  Jones 
nd  his  party  at  the  time  Branson  left  him,  and  other  indications 
lat  had  been  received  from  different  sources,  that  the  people  of  Mis- 


1070  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

souri  would  assail  and  destroy   our  town  and  citizens,  the  committee 
was  appointed  by  the  meeting  as  a  committee  of  safety. 

Nothing  more  of  importance  occurred  in  the  place  for  a  few  days, 
excepting  that  reports  were  continually  coming  in  that  we  were  to  be 
invaded  and  our  place  destroyed. 

The  first  action  the  committee  of  safety  took,  was  to  organize  the 
citizens  in  guards,  so  far  as  to  have  them  enrolled,  and  their  places  of 
residence  ascertained,  that  they  might  be  called  together  upon  short1 
notice.  The  people  from  Missouri  began  to  arrive  in  our  vicinity — 
the  first  company,  I  think,  at  Franklin — and  to  commit  depredations' 
on  travellers,  and  other  citizens  of  the  Territory. 

The  Leavenworth  Herald  was  received  about  that  time,  containing 
a  very  inflammatory  article,   and  an  appeal  to  Missouri  for  assist- 
ance;  also  a  copy  of  a  letter,  said  to  be  from  Secretary  Woodson 
calling  indirectly  upon  the  riflemen  of  Missouri  ;   and  in  a  day  01 
two  after  the  governor's  proclamation    accidentally  came  into   thu 
place.     It  appearing  evident  that  an  attack  was  to  be  made  in  a  shor 
time,  the  committee  of  safety  organized  a  regiment  of  citizens.     Du 
ring  this  time  the  committee  endeavored  to  ascertain  the  objects  of  th«| 
invading  forces  ;  what  the  sheriff"  wanted,   and  what  the  governo:! 
intended   to   do.     No   officer  communicated  with  us,   or  made   air] 
demands  upon  us  whatever.     The  sheriff  was  asked  in  my  presence 
when   threatening   the  people   of  Lawrence,    what   he  wanted;    h 
replied  that  he  would  let  us  know  when  he  got  ready.     A  letter  wa 
written  to  Governor  Shannon,   of  inquiry,    a  copy  of  which  is, 
believe,  on  file  here,  in  what  we  call  the  adjutant's  office.     He  in 
formed  the  messenger  that  he  would  visit  us  very  soon.     We  receive- 
word  the  next  day  after   the  messenger  returned,  that   he   was  a 
Franklin,  or  at  Blue  Jacket's,   I  am  not  certain  which.     Before  w< 
received  word  from  him,  I  think   he  set  the  time  at  which  he  wouM 
be  at  the  camp  on  the  Wakarusa,  and  Mr.  Winchell  visited  hir 
there  ;  and  he  then  informed  Mr.  Winchell  that  he  would  visit  us  th 
next  day,  and  let  us  know  when  he  was  ready  to  come  into  tovrr 
This  I  learned  by  report.     We  were  notified  that  he  was  at  Franklm] 
and  desired  an  escort  into  town,  which  was  sent  to  him  under  tl 
direction  of  Mr.  Lowry. 

The  governor  arrived  in  town  soon  after,  accompanied  by  some  c 
his  friends  from  Missouri.  He  was  taken  into  the  room  of  the  coil 
mittee  of  safety,  introduced  to  some  of  our  citizens  ;  after  which  \? 
held  a  private  interview  in  an  adjoining  room — Colonel  Lane  an 
myself  acting  for  the  people  of  Lawrence.  He  then  stated  that 
was  satisfied  he  had  misunderstood  the  people  of  Lawrence  and  tl 
Territory,  and  that  we  had  violated  no  law  as  a  people.  He 
stated  that  Mr.  Jones,  and  others,  had  made  certain  representatiot 
to  him  which  he  was  satisfied  were  incorrect.  He  expressed  regre 
that  the  people  of  Missouri  were  here  in  such  numbers ;  said  he  feare 
he  could  not  control  them,,  and  he  dared  not  close  negotiations  the 
day.  He  was  very  desirous  that  Colonel  Sumner,  with  his  forced 
should  arrive  to  prevent  a  collision.  He  said  if  he  should  close  neg< 
tiations  that  day  on  any  terms  honorable  to  us,  the  people  in  cam 
would  raise  the  black  flag  and  march  upon  the  town.  The  remaiiid< 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1071 

of  the  day,  until  towards  evening,  was  spent  in  conversation  upon 
various  topics,  and  that  evening  he  returned  to  camp.  He  was  in- 
vited to  remain  during  the  night,  but  said  his  presence  was  necessary 
in  his  own  camp  to  keep  the  men  in  subjection.  He  promised,  how- 
ever, to  return  the  next  day  at  eight  o'clock,  when  he  confidently 
expected  Colonel  Sumner  would  be  here. 

That  evening  a  sub-committee  drew  up  a  paper  as  a  basis  of  settle- 
ment with  Governor  Shannon,  as  he  had  expressed  a  desire  that  such 
a  paper  should  be  drawn  up  and  signed  by  the  parties.     The  next 
day  the  governor  arrived  here  about  ten  o'clock,  and  immediately  went 
'into  conference.     He  had  a  paper  that  he  had  drawn  up  which  he 
wished  to  be  signed  as  a  settlement  of  the  difficulties.     I  showed  him 
the  paper  drawn  up  by  our  committee,  and  preferred  he  would  take 
that  as  a  basis,  as  it  would  be  more  likely  to  give  satisfaction  to  our 
people,  they  having  discussed  it  and  agreed  to  it.     He  expressed  no 
particular  dissatisfaction  with  the  paper,  as  far  as  he  was  concerned, 
but  said  he  wanted  something  to  satisfy  the  people  in  the  camp.     I 
jBsked  him  if  they  were  not  under  his  control;  and  if  so,  what  they 
jhad  to  do  with  the  settlement.     He  said  that  the  posse  would  obey 
Borders,   and   he  could  control  them,   but  they  formed  but  a  small 
joart  of  the  forces  on  the  Wakarusa  and  at  Lecompton.     He  thought 
J]  they  would  demand  that  we  should  be  disarmed,  and  we  made  to 
.pledge  ourselves  to  recognise  the  laws  of  the  Territorial  legislature. 
„[  told  him  our  people  would  never  consent  to  any  such  arrangement, 
j particularly  while  an  armed  force  was  in  our  vicinity  which  he  said 
,ie  could  not  himself  control.     He  said  that  for  himself  he  would  be 
Satisfied  without  any  paper.     All  he  wished  was  that  the  laws  com- 
non  to  all  countries,  especially  the  criminal  laws,  should  be  observed ; 
,  aid  he  was  satisfied,  from  what  he  had  seen,  that  the  people  of  Law- 
,  jence  would  respect  them;   but  he  must  satisfy  the  people  in  the 
mp.     After  arguing  the  matter,  that  we  had  nothing  to  do  with 
e  people  in  the  camp,  that  we  recognised  him  as  our  governor,  and 
at  if  we  satisfied  him  they  had  no  right  to  complain — also  assuring 
pm  that  if  he  would  disband  the  forces  on  the  Wakarusa,  and  ae- 
fept  of  us  as  his  command,  we  would  risk  the  consequences — he  con- 
luded,  finally,  to  agree  upon  an  arrangement  between  ourselves  that 
hould   not   be  reported  to  the  camp  on  the  Wakarusa  until  they 
ad  left.     He  then  took  the  paper  drawn  up  by  the  committee,  re- 
'rote  it,  made  some  verbal  alterations  and  added  one  or  two  sentences, 
lid  said  he  would  be  satisfied  with  it  in  that  form.     The  alterations, 
c  the  wording,  was  such  as  to  leave  a  question  as  to  the  meaning, 
~  the  extent  of  the  meaning  of  certain  words  ;  and  to  avoid  any  mis- 
derstanding,  I  requested  an  additional  sentence  in  regard  to  the 
rritorial  laws.     He  readily  assented  to  it,  saying  he  did  not  ask  us 
ndorse  those  laws. 

fter  the  paper  had  been  signed,  he  requested  that  the  committee 
the  people  here  should  visit  Franklin  and  meet  some  of  the 
ins  of  the  forces  there,  as  he  feared  he  could  not  pacify  them  by 
hing  he  could  say.     Accordingly,  Colonel  Lane  and  myself  re- 
ed to  Franklin  with  him.     He  made  quite  a  lengthy  argument  or 
-    in  favor  of  their  returning  without  our  giving  up  our  arms  or 


1072  KANSASAFFAIRS. 

being  dispersed,  saying  he  had  no  right  to  demand  our  arms  or  dis- 
persion under  the  circumstances.  Colonel  Lane  and  myself  also  stated! 
how  affairs  were  as  we  understood  them,  and  most  of  the  captains! 
appeared  to  be  satisfied  to  return  home.  This  was  on  Saturday  night., 

On  Sunday  the  governor  visited  us  again,  dined  with  some  of  oun 
citizens,  and  was  apparently  well  pleased  with  the  arrangement  and 
with  the  citizens.  In  the  evening  reports  came  in  that  the  forces  thati 
had  been  disbanded  were  reorganizing,  and  determined  to  make  an 
attack  upon  the  town.  I  informed  Governor  Shannon  of  the  reports. 
and  requested,  as  we  were  without  authority,  that  he  should  give 
authority  to  protect  ourselves  and  the  town.  He  readily  assented; 
saying  if  I  would  write  a  paper  to  that  effect,  he  would  sign  it.  ] 
did  so,  and  he  signed  it.  I  have  the  paper  with  me. 

[The  witness  produced  the  paper,  which  is  as  follows  :] 

"  To   C.    Eobinson   and  J.    H.    Lane,   Commanders   of  the   enroUeo 

citizens  at  Lawrence : 

"  You  are  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  take  such  measures! 
and  use  the  enrolled  force  under  you  command  in  such  manner  for  tin 
preservation  of  the  peace  and  the  protection  of  the  persons  and  thn 
property  of  the  people  of  Lawrence  and  the  vicinity,  as  in  your  judg/ 
ment  shall  best  secure  that  end. 
"LAWRENCE,  December  9,  1855. 

"  WILSON  SHANNON. 
"  Witness: 

"A.  ALLEN." 

Reports  continued  to  come  in  during  the  next  day  that  the  diai 
banded  forces  were  still  meditating  an  attack.  Scouts  were  sent  out 
in  various  directions  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  said  reports,  and  foun«i 
that  the  Missourians  had  left  the  Territory.  On  Monday  eveninn 
there  was  a  peace  party,  to  which  persons  of  all  parties  and  distinction; 
were  invited.  Next  day,  Tuesday,  the  companies  were  formally  dial 
missed,  and  went  about  their  business. 

There  never  was  a  process  in  the  hands  of  sheriff  Jones  against  am 
one  in  Lawrence  or  vicinity,  to  my  knowledge,  previous  to  this  invir 
sion,  and,  consequently,  no  resistance.  I  know  of  no  such  resistance 
and  heard  of  none  ;  and  believe  if  there  had  been  any  I  would  hav. 
heard  of  it.  I  stated  the  same  to  the  committee  of  captains  in  tb 
presence  of  Mr.  Jones,  and  some  one  of  the  captains,  I  think  it  wa 
Colonel  S.  H.  Woodson,  asked  Mr.  Jones  if  such  was  the  fact  that  n 
arrest  had  been  attempted  in  Lawrence,  and  he  said  it  was ;  Jonei 
said  it  was  the  fact. 

There  had  been  no  crime  or  disturbance  of  any  kind,  to  my  kno"v* 
ledge,  prior  to  that,  unless  it  was  petty  theft,  except  assaults  made  b 
pro-slavery  men  upon  free-State  men,  growing  out  of  political  d"" 
culties  and  street  quarrels,  perhaps,  of  which  no  notice  was  taken 
know  of  no  constable's  warrants  under  the  Territorial  laws. 

From  the  best  information  I  could  get,  there  was  something  — , 
fifty  residents  of  this  Territory  in  the  camps.  This  information  w;- 
derived  from  report.  A  majority  of  the  committee  of  captains  w~~ 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1073 

from  Missouri,  as  I  understood  ;  several  I  knew  were  from  Missouri. 
Colonel  Woodsori  was  one  of  them,  I  met  Mr.  Coleman,  the  one 
charged  with  the  murder  of  Dow,  there,  and  understood  he  had  a 
command. 

To  Mr,  Howard: 

It  had  been  reported  ever  since  I  came  into  the  Territory  that  we 
were  to  be  driven  out  of  the  Territory — all  that  camo  from  the  North. 
I  know  of  no  reason  for  the  hostility  to  Lawrence.  I  never  knew  that 
sheriff  Jones  had  been  badly  treated  by  the  people  of  Lawrence  up  to 
that  time. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Our  defences  were  made  here  for  the  purpose  of  resisting  the  inva- 
sion which  we  understood  was  directed  against  Lawrence. 

Mr.  Dow  was  not  connected  here  with  the  people  of  Lawrence  that  I 
know  of.  Hickory  Point  is  a  detached  settlement,  having  no  connec- 
tion with  Lawrence.  I  do  not  know  that  Dow  had  ever  been  here, 
nor,  to  my  knowledge,  had  he  any  connection  with  any  company  or 
society  here.  I  suppose  the  people  of  Hickory  Point  do  their  trading 
at  Kansas  City  and  here. 

Some  two  or  three  days  after  the  rescue  of  Branson,  I  saw  S.  N. 
Wood,  who  claimed  publicly,  and  everywhere,  to  be  one  of  the  party 
connected  with  the  so-called  rescue  of  Branson,  walk  up  to  Mr.  Jones 
and  shake  hands  with  him.     Mr.  Wood,  and  others,  told  me  that  he 
invited  Mr.  Jones  to  dine  with  him.     Mr.  Wood  told  me  that  it  was 
done  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  himself  to  be  arrested,  and  testing 
the  validity  of  the  Territorial  laws.     I  had  had  a  previous  conversa- 
tion with  Mr.  Wood  upon  the  subject,  and  we  agreed  that  his  was  a 
;  proper  case,  and  he  was  a  proper  person  to  test  the  validity  of  the 
I  Territorial  laws  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.     Every- 
i  thing  was  perfectly  quiet  in  Lawrence  at  that  time,  and  Mr.  Wood 
I  could  have  been  arrested  without  any  difficulty,  in  my  opinion.     I 
\  would  have  been  one  of  a  posse  to  have  arrested  him  had  any  one  in- 
terfered.    I  am  satisfied  it  was  Wood's  design  to  be  arrested. 

After  the  excitement  had  increased,  and  a  large  party  had  encamped 
in  our  vicinity,  it  was  not  thought  safe  lor  any  man  in  Lawrence  to 
he  arrested,  and  Mr.  Wood  had  left  the  town. 

To  Mr.  Keeder: 

I  am  not  able  to  give  any  accurate  estimate  of  our  losses.  The 
detriment  of  this  invasion,  to  the  community,  was  very  great.  Busi- 
ness was  generally  suspended  in  this  part  of  the  Territory.  No  busi- 
ness was  transacted  of  any  account.  Men  were  taken  from  their  busi- 
ness and  engaged  in  defending  their  property  from  this  invasion.  The 
detriment  was  unusually  great,  in  consequence  of  the  lateness  of  the 
season,  it  being  the  time  when  crops  were  gathered,  and  houses  pre- 
pared for  the  winter.  Immediately  after  the  invasion,  cold  weather  set 
in,  which  continued  severe  throughout  the  winter,  preventing  the  use 
of  mortar  and  other  materials  necessary  for  finishing,  and  delayed  a 
H.  Rep.  200 68* 


1074  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

great  deal  of  work,  which,  in  consequence  of  cold  weather,  could  not  > 
be  done  until  spring. 

The  consumption  and  destruction  of  corn  and  hay,  and  other  arti-- 
cles,  by  the  invading  forces,  was  very  great  for  a  new  settlement. 
There  has  been  very  much  suffering  of  individuals  and  of  stock  in 
consequence.    Quite  a  number  of  the  inhabitants  from  the  neighboring 
settlements  were  in  Lawrence  during  a  part  of  the  invasion,  and  had 
to  be  supported  by  the  citizens  of  the  place.     Many  of  them  came  in 
for  the  purpose  of  defending  the  town,  and  others  came  in  for  protec- 
tion. 

Many  horses  were  lost ;  some  were  known  to  be  taken  by  this  force. 
Corn  and  potatoes  were  taken  by  them  for  their  use,  and  hay  was  de- 
stroyed. I  believe  that  during  part  of  the  invasion  all  wagons  were< 
stopped  on  the  road,  many  of  them  overhauled,  and  such  of  their  con- 
tents as  they  desired  were  taken  out  and  retained.  The  people  were 
arrested  in  going  to  and  from  the  place,  on  their  business,  and  Law- 
rence was,  in  fact,  a  besieged  town  to  all  intents  and  purposes. 

C.  ROBINSON 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  Hay  3,  1856. 


G-.  P.  LOWRY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr,  Keeder : 

I  returned  to  Lawrence  about  the  25th  of  November,  and  the  first 
day  I  returned  I  heard  of  the  great  excitement  at  Hickory  Point  about 
the  murder  of  Mr.  Dow.  On  the  Monday  following  the  25th  a  meet-i 
ing  was  called  at  Hickory  Point  to  take  some  measures  to  investigate 
the  circumstances,  and  to  express  the  opinion  of  the  citizens  concern- 
ing the  matter.  I  was  not  present  there,  but  remained  here  in  Law-* 
rence,  and  was  wakened  quite  early  on  Tuesday  morning  by  a  noise 
in  the  streets  and  by  the  beating  of  a  drum,  and  getting  up  and  in-n 
quiring  I  learned  that  Branson  had  been  rescued  from  sheriff  Jones 
by  a  party  who  were  returning  from  the  meeting  at  Hickory  Point 
I  know  that  Mr.  Branson  was  in  town  that  morning.  In  consequence 
of  the  rescue  of  Branson,  and  the  threats  that  were  understood  to  havtf 
been  made  by  sheriff  Jones  against  this  town,  the  citizens  called  t 
meeting.  They  met  at  8  o'clock,  to  consider  the  affair  and  see  what 
could  be  done  towards  the  protection  of  the  town.  There  were  pres- 
ent persons  who  were  said  to  have  participated  in  the  rescue  of  th« 
night  before.  They  were  called  upon  to  give  a  statement  of  what  hac 
occurred  and  what  had  been  said,  which  two  or  three  of  them  did 
Mr.  Branson  in  particular  was  called  out,  and  he  detailed  the  marine] 
of  his  arrest  by  Mr.  Jones.  What  was  said  by  him  and  was  said  bj 
others  who  were  present  at  the  rescue  in  regard  to  the  threats  of  Mr. 
Jones,  was  sufficient  to  satisfy  us  that  there  was  danger  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  town,  and  we  commenced  taking  measures  for  its  protec- 
tion. At  this  meeting  some  person,  I  do  not  recollect  who,  offered 
a  resolution  endorsing  the  action  of  those  who  had  rescued  Mr.  Bran- 
son, and,  if  I  recollect  right,  it  was  unanimously  rejected.  It  was 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1075 

generally  said  by  those  who  had  addressed  the  meeting,  and  the  gene- 
ral sentiment  of  those  there  was,  that  we  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
rescue  at  all.  They  refused  to  endorse  the  rescue,  and  finally  appoint- 
ed a  committee  of  ten  to  confer  upon  what  steps  should  he  taken,  and 
details  entered  into  in  regard  to  the  defence  of  the  town.  The  com- 
mittee met  and  agreed  upon  a  report,  and  made  it  in  the  afternoon  to 
an  adjourned  meeting.  A  part  of  the  report  was  in  writing  and  a 
part  was  not.  The  latter  part  of  the  report  was,  that  the  citizens 
should  complete  an  organization  to  act  in  connection  with  one  or  two 
military  companies  then  in  town,  for  the  purpose  of  defending  the 
town.  A  paper,  which  is  on  record,  was  presented  for  each  one  to 
sign  who  chose  to  do  so.  Another  portion  of  the  report,  unwritten, 
was  the  election  of  a  person  to  act  as  the  general  head,  and  make  it 
his  business  particularly  to  superintend  the  completion  of  this  pro- 
posed organization  and  its  operation  when  completed.  This  organi- 
zation of  citizens  was  recommended  by  the  committee  to  hold  them- 
selves separate  from  any  other  organization,  so  that  they  might  take 
part  in  the  defence  of  the  town  or  refuse  to  take  part  in  any  active 
demonstration  as  they  thought  proper.  The  report  of  the  committee 
was  received  and  adopted,  and,  by  another  vote,  the  committee  was 
continued  under  the  designation  of  the  committee  of  safety.  I  was 
chairman  of  that  committee.  The  meeting  adjourned,  and  signatures 
were  obtained  to  this  paper,  and  nothing  more  said  or  done  publicly 
on  the  subject  of  the  difficulties  for  three  or  four  days.  Nothing  was 
said  by  the  committee  until  three  or  four  days  afterwards  until  we 
heard,  from  persons  coming  through  from  Kansas  City,  that  forces 
were  gathering  on  the  Wakarusa  and  about  Franklin,  and  that  they 
had  been  stopped  and  maltreated,  and  the  town  threatened  by  these 
forces.  Upon  those  reports  a  meeting  of  the  committee  was  called, 
this  paper,  with  the  names  attached  brought  up,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined then,  I  think,  for  the  first  time,  to  divide  the  porsons  whose 
names  were  thus  attached  into  small  squads,  who  would  know  each 
other  and  act  in  concert  in  case  of  attack,  under  the  command  of  some 
person  agreed  upon.  These  squads  were  from  ten  to  twenty  persons 
each  when  first  organized.  In  consequence  of  this  there  was  no  inter- 
ruption of  the  ordinary  business  of  the  town,  though  by  this  arrange- 
ment they  were  to  be  ready  at  any  moment  to  defend  themselves. 

From  the  time  of  the  first  report  of  the  assembling  of  persons  on 
the  Wakarusa  and  at  Franklin,  travellers  were  continually  coming 
in  with  like  reports,  and  on  Friday  night  a  party  of  twelve  or  thir- 
teen persons  came  into  town  from  Ottawa  creek  to  join  us.  That  was 
the  first  notification  I  had  that  the  people  in  the  county  were  aware 
that  we  were  menaced.  As  far  as  I  know,  they  came  of  their  own 
accord.  The  news  and  excitement  then  seemed  to  spread  over  the 
country,  arid  from  that  time  our  parties  were  coming  in  from  parts  of 
the  Territory  quite  distant.  On  Sunday  a  party  of  gentlemen  arrived 
from  Leavenworth,  for  the  purpose,  as  they  said,  of  seeing  if  they 
could  not  prevent  a  collision,  and  preserve  peace  in  the  Territory, 
They  met  with  the  committee  of  safety  and  some  other  persons,  and 
upon  consultation  we  found  they  were  under  a  misapprehension  as  to 
our  position.  We  told  them  we  were  organized  for  the  sole  purpose 


1076  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

of  defence  against  any  persons  who  should  assault  the  town  under 
any  pretext.     They  came  here  to  expostulate  with  us,  hut  found  that 
they  were  mistaken  as  to  what  we  had  been  doing.     They  brought 
with  them  a  copy  of  the  governor's  proclamation  calling  out  the 
militia  of  the  Territory ,  and  that  was  the  first  we  had  seen  of  it.     A 
committee  was  then  appointed,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  by  this 
committee  of  safety  or  by  a  public  meeting,  to  prepare  a  statement  to 
the  public  in  answer  to  the  governor's  proclamation,  which  they  did. 
What  we  did  was  upon  our  understanding  that  not  the  Territorial 
militia  alone,  if  at  all,  were  coming  to  assist  the  sheriff  in  making 
arrests,  but  that  he  was  to  be  assisted  by  large  numbers  of  Missouri- 
ans,  who  made  this  a  pretext  to  carry  out  designs  that  had  been 
attributed  to  them.     Before  this,  persons  who  were  alleged  to  have 
been  engaged  in  the  rescue  were  notified  that  the  town  had  nothing 
to  do  with  their  quarrels  and  their  matters,  and  that  as  it  was  not 
our  duty  to  make  arrests  they  were  at  liberty  to  go  where  they  chose; 
but,  if  they  remained,  the  town  would  not  engage  to  defend  or  pro- 
tect them  in  any  way.     I  do  not  think  any  of  those  persons  remained  1 
in  town  more  than  two  or  three  days  after  the  rescue  of  Branson. ^1To 
the  best  T>f  recollection  they  were  not  here  when  the  organization  was« 
going  on  and  being  completed.    On  Sunday  evening  about  the  largest! 
party  came  in  from  Topeka  that  had  come  into  the  town  up  to  that t 
time.     They  consisted  of  about  one  hundred  men.     The  number  oft 
persons  here  had  then  got  so  large  that  the  plan  of  the  organization- 
for  defence  was  changed.     The  committee  of  safety  concludt-d  to  form? 
a  regiment  of  the  men,  and  the  command  in  chief  was  given  to  Dr. 
Charles  Robinson,  and  Colonel  James  H.  Lane  was  made  colonel  of 
the  regiment.     These  little  squads  were  then  united,  and  made  into 
companies,  each  under  the  command  of  a  captain.     I  had  had  the* 
command  of  a  squad  up  to  that  time  ;^but  I  left  it  when  it  became 
incorporated  into  a  company,  of  which  I  had  command,  and  became 
aid  to  General  Eobinson. 

The  regiment  was  fully  officered,  and  the  meetings  of  the  commits 
tee  of  saiety  w^re  thrown  open  to  all  officers  of  the  rank  of  captain y 
and  above.  General  Eobinson,  by  virtue  of-  his  office  as  commander- 
in-chief,  presided  at  the  war  councils,  and  I  ceased  to  be  chairman  oi 
the  committee  of  safety  from  that  time.  There  had  been  drills  before 
this.  I  drilled  my  company  on  a  Sunday,  as  I  believe  did  the  other 
captains  of  squads  ;  but  the  Monday  afternoon  after  the  regiment  was 
formed  we  had  a  regimental  drill.  This  continued  until  Wednes-< 
day  ;  we  had  constant  drills.  Persons  were  coming  in  reporting  that 
the  country  all  around  was  occupied,  hay-stacks  burned,  corn  and 
cattle  taken,  and  houses  searched;  and  travellers  came  in  saying  they 
had  been  stopped  on  the  road  ;  and  teamsters  who  had  been  coming 
with  goods  came  in  without  them,  saying  that  the  boxes  had  been 
broken  open,  and  the  goods  retained  in  a  number  of  instances. 

On  "Wednesday  night,  at  a  meeting  of  the  war  council,  it  was  de-« 
cided  to  send  to  Governor  Shannon,  and  also  to  send  memorials  td 
the  President  of  the  United  States  and  to  Congress.  I  was  sent  in 
company  with  Mr.  C.  W.  Babcock,  of  this  place,  to  Governor  Shan- 
non, with  a  letter.  We  were  told  to  state  to  Governor  Shannon  what 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1077 

going  on  here,  what  was  our  position,  and  what  had  occurred 
upon  the  other  side,  presuming  that  he  might  be  ignorant  of  it.  We 
started  about  1  o'clock  of  Thursday  morning,  and  passed  outside  of 
the  two  lines  of  sentinels  belonging  to  our  town;  and,  after  passing 
our  picket-guards  for  perhaps  half  a  mile,  we  met,  two  miles  this 
side  of  Franklin  I  should  think,  six  horsemen,  who  challenged  us, 
and  said  they  were  the  picket-guard  of  the  Wakarusa  camp.  They 
challenged  us  to  advance  and  give  the  countersign.  .  We  got  the  cork 
out  of  the  only  countersign  we  had  as  soon  as  possible,  and  that  passed 
us  that  guard.  There  seemed  to  be  a  very  good  state  of  feeling  there 
about  that  time.  They  questioned  us  as  to  where  we  came  from,  and 
we  refused  to  answer  any  such  questions,  except  in  the  manner  I  have 
mentioned,  as  I  supposed  we  had  not  got  to  the  guard  where  it  was 
necessary  to  state  where  we  came  from.  They  told  us  we  would  have 
difficulty  in  getting  across  the  Wakarusa  bottom,  and  that  they 
thought  we  had  better  go  back;  that  we  would  have  two  lines  of 
sentinels  to  pass  before  we  would  reach  the  camp.  We  passed  them 
and  went  on  to  Franklin ;  and  the  two  men  standing  guard  there 
knew  us,  and  wanted  to  know  where  we  were  going;  and  Mr.  Bab- 
cock  said  it  was  getting  to  be  dangerous  up  here,  and  he  had  made 
up  his  mind  that  Illinois  would  be  a  safer  place  until  this  trouble 
would  be  over.  They  said  they  thought  the  abolitionists  were  pretty 
badly  scared,  and  our  going  was  another  evidence  of  it ;  but  notwith- 
standing that,  we  could  not  go  by  them.  We  told  them  we  did  ~?t 
care  particularly  about  going  by,  if  Franklin  was  as  safe  as  Illinois; 
but  we  did  not  think  that,  and  wanted  to  go  by.  They  said  that  the 
captain — I  think  they  called  him  Captain  Leak — was  asleep,  and 
they  would  go  and  find  him.  They  went  for  him,  and  came  back  and 
reported  that  he  was  drunk  and  they  could  not  wake  him  up.  They 
did  not  know  what  to  do,  but  thought  they  would  let  us  pass  on  the 
1  •  strength  of  their  personal  confidence  in  us.  We  passed  them  and 
,  went  down  across  the  Wakarusa  bottom  ;  and  just  as  we  got  into 
;  the  timber,  trotting  along  our  horses,  as  it  was  quite  dark,  the  first 
.  thing  I  saw  was  a  man  on  a  spotted  horse,  who  met  us  and  ran 
.straight  into  us.  Whether  he  was  one  of  the  guard  or  not,  I  do  not 
\  know  ;  but  a  foot-guard  appeared  at  that  time  and  challenged  us. 
We  told  them  we  were  going  through  on  business,  and  did  not  expect 
to  have  the  countersign,  but  thought  some  of  our  friends  in  the  camp, 
whom  I  named,  would  pass  us  through.  They  said  they  did  not 
think  we  could  pass  on  the  word  of  any  one,  and  took  us  prisoners 
and  conducted  us  down  in  the  woods  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and 
the  man  who  had  charge  of  the  guard,  who  was  very  polite,  said  he 
would  go  and  see  if  he  could  find  the  person  I  had  named. 

While  he  was  gone  I  reconnoitred  a  little,  and  found  one  piece  of 
artillery,  with  a  guard  sitting  on  it  asleep.  I  went  up  to  him,  as  I 
thought  I  would  spike  his  gun,  having  the  tools  in  my  pocket ;  but 
thinking  it  was  rather  risky,  as  the  guard  was  just  corning  back,  I 
returned  to  where  we  had  been  taken;  and  the  officer  of  the  guard 
came  back  and  conducted  me  to  where  Dr.  Henry,  of  Independence, 
was.  Dr.  Henry  had  been  in  town  here  before  this  with  one  other 
gentleman,  and  had  seen  the  committee  of  safety,  and  had  said  they 


1078  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

had  "been  brought  here  from  Missouri  by  false  reports,  and  if  they 
had  known  how  things  were  here  they  never  would  have  come.  I 
think  I  had  passed  him  out  of  our  lines  once  or  twice,  and  he  returned 
the  compliment  by  telling  the  captain  of  the  guard  to  let  us  pass. 
He  then  conducted  me  back  to  where  Mr.  Babcock  was,  and  took  me 
down  to  the  ford,  where  we  had  to  pass  one  guard. 

In  going  down  with  this  captain  of  the  guard,  we  had  some  conver- 
sation, and  he  seemed  to  be  a  very  honest  kind  of  a  man,  and  we  dis- 
cussed the  difficulties,  and  he  said  it  was  a  lamentable  state  of  affairs, 
that  American  citizens  should  be  fighting  each  other.     They  were 
very  particular  as  to  the  number  of  guns  and  men  we  had  here  at! 
Lawrence,  and  he  asked  what  flag  we  had  here,  and  I  told  him  the 
stars  and  stripes  all  the  time.     He  said  he  was  glad  to  hear  that,  and; 
should  report  it  to  his  friends,  but  that  the  people  of  Lawrence  had; 
behaved  very  badly;  that  he  had  heard  we  had  a  red  flag  here,  and! 
had  built  a  hotel  with  port-holes.,  and  western  people  did  not  like' 
that.     That  seemed  to  be  all  the  grounds  he  had  for  going  to  war; 
with   us.     I  told  him  the  stars    and    stripes   was    all    the  llag   we* 
had  here.     We  passed  that  guard  with  some  little  difficulty.     We 
then  had  to  go  down  the  hill  very  slowly  to  the  ford,  as  it  was  very*! 
steep,  and  the  guard  called  out  to  us  several  times,  and  said  some- 
thing about  firing.     After  we  had  passed  Little  Wakarusa,  and  per- 
haps Kill  creek,  while  it  was  so  dark  that  we  could  just  distinguish) 
objects,  we  began  to  meet  men  on  horseback  and  mules,  whom,  m 
most  instances,  we   could   see  had  guns  thrown  across  the  saddle. 
There  were  also  some  on  foot.    We  told  them  along  at  first  that  they 
had  better  hurry  up,  as  we  had  just  come  from  camp,  and  the  Yankees 
were  going  to  attack  the  camp,  and  would  wipe  them  out.     But  they 
soon  began  to  get  too  thick  for  that  sort  of  joking,  and  we  then  went 
along  very  politely.     Just  before  dayligt  we  passed  one  encampment,! 
in  which  everybody  seemed  to  be  astir,  and  they  came  out  into  the 
road  a  short  distance  to  meet  us,  and  we  stopped  to  talk  with  them. 
I  recognised  John  H.  Brady,  who  was  the  public  printer  of  the  Shaw-, 
nee  Mission  legislature.     He  recognised  me,  and  when  he  heard  me 
say  that  I  did  not  consider  it  safe  for  him  to  come  up  here,  he  called 
me  by  name,  and  said  they  could  not  let  me  pass.     He  then  recog 
nised  Babcock,  and  was  more  certain  we  could  not  pass.    He  said  this 
damned  Governor  Eeeder  had  been  the  cause  of  all  this  trouble,  and 
they  must  have  his  head,  if  they  had  to  go  to  Pennsylvania  after  it.1 
Mr.  Babcock  expostulated  with  him,  and  told  him  that  he  thought 
that  Westport  was  altogether  wrong  in  insisting  that  Pennsylvania 
should  give  up  Governor  Reeder.     The  men  who  were  with  them 
began  to  gather  up  there,  and  as  they  seemed  disposed  to  be  more  in 
earnest,  we  came  away  as  soon  as  possible.     At  Mill  creek  we  passed 
another  encampment  while  they  were  eating  breakfast ;  and  one  man 
was  so  drunk  that  he  was  holding  on  to  the  wagon-wheel  with  onei 
hand,  with  a  big  piece  of  corn  bread  in  the  other.     He  said  they  werej 
going  to  bring  "  Lairrance,"  sure.    We  stopped  at  Donaldson's  for  a 
time,  and  from  that  place  down  to  Shawnee  Mission  the  road  was 
full  of  men,  who  were  all  armed.     There  were  one  or  two  carriages, 
on  one  of  which  was  a  trunk,  on  which  was  the  name  of  some  person.: 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1079 

I  do  not  recollect  what,  and  " Lexington,  Mo."  We  got  to  Shawnee 
Mission  a  little  after  sunrise,  and  presented  our  letter  to  Governor 
Shannon,  and  he  read  it,  as  it  was  very  short,  and  then  we  conversed 
upon  the  affairs  here. 

I  do  not  know  whether  that  letter  is  anywhere  in  existence  now. 
I  wrote  the  letter,  and  it  was  signed  "by  Governor  Kohinson,  Colonel 
Lane,  Mr.  Deitzler,  myself,  and  four  or  five  others.  The  contents 
were,  that  he  might  not  he  aware  that  there  was  a  large  mob  collected 
on  the  Wakarusa,  who  were  stopping  travellers  and  goods,  and  plun- 
dering the  country;  and  that  we  took  that  means  of  informing  him 
that  that  was  the  fact,  and  that  they  claimed  to  be  there  by  his  requi- 
sition ;  that  we  wished  to  know  if  that  was  the  fact,  that  they  were 
^here  by  his  authority;  and,  if  so,  whether  he  would  remove  them, 
and  prevent  these  depredations,  or  compel  us  to  do  it  ourselves,  by 
resorting  to  other  means  or  higher  authority. 

[The  contents  of  the  foregoing  letter  were  given  by  consent.] 

Governor  Shannon  said  he  would  answer  the  letter,  and  we  went 
out  while  he  was  doing  so.  When  we  returned,  we  had  a  long  con- 
versation concerning  these  affairs.  He  said  there  had  been  sixteen 
houses  burned  here  by  free-State  men,  and  women  and  children  driven 
out  of  doors.  We  told  him  we  were  sorry  that  he  had  not  taken  pains 
to  inquire  into  the  truth  of  the  matter  before  he  had  brought  this 
large  force  into  the  country,  which,  perhaps,  he  could  not  get  out 
again;  and  that  his  information  was  wholly  and  entirely  false,  as 
nothing  of  the  kind  had  happened.  We  told  him  of  what  we  knew, 
of  our  personal  knowledge,  of  men  from  Missouri  being  there ;  and 
he  was  not  inclined  to  admit,  at  first,  that  there  was  anybody  from 
Missouri  there.  He  made  a  general  argument  against  the  free-State 
men,  and  quoted  their  resolutions,  passed  at  different  meetings,  in  re- 
gard to  the  Territorial  laws.  We  explained  to  him  that  the  Terri- 
torial laws  had  nothing  to  do  with  this  case  ;  that  we  were  getting 
ready  at  Lawrence  to  fight  for  our  lives,  and  the  only  question  was, 
whether  he  would  be  particeps  criminis  to  our  murder,  or  the  murder 
of  somebody  else,  should  we  be  all  slaughtered.  We  explained  to 
him,  that  the  rescue  upon  which  he  based  his  proclamation  took 
place  a  number  of  miles  from  Lawrence  ;  that  there  were  but  three 
persons  living  in  Lawrence  who  were  alleged  to  have  had  anything 
to  do  with  it,  and  that  they  had  left  the  town,  and  were  not  there  at 
all ;  that  from  what  we  could  judge  of  the  intentions  of  the  force  at 
Wakarusa,  at  Lecompton,  and  in  the  country  about,  from  their  own 
declarations,  they  intended  to  destroy  the  town  for  a  thing  in  which 
they  had  had  no  part  or  parcel. 

We  took  our  individual  cases  as  instances  that  we  had  not  been 
present  at  the  rescue  ;  that  we  did  not  undertake  to  have  any  sympa- 
thy with  it,  or  talk  about  it  at  all ;  but  that  if  we  were  to  submit  to 
the  force  which  he  had  called  in,  all  our  throats  would  be  cut  to- 
gether— the  innocent  and  guilty,  if  there  were  any  guilty.  He  then 
denied  that  these  Missourians  were  here  by  his  authority ;  that  he 
had  anything  to  do  with  them,  or  was  responsible  for  them.  He  said 
he  had  communication  with  Colonel  Sumner,  of  Fort  Leavenworth, 
and  had  sent  an  express  for  him  to  meet  him  that  night  at  Delaware 


1080  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

ferry,  and  go  with  him  to  the  camp  on  the  Wakarusa.  He  said  he 
should  go  to  Lawrence  and  insist  upon  the  people  agreeing  to  obey 
the  laws,  and  delivering  up  their  Sharped  rifles.  We  denied  his 
right,  or  the  right  of  anybody  else,  to  make  such  a  condition  of  a 
community,  or  make  any  such  demand  of  them,  until  it  had  been 
shown  that  they  had  resisted  the  laws,  which  they  had  not  done  ;  that 
there  had  been  as  yet  no  proceedings  in  Lawrence  under  the  Territo- 
rial laws,  and  he  had  no  right  to  presume  there  would  be  any  resist- 
ance to  them  when  they  were  instituted.  He  gave  up  that  point  after 
some  argument.  I  asked  him,  then,  why  he  insisted  upon  the  giving 
up  of  Sharpe's  rifles,  and  if  he  meant  to  demand,  too,  western  rifles, 
shot-guns,  and  other  arms.  He  said  he  did  not  intend  to  demand 
other  than  Sharpe's  rifles,  but  should  demand  them  because  they  were 
unlawful  weapons.  After  some  time,  he  then  said  they  were  danger- 
ous weapons  ;  to  which  I  agreed.  I  then  told  him,  if  he  had  any  such 
idea  in  his  head  as  that,  he  had  better  stay  away  and  let  the  fight  go 
on,  as  I  thought  the  thing  was  not  feasible,  as  he  would  do  no  good 
by  corning  here,  if  those  were  his  terms.  I  told  him  he  might  aa 
well  demand  of  me  my  pocket-book  or  my  watch,  and  I  would  resent 
the  one  no  more  than  the  other.  I  told  him  I  did  not  consider,my- 
self  safe,  or  that  General  Eobinson  or  Colonel  Lane  would  be  safe,  in ,' 
going  before  our  men  with  any  such  proposition.  He  then  gave  us-i 
the  letter  he  had  written,  and  we  started  for  Kansas  City  to  change 
horses. 

Just  as  I  drove  into  that  town  I  met  a  man  whom  I  recognised, , 
who  came  up  to  me,  and,  pointing  to  the  road,  asked  me  if  I  saw  any- 
thing.    I  looked  around  and  saw  a  man  driving  a  team,  hauling  a . 
wagon  which  I  had  no  doubt  contained  a  cannon.     It  was  going  in 
the  direction  of  Wyandott  ferry,  and  we  started  after  it  as  soon  as  we ' 
could  change  horses.     As  we  passed  through  Westport,  going  from 
Shawnee  Mission  to  Kansas  City,  I  saw  a  large  crowd,  of  whom  Allen  , 
McGhee  seemed  to  be  the  leader.     They  were  drinking,  and  getting 
ready  to  go  up  to  the  camp  at  Wakarusa.     Several  whom  I  knew 
came  up  and  talked  to  us,  and  said  they  were  u  going  to  wipe  the 
damned  town  of  Lawrence  clean  out  this  time,  and  no  mistake." 
None  of  them  said  anything  about  the  laws  or  the  rescue — only  the 
opportunity  to  wipe  out  the  inhabitants.     We  knew  we  would  have 
to  pass  this  party  going  up  their  road,  and  they  would  be  likely  to 
stop  us,  and  we  determined  to  cross  the  Kaw  river  and  go  up  on  the 
north  side.     After  we  got  started  we  were  delayed  so  much,  that  by 
the  time  we  got  out  of  the  Wyandott  timber,  on  the  Leavenworth  road, 
it  was  dark,  and  we  were  obliged  to  stop  and  get  a  guide,  which  we 
procured — an  Indian  ;  and  on  the  way  up  we  saw  a  number  of  encamp- 
ments on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  which  we  avoided. 

When  we  crossed  the  military  road  from  Leavenworth  to  Delaware 
ferry,  we  inquired  whether  Colonel  Sumner  or  any  dragoons  had  gone 
down  to  the  ferry,  and  we  were  told  they  had  not.  We  got  through 
to  the  ferry  opposite  Lawrence  about  four  or  five  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing. We  did  not  overtake  the  cannon  at  all.  The  town  site  seemed 
to  be  covered  with  what  we  called  watch-fires  ;  and  we  found,  when 
we  got  across  the  ferry,  that  the  fortifications  which  had  been  deter- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1081 

mined  on  "before  we  left  had  been  commenced,  and  that  the  men  were 
working  night  and  day  upon  them.  We  reported  ourselves  at  once 
to  General  Robinson  at  headquarters,,  and  gave  notice  of  the  approach 
of  this  cannon,  and  our  fears  that  it  might  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
opposite  party.  A  detachment  of  horse  was  sent  across  the  river, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Blood,  to  meet  it,  and  they  did  meet 
it,  and  brought  it  in  here.  During  the  time  we  had  been  gone  the 
different  bodies  of  the  opposing  army  had  been  very  much  increased. 
The  fortifications  were  pushed  on  here  vigorously,  everybody  working 
night  and  day,  with  very  little  sleep  and  very  little  eating.  About 
this  time  it  was  that  the  man  in  command  of  the  picket  guard  in  the 
day  time  came  in  and  reported  that  a  wagon-load  of  powder  was  going 

up  the  road,  marked  for ,  and  he  wanted  orders  to  stop  it,  as 

he  suspected  it  was  going  to  Lecompton.  General  Eobinson  said 
"No,"  we  wanted  nothing  but  our  own;  and  even  in  this  extremity 
we  could  not  consent  to  adopt  the  same  policy  with  the  other  side  in 
regard  to  goods  in  passing. 

At  this  time,  sheriff  Jones,  officers  from  the  other  camp,  and  any- 
body who  chose,  were  passing  into  the  town  and  being  passed  out  be- 
yond our  guard  at  all  times.  It  was  urged  very  strongly  by  some 
that  we  should  put  the  town  under  martial  law.  Many  of  us  were 
opposed  to  going  to  that  extent,  but  the  guard  were  instructed  not  to 
stop  anybody,  but  to  accompany  everybody  in  and  report  him  to  the 
captain  of  the  guard.  It  was  about  this  time  that  sheriff  Jones  was 
one  day  escorted  in.  I  met  him  that  day  at  Mr.  Christian's  office, 
and  he  was  very  much  excited  about  it,  and  seemed  very  much  dis- 
pleased at  the  arrangement  Governor  Shannon  was  ready  to  make.  It 
was  on  the  day  I  returned,  I  think,  that  Thomas  Barber  and  his 
brother,  and  his  brother-in-law,  left  town  to  return  home.  The  re- 
port came  in  the  evening  that  Barber  had  been  killed.  A  company 
of  horse  was  sent  out  the  next  morning  for  the  corpse,  and  they 
brought  it  in.  I  saw  the  body,  and  examined  it.  The  wound  was 
just  about  the  hip-bone,  on  the  right  side,  I  think.  He  was  put  in  a 
room  up-stairs,  in  the  house  we  are  now  in,  and  shortly  afterwards 
his  wife  was  brought  in,  and  her  cries  were  so  loud  it  was  impossible 
to  prevent  the  men  from  hearing  them,  and  they  declared  they  would 
leave  the  town  and  attack  the  camp  ;  and  the  company  especially  to 
which  Barber  belonged  was  almost  ready  to  revolt.  My  impression 
is,  that  a  conspiracy  of  100  men,  to  leave  here  without  orders  and 
attack  the  camp  on  the  Wakarusa,  was  found  out  shortly  after  Barber 
was  killed,  arid  put  down  by  General  Eobinson. 

The  morning  that  Barber  was  brought  in,  Governor  Shannon  sent 
his  aid,  Mr.  Kearney,  of  Westport,  to  town,  to  inform  us  that  he  was 
waiting  at  Franklin  for  an  escort  to  accompany  him  into  this  place. 
Ten  gentlemen  were  selected  from  the  staffs  of  General  Robinson  and 
polonel  Lane,  and  sent  to  meet  him;  the  command  of  which  was 
^iven  to  me.  We  found  him  at  Franklin,  and  told  him  we  were 
limply  a  committee  of  escort  to  conduct  him  into  town.  We  brought 
aim  in  along  with  Colonel  A.  G.  Boone,  of  Westport,  and  a  captain, 
whose  name,  I  think,  was  Stiger,  and  Mr.  Kearney,  aid  to  the  gov- 
ernor. We  were  met  outside  of  the  town  by  General  Robinson, 


1082  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Colonel  Lane,  and  other  officers,  and  Governor  Shannon  was  brought! 
to  this  hotel,  conducted  to  the  room  of  the  committee  of  safety,  at- 
tached to  which  was  the  general's  headquarters.     The  committee  of 
safety  had  voted  the  night  before  to  give  to  General  Robinson,  and,  II 
think,,  Colonel  Lane,  the  conducting  of  the  negotiations.     I  was  in 
the  room  once  or  twice  that  day,  but  of  what  was  said  or  what  took 
place  with  them  I  did  not  hear  and  see  much.     That  night  the  coun- 
cil of  war  appointed  a  committee,  at  General  Robinson's  request,  toi 
draw  up  articles  of  agreement.     Mr.  Winchell  was  chairman  of  that! 
committee,  and  drew  up  the  treaty — I  think  the  treaty  as  now  pub- 
lished.    I  was  on  that  committee.     It  is  as  Mr.  Winchell  drew  it  up 
and  submitted  it,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  clause,  which  was* 
added  by  General  Robinson.     Governor  Shannon  said  he  thought  it 
was  not  best  to  conclude  the  negotiations  that  day,  as  he  was  afraid  he« 
would  have  difficulty  with  the  men.     He  returned  to  Franklin  that 
night.     The  next  day  he  came  back  here,  and  the  treaty  was  signedj 
He  said  he  desired  General  Robinson  and  Colonel  Lane  to  accompany 
him  to  Franklin,  to  see  the  council  of  captains  there.     I  was  afraid 
of  General  Robinson's  going  there,  with  no  one  but  Colonel  Lane: 
but  he  concluded  to  do  so,  seeming  to  forget  concerning  his   OWDI 
safety,  the  prudence  he  had  exercised  while  looking  out  for  ours,* 
They  were  gone  till  after  night,  when  a  snow-storm  had  come  up.    Wc< 
were  very  anxious  about  them,  and  were  about  on  the  point  of  start-f 
ing  to  look  them  up.     They  came  in  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  even-i 
ing,  and  that  evening  a  man  came  in  town  saying  a  family  below  here> 
had  been  driven  out  of  their  home  into  the  storm  by  some  from  the* 
other  camp.     General  Deitzler  took  a  party  of  some  five  or  six  ancti 
started  for  the  place.     He  brought  in  three  men,  who  were  armec' 
with  small  Colt's  revolvers,  large  holster-pistols,  and  cutlasses.    They 
Baid  they  were  the  picket  guard  that  had  been  sent  out  the  night  be^ 
fore,  but  had  been  told  by  the  captains  they  had  met  that  they  neeo 
not  go  on  that  duty,  as  the  whole  matter  had  been  settled.     Thes* 
men  had  been  found  in  the  house  out  of  which  this  family  had  beer 
driven.     They  stated  that  they  did  not  turn  back  to  camp,  but  cam< 
up,  as  they  wanted  to  see  the  town,  but  the  storm  coming  up  thej 
lost  their  wa}7  on  the  prairie,  and  finding  this  house  they  went  into  i' 
and  took  possession.     To  other  questions  which  I  asked  them,  thej 
gave  contradictory  accounts  as  to  their  presence  in  the  house,  ana 
their  reasons  for  it.     They  were  disarmed  when  they  were  brought  im 
and  their  arms  put  away  together ;  when  they  left  we  gave  them  a  break-l 
fast.  One  of  them  said  he  had  lost  a  revolver.  I  do  not  know  of  any  prooj 
that  he  had  lost  one,  but  General  Robinson  took  his  from  the  desk  be< 
fore  him,  saying,  if  they  had  lost  anything  it  should  be  replaced.    One 
of  the  men  had  a  horse  which  had  been  stolen  from  here.     The  horw 
had  been  retaken  once  after  he  had  been  stolen,  and  the  man  who  hac 
him  was  brought  into  town.     When  we  were  setting  him  at  liberty  ii 
the  morning,  he  gave  his  word  that  if  we  would  let  him  ride  down  t( 
camp,  he  would  return  him  immediately.    But  we  saw  nothing  mort 
of  the  horse  until  we  took  him  with  these  men  who  had  been  found 
in  the  house  from  which  the  family  had  been  driven.     They  seemed  t< 
be  very  much  displeased  that  we  would  not  let  them  take  the  hor# 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1083 

again.  I  think  Colonel  Blood  told  them  they  could  not  have  the  horse 
or  the  saddle  until  our  saddle  was  brought  hack.  The  horse  belonged 
to  Colonel  Blood's  regiment.  There  were  rumors  that  parties  in  the 
camp  had  rebelled,  and  were  out  in  guerilla  parties,  to  cut  off  men  and 
attack  the  town,  and  our  men,  therefore,  remained  here  until  Monday. 
On  Sunday,  Governor  Shannon  was  here  in  company  with  sheriff 
Jones  and  General  Strickler  on  the  other  side.  On  Sunday  night, 
while  he  was  in  the  hotel  here,  while  some  ladies  and  gentlemen  were 
collected  here,  he  gave  General  Robinson  the  commission  which  is 
talked  of  so  much.  The  meeting  of  the  ladies  was  for  the  purpose  of 
making  arrangements  for  what  was  called  a  t(  peace  party"  on  Mon- 
day night.  This  hotel  was  then  called  the  <"  Free-State  house,"  and 
was  unfinished  and  unoccupied,  except  by  soldiers,  as  the  floors  were 
not  all  laid.  Governor  Shannon  said  that  he  had  very  much  mistaken 
the  people  of  Lawrence,  and  I  think  he  said  something  about  coming 
here  to  live.  He  expressed  some  fear  about  the  man  who  had  been  on 
the  Wakarusa,  that  they  would  use  some  violence  towards  him. 
He  left  the  next  morning.  The  "  peace  party"  came  off  on  Monday 
night,  and  on  Tuesday  the  soldiers  left  here  Sheriff  Jones  attended 
the  party  on  Monday  night.  After  the  treaty  the  military  organiza- 
tion was  made  more  complete — the  ranks  of  the  officers  changed  some- 
what, the  names  enrolled,  &c.,  &c. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

I  was  not  present  at  the  meeting  in  this  place  on  the  14th  of  Au- 
gust last,  or  any  time  during  that  month,  but  I  was  at  Shawnee  Mis- 
sion.   I  was  at  the  Big  Springs  convention.    The  object  of  the  meeting 
was  to  effect  a  union  of  the  free-State  men,  and  nominate  a  candidate 
for  delegate  to  Congress.     I  do  not  know  that  one  of  the  objects  of 
that  meeting  was  to  organize  for  resistance  to  the  Territorial  laws.     I 
know  that  one  of  the  subjects  to  be  discussed  was,  in  what  light  we 
were  to  hold  these  laws.     I  thought,  myself,  that  I  should  have  some- 
thing to  say  upon  the  subject,  and  thought  that  other  men  would  do 
the  same  thing.     I  mean  to  say  that,  so  far  as  I  know,  there  were  no 
arrangements  made  for  a  military  organization  in  resistance  to  the 
laws.     I  never  heard  of  it,  and  never  expected  that  to  be  done.     I  am 
not  aware  that  the  free-State  party  ever  resolved  to  disobey  the  laws 
of  the  Territory.     I  do  not  know  of  any  purpose  to  resist  the  laws  by 
the  free-State  party.     I  do  not  think  I  have  ever  heard  anybody  ex- 
press any  intention  to  resist  the  laws.    The  expression  is  that  nothing 
could  make  them  respect  the  laws.     I  think  I  have  said  that  myself: 
waiving  that,  I  would  take  no  advantage  of  those  laws  myself  to  re- 
cover any  right.     I  think  I  have  heard  individuals  say  that  they 
would  never  be  taken  by  officers  under  the  Territorial  laws  ;  but  only 
in  one  or  two  instances,  and  I  do  not  now  recollect  their  names.     I  do 
not  think  I  ever  heard  one  of  the  free-State  party  express  a  determi- 
nation to  resist  the  execution  of  process  in  the  hands  of  the  sheriff. 
Of  my  own  knowledge,  I  know  of  no  act  of  resistance  to  the  acts  of 
the  sheriff.     I  cannot  recollect  all  I  have  heard,  but  to  the  best  of  my 
recollection  I  have  never  heard  any  one  of  the  free-State  party  say 
that  the  object  of  the  party  was  to  resist  the  Territorial  laws.     I  have 


1084  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

heard  persoas  say  that  they  had  resisted  the  execution  of  process  in 
the  hands  of  the  sheriff.  I  heard  one  man  say  he  had  done  so  who 
was  a  member  of  the  free-State  party.  What  I  am  about  to  say  can- 
not be  considered  as  giving  any  correct  expression  of  the  sentiment  of! 
the  free-State  party. 

A  greaty  many  men  of  the  free-State  party,  I  have  heard  say,  re- 
gretted the  resistance  to  the  Territorial  laws  at  this  juncture,  beforeii 
they  had  been  resisted  in  the  courts  and  at  the  ballot-box.  There  are* 
other  men  who  say  that  the  ballot-box  is  closed  against  us  ;  that  there*' 
is  no  justice  in  the  courts,  as  is  shown  by  experience  ;  arid  that  theyv 
have  nothing  to  say  in  condemnation  of  resistance  to  the  Territorial! 
laws.  I  do  not  know  a  free-State  man  in  the  party  who  does  not  sub- 
scribe to  the  resolution  passed  at  Big  Springs,  in  effect  that  the  bur- 
den of  these  laws  must  be  thrown  off  somehow  and  at  some  time.  I! 
have  heard  by  report  that  free-State  men  had  resisted  the  execution. 
of  process  ;  that  was  in  relation  to  the  case  I  have  before  mentioned, , 
where  an  individual  also  told  me  he  had  resisted — this  instance  being,: 
the  rescue  of  Branson. 

[Here  Mr.  Woodson  proposed,  under  the  rule  adopted  by  the  ma-j 
jority  of  the  committee,  (as  he  understands  it,)  to  prove  by  the  wit- 1 
ness  (Gr.  P.  Lowry)  what  was  the  understanding  and  reports  in  circuH 
lation  among  the  free-State  party  in  Lawrence  as  to  the  fact  or  facts 
of.  the  resistance  of  free-State  men  to  th6  execution  of  process  in  the 
hands  of  the  sheriff  of  Douglas  county. 

The  majority  of  the  committee  have  not  adopted  any  rule  (as  they? 
understand  it)  under  which  this  question  would  be  competent,  nor  do- 
they  know  of  any  rule  of  law  or  of  evidence  that  would  make  it  com-, 
petent,  and  decline  to  allow  the  question  to  be  put  to  the  witness. 

Thereupon  Mr.  Beeder  proposed  that  the  above  question  be  an- 
swered by  consent,  which  was  agreed  to.] 

With  regard  to  the  rescue  of  Branson,  it  was  generally  reported  ini 
Lawrence  that  sheriff  Jones  had  gone  with  a  party  of  14  or  15  to  the- 
house  of  Mr.  Branson,  and  arrested  him  upon  a  peace  warrant.     It 
was  further  said  that  Mr.  Branson  had  committed  no  offence,  but  was 
only  a  witness  against  Coleman  in  the  murder  of  Dow.     It  was  fur- 
ther said,  that  a  party  of  free- State  men  were  returning  from  Hickory* 
Point  on  the  same  night  when  the  arrest  was  made,  who  had  beem 
there  to  attend  a  meeting  in  reference  to  the  murder  of  Dow  ;  were 
about  13  or  14  in  number  •  and  that  they  met  in  the  road  sheriff 
Jones's  party  with  the  prisoner  ;  that  they  inquired  who  was  there, 
and  that  Mr.  Branson  spoke  and  said  he  was  there,  and  they  had  got 
him  prisoner,  but  he  did  not  know  what  for,  nor  where  they  were 
taking  him  ;  that  the  party  coming  from  Hickory  Point  asked  him  if 
he  wanted  to  go  with  sheriff  Jones,  and  he  said  he  did  not.    They  told 
him  then  to  get  down  off  the  horse  he  was  on  and  come  with  them; 
that  he  did  so ;  that  after  some  further  talk  the  two  parties  separated, 
and  each  went  its  own  way.     The  report  further  said  there  was  no 
yiolence  or  force,  other  than  their  being  there  on  the  spot ;  that  four 
or  five  out  of  the  free-State  men  were  armed. 

I  believe  the  resolution  referred  to  by  Mr.  Jessee  as  having  been; 
passed  at  the  Big  Springs  convention  was  passed  there.  I  do  not  kno\f 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1085 

of  the  organization  of  any  military  in  the  Territory  since  the  Big 
Springs  convention,  except  the  companies  that  were  organized  during 
the  war,  and  which  were  dissolved  when  the  war  ended.  As  for  the 
procurement  of  arms,  I  have  heard  that  arms  have  heen  brought  into 
the  Territory  since  the  Big  Springs  convention,  hut  whether  they  were 
procured  before  that  convention,  or  whether  they  were  procured  under 
that  resolution,  or  by  whom  they  were  procured,  I  have  no  knowledge. 
The  report  is,  that  arms  that  I  have  seen  here  have  been  brought  in 
this  spring — some  by  way  of  Leaven  worth,  some  by  land  from  St. 
Louis,  and  some  by  the  river  to  Kansas  City.  I  cannot  state  where 
the  cannon  that  was  brought  up  here  during  the  war  came  from.  I 
have  heard  that  it  was  bought  in  New  York  city  by  Mr.  Abbott,  with 
his  own  means,  some  time  last  spring  or  summer,  some  time  before 
the  Big  Springs  convention.  It  was  brought  here  from  Kansas  by  the 
team  of  Mr.  BufFum,  who  went  down  for  it,  and  was  accompanied  by 
three  or  four  men,  who  were  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Surn- 
ner  of  this  city.  I  do  not  know  how  the  expenses  in  getting  it  here 
were  paid.  The  money  paid  for  the  freight  is  put  in  with  other  bills 
to  be  presented  somewhere  for  payment.  There  were  one  or  two  in- 
dependent military  companies — such  as  are  customary  in  towns — in 
existence  here  before  I  arrived  in  Lawrence,  in  August  last.  I  was 
present  at  meetings  of  the  free-State  party  prior  to  the  arrest  of  Mr. 
Branson.  I  do  not  recollect  of  hearing  any  threats  at  any  of  those 
meetings,  of  resistance  to  the  laws  of  the  Territory.  I  do  not  know 
any  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Free  State  hotel,  or  by  whose  means  it 
was  built.  At  the  peace-party  which  was  held  at  this  hotel  I  heard 
no  threats  of  violence  against  sheriff  Jones.  I  heard  one  captain  say, 
that  he  and  his  men  would  not  remain  in  the  room  with  him.  I  was 
told  that  threats  had  been  made  against  him,  and  I  consider  a  man 
in  danger  when  he  is  threatened  very  much.  I  was  close  by  sheriff 
Jones  most  of  that  night.  I  do  not  know  of  any  assembling  or  gather- 
ing of  men  for  the  purpose  of  violence  against  sheriff  Jones.  The 
party  from  Topeka  that  came  here  were  armed,  but  I  do  not  recollect 
of  ever  seeing  any  banner  in  that  company.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any 
place  where  arms  were  placed  in  Lawrence,  either  before  or  during  the 
war,  except  where  they  were  placed  by  men  at  night,  and  taken  again 
in  the  morning.  I  have  heard  of  the  organization  called  the  Kansas 
League,  but  have  no  knowledge  of  it.  The  most  of  my  knowledge 
was  obtained  from  a  newspaper  which  pretended  to  publish  an  expo- 
sition of  such  a  society.  I  was  private  secretary  for  Governor  Keeder, 
after  he  returned  here  from  Pennsylvania  in  June,  1855.  I  have  said 
that  I  knew  of  no  other  rescue  from  sheriff  Jones  before  the  appoint- 
ment of  this  Congressional  committee.  1  did  know  of  one  other — it 
was  the  case  of  Mr.  Buffum ;  he  was  taken  from  the  hands  of  the 
sheriff  by  his  wife. 

To  Mr.  Ileeder : 

There  was  a  report  here  that  in  the  conversation  between  the  party 
that  rescued  Mr.  Branson  and  the  party  with  sheriff  Jones,  at  the 
time  of  the  rescue,  Mr.  Jones  said  that  in  less  than  five  days  he  would 
have  ten  thousand  men  at  Lawrence,  I  think,  from  Missouri. 


1086  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

I  came  into  this  place  to  live  about  the  first  oi  September  last.  I 
do  not  think  that  sheriff  Jones  ever  arrested  a  person  in  Lawrencti 
before  the  treaty  was  signed,  which  was  on  Saturday,  December  8.< 
1855.  I  never  heard  of  sheriff  Jones  having  a  process  to  serve  in 
Lawrence,  or  of  his  having  any  official  business  here,  except  the  co!4 
lection  of  a  tax  which  was  refused,  as  it  was  all  over  the  Territory,  bj] 
persons  of  both  parties.  In  that  case  he  asked  for  the  tax  of  a  dollarr 
and  being  refused  said  nothing  more  about  it. 

G.  P.  LOWKEY. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  2,  1856. 


J.  M.  WINCHELL  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder  : 

I  first  came  to  the  Territory  about  the  first  of  October,  1854, 
made  a  location,  but  did  not  then  remain  here.  I  returned  here  ii 
the  following  spring,  and  settled  in  Council  City,  in  the  seventh  disi 
trict,  and  have  resided  tnere  ever  since.  I  came  to  Lawrence  on  nri 
way  to  Kansas  City,  on  Friday,  the  last  day  of  November,  and  thefc 
first  heard  of  any  serious  difficulty.  I  proceeded  on  Saturday  it 
Kansas  City,  and  on  my  way  met  numbers  of  people  coming  out  here* 
That,  I  think,  was  on  the  first  day  of  December.  During  the  two  o* 
three  days  following,  1  heard,  in  Kansas  City,  threats  of  the  destruei 
tion  of  Lawrence,  and  remarks  that,  inasmuch  as  the  river  was  abotn 
being  closed,  it  was  thought  to  be  a  favorable  opportunity  for  cuttinj 
off  the  free-State  men  in  the  Territory,  and  that  Lawrence  was  thli 
first  place  to  begin  with.  I  saw  every  day  men  passing  out  or  througl 
the  town  armed  and  uttering  these  threats,  yelling  and  whooping  in 
a  very  disorderly  manner. 

It  was  understood  that  Governor  Shannon  had  issued  a  proclaim; 
tion  calling  out  the  militia  of  the  Territory,  and  that  these  men  ini 
tended  to  act  as  a  part  of  that  militia,  and  be  organized  as  such! 
They  offered  their  services  to  Governor  Shannon  as  a  part  of  thl 
militia  of  the  Territory.  I  was  induced  to  visit  Governor  Shanno) 
to  learn  the  truth,  as  far  as  I  could,  in  regard  to  these  matters, 
visited  him  on  the  4th  of  December,  I  think,  at  Shawnee  Mission,  ill 
company  with  Mr.  T.  B.  Eldridge,  of  Kansas  City.  I  represented  t' 
G-overnor  Shannon  that  he  was  misinformed  in  regard  to  the  state  o 
affairs  in  this  Territory.  He  admitted  that  he  feared  that  he  migh 
have  been  misled  by  the  reports  that  reached  him  as  to  the  disposition 
of  the  people  of  Lawrence  and  the  Territory,  and  expressed  a  belie 
that  if  the  people  here  could  understand  his  views,  a  collision  migh < 
be  avoided.  He  said  that  the  people  of  the  border  counties  had  beer 
excited  to  a  state  of  feeling  that  he  feared  was  beyond  control,  am 
requested  me  to  communicate  with  the  principal  men  of  Lawrence  hi 
wish  to  avoid  any  outrage  committed  on  them  by  the  force  assemblinj 
in  the  vicinity  here,,  and  his  determination  to  protect  the  people  o 
Lawrence  by  all  the  means  in  his  power,  but  to  require  them  to  de 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1087 

liver  up  their  arms.  He  admitted  that  travellers  were  being  stopped 
In  the  highway,  and  offered  me  a  pass  to  come  through  without  mo- 
oestation.  The  next  morning  I  saw  him  again,  while  on  my  way  out. 
He  stated  that  a  deputation  irom  Lawrence  had  visited  him  during 
the  night ;  that  he  was  confirmed  in  his  belief  that  he  h-ad  misunder- 
•tood  the  people  of  the  Territory;  that  he  would  proceed  himself 
immediately  to  the  scene  of  difficulties  ;  that  he  had  ordered  Colonel 
Sumner  from  Fort  Leaven  worth  to  march  with  the  force  under  his 
command,  and  meet  him  at  Delaware  crossing  ;  but  that  he  would 
further  order  him  now  to  march  his  force  directly  to  Lawrence,  and 
quarter  it  in  the  town  for  its  protection  ;  that  he  should  no  longer 
insist  on  the  people  of  Lawrence  delivering  up  their  arms  ;  that  he 
hoped,  with  the  aid  of  some  prominent  men  who  lived  in  Missouri,  to 
restrain  the  force  then  assembled  near  Lawrence,  and  induce  them  to 
disband  and  return  to  Missouri  ;  that  he  had  received  letters  from 
sheriff  Jones  and  General  Strickler  ;  that  the  letter  of  General  Strick- 
ler  was  temperate  and  moderate  in  its  tone,  and  that  of  Jones  of  the 
opposite  character  He  told  me  to  say  to  the  people  of  Lawrence  that 
he  would  be  in  their  vicinity  that  night,  in  company  with  Colonel 
Boone  and  Colonel  Childs,  if  he  could  persuade  them  to  go  with  him, 
as  they  were  both  residents  of  Missouri,  and  had  great  influence  with 
these  men  and  with  Jones.  He  included,  in  the  pass  given  me,  the 
name  of  Mr.  Eldridge,  who  was  with  me,  and  we  proceeded  on  our 
way.  On  the  road  I  saw  numbers  of  men  proceeding  in  the  same 
direction  with  myself,  and  we  were  passed  and  repassed  by  them  fre- 
quently. These  men  were  armed,  and  stated  that  they  were  residents 
of  Missouri,  and  were  going  out  to  assist  in  the  extermination  of 
Lawrence.  Some  said  that  the  people  of  Lawrence  would  have  a  few 
hours  given  them  to  send  away  their  women  and  children  before  the 
destruction  of  their  place.  One  team  had  a  large  flag.  I  arrived  at 
Wakarusa  crossing  about  dark,  and  was  stopped  by  sentries  who  re- 
fused to  allow  me  to  pass.  I  inquired  who  was  in  command  of  their 
force,  and  they  said  they  believed  General  Strickler.  I  requested  to 
see  him,  and  was  conducted  into  the  camp  by  a  person  who  was  styled 
Lieutenant  Lucas.  I  think,  on  exhibiting  my  pass  to  General  Strick- 
ler, he  sent  us  forward  with  Lieutenant  Lucas,  who  conducted  us 
beyond  the  picket  guards.  On  arriving  at  Lawrence,  learning  that  a 
council  or  committee  of  safety  had  been  appointed  in  town,  which  was 
then  in  session,  I  procured  admission  into  their  room,  and  laid  be- 
fore them  the  errand  of  Governor  Shannon.  But  little  confidence 
seemed  to  be  manifested  in  his  good  intentions.  There  was  a  variety 
of  opinion  touching  his  good  faith  in  the  matter.  It  was  determined 
unanimously,  however,  to  act  strictly  on  the  defensive  as  against  the 
men  surrounding  the  town,  and  to  endeavor  to  set  the  governor  right, 
so  far  as  the  position  and  motives  of  the  people  of  Lawrence  were  con- 
cerned. 

I  was  informed  at  that  time  that  the  town  was  then  guarded  ;  that 
the  men  within  it  had  been  arranged  into  a  body  for  resistance  to 
these  parties,  who  were  assembling  within  the  vicinity  of  the  town. 
The  next  day,  by  request  of  General  Kobinson,  Mr.  Eldridge  and  my- 
self sought  Governor  Shannon,  to  ascertain  when  he  would  visit  the 


1088  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

town,  that  arrangements  might  be  made  for  his  proper  reception.     We 

proceeded  to  Franklin,  and  was  there  stopped  by  an  advanced  guard, 

(the  outmost  sentinels,)  and  was  permitted  to  proceed  only  on  stating 

that  we  had  business  with  persons  in  command.     There  was  some 

little  difficulty  in  getting  through  at  that.     We  were  told  that  Gov-T 

ernor  Shannon  had  gone  up  to  Lecompton  ;  others  told  us  he  was 

still  at  Shawnee  Mission.     Some  said  that  sheriff  Jones  was  in  com-t 

mand,  and  some  that  General  Strickler,  and  some  that  General  Kich-i 

ardson   was  in  command.      On  arriving  at  Wakarusa  crossing,  w< 

were  stopped  by   a  number  of  men  who  were  acting  as  sentinels 

who  utterly  refused  to  let  us  pass.     The  house  in  which  the  officer,* 

in  command  were  said  to  be  was  just  across  the  creek  in  sight.     W<" 

had  proceeded  alone  thus  far  without  an  escort.     These  men  wh<i 

stopped  us  levelled  their  guns  at  us,  and  threatened  to  fire  if  we  pro 

ceeded  a  step  farther.     This  was  on  the  main  highway  between  her* 

and  Kansas  City.     I  demanded  to  know  who  was  in  command  of  thei: 

force.     I  received  several  contradictory  replies  from  different  men. 

stated  that  I  wished  to  see  Governor  Shannon,  and  was  told  that  h< 

was  not  there.     Finally  one  man  admitted  that  he  was  there,  anc 

gtated  that  I  could  not  be  permitted  to  see  him.     I  demanded  to  seH 

sheriff  Jones,  and  finally  a  man  was  induced  to  go  over  and  tell  sherif 

Jones  that  some  one  wished  to  see  him.     In  the  meantime  I  aske< 

permission  to  drive  down  into  the  creek  to  water  my  horse,  and  wai 

permitted  to  do  so  under  escort ;  one  man  swearing  that  the  hors« 

belonged  to  the  American  Hotel  in  Kansas  City,  and  that  the  wagoi 

and  horse  was  an  abolition  establishment.     While  down  in  the  creel 

the  messenger  returned  from  sheriff  Jones,  and  requested  me  to  go  t< 

the  house  on  the  bank  opposite  where  sheriff  Jones  stopped.     On  turn 

ing  my  horse's  head,  however,  the  guards  levelled  their  guns  at  m< 

again,  and  commanded  me  to^stop.     The  messenger  told  them  heha< 

the  orders  of  the  sheriff  for  me  to  go,  and  finally  one  of  the  guard" 

consented  to  go  with  us  to  the  house.     On  arriving  at  the  house 

gtated  to  sheriff  Jones  that  I  wished  to  see  Governor  Shannon.     Won 

was  sent  to  Governor  Shannon,  who  came  out  of  the  house,  as  thl 

guard  would  not  permit  me  to  enter  it  or  go  out  of  his  sight.     Gov> 

ernor  Shannon  expressed  the -same  views  and  feelings  that  he  did  th-l 

day  before,  and  stated  that  several  prominent   gentlemen  from  thl 

border  counties  of  Missouri  were  with  him;  that  he  hoped,  througl 

their  influence,  to  restrain  this  force,  and  to  prevail  on  it  to  clisbam 

and  return  home.     He  stated  that  there  were  then  1,200  men  on  th<i 

ground  at  that  place.     He  said  that  he  would  be  at  Franklin  the  nex< 

morning,  immediately  after  breakfast ;  that  he  would  send  a  messen 

ger  to  Lawrence  announcing  his  arrival ;  that  he  met  a  deputation  o 

the  citizens  to  meet  him  at  Franklin  and  escort  him  into  Lawrence 

He  gave  me  a  pass,  I  think,  to  return  with  ;  and  the  same  guard  wfoi 

had  accompanied  us  there,  came  back  with  us  and  saw  us  through  tin 

gentries  at  the  ford,  and  we  returned  to  Lawrence.     In  the  morning}.1 

gentleman  arrived  from  Franklin  at  Lawrence,  as  a  messenger  fron 

Governor  Shannon,  according  to  agreement,  stating  that  Governor 

Shannon  was  prepared  to  visit  the  town.     An  escort  often  persons, 

think,  was  sent  back  with  this  messenger  to  Franklin,  under  the  com 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


1089 


of  Gr.  P.  Lowry,  who  found  the  governor  at  Franklin,  and  es- 
corted him,  in  company  with  Col.  Boone — I  think  his  name  is  A.  Gr. 
Boone,  and  his  residence  is  Westport — and  a  gentleman  whose  name,  I 
think,  was  CoL  Strickler,  from  Missouri,  and  this  messenger,  whose 
name,  I  think,  was  Kearney,  into  Lawrence.  We  were  met,  on  enter- 
ing Lawrence,  by  Gen.  Robinson  and  Gen.  Lane,  and  other  promi- 
nent men,  who  joined  the  escort  and  conducted  the  governor  to  the 
room  of  the  committee  of  safety.  Communications  "between  Governor 
Shannon  and  the  gentlemen  with  him  from  Missouri,  and  the  men  of 
Lawrence  who  received  them,  were  of  an  exceedingly  friendly  char- 
acter. The  governor  wished  a  sort  of  treaty,  as  it  is  usually  called,  to 
be  drawn  up,  in  which  should  be  expressed  the  feeling  and  intention 
of  the  principal  men  of  Lawrence  and  the  Territory,  and  also  his  own. 
He  made,  I  think,  a  memorandum  of  some  points  he  wished  inserted 
in  that  treaty. 

He  expressed  a  belief  that  the  business  could  not  be  concluded  that 
day  ;  that  he  had  better  return  to  Franklin,  and  return  to  Lawrence 
the  next  day  and  conclude  the  matter.  He  stated  again  that  he  had 
hopes  of  being  able,  with  the  aid  of  gentlemen  from  Missouri,  to  in- 
duce these  men  to  disperse,  who  had  come  up  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
stroying this  town.  He  expressed  himself  very  freely  that  these  men 
were  entirely  beyond  his  control,  unaided  by  these  gentlemen.  He 
expressed  a  strong  desire  for  the  arrival  of  Col.  Sumner,  with  a  force 
under  his  command,  for  the  protection  of  this  town,  if  his  efforts  should 
not  succeed.  Col.  Boone  expressed  deep  regret  at  the  course  matters 
seemed  to  be  taking,  and  stated,  also,  that  these  men  were  almost  un- 
controllable, and  desired  to  destroy  the  town  and  everybody  in  it,  and 
compared  them  to  a  pack  of  hyenas.  Governor  Shannon  left  here 
with  these  men.  The  committee  of  safety  convened  during  the  even- 
ing, and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  draught  the  document  which 
Governor  Shannon  had  desired  to  be  prepared.  The  treaty  was  drawn 
subject  to  such  changes  as  might  be  thought  best  by  Gen.  Robinson, 
who,  I  think,  was  instructed  to  depart  from  it  in  some  respects,  if  he 
thought  best,  in  points  that  might  be  required  by  Governor  Shannon. 
The  next  day  Governor  Shannon  returned,  according  to  promise. 

I  was  named  as  chairman  of  the  committee  appointed  to  draw 
ip  the  treaty,  and  wrote  the  treaty  as  it  went  from  the  hands  of  the 
lommittee,  though  it  was  to  be  modified  afterwards  at  the  discretion 
>f  General  Robinson. 

Previous  to  my  return  to  Kansas  City  I  had  an  interview  with 
Sheriff  Jones,  who  came  in  that  evening  with  Captain  Shaw,  of  coin- 
any  A,  who  lived  in  Missouri,  as  he  stated  to  me.  Mr.  Jones  ap- 
eared  to  be  very  much  excited,  because  a  patrol,  as  he  entered  the 
)wn,  rode  with  him  into  it.  He  swore  he  would  go  in  and  out  of 
iawrence  whenever  he  chose  without  any  escort.  He  said  he  should 
?sign  his  office  in  case  any  arrangement  was  made  by  Governor 
ihannon  to  dispense  with  the  service  of  these  men,  who  had  assembled, 
s  he  said,  to  aid  him  in  making  the  arrests  contemplated.  I  also 
eard  Governor  Shannon  say  that  Jones  had  promised  to  resign.  I 
'ated  to  sheriff  Jones  that  I  was  going  down  to  Kansas  City,  and  in- 
aired  whether  there  would  be  any  difficulty  in  passing  the  fc  re*  sta- 
ll. Rep.  200 69* 


1090  KANSAS   AFFAIRS, 

tioned  at  Wakarusa.  Captain  Shaw  wrote  me  a  pass,  which  sheriff 
Jones  countersigned.  I  then  left  for  Kansas  City,  about  the  middle  off 
he  day,  in  company  with  the  same  gentleman  with  whom  I  came. 
At  Franklin  I  was  met  "by  two  horsemen,  who  told  me  I  could  not 
pass.  I  stated  that  I  had  a  pass  from  sheriff  Jones.  They  said  that 
sheriff  Jones  had  no  authority.  I  said  I  had  a  pass  from  Captain 
Shaw,  of  company  A.  They  said  they  knew  nothing  of  any  Captain 
Shaw,  or  his  authority.  Having  still  in  possession  the  pass  that. 
Governor  Shannon  had  given  me  the  Thursday  previous,  to  enable  me 
to  return  from  Wakarusa  to  Lawrence,  I  inquired  whether  a  pass*- 
from  Governor  Shannon  would  be  sufficient,  and  they  said  it  would 
not.  They  finally  rode  back  with  us  a  few  rods,  to  where  the  station- 
ary guard  stood,  and  consented  to  look  at  the  pass  of  Captain  Shaw. 
Mr.  Eldridge  offered  them  some  cigars  he  had  with  him,  and  finally, 
they  let  us  go  along.  On  reaching  the  woods  near  Wakarusa,  wet 
•were  again  stopped.  The  sentry  was  very  obliging,  glanced  at  the- 
pass,  and  said  he  would  not  be  very  strict.  He  said  that  some  of  thet 
boys  had  just  been  examining  a  loaded  wagon,  overhauling  some- 
boxes  in  it,  and  pointed  out  the  wagon  and  boxes  standing  at  a  little 
distance,  which  proceeding,  he  thought,  was  uncalled  for.  We  went1 
on  to  the  ford,  found  one  or  two  sentries  who  stopped  us,  whom  we* 
told  we  had  a  pass,  and  we  were  then  permitted  to  go  on.  I  thecs 
saw  some  horsemen  taking  leave  of  some  others,  and  then  they  started 
off  east. 

I  saw  some  wagon-loads  of  men  also  going  east,  and  the  camp  waaj 
evidently  breaking  up.  On  the  way  to  Kansas  City  we  passed  several 
horsemen  and  wagon-loads  of  men.  This  I  think  was  on  Saturday* 
the  8th  of  December  last.  On  the  Monday  following  I  returned  tc 
Lawrence,  .the  camp  was  dispersed,  and  1  met  with  no  challenges  OB 
the  road.  I  met  Governor  Shannon  on  the  way  returning  east.  H< 
said  that  the  difficulties  were  over,  but  said  he  thought  he  should  re 
sign  his  office  ;  that  the  difficulties  of  the  office  were  too  great  for  hin 
to  retain  it.  He  spoke  of  resigning  his  office  from  apprehension  o: 
difficulties  in  the  future. 

I  have  been  subsequently  told  by  a  gentleman,  whose  name  I  fine 
as  adjutant  on  the  pass  given  by  General  Strickler,  when  he  retainec 
the  one  given  me  by  Governor  Shannon,  and  which  was  John  Mari 
tin,  that  the  actual  number  of  men  assembled  on  the  Wakarusa  wa 
over  1,200.  On  going  from  here  to  the  Wakarusa  on  the  Thursday 
mentioned,  I  saw  a  prisoner  whom  the  guards  had  taken,  and  -wlion 
they  said  they  were  taking  to  camp,  and  who  was  struggling  violentl; 
against  it.  The  prisoner  was  placed  on  horseback,  and  he  would  not 
remain  on  it.  He  was  in  the  hands  of  men  who,  the  sentries  tolu 
me,  were  a  part  of  the  forces.  He  struggled  violently,  and  one  c 
them  said  to  him,  "  God  damn  your  abolition  heart."  The  last  : 
saw  of  him  he  was  being  dragged  along  by  two  of  them,  one  on  eac'j 
side.  It  was  not  alleged,  as  I  heard,  that  he  had  committed  any  o1 
fence.  When  I  was  at  the  camp  at  Wakarusa,  for  the  purpose  of  sec 
ing  Governor  Shannon,  on  my  remonstrating  with  sheriff  Jones  o 
the  arrests  of  persons  without  any  offence  being  alleged  against  them 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1091 

lie  admitted  that  General  Pomeroy  had  been  [arrested  without  any- 
thing heing  charged  against  him  at  all. 

To  Mr.  Howard : 

Sheriff  Jones  represented  to  me  that  this  arrest  was  made  without 
his  authority,  and  he  was  not  responsible  for  it ;  that  the  men  there 
could  arrest  whom  they  chose.  I  remonstrated  with  him  against 
keeping  General  Pomeroy  under  such  circumstances  ;  to  which  he 
made  no  reply.  General  Pomeroy  was  then  in  the  camp. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Woodson : 

At  the  first  interview  with  Governor  Shannon,  he  stated  [that  the 
force  assembled  here  at  Lawrence  was  a  posse  of  the  sheriff.  He  stated 
that  the  force  had  assembled  in  consequence  of  his  proclamation, 
based  upon  the  statement  of  sheriff  Jones,  that  a  prisoner  had  been 
rescued  from  his  hands,  and  he  wanted  additional  force  to  enable  him 
to  retake  the  prisoner  and  those  who  rescued  him.     He  said  nothing 
about  Lawrence  being  in  a  state  of  armed  defence  and  rebellion  ;  this 
was  in  the  first  interview.   In  the  second  interview  Governor  Shannon 
disclaimed  the  force  as  being  under  his  control,  or  under  the  command 
of  the  sheriff.     He  stated  his  proclamation  was  not  intended  to  bring 
those  men  into  the  Territory,  and  that  he  had  no  control  over  them. 
I  do  not  think  he  said  anything  about  his  having  legal  authority.    He 
disclaimed  the  power  to  control  them,  or  wisfy  to  use  them.     In  the 
first  interview  he  claimed  that  these  persons  were  there  as  a  part  of 
the  sheriff's  posse,  and  had  a  right  to  be  there.     In  the  second  inter- 
view I  remember  nothing  said  touching  his  authority.     There  was 
scarcely  any  discussion  between  us  at  the  second  interview,  though 
there  was  considerable  in  the  first  interview.     He  expressed  a  regret 
that  the  men  had  ever  come  into  the  Territory,  an  indisposition  to 
use  their  services,  and  a  disbelief  in  his  own  power  to  control  them. 
,, I  did  not  hear  him  disclaim  any  authority  over  these  men.     Sheriff 
Jones  said  to  me  that  he  had  been  resisted  in  the  execution  of  the 
.laws,  in  the  rescue  of  Branson  ;  that  he  had  been  rescued  by  a  force 
of  about  forty  men  ;  that  he  himself  had  counted  thirty-eight  men  ; 
and  that  he  was  determined  to  discharge  the  duty  of  sheriff'  at  every 
hazard.     That  is  the  substance  of  his  expressed  determination  ;  that 
he  had  summoned  the  volunteers  as  his  posse,  and  that  they  were 
such  ;  but  stated  at  the  same  time  that  lie  could  not  control  them. 
He  said  nothing  about  his  having  attempted  to  arrest  men  in  this  town, 
and  being  resisted,  as  one  of  the  reasons  for  calling  out  this  force.  He 
stated  that  his  life  had  been  threatened,  and  that  he  had  several  times 
been  in  Lawrence  to  give  men  a  chance  to  shoot  him  if  they  wished, 
ind  should  continue  to  come  here  whenever  he  chose.     The  first  that 
L  saw  of  these  men  was  when  I  was  on  my  way  to  Kansas  City.   That 
vas  on  Saturday,  the  1st  of  December.     It  was  between  Saturday 
md  Wednesday  that  I  heard  the  threats  used  in  Kansas  City.    When 
passed  through  Lawrence,  on  my  way  down  to  Kansas  City,  I  saw 
10  preparations   of  defence  here.      I   knew   of  no   preparations   of 
j-ms  and  ammunitions  of  war  before  that  time.     When  I  returned  to 
his  place  they  were  preparing  for  defence,  throwing  up  breastworks, 


1092  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  drilling.  I  left  here  on  Saturday  the  1st,  and  returned  on  the 
following  Wednesday.  I  was  told  by  various  persons  here  that  there 
were  from  seven  hundred  to  eight  hundred  men  here.  Of  Sharpe's  ri- 
fles I  was  told,  in  the  same  way,  that  there  were  about  two  hundred. 
I  knew  of  one  piece  of  artillery  being  brought  into  town  during  its  in- 
vestment. I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  other  piece,  and  was  told 
there  was  not  any  other.  I  think  there  was  very  little  ammunition 
here,  from  the  fact  that  two  ladies  went  out  and  brought  in  some  dur- 
ing the  siege.  I  knew  of  no  cannon-balls  being  here,  and  of  no  am- 
munition, except  what  was  brought  here  with  the  cannon.  There  were 
guards  placed  about  the  city.  I  know  nothing  of  their  number,  but 
can  simply  state  that  there  was  a  sentry  placed  on  the  main  road  lead- 
ing to  Franklin,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  this  building,  and 
there  were  guards  placed  along  on  the  river — so  I  was  told.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  guards  being  placed  out  a  mile  or  so  ;  I  saw  none  of  them. 
I  never  received  a  challenge  on  coming  into  Lawrence  from  any  men 
here,  though  I  was  told  by  guards  in  the  other  camp  that  I  would  be 
challenged  here.  I  know  that  there  was  intended  to  be  a  guard  or 
scouting  party  out  in  the  night-time  ;  but  I  do  not  know  about  their 
being  out  in  the  day-time.  I  understood  that  there  were  passwords 
and  countersigns  in  the  night-time,  though  I  do  not  know  about  the 
day-time.  I  think  these  countersigns  were  not  required  during  the 
day  and  night,  before  persons  were  permitted  to  enter  Lawrence, 
though  I  think  it  was  intended  to  be  done  in  the  night.  I  heard  here 
that  two  or  three  of  the  enemy's  picket  or  patrol  guards  were  taken  on: 
one  occasion,  and  brought  into  town  here  by  our  patrol — one  of  them 
because  he  had  a  horse  that  was  stolen  from  town  here.  They  were 
relieved  in  the  morning. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

As  I  was  passing  down  to  Kansas  City,  the  first  time,  I  met  a  can-- 
non,  drawn  by  two  horses,  coming  this  way.  I  did  not  recognize  any 
of  the  parties  with  the  cannon,  but  they  appeared  to  be  of  the  same 
parties  as  others  I  met  coming  up.  I  remember  meeting  two  gentle- 
men coming  up,  one  of  whom  was  said  to  be  Colonel  Woodson,  of 
Independence. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  went  down  on  Saturday,  and  met  these  men  and  the  cannon,  andi 
had  an  interview  with  Governor  Shannon,  the  first  time,  on  the  Tuea-! 
day  following. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

The  threats  to  which  I  alluded  in  thefirst  part  of  my  testimony,  in-i 
eluded  threats  against  the  American  Hotel  in  Kansas  City,  as  being 
obnoxious  in  the  same  way  as  was  the  city  of  Lawrence.  Threatsi 
were  made  that  it  would  be  destroyed,  and  much  anxiety  was  felt  by 
its  inmates,  of  which  I  was  one,  and  the  citizens  generally.  I  under- 
stood the  ground  of  hostility  to  the  hotel  to  be  that  it  was  kept  for  the* 
convenience  of  northern  emigration  to  Kansas  Territory.  That,  so 
far  as  I  know,  was  the  exclusive  ground  of  hostility  to  the  hotel. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1093 

During  tlie  latter  part  of  that  week  a  meeting  of  the*  citizens  of  Kansas 
City  was  called,  and  a  deputation  sent  to  the  camp  at  Wakarusa  with 
a  statement,  which  I  have  since  seen  in  print,  relating  to  the  threats 
which  had  been  made,  and  the  political  opinions  of  the  proprietors  of 
the  American  Hotel,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  property  from  de- 
struction, on  the  return  of  the  forces  here  encamped  to  Missouri. 

This  statement  was  printed,  and  distributed,  in  the  form  of  a  circu- 
lar. I  know  the  hotel  to  have  been  bought  by  the  present  proprietors 
from  the  Emigrant  Aid  Company.  During  the  time  I  was  in  Kansas 
City,  I  frequently  saw  parties  crossing  the  Missouri  river  on  their 
way  to  join  the  forces  investing  Lawrence.  I  counted  at  one  time 
seventeen  armed  horsemen  in  one  of  these  parties,  who  uttered  the 
most  hideous  yells  and  shrieks,  and  'threats  against  the  abolitionists. 
I  saw  similar  parties  returning  across  the  ferry  at  Kansas  City. 

To  Mr.  Woodson : 

The  town  of  Kansas  is  on  the  extreme  edge  of  the  State'of  Missouri. 

J.  M.  W1NCHELL. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  1,  1856. 


HOMMB  HEYES  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Beeder : 

I  was  taken  by  the  troops  on  the  Wakarusa  last  December.  I 
had  been  asked  by  Dr.  Hall,  of  Franklin,  to  go  with  two  men  on 
horseback  and  show  them  the  ford  of  the  Kansas  river.  He  told  me 
these  two  men  were  chiefs  of  the  Wyandot  tribe.  I  refused,  as  I  did 
not  know  the  ford.  He  was  rather  displeased  at  that.  I  told  him  I 
would  conduct  them  to  one  of  the  neighbors,  who  would  probably  know 
better  than  I  did.  I  then  started  with  them  towards  Garvin's,  where 
I  met  Bill  Straub,  a  neighbor  of  mine,  and  he  took  them  to  the  ford, 
and  I  returned  to  Franklin.  I  saw  some  young  men  there  sitting  on 
a  pile  of  logs,  with  their  knives  out,  flourishing  them.  There  were 
companies  gathered  in  the  street  that  afternoon.  One  man  called  me 
to  him  in  the  street,  and  I  went  up  to  him.  He  called  me  a  God 
damned  spy,  and  said  he  was  going  to  take  me  down.  He  wanted  to 
drive  me  ahead  of  the  horses,  and  I  refused.  They  furnished  a  horse 
that  was  not  saddled  to  ride  on,  and  we  started.  They  had  tumbled 
me  round  frern  one  side  to  the  other,  and  one  man  had  hold  of  the 
halter,  and  I  thought  it  was  not  necessary  for  me  to  take  the  reins. 
He  came  up  scolding  me,  and  said,  "  You  God  damned  Dutch  aboli- 
tionist to  hell  1  take  the  reins."  I  told  him  I  never  heard  the  word 
abolitionist  in  rny  country,  and  did  not  know  what  it  meant.  They 
took  me  down  to  the  camp  to  a  tent  there.  The  guard  was  round  the 
tent,  and,  when  they  pushed  me  in,  I  found  more  prisoners  there. 
They  kept  me  there  three  days  ;  we  were  released  on  Saturday.  They 
threatened  around  the  tent  to  hang  us.  'There  was  a  brass  piece  of 
cannon  before  the  tent  the  morning  we  were  released.  The  sheriff,  or 
the  one  they  called  sheriff,  and  one  of  the  officers — I  believe  his  name 


1094  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

was  General  Strickler — came  up  with  revolvers  in  their  hands,  and  took*! 
us  up  to  headquarters.  The  general  then  released  us,  and  gave  us  ai 
pass,  and  then  started  towards  the  guard.  One  let  me  pass,  and  the 
other  stopped  me  hecause  the  pass  was  not  dated.  I  went  back  to  the 
headquarters  ;  the  general  gave  me  another  pass,  which  enabled  me 
to  get  by  the  guard  and  on  home.  I  live  3^  miles  below  here,  on  the* 
Kaw  river — between  Franklin  and  the  river. 

HOMME  HEYES. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


ALVIN  B.  BRONS'ON  called  and  sworn. 

1  was  the  driver  of  the  mail-coach  during  the  troubles  last  fall  anch 
winter,  and  was  the  sub-contractor  to  carry  the  mails  between  Kansas; 
City  and  Topeka.  When  I  was  coming  from  Kansas  City,  while  thti 
forces  were  encamped  on  the  Wakarusa,  I  was  stopped  by  some  o: 
them  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  They  said  at  first  they  in-i 
tended  to  keep  me  there  all  night.  After  keeping  me  about  an  hour  and' 
a  half,  they  let  me  go.  The  next  morning,  as  I  was  going  back,  thc< 
picket-guard  made  me  go  into  camp  and  get  a  pass  before  I  was  al-1 
lowed  to  go  on.  I  went  and  got  the  pass,  and  was  then  allowed  to  gc 
on.  After  that,  I  made  my  regular  trips  without  being  detained  any 
more  by  them.  I  knew  of  their  stopping  other  teams  ;  there  was  out- 
in  camp  while  I  was  there  the  first  time. 

A.  B.  BKONSON. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.?  May  12,  1856. 


JAMES  S.  LEGATE  called  and  sworn. 

I  came  into  the  Territory  the  last  of  July,  1855,  from  Mississippi! 
I  was  born  in  Massachusetts.  I  know  Samuel  J.  Jones,  sheriff, 
have  seen  him  quite  frequently.  I  made  his  acquaintance  amonj 
some  of  his  earliest  visits  to  Lawrence  as  sheriff.  I  have  had  several 
conversations  with  him  concerning  the  difficulties  here  at  Lawrenof 
last  fall.  At  one  time  we  had  quite  an  extended  conversation  upOE 
that  subject.  I  wanted  to  obtain  from  him  his  object  in  arraying  the 
force  from  Missouri  against  us.  This  conversation  took  place  in  Law? 
rence,  after  the  difficulties  were  over,  about  the  last  of  December.  1 
asked  him,  if  he  thought  those  men  whom  he  wished  to  arrest  Mr, 
Bronson,  who  was  rescued  from  him,  were  in  Lawrence,  why  he  die 
not  come  for  them  in  person.  He  said  that  he  had  been  looking  all 
affairs  about  Lawrence  for  some  time,  and  had  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  so  nearly  equal  were  the  forces  of  the  Territory  divided,  the  one 
part  free-State  and  the  other  pro-slavery,  the  only  alternative  was  to 
fight  it  out.  I  then  asked  him,  if  they  were  so  nearly  equal,  why  W 
went  to  Missouri  for  his  friends  there  ;  why  not  let  the  citizens  of  thd 
Territory  fight  it  out  if  they  wanted  to  fight.  His  reply  was,  that  we 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1095 

were  too  well  prepared,  and  that  he  went  to  Westport  and  noised  the* 
Condition  of  affairs  about,  and  started  his  friends  to  the  Territory. 
He  said  that  he  was  so  fixed  at  that  time  with  the  hoys  ahout  West- 
port,  that  he  could  readily  obtain  a  thousand  men,  armed  and  equip- 
ped for  service,  and  that  it  was  his  object  at  that  time  to  bring  the 
matter  to  a  fight,  and  he  did  all  he  could  do  to  have  it  come  to  a  fight. 
At  that  stage  of  our  conversation  I  told  him  it  was  bad  policy  for  one 
of  the  officers  of  the  Territory  to  have  written  to  the  State  for  a  cer- 
tain number  of  riflemen  to  come  up  here,  as  it  looked  like  bad  faith 
in  that  officer.  He  said  that  was  a  private  matter,  never  intended 
to  be  made  public.  We  were  then  conversing  about  a  letter  purport- 
ing to  be  from  Daniel  Woodson,  the  secretary  of  the  Territory, 
inviting,  I  think,  the  Platte  county  rifles  to  come  over  here.  I 
asked  him,  in  so  many  words,  "if  Colonel  Woodson,"  as  we  called 
the  secretary  of  State,  " wrote  that  letter."  Jones  said  he  thought 
* '  likely  enough/ '  I  asked  him  how  many  men  came  up  from  Missouri. 
He  said  he  did  not  know  exactly.  I  asked  him  then  how  many  men 
he  had,  that  made  it  their  home  in  the  Territory.  He  said  there  were 
but  few  of  them,  because  they  could  not  leave  their  work  at  that  time, 
and  he  thought  there  were  not  more  than  150  or  200  of  them  out. 
At  another  point  of  the  conversation  I  asked  him  how  many  men  he 
had  in  all  with  him.  He  said  he  had  about  eighteen  hundred  men. 
I  then  told  him  he  must  have  had  fourteen  or  fifteen  hundred  men 
from  Missouri.  He  said  he  did  have  that  number,  and  could  have 
obtained  more,  i  then  asked  him  what  he  intended  to  do  with  that 
number  of  men  as  a  posse.  He  said  he  intended  to  ''take  this  damned 
town,"  Lawrence,  "and  blot  it  out."  I  reminded  him  of  the  im- 
probability of  the  force  he  had  being  able  to  do  that.  He  said  the 
town  had  been  looked  at  by  many  different  individuals  from  the  camp, 
and  they  were  confident  they  could  have  taken  it  in  twelve  hours. 
Our  conversation  then  turned  upon  his  trying  to  make  an  arrest  in 
town  since  the  war,  and  in  which  he  had  failed.  He  said  lie  had  tried 
to  make  an  arrest  here,  and  he  had  been  resisted,  and  that  he  had 
called  upon  Robinson  and  Lane  for  a  posse,  and  they  would  not  give 
him  one.  I  told  him  it  was  probable  they  thought  he  was  trying  to 
get  up  another  siege  here,  and  that  was  the  reason  they  did  not  give 
him  some  direct  answer,  or  do  something  for  him.  He  replied  that 
he  thought  that  Robinson  and  Lane  thought  somebody  was  at  the 
bottom  of  it  besides  himself.  I  said  they  probably  did,  and  would 
continue  to  be  neutral  in  the  matter,  acting  only  as  citizens.  He  said 
the  articles  of  peace  that  Shannon,  and  Robinson,  arid  Lane  had  en- 
tered into,  he  thought  pledged  them  to  give  him  a  posse 9  and  if  they 
did  not  do  it,  or  do  something  for  him,  he  would  get  up  another 
.scrape,  and  they  would  have  Woodson  to  deal  with  this  time,  as  Shan- 
non was  gone,  and  they  would  find  Woodson  to  be  a  damned  sight 
different  man  from  old  Shannon.  I  told  him  that  if  we  got  into  a 
war  here  at  that  time,  it  would  probably  involve  the  whole  Union. 
He  replied  that  he  did  not  care  what  it  might  involve,  but  that  the 
laws  passed  by  the  Territorial  legislature  should  be  enforced.  Our 
conversation  then  ceased  at  that  time. 

At  another  time,  in  conversation  with  him  in  regard  to  enforcing 


1096  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

the  Territorial  laws,  I  told  him  a  strong 'objection  to  the  laws  was,  that 
the  offenders,  who  were  pro-slavery,  and  had  offended  against  free- 
State  men,  had  nothing  done  to  them.  He  asked  me  for  an  instance 
of  the  kind,  and  I  referred  him  to  Major  Clark,  who  had,  but  a  day, 
or  two  before  that,  passed  up  through  here  with  a  body  guard.  I 
said  that  his  killing  Barber,  and  not  being  brought  to  account  for  ity 
made  a  great  many  feel  very  strongly  against  those  laws  ;  and  I  told 
him  that  he  (Jones)  knew  very  well  that  Clark  killed  Barber,  He 
said  he  did  not  know  anything .  of  it,  only  what  Clark  said,  for  he- 
was  not  present.  He  said  that  when  Clark  came  down  to  Franklin, 
the  evening  that  Barber  was  shot,  Clark  and  Barns,  from  Missouri, 
both  claimed  that  they  had  killed  one  of  the  damned  abolitionists, 
He  then  told  me  the  circumstances  as  Clark  and  Burns  related  them. 
I  asked  Jones  why  Clark  was  not  arrested.  He  said  if  I  would  swear 
out  a  warrant  against  Clark,  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  he  wo.nldl 
see  that  Clark  was  arrested.  He  said  he  did  not  deem  it  his  duty  ta 
arrest  a  man  for  an  offence  committed,  except  on  himself,  unless  some 
one  else  would  swear  out  a  warrant  against  him.  He  said  that  it  was 
just  as  well  as  it  was,  for  Clark  would  not  leave  the  country,  but 
would  wait  and  come  before  the  grand  jury.  That"  was  about  thei 
substance  and  important  facts  of  our  conversation. 

[This  portion  of  the  deposition,  relating  to  events  transpiring  since* 
the  appointment  of  the  commission,  is  struck  out  according  to  ruling; 
of  committee  on  the  case  of  Mr.  Harris,  at  Westport,  Mo.] 

JAMES  F.  LEGATE. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


LECOMPTOX,  K.  T., 

Secretary's  Office,  May  8,  1856. 

At  the  request  of  the  Kansas  investigating  committee,  I  hereby 
state  that  the  following  publication,  purporting  to  be  a  letter  Iron* 
me  to  General  Eastin,  is,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  me,  a  forgery.  I 
never  wrote  any  such  letter  to  General  Eastin  or  any  one  else. 

I  saw  the  publication  for  the  first  time  at  the  Wakarusa  camp, 
about  the  6th  of  December,  1855,  published  in  the  "  Herald  of  Free- 
dom," a  weekly  paper  printed  in  the  town  of  Lawrence,  bearing  date 
December  1,  1855.  I  immediately  called  General  Eastin 's  attention 
to  it,  who  at  once  pronounced  it  a  forgery,  he  having  received  no  such 
letter  from  me. 

DANIEL  WOODSON. 

"DEAR  GENERAL:  The  governor  having  called  out  the  militia,  this 
is  to  inform  you  to  order  out  your  division  and  proceed  forthwith  to 
Lecoinpton.     The  governor  not  having  the  power,  you  can  call  on  the* 
Platte  county  rifle  company,  as  our  neighbors  are  always  ready  to  help 
us.     Do  not  implicate  the  governor,  lohatever  you  do. 

"DANIEL  WOODSON." 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  this  8th  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  SHERMAN, 

Of  the  committee. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1097 


GEORGE  F.  WARREN  testifies: 

I  was  at  Leavenworth  City  when  the  difficulties  commenced  here  at 
Lawrence  last  fall.  The  first  report  in  regard  to  forces  gathering  in 
relation  to  Lawrence  was,  that  they  were  gathering  in  Lecompton. 
There  was  a  proclamation  posted  up,  purporting  to  he  from  Governor 
Shannon,  and  signed  by  Woodson,  secretary.  After  that,  there  was 
a  company  organized  at  Leavenworth  City,  of  persons  who  came  over 
from  Missouri,  of  whom  I  recognized  some  twenty  or  more.  Some  of 
them  were  armed  with  guns,  some  were  not.  They  met  in  the  streets, 
and,  with  some  fifteen  citizens  of  Leavenworth  City,  organized  a  com- 
pany. The  company  consisted  of  thirty-five  or  forty  in  all,  I  think. 
I  was  requested  by  different  individuals  to  raise  a  company  to  come 
to  Lawrence  to  the  assistance  of  Governor  Shannon,  to  put  down  the 
people  of  Lawrence.  I  declined  to  do  so,  unless  we  were  to  he  allowed 
to  act  as  an  independent  company,  and  act  as  we  pleased  when  we  got 
here.  The  next  day  was  Sunday,  the  2d  of  December.  I  was  re- 
quested to  take  Dr.  Cutler  to  Doniphan.  Dr.  Cutler  was  sick  at  the 
time,  and  had  been  confined  to  his  bed.  He  lived  in  Doniphan,  and 
was  desirous  to  return  home.  I  started  with  him  for  that  purpose  in 
a  buggy.  I  took  my  gun  with  me.  I  arrived  at  Doniphan  that  Sun- 
day evening.  The  next  morning  I  started  back  alone  to  Leavenworth 
City.  I  had  not  gone  more  than  two  and  a  half  miles,  when  I  saw 
men  on  horseback  riding  about  in  different  directions.  One  of  them 
came  up  to  me  and  followed  me  without  saying  anything  to  me.  I 
drove  down  to  Atchison,  and  when  I  got  there,  I  saw  a  crowd  of 
about  thirty  persons  step  out  into  the  road  front  of  me,  and  drawing 
across  the  road.  One  man  held  up  his  hand  and  stopped  the  horse, 
and  another  man  caught  the  bridle.  The  one  who  caught  the 
horse  by  the  bridle  w^as  Mr.  Thomason,  and  he  demanded  my 
letters  and  papers.  I  asked  him  if  he  was  an  officer,  or  had  a 
writ.  He  said  "  no."  I  asked  his  authority  for  stopping  me  in  the 
street.  He  said,  as  captain  of  the  Atchison  guard.  I  told  him  I 
should  not  give  him  my  letters  and  papers  unless  he  got  a  writ  or 
came  with  an  officer.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Abell,  a  law  partner  of 
General  Stringfellow,  called  out,  "clinch  the  abolitionist."  Thoma- 
sou  again  demanded  my  letters  and  papers,  but  I  refused  to  give  them 
up.  Some  of  the  party  then  caught  hold  of  me  by  the  leg,  and  some 
by  the  arms,  and  asked  me  if  I  would  give  up  the  papers.  I  refused 
again,  unless  they  demanded  them  legally.  Then  Thomason  caught 
me  by  the  throat.  I  then  commenced  to  tear  up  the  papers  I  had, 
and  put  one  of  them  in  my  mouth.  These  papers  I  destroyed  were 
my  own  private  papers,,  letters  from  my  brother,  and  papers  sent  to 
me  by  some  persons  unknown  to  me. 

They  continued  to  choke  me,  and  I  continued  to  tear  up  the  papers. 
I  tore  up  the  papers  as  long  as  I  had  breath  to  enable  me  to  do  so. 
Abell  sung  out,  "  Kill  the  abolitionist,  kill  him  ;  he  is  eating  the  pa- 
pers up."  They  then  stood  me  up  on  my  feet,  and  stripped  off  all 
my  clothes  but  my  shirt.  This  was  about  9  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  3d  of  December.  They  searched  me  for  papers,  and  could  find 


1098  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

none  but  what  I  had  torn  up,  or  they  had  taken  before.  They  broke 
open  my  shirt,  breaking  open  the  collar  and  bosom.  They  then  pui 
on  my  clothes.  They  took  my  gun,  powder-flask  and  shot-pouch i 
jack-knife,  and  $3  75  in  money.  They  then  carried  me  up  to  one  o 
the  stores  and  put  me  under  guard.  They  said  they  were  going  to 
hang  me.  I  objected  to  it,  because  I  was  opposed  to  capital  punishi 
ment  in  any  manner.  They  dispatched  thirteen  men  to  Doniphai 
for  Dr.  Cutler,  and  brought  him  to  Atchison  about  dark  that  nighti 
We  were  together  but  a  short  time,  and  then  separated  for  the  nightt 
That  night  they  sent  a  despatch  to  Weston  for  help.  About  2  o'clock* 
some  thirty  men  made  their  appearance  where  I  was  stopping,  an* 
inquired  for  Abell.  It  frightened  the  keeper,  as  he  thought  they  wen 
free-State  men,  and  he  shut  the  door  in  their  faces,  and  locked  it. 

The  man  that  had  arrested  us,  said  to  me  it  would  go  hard  witl 
Dr.  Cutler,  and  that  it  would  be  likely  to  go  hard  with  me,  because  '. 
was  so  stubborn  with  them  in  not  giving  up  my  papers.  In  the  morn; 
ing  they  took  Cutler  before  the  justice  and  dismissed  him.  The  crowc 
that  came  from  Weston  came  up  to  see  me  in  the  morning,  to  see  wh<) 
I  was.  They  came  in,  and  one  man  (Joseph  Murphy)  spoke,  am 
asked  what  they  were  going  to  do  with  me.  The  crowd  told  hicf 
they  were  going  to  hang  me.  He  said  if  they  hung  me,  they  would 
have  two  men  to  hang.  They  said  they  were  determined  to  do  it! 
and  he  then  told  them  they  would  do  it  over  his  dead  body.  He  pro* 
posed  to  them  that  I  should  be  sent  to  Lecompton,  to  Major  Kichard 
son  and  Gov.  Shannon.  He  said  he  knew  me  well,  and  knew  I  wouU 
do  nothing  that  was  not  right.  This  Murphy  was  a  pro-slavery  man  i 
and  a  citizen  of  Weston.  After  further  conversation,  they  agreed  t<t< 
take  me  to  Lecompton.  They  put  Cutler  and  myself  in  the  bugg* 
they  took  me  from  the  day  before,  and  had  seven  horsemen,  with  i 
double-barreled  shot-gun  and  two  revolvers  each,  to  accompany  us. 

We  got  as  far  as  Hickory  Point  that  night,  and  stopped  at  tht 
house  of  Charles  J.  Hart.  We  were  guarded  until  morning,  an< 
then  I  refused  to  go  further  unless  they  wonld  show  their  writ, 
told  them  that  I  should  consider  them  as  highway  robbers,  if  the;< 
forced  me  to  go  with  them  then.  Thereupon,  four  of  the  seven  re 
fused  to  have  anything  more  to  do  with  the  matter,  if  I  considered  i 
in  that  light.  The  other  three  then  took  me  and  put  me  by  force  iii 
the  buggy.  All  seven,  however,  went  on  with  us  to  Lecomptom 
where  we  arrived  about  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Dr.  Cutler  ano 
myself  were  then  taken  into  the  building  then  occupied  by  Gov.  Sham 
non.  Sheriff  Jones  then  came  and  put  his  hands  on  our  shoulders 
and  said  we  were  his  prisoners.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  any  writ,  bui 
he  showed  none.  I  said  I  wanted  to  know  what  I  was  brought  thert 
for,  and  wanted  to  see  the  writ ;  and  he  said  it  would  be  in  presently 
I  saw  no  writ  that  day. 

I  was  taken^  that  night,  to  a  small  building  kept  as  a  liquor-shop 
The  building  was  open,  and  it  was  very  cold,  from  which  I  suffereo 
very  much.  That  night  Jones  came  in  with  some  four  or  five  others 
and  sent  for  a  table  and  a  deck  of  cards,  and  went  to  playing  pokei' 
at  twenty-five  cents  ante.  We  were  obliged  to  sit  up  all  night,  aii 
the  building  was  not  large  enough  for  us  to  lie  down  while  they  wer< 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1099 

in  there.  I  think  Jones  lost  $41  that  night.  He  then  told  me  he 
had  a  proposition  to  make  to  me.  He  said  if  I  would  tell  him  all 
about  Lawrence,  Sharpe's  rifles,  and  secret  societies,  and  turn  State's 
evidence  against  the  people  here,  he  would  set  me  free.  But  if  I  did 
not  do  that,  I  should  swing.  I  told  him  he  lived  at  Lawrence  and  I 
at  Leaven  worth,  and  therefore  he  had  a  hetter  opportunity  to  know 
those  matters  than  I  did.  He  told  me  he  would  give  me  my  choice, 
and  asked  me  which  I  would  do,  "tell,  or  swing?"  1  told  him  I 
should  choose  to  swing.  The  guard  objected  to  his  insulting  the 
prisoners  any  more.  He  had  been  drinking,  at  times,  all  night. 

It  had  become  morning  then,  and  we  were  marched  to  Shannon's 
office,  or,  as  they  called  it,  "the  headquarters."  The  building  is 
now  used  as  a  post-office.  Shannon  was  not  there.  They  then  carried 
us  down  to  their  camp.  Kelley,  of  the  Squatter  Sovereign,  who  lives 
in  Atchison,  came  round  and  said  he  thirsted  for  blood,  and  said  he 
should  like  to  hang  us  on  the  first  tree.  Cutler  was  very  weak,  and 
that  excited  him  so  that  he  became  delirious.  They  sent  for  three 
doctors,  who  came.  Dr.  Stringfellow  was  one  of  them.  They  re- 
mained there  with  Cutler  until  after  midnight,  and  then  took  him  up 
to  the  office,  as  it  was  very  cold  in  camp.  I  was  kept  in  camp  until 
the  following  Saturday  night.  As  it  was  very  cold,  they  took  me  up 
to  take  care  of  Dr.  Cutler.  On  Sunday  the  soldiers  became  dissatis- 
fied, as  it  was  so  cold  and  stormy,  and  wanted  to  march  on  Lawrence 
or  go  home.  The  weather  was  very  inclement — the  tent  in  which  we 
were  being  blown  down — and  it  snowed  very  hard. 

To  pacify  the  soldiers,  they  agreed  to  and  did  move  the  camp  to- 
wards Lawrence.  They  took  me  with  them,  in  the  carriage  with  Dr. 
Cutler,  and  we  started  towards  Douglass.  We  got  to  Douglass,,  and 
there  they  consented  to  let  the  Dr.  go  to  Dr.  Brooks's,  as  he  was  ac- 

?uainted  with  him.     Benicia  and  Douglass  are  on  adjoining  claims, 
drove  Dr.  Cutler  to  Dr.  Brooks's,  under  guard,  and  left  him  there, 
and  while  driving  back  we  were  told  peace  was  declared. 

I  saw  a  large  crowd  gathering,  and  drove  up  and  heard  some  men 
making  speeches.  Dr.  Stringfellow  was  called  upon  for  a  speech. 
He  got  up  and  made  a  very  few  remarks.  Says  he,  "Gentlemen,  we 
have  been  sold.  Shannon  has  turned  traitor,  and  disgraced  himself, 
and  not  only  himself,  but  the  whole  pro-slavery  party."  The  whole 
crowd  then  cried  out,  "  Lawrence,"  "  Lawrence."  Stringfellow  said, 
"No,  Shannon  had  ordered  them  out,  and  they  had  obeyed ;  and  he 
had  ordered  them  to  go  back  home,  and  they  must  obey  him." 

The  prisoners  were  then  taken  into  a  house  near  by.  General  Kich- 
arclson,  as  he  was  called,  came  in  there  soon  after,  and  passed  through 
the  room  we  were  in,  and  went  into  another  room,  where  he  remained, 
with  a  number  of  other  persons  about  fifteen  minutes.  Captain  Dun- 
ham, the  captain  of  the  company  that  had  charge  of  us,  came  out  and 
said,  "  Colonel  Warren,  stand  up."  I  stood  up,  and  he  told  me  that 
I  was  free  to  go  where  I  pleased.  I  then  went  out  of  the  house,  and 
all  began  to  shake  hands  with  me,  and  called  for  a  speech.  I  declined 
to  make  one  then,  but  promised  them  all  they  wanted  if  they  would 
come  to  Leavenworth  City.  I  asked  General  Kichardson  for  a  pass. 
He  refused  to  give  me  one  ;  said  I  would  not  need  any,  and  could  get 


1100  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

through  without.  He  gave  one  to  Dr.  Cutler.  I  then  went  hack  witl 
my  buggy  to  Dr.  Brooks' s,  and  got  Dr.  Cutler,  and  started  for  Law* 
rence,  and  arrived  about  sun-down  on  Sunday,  December  9.  Fo:> 
three  months  after  that,  I  felt  the  effects  of  the  treatment  and  exposure 
I  was  subjected  to,  and  have  not  been  able  to  work  any  since  thai 
time. 

I  never  recovered  one  thing  that  was  taken  from  me.  It  was  in  th« 
possession  of  the  mob  at  Atchison.  The  gun  was  worth  $70,  and  ! 
heard  three  or  four  men  disputing  as  to  who  should  have  it. 

Some  ef  the  papers  that  were  taken  came  into  my  possession  in  thiii 
way,  while  I  was  clerking  in  the  Leaven  worth,  hotel.  I  went  dowi 
town  to  purchase  something  for  the  house,  contracting  on  one  of  the 
boats  for  some  flour  from  St.  Louis.  When  I  got  back,  two  letter? 
were  given  me  by  Mr.  Keller,  the  proprietor  of  the  botel,  which  he 
said  had  been  left  for  me.  They  had  no  postmark  on  them,  and  wen 
anonymous.  As  I  found  no  signature,  I  inquired  who  left  them ;  bir 
could  not  find  out,  and  have  never  found  out.  I  have  no  idea  who 
left  them.  Enclosed  in  the  letters  were  two  small  printed  pamphlets! 
purporting  to  be  the  ritual  of  a  secret  society  called  the  Kansas  Legion  ] 
One  letter  contained  what  purported  to  be  a  commission  to  me,  to  ace 
as  deputy  and  organize  lodges.  The  other  letter  contained  what  purr 
ported  to  be  the  pass-words.  Neither  letter  was  signed,  I  never  actec 
upon  the  suggestions  there  contained,  and  never  was  in  a  lodge  of  the 
kind.  Some  days  before  the  difficulties  in  Lawrence,,  Mr.  Redpath,  ei 
correspondent  of  the  St.  Louis  Democrat,  inquired  of  me  where  he 
could  get  a  ritual  of  this  secret  society  for  publication.  I  gave  him 
those  pamphlets,  one  of  which  he  afterwards  returned.  I  understood 
that  it  was  published  in  the  St.  Louis  Democrat,  but  I  have  never  seem 
it.  These  papers  I  have  just  described,  and  a  letter  from  my  brother/ 
were  all  the  papers  in  my  possession  when  the  mob  searched  me  at 
Atchison.  Upon  finding  these  papers,  a  despatch  was  published.il 
which  I  saw,  headed  "Two  abolitionists  taken — General  Pomeroy  and' 
Colonel  Warren."  It  then  went  on  to  state  that  papers  were  found  in' 
my  possession  showing  a  plot  to  burn  Atchison,  murder  Pat  Laugh-i 
lin,  and  hang  Stringfellow,  and  that  I  had  come  to  Atchison  to  raise 
a  company  for  that  purpose.  On  the  strength  of  that,  the  company 
was  sent  for,  and  came  from  Weston.  They  told  me  that,  and  also* 
that  they  sent  for  60  men,,  but  only  30  came. 

When  the  company  came  over  from  Weston  and  called  to  see  me, 
they  asked  if  I  was  the  man  who  was  trying  to  burn  down  Atchison.i 
When  the  door  was  shut  in  their  faces,  one  of  them  cried  out,  "if 
this  is  the  way  you  treat  us  when  we  come  over,  your  damned  towm 
may  be  burned  down  for  all  I  will  do."  My  only  business  in  going 
up  at  that  time  to  Douiphan  and  Atchison  was  to  take  up  Dr.  Cutler, 
and  to  distribute  more  free-State  constitutions,  poll-books  and  ballots. 
I  had  no  intention  of  stopping  in  Atchison.  I  did  not  know  PatJ 
Laughlin  until  some  man  came  to  the  buggy  I  was  in,  and  asked  if  I 
knew  him,  and  told  me  his  name  was  Pat.  Laughlin.  He  helped  pull1 
me  out  of  the  buggy.  Upon  reflection,  I  am  not  certain  but  that  some 
of  the  papers  accompanying  the  letters  I  have  mentioned  as  being 
given  to  me  at  Leavenworth  Hotel  were  signed.  I  paid  no  attention 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


1101 


to  those  papers,  and  I  do  not  know  how  they  got  into  my  pockets  at 
the  time  I  was  taken.  I  think  I  had  left  them  in  a  vest  pocket,  which 
I  laid  in  my  trunk,  and  put  on  without  examining  it  the  morning  I 
left  with  Dr.  Cutler  for  Doniphan. 

G.  F.  WARREN. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


THOMAS  CONNELLY  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  King: 

I  came  into  the  Territory  and  settled  in  Lawrence  about  the  5tb  of 
November,  1855,  and  have  resided  there  until  last  April  am  ac- 
quainted with  Colonel  Lane  and  Dr.  Eohinson.  I  was  there  during 
the  war  last  winter.  I  could  not  define  what  their  intentions  were. 
I  did  not  hear  Mr.  Rohinson  at  that  time  say  much,  if  anything.  I 
have  heard  Colonel  Lane  say  he  was  colonel  of  the  organized  compa- 
nies there  during  the  war.  I  knew  those  companies  were  there,  and 
knew  they  had  sentinels  placed  there.  I  have  had  several  conversa- 
tions with  Lane  about  that  matter.  I  have  heard  him  say  they  would 
not  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  Territory,  and  that  they  had  means 
and  men  to  resist  their  execution.  I  cannot  say  that  I  heard  him  say 
that  was  what  he  got  up  those  companies  for.  I  have  heard  him  and 
the  crowds  of  armed  men  there  say  they  would  not  obey  the  laws,  and 
if  they  were  arrested  by  sheriff  Jones,,  or  the  officers  of  the  Territory, 
it  should  not  be  alive.  They  asserted  that  they  would  not  submit  to 
those  laws.  I  was  there  the  night  Branson  was  rescued  from  sheriff 
Jones,  and  heard  the  party  who  did  that  when  they  came  into  Law- 
rence that  morning.  I  heard  the  drums  beating  and  the  company 
marched  in,  but  I  did  not  know  until  the  next  morning  what  they 
had  done,  There  was  no  armed  assemblage  at  Lawrence  at  that 
time. 

Question.  Do  you  know,  from  what  you  heard  the  men  say  who  res- 
cued Branson  from  the  sheriff,  that  they  knew  he  was  arrested  under 
the  laws  of  the  Territory? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  about  what  was  said  at  the  time.  I  believe 
Mr.  Cameron  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  acting  under  the  Territorial 
laws  ;  at  least  he  told  me  so.  I  cannot  say  that  any  of  those  persons 
who  rescued  Branson  ever  told  me  anything  about  the  matter.  I 
think  in  March  last  they  said  they  intended  to  give  a  passive  submis- 
sion to  the  Territorial  laws.  I  never  heard  Colonel  Lane  acquiesce  at 
all  in  the  submission  of  the  laws,  or  Dr.  Robinson  say  so  either.  As 
regards  Colonel  Lane,  at  the  time  this  passive  submission  was  agreed 
upon,  he  was  not  there. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  anything  said  among  those  men  who  had 
been  organized  in  armed  resistance  to  the  laws  in  Lawrence,  at  any 
period,  that  they  then  had  things  arranged  in  Washington,  so  that 
Congress  would  sustain  them,  and  they  intended  now  to  take  a  bolder 
stand  ?  and  if  so,  state  at  what  time  these  declarations  were  made, 
and  what  was  said. 
Answer.  I  have  heard  Mr.  Lyman,  Mr.  Searle,  and  several  others 


1102  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

who  were  engaged  in  that  organized  company  in  Lawrence,  say,  ai 
the  time  the  report  first  arrived  there  of  the  majority  in  Congress 
that  they  now  had  a  majority  in  Congress,  and  would  succeed  in  an 
nulling  the  laws  of  the  Territory.  I  do  not  recollect  exactly  the  datt 
when  this  was  said.  I  know  it  was  at  the  time  the  account  of  the  ap 
pointment  of  this  committee  arrived  there,  and  I  think  it  was  som<i 
time  in  March. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Sherman  : 

The  declarations  made  by  Colonel  Lane  were  during  the  difficultie 
at  Lawrence.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  denied  either  the  existeno 
or  the  validity  of  the  Territorial  laws  ;  but  he  declared  he  would  no 
submit  to  them. 

To  Mr.  King : 

I  moved  from  Illinois  to  Lawrence. 

THOS.  CONNELLY. 
WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  9?  1856. 


WILSON  SHANNON  was  called  and  sworn. 

This  deponent  states  that  as  to  the  origin,  progress,  and  conclusion 
of  the  difficulties  at  Lawrence  last  fall,  he  begs  leave  to  refer  to  hisi 
two  despatches  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  with  the  accomi 
panying  documents — the  first  dated  on  the  28th  of  November,  and  th* 
second  on  the  llth  day  of  December  last — as  containing  what  thin 
deponent  believes  to  be  a  correct  history  and  account  of  these  trans* 
actions. 

This  deponent  states  that  he  was  not  in  the  camp  at  Lecompton.i 
and  consequently  cannot  say  whether  there  were  any  Missourians  in 
that  camp  or  not.  He  was  in  the  camp  on  the  Wakarusa,  anc< 
knows  that  there  came  a  number  of  citizens  of  Missouri  in  that  camp, 
but  how  many  he  has  no  means  now,  and  never  had,  of  forming  any 
idea  of  the  number  of  citizens  from  that  State  who  were  in  the  Wai 
karusa  camp.  This  deponent  met  a  number  of  prominent  men  fromi 
Missouri  at  the  Wakarusa  camp,  and  conversed  and  counselled  withi 
thBin  fully  in  relation  to  the  pending  difficulties  ;  and  those  witbi 
whom  I  conversed,  without  a  single  exception,  stated  that  they  had 
come  over  into  the  Territory  to  aid  the  law  and  order  party  in  execu-i 
ting  the  laws.  That  they  would  take  no  steps  that  did  not  meet 
with  the  approval  of  the  public  authorities  of  the  Territory  ;  that* 
they  had  learned  that  those  who  were  resisting  the  laws  were  armed 
with  Sharpens  rifles — had  artillery  and  munitions  of  war — and  that  the- 
law  and  order  party  were  in  a  great  measure  unarmed,  and  required' 
aid  to  put  down  an  armed  resistance  to  the  laws  of  the  Territory. 

It  seemed  to  be  a  very  general  opinion,  not  only  of  the  citizens  of» 
Missouri  present  on  that  occasion,  but  of  those  of  the  Territory,  that  no  I 
arrangement  could  be  made  which  would  bring  permanent  security  to  | 
the  country  unless  the  people  assembled  at  Lawrence  were  required  to  | 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS,  1103 

five  up  to  the  public  authorities  their  Sharpens  rifles  and  artillery,  and 
was  repeatedly  advised  to  exact  this  of  those  in  Lawrence  ;  but  this 
was  nothing  more  than  opinion  and  advice,  and  when  the  matter  was 
finally  settled  all  acquiesced  in  what  was  done,  although  many 
thought  the  terms  agreed  upon  were  too  liberal  to  the  party  ;  but 
stated  that  if  the  executive  was  satisfied,,  they  had  nothing  to  say. 
The  men  collected  in  the  Wakarusa  camp,  after  being  dismissed, 
retired  in  good  order.  This  deponent  states  that  he  was  greatly  aided 
in  settling  the  difficulties  last  fall  by  the  active  exertions  of  prominent 
men  from  Missouri,  who  did  everything  in  their  power  to  prevent  the 
effusion  of  blood.  He  would  name  General  Atchison  and  Colonel 
Boone  as  having  exercised  a  great  deal  of  influence  in  preventing  a 
conflict  of  arras  between  the  two  parties  on  that  occasion. 
This  deponent  understood,  from  leading  men  in  the  camp,  that  a 

treat  many  of  the  men  assembled  on  that  occasion  would  not  be  satis- 
ed  unless  the  Lawrence  party  were  required  to  give  up  their  imple- 
ments of  war  ;  and,  in  case  they  did  not  do  so,  they  would  attack  the 
town.  Expressions  of  this  kind  were  not  used  to  this  deponent,  but 
he  has  no  doubt,  from  information  received  by  him  at  the  time,  that 
.this  sentiment  was  entertained  by  a  good  many.  Yet,  through  the 
1nfluence  I  have  named,  all  were  induced  to  acquiesce  in  what  had 
been  done,  and  to  retire  quietly  to  their  respective  homes. 

As  to  the  paper  'dated  on  the  9th  of  December,  and  purporting  to 
i]  "be  addressed  to  C.  Kobinson  and  J.  H.  Lane,  and  which  has  been  very 
ij  erroneously  called  a  commission,  this  deponent  desires  to  make  an  ex- 
a]  planation,  as  alike  due  to  himself  and  truth.    To  a  fair  understanding 
it  I  of  this  matter,  it  is  necessary  that  I  should  make  some  preliminary 
i  statements.     On  Monday,  the'9th,  about  sunrise,  this  deponent  issued 
his  orders  for  disbanding  the  forces  around  Lawrence,  and  he  remained 
at  the  Wakarusa  until  the  forces  at  that  place  had  all  retired ;  he  went 
then,  by  special  invitation,  in  company  with  several  other  gentlemen, 
to  the  town  of  Lawrence,  and  in  the  evening  was  invited  to  attend  a 
social  party  or  gathering  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  at  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society's  hotel,  which  he  accepted.     There  were  but  two  rooms 
finished  in  the  hotel ;  they  were  in  the  third  story,  and  quite  small 
and  crowded  by  the  company  assembled.     The  time  was  spent  in  th« 
most  friendly  and  social  way,  and  it  seemed  to  be  a  matter  of  con- 
gratulation on  both  sides  that  the  difficulties  so  lately  threatening  the 
peace  of  the  country  had  at  length  been  brought  to  a  happy  termi- 
nation. 

In  the  midst  of  this  convivial  party,  and  about  10  o'clock  at  night, 
Dr.  C.  Kobinson  came  to  me,  and  in  a  state  of  apparent  excitement 
declared  that  the  picket-guard  had  just  come  in?,  and  reported  that 
there  was  a  large  irregular  force  near  the  town  of  Lawrence,  who  were 
threatening  an  attack  on  the  place,  adding  that  the  citizens  of  the 
place  claimed  the  protection  of  the  executive,  and  to  this  end  desired 
this  deponent  to  give  himself  and  Colonel  Lane  permission  to  repel 
the  threatened  assault.  I  replied  to  Dr.  Kobinson  that  they  did  not 
require  any  authority  from  me,  as  they  would  be  entirely  justified, 
after  the  difficulties  had  been  satisfactorily  arranged,  in  repelling  by 
force  any  attack  on  their  town.  He  replied,  that  they  had  been  rep- 


1104  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

resented  as  having  arrayed  themselves  against  the  laws  and  officers  of 
the  Territory,  and  that  therefore  he  wished  me  to  give  him  written 
authority  to  repel  the  threatened  assault ;  so  that  it  might  appear 
that,  if  a  rencounter  did  take  place,  they  were  acting  not  against  but 
with  the  executive  of  the  Territory.  With  this  view,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  excitement  of  the  occasion,  I  signed  said  paper  ;  hut  it 
was  distinctly  understood,  by  both  parties,  that  it  had  no  application 
to  anything  except  the  alleged  threatened  attack  on  Lawrence  that 
night.  I  subsequently  discovered  that  no  attack  had  been  threatened 
on  Lawrence  on  the  night  in  question. 

This  deponent  never  said  to  Mr.  Winchell  that  the  people  of  Law- 
rence must  give  up  their  arms.     I  stated  to  Mr.  "Winchell,  that  the 
people  of  Lawrence  and  the  free-State  party  had  secretly  introduced 
into  the  country  arms  of  a  deadly  kind;  and  taken  in  connection  with 
some  resolutions  they  had  passed  in  relation  to  resisting  the  laws  by 
force,  together  with  the  actual   rescue  of  Branson  by  an  armed  body 
of  men,  justified  the  people  in  believing  that  there  was  a  fixed  de-. 
termination  on  the  part  of  a  portion  of  the  people  to  resist  by  force 
the  execution  of  the  laws  ;  that  this  belief  had  produced  a  great  deal 
of  excitement  in  the  Territory,  as  well  as  in  the  border  counties  of' 
Missouri,  and  that  I  thought  the  best  thing  the  free-State  men  could 
do   to  restore  harmony  and  confidence,  would  be  tq  voluntarily  place 
their  Sharpe's  rifles  and  artillery  in  the  hands  of  some  public  officer,,., 
to  be  receipted  for  and  returned,  when  the  situation  of  the  country 
would  permit  it.     That  if  they  would  do  this,  I  would  undertake  to  V 
guaranty  to  them  united  security. 

I  stated  to  Mr.  Winchel,  that  if  what  he  stated  in  relation  to  the/ 
citizens  of  Lawrence  was  correct,  I  had  been   greatly  deceived  as  to 
their  true  position.     That  I  would  be  the  first  to  do  them  justice,  if  f 
satisfied  I  had  done  them  wrong. 

I  did  not  say  to  Mr.  Winchell  that  I  wished  a  deputation  from  i 
Lawrence  to  meet  me  in  Franklin,  and  escort  me  into  Lawrence.  He  ' 
called  on  me  at  Wakarusa,  and  informed  me  that  he  had  been  re- 
quested by  a  number  of  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  to  call  on  me,  and  I 
invite  me  to  visit  that  place,  with  the  view  of  having  an  interview  in  i 
relation  to  a  settlement  of  the  pending  difficulties.  He  informed  me  *• 
that  if  I  would  agree  to  go  to  Lawrence,  the  people  would  send  out  i 
a  deputation  to  escort  me  into  the  city.  I  informed  Mr.  Winchell  ! 
that  I  would  be  glad  to  visit  the  town  of  Lawrence  on  the  next  day,  , 
and  he  proposed  that  the  committee  meet  me  at  Franklin  at  ten  o'clock 
and  escort  me  into  town  ;  to  which  I  assented,  and  on  the  next  day  I  I 
entered  Lawrence  under  the  arrangement  thus  made. 

I  have  carefully  examined  the  deposition  of  Mr.  Lowry,  taken  be- 
fore the  committee,  and  I  have  to  state  that  I  never  said  to  Mr. 
Lowry  that  I  had  called  on  the  Missourians  to  aid  sheriff  Jones  in  i 
executing  the  laws  or  process  in  his  hands.     But,  on  the  contrary,  I  I 
stated  to  Mr.  Lowry  on  the  day  he  called  on  me  with  Mr.  Babcock, 
as  a  committee  from  Lawrence,  that  the  only  steps  I  had  taken  to 
furnish  sheriff  Jones  with  a  posse  was   the  orders  I  had  issued  to 
Major  Genral  Richardson  and  to  General  Strickler,  which  had  refer- 
ence to  the  militia  of  this  Territory,  and  to  none  other.    I  had  no  right 
to  call  on  citizens  of  Missouri,  and  never  did  so,  and  I  so  informed 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1105 

Mr.  Lowry.  His  reply  was,  that  it  had  been  so  reported,  but  that 
he  knew  it  could  not  be  true,  and  that  the  report  had  done  me  injus- 
tice ;  and  he  had  on  several  occasions  stated  his  disbelief  in  the  re- 
port, and  sought  to  do  me  justice  in  this  respect,  as  far  as  he  could. 

When  Mr.  Lowry  called  on  me  as  a  committee  from  Lawrence,  to 
make  known  the  compliments  of  the  people  of  that  place,  I  informed 
him  that  the  rescue  of  Branson  by  a  body  of  armed  men  seemed  to 
show  a  fixed  and  determined  purpose  on  the  part  of  the  so-called  free- 
State  party  to  carry  out  their  previous  motives  and  determination,  as 
made  known  at  various  meetings,  and  as  declared  repeatedly  in  va- 
rious public  papers  professing  to  speak  the  will  of  the  party  ;  that  the 
fact  that  S,  N.  Wood,  who  headed  the  party  that  rescued  Branson, 
together  with  his  whole  command,  amounting  to  between  30  and  40 
armed  men,  had  marched  into  Lawrence  immediately  after  the  res- 
cue had  taken  place,  and  paraded  the  streets,  and  had  been  received 
at  8  o'clock  on  the  morning  after  the  event,  by  a  public  meeting  of 
the  citizens,  who  seemed  to  manifest  a  high  degree  of  satisfaction  at 
the  means  with  which  this  first  resistance  to  the  execution  of  the  laws 
had  met  with,  together  with  the  resolution  passed  at  the  adjourned 
meeting  on  the  same  day  declaring  there  was  no  law,  and  determin- 
ing to  take  steps  themselves  to  bring  all  offenders  to  justice,  had 
produced  a  settled  conviction  throughout  the  country  that  the  town 
of  Lawrence,  or  the  citizens  thereof,  were  determined  to  resist  the 
execution  of  the  laws  by  an  armed  force,  and  that  this  conviction,  to- 
gether with  some  other  matters,  had  produced  a  great  deal  of  excite- 
ment with  what  was  termed  the  law  and  order  party  in  the  Territory, 
and  with  their  friends  in  the  border  counties  in  the  State  of  Missouri; 
that  it  might  be  difficult  to  allay  this  excitement,  unless  the  citizens 
of  Lawrence  would  do  something  themselves  to  remove  these  impres- 
sions. Mr.  Lowry  denied  and  excused  all  the  charges  against  the 
Citizens  of  Lawrence  ;  denied  that  they  had  in  any  way  countenanced 
the  rescue  of  Branson,  or  that  they  had  resisted  or  intended  to  resist 
bhe  execution  of  the  laws  ;  and  he  stated  that  sheriff  Jones  could  at 
my  time  come  into  Lawrence  and  arrest  any  one  against  whom  he 
lad  a  writ,  without  molestation. 

j   In  reply,  I  informed  Mr.  Lowry  that  I  had  been  assured  by  per- 
ions  in  whom  I  had  entire  confidence,  that  the  citizens  of  Lawrence, 
rom  the  day  of  the  rescue  of  Branson,  had  commenced  a  military  or- 
ganization and  active  preparations  to  defend  the  place  even  before  any 
brces  had  collected  as  a  posse  under  sheriff  Jones,  and  that  I  had 
•>een  further  informed  that  there  were  a  large  number  of  those  who 
iad  been  engaged  in  the  Branson  rescue  who  had  fled  to  Lawrence 
3r  protection,  and  that  they  were  still  in  that  place,  and  the  citizens 
nd  those  assembled  there  were  protecting  them,  and  that  they  were 
reparing  to  protect  them  against  arrest  by  the  sheriff,  by  arming 
hemselves  and  fortifying  the  town  ;  and  that  it  was  the  belief  in. 
lie  public  mind  that  this  was  the  real  cause  of  so  many  persons  rally- 
ig  to  the  support  of  the  sheriff,  to  aid  him  in  making  the  arrests 
otwithstanding  this  armed  resistance.     I  was  assured  by  Mr.  Lowry 
lat  I  had  been  entirely  misinformed,  and  that  the  only  preparations 
lat  were  being  made  in  Lawrence  were  for  self-defence ;  that  there 
H.  Kep.  200 70* 


1106  KANSAS  AFFAIES. 

were  but  three  individuals  engaged  in  the  rescue  that  resided  in 
Lawrence  ;  that  the  others  resided  in  the  country,  and  many  of  them 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Hickory  Point,  where  Dow  had  been  killed ; 
that  no  one  engaged  in  the  rescue  was  then  in  Lawrence  ;  that  they 
had  all  left  that  place  in  a  few  days  after  the  transaction  took  place, 
and  that  he  was  entirely  ignorant  of  the  places  to  which  they  had 
fled  ;  but  that  at  any  time  any  of  these  persons  should  come  to  Law- 
rence, sheriff  Jones  could  arrest  them  without  the  slightest  molesta- 
tion from  the  citizens  of  that  place.  I  replied  to  Mr.  Lowry,  that  if 
the  facts  stated  by  him  were  true,  I  had  certainly  been  very  much 
misinformed  ;  that  sheriff  Jones  was  only  justifiable  in  collecting  a 
large  posse  of  armed  men  on  the  ground  that  the  persons  against 
whom  he  had  writs  were  in  the  town,  and  defended  from  arrest  by  an 
armed  body  of  men  ;  that  I  had  directed  Jones  to  make  no  attempt  to 
enter  Lawrence  at  the  head  of  his  posse  until  he  received  orders  from 
me  ;  that  I  would  visit  the  Wakarusa  camp  immediately  and  investi- 
gate the  whole  matter,  and  if  I  found  the  facts  as  he  had  stated  them, 
the  sheriff's  posse,  as  such,  should  not  enter  the  town  of  Lawrence; 
that  it  was  only  on  the  ground  that  the  defendants  were  in  Lawrence, 
and  the  people  assembled  there  were  defending  them  from  arrest, 
by  armed  resistance,,  that  would  justify  the  sheriff  in  entering  the 
town  with  an  armed  force  sufficient  to  overcome  the  offered  resist- 
ance. I  had  previous  to  this  expressed  the  same  views  to  sheriff 
Jones. 

I  stated,  at  the  same  time,  to  Mr.  Lowry  that  the  introduction  i 
into  the  Territory,  by  the  free-State  men,  of  Sharpe's  rifles,  a  weapon  i 
used  only  for  war  purposes,  artillery,  and  munitions  of  war,  in  con-  • 
nexion  with  the  fortifying  of  the   town,  the  known  existence  of  a  \ 
secret  oath-bound  military  organization,  together   with   the  armed! 
resistance  of  the  sheriff  and  the  expulsion  from  the  Territory  of  a  i 
number  of  pro-slavery  families  by  the  other  party,  have  produced  a  i 
conviction,  very  general,  that  there  was  no  security  to  laws,  as  those1 
rifles,  artillery,  and  munitions  of  war  were  in  the  hands  of  the  free-  j 
State  men.     That  the  introduction  of  these  warlike  implements  was 
received  by  the  other  party  in  the  light  of  a  declaration  of  war,  and 
that  if  the   citizens  assembled   in   Lawrence  would  consent  to  give 
up  their  rifles  and  artillery,    either  to    Colonel  Sumner  or   myself, 
to  be  receipted  for,  and  returned  when  confidence  should  be  restored, 
I   had  no  doubt   such   an  act   on   their   part  would   enable  me  at 
once  to  prevent  any  disturbance  at  Lawrence ;  but  without  such  an 
act  on  their  part  1  could  not  say  whether  I  could  control  the  sheriff's 
posse  or  not.     That  having  assembled  together  with  settled  convict 
tions  that  there  was  no  security  while  those  implements  of  death 
mained  in  the  hands  of  the  other  party,  they  might  insist  on  this 
of  giving  up  their  arms  without  regard  to  orders  from  the  officers 
the  government ;  but  that  if  these  arms  were  voluntarily  given  i 
I  would  guaranty  that  no  harm  would  befall  Lawrence.     In  reply 
this,  Mr T Lowry  did  not  say  that  they  would  not  give  up  their  ar: 
to  myself  or  Colonel  Suinner.,  but  he  stated  that  he  did  not  know  b 
that  proposition  would  be  received  by  the  citizens  of  Lawrence,  as 
had  never  heard  the  subject  spoken  of  or  discussed  j  but  that  he 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1107 

confident  they  would  not  give  up  their  arms  to  the  Missourians — mean- 
ing, as  I  understood  him,  the  sheriff's  posse.     I  said  at  no  time  to 
Mr,  Lowry  that  I  would  refuse  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  to  give  up 
their  arms  ;  but  the  supposition  was  with  me  that  they  should  plaae 
them  rather  in  the  hands  of  Colonel  Sumner  or  myself  voluntarily, 
as  the  most  certain  way  to  put  an  end  to  the  threatened  difficulties. 
This  same  proposition  was  made  hy  me  to  Dr.  Robinson  and  Colonel 
Lane  in  the  town  of  Lawrence,  and  for  the  same  purpose  and  with, 
the  same  view,  on  the  first  day  I  visited  Lawrence,     The  proposition 
was  taken  under  advisement  by  Dr.  Robinson,  to  be  submitted  to  the 
people  of  Lawrence  for  their   consideration,     Dr,  Robinson  informed 
me,  on  my  return  to  Lawrence  next  day,  that  it  had  been  rejected  by 
the  people  at  a  public  meeting  the  night  before,  by  an  almost  unani- 
mous vote.     I  never  stated  to  Mr.  Lowry  that  there  had  been  sixteen 
houses  burnt   at  Hickory  Point  at  the  time  of  the  interview  with 
him  and  Mr.  Babcock.     I  had  never  seen  either  before.     I  had  accu- 
rate information,  in  the  shape  of  affidavits,  as  to  the  number  of  houses 
that  had  been  burnt  at  Hickory  Point ;  that  number  was  three — the 
houses  of  Mr.  Buckley,  Mr,  Coleman,  and  Mr.  Hargous,     Mr.  Lowry, 
in  his  interview  with  me,  complained  much  of  the  Missourians  taking 
part  in  the  affairs  of  the  Territory.     In  seeking  to  explain  this  matter 
truly,  as  I  thought,  to  Mr,  Lowry,  I  stated  that  a  number  of  pro- 
slavery  families  had  been  driven  out  of  the  Territory  by  force  and 
by  threats  ;    that  I  believed  that  some  sixteen  families  had  so  left 
the  Territory,  and  at  one  time  the  report  had  been  current  that  six- 
teen houses  had  been  burnt  down  ;  that  most  of  these  families  had  fled 
to  their  friends  in  Missouri,  and  some  were  at  the  Mission  where  we 
then  were,  with  their  children  ;  that  these  actual  outrages,  greatly  ex- 
aggerated by  rumor,  had  become  known  to  the  citizens  of  Missouri,  who 
aad  become  apprehensive  that  their  friends  in  the  Territory  were  about 
;o  be  driven  out  of  the  country  by  force  and  violence,  and  that  many  of 
'/hem  were  in  actual  danger  of  their  lives;  that,  under  these  impressions, 
t  was  natural  that  the  people  of  Missouri  would  cross  over  the  line  to 
lefend  their  friends  from  actual  expulsion  and  threatened  danger  to 
heir  lives.    I  alluded  to  some  resolutions  that  had  been  passed  in  Law- 
ence,  establishing  a  kind  of  self-constituted  court  to  try,   convict, 
nd  execute  men  without  any  of  the  forms  of  law ;  and  I  stated  to  Mr. 
iowry  that  either  he  or  I,  placed  under  similar  circumstances,  would, 
i  all  probability,  cross  the  line  too;  that  I  thought  great  allowance 
'as  to  be  made  for  those  people,  and  that  so  long  as  they  did  no  act 
iolating  the  laws  of  the  Territory,  but  only  acted  in  co-operation 
'ith  the  public  authorities  in  maintaining  and  enforcing  the  laws, 
t>  censure   should   be  visited  upon  them.     Mr,  Lowry  seemed  to 
equiesce  in  these  views,  but  claimed  that  the  excitement  in  Missouri 
*id  in  the  Territory  was  based,  in  a  great  measure,  on  false  rumors. 
rhis  was  true  to  some  extent,  but  not  to  the  extent  claimed  by  Mr: 
bwry. 

I  made  no  argument  against  the  free-State  party  in  the  presence  of 
Jr.  Lowry,  except  to  state  that  I  thought  they  had  taken  a  position 
i  regard. to  the  validity  and  execution  of  the  laws  that  was  entirely 
v-ong ;  and  that  their  determination,  to^  maintain  that  position  by 


1108  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

force  of  arms  must,  if  persisted  in,  lead  to  the  most  painful  conse- 
quences. Mr.  Lowry  did  not  claim  that  the  Territorial  laws  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  then  difficulties.  On  the  contrary,  it  was 
well  understood  by  "both  of  us,  that  no  other  laws  were  involved  in 
those  difficulties.  No  declarations  or  resolutions  had  "been  made  or 
passed  against  any  of  the  other  laws  of  the  Territory.  It  was  for 
violating  the  Territorial  laws  that  warrants  had  been  issued  and 
placed  in  the  hands  of  sheriff  Jones,  and  it  was  under  the  Territorial 
laws  that  Branson  had  been  arrested,  and  it  was  the  Territorial  laws 
that  sheriff  Jones  was  seeking  to  enforce  by  means  of  the  posse  then- 
surrounding  Lawrence. 

What  Mr.  Lowry  calls  "  the  treaty  "  was  drawn  up  in  this  way. 
On  the  first  day  I  went  into  the  town  of  Lawrence,  after  quite  a 
lengthy  interview  with  Dr.  Eobinson,  I  drew  up  a  rough  draught  of  a 
memorandum  of  the  terms  on  which  I  thought  the  difficulties  could 
be  arranged,  and  if  agreed  to  by  the  people  in  Lawrence,  there 
would  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  the  forces  to  retire.  I  left  that 
draught  with  Dr.  Robinson,  who  proposed  that  he  would  submit  the 
matter  to  a  meeting  of  the  people.  Next  day  he  gave  me  a  memoran- 
dum of  the  terms  on  which  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  were  willing  to 
arrange  the  matter;  at  the  same  time,  informing  me  that  he  and! 
Colonel  Lane  were  authorized  to  agree  .to  such  alterations  as  they 
might  think  proper,  except  as  to  giving  up  their  arms.  I  took 
memorandum  and  re-wrote  it,  making  various  alterations,  which* 
was  signed  by  both  parties.  I  never  said  to  Mr.  Lowry,  or  to  an/ 
other  person,  that  I  had  any  fears  of  the  men  on  the  Wakarusa  doing. 
me  any  personal  violence ;  I  never  entertained  the  slightest  fears  of 
the  kind  from  either  party.  I  had  no  cause  to  entertain  any  suchl 
fears,  as  I  had  been  treated  with  the  utmost  respect  and  kindness  by^ 
both  parties  pending  the  difficulties. 

I  never  had  but  one  consultation  with  Mr.  Lowry  in  my  life,1 
and  that  was  the  one  at  the  Shawnee  Mission,  I  may  have  stated  to 
some  person  in  Lawrence  that  I  knew  there  were  a  good  many  peoplei 
in  the  Wakarusa  camp  who  were  not  satisfied  with  the  arrangement! 
I  hade  made,  principally  on  the  ground,  that  the  rifles  were  not  giverj 
up  ;  and  I  am  certain  1  never  made  even  this  statement  to  Mr.  Lowryfl 
as  I  never  had  but  the  one  conversation  with  him,  as  above  stated. 

I  have  read  the  evidence  of  Dr.  Eobinson  in  this  case.  It  is  truei 
I  complained  of  the  people  of  Lawrence,  that  they  had  kept  entirety! 
aloof  1'rom  me,  and  that,  of  course,  I  had  heard  only  one  side  ;  and  A 
stated  to  him  that  I  was  satisfied  that  many  of  the  rumors  that  hadl 
been  in  circulation  were  untrue,  or  greatly  exaggerated.  But  I  state(| 
at  the  same  time  to  Dr.  Robinson,  that  there  were  certain  facts  tha| 
could  not  be  denied  :  the  rescue  of  Branson  by  an  armed  force  ;  thit 
repudiation  of  the  laws,  as  having  no  force,  and  the  resolution  t<| 
resist  their  execution  to  a  bloody  issue  ;  the  introduction  into  Law| 
rence,  and  the  distribution  in  the  Territory,  of  Sharpe's  rifles  ;  forti 
fications  of  the  town,  and  the  thaeats  made  in  the  public  papers 
Lawrence  to  lynch  some  of  our  citizens.  I  stated  to  Dr.  Robins 
that  while  in  many  things  they  had  been  greatly  misrepresented, 
there  were  well-established  facts  that  could  not  be  denied. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1109 

I  never  stated  to  Dr.  Robinson  that  I  was  satisfied  that  the  citizens 
of  Lawrence  had  violated  no  law,  for  I  had  every  reason  to  believe 
that  some  of  them  had  violated  law,  and  had  been  engaged  in  the 
rescue  of  Branson.  Indeed,  it  was  admitted  that  N.  S.  Wood,  a  citi- 
zen of  Lawrence,  was  the  leader  of  the  armed  band  that  rescued 
Branson. 

I  did  not  state  to  Dr.  Robinson  that  if  I  closed  negotiations  the 
first  day,  on  terms  honorable  to  the  people  of  Lawrence,  the 
people  in  the  camp  would  raise  the  black  flag.  WhaVl  did  say  was 
this:  After  stating  the  excitement,  and  its' cause,  that  existed  in 
camp,  that  there  was  danger,  if  the  people  were  not  satisfied,  that 
the  black  flag  would  be  run  up  ;  that  if  this  should  be  done,  it  would 
be  against  the  express  orders  of  all  the  officers  in  the  camp  ;  that  in 
dealing  with  these  difficulties  more  regard  had  to  be  paid  to  the  state 
of  public  opinion  ;  that  it  would  be  useless  for  me  to  make  an  arrange- 
ment which  would  not  be  acquiesced  in  by  the  people  after  they 
should  be  dismissed  from  the  sheriff's  posse.  And  these  remarks 
were  made  to  Dr.  Robinson  with  a  view  of  getting  him  and  the 
people  of  Lawrence  to  agree  to  as  favorable  terms  as  possible,  so  that 
there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  the  forces  to  leave  in  good 
order. 

I  did  not  say  to  Dr.  Robinson  that  the  posse  formed  but  a  small 
part  of  the  forces  of  Wakarusa.  Such  would  not  have  been  true. 
The  posse  was  over  1,400,  as  reported  to  me  by  Gen.  Strickler  ;  and 
I  suppose  there  were  about  500  that  had  never  organized -themselves, 
or  been  placed  under  the  sheriff. 

The  fears  that  I  expressed  to  Dr.  Robinson  were,  that  after  the 
posse  should  be  dismissed,  they  might  take  redress  in  their  own 
hands  if  the  arrangements  were  not  satisfactory. 

I  positively  deny  that  I  agreed  to  any  arrangement  that  should  not 
be  reported  to  the  camp  until  they  had  left.  So  far  from  this  being 
the  case,  I  informed  Dr.  Robinson  that  I  had  procured  a  committee 
of  thirteen  of  the  most  influential  captains  to  meet  at  Franklin  that 
night  a  committee  from  Lawrence,  at  which  meeting  the  arrange- 
ments were  to  be  made  known  and  explained.  We  agreed  to  leave 
out  of  the  arrangement  everything  with  regard  to  the  arms,  and  that 
that  matter  should  be  discussed  and  settled  by  the  two  committees  in 
Franklin  that  night.  We  all  met  at  Franklin,  according  to 
arrangements.  I  had  not  the  agreement  with  me,  having  left 
it  in  Lawrence  to  obtain  the  signatures  of  some  thirty  or  forty 
of  the  leading  men  of  that  place.  But  I  stated  all  the  material 
parts  of  the  treaty  in  the  presence  of  the  two  committees,  and  that 
the  arrangements  were  satisfactory  to  me  ;  that  I  was  satisfied  there 
would  be  no  further  resistance  to  the  execution  of  the  laws ;  and  that 
as  to  giving  up  the  arms,  that  question  I  had  adjourned  to  that  place 
to  be  settled  by  the  two  committees,  and  it  was  so  disposed.  Dr. 
Robinson,  in  his  speech  before  the  committee,  stated,  substantially, 
what  had  been  agreed  on  and  reduced  to  writing,  and  claimed  that 
'that  was  all  that  could  in  honor  be  demanded  or  agreed  to. 

I  have  already  explained  the  objects  of  the  paper  of  the  9th  of  De- 
cember last,  authorizing  Col.  Lane  and  Dr.  Robinson  to  repel  any 


1110  KANSAS   AFFAIKS. 

attack  that  might  "be  made  on  the  town  of  Lawrence  that  night,  and 
the  manner  in  which  it  was  obtained . 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  rescue  of  Branson  I  knew  of  no  process  in  the 
hands  of  sheriff  Jones  against  any  citizen  of  Lawrence.  The  process 
against  Branson,  according  to  my  information,  was  the  first  one  that 
sheriff  Jones  had  undertaken  to  serve  in  Douglas  county,  unless  it 
may  have  betyi  some  civil  process.  Branson  was  not  a  citizen  of  Law- 
rence, "but  resided  som'e  ten  or  fifteen  miles  south,  at  a  place  called 
Hickory  Point. 

WILSON  SHANNON. 

KANSAS  CITY,  Ma.,  June  9,  1856. 


Dr.  G.  A.  CUTLEE  recalled. 

To  Mr.  Keeder : 

I  had  been  lying  sick  at  Topeka  for  some  time  with  the  typhoid 
fever,  and  when  I  had  got  well  enough  to  sit  in  the  carriage  I  started 
home.  This  was  about  two  weeks  previous  to  the  war  or  invasion. 
I  got  as  far  as  Leavenworth  city,  and  was  taken  again.  I  remained 
there  sick  about  a  week,  and  then  hired  Mr.  Warren  to  take  me  home, 
and  also  hired  a  horse  and  buggy.  He  took  me  to  Doniphan,  and  on 
his  way  back  was  captured  at  Atchison.  They  immediately  sent  up 
a  body  of  men  for  me,  with  a  writ  for  high  treason,  issued  by  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  by  the  name  of  Heedly,  I  think.  They  took  me 
dcfwn  to  Atchison  and  sent  an  express  up  to  Weston  for  assistance  to 
prevent  a  rescue.  I  was  very  sick,  indeed,  when  they  took  me,  and 
could  not  stand  on  my  feet  over  five  minutes  at  a  time.  Some  30  or 
40  men  came  from  Weston  that  night,  and  tried  to  break  into  the 
hotel,  where  I  was,  but  could  not  succeed.  Previous  to  that  I  had 
sent  for  this  justice  of  the  peace,  and  he  would  not  come.  I  again  sent 
him  word  in  the  morning  that  I  was  in  extreme  danger,  and  that  he 
knew  he  had  no  right  to  detain  me  there,  and  begged  him  to  come  and 
release  me.  I  sent  for  him  two  or  three  times,  and,  during  the  inter- 
mediate time,  there  were  threats  of  shooting,  hanging,  killing,  &c., 
and  several  demonstrations  made.  '  Finally  the  justice  came,  and  1 
told  him  he  must  be  very  ignorant  of  the  law  if  he  thought  he  had  any 
jurisdiction  over  a  case  of  that  kind.  I  argued  some  time,  and  finally 
he  took  me  aside  and  told  me  he  would  acquit  me.  As  soon  as  I  got 
free  from  there  I  thought  of  going  home,  but  they  had  the  horse  and 
buggy  captured,  and  I  waited  to  get  that.  They  kept  putting  roe 
off.  I  told  them  my  life  was  in  danger  there,  and  I  wanted  to  get 
home.  Seeing  I  could  not  get  the  horse  and  buggy,  I  set  about 
trying  to  get  off  some  other  way,  as  I  could  not  walk,  when  a  fel- 
low by  the  name  of  Thomason,  a  two-hundred-pounder,  stepped  up  i 
to  me,  tapped  me  on  the  shoulder,  and  told  me  I  was  his  prisoner. 
I  asked  him  what  he  arrested  me  for,  and  he  said  because  he « 
could.  I  told  him  that  was  not  good  enough  authority  ;  that  I 
had  been  sick  a  long  time,  and  wanted  to  get  home.  He  said  that 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1111 

did  not  make  a  damned  bit  of  difference ;  that  he  had  arrested  me, 
and  was  going  to  send  me  out  to  Lecompton  under  a  guard  of  thirty 
men.  I  told  him  I  would  not  go,  as  such  a  trip  would  kill  me  then. 
After  arguing,  he  told  me  I  could  take  my  choice,  either  to  he  hung 
or  go  to  Lecompton.  I  told  him  I  preferred  the  hanging,  as  I  thought 
the  trip  would  kill  me  anyhow,  and  the  other  would  be  the  shorter 
way  of  doing  it.  I  appealed  to  P.  T.  Abell,  a  lawyer  from  Weston, 
Missouri,  who  was  standing  by,  and  told  him  he  knew  such  a  course 
was  unlawful,  and  he  could  get  me  out  of  it.  Finally,  after  some 
consultation,  they  concluded  not  to  hang  me,  but  to  send  me  to  Le- 
compton. They  forced  me  into  a  buggy  and  started  off,  with  a  guard 
of  some  thirty  men,  though  but  eight  or  ten,  who  were  on  horseback, 
kept  up  with  us ;  the  rest  were  in  wagons.  When  I  arrived  at  Le- 
conipton,  I  sent  for  General  Kichardson,  who  was  in  command  of  a 
large  number  of  troops  there.  He  came,  and  I  told  him  how  I  had 
been  used,  and  a  number  of  my  friends,  pro-slavery  men,  did  the 
same.  He  told  me  he  would  release  me,  which  he  did.  Mr.  Jones 
soon  after  stepped  up  and  arrested  me  again  ;  this  was  sheriff  Jones. 
I  asked  him  what  for,  and  he  said  he  guessed  it  was  to  be  a  witness 
against  somebody ;  or  if  Lawrence  was  taken,  to  be  against  Lawrence,, 
or  something  of  that  kind,  hesitating  very  much  as  he  said  so.  He 
showed  me  no  warrant,  but  took  me  down  to  the  camp.  I  was 
exposed  to  the  most  inclement  weather,  insulted  some  ten  or  fifteen 
times  grossly,  and  came  very  near  losing  my  life  by  being  taken  worse 
with  the  disease  I  was  suffering  from,  and  was  delirious  for  some  time. 
I  was  salivated  so  that  all  my  teeth  became  loose.  I  was  then  taken 
to  Benicia,  and  lay  sick  at  Dr.  Brooks',  and  when  peace  was  declared 
was  discharged  from  custody.  I  had  no  trial.  I  had  a  kind  of  trial 
at  Atchison ;  the  justice  said  he  acquitted  me,  but  I  had  no  trial  after 
I  was  brought  down  to  Lecompton.  I  gave  no  bail,  nor  was  I  taken 
before  a  magistrate.  No  explanation  was  given  me  before  I  was  dis- 
charged, of  the  reasons  for  my  arrests  ;  and  though  I  asked  several 
times,  no  one  could  tell  me  about  it.  While  I  was  lying  in  the  camp 
at  Lecompton,  R.  S.  Kelly,  a  partner  of  Dr.  Stringfellow  in  the 
"  Squatter  Sovereign  "  paper,  rode  up  before  the  tent  I  was  lying  in 
and  said,  "  I  want  blood;  lam  blood-thirsty;  I  want  to  ^ake  this 
God  damned  abolitionist  out  and  hang  him."  I  was  insulted  a  num- 
ber of  times,  but  do  not  now  recollect  all  the  specific  cases. 

To  Mr.  Kees  : 

I  know  only  from  hearsay  what  were 'the  grounds  of  Warren's 
arrest.  I  saw  no  papers  found  upon  Warren,,  no  documents  or  printed 
books,  and  know  nothing  about  them,  only  that  I  heard  something 
had  been  found  on  him.  I  do  not  know  of  the  existence  of  any  secret 
organization  for  the  purpose  of  resisting  the  laws  of  the  Territory.  I 
have  never  seen  any  printed  pamphlet,  purporting  to  be  an  expose  of 
such  a  society.  I  have  seen  an  article  in  a  newspaper  to  that  effect. 
I  have  not  seen  a  printed  pamphlet  purporting  to  be  a  ritual  of  such 
an  order.  I  do  not  know  anything  of  the  existence  of  such  an  order 
from  any  one  purporting  to  be  connected  with  the  society. 

GEO.  A.  CUTLER. 

TECUMSEH,  K.  T.,  May  6,  1856. 


1112  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 


WILLIAM  PHILLIPS  called  and  sworn, 

I  came  into  the  Territory  about  the  middle  of  last  October.     I  went  1 
up  to  Topeka  first,  and  got  to  Lawrence  the  day  before  the  rescue  ofl 
Branson.     I  attended  the  meeting  called  in  regard  to  the  rescue,  and! 
heard  the  resolutions  passed,  and  the  position  taken  by  the  people  ofl 
Lawrence.     I  went    down    to  the   Wakarusa   camp    several   times.. 
The  first  time  I  found  a  company  of  some  seventy  or  eighty  men  at! 
Franklin,  shooting  at  a  mark.     I  spoke  to  one  or  two,  and  asked  them 
where  they  came  from.     Two  said  they  came  from  Missouri,  and  ac- 
cused the   people  of  Lawrence  as  abolitionists,  and  of  burning  the 
houses  of  pro-slavery  men.     I  heard  several  that  day  make  threats  ofl 
coming  up  to  destroy  the  town  of  Lawrence.     This  was  the  first  ort 
second  day  of  December.     The  day  afterwards  I  went  down  again,, 
and  went  beyond  the  Wakarusa.     They  were  camping  on  the  bot- 
tom accross  the  creek  from  Blue  Jacket's.     I  crossed  the  creek,  and! 
met  a  good  many  parties  of  men  coming  up,  and  stopped  and  spoke*j 
with  many  of  them.     I  spoke  to  some  men  in  two  ox- teams,  and  they, 
told  me  they  came  from  beyond  Lexington,  Missouri,  and  that  theyy! 
were  going  up  to  the  camp,  and  they  intended  to  take  Lawrence.     One 
of  them  said  they  were  going  to  burn  it,  and  drive  out  the  aboli- 
tionists.    I  was  on  horseback,  and  one  advanced  to  me  and  asked  me< 
if  I  was  a  Yankee.     I  told  him  I  was  an  Illinoisan.     Another  said  he< 
thought  I  was  all  right.     One  of  them  told  me  most  of  their  neigh- 
bors were  coming  up,  and  that  two  thousand  men  were  coming  upj 
from  that  part  of  Missouri.     I  spoke  to  another  party  who  were  ini 
two-horse  wagons  and  on  horseback,  and  they  told  me  they  werefromi 
Clay  county,  Missouri.     They  tried  to  stop  me,  and  asked  me  where  II 
was  going.     One  of  them  said  he  thought  I  was  a  spy.     I  asked  them 
for  authority  for  asking  where  I  was   from,  and  where  I  was  going; 
They  said  they  had  been  at  the  Shawnee  Mission  as  they  came  up.i 
and  Governor  Shannon  had  enrolled  them.     As  I  returned,  I  saw  one 
party  drive  in  camp  with  a  large  flag  with  a  dark- colored  star  on  it.t 
which  flag  they  hoisted  in  camp  while  I  was  there.     The  men  I  saw 
in  camp  were  engaged  mostly  in  drinking  and  shooting.     I  saw  but 
one  piece  of  artillery  in  camp — I  think  a  brass  6-pounder. 

On  Monday,  the  3d  of  December,  I  went  down  and  passed  the  linea 
at  Franklin;  overtook  marshal  Jones  about  a  mile  from  the  carnp.J 
and  rode  with  him.     He  told  me  he  was  going  into  camp,  and  that  ] 
could  not  go ;  that  they  would  not  allow  me  to  cross  at  the  ford,  bull 
would  take  me.     In  argument  with  him  he  said  he  was  with  thid 
party,  and  that  they  wanted  and  meant  to  fight.     I  urged  that  £ 
war  might  involve  the  whole  Union.     He  said,  "  Damn  the  Union. ^| 
I  went  with  him  to  the  camp,  and  was  going  to  pass  with  him  into 
the  camp,  and  he  told  me  I  could  not  go  in,  and  asked  where  I  w 
going.     I  told  him  I  was  going  down  below.     He  said,  after  a  lit 
hesitation,  that  he  would  see  me  through  the  guards.     I  went  to 
ford  at  Wakarusa,  and  found  several  armed  men  guarding  the  cr 
ing,  who  had  stopped  a  wagon  in  the  bed  of  the  creek.     It  was  load 
with  boxes  like  dry- goods  boxes,  and  the  guard  was  breaking  them 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1113 

I  asked  Jones  if  they  did  that,  and  he  said  "  Oh,  yes  !"  We  rode  up 
into  the  narrow  crossing  of  the  ford  by  them.  He  said  to  the  guard: 
*'  This  gentleman  is  going  doAvn  on  business,  and  you  will  please  pass 
him."  The  captain  of  the  guards  told  him  he  had  strict  orders  from 
General  Strickler  to  let  nobody  pass  without  examination.  He  asked 
me  if  I  had  any  arms.  I  told  him  I  had  no  more  than  I  considered 
necessary  for  my  personal  protection.  He  said  I  must  give  them 
up.  I  told  him  I  was  afraid  to  lose  them,  and  did  not  care  to  give 
them  up.  Two  of  the  guard  came  forward  as  if  to  seize  me.  I 
gave  my  horse  a  kick  as  they  approached,  and  rode  on  to  go 
through.  Four  of  the  guard  had  rifles,  and  the  others  had  revolvers. 
All  levelled  their  pieces  at  me.  I  did  not  think  they  would  shoot,  but 
Jones  cried,  "  for  God's  sake  stop  ;  don't  make  the  men  do  anything 
rash."  I  had  ridden  about  eight  paces  and  stopped,  and  asked  them 
by  what  authority  they  stopped  me.  They  told  me  they  had  been 
enrolled  as  a  military  force  by  Governor  Shannon.  They  insisted 
upon  taking  my  arms.  I  took  one  small  pistol  that  I  had  and  gave 
it  to  Jones,  and  told  the  captain  of  the  guard  I  did  not  know  him, 
and  could  not  give  it  to  him,  and  told  Jones  I  would  hold  him  re- 
sponsible for  it.  Jones  said  if  I  would  go  back  to  the  camp  he  would 
try  to  get  authority  to  see  me  through.  I  went  back  to  the  camp, 
and  they  kept  me  there  about  an  hour  and  a  half.  An  officer  came 
whom  I  did  not  know,  and  have  never  seen  since.  He  and  Jones 
talked  together  for  a  while,  and  then  they  took  me  to  the  ford  and  let 
me  pass.  I  demanded  my  pistol  of  Jones,  and  he  gave  it  to  me. 

I  rode  that  day  down  to  the  Shawnee  Mission,  intending  to  com- 
plain to  the  governor.     The  road  was  full  of  armed  men  coming  up. 
;  I  met  them  all  the  way.     Many  of  the  companies  tried  to  stop  me  and 
i  question  me,  but  I  got  down  without  any  molestation.    The  governor 
;  was  in  Westport,  as  I  was  told,  getting  despatches  from  the  govern- 
•:  ment.     I  then  rode  into  Westport  after  night.     All  round  Westport 
,  there  were  camps  of  armed  men.     The  governor  had  gone  back  to 
I  the  Mission  before  I  got  back  to  Westport — so  I  was  told.     I  then 
started  down  to  Kansas  City  very  late  at  night,  and  was  stopped  about 
a  mile  from  Kansas  City  by  a  party  of  men  who  told  me  they  came 
from  Westport.    They  told  me  I  was  their  prisoner.     I  asked  them  if 
they  had  a  warrant,  and  they  said  "  No."     I  told  them  if  they  had  a 
warrant  I  would  go  with  them  ;  but  if  they  had  not,  I  would  not  go. 
I  asked  their  authority.,  and  they  told  me  the  governor.     I  asked 
which  governor,  and  they  told  me  Governor  Shannon.     I  told  them 
we  were  in  Missouri.     One  of  them  swore  pretty  hard,  and  said  it 
made  no  difference ;   Governor  Shannon  had  given  them  orders  to  let 
no  suspicious  persons  pass  out  of  the  Territory.     They  told  me  I  had 
come  from  the  Territory,  and  they  asked  me  if  I  had  not  ?     I  said  I 
had.     They  asked  me  if  I  knew  Qeneral  Pomeroy?     I  told  them  I 
did  by  reputation,  but  I  had  never  seen  him.     They  told  me  they 
thought  I  was  carrying  despatches  to  him,  and  they  would  take  me 
back  to   Westport.     When   they   told    me    they   would    take    me, 
I   told   them   "Very  well."     I   asked   their   names,  and   only  one 
would  tell  rne,  and  he  said  his  name  was  Jones,  but  no  connexion  of 
sheriff  Jones.     He  was  captain  of  the  party.     He  told  me  that  he 


1114  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

wanted  no  blood  shed  and  no  trouble,  and  asked  me  to  go  with  him 
to  a  house  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead,  and  said,  if  I  went  there, 
they  would  not  molest  me  until  I  got  to  Kansas  City,  where  he  said 
they  were  going;  and  if  I  was  all  right,  then  they  would  let  me  go, 
I  went  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Milton  McGee,  I  think.  When  there  ] 
thought,  from  appearances,  they  were  going  to  seize  me,  and  I  ap- 
pealed to  Mr.  McGee  as  a  brother  Odd  Fellow,  as  I  saw  he  was  one> 
and  he  interested  himself  in  my  behalf.  He  and  Jones  were  out  con-i 
versing  a  long  time.  Mr.  McGee  came  in  and  told  me  these  mer 
were  going  to  seize  me  and  search  me,  and  the  only  way  to  save  me 
was  for  me  to  submit  to  a  private  search  from  his  hands.  I  at  firs* 
refused,  but,  as  the  men  were  getting  very  drunk,  I  consented^  anc 
he  took  me  with  him  to  a  room  up  stairs,  with  another  man  he  called 
"  Doctor,"  and  there  the  two  searched  me.  McGee  declared  I  wa& 
all  right,  and  told  me  I  was  under  his  roof,  and  he  would  protect  men 
if  necessary  ;  but  told  me,  when  I  was  very  indignant  at  the  search  i 
that  he  could  not  have  prevented  it.  They  kept  rne  till  the  nex\ 
morning — till  nine  o'clock.  McGee  apologized  the  next  morning  foJ 
the  treatment  I  had  received,  and  said  that  he  had  done  all  he  couldll 
but  that  he  was  a  member  of  another  secret  organization,  and  acting 
under  their  orders.  Said  he  :  "I  am  a  border  ruffian,  and  I  am  no 
ashamed  of  it."  I  reasoned  with  him.  He  said  that  by  the  pa# 
sage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  there  was  a  fair  trade — that  th<i 
South  would  get  Kansas,  and  the  North,  Nebraska  ;  and  the  clamnee 
Emigrant  Aid  Society  meant  to  swindle  them  out  of  it.  He  said  tha? 
the  men  of  Missouri  would  wade  knee-deep  in  blood  before  Kansas 
should  be  a  free  State.  I  heard  the  party  talk  of  going  up  the  nexj 
day  to  the  siege  at  Lawrence.  They  said  the  battle  was  to  be  the  da 
after  the  next,  and  they  wanted  to  be  up  in  time.  Some  of  them  saitij 
they  could  not  leave  their  business,  and  would  rather  pay.  I  als<s| 
heard  them  plot  to  lynch  General  Pomeroy,  who,  they  said,  was  aa| 
the  American  hotel,  in  Kansas  City.  The  only  point  of  difficulty  was 
whether  they  would  have  time  to  do  that  and  go  up  to  Lawrence. 

WILLIAM  PHILLIPS. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


A.  ALLEN  called  and  sworn. 

Examined  by  the  committee : 

I  came  into  the  Territory,  from  Missouri,  in  November,  1854.  I 
left  Topeka  early  in  the  morning  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855  ;  cann 
down  to  Tecumseh,  and  stopped  there  a  part  of  the  day,  and  the: 
came  down  to  Lawrence,  arriving  here  in  the  afternoon,  about  thre 
o'clock.  I  had  lived  in  Missouri  nearly  two  years  before  I  came  into 
the  Territory,  and  was  acquainted  with  a  number  of  persons  I  sa* 
that  day  in  Tecumseh,  who  were  Missourians,  and  still  live  in  Misi 
souri.  I  saw  them  vote  there.  I  saw  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hollfr 
way,  from  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  and  others ;  they  said  they  cam! 
there  to  vote. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1115 


On  my  road  from  Tecumseh  here  I  saw  the  road  lined  with  people 
on  horseback,  as  many  as  200  men,  most  of  them  armed,  and  some  of 
them  I  knew  to  have  lived  in  Missouri.  I  met  most  of  them  just  after 
I  left  Tecumseh.  Those  that  I  knew  would  stop  and  speak  to  me.  I 
talked  with  one  at  Big  Springs  for  a  while,  and  then  came  on  to 
Lawrence.  Here  was  where  I  was  living  at  the  time,  and  the  crowd 
about  the  polls  was  so  dense  that  I  could  not  get  a  chance  to  vote  till 
near  sundown.  I  saw  several  here  I  had  known  in  Missouri,  but  I 
do  not  remember  their  names,  except  that  of  Colonel  Young. 

I  was  doing  mercantile  business  at  Topeka  last  fall,  and  the  Thurs- 
day before  the  peace  I  left  Topeka  in  the  morning  to  go  to  Kansas 
City  to  purchase  goods.  I  came  down  in  company  with  a  pro-slavery 
man  who  lived  in  Kansas  City.  I  stopped  in  Franklin  over  night. 
The  next  morning  a  company  from  the  camp  on  the  Wakarusa  waited 
upon  me,  and  took  me  into  ^camp,  saying  that  the  general  had  sent 
for  me,  and  wished  to  see  me,  as  they  did  not  consider  me  a  safe  man 
to  go  through  the  country.  Captain  Wallace,  of  Franklin,  com- 
manded the  company,  and  took  me  to  General  Strickler,  who  asked 
me  what  my  politics  were.  I  told  him  I  was  a  free-State  man.  He 
said  they  would  have  to  keep  me  for  a  time.  I  was  then  conducted  to 
the  prisoner's  tent,  or  "  Yankee  tent,"  as  it  was  called.  I  saw 
General  Pomeroy  there,  and  also  a  company  of  United  States  survey- 
ors, who  were  kept  there  as  prisoners.  They  were  drilling  all 
the  time  I  was  there.  They  had  three  cannon  there,  and  the 
companies  appeared  to  be  armed  with  United  States  arms.  They 
kept  me  there  until  the  following  Saturday  at  3  o'clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon. They  made  no  charges  against  me,  and  I  had  no  trial.  There 
were  three  of  the  United  States  surveyors  detained  there.  The  gen- 
itleman  who  came  down  from  Topeka  with  me,  and  who  was  named 
:Chick,  joined  the  forces  there.  One  of  the  surveyors  was  named  Con- 
joly,  or  Conway,  I  think,  and  was  detained  because  he  was  a  free-State 
man.  The  officers  treated  us  very  well,  though  there  were  generally 
from  fifty  to  one  hundred  of  the  soldiers  standing  around  our  tent  and 
passing  jokes  upon  us.  I  do  not  know  who  were  the  captains  of  the 
guard  over  us,  as  they  were  changed  frequently.  General  Strickler 
stood  guard  over  us  once  for  about  half  an  hour.  Food  was  furnished 
us,  but  we  were  allowed  no  writing  material,  except  once  when  I  re- 
quested to  be  allowed  to  send  an  order  to  Kansas  City  for  goods,  as  I 
3ould  not  go  myself.  After  I  had  written  it,  General  Strickler  re- 
quired me  to  strike  out  everything  that  would  give  any  information 
is  to  where  I  was,  and  to  write  it  over  again,  and  it  never  reached 
Kansas  City. I  IThere  were  no  other  prisoners  at  Wakarusa,  I  think, 
ixcept  in  one  tent. 

On  Friday  night,  about  11  or  12  o'clock,  it  was  reported  in  the 
;amp  that  one  of  the  damned  Yankees  had  shot  one  of  the  picket 
;uard  belonging  to  the  camp,  and  quite  a  company  gathered  around 
•he  tent,  and  I  heard  from  various  quarters,  "  hang  the  damned  Yan- 
kees that  are  in  the  tent."  I  saw  them  have  ropes,  and  they  acted  as 
hough  they  desired  to  hang  us.  A  number  of  the  officers  gathered 
•round  the  tent,  and  after  a  time  succeeded  in  quieting  them.  About 
lalf  an  hour  afterwards,  David  K.  Atchison  and  Colonel  Boone,  of 


1116  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

Westport,  very  quietly  came  into  the  tent  and  requested  General 
Pomeroy  to  get  ready  as  quietly  as  possible  and  follow  them,  as  they 
were  afraid  of  his  life  from  the  soldiers,  who  they  were  afraid  would 
collect  there  and  hang  him.  He  did  not  know  them,  and  declined  to 
go.  General  Strickler  then  came  in,  and  they  told  him  who  the] 
were,  and  wanted  to  take  him  over  to  the  house  of  Blue  Jacket'; 
across  the  creek,  where  the  headquarters  were.  He  then  went  wit! 
them  there,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  him.  I  passed  the  guard  once  witl 
the  word  "  Stringfellow."  I  was  standing  in  front  of  the  tent  afte 
dark  and  was  taken  for  one  of  the  guard,  and  one  of  them  asked  mu 
for  the  password.  I  pretended  I  had  forgotten  it,  hut  I  heard  him 
give  it  to  some  one  else.  I  should  have  left  that  night,  hut  General 
Strickler  had  promised  me  that  I  should  he  at  liberty  in  the  morning  -I 
and  I  wanted  to  leave  with  full  honors. 

The  next  day,  in  the  afternoon,  one  of  the  guards  told  us  that  the; 
were  afraid  to  release  us  then  for  fear  the  crowd  would  mob  us,  aJ 
Gen.  Strickler  could  not  control  them.     They  sent  the  cannon  out  oi\ 
the  prairie  to  practice, and  most  of  the  crowd  went  out  to  see  them 
The  cannon  they  had  were  United  States  field-pieces,  and  I  thin} 
were  ten  or  twelve-pounders.     I  do  not  know  where  they  came  from: 
but  I  saw  them  afterwards  going  to  -Missouri.     I  knew  a  great  man; 
of  the  men  then  in  the  companies,   some  from  Platte  and  Jacksoj 
counties,  and  from  the  city  of  Liberty,  Missouri.     I  should  judge  tha 
but  few  of  those  persons  there  were  citizens  of  the  Territory  ;  but  all 
spoke  as  if  they  came  from  Missouri.     I  do  not  know  sheriff  Jones  o< 
Coleman.     After  the  cannon  were  sent  out,  they  marched  us  over  t 
Blue  Jacket's  and  gave  me  a  written  discharge,  signed  by  Brigadie< 
General  Strickler,    as  commander  of  the  Wakarusa  forces,  for  thl 
guards  to  allow  me  to  pass  unmolested.    They  kept  about  seventy-fiv 
dollars'  worth  of  things  they  took  from  me,  consisting  of  two  pairs  c 
blankets,  saddle,  bridle,  and  martingale,  and  revolver.     I  gave  ther 
over  to  Gen.  Strickler  to  keep.     1  asked  him  in  Lawrence  for  them 
and  he  said  he  knew  nothing  about  them,  but  supposed  they  had  bee: 
returned  to  me.     I  never  saw  them  afterwards,  or  heard  what  becam 
of  them.     The  horse  I  rode  belonged  to  the  pro-slavery  man  Chick 
who  came  down  from  Topeka.     I  afterwards  went  down  to  Missouri 
and  saw  some  of  these  companies  there  stringing  along  as  though  the? 
were  returning  from  some  frolic.     I  saw  the  cannon  going  down  a 
that  time.     After  they  let  me  go,  on  Saturday  afternoon,  I  went  bad 
to  the  camp  again,  and  went  round  awhile.     There  were  some  person 
there  from  Kansas  City  who  appeared  to  be  drunk,  and  who  got  j 
rope  and  followed  me  about  and  threatened  to  hang  me.     I  saw  thes 
forces  stop  the  mail  and  detain  the  mail- driver  for  an  hour  or  tw<' 
while  I  was  prisoner.     I  did  not  see  what  was  done  with  the  mail 
The  wagon  was  driven  on  past  the  tent  out  of  sight.     The  driver  go 
out  and  stood  by  the  tent. 

ASAPH  ALLEN. 

LAWRENCE.  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1117 

WILLIAM  JESSEB  testifies: 


To  Mr.  Woodson  : 


I  know  of  no  secret  military  organization  in  this  Territory.  I  know 
of  no  military  organizations  here  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  Territo- 
rial legislature.  I  know  of  some  companies,  but  do  not  know  as  they 
can  he  called  military  organizations.  In  our  troubles  that  we  have 
had  lately  there  have  been  some  companies  partly  organized,  but 
whether  under  the  Territorial  laws  or  not  I  do  not  know.  I  have 
been  to  none  of  their  organized  meetings.  I  have  seen  no  companies 
on  parade  except  at  this  place,  last  fall.  In  the  latter  part  of  No- 
vember, or  the  first  December,  1855,  we  considered  we  were  justified 
in  gathering  here.  The  report  was  that  companies  were  coming  from 
Missouri  to  destroy  this  place  and  vicinity,  and  run  all  the  free-State 
men  out  of  the  Territory.  I  do  not  know  of  any  organization  except 
at  that  time.  We  were  here  defending  the  place  and  our  property. 
We  were  drilled  more  or  less  every  day,  under  the  command  of  Gen. 
Kobinson  and  Col.  Lane. 

That  is  all  I  know  of  the  organization  until  after  Mr.  Shannon  came 
here  and  the  treaty  was  made,  when  there  were  officers  appointed 
and  the  organization  was  more  complete.  I  do  not  know  how  many 
men  there  were  here,  but  there  may  have  been  five  hundred  to  six 
hundred,  perhaps  seven  hundred.  We  were  more  or  less  armed. 
Some  of  us  bad  rifles,  some  shot-guns,  some  Sharpe's  rifles,  and  some 
revolvers.  Most  of  the  time  we  went  through  regular  daily  drills. 
One  piece  of  artillery  came  in  during  the  time.  I  saw  but  few  sabres 
and  swords;  probably  but  two  or  three  were  all  I  saw.  I  brought  my 
I  rifle  from  Illinois,  and  1  bought  my  shot-gun  at  St.  Joseph's..  I  do 
not  know  how  any  of  the  rest  got  their  arms,  except  by  report.  Some 
who  were  in  this  organization  at  that  time  told  me  they  got  their 
arms  from  Mr.  Abbott,  by  paying  him  so  much  for  them.  It  was 
said  that  Mr.  Abbott  was  sent  east  and  got  these  arms.  I  un- 
derstood that  two  dollars  apiece  were  paid  for  them  by  persons 
here  ;  they  were  Sharpe's  rifles.  I  think  that  Captain  Walker  re- 
ceived from  20  to  30  from  Mr.  Abbott  to  be  given  to  his  company.  I 
do  not  know  anything  of  where  the  other  arms  came  from.  I  heard 
that  this  cannon  was  sent  for  to,  and  received  from,  Kansas  City  at 
that  time.  I  do  riot  know  when  Mr.  Abbott  was  sent  east.  I  have 
understood  that  he  lives  some  five  miles  from  here,  on  the  Wakarusa. 
I  do  not  know  where  he  got  hi.i  guns.  We  were  here  for  self-defence, 
so  far  as  I  understood,  against  invaders  who  came  here  and  threatened 
our  property  and  our  lives.  It  my  memory  serves  me  right,  this  was 
probably  in  October  or  November."  It  was  the  latter  part  of  October 
that  this  organization  commenced  here.  I  do  not  know  that  there 
was  any  drilling  here  before  that  time,  or  any  preparations  made  in 
the  way  of  receiving  arms.  I  heard  from  men  organized  here,  that 
there  wore  reports  some  time  before  that  we  were  to  be  destroyed,  and 
some  preparations  were  made  ;  but- 1  do  not  think  anything  was  done 
so  early  as  the  spring  before,  though  there  was  some  talk  about  it. 
The  most  I  knew — and  that  was  only  by  report — was,  that  Governor 


1118  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

Shannon  was  at  the  head  of  these  men  we  were  against.  I  knew  Gen- 
eral Kichardson  ;  he  held  the  office  of  general  or  colonel,  I  don't  know 
which.  He  resides  in  St.  Joseph.  I  saw  Col.  Boone,  and  he  wasi 
said  to  be  one  of  the  commanding  officers  of  that  army,  hut  I  do  not' 
know  particularly  who  said  so.  I  know  nothing  from  my  own  knowl- 
edge of  the  sheriff  of  Douglass  trying  to  serve  writs  at  that  time.  II 
know  of  no  meetings  at  that  time,  or  passage  of  resolutions  to  resistt 
the  laws  of  the  Territory.  I  know  of  no  combination  to  resist  the1 
laws  of  the  Territory.  I  do  not  know  where  Mr.  Abbott  was  sent.  It 
do  not  know  of  anybody  else  being  sent  for  arms,  or  of  any  otherr 
arms  being  received.  I  do  not  know  when  these  arms  were  received! 
by  Mr.  Abbott.  The  company  that  got  their  arms,  got  them  after  the.' 
Missourians  began  camping  there. 

We  did  not  undertake  to  resist  Governor  Shannon,  but  the  mob  off 
Missourians  he  fetched  with  him,  and  which  we  were  going  to  resist 
in  self-defence.     I  could  not  say  who  this  mob  was  under  command  t 
of,  except  by  report.     They  were  encamped  on  the  Wakarusa  and  at 
Franklin.     A  part  were  said  to  be  at  Lecompton,  and  a  part  across j 
the  river  here.     The  purpose  of  this  organization  was  not  to  resist  the 
execution  of  the  Territorial  laws,  but  in  defence  of  our  lives  and  I 
property  against  this  mob  of  Missourians  who  were  said  to  be  corning 
against  us. 

I  was  at  the  Big  Springs  convention.  There  was  something  passed! 
we  called  the  repudiation  of  the  laws  of  the  Territory,  but  I  do  nott 
know  as  that  was  in  the  form  of  a  resolution.  We  said  there  were  no  \ 
laws  in  the  Territory,  and  we  repudiated  those  that  were  said  to  exist. . 
I  do  not  recollect  of  any  resolution  passed  there,  and  not  printed, . 
recommending  the  organization  of  military  companies  to  resist  the  • 
laws.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection  and  knowledge,  no  resolution  i 
was  passed,  and  nothing  done,  by  that  meeting,  except  what  was^ 
printed,  as  ordered  by  the  meeting,  and  circulated. 

The  action  of  the  meeting  here  in  Lawrence,  in  August  or  Septem-- 
ber  last,  was  printed.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection,  the  conclusions  < 
of  the  meeting  were  reduced  to  writing,  and  printed.  I  have  been  to> 
no  meeting  where  this  was  not  done.  I  do  not  know  where  these  j 
resolutions  can  be  had,  or  in  what  papers  they  were  published,  except  t 
the  "  Herald  of  Freedom"  and  the  "  Kansas  Free  State,"  published! 
here,  though  I  could  find  them  at  home.  I  do  not  know  who  was 
the  secretary  of  the  meeting. 

By  Mr.  Sherman : 

We  have  had  several  meetings  here  through  the  season.  The  one  sj 
I  refer  to  was,  I  think,  in  August  last. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Keeder : 

The  inducement  for  making  the  organization  at  this  place,  was  for 
the  defence  of  our  lives  and  property.  We  apprehended  some  de- 
struction of  life  and  property  here  at  that  time.  This  neighborhood 
was  invaded  by  a  body  of  Missourians  soon  after  that.  The  report 
was  that  there  was  a  good  deal  of  property  taken  and  destroyed  by 
these  Missourians.  This  I  heard  from  persons  in  this  organization  who 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1119 

iad  their  own  property  destroyed.  There  was  one  of  our  citizens 
murdered  at  that  time.  I  saw  him  myself  after  he  was  dead.  His 
name  was  Thomas  Barber,  one  of  my  nearest  neighbors.  I  learned 
from  the  persons  that  I  have  before  referred  to,  that  one  of  our  eitizens 
was  murdered  —  Mr.  Thomas  Barber.  I  heard  also  from  the  same 
persons  that  Dow  had  been  murdered.  This  military  organization 
commenced  here  about  the  same  time  that  this  body  of  Missourians 
marched  into  the  Territory,  and  camped  on  the  Wakarusa.  Property 
was  said  to  be  destroyed  in  various  ways — killed,  eaten  up,  and  burned. 
A  great  many  teams  were  stopped  on  their  way  here.  I  understood 
that  travellers  were  stopped  on  the  highway  and  made  prisoners  when 
going  about  their  lawful  business,  and  that  boxes  and  trunks  of  trav- 
ellers and  others  were  broken  open  and  searched  by  the  Missourians 
camped  at  Wakarusa,  some  five  or  six  miles  from  here.  I  heard  of 
wagons  loaded  with  goods  being  stopped  and  searched,  and  such  as 
they  wanted  taken,  and  corn  and  potatoes,  and  things  of  that  kind 
taken,  and  orders  given  for  them  on  Governor  Shannon,  I  believe, 
but  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  with  his  consent.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber as  I  heard  of  the  mail  being  stopped. 

This  military  organization  I  have  spoken  of  was  not  got  up,  as  I 
know  of,  for  the  purpose  of  resisting  the  execution  of  any  law.  Sheriff 
Jones,  at  that  time,  came  in  and  out  of  the  town  as  he  pleased  most 
of  the  time,  except  at  the  latter  part  of  that  period,  when  he  was 
brought  in  by  an  escort,  at  one  time,  but  not  as  a  prisoner.  I  heard 
of  prominent  Missourians  being  in  the  camp.  General  Atchison  was 
reported  to  be  at  the  Wakarusa ;  also  across  the  river  here.  I  do 
not  remember  about  General  Stringfellow.  I  don't  know  what  resi- 
dents of  the  Territory  were  in  this  camp.  I  wintered  in  St.  Joseph 
a  year  ago  last  winter,  and  General  Eichardson  resided  there  then. 
He  had  a  claim  in  the  Territory,  but  did  not  reside  on  it  at  that  time. 
My  first  knowledge  of  this  was  nearly  twelve  months  before  this  in- 
vasion. The  conversation  I  heard  in  the  spring  about  a  military  or- 
ganization for  defence  against  invasion,  was  directly  after  the  30th  of 
March  invasion,  and  was  intended  for  self-defence,  and  our  right  of 
suffrage. 

To  Mr.  Woodson  : 

Question.  Was  this  resolution  passed  at  the  convention  at  Big 
Springs  ?  viz : 

"Resolved,  That  we  will  endure  and  submit  to  these  laws  no  longer 
han  the  best  interests  of  the  Territory  require,  as  the  least  of  two 
vils,  and  will  resist  them  to  a  bloody  issue  as  soon  as  we  shall  ascer- 
ain  that  peaceable  remedies  shall  fail,  and  forcible  resistance  shall 
urnish  any  reasonable  prospect  of  success  ;  and  that,  in  the  mean- 
ime,  we  recommend  to  our  friends  throughout  the  Territory  the  or- 
;anization  and  discipline  of  volunteer  companies,  and  the  procurement 
nd  preparation  of  arms." 

A.  I  think  it  was,  though  it  is  not  exactly  as  I  thought  it  was 
assed  at  the  time,  for  I  thought  the  words  "  bloody  issue"  were  struck 
ut. 


1120  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Q.  From  your  own  knowledge,  and  from  information  derived  from 
others  in  the  organization  to  which  you  belonged,  was  the  organiza- 
tion gotten  up  to  meet  the  contingency  contemplated  in  that  resolu- 
tion? 

A.  I  think  not,  in  this  last  organization.  We  have  never  had  any 
other  organization.  I  do  not  know  as  any  organization  has  ever  been 
gotten  up  in  regard  to  any  portion  of  that  resolution. 

Continued  by  Mr.  Woodson  : 

I  do  not  know  of  any  arms  being  procured  upon  the  recommenda- 
tion of  this  resolution.     Before  the  passage  of  this  resolution,  which 
was  on  September  5th  arid  6th,  1855,  there  was  no  organization  and! 
procurement  of  arms  in  this  Territory.     I  think  the  commencement 
of  the  organization  of  military  companies  was  at  the  commencements 
of  our  difficulties  here  last  fall.     There  was  no  organization  until  I 
that  time,  November  and  December  ;  and  I  do  not  think  there  was< 
any  complete  organization  until  it  was  given  by  Governor  Shannon, 
by  giving  commissions  to  General  Robinson  and  Colonel  Lane.     The 
first  arms  that  I  know  of  being  procured  was  in  the  first  of  that  or-  j 
ganization. 

The  chairman  of  the  Big  Springs  convention  was  Judge  Smith,,  as«i 
he  is  called.  I  do  not  know  who  draughted  the  resolutions.  I  forgetti 
who  was  the  vice-president  or  secretary.  -  I  do  not  know  all  who  hadi| 
a  part  in  drawing  the  resolution  that  has  been  read  here.  I  believei-j 
Judge  Schuyler  and  John  Wright  were  on  the  committee,  but  I  can-4 
not  recollect  the  names  of  them  all.  I  believe  I  was  on  that  commit- - 
tee.  The  proceedings  wrill  show,  as  we  made  no  secret  about  it. 

To  Mr.  Eeeder : 

As  I  understood,  Governor  Shannon  repudiated  these  Missourians 
at  the  last  as  part  of  his  forces,  though  report  was  that  at  the  first  he* 
commanded  them.  I  did  not  hear  Governor  Shannon  say  so  myself.f 
It  was  against  these  Missourians  that  he  repudiated  that  our  organin 
zation  was  made.  I  did  not  hear  Governor  Shannon  say  that  he  re- 
cognised any  of  them,  as  I  never  heard  him  say  anything  at  any) 
time. 

To  Mr.  Woodson: 

I  do  not  know  that  I  can  speak  as  to  the  full  extent  of  the  intentioni; 
expressed  here  by  our  organization,  but  I  understood  that  we  were 
here  to  defend  ourselves  and  our  property  against  any  body  of  memi 
who  came  here  to  destroy  us  and  our  property.  I  do  not  recollect  of  j 
hearing  anybody  say  we  were  to  resist  Governor  Shannon  and  thai 
men  he  was  in  command  of. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

To  my  understanding,  it  was  not  the  purpose  of  this  body  of  men1 
in  this  place  to  resist  the  laws  of  the  Territory,  to  be  carried  out  by 
the  sheriff,  assisted  by  Governor  Shannon  and  his  forces.  Our  organ- 
ization here  had  nothing  to  do  with  or  against  any  laws,  so  far  as  I 
understood  it,  but  for  self-defence  and  the  defence  of  our  property. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1121 

To  Mr,  Woodson : 

When  Governor  Shannon  was  approaching  the  city  with  his  posse, 
in  aid  of  the  sheriff,  I  heard  no  expression  as  a  body  of  men  in  regard 
to  it.  I  "believe  I  can  say,  upon  report,  that  it  was  not  the  intention 
of  the  people  of  Lawrence  to  resist  the  writs  in  the  hands  of  the 
sheriff.  * 

To  Mr.  Howard: 

As  an  organized  expression  of  the  people  here,  I  know  of  no  ex- 
pression of  opinion  as  to  the  obeying  of  the  Territorial  laws  or  not. 
I  frequently  heard  individuals  of  this  organization  express  themselves 
upon  this  subject.  I  do  not  know  as  I  can  name  any  of  them,  but  I 
think,  probably,  a  quarter  of  them,  or  more,  spoke  of  it,  but  never 
except  as  an  individual  matter.  I  heard  no  man  who  undertook  to 
speak  for  any  but  himself.  The  general  tenor  of  the  sentiment  thus 
expressed  was  to  resist,  except  the  United  States  officers,  and  I  don't 
know  that  any  one  expressed  ^himself  as  being  willing  to  resist  those 
officers.  What  I  meant  by  Territorial  laws,  was  the  laws  of  the  Ter- 
ritorial legislature,  and  not  the  organic  act.  I  never  heard  any  man 
in  the  Territory  express  any  disposition  to  resist  the  organic  act  that 
I  know  of. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

These  expressions  of  opinion  I  have  referred  to  were  made  atithe 
time  we  were  organized  here,  and  when  it  was  understood  that  Governor 
Shannon  was  coming  here  with  his  forces. 

To  Mr.  Beeder : 

These  expressions  of  opinion  were  not  in  favor  of  a  resistance  to  the 
'Territorial  laws,  by  the  means  of  this  body  of  men  then  assembled  here,, 
but  by  individuals ;  each  man  to  act  for  himself,  resistor  not,  as  he  chose. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

Q.  Was  it  .the  purpose  of  the  company  of  men  assembled  at  Law  - 
?ence  to  resist  Governor  Shannon,  aided  by  the  citizens  of  the  Terri- 
tory, or  to  resist  the  Missourians,  who  they  understood  had  come  to 
mvade  them  ? 

A.  My  understanding,  from  all  that  I  heard  said,  was  that  if  Gover- 
lor  Shannon  had  come  with  the  militia  of  the  Territory  alone,  no  man 
vould  have  resisted  him.  But  the  body  of  men  we  assembled  here 
o  resist,  was  the  Missourians  who  came  here  with  the  threats  to 
lestroy  us  and  our 'property. 

WILLIAM  JESSEE. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  April  30,  1856. 


EGBERT  F.  BARBER  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  six  miles  west  from  Lawrence,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
tuth  of  Judge  Wakefield's.     Thomas  Barber  was  my  brother.     He 

H.  Rep,  200 71* 


1122  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

was  shot  on  the  6th  of  December,  1855,   on   Thursday,  about  tw 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.     I  was  in  company  with  him  at  the  time. 
He  was  shot  about  three  and  a  half  miles  from  here,  going  west.     I 
was  by  his  side  when  he  was  shot.     My  brother,  and  brother-in-law, 
Thomas  M.  Pearson,  and  myself,  had  started  from  Lawrence  after 
dinner.     We  were  on  horseback.     I  told  my  brother,  Thomas  Barber, 
that  I  had  better  come  back  to  Lawrence  and  borrow  a  pistol.     At 
that  time  we  had  got  but  about  200  yards  out  of  town.     He  said  he 
did  not  think  it  was  necessary  to  have  one  ;  but  if  I  wanted  to  go  back, 
and  borrow  one,  he  would  wait  for  me.     I  then  came  back  and  gott 
one  of  Colt's  naval  revolver  pistols,  and  then  rode  back  after  him.. 
After  we  had  got,  I  should  judge,  between  2|  and  3  miles  from  Law- 
rence, we  saw  a  party  of  men.     We  remarked,  when  we  saw  themr 
that  they  were  Missourians,  and  supposed,  at  the  time,  there  were  12^ 
or  15  of  them. 

They  came  round  a  corn-field,  directly  up  towards  the  California! 
road  that  we  were  then  on,  but  close  to  where  we  intended  to  turn  ofi| 
towards  home.  We  rode  on  some  distance,  not  very  far,  and  thie*| 
party  came  right  towards  us,  and  two  of  them  rode  out  from  the  rest. 
and  rode  on  and  headed  us.  The  cornfield  that  they  came  round 
when  we  first  saw  them,  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  California  roadJ 
The  road  we  intended  to  turn  off  in  to  go,  home,  led  off  south  from  tbfc 
California  road. 

We  had  turned  off  on  our  road  home,  and  had  gone  some  little  dis* 
tance  on  it,  when  those  two  men  left  the  others  and  rode  along  to 
head  us  off.  They  rode  right  up  to  us,  and  when  they  came  ofi 
against  us,  one  of  them  ordered  us  to  halt.  The  rest  of  the  party 
which  these  two  belonged  had  crossed  the  California  road,  and  goo 
into  our  road  behind  us.  When  we  were  ordered  to  stop,  the  twv 
men  were  not  more  than  five  yards  from  us.  We  halted  immediately] 
and  one  of  the  two  rode  directly  before  us  in  the  road,  and  turnec 
round  facing  us.  The  other  was  on  our  right  side,  a  very  little  bei 
hind,  if  anything.  My  brother  and  myself  were  side  and  side — m; 
brother  on  my  right.  My  brother-in-law  was  about  the  length  of  hit | 
horse  behind  me,  a  little  to  my  left. 

The  one  that  was  ahead  of  us  did  all  the  talking.  He  asked  in 
where  we  were  from.  My  brother  told  him  we  were  from  Lawrenc€ 
The  next  question  was,  where  we  were  going.  One  of  us,  if  not  botjs 
told  him  we  were  going  home.  He  asked  then  what  was  going  on  & 
Lawrence.  My  brother  told  him  there  was  nothing  very  particulai 
going  on ;  but  the  citizens  were  preparing  for  defence,  or  I  thi«| 
something  near  that.  This  man  then  said  they  had  orders  frofl 
Governor  Shannon  to  have  the  laws  of  the  Territory  enforced.  MS 
brother  asked  him  what  laws  the  citizens  of  Lawrence,  or  the  citizen 
of  the  Territory  in  general,  had  disobeyed.  The  man  used  soifl 
expression  after  that — I  do  not  recollect  what — and  said,  "  what  in  hel 
was  the  reason  the  citizens  of  the  Territory  could  not  obey  the  laws?' 
When  he  had  made  that  remark,  he  ordered  us  to  turn  our  horses 
heads  and  turn  back,  pointing  to  the  main  body  of  men  behind  u% 
My  brother  said  we  <3ould  not  do  so,  as  we  wanted  to  go  home.  Bi 
then  remarked,  and  said,  "  you  won't,  hey?"  and  then  rode  arounij 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1123 

to  the  right  of  my  brother,  drawing  his  pistol  as  he  started.     My 
brother  turned  his  horse  a  little  towards  him  as  he  rode  around  to  our 
right.     Having  seen  this  man  drawing  his  pistols,  I  endeavored  to 
draw  mine.     My  pistol  was  behind  me,  and  the  flap  of  the  holster 
was  buttoned.  As  I  was  getting  my  pistol  out,  I  saw  this  man  ride  up 
and  pointhis  pistol  directly  towards  my  brother,  and  fire,  and  then  ride 
back  behind  us.     By  that  time  I  had  got  my  pistol  ready,  and  turned 
my  horse  slightly  in  the  same  direction  my  brother  had  done,  and 
fired  at  the  man  that  shot  at  my  brother.     About  the  same  time  I  shot, 
the  other  man,  who  had  ridden  up  and  headed  us,  shot  also.    I  am  not 
certain  whether  either  of  these  men  shot  more  than  once  each.     When 
the  second  shot  was  fired,  the   one  who  fired  rode  back  to  where  the 
first  man  had  gone.     About  the  time  the  two  men  had  got  together, 
I   shot  again,  having  turned  round  still  farther.     They  two  came 
together,  said  something,  I  did  not  hear  what,  and  then  rode  off  as 
fast  as  they  could  go  to  the  main  party,  which  was  between  300  and 
400  yards  off.     After  they  started  off  for  the  main  party,  I  fired  at 
them  the  third  time.  After  I  shot  the  third  time,  my  brother  said, 
"Boys,   let  us   be  off,   too"      We  then  started  off  in  a  gallop  to- 
wards home.      My  brother  had  no  arms  with  him  of  any  kind,  but 
my  brother-in-law  had  a  pistol;  but  he  did  not  fire  it  at  all.     After 
we  had  ridden  on  about  a  hundred  yards,  my  brother  said,  "That  fellow 
has  shot  me."     This  was  the  first  intimation  I  had  that  he  was  shot. 
I  asked  him  where  he  was  shot.  He  pointed  to  his  side,  a  little  in  front, 
just  above  the  hip,  and  I  said,  "Not  possible,  Thomas."     He  nodded 
his  head,  and  I  could  just  hear  him  say  "Yes,"  and  he  then  immediately 
sunk  down  on  his  horse.      I  saw  he  was  going  to  fall,    and  I  rode  up 
to  him  and  caught  him  tightly  by  the  left  shoulder,  and  held  him  on 
;his  horse  ;  in  which  manner  we  rode  fifty,  perhaps  one  hundred  yards. 
I  could  hold  him  no  longer,  and  I  called  out,  "  Whoe,"  and  both  our 
horses  stopped.     Just  as  we  stopped,  my  brother  fell  between  our  two 
horses.     I  immediately  jumped  off  and  went  to  him.     After  I  got  off, 
I  found  he  was  dead,  and  I  think  he  was  dead  when  he  fell.     I  asked 
my  brother-in-law  then  what  we  should  do.     My  brother-in-law  was 
then  sitting  on  his  horse,  having  stopped  as  I  did.     He  asked  me  if 
my  brother  was  dead.     I  told  him  I  was  pretty  sure  he  was  dead. 
Alter  I  said  this  to  my  brother-in-law,   I  saw  this  party  coming  to- 
ivards  us  again.     I  thought  at  the  time  that  the  whole  party  was 
Doming  towards  us,  but  I  may  have  been  mistaken.     We  had  not  got 
>ut  of  sight  of  the  party  after  the  shots  had   been  fired.    I  asked 
ny  brother-in-law  what  we  should  do  ;   and  he  said,  "  Let  us  stay 
.     lere,  and  let  them  take  us  prisoners."     I  told  him  my  brother  was 
-ead,  and  we  could  do  him  no  good  by  staying  there,  and  they  would 
ave  to  kill  me  before  they  took  me  prisoner.  He  said,  "  Then  let  us 
e  off."     I  jumped  on  my  horse,  and  we  started  off  in  the  road  to- 
rards  home.     My  brother's  horse  came  right  on  after  us.     After  we 
ad  rode  perhaps  200  yards  or  more,  as  I  was  a  little  ahead  of  my 
rother-in-law,  he  asked  me  if  I  saw  them  coming  after  us.     I  looked 
ack,  and  I  told  him  I  saw  two  men  corning,  and   they  were  about 
here  my  brother  lay.     He  then  asked  me  again  to  stop  and  let  them 
ke  us  prisoners.     I  said  they  should  not  take  me  prisoner  then  at  all. 
1  ie  said  then,  "  Let  us  ride  like  the  devil,  and  get  out  of  their  road," 


1124  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

We  rode  on  as  hard  as  we  could  go,  and  I  do  not  think  we  saw  them 
any  more  after  that. 

We  were  then  going  right  towards  my  brother-in-law's  house,  and 
we  made  directly  towards  that.  His  house  was  just  across  a  ravine, 
ahout  400  yards  from  it.  Both  of  us  rode  into  the  ravine,  my  brother- 
in-law  in  one  direction  and  I  in  another.  When  I  got  into  the  ravine 
I  jumped  off  my  horse,  and  found  it  was  shot.  I  then  left  my  horse 
standing  there.  Supposing  these  men  were  following  us,  and  would 
try  to  find  us,  I  went  on  about  a  mile  in  a  northwest  direction  on 
foot.  I  did  not  see  my  brother-in-law  again  until  about  10  o'clocki 
that  night. 

My  horse  was  shot  just  behind  the  fore  shoulder,  and  I  knew  noth- 
ing about  it  until  I  jumped  off  him  when  I  was  in  the  ravine.  Thei 
horse  died  that  night.  The  first  place  I  stopped  at  after  I  got  off  my. 
horse  in  the  ravine,  was  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Hazelton.  I  told  himi 
what  had  happened,  and  he  started  right  off  to  get  some  persons  toi 
go  back  with  us  to  get  my  brother's  body,  as  we  wanted  to  be  pre-M 
pared  to  meet  any  of  this  party  that  we  thought  might  be  watching^ 
us,  expecting  us  to  come  back  after  his  body. 

I  did  not  know  either  of  the  two  men  who  shot  at  us.  The  one  thaij 
was  in  front  of  us  rode  a  grey  horse.  The  other  one  rode  a  sorreij 
horse.  None  in  this  party  of  men  had  military  clothes  on,  that  Jj 
recollect  of.  None  of  our  party  had  any  military  clothes  on,  but  werci 
dressed  in  citizen's  clothes.  I  have  never  seen  any  of  those  person 
since,  to  know  them. 

R.  F.  BARBER, 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


THOMAS  M.  PEIRSON  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  between  six  and  seven  miles  from  this  place,  west.     I  war 
in  company  with  Thomas  Barber  on  the  6th  of  December,  1855,  whe» 
he  was  shot.     We  had  started  from  Lawrence  that  afternoon,  myseij 
and  Thomas  and  Robert  Barber,  my  brothers-in-law,  for  home,  an 
had  got  about  3^  miles  on  the  California  road,  when  I  saw  a  body  ( 
ten  or  twelve  men.    A  few  minutes  after  we  saw  this  party,  we  turn6( 
off  to  our  left  from  the  California  road  towards  our  home.     Just  ai 
we  turned  off,  or  about  that  time,  two  men  of  this  party  we  had 
crossed  the  California  road,  and  we  slackened  up  when  we  saw  th< 
We  went  on  that  road  something  short  of  a  mile,  and  then  two 
headed  us,  and  came  in  before  us  and  stopped  us.     They  inquii 
where  we  were  going,  and  we  told  them  we  were  going  home  ; 
inquired  where  we  had  been,  and  we  said  at  Lawrence.     Thoi 
Barber  did  the  talking  for  our  party.    They  asked  us  what  was  goii 
on  in  Lawrence,  and  Thomas  Barber  said  there  was  not  much.    Af 
some  other  conversation,  they  ordered  us  to  wheel  round  and  go 
Thomas  Barb'er  told  them  we  could  not  do  that,  as  we  wished  to 
home  to  our  families. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1125 

As  soon  as  lie  made  that  reply,  one  of  the  two  immediately  drew 
his  pistol,  and  took  deliberate  aim  at  Thomas  Barber  and  fired.  The 
other  one  fired  immediately  afterwards.  -As  soon  as  they  drew  their 
pistols,  Robert  Barber  drew  his  pistol ;  and  as  soon  as  they  fired,  he 
fired  some  shots  at  them.  Those  two  men  then  turned  and  rode  back 
towards  the  main  party  who  were  behind  us.  Thomas  Barber  then 
said :  • 'Let's  be  off,"  and  we  rode  some  80  or  100  yards  as  fast  as  our 
horses  could  go..  Robert  Barber  then  caught  hold  of  Thomas,  and 
held  him  on  his  horse  some  100  or  150  yards  further,  when  he  fell. 
As  my  horse  was  a  little  slower  than  the  others,  I  had  fallen  in  the 
rear  a  little.  As  soon  as  he  fell  off,  Robert  Barber  jumped  off  his 
horse.  We  stopped  there  a  minute  or  two,  to  ascertain  what  we 
should  do.  I  was  for  stopping  and  giving  ourselves  up.  Robert  said 
he  would  not  give  up,  and  he  was  pretty  sure  they  would  kill  us  ; 
and  as  he  thought  his  brother  was  dead,  we  could  do  no  good  by  stay- 
ing with  him.  We  looked  around  and  saw,  as  we  thought,  the  main 
body  of  this  party  riding  towards  us  ;  and  Robert  got  on  his  horse 
again,  and  we  started  off  towards  home.  I  did  not  know  any  of  these 
horsemen,  and  have  never  seen  any  of  them  since,  that  I  know  of.  One 
of  the  two  who  stopped  us  rode  a  grey  horse,  and  the  other  a  sorrel 
horse.  The  one  who  rode  the  grey  horse,  and  the  one,  I  think,  who 
shot  Thomas  Barber,  was,  I  think,  a  short,  heavy-set  man.  I  do  not 
recollect  his  dress,  except  that  I  think  his  clothes  were  light-colored. 

THOMAS  M.  PEIRSON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


Mrs.  JANE  W.  COLBURN  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  about  four  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Lawrence.    I  lived  there  the 

early  part  of  December  last.    I  recollect  the  time  when  Thomas  Barber 

<,was  killed.  I  saw  the  three  horsemen  coming  from  towards  Lawrence, 

jon  the  California  road.     I  saw  the  party  of  horsemen  ride  across  the 

California  road,  after  the   other   three  had  turned  off  from  it,  and 

then  I  saw  two  turn  off  from  the  others,  and  ride  off  towards  the  three, 

and  come  up  with  them,  and  then  they  all  stopped.  They  were  together 

but  a  short  time  before  I  heard  three  reports  of  a  pistol,  and  saw  the 

smoke  round  the  three  who  rode  away  from  the  other  two  after  this 

firing,  and  passed  down  by  our  house  a  few  yards  from  it.     The  two 

stopped  where  the  firing  was.     The  body  fell  off  the  horse  about  forty 

7ards  from   our  house.       In  two  or  three  minutes  my  husband  and  I 

lad  got  out  to  where  the  body  was.     We  did  not  know  who  the  man 

vas.     I  think  he  lived  about  forty  minutes  after  we  got  to  him,  but  he 

ould  not  speak,  and  made  no  motion  at  all.    He  groaned  and  seemed 

o  suffer  very  much.     I  tried  to  get  him  to  drink  some  water,  but  he 

ould'nt  do  it.     When  these  shots  were  fired,  I  was  about  an  eighth 

f  a  mile  from  there,  and  I  judge  the  five  horsemen  were  about  half  a 

lile  from  the  California  road.     I  was  in  the  yard  when  I  saw  the 

iree  horsemen  riding  up,  and  also  the  other  horsemen  coming  aeross 

ie  California  road.     I  stood  there  and  watched  them.     Our  house 

>  about  half  a  mile  from  the  California  road.     The  man  who  was 


1126  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

shot  fell  a  little  past  our  house,  which  is  on  the  left  of  the  road  as  we 
eonie  towards  it.  The  man  died  before  he  was  brought  into  our  house, 
which  was  that.  This  firing  was  somewhere  between  one  and  three 
o'clock.  I  never  saw  any  of  the  parties  before.  The  man  on  the  grey 
horse  had  on  a  cap  and  a  light- colored  overcoat  I  think.  He  appear- 
ed to  be  a  short  stout  man.  One  of  the  two  that  rode  across  to  the 
three  others  was  the  one  on  the  grey  horse. 

JANE  W.  COLBUBN. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


HARRISON  NICHOLS  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  at  Topeka.     On  the  6th  of  December  I  lived  on  the  Waka- 
rusa  creek,  about  five  miles  from  here.     I  know  something  about  the 
death  of  Thomas  Barber.     I  was  in  a  corn-field,  near  the  California 
road,  and  saw  a  party  of  men  pass  there,  on  horseback.    I  knew  some  oif 
them.     Dr.  John  P.  Wood  was  one  of  them.     He  lived  in  this  placet 
at  that  time.     I  knew  him  by  sight,  and  learned  his  name  next  day.. 
I  knew  Major  Clark  ;  he  was  with  them.     I  saw  them  ride  by,  triem| 
two  of  the  party  left  the  main  road,  and  intercepted  some  two  or  three 
that  were  coming  this  way.     Mr.  Barber  was  with  the  party  inter- 
cepted.    When  they  met,  they  stopped  a  few  moments  together.     The 
party  that  Barber  was  with,  turned  their  horses,  as  if  to  get  away? 
from  the  others,  and  went  down  towards  a  ravine,  and  at  the  same 
time  towards  their  home.     They  got  out  of  sight  of  me,  so  that,  at 
the  time  of  the  firing,  I  could  not  see  them.     They  soon  came  in  sighi 
again.     Clark's  party  came  towards  California  road  to  join  the  mairrj 
body,  consisting  of  about  seven.     At  the  same  time,  Barber's  partji 
came  in  sight,  going  towards  Barber's  house,  one  holding  another  or 
a  horse.     The  same  evening  I  was  taken  prisoner.     I  was  conveyed  tc 
Lecompton  camp.     In  taking  me  there,  they  took  me  to  a  piece  01 
woods,  and  took  a  halter  off  of  one  of  their  horses,  and  said  they  werr 
going  to  hang  me.     They  finally  said  they  guessed  that  when  I  go 
to  camp  I  would  tell  the  truth,  and  they  would  take  me  there, 
was  taken  to  headquarters,  Major  Perkins  commanding.     They  e* 
amined  me,  and  took  my  papers,  rifle,  and  bowie-knife  away  ;  and .1 
while  doing  so,  one  of  their  party  came  in  and  told  Major  Perkinn 
that  it  was  General  Richardson's  party  that  killed  that  damned  abo 
litionist  that  night.     This  was  the  same  man  who  examined  me  il 
the  road  for  my  papers.     Major  Perkins  told  the  man  to  keep  still! 
They  kept  my  rifle,  and  agreed  to  send  it  back  to  me.    I  have  writtet 
to  them  once  on  the  subject,  and  have  sent  twice,  but  have  never  gO'< 
the  rifle.     The  Monday  following  my  arrest,  I  think,  S.  J.  Jonei 
came  to  Lecompton,  where  I  was  stopping,  and  said  Major  Clark  anc 
Burns  both  claimed  the  credit  of  killing  that  damned  abolitionist 
and  he  didn't  know  which  ought  to  have  it.     Jones  said,  if  Shannor 
hadn't  been  a  damned  old  fool,  that  peace  would  never  have  heel 
declared.    He  (Jones)  would  have  wiped  Lawrence  out.    He  had  men 
and  means  enough  to  do  it.     He  said  they  (Eobinson  and  Lane)  * 


nisi  i 

lnui 

I 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1127 

agreed,  in  their  articles  of  peace,  to  help  him  serve  a  process  here  at 
any  time,  but  he  didn't  expect  they  would  do  it.  He  said  if  Sam 
Wood  ever  came  back  to  the  Territory,  he  would  take  him,  or  die  in 
the  attempt.  He  said  he  would  issue  his  own  proclamation,  and  not 
call  upon  Shannon,  and  he  would  raise  boys  enough  in  Missouri  to 
blow  Lawrence  and  every  other  damned  abolition  town  to  hell.  He 
wouldn't  have  any  old  grannies  to  stop  him. 

HAEKISON  NICHOLS. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


WILLIAM  PHILLIPS  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  about  a  half  a  mile  the  other  side  of  G.  W.  Clark,  an  In- 
dian agent.  I  did  not  know  Thomas  Barber.  I  got  acquainted  with 
Mr.  Clark  about  a  year  ago.  The  first  I  heard  of  the  death  of  Mr. 
Barber  was  the  day  after  he  was  shot.  Some  two  or  three  days  after, 
I  had  business  up  to  Mr.  Clark's  house  and  went  up  there.  Clark 
said  to  me,  "  Well,  Phillips,  we  have  one  less  free-soiler  in  the  Ter- 
ritory." I  told  him  I  had  heard  nothing  about  it.  Said  he,  "  I  was 
coming  up  the  road  the  other  evening,"  stating  the  evening  Barber 
was  shot,  "  in  company  with  several  other  men,  and  we  saw  a  com- 
pany of  men  on  horseback,  and  going  toward  the  Yankee  town,  and  we 
nailed  them  to  stop,  and  in  place  of  stopping  they  rode  on  faster.  I 
told  them  they  had  better  stop."  Then  he  said  he  and  another  man, 
I  think  it  was  Burns,  fired  about  the  same  time  at  those  men,  and  ke 
thought  one  of  them  had  shot  one  of  those  men  ;  and  he  said,  "  I  tried 
to  kill  him,  and  if  it  was  not  me  I  wish  it  had  been."  I  a^ked  him 
what  he  shot  at  him  for.  He  said  they  were  out  to  stop  men  from 
coming  to  this  place  ;  and  as  they  did  not,  it  was  their  rule  to  make 
men  stop.  This  is  as  near  as  I  can  recollect  what  Clark  told  me  at 
that  time.  I  do  not  recollect  as  I  ever  heard  him  speak  of  this  mat- 
ter at  any  other  time. 

WILLIAM  PHILLIPS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


S.  N.  SIMPSON  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  in  Lawrence  in  December  last,  when  Barber  was  killed.  I 
first  heard  of  it  about  a  mile  from  where  he  was  killed,  while  I  was 
on  my  way  to  my  brother's,  about  twenty  minutes  after  he  was  killed 
I  should  think.  I  was  told  by  a  young  man  named  Pease.  I  was 
unwell  at  the  time,  and  my  brother  took  the  horse  I  was  on,  and  rode 
to  the  spot.  I  met  a  company  of  horsemen,  some  10  or  12,  of  whom 
I  knew  two,  just  a  mile  before  I  got  to  my  brother's,  and  before  I  had 
'ieard  of  the  murder.  One  of  them  was  Dr.  J.  P.  Wood,  now  of  Le- 


1128  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

compton,  and  a  Mr.  Clark,  an  Indian  agent,  and  generally  called 
Major  Clark.  They  stopped  in  front  of  Mr.  Crockett's,  and  were 
whispering  among  themselves  as  I  passed.  Mr.  Clark  said,  "'How 
do  you  do,  major?"  to  me.  I  made  no  answer.  Dr.  Wood  said  to 
Mr.  Clark,  "It  is  Mr.  Simpson/'  I  then  rode  on  to  my  brother's. 

S.  N.  SIMPSON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9;  1856. 


Dr.  S.  B.  PRENTISS  called  and  sworn. 

I  am  a  physician,  and  have  been  practising  as  such  for  some  14 
years.     I  saw  the  body  of  Barber  after  he  was  killed.     He  was  shot 
in  the  abdomen,  in  front  of  the  right  hip.     It  was  apparently  a  ball 
hole.    I  did  not  probe  it.    It  was  the  only  wound,  and  I  think  caused 
his  death.     There  was  a  slight  examination,  but  not  a  full  examina- 
tion, as  there  was  a  great  deal  of  excitement.     The  ball  did  not  pass 
out,  but,  going  in,  in  the  direction  it  did,  I  should  think  it  would  pro-    | 
duce  immediate  death.    The  body  I  saw  was  said  to  be  that  of  Thomas  -i 
Barber,  though  I  was  not  acquainted  with  him. 

S.  B.  PRENTISS. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  9,  1856. 


HENRY  M.  SIMPSON  called  and  sworn. 

I  live  west  of  Lawrence,  on  the  California  road,  about  four  miles 
from  here.     I  was  at  home  on  the  day  Thomas  Barber  was  killed,  and 
went  over  and  saw  the  body  after  he  was  dead.     A  short  time  before, 
I  saw  a  company  of  three  men  turning  off  from  the  California  road  to 
the  northwest.     A  few  minutes  afterwards  I  saw  a  company  of  nine 
men  whom  I  took  to  be  Missourians,  and  they  were  immediately  joined  I 
by  another,  who  came  up  in  a  canter,  and  after  speaking  to  the  only 
one  of  the  nine  I  saw  with  a  sword,  a  halt  was  called.     They  then  » 
went  off  after  the  three  men  who  had  turned  off.     Shortly  after  that, 
I  heard  some  reports  of  fire-arms.     After  the  reports  I  saw  two  men 
ride  up  from  where  I  afterwards  saw  Barber's  body,  and  join  the 
others,  and  the  twelve  that  rode  up  past  my  house  towards  Lawrence. 
On  their  return,  as  they  passed  my  house,  they  seemed  quite  merry, 
prancing  their  horses,  &c.     My  brother  rode  up  shortly  after  they 
passed,  and  a  person  came  up  about  the  same  time,  and  told  me  a  man 
was  shot,,  and  desired  me  to  go  over  and  see  the  body.     Before  my  r 
brother  heard  of  the  murder,  he  spoke  of  meeting  a  company  of  twelve  i.- 
men,  among  whom  were  Clark,  the  Indian  agent,  and  Doctor  Wood. 
I  took  my  brother's  horse,  and  went  over  and  saw  the  body,  and  < 
learned  that  it  was  that  of  Thomas  Barber.     He  was  dead  when  I  got 
there. 

During  the  war,  some  100  corn-sacks  which  I  had  sent  for  from 


Jill      ! 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1129 

Kansas  City^  were  stopped  by  the  Wakarusa  forces,  who  took  ten  of 
them,  and  I  have  never  received  any  pay  for  them.  The  other  ninety 
I  received  here  in  Lawrence  afterwards.  During  the  war,,  while  the 
camp  was  on  the  Wakarusa,  provisions  and  other  property  were  stop- 
ped on  the  way,  and  we,  at  my  house,  were  reduced  at  last  to  live  on 
corn  bread  alone. 

H.  M.  SIMPSON. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  10,  1856. 


JAMES  BREWSTER  called  and  sworn. 

I  have  lived  in  Lexington,  Missouri,  nearly  four  years.  I  recollect 
the  time  of  the  troubles  last  fall  at  Lawrence,  K.  T.,  when  the  mil- 
itia were  called  out  by  Grov.  Shannon.  Public  meetings  were  held 
here  for  the  purpose  of  raising  men  to  send  to  Lawrence,  Kansas  Ter- 
ritory. There  was  not  a  general  attendance  at  those  meetings  of  the 
citizens  here,  but  about  as  much  as  usual  at  public  meetings  here.  I 
do  not  know  whether  or  not  money  was  raised  here  to  defray  the  ex- 
penses of  men  who  went  to  the  Territory,  but  I  know  that  numbers  of 
armed  men  did  go.  I  am  not  certain  as  to  the  number.  I  know  that  for 
several  days  I  saw  armed  men  in  the  streets  preparing  to  go,  and  my 
impression  at  the  time  was,  that  a  hundred  or  more  went  from  here 
and  through  here.  At  first  the  call  was  made  in  this  form  :  that  all 
citizens  of  Kansas  who  were  at  Lexington  or  in  its  vicinity  should  return 
to  their  homes  immediately.  After  that,  it  was  commonly  said  that 
all  law-and-order  men  should  go  and  assist  in  executing  the  laws  of 
Kansas,  whether  citizens  of  Kansas  or  not.  I  do  not  remember  of 
'seeing  many  of  them  when  they  returned.  Those  that  I  was  person- 
ally acquainted  with,  who  went  from  here,  never  have  been  citizens  of 
Kansas  Territory.  It  was  said  by  those  who  were  urging  men  to  go 
;to  Lawrence,  that  Lawrence  should  be  destroyed,  and  it  was  general- 
ly understood  that  was  their  object.  It  was  said  that  the  citizens  of 
Lawrence  had  resisted  the  execution  of  the  laws,  and  they  were  going 
to  assist  in  enforcing  those  laws,  and  Lawrence,  it  was  said,  must  be 
destroyed. 

JAMES  BKEWSTEB. 
LEXINGTON,  Mo.,  June  10,  1856. 


Captain  LUTHER  LEONARD  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  am  military  storekeeper  at  the  Missouri  depot,  Liberty,  Missouri. 
[  have  been  stationed  there  ten  years  last  March,  having  charge  of 
<he  arsenal,  which  contains  arms  and  ammunition  of  all  descriptions. 
)n  the  4th  of  December,  1855,  my  clerk,  Mr.  Grant;  came  from  town 
md  said  there  was  some  talk  of  their  coming  down  to  the  arsenal  to 
jet  arms,  but  he  did  not  think  they  would  do  so.  I  took  no  meas- 
ires  of  defence,  as  I  never  thought  they  would  come,  and  my  clerk 
old  me  he  did  not  believe  they  would  come. 


1130  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

A  little  after  noon,  I  saw  Judge  James  T.  Y.  Thompson  in  thec 
arsenal  yard,  and  I  walked  up  to  him  and  greeted  him  civilly,  and 
asked  him  to  walk  to  my  quarters.  He  declined  going  to  my  quarters,; 
and  said  he  would  like  to  look  about  a  little.  I  took  him  into  the 
armorer's  shop  first,  and  intended  going  all  about  with  him.  We 
had  been  there  but  a  short  time  before  I  saw  through  the  windows  a, 
number  of  people  outside.  I  wished  to  go  out  and  see  what  wag 
going  on.  In  the  meantime,  a  number  of  men  had  slipped  into  the 
armory  where  we  were.  When  I  wished  to  go  out,  there  were  men 
at  the  door  who  told  me  very  civilly  I  could  not  go.  One  of  them 
was  Mr.  Bouton,  my  clerk's  (Mr.  Grant)  father-in-law.  I  took  hol 
of  him  and  gave  him  a  little  push ;  but  he  said,  good  naturedly  enough, 
it  was  of  no  use,  as  I  could  not  go  out.  I  told  them  I  was  an  oldc 
man,  with  a  dislocated  shoulder  and  but  one  eye,  and  I  should  no1» 
undertake  to  fight  with  them.  I  told  Judge  Thompson  I  thought  it 
was  poor  business  for  the  United  States  to  build  arsenals  for  a  mob  to 
break  open. 

The  judge  and  the  others  told  me  there  were  troubles  in  Kansas 
and  they  wanted  arms,  but  would  do  nothing  wrong  with  them, 
told  the  judge  this  was  aggressive  on  the  part  of  Missouri,  and  everjj 
community  was  competent  to  take  care  of  its  own  affairs,  and  thatthc 
Missourians  ought  not  to  interfere.     A  good  deal  more  was  said  onj 
both  sides,  and  I  felt  indignant  at  the  aggression.     The  judge  himsellj 
did  not  say  an  uncivil  word  to  me.     I  had  not  expected  any  sucll 
thing  as  this  when  I  first  saw  the  judge,  or  I  could  have  had  the  gate*- 
locked. 

The  mob  proceeded  to  take  arms,  forcing  the  doors,  and  took  three 
6-pounclers,  some  swords,  pistols,  rifles  and  ammunition,  powder r 
balls,  &c.,  as  much  as  they  wanted.  They  broke  some  doors  openn 
I  do  not  know  how  they  got  the  keys  to  get  into  the  powder  maga; 
zine,  which  is  composed  of  brick,  and  had  double  doors.  Captain 
Price  was  the  leading  man  in  the  crowd,  as  I  understood.  Mr.  Roun 
was  there.  I  was  kept  in  the  room  until  the  men  had  got  all  thu 
arms  and  ammunition  they  wanted  and  had  gone  away.  Judgr 
Thompson  being  the  last  one  when  he  let  me  go  out,  and  then  he  lefii 
himself. 

Some  six  or  eight  days  afterwards  the  guns  were  returned  to  tha 
arsenal.  They  were  left,  I  was  told,  at  Colonel  Allen's  place,  somci 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  arsenal.  In  the  meantime  I  hacj 
reported  the  facts  to  Colonel  Sumner,  and  he  had  sent  down  a  conM 
pany  of  dragoons.  The  men  sent  to  me  to  know  if  I  would  received 
the  arms,  and  I  told  them  I  was  not  in  command,  and  referred  theirl 
to  Captain  Beall,  and  he  told  them  to  bring  them  along  ;  and  the) ' 
did  so,  and  they  were  received.  Among  the  property  taken  was  soin* 
artillery  harness.  I  cannot  recollect  how  many  sets.  There  wen 
some  deficiencies  in  the  number  of  rifles,  swords,  and  pistols,  anc 
some  harness  returned,  but  I  cannot  state  the  precise  particulars' 
These  deficiencies'  have  never  been  made  up  by  the  citizens  of  Missouri! 
but  I  have  been  instructed  by  Colonel  Craig,  the  head  of  the  ordnance] 
department  at  Washington,  to  purchase  sufficient  of  such  articles  at 
I  could  obtain  in  the  neighborhood  to  make  up  the  deficiency,  and  w 


B     ON 

Iwt' 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1131 

did  so  ;  but  the  swords,  pistols,  and  rifles  we  have  not  been  able  to 
make  up.  I  do  not  know  how  much  has  been  expended  in  making 
up  this  deficiency.  Immediately  after  this  robbery  I  reported  the  cir- 
cumstances to  Colonel  Craig,  at  Washington,  specifying  the  number 
and  amount  of  each  of  the  different  articles  taken.  In  the  course  of 
the  winter  he  sent  me  orders  to  ship  the  public  property  to  Fort  Lea- 
venworth  and  St.  Louis  arsenal,  giving  me  a  schedule  of  the  amount 
to  be  taken  to  each  place  ;  which  I  did  as  soon  as  navigation  opened. 

L.  LEONARD,  M.  S.  K. 
STEAMBOAT  POLAR  STAR,  Missouri  river,  June  10,  1856. 


JAMES  W.  LOGAN  called  and  sworn. 
To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  resided  the  29th  of  November,  1854,  in  what  is  now  called  Atch- 
iflon  county,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Kickapoo,  in  this  Ter- 
ritory. I  have  never  been  at  any  election  in  the  Territory,  except 
one.  for  locating  our  county  seat. 

[The  remainder  of  this  deposition,  excluded  under  the  rule  stated 
in  the  deposition  of  James  Harris.] 

JAMES  W.  LOGAN. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  Hay  28,  1856. 


W.  J.  OSBORN  testifies : 

To  Gov.  King : 

When  Governor  Eeeder  first  came  to  the  Territory,  I  met  him  in 
St.  Louis.  I  was  at  that  time  introduced  to  Mr.  Flenniken  by  Gov- 
ernor Reeder.  We  remained  in  St.  Louis  for  several  days.  A  day  or 
two  before  we  started,  I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Flenniken  that  he  was 
coming  to  the  Territory  to  be  a  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress. 
We  had  frequent  conversations  on  the  way  up  the  river.  He  wished 
to  secure  my  aid  and  the  influence  of  the  " Kansas  Herald/'  with 
which  I  was  connected.  He  told  me  that  in  the  event  of  his  election 
he  should  bring  his  sons  into  the  Territory,  and  remain  a  citizen  of 
the  Territory.  In  the  event  of  his  defeat,  he  should  return  to  Penn- 
sylvania, and  remove  to  Pittsburg,  as  he  could  do  much  better  there 
than  in  the  Territory.  Governor  Reeder  was  doing  what  he  could  for 
Mr.  Flenniken,  and  seemed  anxious  to  promote  his  interests.  The 
agents  sent  by  Governor  Reeder  to  distribute  the  proclamation  of  the 
first  election  for  delegate,  in  November,  1854,  were  also  furnished  by 
Governor  Reeder  and  Flenniken  with  Flenniken's  circulars.  Flenni- 
ken was  Governor  Reeder 's  candidate. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Mr.  Flenniken  said  that  he  was  in  favor  of  the  repeal  of  the  Mis- 
souri compromise.  He  said  also  he  was  in  favor  of  the  present  ad- 


1132  KANSAS    AFF^IKS. 

ministration.  Mr.  Flenniken  said  to  me,  after  he  had  "been  to  Law- 
rence, that  it  was  inexpedient  to  say  anything  ahout  the  Kansas-Ne- 
braska bill  or  the  present  administration,  as  it  might  endanger  his< 
election.  Judge  Wakefield  was  regarded  as  the  abolition  candidate,, 
opposed  to  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  and  the  present  administration. , 
Mr.  Whitfield  was  regarded  as  the  democratic  pro-slavery  candidate. . 

To  Gov.  King : 

Mr.  Flenniken  said  that  Governor  Keeder  had  made  arrangements* 
for  him  to  have  the  vote  of  Lawrence  and  south  of  the  Kansas  river, , 
which  would  amount  to  a  thousand  votes. 

W.  J.  OSBORN. 

LEAVENWOBTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


JOSEPH  POTTER  testifies : 

I  was  at  the  election  at  Pensenau's  on  the  29th  of  November,  1854.  | 
I  saw  some  non-residents  there,  but  I  cannot  say  that  I  know  they  i 
voted.     I  do  not  recollect  that  I  saw  any  one  vote  but  myself.     I  sawv1 
there  some  of  those  who  did  not  live  in  the  district — John  Galbraith,  | 
Samuel  Singleton,   and,  I  think,  Benj.  Yocum.     They  were  my  old  ! 
neighbors  in  Buchanan  county,  and  I  have  never  known  of  their rl 
living  in  the  district.     Singleton  has  told  me  since,  he  did  not  voti^j 
then.     I  do  not  suppose  there  were  more  than  forty  or  fifty  strangers. 
There  was  quite  a  crowd  there.     Our  district  was  quite  thinly  settled. 
There  was,  I  reckon,  from  100  to  200  legal  voters  in  the  district ; 
there  might  not  have  been  so  many,  and  there  might  have  been  more. 
I  had  some  conversation  with  a  man  from  Buchanan  county,  (Mr. 
Kirk,)  who  has  been  a  citizen  of  the  Territory,  and  a  representative. 
I  do  not  know  whether  he  lives  in  the  district  now  or  not.     I  have' 
seen  him  at  Atchison,  but  he  did  not  tell  me  where  his  residence  was.  > 
Ira  Norris,  I  think,  is  now  the  clerk  of  the  Atchison  county  court.- 
Jesse  Morin,  I  think,  lived  at  that  time  near  Platte  City.     I  have  seenn 
him  there.     I  believe  the  election  was  orderly  and  quiet.     I  voted  for 
General  Whitfield  that  day.     A  man  by  the  name  of  Chapman  was  a.'j 
candidate,  but  I  think  was  reported  off  the  track  that  morning.     Of1 
the  306  votes  shown  by  the  poll-books,  judging  from  what  I  knew  of  »| 
the  district,  and  from  what  I  saw  at  the  polls,  I  should  not  suppose  •( 
more  than  200  of  them  were  citizens.     I  do  not  think  all  the  citizens  j 
voted  that  day.     I  think  some  of  them  did  not  vote,  but  I  only  know  j 
that  from  hearsay. 


Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

I  do  riot  know  as  I  know  the  size  of  that  election  district  at  that 
time.  I  think  quite  likely  it  included  Kickapoo.  It  included  Stranger, 
and  I  think  ran  to  the  Kickapoo  reservation.  It  was  a  tolerably  large 
district,  but  the  western  portion  of  the  district  was  not  then  settled. 
I  was  not  acquainted  all  over  the  district,  and  a  part  of  thesd 
strangers  might  have  lived  in  the  district,  and  I  not  have  known  it* 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1133 

I  do  not  know  where  Judge  Flanigan  resided,  and  never  did  know  of 
his  having  any  residence  in  the  Territory.  I  do  not  know  when  he 
came  into  the  Territory,  but  understood  he  carne  with  Gov.  Reeder. 
I  do  not  recollect  of  hearing  any  one  say  anything  about  his  being 
brought  out  as  a  candidate  by  Governor  Reeder.  I  never  saw  Judge 
Flanigan  in  my  life,  to  know  him.  I  think  I  have  heard  that  he 
left  the  Territory  immediately  after  the  election.  I  cannot  say  that  I 
know  who  received  a  majority  of  the  votes  of  the  Residents  I  knew. 
I  do  not  know  that  Jesse  Morin  had  a  claim  in  the  Territory  at  that 
time. 

JOSEPH  POTTER. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20, 1856. 


M.  P.   RIVELY  testifies : 

To  Mr.  Matthias  : 

I  came  into  the  Territory,  some  five  years  ago,  from  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania.  I  was  not  present  at  the  election  of  29th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1854-.  General  Whitfield  was  the  pro-slavery  candidate,  and 
Mr.  Flannigan  was  the  free-soil  candidate,  for  Congress  at  that  elec- 
tion. I  was  introduced  to  Judge  Flannigan  shortly  after  he  arrived 
at  Fort  Leavenworth.  He  came  to  Fort  Leavenworth  with  Governor 
Reeder.  Shortly  after  he  arrived,  Judge  Flannigan  came  out  to  Salt 
Creek  valley,  where  I  then  lived,  and  went  to  the  house  of  Isaac 
Cody,  and  announced  himself  as  the  free-soil  candidate  for  delegate 
to  Congress,  and  he  made  a  free-soil  speech  to  a  number  of  free-soilers 
at  Mr.  Cody's.  This  was  probably  ten  days  after  his  arrival  in  the 
Territory.  He  made  the  race,  and  was  defeated  by  General  Whit- 
field.  Some  three  or  four  days  after  the  election  was  over,  Mr.  Flan- 
nigan returned  to  Pennsylvania.  I  do  not  know  where  he  resides 
in  Pennsylvania.  I  have  heard  he  had  a  family  in  Pennsylvania.  He 
had  none  with  him  in  the  Territory. 

M.  P.  RIVELY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  31,  1856. 


REUBEN  HACKETT  testifies : 

I  have  examined  the  poll-books  of  the  fourth  district  for  the  elec- 
tion of  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  reside  in  the  district,  and  have 
done  so  since  June,  1854.  I  find  twenty-seven  names  on  the  list  I 
know  to  have  been  residents  of  that  district  at  that  time,  as  follows: 

B.  T.  Keeser,  R.  Hackett,  John  H.  Lockridge,  William  Case,  C. 

Martin,  J.  Wilson,  Reese  B.  Young,  J.  T.  Keever, Pool, 

Poage,  J.  Bradbury,  J.  D.  Bary,  D.  J.  Keeser,  D.  Putty,  T. 

Mockaby,  J.  B.  Davis,  J.  M.  Bernard,  H.  Lowry,  Thomas  J.  Lynch, 
E.  Hill,  John  Eddy,  T.  Essex,  R.  B.  Harris,  C.  J.  Hartly,  Wm.  Es- 
sex, C.  Horning,  and  J.  Chapman. 


1134  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

These  are  persons  of  my  acquaintance,  but  I  have  not  made  out  the 
given  names  correctly,  as  the  names  on  the  poll-books  differed  some- 
what from  those  I  supposed  them  to  represent.  A  portion  of  them  Ii 
have  left  out,  and  a  portion  of  the  names  I  have  given.  I  have  made 
O4it  the  list  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge. 

To  Mr.  Woods^n : 

I  do  not  have  a  thorough  acquaintance  in  the  district,  and  only 
speak  of  those  I  know. 

REUBEN  HACKETT. 
LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  3,  1856. 


THOMAS  THORP  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  within  half  a  mile  of  Parkville,  Platte  county,  Missouri, , 
and  have  resided  there  since  1837,  and  in  Missouri  since  the  fall  of' 
1818.     I  know  of  companies  being  got  up  in  Missouri  to  come  over? 
here  and  vote,  and  I  heard  many  of  them  afterwards  say* they  had' 
voted  here.     That  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  and ! 
also  when  Whitfield  was  elected.     They  swarmed  over  here  at  all  then 
elections.     My  understanding  was,  that  money  was  contributed  to  pay 
the  expenses  of  the  Parkville  company  to  come  here  and  vote.     I  was" 
asked  to  contribute  to  that,  but  I  did  not  do  so.     Those  persons  who 
said  they  were  coming  here  to  vote,  said  that  if  they  were  here  but  a 
day,  they  had  a  right  to  vote  in  the  Territory,  and  that  they  intended  i 
to  outvote  those  who  were  coming  here  from  the  east  and  north.     I! 
think  all  who  were  engaged  in  destroying  the  press  of  Geo.  S.  Park, 
at  Parkville,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  were  over  here  and  voted. 
I  know  the  names  of  many  of  them  who  said  they  came  here  to  vote— 
Dr.  Walker,  John  Winston,  Mat.  Winston,  and  thirty  or  forty  others. 
I  think  the  whole  who  were  engaged  in  the  destruction  of  that  press, 
with  the  exception  of  two,  came  over  here  and  voted.     They  said  they 
destroyed  that  press  because  they  believed  it  belonged  to  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society,  or  it  was  interested  in  it.     I  think  that  the  most  of  those  < 
persons  were  over  here  also  during  the  war  last  fall.     I  think  there  • 
were  about  thirty  who  were  engaged  in  destroying  Park's  press. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Tebbs,  who  was  said  to  have  been  elected  to  the  legisla- 
ture in  the  Territory,  was  a  citizen  of  the  State  of  Missouri.     He  had 
a  claim  in  the  Territory,  and  had  some  negroes  on  it,  but  his  wite  • 
lived  in  Missouri,  on  his  farm,  which  he  owned  there  in  Missouri. 

his 

THOMAS  +  THORP. 

mark. 

LAWRENCE,  K.  T.,  May  12,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1135 

DANDRIDGE  HOLLIDAY  called  and  sworn. 

I  reside  thirteen  miles  from  here,  in  the  15th  district.  Was  at  the 
election  in  that  district  on  the  30th  of  March.  I  came  from  Platte 
county,  Missouri.  Lived  in  Missouri,  partly  in  Howard,  Clinton, 
and  Platte  counties,  twenty-two  years — sixteen  of  it  in  Platte  county. 
I  was  at  the  election  at  Hayes,  and  voted.  I  saw  a  great  many  strangers 
there.  I  saw  500  or  600  there,  of  whom  a  very  great  majority  were 
non-residents.  I  knew  many  of  them.  Some  were  from  Platte  county, 
Missouri ;  some  from  Clinton  and  Eay  counties.  I  knew  several  from 
each  county — twenty  or  more  that  I  knew  from  Platte  county,  ten  or 
more  from  Clinton  ;  and  I  knew  Major  Oliver  and  George  Carson, 
from  Ray  county.  I  did  not  see  any  one  vote.  Some  of  these  strangers 
were  armed — some  with  guns  and  some  with  pistols.  I  did  not  no- 
tice particularly.  I  saw  Judge  James  Lighten,  the  two  Mr.  Bisks, 
brothers,  Mr.  Calvert.,  Mr.  J.  Pepper,  and  many  others  from  Platte 
county,  who  were  formerly  my  neighbors.  I  am  a  bad  hand  to  recol- 
lect names.  I  saw  Mr.  Steele,  Mr.  Essig,  the  two  Mr.  Birches,  Mr. 
Payne,  Mr.  Stettiwerger,  and  others  from  Clinton  county.  I  do  not 
recollect  any  names  from  Clay  county,  though  I  knew  several  of  them. 
I  did  not  stand  by  the  polls,  and  did  not  see  any  of  them  vote.  I 
heard  several  contend  that  they  had  a  right  to  vote,  as  every  man  on 
the  ground  had  a  right  to  vote,  because  they  were  then  present.  A 
great  majority  of  the  persons  on  that  day  had  badges  of  hemp.  I 
voted  that  day  the  pro-slavery  ticket.  There  was  no  other  ticket  that 
day.  I  should  have  voted  the  pro- slavery  ticket  if  there  had  been 
others.  I  am  not  very  well  acquainted  in  the  district,  as  I  stay  about 
home  very  much.  I  had  conversation  with  many  men  I  knew,  but 
:none  of  them  told  me  how  many  were  over  there.  I  lived  a  mile 
east  of  the  place  of  voting,  and  the  road  was  full  all  the  time,  coming 
and  going.  A  few  of  the  residents  of  the  district  had  the  hemp 
badges — a  few  from  about  Kickapoo — but  the  most  who  had  them  were 
non-residents.  There  must  have  been  some  hundreds  from  Missouri — 
certainly  200  ;  but  I  could  not  tell  certainly  how  many  were  there. 
I  do  not  know  how  many  residents  were  there.  These  men  seemed 
to  think  that  they  had  as  good  a  right  to  vote  as  eastern  emigrants, 
and  they  would  vote,  to  counteract  the  emigrant  vote.  The  most 
prominent  men  seemed  to  justify  their  voting  on  that'  ground.  I  do 
not  think  there  were  residents  there  to  the  number  of  one-half.  There 
was  a  general  rumor,  and  believed,  that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society 
had  landed  emigrants  in  the  Territory  ;  but  I  never  knew  whether  it 
was  so  or  not,  though  I  believed  it  myself. 

To  H.  Miles  Moore : 

I  know  George  W.  Cabbot,  deputy  sheriff  of  Platte  county  ;  Lewis 
Calvert,  of  Platte  county ;  Nelson  J.  Alexander,  Jefferson  Dyer, 
(now  in  the  Territory,  but  I  think  not  at  that  time ;)  Thomas  L. 
Douglass,  N.  B.  Green,  H.  B.  Herndon,  (who  had  a  claim  in  the 
Territory,)  a  deputy  sheriff; — these  were  from  Platte  county,  and  I 
saw  them  on  the  ground.  These  names  are  on  the  poll-books. 


1136  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Grover : 

I  saw  several  persons  that  day  from  Clinton  county,  Missouri.     ! 
think  they  were,  and  are  yet,  residents  of  that  county — so  I  under- 
stand.    I  know  they  did  live  there,  but  I  do  not  know  as  they  liv» 
there  now.     I  know  they  did  live  in  Clinton  ;  and  Stettiwerger  said  h<> 
had  come  all  the  way  from  home  to  vote.     I  cannot  state  that  the;; 
were,  from  my  own  knowledge,  citizens  of  Clinton  county  at  that  time' 
but  I  believe  they  were.     I  saw  Mr.  Essig,  Mr.  Stull,  two  Birchess 
Stettiwerger,  Mr.  Payne,  whose  names  I  recollect  ;  but  there  wem 
others  I  cannot  recollect  the  names  of.    They  remarked  to  methatthe^ 
had  a  long  way  to  go  home,  and  had  to  start  early  ;  but  they  did  no 
tell  me  where  their  homes  were.     They  did  not  tell  me  their  homn 
was  not  in  the  9th  district;  for  I  did  not  ask  them  any  more  questions 
I  saw  two  persons  I  had  seen  before  from  Ray  county.     One  was  Majo: 
Oliver,  and  the  other  George  Carson.     There  were  others  from  tha 
county,  but  I  do  not  recollect  their  names.     I  think  Carson  was  living 
in  Ray  county  at  that  time.     I  cannot  state  that  the  others,  whosn 
names  I  do  not  recollect,  did  live  in  Ray  county,  except  that  the>> 
told  me  they  lived  in  that  county.     I  do  not  remember  the  names  o  i 
any   more   there   from   Clay  county.      I   cannot   state  the  name  o 
any  one  from  Clay  county,  that  I  knew,  from  my  own  knowledge  j 
lived  there  at  that  time.      I  live  about  a  mile  from   the  place  o 
election,  on  the  military  road  towards  Kickapoo.     I  saw  some  wagonn 
camped  about  the  polls  the  evening  before  the  election.     They  returnee* 
the  next  day.     There  were  from  five  to  ten  wagons  there.     I  coulu 
see  them  from  my  door.     I  should  say  there  were  at  least  five  wagonn 
there.     I  think  they  were  generally  two-horse  wagons.     There  mighi 
have  been  four  horses  to  some  wagons,  but  I  do  not  recollect  particu-i 
larly  about  that.     I  think  the  same  wagons  camped  there  the  nigh'i 
before  the  election  returned  the  next  day.     Some  of  those  wagons  wem 
from  Ray  county,  as  some  of  the  men  told  me  so.     They  were  from  Ray) 
as  they  said.     I  would  not  state  positively  the  other  wagons  were  not* 
from  Kickapoo.    I  think  very  likely  there  were  some  wagons  from  Kick-i 
apoo.     My  acquaintance  in  the  district  was  limited,  and  is  yet.    There 
were  undoubtedly  many  resident  voters  in  the  district  at  that  time  I  did 
not  know.     I  could  not  say  a  large  number  of  those  who  had  badges 
were  resident  voters.     Some  of  the  residents  I  know  did  wear  badges; 

Question.  Might  there  not  have  been  many  persons  there  with  hemp 
badges,  who  were  resident  voters  of  the  district,  whom  you  did  not 
know? 

[The  question  in  that  form  was  overruled  by  the  committee.  Mr.r 
Grover  insisted  upon  the  question  in  that  form.] 

I  do  not  think  I  was  acquainted  with  one-half  of  the  legal  voters  in 
that  district  at  that  time.  I  know  that  many  who  wore  hemp  badges 
were  resident  voters,  and  some  were  not.  I  could  not  tell  how  many 
men  with  badges  were  not  residents.  I  think  a  large  majority  of 
the  men  there  that  day  were  from  Missouri.  I  judged  so  by  the  wayi 
they  came — like  men  got  up  for  a  hunting  spree,  or  something  of  the 
kind.  A  great  many  I  knew  ;  a  great  many  came  in  wagons,  with 
their  provisions.  They  told  me  that  they  came  into  the  Territory, 
some  on  the  day  of  election,,  and  some  the  evening  before.  George 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1137 

Carson,  a  particular  friend  of  mine,  staid  all  night  with  me,  and  told 
me  a  good  deal  about  it.  He  said  they  were  at  very  considerable  ex- 
pense in  fitting  out.  The  ground  they  took  was,  that  the  extraordi- 
nary efforts  made  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Societies  to  abolitionize  the 
Territory,  justified  the  part  the  Missourians  took  in  that  election. 

[Mr.  G-rover  objected  to  the  declaration  of  Mr.  Carson,  as  being 
only  hearsay  evidence.  The  objection  was  overruled  ;  Mr.  Oliver 
dissenting.] 

I  believe  it  was  the  all-absorbing  topic  here  at  that  time  that  the 
cause  of  the  excitement  here  was  the  extraordinary  efforts  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Society  of  Massachusetts  to  send  emigrants  here.  I 
do  not  think  Mr.  Cabbot  was  a  citizen  of  the  Territory  at  that  time  ; 
if  he  was,  I  had  no  knowledge  of  it.  He  might  have  been  a  citizen  of 
the  9th  council  district  and  I  not  know  it.  I  think  that  Lewis 
Cahent  was  a  citizen  of  Missouri  at  that  time.  He  might  have  been 
a  citizen  of  the  9th  council  district  and  I  not  have  known  it ;  but  I  do 
not  believe  it.  Wilson  J.  Alexander,  I  believe,,  was  living  at  latan, 
Platte  county,  Missouri,  at  that  time,  as  he  had  a  store  and  was 
selling  goods  there. 

Question.  Do  you  know  that  Alexander  was  living  in  latan  on  the 
day  of  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855  ? 

Answer.  He  was  a  citizen  of  latan  at  that  time. 

Mr.  Green  was  like  the  others,  he  lived  in  Platte  county  before  the 
election.  I  believe  he  was  a  resident  there  at  that  time.  According 
to  my  last  information,  he  was  a  citizen  at  that  time  of  Platte  county, 
and  so  it  was  with  all  the  rest  of  the  names  I  have  given  as  from 
Platte  county.  I  do  not  know  of  any  free-State  candidates  in  the 
field  on  that  day.  I  know  nothing  about  the  majority  of  the  pro- 
slavery  party  in  that  district.  I  went  home  from  the  polls  to  dinner  ; 
went  back  again,  and  remained  there  till  about  sundown.  I  saw  no 
one  prevented  from  voting,  for  there  was  only  one  side. 

To  Mr.  Moore : 

From  this  information  I  got  from  the  parties  themselves,  and  from 
what  I  knew  of  them  before,  I  believed  the  persons  I  have  mentioned 
to  be  from  Clay,  Ray,  Clinton,  and  Platte  counties,  Missouri.  They 
were  my  old  acquaintances,  and  I  would  ask  them  how  the  folks  were 
in  Clinton  county,  and  so  with  regard  to  the  others.  I  do  not  know 
that  I  saw  any  persons  at  that  election  sent  out  by  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Society  ;  if  they  were,  I  did  not  know  them. 

D.  HOLLADAY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


FRANCIS  M.  POTTER  testifies : 
I  was  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  at  Hayes's,  but 
id  not  vote  there.     I  was  from  Missouri ;  James  Ellison,  from  Buch- 
lan  county;  Benjamin  Werner,  who  lives  near  the   line   between 
ichanan    and  Platte   counties,   and   Major  Oliver,  of  Ray  county, 
was  just  tolerably  well  acquainted  in  the  district  at  that  time. 
H.  RCD.  200 72* 


1138  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

do  not  suppose  I  knew  a  majority ;  I  may  have  known  one-third  of 
those  in  the  district,  but  I  could  not  he  certain.  I  was  mostly 
acquainted  at  Mount  Pleasant,  in  the  western  part  of  the  district. 
Hayes's  is  on  the  Fort  Laramie  road,  above  Kickapoo.  I  think  there 
was  a  larger  crowd  then  than  at  the  election  of  the  fall  before.  I 
left  early  in  the  afternoon.  There  were  some  speeches  made  then. 
I  do  not  recollect  that  I  heard  much  said  about  voting.  They  formed 
lines  ten  or  fifteen  paces  long,  and  went  up  to  vote.  I  was  among, 
the  crowd  considerably  while  I  was  there.  I  would  not  suppose  that 
more  than  two-thirds  of  the  persons  there  were  residents,  from  their 
appearance  and  my  knowledge  of  the  district.  I  left  early  in  the? 
afternoon. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Grover: 

I  believe  that  James  Ellison  and  Benjamin  Yocum  had  homes  inn 
Missouri  at  that  time,  and  have  yet.  I  did  not  see  either  of  them 
rote  that  day.  I  do  not  know  a  great  many  men  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Kickapoo,  though  I  have  been  there.  I  do  not  know  that  I  knowv 
the  names  of  six  men  I  know  to  live  in  Kickapoo.  I  know  a  gentle- 
man of  the  name  of  Hayes,  who  lives  in  Kickapoo.  I  do  not  recollect 
the  names  of  any  others,  unless  it  is  some  of  the  Isaacs,  who  live 
near  there.  Enoch  Isaac  is  one  of  them.  Those  are  all  I  can  recol-i 
lect  of,  that  I  know.  I  am  not  well  acquainted  in  that  portion  of  ih^ 
district,  and  know  very  few  persons  about  and  above  Kickapoo.  I  do 
not  know  that  I  know  any  men  who  live  in  Salt  Creek  valley.  It  i&i 
tolerably  thickly  settled.  No  person  was  prohibited  from  voting  on 
the  day  of  election  at  Hayes's.  It  was  not  that  I  was  afraid,  that  j 
did  not  vote ;  I  was  dissatisfied  that  Kellogg  withdrew,  and  think  ] 
should  have  voted  for  him  if  he  had  run.  I  had  known  him  some*- 
time,  and  knew  him  to  be  a  good  man,  and  thought  we  ought  to  have 
had  some  one  from  the  western  part  of  the  district  to  represent  us,- 
Kellogg  stated,  when  he  withdrew,  that  he  was  a  Cass  man.  I  sup, 
pose  he  was  a  pro-slaver v  man. 

F.  M.  POTTER. 

LEAVENWORTH,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


[See  0.  H.  Brewster,  page  382.] 

Affidavit. 

RICHMOND,  Mo.,  June  13,  1856. 

As  an  act  of  justice  to  Major  Oliver,  the  representative  in  Congress 
from  this  district,  we  state  that  we  were  at  Lexington  at  the  pro- 
slavery  convention,  in  July  last — the  same  at  which  Samuel  A.  Young; 
of  Boone,  and  President  Shannon,  of  the  State  University,  made 
speeches.  We  heard  the  reply  of  Major  Oliver  to  the  speech  of  Mr. 
Young.  The  speech  of  Samuel  A.  Young  was  of  a  very  rabid  pro- 
slavery  cast,  and  perfectly  revolutionary  in  its  character ;  so  mucb 
so,  that  we  were  well  satisfied  that  it  met  with  but  little  sympathy 
from  the  convention. 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1139 

The  speech,  of  Major  Oliver  was,  in  no  measured  terms,  condemna- 
tory of  the  speech  and  sentiments  uttered  by  Samuel  A.  Young.  He 
spoke  of  the  course  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  as  having  given  rise 
to  the  excitement  in  Missouri,  and  deprecated,  in  strong  terms,  the 
course  and  conduct  of  the  society.  Major  Oliver  did  not  say,  in  his 
speech,  that  he  had  been  to  Kansas  and  had  voted,  nor  anything  to 
that  effect.  In  fact,  to  have  said  so,  would  have  been  to  assert  what 
hundreds  in  Missouri  knew  to  be  false.  We  were  not  in  Kansas  at 
any  of  the  elections,  but  have  always  understood,  from  Major  Oliver 
and  other  gentlemen  of  undoubted  veracity,  that  he  not  only  did  not 
vote  at  the  election  in  Kansas  at  which  he  was,  but  that  in  a  speech 
he  advised  Missourians  who  were  there  not  to  vote ;  in  fact,  it  is  well 
understood  that,  by  the  temperate  tone  and  moderation  inculcated  by 
his  speech,  he  offended  some  of  his  friends  who  were  present. 

AUSTIN  A.  KING. 

JOSEPH  CHEW. 

GEORGE  J.  WASSON. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  the  undersigned,  clerk  of  the 
county  court  of  Ray  county,  in  the  State  of  Missouri,  on  this  the  nine- 
teenth day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  Richmond,  the  day  and  year 
LL.  s.j  aforesaid. 

JAMES  B.  TURNER,  Clerk. 


[See  0.  H.  Brewster,  page  382.] 

Affidavit. 

I  was  in  Kansas  Territory,'  and  at  Kickapoo  precinct,  on  the  day  of 
the  election  of  members  for  the  legislature  of  that  Territory,  in  A.  D.. 
1855.  I  heard  Major.  Oliver  make  one  or  two  speeches  there  that  day. 
In  those  speeches  he  invited  every  citizen  of  Kansas,  of  whatever  po- 
litical party,  to  exercise  his  privilege  as  such  citizen,  and  vote.  He 
pledged  his  honor  that  they  should  not  be  molested  in  any  way,  ^ or 
insulted.  His  speech  was  union  and  equality  of  rights.  And  Major 
Oliver  endeavored  to  dissuade  Missourians  from  voting,  for  he  came 
to  me  and  told  me  not  to  cast  my  vote,  and  to  dissuade  all  others  that 

could  see.     He  did  not  vote,  to  my  knowledge,  in  the  Territory. 

JOHN  W.  SHOTWELL. 

RICHMOND,  June  19,  1856. 


Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  the  undersigned,  clerk  of  ^ 
ounty  court  of  Ray  county,  in  the  State  of  Missouri,  on  this  nine- 
eenth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
_  -|  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  Richmond,,  this  19th  day  of  June 
L'  S'J  A.  D.  1856. 

JAMES  B.  TURNER,  Clerk, 


1140  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

F.  A.  HART  testifies  : 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

I  was  present  at  an  election  held  on  the  22d  of  May,  1855.  Mr., 
Matthias,  Mr.  Payne,  and  Mr.  McMakin,  were  candidates  for  the; 
House  of  Representatives  on  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  but  I  forget  those 
on  the  other  side.  That  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  George 
Loyaddu.  We  voted  on  the  north  side  of  the  building,  at  the  win- 
dow. Mr.  Lyle  was  in  the  room  of  the  judges,  and  I  think  took  myy 
ticket  when  I  voted  ;  but  I  am  not  positive  in  regard  to  the  judges. 
I  came  in  on  the  day  of  the  election,  about  nine  or  ten  o'clock  in  thei 
morning.  When  I  came  up  I  did  not  see  many  persons  around  the 
polls.  I  noticed  that  the  election  seemed  to  be  going  on  quietly  and 
peaceably.  I  voted  myself,  and  after  voting  was  around  town,  anc 
eventually  was  at  the  west  end  of  the  building,  and  saw  four  or  five 
young  men  there,  who,  from  their  conversation,  I  understood  to  havd 
come  from  Weston  that  morning.  Something  was  also  said  by  then 
about  voting,  and  one  of  them  said  he  had  voted  twice.  I  did  no'' 
know  any  of  the  men,  and  cannot  give  their  names.  Something  wa;.| 
said  about  going  back  to  Weston,  and  one  intimated  that  he  woulc  j 
stop  and  take  dinner  at  the  tavern,  but,  after  consulting,  they  con'l 
eluded  not  to  go  to  the  tavern  for  dinner.  I  left  them  then,  and  I  dd 
not  know  what  became  of  them.  I  think  I  saw  Judge  Almond  here) 
that  day,  and  he  had  a  conversation  with  a  man  in  town  named  How< 
ell,  about  voting.  I  saw  many  here  I  did  not  know,  but  I  cannot  tel 
anything  about  them.  I  saw  no  camps  here,  except  such  as  wern 
usual  here  at  that  time — surveying  parties,  &c.  I  do  not  recollec* 
about  any  other  parties  of  strangers  here  on  that  day. 

To  H.  Miles  Moore: 

I  do  not  remember  at  this  time  of  recognising  any  other  persons  her- 
but  Judge  Almond,  that  I  saw  here  on  the  election  of  30th  of  March 
1855.  There  did  not  seem  to  be  as  many,  not  one-fourth,  on  the  22t 
of  May  as  were  on  the  30th  March.  I  voted  that  day. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

I  saw  no  breach  of  the  peace  on  that  occasion  as  I  now  recollect. 
saw  some  men  with  large  sticks  and  walking-canes,  but  I  saw  no  dis< 
turbance.     I  cannot  say  that  I  saw  any  Missourian  vote  that  day. 
think  there  was  a  free-soil  majority  on  the  22d  of  May  here,  but  tha 
is  my  notion  only.     I  do  not  think  more  than  one-half  of  the  free-soil 
ers  in  the  district  voted  that  day.     I  voted  that  day  myself,  because 
thought  there  was  a  chance  for  my  voting  without  being  insulted,  a 
I  did  not  see  so  many  here  with  hemp  on  them  and  with  arms  as  .• 
saw  on  the  30th  of  March. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

My  means  of  information  touching  the  relative  strength  of  partie 
here,  is  from  the  acquaintance  I  have  through  the  district,  and  I  an 
acquainted  with  more  free-State  men  than  pro-slavery  men  ;  and  nr 
opinion  is,  that  there  was  a  majority  of  free-State  men  here  ;  but  I  d< 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS  1141 

not  pretend  to  say  that  such  was  the  case.  I  am  not  acquainted  with 
all  the  pro-slavery  men  or  all  the  free-State  men  in  the  district.  There 
are  many  men  I  am  not  acquainted  with  ;  but  as  far  as  my  acquaint- 
ance in  the  district  extends,  I  know  more  free-State  than  pro-slavery 
men. 

To  Mr.  Sherman: 

I  believe  the  reason  all  the  free-State  men  did  not  vote,  was  that 
they  anticipated  the  same  thing  as  on  the  30th  of  March  before.  I 
myself  should  not  have  come  in  to  vote,  if  I  had  not  lived  close  to 
town,  and  saw  that  there  was  no  general  movement  like  that  of  the 
30th  of  March.  I  saw  no  great  stir  and  rush  here,  and  therefore  con- 
cluded to  vote.  I  do  not  know  that  anything  was  given  out  in  the 
prints,  or  by  handbills,  or  from  persons  from  Missouri,  that  there  would 
be  any  persons  from  Missouri  over  here  at  that  election. 

To  Mr.  R.  R.  Rees: 

I  have  no  acquaintance  in  the  district  nearer  to  Wyandot  than  in 
the  vicinity  of  Delaware.  I  had  some  acquaintance  out  on  the  Stranger 
creek.  Braden,  who  was  a  free-State  candidate  on  the  30th  of  March 
and  withdrew,  lived  out  there.  I  knew  a  man  by  the  name  of  Sparks 
there,  and  had  some  slight  acquaintance  with  other  men  there,  but  I 
do  not  recollect  their  names.  I  have  been  in  the  Stranger  Creek 
settlement  in  the  fall  of  1854,  but  do  not  know  how  much  the  settle- 
ment had  filled  up  in  May,  1855.  I  was  not  acquainted  on  the 
Stranger,  below  the  mouth  of  Walnut  creek — the  one  that  comes  in  on 
the  other  side — though  I  have  seen  persons  who  were  said  to  live  out 
there.  I  understand  Sparks  to  be  a  free-State  man.  I  cannot  say  that 
I  know  him  to  be  the  most  ultra  free-State  man  in  that  part  of  the 
district.  My  acquaintance  besides  that  was  around  generally  in  town. 
I  was  not  very  well  acquainted  all  round  the  district.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect about  the  free-State  ticket,  though  I  voted  a  free-State  ticket ;  and 
I  am  of  the  impression  that  there  was  a  full  free-State  ticket,  though 
I  do  not  recollect  about  it. 

To  H.  Miles  Moore: 

I  never  lived  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  though  I  have  been  there 
from  a  week  to  ten  days  at  a  time.  I  did  not  know  many  of  the  set- 
tlers here  in  Missouri,  when  I  lived  there. 

To  Mr.  Rees : 

I  could  make  no  accurate  estimate  of  the  number  of  free-State  men 
in  the  district  at  that  time.  But  according  to  the  way  that  the  county 
with  which  I  was  acquainted  was  settled  up,  and  presuming  the  rest 
was  settled  similarly,  I  was  of  the  impression  there  were  about  400  or 
500  legal  voters  in  the  district  at  the  time  of  the  election  ;  and  from  the- 
acquaintance  I  had,  I  judged  that  there  was  a  majority  of  free-State 
men  in  the  district.  I  considered  the  point  here  on  the  river  the 
strongest  pro-slavery  point  in  the  district.  I  cannot  form  any  accurate 
estimate  of  how  many  free-State  men  I  knew.  I  found  a  good  num- 
ber more  free-State  men  than  pro-slavery  men,  but  I  cannot  tell  how 


1142  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

many  I  knew  who  were  free-State  men.  I  cannot  fix  any  probable 
number,  but  I  have  no  doubt  there  was  a  great  many  more  than  10. 
I  have  not  much  doubt  but  I  could  commence  and  count  100,  200,  per- 
haps 300  or  400,  many  of  whom  I  do  not  know  the  names,  as  is  the 
case  on  the  pro-slavery  side. 

F.  A.  HAKT. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  19,  1856. 


D .  HOLLADAY  testifies : 

I  was  at  Mount  Pleasant  at  the  election  of  the  1st  of  October,  1855. 
The  election  was  orderly  and  quiet,  and  there  were  no  non-residents  i 
there  as  far  as  I  know. 

D.  HOLLADAY. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


HARMON  G-.  WEIBLING  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  present  here  in  Leavenworth  City  at  the  congressional  dele-- 
gate  election  of  October  1,  1855.     There  were  persons  here  who  told! 
me  they  were  residents  of  Missouri,  some  of  whom  I  saw  vote.     I  cam 
recollect  but  two  of  their  names  ;  one  was  James  Carr,  of  Clay  county, 
the  other  was  Richard  Garthen  or  Grattan.     I  took  a  memorandum, 
at  the  time,  but  have  lost  it.     I  was  taking  the  census  at  the  time,  and' 
thought  they  were  residents  of  Leavenworth  City,   and   requested  ij 
their  names  as  residents,  and  they  told  me  they  were  residents  on 
Missouri.     I  should  suppose  I  had  the  names  of  ten  or  a  dozen  who" 
voted,  who  told  me  they  were  not  residents,  but  I  cannot  recollects! 
their  names.     I  was  taking  the  census  of  the  city  for  the  purpose  oi\ 
assessing  the  property  here.     Besides  those,  I  do  not  know,  of  my; 
own  knowledge,  that  any  of  these  non-residents  voted.     I  saw  that 
there  were  many  strangers  here.     I  did  not  ask  the  names  of  all,  as 
I  was  authorized  only  to  take  the  census  of  the  citizens  of  the  town.! 
I  have  seen  but  few  of  these  strangers  here  since.     I  reside  in  towni 
here,  and  am  in  business  here.     Our  city  limits  extend  south  one  and 
a  half  mile  from  the  lower  military  reserve  boundary,  and  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  west  from  the  river.     I  do  not  know  how  far  back 
the  township  extends. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

I  have  resided  in  this  city  since  July  last.  I  came  from  Indiana  to 
this  place,  and  from  Louisiana  to  Indiana.  I  was  born  and  raised  in 
Maryland,  going  to  Louisiana  when  I  was  quite  young.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  candidate  or  any  opposition  on  that  day  except  General 
Whitfield.  I  know  of  no  particular  interest  or  excitement  at  that! 
election  until  the  afternoon  of  that  day.  I  saw  two  strangers  go  to 
the  window  with  slips  of  paper  in  their  hands,  which  they  gave 


• 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1143 

but  I  do  not  know  whether  they  were  tickets  or  not.  They  told  me 
they  lived  in  Missouri.  I  presumed  they  knew  my  business.  I  do 
not  know  of  any  about  town  who  played  off  on  me  to  get  rid  of  the 
tax.  I  do  not  know  the  limits  of  the  voting  precinct  here.  I  am 
pretty  generally  acquainted  all  over  the  county.  I  do  not  know 
where  these  strangers  lived,  except  as  they  told  me.  I  asked  the 
gentlemen  for  their  names,  and  they  gave  them  to  me  ;  then  their  ages, 
and  they  gave  them  to  me  ;  and  when  I  asked  their  occupation,  they 
asked  my  object;  and  when  I  told  them,  they  said  they  lived  in  Mis- 
souri. 

To  Mr.  Sherman  : 

There  was  a  number  of  men  in  the  street  boasting  they  were  from 
Missouri  and  had  voted.  I  hardly  know  what  the  excitement  was 
about,  but  they  seemed  to  take  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  in  saying  that 
they  were  from  Missouri,  had  voted,  and  would  continue  to  do  so.  I 
recognised  James  Carr  as  one  of  this  crowd. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  of  a  murder  reported  by  letter  to 
a  Cleveland,  Ohio,  paper — a  reported  murder  of  two  men  and  a  baby 
on  that  day? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  any  such  thing  occurred,  or  that  there 
was  any  foundation  for  it,  so  far  as  I  know. 

H.  G.  WEIBLINQ. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


[Letter  referred  to  in  Nathan  Adams's  deposition,  on  page  840.] 

BOSTON,  August  14,  1854. 

DEAR  SIR  :  By  the  pamphlet  mailed  you,  much  of  the  information 
which  you  desire  can  be  obtained. 

The  next  party  will  leave  here  on  the  29th  instant,  at  a  quarter  past 
two  p.  m.;  they  will  go  via  Buffalo,  Detroit,  Chicago,  Alton,  and  St. 
Louis,  and  will  disembark  at  Kansas  City,  near  the  mouth  of  Kansas 
river.  The  fare  through  will  be  about  f  25  for  first-class  accommoda- 
tions; meals  extra,  which  need  not  cost  on  an  average  more  than  twenty 
cents.  Each  person  is  allowed  100  Ibs.  of  baggage,  and  for  all  excess 
will  be  liable  to  pay  about  $3  per  100  Ibs.  Children  under  three  years 
will  be  taken  free  ;  between  three  and  twelve,  pay  half  price.  No 
pledges  are  required  from  those  who  go  ;  but,  as  our  principles  are 
known,  we  trust  those  who  differ  from  us  will  be  honest  enough  to 
take  some  other  route. 

The  agent  who  located  our  pioneer  party  will  accompany  the  next 
one,  and  furnish  all  requisite  information. 

Yours,  respectfully, 

THOMAS  H.  WEBB, 
Secretary  Emigrant  Aid  Company.     > 
A.  JENNINGS, 

Provincetown,  Mass. 


1144  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

B.  F.  NICHOLSON  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  reside  in  Missouri,  in  Parkville,  Platte  county.     I  went  down  the 
river  on  a  steamboat  last  year,  between  the  1st  and  10th  of  April. 
This  boat  was  named  "  Sam  Cloon."     There  was  about  twenty  per- 
sons got  on  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri.     They  said  they  had  been  up 
in  the  Territory  of  Kansas  for  the  purpose  of  voting,  and  were  brought 
there  by  the  Massachusetts  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  that  itay  were : 
paid  to  come  out  here  by  that  society,  and  promised  two  dollars  a  day 
after  they  got  to  the  city  of  Lawrence.     There  was  a  certain  Mr.  Lin- 
coln who  was  their  leader,   so  they  told  me.     They  cursed  him  for  - 
making  the  speeches  he  did,  and  telling  lies,  and  causing  them  to 
come  out  here  and  robbing  them  of  their  means.     They  said  they  had  I 
joined  the  society,  and  had  come  out  here  and  voted,  and  could  get  no> 
employment,  and  were  destitute  of  all  means.     They  said  the  maim 
object  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  was  to  bring  persons  out  here  who, , 
by  their  votes,  would  make  this  a  free  State.     Mr.  Lincoln  told  me 
this  himself,  as  we  were  in  the  barber's  shop.     He  also  told  me  he- 
was  going  down  to  St.  Louis  to  get  up  some  more  for  the  election  im 
May.    The  elections  in  some  districts  were  ordered  for  the  22d  of  May. 
When  we  had  got  just  below  Booneville  we  took  some  passengers — 
some  30  or  40  more  of  these  men — from  the  El  Paso,  which  had 
sunk.     They  found  Mr.  Lincoln  was  aboard,  and  they  came  up  anc! 
cursed  and  abused  him  for  the  speech  he  had  made  in  Bedford,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  causing  them  to  come  out  here,  where  they  had  been  so  dis- 
appointed.     These  men  from  the  El  Paso   stated  that  they  had  comei 
to  vote,  and  had  voted.     They  said  they  did  not  care  a  damn  whether' 
Kansas  was  a  free  or  a  slave  State  now.     They  did  not  like  to  be* 
chouzelled  out  of  their  means.  They  said  their  expenses  had  been  paid 
out  here  by  the  company,  and  that  they  had  got  a  through  ticket  toi 
Kansas  City,  Missouri.     I  understood  from  them  that  the  Aid  Society^ 
had  dropped  them  after  they  got  them  out  here. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

They  had  some  women  with  them.  One  woman  in  particular  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  those  on  board,  because  her  husband  had  diedi 
near  Lawrence,  and  left  her  with  five  children  and  no  bread,  and 
nothing  to  buy  it  with.  Colonel  Oliver  Anderson  and  myself,  and 
others,  made  her  up  $25  to  take  her  back  to  Massachusetts. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield: 

She  and  her  husband  came  out  with  that  party,  and  none  of  h 
acquaintances  had  any  means  to  assist  her. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

Col.  Oliver  Anderson,  of  Lexington,  Win.  Milton,  of  Parkville, 
myself,  a  lieutenant,  and  others  I  did  not  know,  made  up  some  $25  or 
$30  for  her. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield  : 

These  men  told  me  they  had  been  in  Kansas,  and  had  voted  the  free- 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1145 

State  ticket,  and  were  returning  home.  One  of  them,  particularly, 
wanted  to  sell  me  his  revolver,  as  that  was  all  he  had.  He  said  his 
fare  had  been  paid  to  Kansas,  and  he  had  come  out  here  to  vote  the 
free-State  ticket,  and  had  done  so,  but  he  would  not  come  back  here 
again. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

There  were  about  fifty  of  these  men  in  all  after  they  had  got  off 
the  El  Paso.  I  think  there  were  about  three  families  of  women — two 
women  besides  this  widow  woman.  The  rest  were  generally  single 
and  young  men.  Their  baggage  I  think  was  limited — but  few  trunks, 
generally  carpet-sacks.  The  baggage  was  marked  "  Kansas  emigra- 
tion." I  do  not  recollect  about  seeing  any  names  on  the  baggage  as 
agent.  I  did  not  notice  particularly.  I  resided  at  Parkville  that 
spring.  My  attention  was  called  to  the  character  of  the  emigration  in 
the  early  part  of  that  spring.  My  business  was  near  the  river,  and 
I  generally  went  on  the  boats  as  they  came  along.  The  emigration 
on  the  boats  were  mostly  men,  and,  as  far  as  I  understood,  they  were 
from  Massachusetts  and  the  northern  States.  Along  the  first, 
nearly  every  boat  was  crowded.  Sometimes  I  would  ask  some  of 
those  persons  where  they  were  bound  for,  and  they  said  Kansas.  I 
did  not  ask  what  they  came  for.  Almost  all  the  trunks  and  baggage 
I  noticed,  especially  those  who  got  off  at  our  place,  were  marked 
"  Kansas  emigration."  I  cannot  say  as  I  noticed  any  names  on  the 
baggage  as  agent,  as  I  did  not  take  particular  notice.  The  river  was 
unusually  low  at  that  time,  and  boats  ran  aground  and  had  to  put  off 
their  freight  on  the  banks.  The  rumor  in  Missouri,  in  my  section,  so  far 
as  my  information  extended,  was  general,  that  the  river  was  crowded 
with  eastern  emigrants,  coming  here  to  vote,  to  make  Kansas  a  free 
State  at  the  March  election.  The  people  of  Missouri  were  much  excited 
in  consequence.  The  rumor  was  generally  understood  that  there 
was  an  organization  at  the  north  to  send  out  emigrants  here  to  vote, 
and  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  I  have  seen  persons  who  said  they 
came  out  here  to  vote  ;  they  said  so  not  six  months  ago  ;  that  they 
came  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Aid  Society.  I  do  not  recollect 
that  they  told  me  they  had  voted,  but  that  that  was  their  object — to 
vote  to  make  this  a  free  State.  The  boats  were  unusually  crowded 
with  emigrants  that  spring  ;  more  so  than  I  had  ever  seen  before  since 
1850,  when  the  emigration  went  to  California.  The  Missourians  who 
came  over  here  to  vote,  gave  as  one  of  their  reasons  for  doing  so, 
that  they  desired  to  counteract  the  votes  of  those  they  had  understood 
that  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  sent  out  here  that  season.  So  far 
as  I  understood,  that  was  the  reason  given  by  our  people,  who  were 
considerably  excited,  and  came  over  here  to  vote  to  counteract  that 
effort. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  do  not  recollect  the  names  of  any  of  those  fifty  persons  going 
down  on  the  Sam  Cloon  but  Mr.  Lincoln.  I  only  know  from  what 
they  told  me,  and  the  marks  on  their  baggage,  that  they  had  been 
sent  out  here  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  or  had  ever  been  to 


1146  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Kansas.     I  do  not  know  that  any  of  them  voted  in  Kansas,  except 
what  they  told  me.     Some  four  or  five  or  half  a  dozen  of  them  I 
talked  with,  and  I  suppose  I  heard  a  third,  at  least,  say  they  ha/1 
"been  out  here  to  vote,  and  had  voted.     They  said  they  came  out  under 
the  flattering  prospect  of  receiving  big  wages  at  Lawrence  City,  and 
they  were  mistaken.     They  were  to  get  big  wages  for  working,  and 
the  way  I  understood,  the  pay  for  voting  was  giving  them  a  through- 
ticket.     I  do  not  know  as  that  was  said  by  any  one  ;  but  the  general 
understanding  of  the  crowd  was,  that  they  had  had  a  through-ticket  i 
given  them.     I  do  not  know  that  I  understood  that  this  ticket  was  a , 
donation  or  a  purchase  ;  but  I  did  not  understand  that  they  had  paid : 
their  own  money  for  it.     I  got  the  impression  that  all  had  come  out  thai 
spring.     I  could  not  tell  how  many  boats  came  up  before  the  30th  of' 
March  ;  but  there  was  quite  a  rush  of  boats  that  spring.     I  should 
suppose  over  a  dozen  arrived  by  the  30th  of  March,  1855.     The  boats  : 
got  along  with  considerable  difficulty,  as  the  water  was  low. 

To  Mr.  Whitfield : 

I  had  a  conversation  with  Lincoln,  and  he  seemed  to  be  the  only 
leader  then.     Persons  standing  around  seemed  to  concur  in  what 
others  said  about  the  matter.     There  was  a  man  on  the  boat  who  was  • 
represented  to  be  an  old  sea-captain,  but  1  do  not  recollect  his  name. 
I  had  some  conversation  with  him.     He  said  he  had  come  out  here  • 
with  a  good  deal  of  money,  and  expended  it  all  upon  those  who  had 
been  left  destitute,  after  coming  out  here  under  the  auspices  of  the  • 
Emigrant  Aid  Society.    I  think  he  said  he  had  expended  in  that  way  • 
over  $600.     He  seemed  to  be  quite  a  feeling  old  fellow.     My  under-  • 
standing  was,  that  they  got  a  free  ticket  furnished  by  the  Emigrant  t 
Aid  Society  from  Massachusetts  to  Kansas  City. 

B.  F.  NICHOLSON. 

LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  20,  1856. 


JAMES  HARRIS  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Scott : 

I  reside  upon  Pottawatomie  creek,  in  the  Territory,  when  I  am  at 
home,  and  have  been  there,  with  Henry  Sherman,  for  three  months. 
I  was  hired  there  as  a  hand  on  his  farm,  to  plough,  build  fences,  &c. 

[Mr.  Scott  proposes  to  give  testimony  in  regard  to  outrages  com- 
mitted in  the  Territory  during  the  month  of  May. 

After  discussion,  the  committee  unanimously  resolved  that  no  testi- 
mony with  regard  to  acts  of  violence  committed  since  the  passage  of  I 
the  resolutions  organizing  this  commission  will  be  received,  and  that 
all  testimony  heretofore  admitted,  inadvertently  or  otherwise,  incon-  • 
sistent  with  this  rule,  shall  be  excluded.] 

JAMES  HARRIS. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  6,  1856. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1147 

WILLIAM  G.  MATTHIAS  testifies  : 
To  Mr.  Howard  : 

I  think  there  are  four  or  five  organized  townships  in  our  county, 
Kickapoo,  Leavenworth,  Delaware  or  Wyandot,  probably  both,  and, 
I  think,  one  in  the  back  part  of  the  county.  They  have  separate 
voting  places.  I  cannot  say  what  are  the  sentiments  of  those  who 
live  in  Delaware  township.  I  think  in  the  whole  township  there  are 
probably  two  hundred  votes.  The  township  runs  back  a  good  way, 
and  I  think  the  claims  are  pretty  generally  taken  up. 

WM.  G.  MATTHIAS. 

WESTPORT,  Mo.,  June  6,  1856. 


JOSIAH  ELLIOTT  called  and  sworn. 

I  was  starting  out  across  Stranger  creek,  and  met  a  company  of 
ten  or  twelve  men  in  Salt  Creek  valley,  the  day  that  Brown  was  ar- 
rested, near  Easton.  I  inquired  of  some  I  knew  where  they  were  go- 
ing. They  said  they  were  going  to  Easton  to  see  about  the  shooting 
of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Cook,  who  had  been  shot  the  night  before  by 
a  party  holding  an  election.  We  went  on  a  mile  or  so,  and  stopped 
as  if  to  wait  for  others  to  come  up.  Shortly  afterwards  I  heard  Capt. 
Martin  lecture  his  men  that  he  wanted  them  to  keep  peaceable  ;  that 
he  did  not  want  them  to  have  any  fuss.  Soon  after  they  were  making 
ready  to  start — some  in  wagons,  some  walking.  I  recollect  seeing 
some  four  or  five  men  starting  ahead  afoot.  They  were  gone  a  little 
while,  and  about  the  time  the  balance  was  nearly  ready  to  start,  we 
saw  a  wagon  coming  from  the  direction  of  Easton.  One  or  two  from 
that  wagon  were  walking  ahead,  and  the  balance  seemed  to  be  walk- 
ing behind.  Those  who  went  off  came  up,  and  told  the  crowd  that 
these  men  in  the  wagon  had  been  at  Easton.  The  company  I  was 
with  then  stopped  those  in  the  wagon,  and  inquired  of  them  what 
was  going  on  at  Easton.  They  denied  knowing  anything  at  all  about 
what  had  been  going  on  at  Easton.  Some  one  recognised  Brown,  who 
was  rather  a  noted  or  influential  man  among  them.  I  think  it  was 
Dr.  Molton  who  recognised  Brown.  The  question  then  got  up,  what 
should  be  done  with  them?  Captain  Martin  said  we  would  arrest 
them,  and  take  them  back  and  see  what  had  been  done  about  the  shoot- 
ing of  Cook.  The  prevailing  rumor  was  that  Brown  was  an  accessary 
to  the  shooting  of  Cook.  Captain  Martin  demanded  their  arms — 
probably  they  offered  them  without  a  demand.  They  went  back.  Two 
of  our  men  got  into  the  wagon  with  them  to  protect  them.  When  we 
got  to  Easton,  as  soon  as  we  got  there  we  found  some  ten  or  twelve 
men  of  the  citizens  around  Easton.  They  appeared  much  enraged 
about  the  shooting  of  Cook,  and  charged  it  on  Brown  ;  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  they  could  be  prevented  by  Captain  Martin,  Mr. 
Grover,  and  several  others  from  shooting  him.  We  took  Brown  and 
the  others  into  the  house,  and  locked  the  door  for  the  purpose  of  keep- 
ing these  others  from  hurting  or  shooting  him.  They  were  put  in  a 
stone  house.  Some  were  then  put  out  to  hunt  up  a  man  by  the  name 


1148  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

of  Sparks,  and  also  Menard,  who  were  said  to  "be  leaders.   They  failed 
to  get  them.     They  found  Menard,  but  could  not  catch  him.     Them 
Capt.  Martin  and  some  other  gentlemen  asked  my  opinion  as  to  whether  • 
we  had  not  better  take  Brown  into  a  separate  room  to  examine  him  as< 
to  his  part  in  the  events  of  the  day  before.     They  did  so,  and  I  and! 
two  others,  called  on  by  Captain  Martin,  went  into  a  room,  and  Brown  > 
came  also.     We  interrogated  him  a  good  deal  about  the  legality  of1 
the  election,  and  what  they  had  done.     He  acknowledged  that  he1 
headed   the  company   when    Cook   was   shot.     We   then   went    outt 
and   held  several  consultations,    as  to   what  should  be    done   withi 
Brown — with   Captain  Martin,    Mr.    Grover,   Mr.   Elliott,  and   Mr., 
Kinby,    and   myself.     We   concluded   that   the  proper   way  was   to 
bring  him  to   Leavenworth,  and  deliver  him  to  the   sheriff  to  be 
dealt  with  according  to  law.     Captain  Martin  then  frequently  ad- 
dressed the  crowd,  telling  them  that  was  the  proper  course  to  pursue 
towards  Brown.     At  this  time  the  crowd  had  largely  increased.     Mr. 
Dunn,  from  Leavenworth,  and  others  from  various  places,  had  come 
up.     Captain  Martin  made  exertions  and  got  the  balance  of  Brown's 
company  away  without  the  knowledge  of  the  crowd,  who  were  watch- 
ing Brown,  and  he  made  every  exertion  to  prevent  violence  being  done 
to  Brown.    He  prayed  and  begged  them  to  stop,  and  then  cursed  themi 
awhile  for  damned  fools,  and  said  that  he  could  do  nothing  with  them, 
and  could  not  control  them.     Not  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  then  < 
crowd  had  come  from  Kickapoo,  and  I  know  but  one  man  from  there- 
who  seemed  to  be  unmanageable.     It  went  on  towards  evening,  and! 
Captain  Martin's  object  seemed  to  be  to  get  the  excited  crowd  away* 
from  Easton.     They  had  got  some  liquor,  and  towards  evening  got' 
more  infuriated.     At  this  time,  Captain  Martin,  Mr.  Grover,  my  son,, 
and  myself,  and  perhaps  one  or  two  others,  were  in  the  room  with; 
Brown,  and  remained  there  to  protect  him  from  the  fury  of  the  crowd. 
They  frequently  came  to  the  window  to  shoot  him,  and  some  of  us* 
would  stand  there  to  prevent  it.     During  the  time  Captain  Martin  • 
would  see  some  of  the  sober  ones,  and  try  and  get  them  to  get  wagons  < 
and  get  the  drunken  men  in  the  crowd  off.     Late  in  the  evening  they* 
broke  into  the  house,  while  Captain  Martin,  my  son,  and  myself,  and; 
some  others  were  there  with  Brown.     The  others  who  were  with  me^ 
in  the  house  got  the  crowd  out  by  pushing  them  back  and  closing  the* 
door.     I  then  got  out,  but  before  leaving  advised  Captain  Martin  to< 
leave  the  house,  or  we  would  be  shot  by  the  drunken  fools.    We  again 
told  them  that  we  would  tie  Brown  and  take  him  to  Leavenworth, 
and  said  so  to  convince  the  crowd  that  Brown  could  not  escape.    Cap- 
tain Martin  came  out  shortly  afterwards,  and  told  the  crowd  that  they' 
must  desist ;  that  it  would  not  do  to  kill  Brown  ;  and  when  they  spoke  < 
of  doing  it,  he  condemned  it  in  strong  language,  and  said  it  would  be; 
a  cowardly  act.     About  sundown  Captain  Martin  said  to  my  son  that : 
he  would  not  stay  there  longer  ;  that  he  could  not  protect  Brown  fur- 
ther, as  the  crowd  would  kill  him  or  Brown,  and  maybe  both,  and  he 
would  not  remain  there  to  see  it.     He  said  he  could  do  no  more,  and 
had  done  all  he  could  to  control  them,  and  he  would  never  go  with  a  > 
party  again  which  he  could  not  control,  and  then  he  left.    Before  this 
time  Grover  had  left.     When  Martin  left,  my  son  and  I  got  on  our 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1149 

horses,  and  were  about  leaving.  I  spoke  to  Mr.  Burgess,  and  urged 
him  to  take  Brown  to  Leavenworth  to  take  his  trial,  and  he  said  he 
would  try  and  make  the  crowd  do  it,  and  the  matter  was  left  in  his 
care.  At  this  time,  nearly  all  of  those  from  Kickapoo  had  left ;  per- 
haps some  two  or  three  drunken  men  remained  ;  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
still  remained.  They  were  mostly  those  whom  we  met  at  Easton. 
Just  about  the  time  I  was  riding  off,  they  broke  in  the  door  again,  or 
tore  it  down,  and  I  saw  them  bring  Brown  out.  I  heard  some  one 
say  if  Brown  would  fight  him  they  would  set  him  at  liberty.  Another 
said  that  Brown  said  he  would  do  it.  They  went  out  about  thirty  or 
forty  steps  across  the  road ;  some  six  or  eight  or  ten  followed  them, 
and  surrounded  them,  and  partially  hid  them  from  me.  I  saw  them 
striking  at  each  other  with  their  fists.  Directly  they  said  Brown  had 
enough,  and  I  saw  him  walk  out  of  the  crowd,  and  his  face  seemed 
bloody,  but  I  saw  no  serious  wound.  I  heard  Burgess  say  "  for  God's 
sake,  boys,  let  us  put  him  in  a  wagon  and  take  him  to  Leavenworth." 
Others  said  let  him  run  ;  and  others  said,  if  he  did  he  would  be  shot. 
He  did  break  and  run,  and  some  one  followed  him  and  caught  him 
and  brought  him  back.  Then  he  was  put  into  the  wagon  with  some 
five  or  six,  and  started  in  the  wagon  towards  Leavenworth.  I  saw 
Brown  no  more.  I  knew  Gibson  afterwards  ;  he  was  the  man  who, 
as  I  understood,  fought  Brown  a  fist-fight.  I  don't  remember  whether 
he  went  with  the  wagon  or  not.  Captain  Martin  and  the  Kickapoo 
Kangers  were  not  there  as  an  organized  body. 

JOSIAH  ELLIOTT. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  Hay  21,  1856. 


1150  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

APPENDIX  TO  MINOK1TY  KEPORT. 

DANIEL  MACE  called  and  sworn. 

To  Mr.  Oliver : 

Immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act,  I,  togetherr 
with  a  number  of  others,  who  were  members  of  Congress  and  senators,, 
believing  that  the  tendency  of  that  act  would  be  to  make  Kansas  a  slave- 
State,  in  order  to  prevent  it,  formed  an  association  here  in  Washing- 
ton, called,  if  I  recollect  aright,  "  The  Kansas  Aid  Society."     I  do 
not  remember  all  who  became  members  of  that  society,  but  quite  a* 
number  of  members  who  were  opposed  to  slavery  in  Kansas,,  of  the 
lower  House,  and  also  of  the  Senate,  became  members  of  it,  and  sub- 
scribed various  sums  of  money.     I  think  I  subscribed  either  $50  orr 
$100  ;  I  am  not  now  prepared  to  say  which. 

We  issued  a  circular  to  the  people  of  the  country,  of  the  northern; 
States  particularly,  in  which  we  set  forth  what  we  believed  were  the 
dangers  of  making  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  urged  that  steps  bee! 
taken  to  induce  persons  from  the  north,  who  were  opposed  to  slavery,  j 
to  go  there  and  prevent  its  introduction,  if  possible.  We  sent  a  great i 
many  circulars  to  various  parts  of  the  United  States,  with  that  object, , 
and  also  communications  of  Various  kinds.  I  do  not  now  remember  r 
what  they  were.  The  object  was  to  have  persons  induced  to  go  fan 
Kansas  who  would  make  that  their  home,  and  who  would,  at  all! 
elections,  vote  against  the  institution  of  slavery. 

I  think  Mr.  Goodrich,  of  Massachusetts,  was  the  president  of  thei 
society.     I  am  not  certain  about  the  vice-presidents  ;  probably  Mr. 
Fenton,  of  New  York,  and  myself,  were  vice-presidents.     The  names - 
of  the  president  and  vice-presidents  were  attached  to  our  circulars  * 
which  we  sent  throughout  the  country. 

My  recollection  is,  that  generally,  those  members  of  the  House  and  i 
Senate  who  were  opposed  to  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act  became  mem-  - 
bers  of  this  society,  and  contributed  to  it. 

The  leading  primary  object  of  the  association  was,  to  prevent  the » 
introduction  of  slavery  into  Kansas,  as  I  stated  during  the  short  ses-  - 
sion  of  Congress,  in  answer  to  a  question  propounded  to  me  by  your-  - 
self,  I  believe.  We  believed  that  unless  vigorous  steps  of  that  kind  i 
were  taken,  Kansas  would  become  a  slave  State.  I  do  not  remember  r 
the  caption  of  the  subscription  paper.  I  think  no  other  object  was  u 
mentioned  or  specified,  except  the  prevention  of  slavery  in  Kansas. 
I  think  that  was  the  sole  object  of  the  movement. 

I  do  not  recollect  whether  Mr.  Speaker  Banks  was  a  member  of  that 
society  or  not,  or  whether  Senator  Seward  was  or  not.     Mr.   Good- 
rich kept  the  books.     My  impression  is,  that  a  majority  of  those  who  • 
voted  against  the  bill  were  members  of  that  organization.     I  do  not  t 
remember  the  total  amount  of  money  raised  by  means  of  that  organi- 
zation.    We  had  a  room  here,  and  employed  a  secretary,  and  conse- 
quently had  expenses  to  pay.     I  do  not  know  the  amount  raised, 
think  there  were  persons,  members  of  that  association,  who  were  not  i 
members  of  either  house  of  Congress.     Mr.  Latham  was  appointed  ; 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1151 

treasurer,  but  declined  ;  and  my  impression  is  that  Mr.  Blair  became 
the  treasurer  ;  but  I  may  be  mistaken  about  that. 

DAN'L  MACE. 
WASHINGTON  CITY,  July+1,  1856. 


Protest  of  General  Whitfield. 

The  counsel  for  J.  W.  Whitfield  having,  at  Leavenworth  city, 
offered  in  evidence  before  the  committee  two  letters  written  by 
A.  H.  Reeder — the  one  dated  Washington,  January  20,  1856  ;  the 
other  dated  Washington,  February  12,  1856 — before  offering  the  said 
letters,  their  authenticity,  both  as  to  the  signature  and  hand-writing 
in  the  body  of  said  letters,  was  proved  to  be  the  proper  hand- writing 
and  signature  of  A.  H.  Reeder,  and  of  which  facts  the  committee 
were  satisfied ;  but  a  majority  of  the  committee,  Messrs.  Howard 
and  Sherman,  not  being  satisfied,  at  the  time,  of  the  propriety  of  the 
admission  of  such  evidence,  took  the  matter  under  consideration;  and 
now,  at  this  day,  at  the  sitting  of  the  committee  at  Westport,  the 
question  of  the  admission  of  said  letters  as  evidence  came  up  for  con- 
sideration and  decision,  and  a  majority  of  the  committee,  Messrs. 
Howard  and  Sherman,  (Mr.  Oliver  dissenting) ,  decline  to  receive  said 
letters  in  evidence,  and  to  be  engrafted  into  and  to  constitute  a  por- 
tion of  the  evidence  taken  by  the  committee  in  their  investigations, 
upon  the  ground  that  they,  the  committee,  have  not  the  rightful 
possession  of  them,  they  having  been  found  in  the  street,  and  being 
clearly  private  letters,  or  so  declared  to  be  by  the  majority  of  said 
committee.  The  said  majority  of  the  committee  take  no  objection  to 
the  relevancy  or  competency  of  said  letters  as  evidence,  but  place  their 
objections  solely  upon  the  grounds  above  stated,  not  denying  that  said 
letters  might  be  evidence  against  said  A.  H.  Reeder  in  a  criminal 
prosecution.  The  committee  admit  that  the  copies  of  said  letters, 
furnished  to  the  committee  for  the  purpose  of  having  them  transcribed 
into  the  evidence,  are  true  and  genuine  copies  of  the  originals  offered 
in  evidence,  and  which  said  copies  are  hereto  appended,  marked  (A) 
and  (B),  and  made  part  of  this  protest. 

The  counsel  for  J.  W.  Whitfield,  and  on  behalf  of  the  law  and  order 
party  in  Kansas  Territory,  offer  said  letters  in  evidence  for  the  double 
purpose  of  showing  the  opinions  and  admissions  of  A.  H.  Reeder  in 
reference  to  the  matters  and  subjects  connected  with  the  elections  of 
the  30th  of  March,  1855,  in  the  Territory,  and  the  contest  now  pend- 
ing between  Whitfield  and  Reeder  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
as  well  as  to  show  the  complicity  of  A.  H.  Reeder  in  all  the  troubles 
which  have  led  to  bloodshed  and  civil  war  in  the  Territory. 

To  the  refusal  of  the  majority  of  said  committee  to  receive  said 
letters  in  evidence,  Mr.  Oliver  enters  his  protest ;  and  also  the  said 
John  W.  Whitfield,  by  his  attorney,  protests  against  the  action  of  a 
majority  of  the  committee  in  refusing  the  admission  of  said  letters  in 
evidence,  as  depriving  him  of  his  just  rights  in  the  investigation 


1152  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

before  the  committee,  and  in  showing  to  the  country  the  true  ground1 
and  source  of  all  the  difficulties  in  Kansas  Territory. 

J.  W.  WHITFIELD. 
By  Ms  Attorneys, 

AUSTIN  A.  KING. 
JOHN  SCOTT. 
WESTPORT,  MISSOURI,  June  7,  1856. 

The  above  protest  was  this  day  presented,  and  the  accompanying 
copies  of  letters  marked  by  me  "  Exhibit  A  accompanying  protest/ 
and  " Exhibit  B  with  protest/' 

WM.  A.  HOWARD, 
Chairman  Kansas  Committee. 
WESTPORT,  June  7,  1856. 


Exhibit  (A)  accompanying  protest. —  Wm.  A.  Howard,,  Chairman. 

WASHINGTON,  January  20,  1856. 

vt* 


MY  DEAR  SIR  :  Since  writing  you  a  week  ago,  (January  14,)  I 
received  your  letter  of  December  23,  which  you  say  you  sent  bjj 
Schuyler.  That  of  December  29  I  had  received  before,  and  acknow^l 
ledged.  I  keep  sending  you  papers,  which  I  suppose  you  received 
This  morning  I  saw  Johnson  and  Parrot,  who  arrived  last  night  jus* 
in  time,  as  we  had,  through  the  night,  a  deep  snow,  which  will  again 
block  up  the  roads,  I  have  no  doubt.  Phillips,  of  Leavenworth,  alsH 
arrived  here  on  Friday  evening.  The  House  is  still  at  the  old  deadi 
lock  for  Speaker.  Cobb,  of  Georgia,  declared  in  the  House,  that  tine 
Democrats  will  not  vote  for  the  plurality  rule  until  Banks  is  with- 
drawn. The  Republicans  had  a  caucus  on  that  same  evening,  and  ren 
nominated  Banks,  and  declared  that  they  will  not  withdraw  him.  A 
resolution  is  now  adopted  that  all  debate  and  personal  explanation 
shall  be  out  of  order,  and  that  the  balloting  shall  be  the  only  busi< 
ness  done.  We  will  see  what  that  will  bring  forth.  My  own  opinion 
is,  that  it  has  come  to  the  alternative  of  a  plurality  rule  or  no  organi- 
zation, and  the  Democrats  must  come  to  the  plurality  rule  at  last.  ] 
am  still  much  vexed  and  worried  that  returns  of  our  election  and  the 
certified  copies  from  Woodson  are  not  here.  I  cannot  imagine  why 
the  returns,  which  are  the  most  important  of  all,  were  not  sent,  as  i1i| 
was  so  distinctly  understood  ;  and  Coates  says  that  Lane  and  Gooder  ;j 
told  him  they  were  in  the  bundle.  I  have  written  Pomeroy  to  send.! 
if  possible,  a  special  messenger  to  Kansas  for  them  at  my  expense/ 
It  is  unpardonable  that  they  were  neglected  ;  and  if  they  do  not  come 
in  time,  we  shall  present  a  bright  spectacle  before  the  Union.  Som€» 
one  sent  rne  a  copy  of  the  Herald  of  Freedom,  of  December  22,  fromj 
which  I  see  that  Brown  (probably  because  there  are  no  externalij 
enemies  to  fight)  is  assailing  the  projectors  and  former  citizens  oi\ 
Pawnee.  This  is  very  opportune  at  this  time,  when  I  am  charging) 
the  administration  and  Gen.  Davis  with  destroying  and  crushing  out  aj 
free-State  town  and  settlement,  and  with  persecution  of  Col.  Mont- 


KANSAS  AFFAIRS.  1153 

gomery  by  court-martial  and  dismissal.  Gen.  Davis  and  Pierce  will 
be  very  much  obliged  to  him  if  they  should  see  the  article,  and  will 
probably  have  it  republished  in  the  "Union ; "  whilst  the  most  we  can 
hope  for  our  despondent  free-State  settlers  in  the  neighborhood  who 
have  had  their  society  and  neighbors  driven  off,  most  of  them  back  to 
the  States,  by  the  atrocious  destruction  of  the  town  at  the  instance  of 
Atcliison,  is,  that  they  may  never  see  the  article.  You  speak  of  my 
coming  to  Kansas  when  the  legislature  meets.  It  is  impossible.  I 
cannot  leave  my  post  here  without  being  faithless  to  my  trust.  If  the 
people  of  Kansas  cannot  appreciate  my  fidelity  to  them  without  being 
constantly  reminded  of  it,  I  cannot  help  it.  I  refused  to  leave  here, 
although  importuned  to  come  to  Philadelphia  at  supreme  court  and 
earn  $500  or  $600  ;  my  business  suffering  at  home,  deprived  of  the 
society  of  my  family,  whom  I  could  not  bring  here,  except  at  a  ruin- 
ous rate.  Had  I  refused  their  nomination,  and  gone  to  Pennsylvania 
in  September,  or  had  I  sold  the  free-State  party  out  to  the  Missourians,  or 
to  Pierce,  I  might  have  promoted  my  interest  at  least.  If  they  do  not 
want  my  services  and  sacrifices,  Pennsylvania  has  still  room  enough 
for  me.  I  shall  only  be  sincerely  sorry  for  the  good  men  and  true 
among  them  who  shall  be  overpowered  by  the  selfish  and  the  corrupt. 
But  I  have  faith  in  them  still,  and  that  they  will  not  allow  an  absence, 
caused  only  by  devotion  to  their  interests,  to  operate  to  my  prejudice.. 
You  speak  of  your  probably  coming  on  here  in  February,  as  the  legis-, 
lature  meets  in  March.  I  do  not  see  how  you  can  do  this,  in  case  you 
are  elected  ;  nor  do  I  now  see  how  you  are  to  get  your  case  into  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  except  by  writ  of  error,  and  that 
can  only  be  after  judgment  and  at  a  great  expense  ;  nor  do  I  see  how 
you  can  raise,  in  the  Supreme  Court,  any  point  as  to  the  validity  of 
the  laws,  except  the  one  of  their  removal  to  the  Mission.  I  havey 
however,  not  examined  the  case  ;  still,  I  should  think  that  a  few  free- 
State  men  on  the  jury  would  be  a  surer  reliance  than  the  Supreme 
Court.  I  should  hesitate  long  before  spending  much  money  on  the 
latter.  I  note  what  you  say  about  Lane.  It  is  all  very  well ;  but  it 
is  a  good  rule  never  to  make  an  enemy  unnecessarily,  or  to  aggravate 
one  without  cause.  Why  not  continue  to  correspond  for  the  "Post" 
or  some  other  paper  ? 

Remember  me  kindly  to  Robinson  and  Conway,  and  other  fnenttfc. 
Latta  is  also  here. 

Yours,  truly, 

A.  H.  REEDER. 


Exhibit  (B)  with  protest. 

WASHINGTON,  February  12,  1856. 
DEAR  GROVE  :  Since  my  last,  dated  the  27th  January,  I  have  yours 
of  January  14th,  22d,  and  30th.     The  last  I  received  this  morning 
from  Jo.  Laubach.     It  came  very  opportunely  to  enable  me   to  state 
Woodson's  refusal  in  the  memorial  I  am  about  to  present  to  the 
House,  contesting  the  seat.     I  am  only  waiting  for  Banks  to  appoint 
the  committees,  and  he  is  waiting  for  the  election  of  a  printer.     I 
H.  Rep.  200 73* 


1154  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


have  not  been  away  from  here  since  the  day  I  came  on,. although  Ii 
have  suffered  severely  by  staying.     I  dare  not  leave  until  I  can  make 
an  application  to  the  committee  to  have  the  case  delayed  until  I  cam 
send  for  persons  and  papers  to  the  Territory.     I  will  also  endeavor  to  > 
have  the  Committee  on  Territories  send  for  persons  and  papers,  and! 
report  a  history  of  the  whole  Kansas  difficulties,  ab  initio.     This  willi 
probably  bring  you  along,  as  I  shall  have  the  selection  of  the  men  to> 
be  sent  for,  in  a  great  measure.     Whit  field  claims,  I  am  told,  to  have;1 
received  2,900  votes  ;  and  I  have  no  doubt,  when  we  come  to  see  hiss 
hand,  he  will  show  the  papers  for  more  than  ours.     I  should  not  atl 
all  wonder  if  he  has  a  return  from  Arapohoe  county,  (Tibbat's  place;)) 
and  if  so,  they  can  make  that  as  large  as  they  please.     I  have   hadi 
men  to  talk  to  him,  but  all  I  can  learn  is  that  he  claims  the  2,900.'. 
He  gives  no  particulars,  but  talks  in  a  very  confident,  bluffing,  brag- 
gart style  of  getting  his  seat.     Our  cause  will  be  lost  unless  we  can 
reduce  his  vote,  so  as  to  show  more  votes  for  me.     I  wrote  General) 
Robinson  on  this  subject,  and  hope  he  has  the  letter.     I  have  written; 
him  three  times  since  I  am  here,  but  I  have  no  letter  from  him.     I  exv 
pect  to  have  a  man  sent  out  to  the  Territory  for  witnesses,  at  least  for  thetj 
Election  Committee,  soon.     I  cannot  tell  what  will  be  result  as  to  ounj 
admission.     If  I  get  my  seat,  I  shall  press  it  hard,  and  we  will  gef1 
some  votes  in  the  Senate  which  we  do  not  expect.     If  I  lose  my  seatt 
there  is  no  chance  for  admission.     Let  my  name  go  before  the  legis-,s 
lature,  and  if  the  party  will  then  say  they  do  not  need  my  services ? 
well  and  good.    I  shall  be  honorably  relieved  of  labor,  responsibility) 
and  danger.     If  they  elect  me,  I  shall  feel  bound  to  stand  by  then; 
and  fight  their  battles  pertinaciously,  zealously,  and  faithfully.    Ai 
to  putting  a  set  of  laws  in  operation  in  opposition  to  the  Territorial 
government,  my  opinion  is  confirmed  instead  of  being  shaken  ;  nr  j 
predictions  have  all  been  verified  so  far,  and  will  be  in  the  future1 
We  will  be,  so  far  as  legality  is  concerned,  in  the  wrong  ;  and  that  i 
no  trifle,  in  so  critical  a  state  of  things,  and  in  view  of  such  blood;i 
consequences.     It  will  be  an  invitation  to  the  "  powers  that  be"  t< 
bring  down  the  Missourians  upon  us  in  the  assumed  character  of  vim 
dicators  of  the  law.     What  consummate  folly  is  there  not  in  such  a 
move?     You  will  have  seen  Pierce's  message.     Suppose  we  had  occu 
pied  the  ground  I  wished,  of  the  mere  adoption  of  a  constitution  anm 
election  of  officers,  only  for  the  purpose  of  applying  for  admission! 
what  ground  would  Pierce  have  had  to  stand  on,  or  how  much  of  hi 
message  would  have  been  left?     He  is  not  the  only  man  who  is  backi| 
ward  and  lukewarm  towards  us  for  this  reason.     They  say  they  canj 
not  sustain  us  in  the  position  of  resistance  to  the  Territorial  govern 
ment ;  and  you  will  find,  I  think,  that  Douglas  will  also  take  tha 
ground.     But  I  want  you  to   understand,  most  distinctly,  that  I  <J  | 
not  talk  thus  to  the  public  or  to  our  enemies.     I  may  speak  my  plai:  I 
and  private  opinion  in  letters  to  our  friends  in  Kansas,  for  it  is  in. 
duty  ;  but  to  the  public,  as  you  will  see  by  my  public  letter,  I  shcn 
no  divided  front.     I  am  sorry  that  you  and  Robinson   are  not  upo 
your  former  terms.     Are  you  sure  it  is  not  your  fault?     Have  yo  I 
always  treated  him  with  sufficient  respect?     I  mean  in  small  thing*. 
and  in  manner.     I  regret  that  you  cannot  use    the  cannon  ordeii 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1155 

You  did  not  speak  of  it  in  yours  of  the  22d.  I  supposed  he  was  doing 
well.  I  am  very  short  of  money — have  difficulty  and  annoyance  in 
meeting  my  engagements — but  of  course  will  do  all  in  my  power 
to  assist  you.  Enclosed  I  send  you  $60,  which  I  hope  will  be  suffi- 
cient, as  you  do  not  name  any  sum.  You  will  have  seen  that  Gov. 
Chase,  of  Ohio,  and  Gov.  Clark,  of  New  York,  have  sent  in  special 
messages,  and  the  legislatures  show  some  disposition  to  act.  I  have 
seen  the  draught  of  a  bill  (confidential)  to  be  offered  in  the  Ohio  leg- 
islature to  appropriate  $200,000  to  send  out  men  to  Kansas.  These 
movements  waked  up  Mr.  Pierce,  and  he  to-day  issues  a  proclamation, 
on  which  he  faces  north,  south,  east,  and  west,  and  says  that  every- 
body has  done  wrong,  and  nobody  has  the  advantage  of  anybody  in 
that  respect,  and  that  all  must  observe  the  laws  ;  and  that  he  will 
whip  you  free  State  men  into  orderly  citizens,  and  when  you  obey  the 
laws  he  will  protect  you.  I  learn,  also,,  that  a  general  of  some  con- 
sequence in  Ohio  is  raising  150  able  bodied  young  men,  on  his  own 
hook,  whom  he  intends  to  take  out  at  once,  each  armed  with  rifle  and 
revolver. 

You  have  not,  in  your  last  four  letters,  said  one  word  about  the 
Wyandott  floats.  I  am  anxious  for  some  details  ;  whether  that 
squatter  has  left,  and  how  you  arranged  the  report  of  it  to  the  sur- 
veyor general,  and  in  whose  name.  If  Sam  Paul  will  not  come  down 
and  will  not  stand  by  the  free  State  men  in  a  fight,  you  can  get  from 
him  my  gun  and  buffalo-skin,  if  you  need  them.  I  wrote  Mallory  in 
regard  to  his  bills,  j  suppose  he  received  the  letter.  Shannon  came 
on  to  Ohio,  and  Pierce  was  unwilling  to  let  him  come  here,  and  sent 
special  orders  for  him  and  Calhoun  to  go  back  to  the  Territory.  Since 
that  some  new  idea  has  turned  up,  and  I  learn  from  good  authority 
that  Pierce  has  telegraphed  him  to  come  on  here.  His  nomination 
is  a  little  in  danger.  You  will  have  in  Kansas  next  spring  and  sum- 
mer a  heavy  emigration,  and  will  also  have  a  lot  of  arms,  if  they  are 
not  intercepted  on  the  way.  Write  freely  about  your  money  matters. 

Your  letter  of  the  22d,  stating  that  you  were  in  danger  of  another 
invasion,  excited  me  considerably,  and  I  at  once  set  to  work.,  and  en- 
deavored to  set  every  one  here  to  work,  to  reach  the  President  by  every 
indirect  influence  I  could  command,  in  order  to  provide  for  throwing 
a  military  force  between  the  invaders  and  the  people.  Among  the 
number  that  I  saw  were  Cass  and  Douglas,  and  it  is  very  probable  the 
proclamation  is,  in  part,  due  to  my  efforts.  Our  people  have  my 
warmest  sympathies.  I  had  no  communication  on  the  subject  except 
yours.  If  Col.  Lane  sent  any  it  did  not  come  to  hand.  Kead  Robin- 
son what  you  think  advisable  of  this  letter  and  the  proclamation,  and 
say  it- is  at  my  request.  I  would  write  him,  but  my  time  is  much  occu- 
pied, and  this  will  answer  as  well.  Have  you  the  President's  special 
message  on  Kansas?  I  am  thankful  to  G.  W.  Brown  for  a  copy  of 
the  Herald  with  the  Easton  affair — have  made  good  use  of  it. 
Yours,  truly. 

A.  H.  REEDER. 


1156  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

TESTIMONY  APPENDED  TO  THE  MINORITY  REPORT 
Deposition  of  Samuel  F.  M.  S alters. 

The  undersigned,  Samuel  F.  M.  Salters,  states,  on  oath,  that — 
"  I  emigrated  into  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  June,  1854,  and  set- 
tled in  the  neighhorhood  of  Lawrence,  and  have  lived  there  ever  since. 
I  came  from  Missouri  to  the  Territory.     I  was  present  at  the  election 
held  in  the  town  of  Lawrence  on  the  30th  day  of  March,  1855.     I  wass 
appointed  by  G-ov.  Eeeder  as  a  sort  of  marshal  or  sheriff;  his  com-i 
mission  stated,  marshal  for  three  election  districts — I  think  the  1st,, 
4th,  and  1*7 th  ;  and,   on  the  day  of  the  election,  I  remained  pretty 
much  all  day  in  the  room  where  the  judges  held  the  election,  for  the<i 
purpose  of  preserving  order,  if  any  disturbance  should  arise.     There* 
was  no  disturbance,  and  consequently  nothing  for  me  to  do  in  that* 
capacity  ;  and  I  was  not  called  on  by  anybody,  as  the  election  passed! 
off  as  peaceably  and  quietly  as  elections  usually  do.     There,  were  aaj 
good  many  people  there  ;  many  of  them  I  knew,  and  many  of  them  I' 
did  not  know.     My  acquaintance  was  reasonably  extensive  in  that? 
district.     I  knew  about  400  voters  who  resided  in  the  district,  but  I 
did  not  know  near  all  of  the  resident  voters  of  that  district.     So  far* 
as  I  know,  all  the  resident  voters  of  that  district  were  present  and 
voted.     The  free  State  men  had  a  tent  near  the  polls,  in  which  were; 
some  eighty  men — some  thirty,  or  so,  I  conversed  with  myself.    Thej 
voted  the  free  State  ticket,  and  the  next  day  struck  their  tent  and 
left.     They  told  me  that  they  had  voted  ;  they  had  come  to  vote,  and 
would  leave,  and  not  come  back  to  the  damixed  Territory  until  the 
next  election.     The  pro-slavery  candidates  for  council  were  Thomas 
Johnson   and  Edward   Chapman  ;    for  the  house  of  representatives 
James  Whitlock,  A.  B.  Wade,  and  John  M.  Banks.     The  free  Stafet 
candidates  for  council  were  S.  N.  Wood  and  J.  E.  Goodwin  ;  for  the 
house  of  representatives,  E.  D.  Ladd,  Mr.  Fowler,  and  John  Hutch 
inson.     The  pro-slavery  candidates  received  a  large  majority  of  th< 
votes  polled  there  that  day.     There  was  a  split  in  the  free  State  party' 
and  some  of  the  free  State  men  voted  tho  pro-slavery  ticket  at  tha's 
election.     The  above  named  free  State  ticket  was  regarded  by  some  o< 
the  free  State  men  as  an  abolition  ticket,  and  some  of  the  free-State 
men  swore  to  me  that  they  would  not  support  an  abolition  ticket ;  anc 
whesv  the  election  came  on,  they  did  not  support  the  above  named  ticket 
but  voted  for  the  pro-slavery  men.     I  gave  some  of  them  pro-si  a  very 
tickets,  which  J  saw  them  vote  ;  and  others  told  me  they  had  kept  thei: 
word,  and  had  voted  for  the  pro-slavery  ticket.     Two  of  the  judges  o 
that  election,  which  Gov.  Reeder  appointed,  came,  but  the  other  dk 
not,  and  those  two  appointed  another,  whose  name,  I  think,  was  Theo- 
dore Benjamin  ;  the  names  of  the  other  two  were  Hugh  Cameron  ami 
a  Mr.  Abbott.     Mr.  Abbott  resigned  just  as  the  election  commenced' 
and  the  other  two  judges  elected  Mr.  Crane  in  his  place.     The  electioi 
then  went  on  without  any  difficulty.     I  was  in  the  room  all  the  tim< 
these  changes  in  the  board  of  judges  were  going  on.     Nobody  insid< 
or  outside  objected  to  these  appointments  ;  but  some  objections  wen 
made  to  Mr.  Abbott's  resignation,  but  of  no  particular  character. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1157 

"  At  the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  March,  1855,  there  was 
a  majority  of  pro-slavery  residents  in  the  Lawrence  district.  I  was 
well  acquainted  in  the  district.  There  were  about  200  free  State  resi- 
dent voters  in  that  district,  and  there  were  from  300  to  400  pro-slavery 
voters  at  the  polls  that  day  whom  I  knew  to  be  residents  of  that  dis- 
trict, and  a  great  many  of  them  voted  in  my  presence,  and  the  others 
told  me  they  had  voted. 

"I  have  had  many  conversations  with  free  State  men,  at  various 
times,  and  they  told  me  that  they  came  out  to  Kansas  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Company  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State; 
and  they  told  me  that  the  paramount  object  of  the  Aid  Company  was 
to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  that  they  would  make  it  a  free  State 
at  all  hazards ;  that  the  east  had  men  and  money  enough.,  and  nothing 
would  be  spared.  All  those  free  State  people,  principally,  had  come 
out  to  the  Territory  under  the  direction  and  under  the  control  of  the 
Aid  Company.  At  the  time  of  the  election  there  were  but  few  women 
and  children  in  Lawrence.  A  majority  of  those  men  who  were  about 
Lawrence  at  the  time  of  the  election  have  left,  and  most  of  those  that 
are  there  now  have  come  since  the  election. 

"  About  the  1st  of  June,  1855,  a  boat,  I  think  the  '  Emma  Har- 
man,'  landed  at  Lawrence,  and  three  or  four  large  boxes  were  put 
off,  and  a  Mr.  Simpson,  I  think,  took  charge  of  them.  They  were 
marked  'Books.'  I  saw  them  opened,  and  found  them  to  be  Sharpe's 
rifles.  After  the  legislature  had  met,  I  was  still  among  the  citizens 
of  Lawrence,  and  mixed  with  them,  more  or  less,  every  day.  And 
as  soon  as  the  legislative  assembly  had  adjourned,  they  declared 
openly  that  they  would  resist  the  laws ;  that  they  would  have  men 
and  means  to  resist  the  laws,  and  would  do  so  to  a  bloody  issue. 
They  then  began  to  form  military  companies,  armed  with  Sharpe's 
rifles,  pistols,  swords,  and  knives,  and  kept  up  regular  drills.  They 
told  me  that  these  guns  were  sent  to  them  as  a  present.  I  asked  them 
to  give  me  one ;  they  told  me  that  unless  I  would  take  an  oath  to  re- 
sist the  law,  even  to  the  bloody  issue,  I  should  not  have  one.  I  would 
not  do  so,  as  I  told  them,  so  I  did  not  get  the  gun.  I  have  heard  Dr. 
Robinson,  the  leader  of  the  free  State  party,  speak  several  times  ;  I 
have  also  heard  A.  H.  Reeder,  J.  H.  Lane,  Conway,  and  other  men 
belonging  to  the  free  State  party,  speak.  They  all  advised  the  people 
to  resist  the  laws,  and  told  them  there  was  no  law  in  the  Territory, 
and  pledged  themselves,  one  to  the  other,  that  they  would  sacrifice 
their  lives,  rather  than  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  Territory.  And 
these  speakers  told  the  people  not  to  obey  the  writs  of  the  courts,  nor 
suffer  an  officer  to  take  them ;  that  they  would  assist  them,  and  one 
another,  in  resisting  the  officers.  I  was  at  a  meeting,  in  Lawrence, 
where  they  passed  resolutions  setting  forth  their  determination  to  re- 
sist the  laws;  that  they  would  sacrifice  their  lives,  their  honor,  their 
salvation,  and  everything,  rather  than  submit  to  the  Territorial  gov- 
ernment, and  from  that  time  to  the  present  have  been  resisting  the 
laws.  Before  these  men  made  these  inflammatory  speeches,  the  coun- 
try was  quiet,  but  since  then  intense  excitement  has  pervaded  the 
whole  country ;  men  have  been  murdered  and  robberies  have  been 
committed,  and  men,  women,  and  children  driven  from  their  once 


1158  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

peaceful  and  quiet  homes.  The  primary  cause  of  all  the  difficulties 
in  Kansas  may  justly  he  attributed  to  Reeder,  Rohinson,  Lane,  and 
others  ;  for  if  it  had  not  "been  for  their  advice,  hut  few  of  the  men 
whom  they  succeeded  in  getting  to  follow  them  would  have  "been  dis- 
posed to  resist  the  laws,  and  the  difficulties  now  upon  the  people 
would  not  have  come  upon  them.  These  men — Reeder,  Rohinson, 
Lane,  and  other  prominent  free  State  men — excited  the  people  to  open 
resistance  to  the  laws,  and  publicly,  and  on  all  occasions,  advised 
open  resistance,  telling  them  that  the  United  States  government  would 
sustain  them,  and  that  Congress  would  sustain  them. 

"SAMUEL  F.  M.  SALTERS." 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ? 
Jackson  county ,     ) 

On  the  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  hefore 
me,  the  suhscriher,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Samuel  F.  M.  Salters,  who  makes  oath  that  the 
ahove  and  foregoing  statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth.  The  said 
Samuel  F.  M.  Salters  is  the  same  who  suhscrihed  to  the  ahove  and 
foregoing  statement,  and  whose  name  appears  thereto. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  hefore  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,     [SEAL.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  1 
County  of  Jackson,  J 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  fori 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  and  foregoing  affidavit, 
now  is,  and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace 
within  and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified, 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his 
official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixedd 


[L.  S.] 


the  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence, 
this  14th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  A.  J.  Bush. 

* 

The  undersigned,  A.  J.  Bush,  states,  on  oath  :  I  came  from  Ken- 
tucky, and  settled  in  Kansas  Territory,,  near  the  town  of  Lawrence/ 
on  the  20th  day  of  March,  1855.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the 
30th  of  March,  1855,  held  in  the  town  of  Lawrence.  I  was  pretty; 
much  a  stranger,  and  did  not  know  at  that  time  many  people.  I  saw\ 
a  good  many  people  at  that  election,  but  did  not  know  but  few  of  thenui 
I  voted.  My  political  sentiments  were  not  much  known  ;  but  very 
few  persons  knew  which  side  I  was  on.  I  had  no  difficulty  in  voti 


eiJH 

j 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1159 


There  was  a  line  fixed  alongside  of  the  cabin  where  the  voting  was 
done^  so  that  there  was  a  free  passage  for  voters  up  to  the  polls  with- 
out hindrance.  Since  the  election,  I  have  become  well  acquainted  with 
my  squatter  neighbors,  and  have  had  frequent  conversations  with 
them.  I  reside  about  three  miles  from  Lawrence.  In  these  conver- 
sations, some  of  my  said  neighbors  told  me  that  they  were  paid  to  re- 
main out  here.  That  if  they  would  stay  in  the  country  until  after  the 
March  election,  they  would  get  two  lots  apiece  for  staying. 

John  W.  Taylor,  a  free  State  man,  and  a  pretty  smart  man,  is  a 
leading  counsellor  in  his. neighborhood.  In  a  conversation  I  had  with 
him,  he  told  me  that  the  eastern  people  had  sent  out  to  the  free  State 
party  in  Kansas  Territory  a  large  number  of  Sharpe's  rifles,  and  would 
send  out  a  large  number  more. 

I  attended  some  three  or  four  of  their  political  meetings.  I  did 
not  like  the  course  of  these  free  State  men,  so  I  did  not  take  any  part 
with  them.  I  heard  the  speeches  that  were  made  by  these  men  at  the 
meeting  which  I  attended,  and  the  -speakers  pledged  themselves,  one 
to  the  other,  that  they  would  spill  the  last  drop  of  their  blood  in  re- 
sisting the  laws.  These  sentiments  were  commonly  sanctioned  by 
shouts  of  Yes!  yes!  and  great  applause  from  those  who  were  in  at- 
tendance, by  the  crowd  standing  or  sitting  around ;  and  that  they 
would  die,  or  come  in  as  a  State  under  the  Topeka  constitution.  This 
sentiment  was  also  sanctioned  by  the  people.  At  the  uttering  of  this 
sentiment,  the  people  would  shout  aloud  and  applaud. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  the  operations  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  is 
the  first  and  grand  cause  of  all  the  troubles  in  Kansas ;  and  all  the 
difficulties  which  have  arisen  in  Kansas  I  fully  believe  have  arisen 
from  the  sending  of  men,  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  to  this  Terri- 
tory, with  the  avowed  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State.  From 
all  the  facts  and  circumstances  that  have  come  to  my  knowledge,  I 
am  satisfied  that  if  the  Aid  Company  had  not  interfered  in  the  settling 
of  Kansas  Territory,  none  of  these  troubles  or  difficulties  would  now 
be  upon  the  people  of  Kansas. 

A.  J.  BUSH. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI, 
Jackson  County, 

On  the  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  the  county  and  State  afore- 
said, A.  J.  Bush,  whose  name  appears  to 'the  above  and  foregoing 
statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  aforegoing  statement 
is  true,  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Sworn  to  and  acknowledged  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson,  \  SS' 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify,  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq_., 


1160  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

whose  genuine  signature  /appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned,  and  qualified, 
and  that  free  faith  and  credit  is  due,  arid  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his 
official  acts,  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
L  '  b'-i  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  K.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  T.  Laliay. 

The  undersigned,  T.  Lahay,  states,  on  oath:    I  came  to  the  Ter- 
ritory in  August,  1854,  from  Missouri,  and  settled  on  the  Wakarusa, 
about  five  miles  from  Lawrence,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.     I 
ain  a  widower  ;  I  have  six  children.     I  was  not  at  the  election  of  the; 
30th  of  March,  1855.     When  I  first  went  to  the  Territory,  in  August, , 

1854,  I  took  with  'me  two  of  my  oldest  boys.     In  November,  1854,  II- 
went  down  to  where  I  had  lived  for  two  of  my  daughters.     In  March, . 

1855,  I  went  after  my  two  remaining  children  ;  and  about  the  7th  on 
8th  of  April,  1855,  just  after  the  March  election,  I  went  down  to  the' 
State  of  Missouri  with  a  two-horse  wagon,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing' 
to  my  home  in  the  Territory  the  remainder  of  my  household  goods. 
This  trip  I  took  eight  men,  who  told  Jme  that  they  were  free  State: 
men.     I  took  them  down  to  Kansas  City,  Missouri.     They  told  me< 
that  they  had  voted,  and  were  going  home  to  the  east,  where'they 
came  from,  and  would  never  come  back  any  more.     They  said  they*, 
had  come  out  to  help  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.     As  I  went  backi; 
to  my  home  in  Kansas  Territory,  which  was  in  a  few  days  after  II 
arrived  in  Kansas  City,  I  met  on  my  road  to  Lawrence  a  great  many 
eastern  and  northern  emigrants — some  in  wagons,  some  on  foot.    I  was 
stopped  by  a  number  of  them,  and  talked  to  them,  and  they  talked  to  me.' 
They  told  me  that  they  were  from  the  east,  and  that  they  had  come  out  to< 
the  Territory  to  help  to  make  it  a  free  State ;  that  they  had  voted  and* 
were  going  home.     After  I  got  home  I  still  had  some  things  to  bring: 
from  Missouri,  and  I  went  down  in  a  day  or  two  afterwards.     This 
trip  I  took  down  to  Kansas  City  six  or  seven  free  State  men.     They'! 
told  me  that  they  were  from  the  east,  and  that  they  were  free  State  | 
men ;  that  they  had  come  to  Kansas  Territory  to  help  to  make  it  m 
free  State;  that  they  had  voted,  and  were  going  home,  and  were  not>| 
coming  back  any  more.     I  took  to  Kansas  City  in  these  two  trips  • 
fourteen  or  fifteen.     As  I  went  back  in  a  few  days,  on  my  road  to 
Lawrence,  I  met  a  great  many  more  men  going  towards  Kansas  City.> 
I  stopped  and  talked  to  some  of  them,  and  some  of  them  talked  to  me/ 
as  on  the  trip  before.     They  told  me  they  were  from  the  east;  that 
they  had  come  -to  Kansas  to  help  to  make  it  a  free  State ;  that  they 
had  voted,  and  were  going  hence,  and  would  not  come  back.     I  met 
in  the  two  trips  at  least  one  hundred  or  more  going  towards  Kansas 
City ;  and  there  were  no  women  or  children  among  them.     My 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1161 

litical  sentiments  were  not  known  at  that  time,  as  I  had  never  made 
an  open  avowal ;  and,  inasmuch  as  I  was  silent  in  politics,  but  a  few 
persons  knew  what  side  I  was  on. 

T.  LAHAY. 

STATE  OP  MISSOURI,  )  gg 
Jackson  County,    ] 

On  the  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  T.  Lahay,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above" and  afore- 
going statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  aforegoing  state- 
ment is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Sworn  to  and  acknowledged  before  me. 

THOS.  J.  GOFOBTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  sg 
County  of  Jackson,  ( 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid^  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and  that 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official 
acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 

r        -i     seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence, 

LL'  s'-l     this  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEABINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  Lucas  Corlew. 

The  undersigned,  Lucas  Corlew,  states,  upon  oath :  I  emigrated 
to  the  Territory  in  the  month  of  August,  1854,  from  Missouri,  and 
have  lived  there  ever  since.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  29th 
of  November,  1854,  held  in  the  town  of  Lawrence.  There  was  no 
difficulty,  except  that  the  judges  of  the  election  refused  to  take  some 
pro-slavery  votes  which  were  offered,  but  afterwards  took  them.  They 
refused  some  pro- slavery  votes  offered  by  men  who  resided  in  Bloom- 
ington, about  eight  miles  from  Lawrence,  because,  as  they,  the  judges, 
said,  they  lived  out  of  the  district ;  but  I  saw  them  receive  the  vote 
of  an  old  man  who  goes  by  the  name  of  "  old  man  White,"  and  who 
resided  above  Bloomington,  further  off  than  where  these  pro-slavery 
men  lived  whose  votes  they  had  rejected.  White  lived  about  two  miles 
above  where  these  men  were  from.  I  then  told  them  that  it  was 
wrong  for  them  to  refuse  the  Bloomington  votes,  on  the  ground  that 
they  were  out  of  the  district,  and  then  to  receive  votes  that  were  fur- 
ther out,  according  to  their  opinion.  They  then  took  them.  Th 


1162  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

next  difficulty  occurred  when  Davis  came  to  vote ;  his  name  was 
Henry  Davis.  One  of  the  judges  offered  to  swear  Davis,  but  Davis 
said  to  him,  "  I  think  you  ought  to  know  me  better  than  that,  for  it 
has  not  been  more  than  two  weeks  since  I  caught  you  stealing  my 
timber,  and  I  drove  you  off."  This  created  a  fuss,  and  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Lewis  Kibby  took  it  up,  and  others  joined  Kibby  in  the 
quarrel.  Davis  and  myself  started  home  together.  After  we  got  out 
some  mile  and  a  half  the  roads  forked — I  went  one  way,  and  Kibby 
the  other.  When  we  got  about  three  hundred  yards  apart,  I  saw  a 
two-horse  wagon  going  slow,  and  Davis  overtake  it.  Davis  was  afoot. 
There  were  several  in  the  wagon,  and  Kibby  was  one.  As  Davis  ap- 
proached the  wagon  I  heard  the  report  of  a  gun  or  pistol.  I  saw 
Davis  set  down,  and  I  thought  he  had  been  shot.  I  went  to  him  as 
soon  as  I  could,  and  when  I  got  to  him  I  found  he  had  been  shot  with 
seven  buck-shot;  he  died  in  a  few  minutes  afterwards.  I  saw  him 
die,  and  helped  to  bury  him.  Kibby  was  never  punished.  Kibby 
told  me  he  had  shot  Davis,  but  it  was  in  self-defence.  The  candidates 
were  J.  W.  Whitfield,  pro-slavery  ;  Judge  Flenniken  was  the  anti- 
slavery  man,  and  Judge  was  the  anti-slavery  or  free  State 

candidate. 

I  was  at  the  election  held  in  Lawrence  on  the  30th  day  of  March, 
1855  ;  but  I  was  not  about  the  polls  much.  Iv  was  not  much  ac- 
quainted, except  in  my  own  immediate  neighborhood.  In  my  neigh- 
borhood the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority.  My  neighbors  voted 
at  that  election,  and  so  did  I. 

A  free  State  man  by  the  name  of  Benjamin  Franklin  Peas,  from 
Massachusetts,  boarded  with  me  for  some  two  months.  He  told  me 
that  the  free  State  party  had  a  secret  organization,  and  that  he  be- 
longed to  it.  The  object  of  it  was  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and 
that  they  were  sworn  to  obey  the  mandates  of  the  officers  of  the  or- 
ganization^ or  words  to  that  effect.  I  heard  many  men  of  the  free 
State  party  say  that  the  laws  of  the  Territory  they  would  not  obey, 
and  they  would  resist  the  laws  to  the  death,  if  needs  be,  rather  than 
submit;  that  they  had  plenty  of  Sharpe's  rifles  to  do  it  with.  I  acted 
as  constable  under  the  Territorial  laws,  and  there  were  but  one  or  two 
men  among  them  that  ever  obeyed  a  summons  or  writ,  and  these  one 
or  two  only  obeyed  when  r  summoned  them  as  jurymen  before  a  jus- 
tice once ;  but  even  then  did  not  serve. 

If  it  had  not  been  for  the  operation  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Societies,  and 
sending  men  to  Kansas  in  conjunction  with  the  secret  organizations  in 
the  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State,  there 
would  never  have  been  any  difficulty  or  fuss  in  settling  the  Territory. 
The  foundation,  as  I  verily  believe,  of  all  our  troubles  now  in  Kansas, 
is  owing  to  the  aid  and  secret  societies,  and  their  operations. 

LUCAS  CORLEW. 
STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 

Jackson  county  j     ) 

On  the  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  ef  the  peace  in  and  for  the  County  and 
State  aforesaid,  Lucas  Corlew,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  arid 
aforegoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  statement  is  true 
as  therein  set  forth. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1163 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  eleventh  day  of  June,  A.  D. 
eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-six. 
Acknowledged  and  sworn  to  before  me, 

THOMAS.  J.  GOFORTH,  [SEAL.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson,  ) 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned  and  qualified, 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his 
official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 

r        -,    seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 

LL-  S'J    13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  Delana  Corlew. 

The  undersigned,  Delana  Corlew,  states,  on  oath  :  I  was  present 
at  the  election  held  on  the  29th  day  of  November,  1854,  at  the  town 
of  Lawrence,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  I  emigrated,  with  my  fam- 

*ily,  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  on  the  15th  or  20th  of  June,  1854,  or 
thereabouts,  and  settled  on  the  Wakarusa,  about  five  or  six  miles 
from  the  town  of  Lawrence,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was 

I  at  the  said  election,  x  and  voted  for  General  J.  "W.  Whitfield.     There 

,  were  a  good  many  people  at  that  election ;  they  were  residents  of  the 
district,  so  far  as  I  know.  I  was  at  that  time  generally  acquainted 

.  with  the  residents  of  the  district.  The  election  went  off  about  as  elec- 
tions that  I  attended  in  Missou'ri,  before  I  went  to  Kansas.  No  one 
was  prevented  from  voting,  by  threats  or  violence,  but  one  man  ;  his 
name  was  Henry  Davis.  His  vote  was  challenged  by  one  of  the  judges 
of  the  election,  a  free  State  man  ;  whereupon  a  difficulty  and  quarrel 
took  place,  which  created  some  excitement  in  the  crowd.  The  candi- 
dates were  J.  W.  Whitfield,  pro-slavery,  R.  P.  Fleneken,  free  State, 
and  Judge  Wakefield,  free  State  also.  As  I  was  going  home  in  the 
evening,  about  two  or  three  miles  from  Lawrence,  I  saw  Henry  Davis, 
or  at  least  I  thought  it  was  him,  some  .three  or  four  hundred  yards 
ahead  of  me ;  he  was  going  on  his  way  home.  I  was  on  horseback, 
and  he  was  afoot.  About  the  time  I  hove  in  sight  of  him,  I  saw  a 
two-horse  wagon  pass  him,  in  which  were  several  men.  I  heard  the 
report  of  a  gun,  and  I  rode  as  'fast  as  I  could ;  and  when  I  came  up, 
I  found  that  it  was  Henry  Davis;  he  had  fallen  to  the  'ground.  He 
was  taken  home.  He  died  in  about  fifteen  minutes  after  he  was  shot. 
I  saw  him  die. 

I  was  present  at  the  election  held  in  the  town  of  Lawrence,  on  the 


1164  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

30th  day  of  March,,  1855.  I  saw  a  great  many  people  there.  At  that 
time  Lawrence  district  was  thickly  settled ;  almost  all  the  claims  in 
the  surrounding  country  were  taken  up.  I  knew  at  least  one  hundred 
pro-slavery  men.  I  saw  no  unusual  difficulty ;  the  election  went  off 
as  elections  generally  go  off.  I  saw  none  prevented  from  voting ;  no 
violence  or  threats  were  used  to  prevent  men  from  voting.  The  pro- 
slavery  ticket  got  a  large  majority.  Thomas  Johnson  and  Edward  Chap- 
man were  the  pro-slavery  candidates  for  the  council,  and  J.  K.  Good- 
win and  S.  N.  Wood  were  the  free  State  candidates  for  council. 
James  Whitlock,  John  M.  Banks,  and  A.  B.  Wade,  were  the  pro- 
slavery  candidates  for  the  house  of  representatives.  Hutchinson,  Ladd 
and  Fowler  were  the  free  State  candidates. 

DELANA  +  CORLEW. 

mark 

Witness  :  THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
Jackson  county,      J 

On  the  9th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before  me,  , 
the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  in  and  for  the  county  and  State 
aforesaid,  Delana  Corlew,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and  fore-  - 
going  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the,  above  and  foregoing  state-  • 
nient  is  true,  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  9th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856.  . 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI.  )  s§ 
County  of  Jackson ,  y  ' 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomes  J.  Goforth,  whose 
genuine  signature  appears  to  the  within  and  foregoing  affidavit,  now 
is,  and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace* 
within  and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified, -, 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due,  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  < 
official  acts,  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL-  S'J  13th  day  of  June,  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1165 


Deposition  of  Paris  Ellison. 

The  undersigned,  Paris  Ellison,  states  on  oath:  That  I  emigrated 
from  Missouri  to  Kansas,  and  settled  at  Douglas,  the  second  district, 
in  October,  1854,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  was  present  at 
the  election  held  at  Mr.  Burson' s,  in  the  second  district,  on  the  30th 
day  of  March,  1855.  I  was  appointed  by  Governor  Reeder  as  one  of 
the  judges,  and  Mr.  Burson  and  Mr.  Ramsey,  I  think,  were  the  other 
two.  We  met  at  Mr.  Burson' s  house  in  the  morning,  before  the  hour 
to  open  the  polls.  Mr.  Burson  was  a  magistrate,  appointed  by  Gov- 
ernor Reeder,  and  he  qualified  me  and  qualified  Ramsey;  Ramsey 
qualified  Burson.  We  appointed  the  clerks  and  qualified  them; 
George  W.  Taylor  was  one  of  the  clerks.  My  son  PUris  was  very 
sick  at  the  time,  and  I  wanted  to  resign.  I  proposed  to  resign  if  the 
other  judges  would  permit  me  to  name  a  man  to  serve  in  my  place. 
Judge  Wakefield,  one  of  the  candidates  on  the  free  State  ticket,  was 
in  the  room,  and  interfered,  telling  the  judges  they  had  the  power  to 
name  the  man.  They  refused  to  let  me  appoint  a  man  in  my  place,  and 
I  determined  to  serve,  and  did  serve.  I  remarked  to  the  other  judges 
that  we  were  sworn  to  act  impartially  during  the  whole  day.  They 
said,  yes,  we  are  sworn  to  act  impartially.  We  agreed  that  inasmuch 
as  they  knew  a  great  many  voters  tliat  I  did  not  know,  and  I  knew  a 
great  many  that  they  did  not  know,  that  those  whom  I  knew  should 
vote  without  swearing,  and  those  whom  they  knew  I  would  not  re- 
quire of  -them  to  be  sworn.  Under  this  agreement  we  commenced 
the  election ;  after  some  twenty-nine  or  thirty  votes  were  taken,  the 
pro-slavery  party  had  some  two  to  one  against  the  free  State  party, 
the  other  two  judges  began  to  grumble.  Dr.  Brooks  came  up  to  vote ; 
I  knew  Dr.  Brooks  had  a  claim  in  that  district,  and  had  been  on  it, 
and  had  put  a  house  on  it.  Dr.  Brooks  was  a  single  man,  and  after- 
wards brought  his  mother  there,  and  had  resided  there  ever  since.  At 
the  time  of  the  election,  Dr.  Brooks  claimed  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  dis- 
trict. I  knew  him  to  be  a  resident,  and  under  our  agreement,  I 
wanted  to  take  his  vote  without  swearing,  but  the  other  two  judges 
refused  to  take  his  vote  unless  he  would  swear.  This  he  refused  to 
do,  because  he  said  that  he  had  understood  that  under  the  agreement, 
if  Mr.  Ellison  took  his  vote  without  requiring  him  to  swear,  that 
was  all  that  was  necessary.  The  other  two  judges  still  refused  to  take 
his  vote.  The  doctor  stood  at  the  window  a  long  time,  and  said  that 
unless  they  would  let  him  vote,  as  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  district,  and 
had  been  for  some  time  previous,  no  other  man  should  vote  there  that 
day.  I  told  them  that  if  they  refused  his  vote  it  would  create  a  fuss  and 
confusion,  and  that  it  would  be  violating  the  agreement  made  before  the 
election  began,  but  still  refused.  Sherman  Wofful  then  came  up  to  vote, 
but  they  refused  to  take  his  vote  without  swearing.  Sherman  said  that 
he  could  prove  by  me  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  district,  and  had  been 
a  citizen  of  the  district  from  the  fall  before.  I  knew  that  Mr.  Wofful 
was  a  resident  of  the  district,  for  he  was  living  there  when  I  went  to  the 
district  to  live.  I  bought  hay  of  Mr.  Wofful  before  the  election,  which 
he  had  made  and  cured  the  summer  before.  They  still  refused  to  let 


1166  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


him  vote  unless  he  would  swear.     He  refused  to  swear  because  the*] 
judges  would  not  let  him  prove  his  residence.     He  said  he  would  not 
swear.     I  had  not,  up  to  this  time,  objected  to  any  of  the  persons  that 
-came  up  to  vote  which  the  other  two  judges  said  they  knew.     I  had 
kept  the  agreement  made  between  us  to  the  word  and  letter.     On  ac^ 
couut  of  this  conduct,  on  the  part  of  the  other  two  judges,  a  fuss  'and 
confusion  arose  in  the  crowd  outside  of  the  house.     While  the  fuss 
was  going  on  I  proposed  to  adjourn,  as  I  told  them  I  thought  it  would 
be  over  in  a  half  hour  or  so.     Mr.  Burson  thereupon  adjourned  for: 
half  an  hour.     He  proclaimed  the  adjournment  aloud.     I  told  each  onei 
of  the  judges  to  pick  up  a  poll-book.     I  took  the  ballpt-box,  which 
one  of  the  other  judges  tried  to  take  from  me.     I  think  it  was  Ramsay,' 
but  I  am  not  certain.     Sharp  words  were  passed  between  us,  but  I 
kept  the  bal>ot-box  ;  they  took  the  poll-books  and  went  oif.     A  man; 
by  the  name  of  Jones  asked  me  where  the  poll-books  were.     I  told 
him  that  Burson  and  Ramsay  had  taken  them  off;   he  followed  them 
and  brought  the  poll-books  back..    I  waited  until  the  half  hour  had| 
expired,  and  the  other  two  judges  did  not  come  back.     I  waited  tenr 
minutes  longer;  I  called  them,  but  they  did  not  come;  I  called  theiih 
again,  and  they  did  not  appear.     I  told  the  people  that  I  would  wail  | 
five  or  ten  minutes  longer,  and  if  the  other  two  judges  did  not  come; 
they  would  have  a  right  to  select  two  men  to  act  in  their  places.     ] 
waited  ten  minutes  and  they  did  not  come^and  the  people  elected  two 
men  to  act  in  their  places ;  namely,  Sherman  Wofful  and  Frank  La^ 
hay ;  they  were  qualified.     I  asked  Mr.  Taylor  to  repeat  the  oath  to 
them,  which  he  did  ;  but,  by  mistake,  Mr.  Taylor  signed  the  oatt 
instead  of  myself.     Mr.  Taylor  had  been  sworn  in  as  clerk  by  Mr.  Bur- 
son  and  Mr.  Ramsay.     Messrs.  Wofful,  and  Lahay,  and  I,  then  opened 
the  polls,  and  the  election  went  off  quietly  during  the  remainder  o:d 
the  day.     We  kept  the  polls  opened  until  6  o'clock  in  the  evening »j 
Andrew  McDonald  was  the  pro-slavery  candidate  for  the  council,  and 
Judge  Wakefield  was  the  free  State  candidate  for  council;   0.  H 
Brown  and  Mr.  Ward  were  the  pro-slavery  candidates  for  the  house 
of  representatives ;  Jesse  was  one  of  the  free  State  candidates  for  the 
house  and  the  other  I  do  not  remember.     All  the  votes  received,  afte* 
we  began  the  second  time,  were  for  the  pro-slavery  candidates. 

The  ballot-box  which  I  took  possession  of  at  the  time  of  the  adjourn-rj 
ment  I  carefully  preserved,  and  did  not  open  it  until  6  o'clock  in  th< 
evening.     It  was  then  opened  in  presence  of  the  other  two  judges  whc 
had  been  selected  by  the  people,  and  the  clerks;  the  ballots  wen 
opened  and  counted ;  and  there  were  twenty-one  votes  for  the  pro 
slavery  ticket,  and  twelve  votes  for  the  free  State  ticket.     When  w( , 
commenced  the  election  the  second  time  we  got  another  ballot-box. 

When  I  got  there  in  the  morning,  there  were. some  thirty  or  fort} 
men  present  about  the  house,  and  when  I  went  into  the  house  I  saw 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  guns  standing  in  one  corner  of  the  house,  which 
had  been  brought  there'by  the  free  State  men.  When  the  adjourn- 
ment took  place,  the  guns  were  taken  away  by  the  free  State  men.t 
These  were  all  the  guns  that  I  saw  on  the  ground.  I  did  not  see 
gun  in  the  hands  of  a  pro-slavery  man  that  day.  There  was  no  charge 
made  with  either  guns  or  pistols  or  other  weapons  at  the  window,  noi 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1167 

were  there  any  threats  of  violence  made  by  the  pro-slavery  men. 
There  was  no  violence  committed  "by  the  pro-slavery  men  there  that 
day  to  the  judges,  nor  were  there  any  threats  of  violence  offered  as  I 
saw.  I  did  not  see  Mr.  Samuel  Jones  pull  out  his  watch  and  say  to 
the  judges,  Ramsey  and  Burson,  that  he  would  give  them  five  minutes 
to  resign,  nor  did  I  hear  him  afterwards  say  to  them  th^t  he  would 
give  them  one  minute  to  resign.  If  this  had  have  occurred  I  would 
have  seen  and  heard  it,  for  I  was  in  the  house  all  the  time  and  was 
at  the  door  when  these  two  judges  came  out.  I  did  not  see  Samuel 
Jones  in  the  house  at  any  time  while  Eamsey  and  Burson  were  there. 
In  my  neighborhood  I  was  well  acquainted  with  the  settlers  there,  and 
at  the  time  of  the  election,  and  before,  the  residents  were  almost  all 
pro-slavery.  From  what  I  knew  myself,  and  the  information  received 
from  the  census  taker  and  others,  I  am  satisfied  that  the  pro-slavery 
party  had  a  decided  majority  in  the  second  district.  Governor  Eeeder 
attached  the  residents  of  the  half-breed  Kaw  lands,  opposite  the  second 
district,  on  the  other  side  of  Kaw  river,  to  the  Douglas  or  second  dis- 
trict ;  there  were  about  sixteen  or  eighteen  votes,  and  all  of  them  pro- 
slavery  men,  and  they  voted  that  day. 

I  have  had  many  conversations  with  free  State  men,  and  they  told 
me  that  there  was  no  law  in  the  Territory,  and  that  they  would  resist 
the  laws  at  all  hazards.  This  conversation  occured  since  the  election. 

John  Simmons,  who  is  a  free  State  man,  told  me  that  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society  had  furnished  him  with  money  to  come  to  Kansas  to  aid 
and  help  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State.  There  was  no  fuss  or  confu- 
sion in  the  settling  of  the  Territory  until  after  the  organization  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Societies,  and  the  arrival  of  men  sent  out  by  these 
societies  came  amongst  us.  Before  these  men  came  amongst  us,  we 
had  several  meetings  in  regard  to  matters  in  which  we  squatters  were 
interested,  and  we  never  had  any  fuss  ;  but  as  soon  as  they  came  the 
fuss  commenced,  and  has  continued  ever  since.  From  all  that  I  heard 
and  saw  of  these  men,  and  what  I  know  myself,  I  am  satisfied  that  all 
the  troubles  in  Kansas  is  traceable  to  and  superinduced  by  the  opera- 
tions and  conduct  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Societies.  There  was  no 
trouble  or  confusion  until  the  men  of  the  east  began  to  come  in  and 
mingle  with  us.  I  mean  by  £fmen  of  the  east"  men  who  have  been 
sent  out  here  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society. 

PARIS  ELLISON. 

STATE  OF  MISSOUKI,  ) 
Jackson  county,     )  S  ' 

On  this  llth  day  of  June,  1856,  personally  appeared  before  me,  the 
subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and  State  afore- 
said, Paris  Ellison,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and  foregoing 
statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  statement  is  true  as  therein 
set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,     [SEAL.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 


1168  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson,  ) 

I,  John  E.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the* 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq.. 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and! 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and  thatl 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official  acts: 
as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the* 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  the  13tli! 
LL-  S<J  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEARINGEN,  Cleric. 


Deposition  of  John  M.  Smith. 

The  undersigned,  John  M.  Smith,  states,  on  oath:  That  I  emigrated'! 
with  my  family  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  in  January,  1855,  from! 
the  State  of  Missouri,  and  settled  near  the  town  of  Douglas,  in  th<^ 
second  district.     I  was  present  at  the  election  held  in  the  second  dis-sj 
trict  on  the  30th  day  of  March,  1855.     It  was  held  at  Mr.  Squire 
Burson' s  house      I  saw  a  great  many  persons  there,  some  two  hundreci 
in  all.     There  were,  at  the  least,  that  number  of  men  who  had  claim* 
in  that  district,  and  claimed  the  second  district  as  their  residencet 
Nearly  all  of  those  whom  I  saw  there  were  men  who  had  claims  ID 
the  second  district.     Doctor  Brooks  and  Sherman  Wofful  were  resi-* 
dents  of  the  district,  and  had  each  of  them  a  claim,  and  each  of  them 
had  a  house  on  their  claim;  they  were  both  unmarried  men,  but  were 
there  on  their  claims  most  of  their  time.     I  was  near  the  window 
when  they  came  up  to  vote;  Doctor  Brooks  offered  to  vote  first,  ana 
then  Sherman  Wofful  offered  to  vote ;  both  were  objected  to  by  Earn- 
sey  and  Burson,  two  of  the  judges  of  the  election,  and  would  not  tak( 
their  votes  unless  they  would  swear  to  their  residence ;  they,  Doctoi 
Brooks  and  Wofful,  said  it  was  unfair  to  make  them  swear  to  theii 
votes,  when  they,  the  judges,  knew  that  they,  Wofful  and  Brooks  i 
were  older  residents  than  some  of  them,  the  judges.     This  producec 
a  difficulty  and  confusion.     Amid  the  confusion,  Mr.  Burson,  oneo: 
the  judges,  came  to  the  door,  and  in  a  loud  voice  proclaimed  that  the 
election  was  adjourned  for  half  an  hour.     Burson,  Eamsqy,  and  othei 
free  State  men  went  away.     Burson  nor  Eamsey  did  not  come  baok 
any  more  that  day.     Some  of  those  men  who  went  away  with  Bursor 
and  Eamsey  carried  away  with  them  a  number  of  guns,  which  they 
took  out  of  the  house.     These  were  all  the  guns  I  saw  on  the  ground 
that  day.     I  did  not  see  a  gun  in  the  hands  of  any  pro-slavery  man 
there,  nor  did  I  see  pro-slavery  men  have  arms  of  any  sort  there  thai  j 
day.     There  were  no  threats  of  violence  offered  to  any  one  as  I  sa^ 
that  day,  and  no  acts  of  violence  were  committed  on  the  person  o1 ' 
any  one.     Upon  the  contrary,  these  men  were  asked  to  stay  and  vote. 
and  were  told  that  if  they  did  stay  that  they  should  not  be  hurt ;  bul ; 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1169 

they  did  not  stay.  After  the  hour  of  adjournment  expired,  the  people 
present  selected  two  men  to  act  in  the  places  of  Burson  and  Kamsey  ; 
the  names  of  those  two  who  were  selected  were  Sherman  Wofful  and 
Mr.  Lahay ;  they  called  him  Frank.  The  election  then  went  on  with- 
out difficulty.  I  saw  some  free  State  men  there  in  the  afternoon,  and 
asked  them  to  vote,  and  to  vote  their  own  sentiments,  but  they  re- 
fused, but  did  not  give  any  reason.  I  was  present  when  the  ballot- 
box  which  was  used  in  the  beginning  of  the  voting,  was  opened.  It 
was  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening.  I  saw  the  votes  counted;  the 
pro-slavery  candidates  received,  I  think  about  twenty-three  votes, 
and  the  free  State  candidates  received  twelve  votes.  These  were  the 
votes  polled  before  Mr.  Burson  adjourned  the  election.  I  voted  after 
the  election  commenced  the  second  time,  and  I  saw  a  great  many 
others  vote.  All  that  I  saw  vote  were  residents  of  the  district.  I 
was  personally  Acquainted  with  many  of  them.  From  my  knowledge 
of  the  resident  voters  of  the  second  district,  I  am  satisfied  that  the 
pro-slavery  party  had  the  majority.  Before  the  emigration  fairly 
opened  that  spring,  the  whole  surrounding  country  was  taken  up 
principally  by  pro-slavery  men,  and  there  were  a  number  of  men  from 
free  States  worked  for  pro-slavery  men,  and  at  the  election  voted  the 
pro-slavery  ticket ;  there  were  there  three  men  from  the  free  States 
working  for  me,  and  they  voted  the  pro-slavery  ticket. 

Mr.  John  Shimmons,  a  free  State  man,  told  me  that  he  was  sent  to 
the  Territory  of  Kansas  by  the  Aid  Society,  and  that  the  Aid  Society 
were  sending  out  sharp-shooters  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a 
free  State.  He  also  told  me  that  a  hogshead,  marked  crockery  ware, 
was  received  at  Lawrence,  but  when  it  was  opened  it  was  full  of 
Sharp's  rifles.  I  asked  him  to  sell  me  one;  he  told  me  that  I  could 
not  buy  one,  for  they  were  sent  out  here  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State. 

I  am  fully  satisfied  all  the  troubles  and  difficulties  in  Kansas  is 
traceable  to,  and  have  been  superinduced  by,  the  operations  and  acts 
of  the  Emigrant  Aid  societies.  If  these  societies  had  not  sent  men 
out  here  for  the  open  and  avowed  purpose,  as  they  stated  themselves, 
to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  I  don't  think  any  of  these  troubles  and 
difficulties  would  have  occurred. 

JOHN  M.  SMITH. 


STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  >  ss 
Jackson  county,    J  SS' 

On  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  John  M.  Smith,  whose  nime  appears  to  the  above  and 
aforegoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  aforegoing 
statement  is  true,  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Acknoledged   and  sworn  to  before  me. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOKTH,  [L.  s.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

H.  Rep.  200 U* 


1170  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  ^ 
County  of  Jackson,  \ 

I,  John  E.  Swearengeir,  clerk  of  the  county  court,  do  hereby  certify 
that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq.,  whose  genuine  signature  appears  to 
the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting 
justice  of  the  peace  within  and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected, 
commissioned,  and  qualified,  and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and 
ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of 
justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL*  9'J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARENGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  0.  H.  Browne. 

The  undersigned,  0.  H.  Browne,  on  oath,  says:  I  emigrated  to  the 
Territory  of  Kansas  from  Maryland,  in  August,  1854,  and  settled  on 
the  Kansas  river  in  the  second  district,  at  Lecompton.  I  was  a 
member  of  the  legislature  of  that  district.  I  was  present  at  the 
election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1854,  in  the  second  district,  after  the 
voting  had  commenced,  and  some  votes  taken.  The  crowd  had  left 
the  window  when  I  went  up  to  vote ;  there  was  no  one  in  the  room 
who  would  take  my  vote ;  and  it  was  said  by  somebody,  that  no  more 
votes  would  be  taken  there  that  day.  The  two  free  State  judges, 
Ramsey  and  Burson,  had  gone  off,  and  Samuel  S.  Jones  went  after 
them,  and  he  brought  back  the  poll  books  which  had  been  carried 
off.  Two  other  judges  were  selected,  and  the  voting  commenced 
again,  and  the  election  went  off  quietly.  There  was  no  violence  used 
or  threatened  that  day,  from  first  to  last,  as  I  saw  or  heard.  The 
first  ballot  box  was  carefully  preserved  unopened  as  it  was  left  by 
the  absconding  judges ;  and  another  box  was  procured,  in  which  the 
ballots  that  were  received  afterwards  were  deposited.  When  the 
polls  were  closed  in  the  evening,  the  first  ballot  box  was  opened  and 
the  votes  counted  in  my  presence.  There  were  thirty- three  in  all — 
twenty-one  for  0.  H.  Browne,  and  the  same  number  for  G.  W.  Ward; 
McDonald's  vote  I  do  not  recollect.  The  free  State  ticket  received 
twelve  votes. 

I  was  appointed  to  take  the  census  by  Governor  Reeder,  and  did 
take  the  census;  and  was  instructed,  by  Governor  Reeder,  to  ascer- 
tain from  every  man  from  what  State  he  emigrated.  There  were  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  from  slave  States,  and  seventy-two  from 
free  States — one  hundred  and  ninety-nine  (199)  in  all;  so  that  I  am 
fully  satisfied  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority  of  actual  resi- 
dent voters  at  the  time  of  the  election.  From  the  result  of  the  census 
which  I  took,  and  the  political  sentiments  of  the  people,  which  I  as- 
certained in  taking  the  census,  there  is  no  doubt  on  my  mind  that  the 
pro-slavery  party  had  a  majority  of  actual  resident  voters. 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1171 

I  fully  "believe  that  the  troubles  and  difficulties  in  Kansas  Territory 
have  been  produced  by  the  operation  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Societies 
from  the  north  and  east. 

0.  H.  BKOWNE. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  > 
Jackson  county,     \     ' 

On  the  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justiee  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  0.  H.  Browne,  whose  name  aj  pears  to  the  above  and 
aforegoing  statement,  and  made  oath  that  the  above  and  aforegoing 
statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth . 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Sworn  to  and  acknowledged  before  me. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOKTH,        [L.  s.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson,  \ 

I,  John  K.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Gfoforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and  that 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due  to  all  his  official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in 
courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL'  S'J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  K.  SWEAKINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  EUFUS  P.  DOAK. 

The  undersigned,  Kufus  P.  Doak,  states,  on  oath,  that  I  emigrated 
from  Arkansas  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  September,  1854,  and 
settled  near  Lecompton,  in  the  second  district,  and  still  reside  there. 
I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  held  at  Mr. 
Burson's  house,  in  the  second  district.  As  I  went  up  to  the  house  I 
saw  two  persons  taking  the  poll  books  away  ;  Judge  Wakefield  was 
with  them.  After  a  while  the  voting  commenced  again  and  I  voted. 
The  voting  went  on  without  difficulty.  I  saw  Mr.  Burson  and  Mr. 
Eamsey  go  away  just  as  I  got  to  the  election,  and  they  did  not  come 
back  any  more.  There  was  no  voting  going  on  when  I  got  there. 
There  was  no  violence  done  or  threatened  towards  any  one,  as  I  saw,, 
there  that  day.  I  was  not  much  acquainted  with  the  people  of  my 
district ;  but  I  saw  a  good  many  persons  at  the  election  that  day  that 
I  know  now  to  be  residents  of  the  second  district.  Sometime  early  in 
December,  1854,  as  I  was  going  home  to  my  claim,  near  Lecompton, 


1172  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

from  Westport,  where  I  had  been  on  business,  I  met  a  large  number 
of  persons  travelling  a  foot,  carrying  carpet  sacks.     I  talked  to  some 
of  them.     They  told  me  that  they  had  come  out  to  the  Territory  of 
Kansas  to  vote ;  had  voted,  and  were  then  returning  home  to  the 
east.     They  said  that  they  had  been  sent  out  and  had  done  what  they 
came  for.     I  often  came  down  to  Westport  then  as  it  was  our  nearest 
market ;  and  shortly  after  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  I  was 
going  home,  travelling  on  the  Lawrence  road,  I  met  a  number  of  men 
who  said  they  were  in  favor  of  a  free  State.     These  men  which  I  met 
in  December  before  said  that  they  were  from  the  east,  and  those  whom 
I  met  shortly  after  the  March  election,  also  told  me  that  they  were 
from  the  east.     These  last  named  said  that  they  were  brought  out  by 
the  Emigrant  Aid  society,  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free 
State.    They  said  that  they  had  voted,  and  that  was  all  they  promised 
to  do,  and  were  going  home  and  would  not  come  back  any  more  ;  but 
that  the  Emigrant  Aid  society  had  not  fulfilled  their  promises,  and 
they  cursed  the  Aid  society,  and  were  dissatisfied  with  the  treatment 
of  the  Aid  society.    Captain  Leanard,  of  Boston,  who  resides  in  Doug- 
las county,  between  Lawrence  and  Lecompton,  told  me,  last  winter, 
that  he  had  been  sent  out  to  the  Territory  by  the  aid  society,  and 
others  had  been  sent  with  him,  and  that  Sharp's  rifles  had  been 
placed  in  their  hands  to  aid  them  in  making  Kansas  a  free  State ; 
that  they  intended  to  make  it  a  free  State,  and  would  fight,  if  it  was 
necessary  to  do  so.     And  he  said  he  believed  it  would  be  necessary, 
and  that  he  had  a  large  company  of  men  that  were  ready  at  any 
minute.     They  were  in  the  habit  of  drilling,  and  I  have  seen  them  go 
out  to  drill  frequently.     A  Mr.  Conner  told  me  that  Captain  Walker, 
who  resides  about  half  way  between  Lawrence  and  Lecompton,  had  a 
large  company,  armed  with  Sharp's  rifles,  Colt's  revolvers,  and  sabres ; 
that  it  was  intended  by  them  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State  or  die  in 
the  attempt.     I  understood  from  Conner  that  this  company,  at  first, 
was  a  secret  organized  company.     Lieutenant  Herd,  who  belonged  to 
Captain  Walker's  company,  told  me  that  he  was  lieutenant,  and  that 
they  drilled  regularly,  and  after  drill  would  deposit  their  arms  at 
Walker's.     I  think  all  the  troubles  and  difficulties  in  Kansas  have 
been  produced  by  the  operation  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  societies.    I  have 
frequently,  during  the  fall  and  winter  last  past,  seen  numbers  of  free 
State  men  have  Sharp's  rifles.     It  was  common  for  them  to  carry 
Sharp's  rifles  along  with  them.    Last  winter  I  heard  Captain  Leonard 
threaten  the  pro-slavery  people.     He  said  he  would  drive  the  pro- 
slavery  party  from  the  Territory,  men,  women,  and  children  and  all. 
From  my  knowledge  of  the  resident  voters  in  the  second  district,  I  am 
satisfied  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  decided  majority. 

KUFUS  P.  DOAK. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
Jackson  county,      } 

On  the  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Rufus  P.  Doak,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1173 

foregoing  statement,  and^  made  oath  that  the  above  and  aforegoing 
statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Sworn  to  and  acknowledged  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,     [SEAL.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  g? 
County  of  Jaclzson.    \ 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  within  and  foregoing  affida- 
vit, now  is,  and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,,  an  acting  justice  of  the 
peace  within  and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and 
qualified,  and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given 
to  all  his  official  acts  as  such  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL'  S'J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  Beverly  Gentry. 

The  undersigned,  Beverly  Gentry,  states  on  oath  that  I  emigrated 
from  the  State  of  Missouri  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  October, 

1854,  and  settled  near  Kansas  river  about  six  miles  from  Lawrence, 
in  the  second  district.     I  was  present  at  the  election  of  March  30, 

1855.  I  voted.     I  was  not  about  the  polls  much.     I  saw  nothing 
more  than  what  I  had  been  accustomed  to  see  at  elections.     When  I 
went  up  to  vote  I  was  crowded  a  good  deal,  but  was  not  hurt.     I  saw 
no  violence  there,  nor  did  I  hear  of  any  threats  of  violence.     I  saw 
no  guns  in  the  hands  of  pro-slavery  men  that  day,  but  I  did  see  some 
free  State  men  have  guns,  but  they  seemed  to  be  peaceable  enough. 
I  am  tolerably  well  acquainted  in  the  second  election  district,  and  am 
tolerably  well  acquainted  with  the  political  sentiments  of  that  dis- 
trict, and  was  before  and  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  and  I 
am  satisfied  in  my  precinct,  the  second  district,  the  pro-slavery  party 
had  a  decided  majority  previous  to  and  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of 
March.     I  mean  a  decided  majority  of  the  resident  voters,  men  who 
had  actually  settled  in  the  district. 

From  all  that  I  know,  and  have  learned  from  others  whom  I  be- 
lieve, I  am  fully  satisfied  that  all  the  troubles  and  difficulties  which 
are  now  upon  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  all  the  troubles  and  difficul- 
ties from  the  beginning,  have  been  the  result  of  the  operation  of  the 
emigrant  aid  societies.  Had  not  this  society  sent  out  to  our  Territory 
men  for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  had  this  aid 
society  left  the  emigration  free  from  the  bonds  of  organization,  no 
difficulty  or  trouble  would  have  arisen  in  the  settlement  of  Kansas — 
bloodshed  and  civil  war  would  have  been  avoided. 

BEVERLY  GENTRY. 


1174  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  gg 
Jackson  county,      ) 

On  the  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Beverly  Gentry,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above 
and  aforegoing  statement,  and  made  oath  that  the  above  and  afore- 
going statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Sworn  to  and  acknowledged  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOKTH,     [SEAL.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI, 
County  of  Jackson, 

I,  John  K.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official 
acts,  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as -thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  n  seal  of  said  court  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL'  S--"  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEAKINGEN,  Clerk. 


De-position  of  S.  J.  Waful. 

The  undersigned,  S.  J.  Waful,  states  on  oath,  that  I  emigrated 
from  New  York  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  in  June,  1854,  and  settled 
in  the  second  district,  near  Douglas,  and  have  resided  there  ever 
since.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  day  of  March,  1855, 
held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Harrison  Burson.  I  was  one  of  the  first  at 
the  election  that  day.  Burson,  Kamsay  and  Ellison  were  the  judges. 
George  W.  Taylor  was  one  of  the  clerks.  The  voting  had  commenced 
(I  think  there  were  some  thirty  votes  polled)  before  I  went  up  to  vote. 
When  I  went  up  to  vote,  the  two  free  State  judges  wanted  to  swear 
me.  Ellison  told  them  that  they  knew  me  to  be  a  legal  voter;  but 
they  still  refused  my  vote.  One  of  the  free  State  judges  has  told  me — 
it  was  Mr.  Burson — that  he  has  known  me  ever  since  he,  Burson,  was 
in  the  Territory ;  yet  he  would  not  let  me  vote  unless  I  would  swear. 
While  I  was  standing  there,  insisting  to  vote,  two  free  State  men,,  one 
from  New  York,  and  the  other  from  Massachusetts,  who  had  just  ar- 
rived in  the  district  the  day  before,  came  up  to  vote,  and  their  votes 
were  received  and  put  in  the  ballot-box.  One  of  the  two  just  named — 
the  one  from  New  York — I  saw  the  day  before  at  Mr.  Lewis'  house, 
and  he  said  he  had  just  come  to  the  country,  and  the  other  said  he  had 
just  arrived.  This  affair  produced  a  difficulty,  and  there  was  no  more 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1175 

voting  for  a  while.  The  people  outside  "became  indignant  at  this  par- 
tiality. The  free  State  men  outside  holloed  to  the  judges,  "  stick  to 
it,  and  swear  all  the  pro-slavery  men."  These  two  strangers  were 
permitted  to  vote  without  swearing.  Burson  then  come  to  the  door  and 
adjourned  the  election  for  half  an  hour,  on  account  of  the  row  outside, 
and  he  and  Ramsay  went  away  with  the  poll-hooks.  The  poll-books 
were  brought  back  by  Samuel  J.  Jones.  Eamsay  and  Burson  did  not 
come  back  any  more  that  day  ;  and  when  the  time  of  adjournment  had 
expired,  I  was  elected  by  the  people  to  act  as  one  judge,  and  Frank 
Lahay  was  elected  as  the  other.  Mr.  Ellison,  Lahay  and  I  then  got 
another  ballot-box  and  proceeded  with  the  election.  There  was  no 
more  difficulty  or  confusion  that  day.  The  ballot-box  first  used  by 
the  first  board  of  judges  was  carefully  .preserved  unopened  until  we 
closed  the  polls  in  the  evening.  The  polls  were  closed  at  six  o'clock. 
We  first  opened  the  first  ballot-box  that  was  used  that  day,  and 
counted  the  tickets.  The  free  State  party  had  twelve  votes,  and  the 
pro-slavery  party  had  twenty-one  or  twenty-two.  The  candidates  for 

mncil  were  Andrew  McDonald,  pro-slavery,  and  J.  A.  Wakefield, 
:he  free  State  candidate.  0.  H.  Brown  and  G.  W.  Ward  were  the 
>ro-slavery  candidates  for  the  house  of  representatives,  and  Jesse  and 
me  other  man,  whose  name  I  do  not  remember,  were  the  free  State 

mdidates  for  the  house.  We  then  proceeded  to  count  the  ballots  in 
the  other  box.  I  saw  some  of  the  free  State  men  armed  with  guns 
:hat  day ;  and  there  were  some  guns  stacked  in  the  house.  I  was  well 
(uainted  in  the  second  district.  I  knew  the  political  sentiments  of 
nearly  all  the  resident  voters ;  and  the  pro- slavery  party  had  a  decided 
majority  in  the  second  district. 

I  am  fully  satisfied  that  the  action  and  operation  of  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society  has  produced  all  the  troubles  and  difficulties  in  Kansas, 
except  the  troubles  and  difficulties  growing  out  of  private  quarrels. 
If  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  not  interfered  with  the  settlement  of 
"ansas,  I  believe  peace  and  quiet  would  have  been  preserved. 

S.  J.  WAFUL. 

CATE  OF  MISSOURI, 

Jackson  County, 

On  the  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
ie,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  S.  J.  Waful,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and  a 
foregoing  statement,  and  made  oath  that  the  above  and  a  foregoing 
statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  12th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  185 6 : 
Sworn  and  acknowledged  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace, 

STATE  or  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson,  \  ss' 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court,  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 


1176  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  within  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and  that 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due,  and  ought  to  he  given,  to  all  his  official 
acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -.  seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL<  S'J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEAKINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  C.  N.  Micliie. 

The  undersigned,  C.  N.  Michie,  states  on  oath,  that  I  emigrated  to 
the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  January,  1855,  and  settled  ahout  four 
miles  helow  Lecompton,  and  have  resided  there  ever  since.  I  came 
from  Virginia.  Was  present  at  the  election  of  March  30,  1855,  in 
the  second  district ;  went  with  ahout  thirty  or  forty  of  my  neighhors 
to  the  polls,  all  pro-slavery  men.  The  polls  were  held  at  Burson's 
house.  Burson,  Ellison,  and  Kamsay  were  the  judges  appointed  "by 
the  governor,  and  they  opened  the  polls,  and  voting  commenced.  I 
was  present  at  the  polls  when  Dr.  Brooke  came  up  to  vote.  Burson 
and  Kamsay  refused  to  let  him  vote  unless  he  would  swear,  which  Dr. 
Brooke  refused  to  do,  "because  he  was  well  known  hy  Mr.  Ellison,  one 
of  the  Judges,  to  be  a  resident  of  the  district.  This  produced  a  diffi- 
culty and  confusion  among  the  crown  outside.  After  this  I  saw  Bur- 
son  and  Kamsay  come  out  of  the  house  and  walk  off,  and  neither  of 
them  came  hack  any  more  that  day,  as  I  saw.  Some  time  after  they 
went  away  two  others  were  appointed  to  act  in  their  places  ;  Sherman 
Waful  was  one,  and  I  do  not  recollect  the  other,  hut  I  think  it  was 
Frank  Laha.  After  these  men  were  appointed  the  polls  were  reopened 
and  voting  commenced  again.  I  saw  no  more  difficulty  or  confusion 
after  that.  There  were  some  thirty  or  forty  resident  pro-slavery  voters 
in  my  immediate  neighborhood,,  who  went  with  me  and  voted.  I  did 
not  know  a  freesoil  voter  in  my  neighborhood  at  that  time.  It  is  my 
opinion  that  all  the  difficulties  in  Kansas  Territory  resulted  from  the 
action  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  in  sending  out  men  to  make  Kansas 
a  free  State.  From  the  acquaintance  I  had  in  the  second  district,  I 
am  satisfied  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  large  majority  of  resi- 
dent voters  in  that  district. 

C.  N.  MICHIE. 

STATE  OP  MISSOURI,  )  ss 
Jackson  county,     \  ss\ 

On  the  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  "before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  C.  N.  Michie,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and 
foregoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  aforegoing 
statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1177 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Acknowledged  and  sworn  to  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOETH,     [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI, 
County  of  Jackson, 

I,  John  E.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned,  and  qualified, 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his 
official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
seal  of  said  court  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 


[L.  S.] 


thirteenth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 


JOHN  E.  SWEAEINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  and  statement  of  L.  B.  Stateler. 

At  an  election  held  for  the  third  district,  at  the  town  of  Tecumseh, 
K.  T.,  30th  of  March,  1855.  Judges  appointed  by  Governor  Keeder, 
Messrs.  L.  B.  Stateler, Burgess,  and  H.  N.  Watts. 

1st.  A  consultation  held  by  the  three  judges  in'  reference  to  the 
form  of  oath,  two  proposing  to  take  the  organic  act  as  their  guide, 
the  other  (Burgess)  determining  to  take  the  form  prescribed  by  the 
governor  ;  2d.  two  wishing  to  have  clerks,  the  other  (Burgess)  refu- 
sing to  have  any ;  whereupon  Mr.  Watts  resigned ;  the  other  two  not 
agreeing  as  to  the  manner  of  conducting  the  election,  Stateler  pro- 
posed to  Burgess  that  we  all  mutually  consent  to  resign,  to  which  he 
(Burgess)  consented,  and  it  was  proclaimed  from  the  window  to  the 
assembled  voters  without ;  whereupon  they  proceeded  according  to  the 
governor's  instructions  in  an  orderly  manner  to  elect  other  judges  to 
fill  the  vacancy,  and  proceeded  to  business. 

The  pro-slavery  voters  generally  present,  and  voted.  The  free- 
soilers  did  not  generally  attend,  though  not  prevented  from  either 
attending  or  voting,  as  those  who  were  present  did  vote. 

There  was  some  excitement  existing  at  the  time  in  the  Territory, 
which  was  attributed  by  all  sober,  reflecting  men  to  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society's  movements  in  bringing  into  the  Territory  a  great  num- 
ber of  men  at  the  time  of  the  election  in  March,  most  of  whom  were 
men  without  families,  many  of  whom  returned  soon  after  the  election 
was  past  to  their  former  homes.  At  our  fall  election  for  delegate  to 
Congress  the  first  time,  I  was  appointed  by  the  governor  as  one  of  the 
judges,  and  a  more  quiet  election  I  never  witnessed ;  all  parties  came 
together  as  neighbors  and  voted  and  went  their  way ;  and  so  I  think 
it  would  have  remained  but  for  the  foreign  interference  referred  to 
above. 

L.  B.  STATELEE. 


1178  KANSAS  AFFAIES. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
Jackson  county,     \  ss ' 

On  the  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before  me, 
the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and  State 
aforesaid,  L.  B.  Stateler,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and  fore- 
going statement,  made  oath  that  the  above  and  foregoing  statement 
is  true  and  correct  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  13th  day  of  June,  1856. 
[L.  s.]     Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  me,, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  >  sg 
County  of  Jackson,  (  ss' 

I,  John  E.  Swearengen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq.?, 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  within  and  foregoing  affidavit, , 
now  is,  and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace1 
within  and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,, 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his^ 
official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the1 
r  -|  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this- 
LL>  S'J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARENGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  Isaac  M.  Edwards. 

The  undersigned,  Isaac  M.  Edwards,  states  on  oath: 
I  emigrated  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  September,  1854,  andJ 
settled  in  the  third  district,  near  Tecumseh,  and  have  resided  therei 
ever  since  I  came  from  Illinois.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the 
30th  of  March,  1855.  I  was  about  the  polls  pretty  much  all  the  day., 
I  saw  no  violence  used  or  threatened  toward  any  one,  nor  did  I  hearr 
of  any  in  regard  to  voting  at  all.  Free  State  men  were  invited  to;> 
come  to  the  polls  and  vote.  I  heard  of  a  difficulty  that  day,  but  itfc 
was  not  in  relation  to  the  election  or  voting,  but  was  a  private  diffi- 
culty between  Mr.  Stinson  and  Mr.  Burgess.  I  am  pretty  well  ac- 
quainted throughout  the  third  district,  and  know  pretty  generally  thea 
political  sentiments  of  the  people,  and  I  know  that  there  was  a  large" 
majority  in  favor  of  the  pro-slavery  party.  I  saw  them  all  at  then 
election,  with  a  few  exceptions,  and  saw  a  great  many  of  them  vote.. 
It  is  my  opinion  that  all  the  difficulties  and  troubles  have  been  pro-i 
duced  by  the  operation  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  I  am  satisfied 
that  if  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  not  sent  men  out  to  the  Terri- 
tory of  Kansas  for  the  purpose  of  making  it  a  free  State,  there  would 
be  no  trouble  or  difficulties  in  the  Territory. 

ISAAC  M.  EDWARDS. 


KANSAS    AFFAIKS.  1179 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI, 


oo 

Jackson  county,      J 

On  the  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Isaac  M.  Edwards,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above 
and  a  foregoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  fore- 
going statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Acknowledged  and  sworn  to  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOETH,     [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OP  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson ,  j 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court,  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  and  foregoing  affidavit, 
now  is,  and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace 
within  and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified, 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  to  all  his  official  acts  as  such,  as 
well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r        ,  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
b>J  13th  day  of  June,  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEAEINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  Robert  A.  Edwards. 

The  undersigned,  Eobert  A.  Edwards,  states  on  oath  that  I 
emigrated  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  the  summer  of  1854,  and 
settled  in  the  third  district  near  Tecumseh.  I  came  from  Illinois.  I 
have  resided  on  my  claim  near  Tecumseh  ever  since  the  summer  of 
1854.  I  was,  and  am  yet,  pretty  well  acquainted  in  Tecumseh  and 
vicinity.  I  was  present  at  the  election  for  members  of  the  legislature, 
held  in  Tecumseh  on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  was  about  the  polls 
all  day.  I  saw  no  violence  used  or  threatened  towards  any  one,  nor 
did  I  hear  of  any  in  regard  to  voting  at  all.  But,  on  the  contrary,  I 
saw  and  heard  the  free  State  men  invited  to  come  to  the  polls  and 
vote.  None  accepted  the  invitation.  I  heard  of  a  difficulty  on  that 
day,  but  it  was  not  in  relation  to  the  election  or  voting  in  any  way  ; 
that  difficulty  was  between  Thomas  N.  Stinson  and  Mr.  Burgess.  ^  It 
was  a  private  affair.  Mr.  Burgess  had  said  to  me,  in  a  conversation 
in  regard  to  the  reserves  of  Mr.  Stinson  and  Mr.  E.  Boshman — the 
latter  an  Indian — ' '  that  he  did  not  look  upon  any  man  who  would 
marry  an  Indian  as  any  better  than  a  man  who  would  marry  a  negro ; 
that  he  thought  a  negro  was  better  than  an  Indian,  and,  for  his  part, 
that  he  would  rather  marry  a  negro  than  an  Indian."  The  above,  as 
quoted,  to  my  recollection  and  belief,  is  the  exact  language^  of  Mr. 
Burgess.  I  told  Mr.  Stinson  of  the  conversation  I  had  had  with  Mr. 


1180 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 


Burgess.  Mr.  Stinson  said  that  lie  would  go  immediately  in  the 
house  and  attack  Mr.  Burgess.  This  is  all  took  place  in  the  morning 
before  the  polls  had  been  opened.  Mr.  Stinson  left  immediately  upon 
saying  that  he  would  do  so,  and  walked  into  the  house.  I  did  not 
see  or  hear  what  passed  between  Mr.  Stinson  and  Mr.  Burgess  in  the 
house.  I  am  pretty  well  acquainted  in  the  neighborhood  of  Tecurnseh, 
and  I  examined  the  poll  list  when  the  committee  was  at  Tecumseh. 
I  mean  the  poll  lists  of  the  third  district,  upon  which  are  recorded 
the  names  of  those  who  voted  on  the  30th  March,  1855,  and  I  find  on 
the  said  poll-list  the  names  of  the  following  men,  whom  I  knew  to  be 
actual  residents  of  the  Territory  and  district  at  the  time  of  the  elec- 
tion of  the  30th  March,  1855  : 


John  W  Kavanaugh 
Owen  C  Stewart 
F  A  Wentworth 
W  A  Sublett 
G  M  Holloway 
J  R  Warren 
Jessie  Michiner 
Wafer  Satterwhite 
T  N  Stinson 
D  W  Hunter 
J  C  Riggs 
E  H  Matthews 
Thomas  West 
B  Wilks 
ADM  Hand 
Jerry  Nicham 
W  A  Owen 
Jerome  Bowles 
Isaac  Strother 
Jacob  Piles 
P  Wood 
Joseph  McConnald 


E  G  Vaughan 
John  Piles 
L  W  Swearingen 
James  Henin 
H  N  Natty 
J  H  Weaver 
0  Copeland 
John  Homer 
Samuel  P  McCutchin 
James  M  Small 
T  W  Hays 
Horatio  Cocks 
J  K  Ways  man 
G-  W  Berry 
P  0  Boggs 
Robert  A.  Edwards 
Peter  Croco 
A  G-  Brown 
A  J  Kelly 
Edward  Uptegraph 
W  R  Boggs 
Edmund  Byerly 


H.  W.  Brady,  M.  H.  Christian,  L.  B.  Stateler,  Charles  Alexander, 
Francis  G-rassmuck,  John  Sailing,  A.  F.  Byler,  J.  M.  Edwards,  L.  P. 
Chilson,  J.  R.  Agee,  H.  Z.  Quishenbery,  H.  J.  Strickler,  D.  L.  Croys- 
dale,  William  Pickerel,  W.  A.  M.  Vaughan.  I  am  satisfied  that,  at 
the  time  of  the  election  of  the  30th  March,  1855,  that  there  was  a 
large  majority  of  the  resident  voters  in  favor  of  the  pro-slavery  party  ; 
quite  all,  if  not  all,  of  the  pro-slavery  residents  of  the  third  district 
voted  at  that  election.  It  is  my  opinion,  and  the  opinion  of  the 
neighbors  generally,  that  all  the  difficulties  and  troubles  in  Kansas 
were  produced  by  the  operations  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  I  am 
satisfied  that,  if  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society  had  not  sent  men  out  to  the 
Territory  of  Kansas  for  the  purpose  of  making  it  a  free  State,  the 
troubles  and  difficulties  that  are  now  upon  us  would  have  never  oc- 
curred. 

R.  A.  EDWARDS. 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1181 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  >  sg 
Jackson  county,     \ 

On  the  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Robert  A.  Edwards,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above 
and  aforegoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  afore- 
going statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

Acknowledged  and  sworn  before  me. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,        [L.  s.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,,  )  gg 
County  of  Jackson.  \ 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned,  and  quali- 
fied, and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all 
his  official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand,  and  affixed  the 
r  i  seal  of  said  court  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
!>  s--l  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  K.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  W.  A.  M.  Vaughan. 

The  undersigned,  W.  A.  M.  Vaughan,  states  on  oath  that  I  emi- 
grated from  Nebraska  Territory  to  Kansas  Territory,  in  November, 
1854,  and  settled  at  the  town  of  Tecumseh,  in  the  third  district.  I 
opened  a  store,  and  have  been  keeping  store  in  Tecumseh  ever  since. 
On  one  Sunday  morning,  a  short  time  before  the  election  of  March 
30,  1855,  a  party  of  men,  some  six  or  seven,  came  to  our  store  and 
waked  us  up.  A  young  man,  Sublett,  was  doing  business  for  me, 
and  was  in  bed  with  me.  After  the  door  was  opened  they  came  in  ; 
Mr.  Sublett  asked  them  where  they  were  from,  and  remarked,  from 
the  east,  I  suppose.  One  of  them  replied  that  they  were  from  Penn- 
sylvania. They  said  they  were  free  State  men,  and  had  been  brought 
out  by  Governor  Keeder.  They  also  said  there  was  a  company  of 
eighty,  made  up  in  Easton,  Pennsylvania,  who  were  coming  in  time 
for  the  election,  and  that  they  were  furnished  money  by  Governor 
Keeder's  secretary,  at  Easton,  to  come  out  on.  They  said  they  were 
determined  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  that  they  had  been 
directed  by  Governor  Reeder  to  go  to  Pawnee,  and  there  they  would 
find  some  one  who  would  give  them  further  directions.  I  saw  three 
of  them  returning,  and  they  told  me  they  were  very  much  dissatisfied, 
and  that  Reeder  had  told  them  a  pack  of  damned  lies.  As  they  were 


1182  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

going  up,  they  remarked  that  they  presumed  they  knew  of  the  elec- 
tion in  Pennsylvania  before  the  people  did  here  in  Kansas.  This  was 
drawn  out  by  Mr.  Sublett  passing  himself  off  to  them  as  a  free  State 
man. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  all  the  troubles  and  difficulties  in  Kansas  are 
traceable  to  and  were  superinduced  by  the  operations  and  acts  of  the 
Emigrant  Aid  Societies,  and  I  am  satisfied,  that  if  the  Emigrant  Aid 
Societies  had  not  sent  men  out  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State,  these  troubles  and  difficulties 
would  never  have  occurred,  and  have  heard  free  State  men  utter  the 
same  opinion.  I  wrote  several  letters  to  citizens  of  Missouri,  inform- 
ing them  that  I  had  seen  and  conversed  with  free  State  men,  who  told 
me  that  they  had  been  sent  out  to  Kansas  by  the  Emigrant  Aid  So- 
cieties to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  that  they,  these  free  State 
men,  also  told  me  that  large  numbers  more  were  coming. 

I  am  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  the  third  district,  and  have  kept- 
store  in  Tecumseh  ever  since  I  went  to  the  Territory,  and  have  had  a 
good  opportunity  to  know  the  political  opinions  of  the  people  of  the 
third  district,  and  I  am  satisfied  that  there  was  a  decided  majority  of 
the  pro-slavery  party  in  the  third  district  at  the  time  of  the  election 
of  March  30,  1855.  I  mean  of  the  actual  settlers  of  the  district,  and 
that  Hiram  J.  Strickler  and  David  L.  Croysdale  were  elected  by  the 
actual  residents  of  the  district. 

Some  of  the  men  who  signed  and  swore  to  the  protest  against  the 
election  at  the  third  district,  on  the  30th  of  March,  are  now  indicted 
for  perjury.  Mr.  Burgess  is  one  of  the  men  who  is  indicted  for  per- 
jury. He  was  indicted  by  the  grand  jury  of  Shawnee  countj^. 

WM.  A.  M.  VAUGHAK 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  gs . 
Jackson  county,    \  st 

On  the  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  W.  A.  M.  Yaughan,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above 
and  aforegoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  fore- 
going statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  llth  day  of  Jime,  A.  D.  1856. 
Acknowledged  and  sworn  to  before  me, 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,     [SEAL.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  sg . 
County  of  Jackson,  \ 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  *o  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and  that 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due  to*  all  hip  official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in 
courts  of  justice  as  thereout 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1183 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
-,  seal  of  said  court  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
"  S'J  14th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  K.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  Samuel  Scott. 

The  undersigned,  Samuel  Scott,  states  on  oath  that  "I  emigrated  to 
the  Territory  of  Kansas,  from  the  State  of  Missouri,  in  the  month  of 
December,  1854,  and  reside  there  still;  I  settled  in  the  fifth  council 
district.  I  was  present  at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  held  in 
that  district  on  Little  Sugar  creek,  at  Stockton's  house,  at  a  place 
called  "  The  Sugar  Mound."  Mr.  Stockton  was  one  of  the  judges  ap- 
pointed by  Keeder,  he  acted ;  the  names  of  the  other  two  I  do  not  now 
recollect,  but  I  know  them.  David  Lykins  and  A.  M.  Coffee  were  the 
pro-slavery  candidates  for  the  council,  and  Wm.  A.  Heiskell,  Henry 
Younger,  Allen  Wilkinson,  and  myself  were  the  pro-slavery  candi- 
dates. All  resided  in  the  district  at  the  time  of  the  election,  and  all 
reside  there  still  except  Mr.  Younger.  I  think  he  sold  out  and  left. 
Mr.  Fox  and  Mr.  Morris  were  the  free  State  candidates  for  the  council, 
and  Messrs.  Houser,  Jennings,  Poor,  and  a  Mr.  Surple  were  the  free 
State  candidates.  Mr.  Surple  was  an  Englishman.  The  election 
went  on  quietly  and  there  was  no  disturbance  or  difficulty.  At  a 
grocery  there  was  some  little  confusion  and  noise,  but  nothing  in  re- 
gard to  the  election.  I  was  and  am  still  well  acquainted  with  the 
resident  voters  in  my  precinct.  All  the  persons  that  attended  at  that 
precinct  were  actual  residents  of  the  district  except  one,  and  he  said 
he  had  a  claim.  From  my  knowledge  of  the  actual  resident  voters 
who  reside  in  that  district,  the  fifth  council  district,  the  pro-slavery 
party  had  a  majority.  There  were  some  ten  or  fifteen  free  State  men 
came  from  Fort  Scott  district  and  voted  in  our  district. 

Mr.  Surple,  one  of  the  free  State  candidates,  came  to  me  in  Febru- 
ary, 1855,  and  told  me  that  the  free  State  party  had  chosen  him  as 
one  of  the  standard  bearers  of  the  free  State  party,  that  he  was  op- 
posed to  the  extension  of  slavery,  and  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a 
free  State.  He  told  me  that  there  was  a  society  in  the  east  formed 
for  the  purpose  of  making  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  abolishing  slavery 
in  the  United  States.  He  said  that  this  society  had  money,  men, 
and  means,  and  would  not  cease  their  operations  until  they  would 
abolish  slavery  in  the  whole  country.  He  also  said  a  similar  society 
had  been  formed  in  London  (in  Europe)  for  the  same  purpose.  He 
said  that  he  was  an  Englishman.  He  said  that  he  had  been  in  Eng- 
land three  or  four  times  since  he  had  first  come  to  the  United  States, 
which  was  about  eight  years  ago,  as  he  said.  This  induced  me  to 
become  a  candidate.  I  have  not  seen  Mr.  Jennings,  one  of  the  free 
State  candidates  for  the  house  in  our  district  since  the  election,  he  left 
directly  after  the  election.  At  that  time  I  knew  a  large  majority  of 
all  the  settlers  of  the  fifth  council  district,  and  at  the  time  of  the  elec- 
tion the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  decided  majority  of  the  actual  residents. 

I  am  fully  satisfied  that  the  foundation  of  all  the  troubles  in  Kansas 


1184  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

have  sprung  from  the  operation  of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  I  have 
heard  free  State  men  say  that  they  were  satisfied  that  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Society  has  been  the  whole  cause  of  the  troubles  and  difficulties 
in  Kansas.  And  they  said  that  they  would  never  have  any  thing 
more  to  do  with  the  aid  societies.  As  they  believed  the  unlawful  deeds 
done  in  the  Territory  were  done  on  account  of  the  aid  societies.  When 
these^ten  or  fifteen  men  came  from  Fort  Scott  district  the  friends  of 
our  side  told  me  to  try  and  stop  them.  I  said  let  them  vote,  we  will 
beat  them  any  how. 

SAMUEL  SCOTT. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
Jackson  county,     \ 

On  the  ISth^day  of  ^  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Samuel  Scott,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and 
aforegoing  statement,  made  oath  that  the  above  and  aforegoing  state- 
ment is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
Sworn  to  and  acknowledged  before  me, 

THOS.  J.  GOFOETH,     [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson,  j  S8' 

I,  John  E.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify,  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  within  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within,  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned  and  qualified,  and 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official 
acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
FT  e  1  sea^  °f  sa  ^  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL'  B;J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEARINGEN,  Cleric. 


Deposition  of  William  A.  HeisJcell. 

The  undersigned,  William  A.  Heiskell,  states  on  oath  that  I  emi- 
grated to  the  Territory  of  Kansas  in  1849,  and  located  at  the  Sac  and 
Fox  agency,  and  have  resided  in  the  Territory  ever  since.  I  was  pre- 
sent at  the  election  of  the  30th  of  March,  1855,  held  in  the  fifth  coun- 
cil district,  at  the  Old  Catholic  Mission,  on  Big  Sugar  creek.  The 
candidates  were  David  Lykins  and  A.  M.  Coffee,  pro-slavery,  and  Mr. 
Fox  and  Mr.  Morris,  free  State ;  the  above  were  the  candidates  for 
council.  For  the  house  of  representatives  the  pro-slavery  candidates 
were  Samuel  Scott,  Henry  Younger,  Allen  Wilkinson,  and  myself. 
The  free  States  candidates  Houser,  Poor,  Jennings,  and  the  name  of 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1185 

the  other  I  do  not  now  recollect.  The  names  of  the  judges  were 
Smith,  Tucker,  and  Brown.  The  polls  were  opened  about  the  time 
mentioned  in  the  governor's  proclamation,  I  think  8  o'clock  was  the 
hour.  At  this  precinct  there  were  no  votes  offered  or  received  that  day 
but  actual  resident  voters.  I  was  well  acquainted  in  this  precinct  and 
knew  almost  every  voter  that  was  there  that  day  on  both  sides.  All 
voted  except  two  or  three  of  the  free  State  party  ;  one  of  them,  Mr. 
Dyer,  told  me  that  the  reason  he  did  not  vote  was  that  he  was  dissat- 
isfied with  the  free  State  ticket.  They  voted  by  secret  ballot.  There 
was  no  fuss  or  confusion  at  the  polls  that  day,  except  that  Mr.  Arthur, 
one  of  the  judges,  refused  to  record  a  vote  which  was  believed  to  be 
good  by  the  other  two  judges.  Mr.  Arthur  persisting  in  his  objec- 
tions, and  the  other  two  judges  insisting  that  the  voter  was  legally 
entitled  to  vote,  made  the  only  fuss  or  confusion.  Mr.  Arthur  with- 
drew and  refused  to  act,  and  Mr.  Smith  was  appointed  in  his  place  ; 
the  election  then  went  on  quietly.  The  pro-slavery  ticket,  I  think,  got 
fifty-six  votes,  and  the  free  State  ticket  about  eighteen.  The  actual 
settlers  of  that  precinct  were  pretty  generally  out  at  the  election.  I 
am  well  acquainted  with  the  actual  residents  of  that  precinct  and  I 
know  that  the  pro-slavery  party  had  a  large  majority  in  that  precinct 
of  actual  residents  at  the  time  of  the  election.  I  was  at  that  time  and 
am  still  pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  actual  settlers  of  the  whole 
council  district  No.  5,  and  I  am  satisfied  that  the  pro-slavery  party  at 
the  time  of  the  election  had  a  majority  of  the  actual  residents  of  that 
council  district.  Many  of  the  free  State  party  were  dissatisfied  with 
their  ticket.  The  free  State  emigration  into  our  district  about  the 
time  of  the  election  was  greater  than  at  any  time,  before  or  since,  for 
the  same  length  of  time.  I  fully  believe  that  the  operation  and  or- 
ganization of  the  Emigrant  Aid  Society,  and  other  kindred  societies, 
have  been  the  foundation  of  all  the  troubles  and  difficulties  in  Kansas 
Territory. 

Some  of  the  free  State  men  before  the  election  told  me  that  they 
would  vote  the  pro-slavery  ticket,  and  a  good  many  of  the  free  State 
men  told  me  after  the -election  that  they  had  voted  the  .pro-slavery 
ticket. 

A.  M.  Coffee,  one  of  the  pro-slavery  candidates  for  -the  council, 
came  to  the  Territory  to  reside  before  the  30th  of  March  election,  and 
has  resided  in  the  fifth  council  district  ever  since.  David  Lykins  has 
resided  in  the  fifth  council  district  for  eight  or  ten  years.  Samuel 
Scott  and  Allen  Wilkinson  both  resided  in  the  district  before  the  elec- 
tion, and  reside  there  still.  Wilkinson  is  dead.  Henry  Younger 
lived  in  the  Territory  before  the  election.  The  three  last  were  candi- 
dates for  the  house. 

WM.  A.  HEISKELL. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 

Jackson  county,     \  ' ' 

On  the  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1356,  personally  appeared  before 
me  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Wm.  A.  Heiskell,  whose  name  appears  to  the  aobve 
H.  Rep.  200 75* 


1186  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

and  foregoing  statement,  and  made  oath  that  the  above  and  aforego- 
ing statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 
[L.  s.]  Sworn  to  and  acknowledged  before  me. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOKTH, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OP  MISSOURI,  )  gs 
County  of  Jackson,  )  ss' 

I,  John  K.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court,  within  and  foi: 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  es(j.» 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  isH 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  anci 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is'due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official 
acts,  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  bave  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  thirj 
r       -|  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  thii 
LL'  s*-l  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  Thomas  Johnson. 

I  hereby  certify  that  a  short  time  before  the  meeting  of  the  Kansa; 
legislature  at  Pawnee,  that  I  had  an  interview  with  Governor  Reeden' 
and  endeavored  to  persuade  him  to  change  his  proclamation,  and  call 
the  legislature  together  at  some  other  place,  as  we  understood  than 
suitable  arrangements  could  not  be  made  in  time,  and  a  large  portioi  j 
of  the  members  elect  had  petitioned  to  have  the  place  of  meeting 
changed,  He  told  me  that,  if  he  could  get  definite  information,  tha 
suitable  preparations,  such  as  he  had  ordered,  were  not  made  or  could 
not  be  made  in  time,  that  he  would  change  his  proclamation.  But  hh 
supposed  that  if  we  did  convene  at  Pawnee  and  found  that  we  had  no< 
suitable  accommodations,  that  we  would  adjourn  to  some  other  placet] 
and  said  if  that  should  be  the  case  he  would  acquiesce  and  go  with  usj 
He  said  that  if  the  wording  of  the  Kansas  bill  had  been  the  same  afj 
that  of  Nebraska,  there  would  be  some  doubt  as  to  our  right  ttl 
adjourn  to  another  place.  But  the  language  of  the  Kansas  bill  bein^ 
entirely  different,  no  question  could  be  raised  on  that  subject.  An<ij 
on  the  same  evening  after  this  interview,  reliable  information  wa'j 
received  that  the  expected  preparations  had  not  been  made,  and  coult 
not  be  made  in  time  for  the  session  of  the  legislature.  But  Governo 
Reeder  did  not  change  his  proclamation  as  he  had  promised  to  dd 
and  never  assigned  any  reason  why  he  did  not. 

I  further  testify  that,  after  we  got  to  Pawnee,  nearly  all  of  tli 
members  of  tbe  legislature  had  to  camp  out  in  the  open  sun,  and  d< 
their  own  cooking,  without  even  a  shade  tree  to  protect  them ;  fol 
there  were  no  boarding  houses  in  the  neighborhood,  excepting  twi 


KANSRS    AFFAIRS.  1187 

unfinished  shanties,  which,  were  not  sufficient  to  accommodate  one- 
fifth  part  of  the  people  who  had  business  with  the  legislature  ;  and, 
in  addition  to  this,  I  will  add  that  the  cholera  broke  out  while  we 
were  there,  and  one  man  died  with  it,  and  several  members  and  clerks 
of  the  legislature  had  strong  cholera  symptoms  before  we  adjourned. 

THOMAS  JOHNSON. 
JUNE  5,  1856. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace 
in  and  for  Jackson  county,  State  of  Missouri. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOKTH,  J.  P. 
JUNE  5,  A.  D;  1856. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  sg 
County  of  Jackson,  $ 

I,  John  E.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned,  and  quali- 
fied, and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all 
his  official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r        -,  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
b*J  13th  day  of  June,  1856. 

JOHN  K.  SWEAKINGEN,  Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  Samuel  A.  Williams. 

I  am  a  resident  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  and  have  been  since 
i  the  1st  of  March,  1855 ;  was  a  candidate  for  the  legislature  in  the 
sixth  representative  district,  and  was  elected  as  one  of  the  represent- 
atives of  that  district.  A.  H.  Reeder  issued  his  proclamation  calling 
us  together  at  the  town  of  Pawnee,  to  meet  on  the  first  Monday  of 
July,  1855.  Pawnee  is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  up  the 
Kansas  river,  is  on  the  out  edge  of  the  settlements,  or  was,  at  that 
time,  if  there  was  any  settlers  west  of  Pawnee.  At  that  time  I  did 
not  know  it  was  so  remote  from  my  district  that  I  could  not  corre- 
spond with  my  family  or  constituents,  as  there  was  no  mail  facilities; 
the  accommodations  there  were  very  bad ;  so  bad,  in  fact,  that  a  great 
portion  of  the  members  were  compelled  to  camp  out,  and  sleep  on  the 
ground,  and  cook  for  themselves ;  there  was  but  one  house  for  board- 
ers, and  that  was  mean  and  small.  I  and  two  others  got  boarding  at 
the  fort,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  warehouse  we  met  in, 
which  I  had  to  walk  to  my  meals  under  a  July  sun.  I  begged  hard 
before  I  could  get  it ;  it  was  a  mess  house  some  of  the  officers  of  the 
post  had.  There  was  considerable  sickness,  reported  to  be  cholera, 
before  we  left  Pawnee,  and  some  of  the  members  were  very  much 


1188  KANSAS    AFFAIRS. 

alarmed.  The  house  we  met  in  had  but  two  rooms,,  and  was  not  com- 
pleted ;  they  worked  on  it  all  day  the  Sunday  before  the  meeting  to) 
get  the  roof  on  ;  the  floors  were  loose,  and  it  had  no  doors  or  windows. 
As  long  as  we  staid  there,  we  had  no  room  for  a  committee  to  meet, . 
and,  in  consequence,  we  could  not  remain  in  session  more  than  one  orr 
two  hours'at  a  time. 

SAMUEL  A.  WILLIAMS. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to,  before  me,  this  9th  day  of  June,  A.  D. 
1856. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOBTH, 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  Jackson  county,  Missouri. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jackson,  J  Ss' 

I,  John  E.  Swearengen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  fon 
the  county  aforesairl,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq... 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and- 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and  that 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due,  and  ought  to  be  given,  to  all  his  official 
acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  tho< 
seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  thifi 


[L.  S.] 


14th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 


JOHN  B.  SWEABINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  William  Barbee. 
STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  }  ,       ., 

T         7  f    W    Wit' 

Jackson  county,     $ 

On  the  sixth  day  of  June,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand! 
eight  hundred  and  fifty-six,  personally  appeared  before  me,  the  under 
signed,  a  justice  of  thu  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and  State  afore 
said,  William  Barbee,  who  deposeth  and  saith :  That  the  member 
elect  of  the  first  legislative  assembly  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas  me 
at  the  Shawnee  Mission  some  time  in  the  early  part  of  April,  1855 ! 
and  while  there  memorialized  Governor  Beeder  to  call  them  togethe 
at  an  early  day,  as  many  of  us  believed  at  the  time  there  were  ttr| 
laws  in  force  in  the  Territory  by  which  crimes  could  be  punished  an' 
civil  wrongs  redressed  ;  and  he  was  also  asked,  in  the  same  memoria] 
ta  assemble  the  legislature  at  some  other  place  than  Pawnee.  Th 
requests  thus  made  were  refused,  and  the  legislature,  by  proclamatio: 
of  the  governor,  assembled  at  Pawnee  on  the  second  day  of  July,  185& 
When  we  (I  being  a  member  of  the  council)  got  to  Pawnee  we^foun 
but  three  or  four  inhabitable  buildings,  and  but  one  house  at  whicn 
any  of  us  could  be  accommodated,  and  at  that  house  but  a  small  poi 
tion  of  the  members  and  officers  of  the  legislature  could  be  accommc 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1189 

dated,  so  that  the  greater  portion  of  the  members  and  officers  of  both 
branches  of  the  assembly  were  obliged  to  camp  out  beneath  a  scorch- 
ing July  sun — there  being  no  trees  or  other  shelter  from  the  burning 
sun — and  procure  provisions,  cook,  and  wash  for  themselves.  In  the 
meantime,  during  the  sitting  of  the  legislature,  the  cholera  broke 
out,  and  many  died  from  attacks  of  the  cholera.  Provisions  at  last 
became  scarce^  and  the  weather  was  so  dry  and  hot  that  the  beef  on 
hand  spoiled,  and  no  beef  could  be  had,  and  scarcely  any  other  kind 
of  meat,  and  no  vegetables.  There  was  no  provender,  except  the  burnt 
grass  of  the  prairie,  for  our  horses,  and  no  shelter  or  place  to  keep 
th^m,  but  were  obliged  to  picket  them  out,  at  a  risk  of  losing  them. 
The  house  in  which  we  were  to  meet,  on  Sunday  morning  before  the 
Monday  on  which  the  legislature  was  to  assemble,  had  no  floors  up 
stairs  nor  down  stairs,  neither  were  there  any  doors  or  windows  to  it, 
so  that  the  exposure  to  the  sun  was  nearly  as  great  in  that  house  as 
out  of  it.  On  Sunday  the  floors  were  laid  loosely  down,  but  neither 
windows  or  doors  were  put  to  the  building  during  the  time  we  re- 
mained there.  Believing  that  Governor  Reeder  would  have  sufficient 
accommodations  prepared  for  us  we  took  little  or  nothing  of  material 
for  camp  life,  so  that  we  were  wholly  unprepared  to  protect  ourselves 
against  the  weather,  as  well  as  to  protect  ourselves  against  hunger. 
Many  of  us  were  obliged  to  lie  on  the  ground.  The  house  in  which 
Governor  Reeder  was  quartered  was  comfortable,  and  nearly  as  large 
as  the  hotel,  (as  it  was  termed,)  and  occupied  half  of  it  himself. 
Although  we  were  within  a  mile  or  a  mile  and  a  half  of  Fort  Riley, 
a  United  States  government  post,  yet  if  we  would  not  have  taken  some 
provision  with  us  we  would  have  fbeen  without  anything  to  eat,  for 
we  could  get  nothing  of  the  sort  at  the  fort.  Pawnee  is  situated  on 
the  Kansas  river,  about  one  hundred  and  forty  or  fifty  miles  from  its 
mouth.  While  there  we  could  have  no  communication  with  our  fami- 
lies or  constituents,  except  by  private  messengers.  There  were  but 
two  rooms  in  the  house  where  we  were  assembled,  one  for  the  council, 
and  one  for  the  house,  and  no  room  in  the  town  cfould  be  procured  for 
a  committee  to  deliberate.  It  was  impossible,  almost,  for  legislation 
to  be  done.  Unless  the  two  houses  would  adjourn  from  time  to  time, 
no  business  could  be  prepared  by  the  committees  for  the  action  of  the 
respective  houses.  If  we  had  remained  there,  but  little  legislation 
could  have  been  done,  as  the  committees  would  have  been  of  necessity 
forced  to  meet  in  daylight,  on  the  open  prairie,  beneath  the  power  of 
a  hot  sun  in  the  months  of  July  and  August.  The  foregoing  I  should 
state  before  the  "  Kanzas  investigating  committee' '  if  permitted,  but 
not  being  allowed  to  do  so  before  them,  I  make  the  statement  and 
swear  to  it  before  a  justice  of  the  peace. 

WM.  BARBEE. 

Acknowledged  before  me,  June  6,  1855. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 


1190  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
County  of  Jaekson,  \  ^ 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  sixth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  per- 
sonally came  before  me,  the  undersigned,  justice  of  the  peace  in  and 
for  the  county  and  State  aforesaid,  William  Barbee,  whose  name  is 
subscribed  to  the  foregoing  statement,  and,  upon  his  oath,  states  that 
the  above  and  foregoing  statements  are  true  as  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand,  this  sixth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ^ 
County  of  Jackson,  ^  ss' 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within; 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned,  and  qualified, , 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  to  all  his  official  acts  as  such,  as 
well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
seal  of  said  court  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this-. 


[L.  S.] 


thirteenth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1856. 


JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Deposition  of  Alexander  S.  Johnson. 

I  am  a  citizen  of  Kansas  Territory ;  was  born  and  raised  [in  that 
Territory.  I  was  a  resident  of  the  seventeenth  representative  district 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1855.  I  was  a  candidate  for  the  legislature 
from  the  fourth  and  seventeenth  representative  districts,  was  legally 
elected,  and  received  my  certificate  of  election  from  the  governor. 

A  few  days  after  the  election  I,  with  a  majority  of  the  members 
elect,  respectfully  petitioned  Governor  A.  H.  Reeder  to  call  the  legis- 
lature together,  as  soon  as  possible,,  at  the  Shawnee  mission,  or  some 
other  convenient  place.     We  did  this  from  the  fact  that  Governor  A. 
H.  Reeder  had  said  that  he  intended  calling  the  legislature  together  r|| 
at  Pawnee.     To  this  petition  Governor  A.  H.   Reeder  returned  no  | 
answer,  although  at  the  time  he  promised  to  answer  it. 

The  legislature  was  called  together  by  the  governor  on  the  first 
Monday  in  July,  at  the  town  of  Pawnee.     I  arrived  at  Pawnee  on  theHj 
Sunday  before  the  meeting  of  the  legislature,  and  found  some  three  <Jj 
habitable  houses,  only  one  of  which  was  prepared  for  the  public,  and 
it  was  a  small  temporary  house,  not  sufficient  to  keep  one-fifth  of  the 
members  and  officers  of  the  legislature. 

I,  with  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  legislature,  were  com- 
pelled to  camp  out  and  sleep  on  the  ground,  and  do  our  own  cooking. 
We  either  had  to  do  this  or  go  home.  We  had  to  camp  on  the  bank' 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1191 

of  the  Kansas  river,  under  a  hot  July  sun,  there  being  no  shade  tree 
in  less  than  half  a  mile  of  the  place. 

The  house  in  which  the  legislature  assembled  had  neither  doors  no1' 
windows,  and  only  two  rooms,  with  plank  laid  down  temporarily  for 
floors,  and  was  not  ready  for  us  until  late  Monday  evening. 

Many  of  the  members  and  officers  became  quite  unwell,  not  being 
accustomed  to  the  hardship  and  exposures  of  which  they  had  to  en- 
dure. One  man  died  with  the  cholera,  in  less  than  one  hundred  yards 
of  my  tent.  Some  of  the  members  had  strong  cholera  symptoms. 
We  had  no  chance  to  correspond  with  our  constituents  or  families, 
except  by  private  messengers,  there  being  no  mail  facilities.  The 
proprietor  in  the  only  hotel  in  the  place  told  me  on  the  day  we  ad- 
journed that  he  could  not  have  kept  those  that  were  boarding  with 
him  a  day  longer,  as  he  was  about  out  of  provisions,  and  that  he  and 
'his  servants  were  broken  down.  We  had  no  place  for  our  committee 
to  meet,  and  were  compelled  to  adjourn  early  every  day,  that  the 
members  might  prepare  their  meals  and  attend  to  their  horses. 

Pawnee  is  situated  about  140  or  150  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Kansas  river,  and  inconvenient  to  all  the  members  of  the  legislature, 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two.  I  had  to  camp  out  from  the  time  I 
left  home  until  I  came  back. 

I  know  that  Governor  A.  H.  Keeder  was  a  large  proprietor  in  the 
town  of  Pawnee ;  have  heard  him  say  so ;  have  seen  him  sell  pro- 
perty in  that  town. 

The  Kansas  committee  do  not  permit  me  to  give  in  this  testimony ; 
hence  I  make  this  statement  before  a  magistrate  and  swear  to  it. 

ALEXANDER  S.  JOHNSON. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  this  9th 
:  day  of  June,  1856. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  > 
County  of  Jackson,  \  SS' 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court,  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  sworn,  and  that 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due,  and  ought  to  be  given,  to  all  his  official 
acts  as  such,  in  well  as  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -,  seal  of  said  court  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL'  S-J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


MARCUS  J.  PARROTT  called  and  sworn. 

By  Governor  King  : 

I  am  a  resident  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas.     On  the  30th  of  August 
1  was  at  Kansas  city,  in  Missouri,  at  the  American  hotel.     Governor 


1192  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Reeder  was  then  stopping  there  at  that  time.  We  sat  up  and  con- 
versed together  about  what  was  to  be  done  there  ;  at  the  same  time  I 
was  on  my  way  to  another  convention  to  be  held  at  Tecumseh  on  the 
31st  day  of  August ;  the  object  of  that  convention  was  to  meet  with 
persons  who  were  desirous  to  organize  the  democratic  party  in  the 
Territory.  While  we  were  together,  Governor  Reeder  spoke  about- 
making  some  arrangements  about  going  up  himself  to  attend  the  con- 
vention at  Big  Springs.  His  trunks,  at  that  time,  were  in  the  office 
at  the  hotel,  which  comprised,  so  far  as  I  know,  all  the  personal 
property  he  had  in  the  Territory  ;  he  wanted  to  get  a  valise  to  take 
some  clothes  up  into  the  Territory  ;  he  borrowed  a  valise  of  Major 
Eldridge  of  the  hotel,  which  was  brought  out  in  my  presence,  put  into 
the  buggy,  and  he  left  before  I  did.  I  overtook  him,  in  company 
with  Judge  Johnson,  at  the  Shawnee  mission.  We  both  started  out 
on  the  road  at  night,  and  we  separated  at  Donaldson,  where  Governor 
Reeder  tarried  all  night,  but  Judge  Johnson  and  myself  drove  on  all 
night  for  Tecumseh.  I  did  not  see  Reeder  again  until  two  or  three 
days  afterwards  at  Lawrence,  and  then  had  some  conversation  with 
him  concerning  his  being  a  candidate  of  the  Big  Spring  convention, 
for  delegate  to  Congress.  The  impression  left  upon  my  mind  was, 
that,  unless  he  became  a  candidate,  he  was  going  to  leave  the  Terri- 
tory. Afterwards,  on  the  first  day  of  the  convention,  I  think,  there  was 
a  good  deal  said  about  his  not  being  a  resident  of  the  Territory.  I  was 
myself  of  that  opinion  ;  and,  in  order  to  determine  exactly  about  that 
matter,  I  agreed  with  Colonel  Lane,  and  some  others,  to  call  him 
out  and  ask  him  the  question.  I  did  call  him  out,  and  ask  him  if  he 
was  a  resident  of  the  Territory.  He  stated,  in  reply  to  that,,  some- 
thing about  the  reason  he  did  not  bring  his  family  here,  as  that  was  ! 
the  ground  of  complaint  generally  here.  He  did  not  answer  the  ques- 
tion directly  at  all,  but  answered  it  argumentatively,  by  stating  some  • 
things  in  connexion  with  his  position  in  the  Territory.  I  do  not 
recollect  that  he  satisfied  the  persons  who  had  been  called  there  to  > 
hear  his  answer  to  the  question.  I  know  that  some  of  them  were  "not 
satisfied  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the  Territory.  Colonel  Lane  and 
myself  afterwards  spoke  of  it,  and  neither  of  us  were  satisfied  with  the  • 
answer  he  gave  to  the  question.  Since  that  time  I  have  never  known 
him  to  have  any  visible  domicile  or  residence  in  the  Territory.  In  the  • 
conversation  at  Lawrence  he  spoke  of  a  claim  that  he  thought  he 
would  buy  if  his  wife  liked  it,  but  his  wife  and  family  were  not  and  ! 
never  have  been  in  the  Territory,  and  were  understood  to  be  in  Penn-  • 
sylvania. 

To  Mr.  Sherman : 

Colonel  Lane  was  spoken  of  as  a  candidate.     I  was  in  favor  of 
Judge  Johnson.     I  never  heard  any  one  speak  of  Colonel  Lane  being 
a  candidate  but  himself.     Reeder  was  nominated  without  a  vote,  an 
by  acclamation. 

To  Governor  King : 

My  objection  to  Governor  Reeder  was  on  account  of  some  resolutions  j 
which  he  had  with  him  at  Kansas  City,  and  written  by  him,  and  [ 
adopted  at  the  Big  Spring  convention,  which  provided  for  the  election  s 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS,  1193 

of  delegate  to  Congress  being  held  on  a  different  day  from  that  pro- 
vided by  the  territorial  law,  and  also  to  other  resolutions  written  by 
him,  which  looked  to  a  repudiation  of  the  laws  by  force.  I  objected  to 
this  latter  part  in  public  in  the  convention.  I  saw  resolutions,  called- 
miscellaneous  resolutions,  which  were  in  Governor  Keeder's  hand- 
writing. 

MARCUS  PAEROTT. 
LEAVENWORTH  CITY,  K.  T.,  May  28,  1856. 


Mahala  Doyle's  affidavit. 

The  undersigned,  Mahala  Doyle,  states  upon  oath  :  I  am  the  widow 
of  the  late  James  P.  Doyle  ;  that  we  moved  into  the  Territory,  that 
is,  my  husband,  myself,  and  children  moved  into  the  Territory  of 
Kansas  some  time  in  November,  A.  D.  1855,  and  settled  on  Mosquito 
creek,  about  one  mile  from  its  mouth,  and  where  it  empties  into  Pot- 
tawatomie  creek,  in  Franklin  county;  that  on  Saturday,  the  24th  day 
of  May,  A.  D.P1856,  about  11  o'clock  at  night,  after  we  had  all  retired, 
my  husband,  James  P.  Doyle,  myself,  and  five  children,  four  boys  and 
one  girl — the  eldest  boy  is  about  twenty-two  years  of  age,  his  name 
is  William  ;  the  next  was  about  twenty  years  of  age,  his  Drury ;  the 
next  is  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  his  name  is  John ;  the  next  is  about 
thirteen  years  of  age,  her  name  is  Polly  Ann  ;  the  next  is  about  ten 
years  of  age,  his  name  is  James  ;  the  next  is  about  eight  years  of  age, 
his  name  is  Charles  ;  the  next  is  about  five  years  of  age,  his  name  is 
Henry — we  were  all  in  bed,  when  we  heard  some  persons  come  into 
the  yard  and  rap  at  the  door  and  call  for  Mr.  Doyle,  my  husband. 
This  was  about  11  o'clock  on  Saturday  night  of  the  24th  of  May  last. 
My  husband  got  up  and  went  to  the  door.  Those  outside  inquired 
for  Mr.  Wilkson,  and  where  he  lived.  My  husband  told  them  that  he 
would  tell  them.  Mr.  Doyle,  my  husband,  opened  the  door,  and  sev- 
eral came  into  the  house,  and  said  that  they  were  from  the  army. 
My  husband  was  a  pro-slavery  man.  They  told  my  husband  that  he 
and  the  boys  must  surrender,  they  were  their  prisoners.  These  men 
were  armed  with  pistols  and  large  knives.  They  first  took  my  hus- 
band out  of  the  house,  then  they  took  two  of  my  sons — the  two  oldest 
ones,  William  and  Drury — out,  and  then  took  my  husband  and  these 
two  boys,  William  and  Drury,  away.  My  son  John  was  spared,  be- 
cause I  asked  them  in  tears  to  spare  him.  In  a  short  time^ afterwards 
I  heard  the  report  of  pistols.  I  heard  two  reports,  after  which  I  heard 
moaning,  as  if  a  person  was  dying  ;  then  I  heard  a  wild  whoop.  They 
had  asked  before  they  went  away  for  our  horses.  We  told  them  that 
the  horses^were  out  on  the  prairie.  My  husband  and  two  boys,  my 
sons,  did  not  come  back  any  more.  I  went  out  next  morning  in  search 
of  them,  and  found  my  husband  and  William,  my  son,  lying  dead  in 
the  road  near  together,  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  house.  My 
other  son  I  did  not  see  any  more  until  the  day  he  was  buried.  ^  I  was 
so  much  overcome  that  I  went  to  the  house.  They  were  buried  the 
next  day.  On  the  day  of  the  burying  I  saw  the  dead  body  of  Drury. 


1194  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

Fear  of  myself  and  the  remaining  children  induced  me  to  leave  the 
home  where  we  had  heen  living.  We  had  improved  our  claim  a  little. 
I  left  all  and  went  to  the  State  of  Missouri. 

MAHALA  x  DOYLE. 

mark. 

Witness  :  THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH. 

STATE  OF  Missouri,  ) 
Jackson  county,     \  ss' 

On  the  7th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Mahala  Doyle,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and 
foregoing  statement,  and  makes  oath,  according  to  law,  that  the  above 
and  foregoing  statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI.  ) 

V  QC 

County  of  Jackson,  }   l 

I,  John  E.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  'do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due,  and  ought  to  be  given,  to  all  his  offi- 
cial acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r        -,  seal  of  said  court  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
j  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  K.  SWEARINGEN,  Cleric. 


Affidavit  of  John  Doyle. 

The  undersigned,  John  Doyle,  states,  upon  oath,  that  he  is  the  son 
of  James  P.  and  Mahala  Doyle ;  that  we  came  to  the  Territory  in 
November,  1855,  and  settled  on  Mosquita  creek,  about  one  mile  from 
its  mouth,  in  Franklin  county.  That,,  on  Saturday  night,  about  11 
o'clock,  on  the  24th  day  of  May  last,  a  party  of  men  came  to  our 
house  ;  we  had  all  retired  ;  they  roused  us  up,  and  told  us  that  if  we 
would  surrender  they  would  not  hurt  us.  They  said  they  were  from 
the  army ;  they  were  armed  with  pistols  and  knives  ;  they  took  off  my 
father  and  two  of  my  brothers,  William  and  Drury.  We  were  all 
alarmed.  They  made  inquiries  about  Mr.  Wilkson,  and  about  our 
horses.  The  next  morning  was  Sunday,  the  25th  of  May,  1856. 
went  in  search  of  my  father  and  two  brothers.  I  found  my  father  and 
one  brother,  William,  lying  dead  in  the  road,  about  two  hundred  yards 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1195 

from  the  house;  I  saw  my  other  hrother  lying  dead  on  the  ground, 
ahout  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  house,  in  the  grass,  near 
a  ravine  ;  his  fingers  were  cut  off,  and  his  arms  were  cut  off;  his  head 
was  cut  open  ;  there  was  a  hole  in  his  breast.  William's  head  was 
cut  open,  and  a  hole  was  in  his  jaw,  as  though  it  was  made  by  a 
knife,  and  a  hole  was  also  in  his  side.  My  father  was  shot  in  the 
forehead  and  stabbed  in  the  breast.  I  have  talked  often  with  northern 
men  and  eastern  men  in  the  Territory,  and  these  men  talked  exactly 
like  eastern  men  and  northern  men  talk,  that  is,  their  language  and 
pronunciation  were  similar  to  those  eastern  and  northern  men  with 
whom  I  had  talked.  An  old  man  commanded  the  party  ;  he  was  a 
dark  complected,  and  his  face  was  slim.  We  had  lighted  a  candle,, 
and  about  eight  of  them  entered  the  house  ;  there  were  some  more  out- 
side. The  complexion  of  most  of  those  eight  whom  I  saw  in  the 
house  were  of  sandy  complexion.  My  father  and  brothers  were  pro- 
slavery  men,  and  belonged  to  the  law  and  order  party. 

his 

JOHN  x  DOYLE. 

mark. 

Witness  :  THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI, 
Jackson  County, 

On  this  7th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personalty  appeared  before 
me,  the  'subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county 
and  State  aforesaid,  John  Doyle,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above 
statement,  and  makes  oath  according  to  law  that  the  above  and  fore- 
going statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 
Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  tJie  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  gg 
County  of  Jackson,  ]  SS' 

I,  John  R.  Swearinger,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace,  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  to  all  his  official  acts  as  such,  as  well 
in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
-,  seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  City  of  Independence,  this 
b>J  13th  day  of  June,  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGER,  Clerk. 


James  Harris'  Affidavit. 

I  reside  on  Pottowatomie  creek,  near  Henry  Sherman's,  in  Kansas 
Territory.     I  went  there  to  reside  on  the  last  day  of  March,  1856,  and 


1196  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

have  resided  there  ever  since.  On  last  Sunday  morning,  about  two 
o'clock,  (the  25th  of  May  last,)  whilst  my  wife  and  child  and  myself 
were  in  bed  in  the  house  where  we  lived,  we  were  aroused  by  a  com- 
pany of  men  who  said  they  belonged  to  the  northern  army,  and  who 
were  each  armed  with  a  sabre  and  two  revolvers,  two  of  whom  I  recog- 
nized, namely,  a  Mr.  Brown,  whose  given  name  I  do  not  remember, 
commonly  known  by  the  appellation  of  "  old  man  Brown,"  and  his 
son,  Owen  Brown.  They  came  in  the  house  and  approached  the  bed 
side  where  we  were  lying,  and  ordered  us,  together  with  three  other 
men  who  were  in  the  same  house  with  me,  to  surrender ;  that  the 
northern  army  was  upon  us,  and  it  would  be  no  use  for  us  to  resist. 
The  names  of  these  other  three  men  who  were  -then  in  my  house  with 
me  are,  William  Sherman,  John  S.  Whiteman,  the  other  man  I  did 
not  know.  They  were  stopping  with  me  that  night.  They  had 
bought  a  cow  from  Henry  Sherman,  and  intended  to  go  home  the 
next  morning.  When  they  came  up  to  the  bed,  some  had  drawn 
sabres  in  their  hands,  and  some  revolvers.  They  then  took  into  their 
possession  two  rifles  and  a  Bowie  kniie,  which  I  had  there  in  the 
room — there  was  but  one  room  in  my  house — and  afterwards  ransacked 
the  whole  establishment  in  search  of  ammunition.  They  then  took 
one  of  these  three  men,  who  were  staying  in  my  house,  out.  (This 
was  the  man  whose  name  I  did  not  know.)  He  came  back.  They 
then  took  me  out,  and  asked  me  if  there  were  any  more  men  about 
the  plaee.  I  told  them  there  were  not.  They  searched  -the  place 
but  found  none  others  but  we  four.  They  asked  me  where  Henry 
Sherpian  was.  Henry  Sherman  was  a  brother  to  William.  Sherman. 
I  told,  them  that  he  was  out  on  the  plains  in  search  of  some  cattle 
which  he  had  lost.  They  asked  if  I  had  ever  taken  any  hand  in 
aiding  pro-slavery  men  in  coming  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  or 
had  ever  taken  any  hand  in  the  last  troubles  at  Lawrence,,  and  asked 
me  whether  I  had  ever  done  the  free  State  party  any  harm  or  ever  in- 
tended to  do  that  party  any  harm ;  they  asked  me  what  ma-de  me  live 
at  such  a  place.  I  then  answered  that  I  could  get  higher  wages  there  • 
than  anywhere  else.  They  asked  me  if  there  were  any  bridles  or  ' 
saddles  about  the  premises.  I  told  them  there  was  one  saddle,  which  i 
they  took,  and  they  also  took  possession  of  Henry  Sherman's  horse,  , 
which  I  had  at  my  place,  and  made  me  saddle  him.  They  then  said  I 
if  I  would  answer  no  to  all  the  questions  which  they  had  asked  me, 
they  would  let  loose.  Old  Mr.  Brown  and  his  son  then  went  into  the 
house  with  me.  The  other  three  men,  Mr.  William  Sherman,  Mr. 
Whiteman,  and  the  stranger  were  in  the  house  all  this  time.^  After 
old  man  Brown  and  his  son  went  into  the  house  with  me,  old  man  i 
Brown  asked  Mr.  Sherman  to  go  out  with  him,  and  Mr.  Sherman  then  i 
went  out  with  old  Mr.  Brown,  and  another  man  came  into  the  house 
in  Brown's  place.  I  heard  nothing  more  for  about  fifteen  minutes. 
Two  of  the  northern  army,  as  they  styled  themselves,  stayed  in  with  i 
us  until  we  heard  a  cap  burst,  and  then  these  two  men  left.  That 
morning  about  ten  o'clock  I  found  William  Sherman  dead  in  the 
creek  near  my  house.  I  was  looking  for  Mr.  Sherman,  as  he  had  not  I 
come  back,  I  thought  he  had  been  murdered.  I  took  Mr.  William 
Sherman  out  of  the  creek  and  examined  him.  Mr.  Whiteman  was 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1197 

w-ith  me.  Sherman's  skull  was  split  open  in  two  places  and  some  of 
his  brains  was  washed  out  by  the  water.  A  large  hole  was  cut  in  his 
breast,  and  his  left  hand  was  cut  off  except  a  little  piece  of  skin  on  one 
side.  We  buried  him. 

JAMES  HARRIS. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI, 
County  of  Jackson, 

This  day  personally  appeared  before  me,  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  'an 
acting  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  Jackson  county,  State  of  Mis- 
souri, James  Harris,  who  on  oath  says  that  the  above  and  foregoing 
statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  this  the  6th  day  of  June,  eigh- 
teen hundred  and  fifty-six.  Witness  my  hand  and  seal. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  > 
County  of  Jackson,  \  9S' 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  sworn,  and  that  full 
faith  and  credit  is  due  to  all  his  official  acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts 
of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 


[L.S.] 


seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  Mrs.  Louisa  Jane  Wilkinson. 

On  the  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  Louisa  Jane  Wilkinson,  on 
oath,  being  duly  sworn,  says  :  I  am  the  widow  of  the  late  Allen  Wil- 
kinson. We  came  to  Kansas,  from  Tennessee,  in  October,  1854; 
went  to  our  claim,  on  Pottowatomie  creek,  about  the  12th  day  of  No- 
vember following.  Said  claim,  where  my  husband  lived  at  the  time 
of  his.  death,  lies  in  Franklin  county,  Kansas  Territory,  about  eight 
miles  from  Ossawatomie,  and  the  same  distance  from  the  mouth  of 
Pottowatomie  creek.  On  the  25th  of  May  last,  somewhere  between 
the  hours  of  midnight  and  daybreak,  cannot  say  exactly  atjwhat  hour, 
after  all  had  retired  to  bed,  we  were  disturbed  by  barking  of  the  do£. 
I  was  sick  with  the  measles,  and  woke  up  Mr.  Wilkinson,  and  asked 
if  he  "  heard  the  noise,  and  what  it  meant?"  He  said  it  was  only 
some  one  passing  about,  and  soon  after  was  again  asleep.  It  was  not 
long  before  the  dog  raged  and  barked  furiously,  awakening  me  once 
more ;  pretty  soon  I  heard  footsteps  as  of  men  approaching ;  saw  one 
pass  by  the  window,  and  some  one  knocked  at  the  door.  I  asked, 


1198  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

who  is  that?  No  one  answered.  I  awoke  my  husband,  who  asked, 
who  is  that?  Some  one  replied,  I  want  you  to  tell  me  the  way  to 
Dutch  Henry's.  He  commenced  to  tell  them,  and  they  said  to  him, 
"Come  out  and  show  us."  He  wanted  to  go,  but  I  would  not  let 
him;  he  then  told  them  it  was  difficult  to  find  his  clothes,  and  could 
tell  them  as  well  without  going  out  of  doors.  The  men  out  of  doors, 
after  that,  stepped  hack,  and  I  thought  I  could  hear  them  whispering  ; 
but  they  immediately  returned,  and,  as  they  approached,  one  of  them 
asked  of  my  husband,  "  Are  you  a  northern  armist?"  He  said,  "I 
am."  I  understood  the  answer  to  mean  that  my  husband  was  op- 
posed to  the  northern  or  freesoil  party.  I  cannot  say  that  I  under- 
stood the  question.  My  husband  was  a  pro-slavery  man,,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  territorial  legislature  held  at  Shawnee  Mission. 

When  my  husband  said  "I  am,"  one  of  them  said,,  "You  are  our 
prisoner.  Do  you  surrender?"  He  said,  "Gentlemen,  I  do."  They 
said,  open  the  door.  Mr.  Wilkinson  told  them  to  wait  till  he  made 
a  light ;  and  they  replied,  if  you  don't  open  it,  we  will  open  it  for 
you.  He  opened  the  door  against  my  wishes,  and  four  men  came  in, 
and  my  husband  was  told  to  put  on  his  clothes',  and  they  asked  him 
if  there  were  not  more  men  about ;  they  searched  for  arms,  and  took 
a  gun  and  powder  flask,  all  the  weapon  that  was  about  the  house. 

I  begged  them  to  let  Mr.  Wilkinson  stay  with  me,  saying  that  I 
was  sick  and  helpless,  and  could  not  stay  by  myself.  My  husband 
also  asked  them  to  let  him  stay  with  me  until  he  could  get  some  one 
to  wait  on  me ;  told  them  that  he  would  not  run  off,  but  would  be 
there  the  next  day,  or  whenever  called  for.  The  old  man,  who 
seemed  to  be  in  command,  looked  at  me  and  then  around  at  the 
children,  and  replied,  "you  have  neighbors."  I  said,  "so  I  have, 
but  they  are  not  here,  and  I  cannot  go  for  them  ' '  The  old  man  re- 
plied, "it  matters  not,"  I  told  him  to  get  ready.  My  husband 
wanted  to  put  on  his  boots  and  get  ready,  so  as  to  be  protected  from 
the  damp  and  night  air,  but  they  wouldn't  let  him.  They  then  took 
my  husband  away.  One  of  them  came  back  and  took  two  saddles ;  I 
asked  him  what  they  were  going  to  do  with  him,  and  he  said,  "take 
him  a  prisoner  to  the  camp."  I  wanted  one  of  them  to  stay  with 
me.  He  said  he  would,  but  "they  would  not  let  him."  After  they 
were  gone,  I  thought  I  heard  my  husband's  voice,  in  complaint,  but 
do  not  know;  went  to  the  door,  and  all  was  still.  Next  morning 
Mr.  Wilkinson  was  found  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the 
house,  in  some  dead  brush.  A  lady  who  saw  my  husband's  body, 
said  that  there  was  a  gash  in  his  head  and  in  his  side ;  others  said 
that  he  was  cut  in  the  throat  twice. 

On  the  Wednesday  following  I  left  for  fear  of  my  life.  I  believe 
that  they  would  have  taken  my  life  to  prevent  me  from  testifying 
against  them  for  killing  my  husband.  I  believe  that  one  of  Captain 
Brown's  sons  was  in  the  party,  who  murdered  my  husband  ;  I  heard 
a  voice  like  his.  I  do  not  know  Captain  Brown  himself.  I  have  two 
small  children,  one  about  eight  and  the  other  about  five  years  old. 
The  body  of  my  husband  was  laid  in  a  new  house  ;  I  did  not  see  it. 
My  friends  would  not  let  me  see  him  for  fear  of  making  rne  worse. 
was  very  ill.  The  old  man,  who  seemed  to  be  commander,  wore 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1199 

soiled  clothes  and  a  straw  hat,  pulled  down  over  his  face.  He  spoke 
quick,  is  a  tall,  narrow-faced,  elderly  man.  I  would  recognize  him  if 
I  could  see  him. 

My  husband  was  a  poor  man.  I  am  now  on  my  way  to  Tennessee 
to  see  my  father,  William  Ball,  who  lives  in  Hay  wood  county.  I  am 
enabled  to  go  by  the  kindness  of  friends  in  this  part  of  Missouri. 

Some  of  the  men  who  took  my  husband  away  that  night  were  armed 
with  pistols  and  knives.  I  do  not  recollect  whether  all  I  saw  were 
armed.  They  asked  Mr.  W.  if  Mr.  McMinn  did  not  live  near.  My 
husband  was  a  quiet  man,  and  was  not  engaged  in  arresting  or  dis- 
turbing any  body.  He  took  no  active  part  in  the  pro-slavery  cause, 
so  as  to  aggravate  the  abolitionists  ;  but  he  was  a  pro-slavery  man. 
Mr.  McMinn,,  mentioned  above,  is  a  pro-slavery  man  ;  so,  also,  is  the 
said  Dutch  Henry. 

LOUISA  JANE  WILKINSON. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  sg 
County  of  Jackson,  \ 

On  this,  the  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  came  before 
me,  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  above 
State  and  county,  Louisa  Jane  Wilkinson,  who,  being  duly  sworn, 
says  the  facts  contained  in  the  above  statement  are  true,  to  the  best  of 
her  knowledge. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  this  the  13th  day  of  June,  A. 
D.  1856. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,        [L.  s.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  >  ss 
County  of  Jackson,  \ 

I  John  E.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is, 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within 
and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official 
acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
r  -I  seal  of  said  court,  at  office  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 
LL-  s'-l  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D,  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  Morton  Bourn. 

On  the  eleventh  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  Morton  Bourn,  under 
oath,  says  :  I  am  about  sixty- two  years  of  age  ;  went  to  Kansas  early 
in  April,  1855  ;  settled  on  my  claim  in  Douglas  county,  on  Wash- 
ington creek,  about  two  miles  from  the  mouth  of  said  creek,  in  May 
following.  I  own  slaves,  and  have  a  crop  of  corn  and  wheat  grow- 


1200  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

ing  ;  have  never  taken  any  active  part  with  the  pro-slavery  party -^ 
only  voted  and  sustained  the  law.  On  Wednesday,  the  28th  of  Ma  , 
somewhere  between  the  hours  of  10  and  12  at  night,  perhaps  earlier, 
perhaps  later,  a  party  of  men,  about  20  or  30  I  think,  surrounded  m  y 
house,  and  called  to  me  to  open  the  door  and  raise  a  light.  I  ask  edi 
them  what  they  wanted?  they  said  they  wanted  to  search  my  house,, 
and  if  they  had  to  burst  open  the  door,  they  would  kill  me.  Throughi 
the  persuasion  of  my  wife  I  opened  the  door,  though  my  son  and  II 
were  armed.  I  wished  to  defend  my  house  and  property,  but  my  wife; 
persuaded  me  from  shooting.  After  I  opened  the  door  a  guard  wa&s 
placed  at  it,  and  two  or  three  men  entered,  one  of  whom  seemed  to* 
have  command.  They  first  took  my  guns,  of  which  there  were  three,, 
and  then  demanded  my  money,  which  they  said  they  needed  to  carry, 
on  this  war.  They  took  from  me  about  fifty  dollars — it  might  have 
been  more,  and  might  have  been  less.  They  took  next  five  or  six; 
saddles  and  a  blanket,  and  demanded  of  me  the  key  to  my  grocery, 
store ;  from  which  they  took  various  things,  including  sugar,  coffee,, 
and  whiskey — I  do  not  know  how  much  or  what  exactly.  They  toot 
nearly  every  tin  and  wooden  vessel  about  the  place.  Also  they  car-J 
ried  away  one  horse  of  mine  ;  on  the  night  before  one  horse  of  mine. ; 
and  one  of  Mr.  Barnet's,  of  Lecompton,  were  stolen. 

These  men  said  that  I  must  leave  in  a  day  or  two,  or  they  would  if 
kill  me,  or  hinted  as  much  ;  said  I  would  not  fare  well,  or  words  tc 
that  effect.  I  left  for  fear  of  my  life  and  that  of  my  family.  Thej 
said  that  the  war  was  commenced ;  they  were  going  to  fight  it  out,  anc 
drive  the  pro-slavery  people  out  of  the  Territory ;  they  used  words  t< 
that  amount.  These  men  that  robbed  my  house  and  drove  me  awaj 
from  my  property  were  abolitionists  or  free-soilers ;  that  is,  I  believ< 
them  to  be  so.  I  have  been  charged  with  raising  a  company  to  go  info 
Lawrence  and  drive  off  free-soilers  ;  that  is  not  true.  I  believe  the}1 
treated  me  so  because  I  was  a  pro-slavery  man,  was  in  favor  of  th«< 
Territorial  laws,  and  because  I  served  on  the  last  grand  jury 
Lecompton. 

MORTON  BOURN 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
Jaclcson  county,     )  '•• 

On  this  llth  day  of  June,  A.  D.,  1856,  personally  came  before  mec 
Thomas  J.  Goforth,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  duly  sworn  and  commit 
sioned  to  take  acknowledgments  in  and  for  the  above  county  am 
State,  Morton  Bourn,  who  says  on  oath  that  the  facts  stated  in  tha 
above  affidavit  are  true  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  gs 
County  of  Jackson,  ) 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  thi 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esqv 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is- 
and  was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  withii 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1201 

and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  and 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due,  and  ought  to  be  given,  to  all  his  offi- 
cial acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,   I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed 
the  seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence, 
[L.  s.]    this  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  K.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  John  Miller. 

The  undersigned,  John  Miller,  states  upon  oath,  that  I  am  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  and  have  been  ever  since  last  August, 
and  settled  at  "  Saint  Bernard,"  a  town  situated  on  the  road  common- 
ly known  as  the  "  Fort  Scott  and  California  road,"  about  thirty  miles 
from  Lecompton,  in  Douglas  county.     It  is  called  fifty-two  miles  from 
Westport,    Missouri.      I   had  been  a  clerk  in  the  store  which  Mr. 
Joab  M.  Bernard  had  kept  there,  for  about  two  years  last  past,  and 
was  still  keeping  it  on  the  26th  day  of  May,  1856.     I  was  at  Saint 
Bernard  on  Tuesday,  the  2*7 th  day  of  May,  1856.     Mr.  James  Davis 
was  then  Mr.  Bernard's  clerk,  who  had  charge  of  the  store  ;  Mr.  Ber- 
nard had  gone  to  Westport,   Missouri,   or  had  started  for  Westport, 
and  was  not  there  at  the  time.     I  was  in  the  store  with  Mr.  Davis. 
Whilst  there,  a  party  of  thirteen  men  came  to  the  store  on  horseback, 
j  armed  with  Sharpens  rifles,  revolvers,  and  bowie-knives.     They  in- 
!  quired  for  Mr.  Bernard.     I  told  them  he  had  gone  to  Westport.     One 
j  of  them  said  to  me,  "  you  are  telling  a  God  damn  lie,"  and  drew  up 
|  his  gun  at  me.     Some  of  them  came  into  the  store,   and  the  rest  re- 
mained outside  ;  they  called  for  such  goods  as  they  wanted,  and  made 
Mr.  Davis  arid  myself  hand  them  out,  and  said  if  we  "  didn't  hurry  " 
I  they  would  shoot  us — they  had  their  guns  ready.     After  they  had  got 
j  the  goods  they  wanted — principally  blankets  and  clothing — they  packed 
j  them  upon  their  horses  and  went  away.  Mr.  Joab  M.  Bernard  is  a  pro- 
slavery  man.     I  remained  in  the  store  with  Mr.  Davis,  and  on  the  next 
evening,  the  28th  of  May,  1856,  a  party  of  14  men  came  to  the  store  on 
horseback,  armed  with  Sbarpe's  rifles,  revolvers,  and  bowie-knives  ; 
thirteen  of  this  party  I  recognized  as  the  same  that  came  to  the  store 
the  day  before  ;  and  the  other  man  I  knew— William  S.  Ewitt  is  his 
name — and  who  I  know  is  a  free-State  man,  and  a  prominent  man  in 
the  free-State  party.     They  had  a  wagon  along  with  them  ;  they  came 
up  to  the  store,  dismounted,  and  came  into  the  store,  each  having  his 
gun  ready.     Some  carried  goods  out,  some  put  the  goods  in  the  wagon, 
and  others  stood  ready  with  their  guns  to  prevent  Mr.  Davis  and  my- 
self from  interfering.     They  took  away  all  the  goods  in  the  store  ex- 
cept about  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  worth,  and  carried  them  off'. 
They  also  took  away  with  them  Mr.  Bernard's  two  large  horses,  and 
ithree  saddles,  and  two  bridles,  and  took  away  nearly  all  the  provisions 
which  were  there — bacon  and  flour,  and  other  provisions.     They  said 
;i!to  us  that  they  intended  to  take  Mr.  Henry  Hartley  and  myself  pris- 
oners, but  before  theytookme  I  got  off.     After  they  had  got  all  thethings 
H.  Kep.  200 76* 


1202  KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 

they  wanted,  they  asked  Mr.  Davis  for  all  the  money  he  had  in  th< 
store.     There  were  but  four  dollars  in  the  drawer,  which  Mr.  Davis- 
handed  to  them,  and  then  they  went  off.     Mr.  Joab  M.  Bernard  is  a 
pro-slavery  man.     When  they  first  came,  they  looked  up  at  thesign? 
and  said  they  would  like  to  shoot  at  the  name. 

JOHN  MILLEE. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  ) 
Jackson  county,      ) 

On  the  9th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,,  personally  appeared  beforej 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  andl 
State  aforesaid,  John  Miller,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above  and! 
foregoing  statement.,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  foregoing- 
statement  is  true,  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  ninth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFOETH,   [L.  &.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  )  sg  . 
County  of  Jackson ,    ) 

I,  John  E.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  andl 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned,  and  qualified  : 
and  that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due  to  all  his  official  acts  as  such,  a&s 
well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed! 
r  -,  the  seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence.; 
LL'  S'J  this  14th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  E.  SWEAEINGEN,  Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  Joab  M.  Bernard, 

The  undersigned,  Joab  M.  Bernard,  states,  on  oath,  that  I  am  si 
resident  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  and  that  I  have  kept  a  store  at 
Saint  Bernard,  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  for  about  two  years  last 
past.  My  store-house  is  situated  at  a  place  called  Saint  Bernardi 
about  thirty  miles  south  of  Lecompton,  and  about  fifty-two  miles  from 
Westport,  on  the  road  leading  from  Fort  Scott  to  California,  com-i 
monly  called  the  "  Fort  Scott  and  California  road."  I  left  my  store 
about  the  26th  day  of  May  last.  I  had  a  sum  of  money  on  hand- 
about  $2,000.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  excitement  in  the  country  on 
account  of  the  political  difficulties.  Some  of  my  neighbors,  free-Stato 
men,  informed  me  that  my  life  was  in  danger,  and  that  I  had  betteif 
keep  a  sharp  look-out  or  else  I  might  be  killed  ;  that  they  (my  neigln 
bors)  heard  some  other  men  of  the  free-State  party  say  that  they  woulc 
kill  me.  In  consequence  of  these  things,  combined,  I  left,  as  I  thought 
I  would  be  robbed  and  then  murdered.  Accordingly  I  left.  When 


KANSAS    AFFAIRS.  1203 

left  there  was  stock  in  my  store  which  Mr.  Thomas  S.  Hamilton  and 
I  estimated  at  $4,000,  consisting  of  dry-goods,  groceries,  hardware, 
queensware,  provisions,  and  many  other  articles  usually  kept  in  a 
country  store — many  of  them  Indian  goods,  which  were  costly.  I 
had,  when  I  left,  on  the  premises,  two  large  horses  and  two  ponies. 
I  had  also  seven  yoke  of  work  cattle,  and  other  cattle  not  broken,  and 
some  cows  and  calves — ahout  twenty-five  head  in  all — and  some  hogs. 
I  had  some  ready-made  clothing  in  my  store. 

JOAB  M.  BERNARD. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,          ? 
Jackson  County,  \ 

On  the  9th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before 
me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  Joab  M.  Bernard,  whose  name  appears  to  the  above 
and  aforegoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and  afore- 
going statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  9th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856.    ; 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  OF  MISSOURI,  > 

County  of  Jackson,  $  6^ 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
j  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq. ,  whose 
'genuine  signature  appears  to  the  foregoing  affidavit,  now  is,  and  was 
I  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and  for 
'the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified  ;  and  that  full 
i  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  official  acts  as 
such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed  the 
-,  seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence,  this 

'  b*J  13th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  Thomas  S.  Hamilton. 

I 

The  undersigned,  Thomas   S.  Hamilton,  states,  upon  oath,   that 

JJoab  M.  Bernard  has  been  keeping  store  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas 

,,  for  about  two  years  last  past.     The  store- house  is  situated  on  the  Fort 

^  Scott  and  California  road,,  about  thirty  miles  south  of  Lecompton. 

[  think  it  is  in  Douglas  county.     I  was  at  Mr.  Joab  M.  Bernard's 

.  store-house,  above  mentioned,  on  Monday,  the  26th  day  of  May  last, 

?or  the  purpose  of  taking  an  invoice  of  the  stock  on  hand.     I  was 

'oing  in  partnership  with  him,  the  said  Bernard.     We  examined  the 

stock  pretty  thoroughly,  but,  instead  of  taking  regularly  an  invoice  or 

nventory,  we  agreed  upon  an  estimate — that  estimate  agreed  upon 

-  vas,  at  first  cost,  four  thousand  dollars,  including  all  the  stock. 

tad  agreed  to  pay  the  said  Bernard  two  thousand  dollars  for  half,  and 


1204 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS. 


then  we  were  to  do  business  in  partnership,  and  divide  the  profits 
equally  between  us.  The  stock  consisted  in  dry  goods — such  as  cloths, 
blankets,  calico  prints,  lawns,  Irish  linens,  muslin,  and  ready-made 
clothing,  and  other  domestic  dry  goods :  Groceries — coffee,  sugar, 
tea,  and  other  articles.  Provisions — flour,  bacon,  lard,  and  other 
articles.  Hardware — queensware,  tinware,  and  numerous  other 
articles.  Besides  the  stock  in  the  store,  Mr.  Bernard  had  there  oil 
the  premises  two  very  fine  horses,  for  which  I  offered  him  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  dollars.  He  had,  also,  two  ponies  which  were 
worth  fifty  or 'sixty  dollars  apiece,  and  seven  yoke  of  work  cattle,  and 
some  others  which  were  not  broken,  and  some  cows  and  calves.  There 
was  money  in  the  drawer,  but  how  much  I  do  not  know. 

THOS.  S.  HAMILTON. 


ss  : 


STATE  or  MISSOURI, 
Jackson  county, 

On  the  ninth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856,  personally  appeared  before i 

,me,  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  and: 

State  aforesaid,  Thomas  S.  Hamilton,  whose  name  appears  to  the< 

above  and  foregoing  statement,  and  makes  oath  that  the  above  and 

aforegoing  statement  is  true  as  therein  set  forth. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  ninth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856.' 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,     [L.  s.] 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

STATE  .OF  MISSOURI,     > 
County  of  Jackson,  )  SS ' 

I,  John  R.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court,  within  and  for? 
the  county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  esq., 
whose  genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  anc 
was  at  the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  anc 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified;  and  that 
full  faith  and  credit  is  due  and  ought  to  be  given  to  all  his  offici* 
acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affix< 
r        -|  the  seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence, 
LL-  s'-l  this  14th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1856. 

JOHN  R.  SWEARINGEN, 

Clerk. 


Affidavit  of  George  T.  Williams. 

I,  the  undersigned,  G.  T.  Williams,  resident  of  Douglas  eounl 
K.  T.,  do  solemnly  state,  that  I  moved  from  the  State  of  Missoi 
into  the  above  county  and  Territory  on  the  14th  day  of  April,  18 
About  five  days  ago — say  the  6th  inst. — I  was  informed  by  Silas 
Moore  that  two  companies  of  free-State  men  intended  attacking 
self  and  the  two  Messrs.  Keizer,  Dr.  Chapman,  and  Mr.  R.  Yoi 
that  night,  and  hanging  us.     Our  informant  appeared  to  be,  and  pi 


KANSAS   AFFAIRS.  1205 

fessed  friendship  for  us,  and  wished  some  one  to  attend  him  to  seethe 
company,  and  induce  them  not  to  consummate  their  designs.  Dr. 
Chapman  accompanied  him,  and  begged  the  men  to  spare  his  friends 
and  families,  as  they  had  always  desired  peace  with  the  free-State 
party,  and  also  stated  he  would  inform  some  United  States  troops  near 
by  of  their  designs,  if  they  refused  to  desist.  They  did  not  come  that 
night,  and,  feeling  unsafe,  we  concluded  next  morning  to  leave  ;  and 
the  ensuing  night  they  came  and  broke  open  and  plundered  Dr.  Chap- 
man's, Mr.  Keizer's  and  my  own  house,  threw  their  pistols  at  the 
children's  heads,  and  made  them  get  axes  to  break  open  the  doors. 
They  took  two  rifles  of  mine,  my  wife's  saddle  rigging,  and  cursed 
and  abused  her  because  she  would  not  tell  where  the  horses  were. 
They  also  took  some  clothing  from  Mr.  Keizer's  house  ;  also  one  rifle 
and  some  blankets  of  Dr.  Chapman.  On  the  following  morning  I 
returned  home  to  look  after  nay  family,  and  found  they  had  left  for  a 
neighbor's  house  (Mr.  Pulse)  to  save  their  lives.  I  then  went  around 
to  get  in  with  the  United  States  troops,  who  I  understood  were  going 
to  Prairie  City,  but  did  not  see  the  troops  until  after  they  had  disband- 
ed this  abolition  company ;  and  then  returned  to  my  house  and  found 
my  family  there.  On  my  return  I  also  found  a  Mr.  Thompson,  to 
Whom  I  had  loaned  my  horse,  bridle,  and  saddle,  the  Sunday  before. 
He  stated  the  free-State  men  had  taken  him  prisoner,  and  detained 
him  four  days,  and,  upon  being  released  by  the  troops,  he  was  told  by 
Capt.  Brown,  the  free-State  commander,  that  he  would  be  killed,  and 
would  give  no  satisfaction  about  the  horse.  Hoping  that  the  presence 
of  the  United  States  troops  would  intimidate  them,  and  restore 
peace,  we  remained  at  our  homes  till  the  following  Saturday  in  the 
afternoon,  when  a  Mr.  Young  came  to  my  house,  after  being  pursued 
the  night  before  by  six  men  on  horses.  We  then,  deeming  it  unsafe 
to  remain,  were  invited  by  Capt.  Wood,  United  States  officer,  to  bring 
our  families  to  his  camp.  We  accepted;  and  upon  our  way  to  the 
camp,  Mr.  Thompson,  who  was  with  us,  and  a  short  distance  ahead, 
was  suddenly  seized  and  carried  into  the  brush  by  two  of  the  aboli- 
tionists' company,  on  horseback,  and  has  never  since  been  heard  of.  We 
proceeded  on  to  Capt.  Wood's  camp,  and  informed  him  of  the  taking 
of  Thompson,  who  replied  he  had  not  men  enough  to  send  and  hunt 
for  Thompson,  and  also  to  guard  us  and  the  prisoners,  some  seven  or 
eight,  in  his  charge.  We  next  morning  started  for  Missouri  in 
company  with  the  United  States  troops  and  two  teamsters,  who  were 
going  to  Osawatomie,  and  travelled  some  six  miles  with  them. 

GEORGE  T.   WILLIAMS. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  Thomas  J.  G-oforth,  an  acting 
justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  county  of  Jackson,  and  State  of 
Missouri,  this  eleventh  day  of  June,  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-six. 

THOMAS  J.  GOFORTH,  [L.  s.] 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 


1206  KANSAS  AFFAIRS. 

STATE  OF  MISSOUKI,  > 
Jackson  county,     \ 

I,  John  K.  Swearingen,  clerk  of  the  county  court  within  and  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  do  hereby  certify  that  Thomas  J.  Goforth,  whose 
genuine  signature  appears  to  the  above  affidavit,  now  is,  and  was  at 
the  time  of  so  doing,  an  acting  justice  of  the  peace  within  and  for 
the  county  aforesaid,  duly  elected,  commissioned,  and  qualified  ;  and 
that  full  faith  and  credit  is  due,  and  ought  to  be  given,  to  all  his  offi- 
cial acts  as  such,  as  well  in  courts  of  justice  as  thereout. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed 
the  seal  of  said  court,  at  office,  in  the  city  of  Independence, 
[L.  s.]     this  thirteenth  day  of  June,  A.  D.  eighteen  hundred  and 
fifty-six. 

JOHN  K.  SWEARINGEN,  Clerk. 


1  i  "3 


THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  SANTA  CRUZ 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  DATE  stamped  below. 


50m-12,'70(Pl251s8)2373-3A,l 


